Robin Hood Review: Strong Women Define the New Legend

The world never ran short on Robin Hood. From Errol Flynn’s quips to Kevin Costner’s mullet, Sherwood’s most famous rogue keeps getting a new face. MGM+ returns to the legend with a timely rethink that drops the tights-and-taunts kitsch for a sober 12th-century historical drama. The series sets us in England in 1186, during a long simmer of Saxon resentment under Norman rule.

This take follows Robert “Rob” Locksley (Jack Patten), whose grief and dispossession press him toward outlawhood. The show ties his resistance to the personal shock of political upheaval. The arc mixes a raw coming-of-age, fired-up politics, probing identity, and a heated, complicated romance. It suits an age preoccupied with inequality.

Stealing From the Conquerors

The series plants its feet in historical context. This is no woodland romp; it looks straight at how the Norman invasion still shapes Saxon families, land rights, and daily survival. Rob starts with vengeance on his mind, then widens his aim into a moral campaign shaped by the era’s political and religious conflict.

Jack Patten’s Rob builds slowly and persuasively. He begins hollowed by loss, then grows into a folk figure embraced by the poor. The show keeps the legend’s ethos in focus, tracking how a cause outgrows one man. The creators place justice at the core of the movement and tackle the debate around Rob’s identity and the hazards that come with turning a person into an icon.

The structure leans into radical politics and questions of ownership. Who holds rightful claim to the land sits front and center. Cultural commentary reinforces this focus through Saxon religious iconography, whispers of woodland spirits, and fireside fables. These touches root Rob and his companions in the soil, a spiritual counterpoint to the Norman establishment’s formal religion. Sherwood’s fight feels ancestral.

The Wits of the Women and the Weight of the Father

The ensemble carries real shape and color. The knot between Rob and Maid Marian (Lauren McQueen) lands quickly. McQueen plays Marian with spine and clarity, guided by her own principles. Their star-crossed pull hits harder because Marian is the daughter of the Norman lord now living in Rob’s ancestral home. The romance follows a predictable route for the genre, yet the show layers it with emotion that deepens the drama.

The supposed villains steal attention. Sean Bean’s Sheriff of Nottingham arrives as a formidable foe and a worn-down father, a combination that gives him needed dimension. The Sheriff’s daughter, Priscilla (Lydia Peckham), stands out. She is cunning and calculating, a medieval operator who reads the room and plays for position. Her volatile bond with the Sheriff complicates the Norman side in lively ways.

Connie Nielsen’s Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine steadies the political scale. Nielsen gives Eleanor steel and poise, a strategist of courtly power who maneuvers for her sons. Meanwhile, the Merry Men ensemble (Little John, played by Marcus Fraser; Friar Tuck, played by Anthony Castle-Doughty; Ralph, played by Erica Ford; and others) clicks into a believable found family, often delivering the warmest and most engaging beats away from the court.

Candlelight, Costumes, and Pacing Problems

World-building arrives with ambition. Costume designer Bea Merkovits shows meticulous care, clothing the story in gilded armor and lush gowns that feel of the period. The broader production design seeks to sweep the viewer into scale.

The visuals land unevenly. The wide landscapes and crafted settings impress, yet a few bright daytime vistas look sparse in ways that hint at a tight budget. Night work is the show’s sweet spot, with cinematographer Ivan Kostić painting scenes in candle and fire glow that bring out the textures of fabric and wood. Federico Jusid’s score, driven by emotive strings, lifts the pulse of these sequences and sharpens their mood.

Structure is the sticking point. As the story reaches for a sprawling medieval epic, momentum can stall and even sag. The push toward grand politics sometimes leaves the central relationships underfed. Stretching the frame thins the intimacy that made the early stretch so inviting, and a light film of distance settles over the big dramatic swings. The scale aims high; engagement occasionally drops.

As historical drama, the show earns its place. Casting fits, the setting convinces, and the political resistance throughline carries sting. The open question is the show’s stamina: can it sharpen focus and pick up pace before viewers grow weary of court chess with shallow stakes?

The television series Robin Hood is a sweeping adventure drama that re-imagines the legendary outlaw’s origin story, setting it firmly in the political turmoil of 12th-century England following the Norman Conquest. The 10-episode first season centers on Rob, a Saxon forester’s son, and his epic, star-crossed romance with Marian, the daughter of a Norman lord. As Rob transforms into a symbol of defiance against class tyranny and corruption, Marian uses her position within the Norman court to fight for justice, making the series a compelling story of shared rebellion. The series premiered on Sunday, November 2, 2025, and is available to watch in the U.S. and internationally on the streaming platform MGM+.

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