Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10
Cast: Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera, Howard Charles, Luke Pasqualino, Hugo Speer, Maimie McCoy, Linzie Cocker, Steve Evets, Alan Rothwell, Barney White, Miles Anderson, Marianne Oldham.
As history has proved time and time again, when the Musketeers are in a fight, it is all for one and one for all. Thankfully in the modern retelling of the classic story and arguably the best in over a hundred and ten years of film and television portrayals, it’s not every episode that has the clichéd signal of derring-do attached to it, the near fatalistic but ultimately triumphant cheer of the Musketeer’s motto shouted across the television as if the viewer would ever forget.
However in The Return, it might have been expected to have been uttered by one of the four heroes as they strode in, Magnificent Seven/Seven Samurai like to a problem caused by Athos’ reluctance to be the man he was before finding solace in the army of the King. Substitute Pre 20th Century Mexico or feudal Japan for 17th Century France and all the makings of jealousy, dishonour and land grabbing are all to be seen on the lands of the once Comte de la Fere.
Whilst arguably borrowing heavily from cinema of old to get the story of bad blood between Athos and his landed neighbour Renard, played by Miles Anderson, what was once again interesting in the episode was the subtle back story seen in which Athos’ former life and eventual downfall was highlighted.
The murder of Athos’ brother, the slow descent into a kind of maddening depression of his once betrothed and the burning anger that resided in her soul at both Athos and Milady de Winter for their part in the destruction of her life, sees order grind down and be replaced by something new, something astonishing and the whole episode, whilst unfortunately inevitable, was lovingly shot and produced.
There are still issues within the ranks bubbling under the surface, there is the tangible fear of tension within the close friendships that have been built up over time but in the eyes of Athos, life is now back to how it should be, one of equality and new commands, it’s just a shame that not everybody sees things the way he does.
The Musketeers continues next Friday.
Ian D. Hall