tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163433168019315772.post1757318865098112731..comments2024-03-27T01:48:48.936-07:00Comments on They're All Fictional: The Musketeers: Spoils of WarRavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09152296184925188730noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163433168019315772.post-48105155477979250662020-07-17T02:24:42.210-07:002020-07-17T02:24:42.210-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01788781981311850175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163433168019315772.post-421833459339198502016-09-10T19:47:11.674-07:002016-09-10T19:47:11.674-07:00You know, I've never actually read any of the ...You know, I've never actually read any of the original books! I should definitely try to rectify that sooner rather than later, but I've still (as of this comment) got the last three episodes of the series to watch/review.<br /><br /><i>I feel that Tom Burke is the most authentic Athos I've seen. I'm so sad that there are only going to be three seasons, but I knew that before I started the series at all!</i><br /><br />I think the lasting quality of this series is that ALL the characters have been incredibly well cast. A couple of them have been a little short-changed (especially this season) when it comes to screen-time, but on the whole this show really does have my favourite versions of the characters in any adaptation I've seen so far. <br /><br />I'm glad you're enjoying my posts!Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09152296184925188730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163433168019315772.post-53908221013781486702016-09-02T23:37:01.231-07:002016-09-02T23:37:01.231-07:00"Hell hath no fury like a man with a bruised ..."Hell hath no fury like a man with a bruised ego." This is the one and only true version of the common phrase and I'm in love with it.<br /><br />My first thought when they said "Grimaud" was, predictably, influenced by how I am fresh of reading all the books for the first time! Obviously THIS Grimaud isn't Athos's faithful lackey, but pulling the same name and Athos giving long looks at him made me wonder! Presumably it was just trying to distinguish the odd figure across the battle scene, but still. So far, despite the weirdness of the severing-kidnapping-killing sequence with the general, that final opium scene gives me faith that Grimaud has the potential for more scope of character than we saw with Rochefort.<br /><br />The sequence of D'artagnan's being reunited with Constance in this one episode made me believe in their romance more than...any of the series so far! And I say that as someone who has generally enjoyed them in a non-cynical way, despite all the will-they-won't-they-extended-angst!<br /><br />I appreciate that they allowed Aramis to have actually spent some years at the monastery, with feedback from his abbot that he wasn't meant to be a monk, rather than pulling him back after one day as the previous finale suggested. Aramis was always my favorite as a child due (ironically?) to Charlie Sheen in the 1993 version and Jeremy Irons in Man in the Iron Mask, so finding out that in the books he grew up to be on the cold, ambitious side once he hit forty really hit me hard. As a result, I took Aramis's increasing douchiness in season 2 more personally than I probably should have! But this season opening has done a lot to repair my little broken heart that way. <br /><br />I like, too, what you posit about Athos ultimately being the sort-of main character. Again, now that I've read the books, I realize how terribly Athos' character was martyred in all the movie versions I've ever seen, and I've been longing for a performance with the depth, breadth and subtlety the character deserves! And even in a version that deviates so widely from the plot of the original romances (which I don't mind at ALL), I feel that Tom Burke is the most authentic Athos I've seen. I'm so sad that there are only going to be three seasons, but I knew that before I started the series at all! <br /><br />(I'm privately hoping Howard Charles will get to star in some kind of adaptation of Alexandre Dumas Pere's life story. His entire performance as Porthos is basically an extended audition tape!)<br /><br />Anyway hopefully you're enjoying my spam of Musketeer comments! I'm in the throes of Musketeer-related emotions after finishing the books and have been binge-watching tons of adaptations (and binge-researching the history and literary criticism/commentary on the romances), and this show paired with your reviews is probably doing the most to sate my craving and balm my little wounded heart from the sadness of the books' ending!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16907444332637619802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163433168019315772.post-26691933610715899112016-06-03T18:52:36.499-07:002016-06-03T18:52:36.499-07:00I'm willing to let Feron grow on me, and so fa...I'm willing to let Feron grow on me, and so far he's better than Rochefort: I just suppose I'm still haunted by how <i>bad</i> Rochefort was. It's tricky to get the right villainous tone in a costume drama like this one.Ravhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09152296184925188730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-163433168019315772.post-62812517590822232822016-06-03T04:42:51.232-07:002016-06-03T04:42:51.232-07:00So glad you're reviewing these! I am up to epi...So glad you're reviewing these! I am up to episode eight, but will do my best not to spoil you (no idea what's going on with the schedule here). I will say that I was rather smitten with Feron from the get-go, although part of this may have just been my joy at having a proven scenery-chewer like Everett as the villain. There are many things this show could use, but an understated villain is not one of them.<br /><br />Anne, as always, is dramatically underused.Geoffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02047145278279336626noreply@blogger.com