Yo, BBC! Where's Friar Tuck? And how 'bout some more women?

Okay, first, I get that it's weird that I'm obsessing about a show that (a) isn't on yet and (b) I won't be able to watch get even when it is, but instead must beg tapes from a friend. And yet I owe my career, in no small part, to various depictions of Robin Hood in film and on TV, so that probably explains it. Plus, Richard Armitage (aks Sir Guy of Gisborne) is one smoldering actor.

Anyhoodle, the folks at the BBC had put up more characters on the Robin Hood website which I have conveniently bookmarked.

First up, Will Scarlett. (I note in passing that they're obviously going for the young audience, as everybody except my man Richard and the Sheriff and Little John are played by young people.) Here's what it says about Will:

"Son of Locksley's carpenter, Will is the gang's chief engineer. He can construct anything from any material, so long as it's wood." (I'm seeing some fancy machinery here, of the sort that will have me rolling my eyes to the back of my head.) "Will's family suffered during the bleak years of Robin's absence, and his passionate hatred for all things Sheriff makes him fundamental to the gang's central mission. "

I think "passionate hatred" is a clue he's a hot-head. I also suspect that's not the greatest picture of the actor on their site, because the other one? Looks better.

Next up: Little John (who, with the gray hair at the temples, is older than Sir Guy, apparently)

"Little John was leader of the forest outlaws before Robin arrived." (Ooooh, conflict potentional -- I love it!) "A man of few words and much muscle, John has a more simplistic morality than Robin's: see a problem, sort it out." (Also liking) "But underneath that brute strength, is Little John hiding a big heart?"

Well, duh.

Next we come to Allan a Dale:

"Witty, cheeky, Allan can talk the hind legs off a donkey. He would talk the hind legs off his own donkey, and find himself having to walk, if Robin did not rein him in. " (Okay, I love, love love this kind of character...and THEN they completely, utterly ruin him for me.) "He is a pathological liar, (WHY? Why, why, why? Why can't he just be witty and cheeky? Why make him over the top?) "and a brilliant front-man for scams."

I can't really tell yet if I think the actor is good-looking or not -- he's reminding me of Haywire on Prison Break in that picture, though. Not good.

And speaking of Haywire and craziness, we come to Much (formerly the miller's son):

"Robin's manservant is sometimes daft," (In that picture? He looks freakin' insane!) "forever loyal, forever hungry, forever yearning for the warmth of the home fire. He makes us laugh." (Well, we shall see. ) "He SO doesn't want to be in the forest." (Okay, I'm seeing some comic potential here...) "And yet, if he wasn't by Robin's side - wherever that may be - we know Much would wither and die."

Seems a bit, well, much, desn't it? I mean, I'd think he'd find another job if it was that, or starve.

But hey! What happened to Friar Tuck? Are they afraid of offending somebody?

And since they're "updating" this anyway and playing fast and loose with the details as we've known them, why not add some more women? I realize that it's Robin and his merry men, but won't they be getting kinda lonely in the green wood? What about a tavern wench with a heart o' gold? A maidservant who spies on Sir Guy? (Oh, pick me! Pick me!) A smart, savvy widow in the village who has her own business because she took it over after her husband died? Little John's tough-as-nails wife? Sullen teenage daughter? Brazen teenage daughter? Bashful teenage daughter with a crush on Robin?

I could go on and on. I hope somebody at the BBC had the same thought. Or maybe that's why Will, Allan and Much have those slightly manic looks in their eyes.....