Robin of Sherwood (1984)
Robin of Sherwood was a British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network. In America it was retitled Robin Hood and shown on the premium cable TV channel Showtime and on PBS. The show starred Michael Praed and Jason Connery as two different incarnations of the title character. Unlike previous adaptations of the Robin Hood legend, Robin of Sherwood combined a gritty, authentic production design with elements of real-life history, 20th century fiction, and pagan myth. The series is also notable for its haunting title music by Clannad, which won a BAFTA award.
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Episode 1 - The Prophecy
Release Date: 1985-03-09Little John is captured by Guy, who has a plan to finally get his hands on all the Merry Men. After a prophecy from Herne, Robin thinks that Little John is the prisoner he is told he must rescue. While they are planning to rescue John from Nottingham another John turns up, Prince John. He has his own agenda and his own hooded prisoner, someone whose identity will be a big surprise to one of Robin's band. Robin realises that this hooded prisoner is the person who is in the prophecy and that freeing them from Prince John's grasp will be a daunting prospect.
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Episode 2 - The Children of Israel
Release Date: 1985-03-16The Sheriff returns to Nottingham, passing through Sherwood. Will decides that Robin's plans to ambush him is not good enough and attempts to attack the Sheriff and his men with only Little John, Nasir and Friar Tuck at his side. It all goes badly wrong - Tuck is badly injured and Robin is furious, a fury that grows when he discovers the attitude of the local villagers they take Tuck to. Back in Nottingham the Sheriff is approached by Joshua De Talmont, a Jewish moneylender, demanding the money that the Sheriff owes him. The Sheriff is not best pleased about being challenged for money he owes and 'suggests' to Guy that a tide of anti-Jewish sentiments may strike Nottingham, as it has in London and other towns, and lead to the death of De Talmont in the riots.
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Episode 3 - Lord of the Trees
Release Date: 1985-03-23Gisburne, left in charge of Nottingham by the Sheriff, hires a group of vicious mercenaries to hunt down the outlaws. Unfortunate timing for Robin and company, as it is the time of the Blessing when no blood can be shed or the villagers will not have a good harvest that year. The outlaws must use cunning and trickery to defeat Gisburne and the mercenaries.
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Episode 4 - The Enchantment
Release Date: 1985-03-30Robin is bewitched by Lilith, one of followers of the not-quite-late Simon de Belleme, and tricked into helping to bring the Baron back to life. At the same time, the Sheriff schemes to take possession of the Baron's legendary cache of gems.
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Episode 5 - The Swords of Wayland (Part 1)
Release Date: 1985-04-06A group of pious and well-respected nuns are in reality a coven of witches. They need all of the Seven Swords of Wayland for some very heavy-duty conjuring. The only sword they don't have is Robin's Albion.
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Episode 6 - The Swords of Wayland (2)
Release Date: 1985-04-06Robin and his band battle to prevent Morgwyn of Ravenscar from harnessing the power of the sword of Albion.
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Episode 7 - The Greatest Enemy
Release Date: 1985-04-13Threatened with the loss of his position, the Sheriff pulls out all stops to find Robin. He captures most of the band in Wickham and hunts down the rest with hounds. Finally, Robin, Marion and Much are alone on a hill, facing an army.