Beauty and the Beast and the BBC

Ya know, there are times folks who come up with TV shows really should call me. I think they need me -- or at least a romance author's perspective.

Case in point: the new series about Robin Hood that the BBC is making. They're describing it as "a unique blend of exhilarating action adventure, wit and romance." When it comes to the romance, I think there'll be women a-swoonin', but perhaps not quite for the reason they think.

Here's the description of Robin from their website:

"Our Robin is a noble - Robin of Locksley - who returns with honours from the Holy Land - and a new perspective on fairness and the value of human life. Clever, idealistic, arrogant but selfless, dryly humorous, heroic, a little world - and battle-weary, undaunted by authority, sometimes outrageously bold but always principled."

I'm liking that he's gone on Crusade and come back a changed man. I like the world-weary aspect. "Arrogant but selfless" gives me pause, but it could work. Yet I'm left wondering how Marion fits into his life.

Here's the description of Marion:

"Courageous, smart, proud Marian is as adventurous a champion of the poor as Robin. Marian must appear to toe the line in Nottingham for the sake of her father, but her toughness belies the pain of lost love: her heart is yet to be unlocked. The years may have eroded Marian's gentleness but they have left untouched her generosity of spirit and keen sense of duty to her people."

Sounds like a character I could really like. I love the idea that her father's still alive, although what? No ward of King Richard or Prince John? But when it comes to her love life, I'm confused. If she's felt the "pain of lost love," I would think her heart's been unlocked at least that once. Do they mean she's shut herself off from love because of the pain of losing the man she loved? I can buy that. And was that "lost love" Robin? He looks so young here, I'm thinking he could have been but a callow youth before he left, so that works for me.

Now we come to the description of Sir Guy of Gisborne. It's pretty clear they're going for the complete Snidely Whiplash here, but I think they've forgotten about, or maybe don't even realize, the appeal of a "beauty and the beast" story for a lot of women:

"Vain, brutal, ambitious, loyal, practical, unemotional, single-minded, boastful, frustrated, he's a selfish bully. Gisborne is capable of tremendous cruelty in his overwhelming pursuit of heritage and position, yet beyond this drive for recognition is his one hope for redemption: Marian"

So he's a nasty piece of work -- but when you put redemption because of a woman in there? Now we're talking Beauty and the Beast, my friend. Not to mention Sir Guy is played by an actor who fairly smoulders with suppressed passion. He's is also very much a man, not a boy.

Maybe I'm wrong and they're well aware of Sir Guy's potential to attract the female viewers. But even if they aren't, I'm thinking that if I get a chance to see this, (oh, please, oh, please, History Channel or A&E!), I don't think I'll be the only one rooting for Marion to ditch that boy Robin and save the passionate, bitter, intense, (no doubt really lonely) Sir Guy.

(We are talking fiction here, folks. In real life? This guy/Guy would be dangerous and Marion should head for the hills!)