Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
Cast: Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera, Howard Charles, Alexandra Dowling, Ryan Gage, Tamla Kari, Maimie McCoy, Luke Pasqualino, Hugh Speer, Marc Warren, Phoebe Dynevor, Ellie Bamber, Liam Cunningham, Emma Hamilton, Ed Stoppard, Ben Addis, Amanda Wass.
It’s hard enough on the soul when we find out what our friends are like when they turn against us, what it does to the fragile nature of inner peace when we find out what are parents are capable of, especially if like Porthos, one of them has been conveniently missing for the whole of your life, is an emotional response that you might not wish upon a sworn enemy.
The Prodigal Father, the latest story in the thrilling B.B.C re-imagining of Alexandra Dumas the stories, and arguably the first one in over years of cinema and television to really come to grips with the immensity of the production and give a true sense of the times that were lived in early 17th Century France, is one that is a series highlight for the viewer. A real one for all moment as Porthos is finally shown the truth of his inheritance, physical as well spiritual and it is one that could break lesser-men. For Howard Charles, this is his episode to revel in as the fighting spirit of the quartet of the Musketeers and the pain he displays when knowledge becomes so overwhelming, is one that really frames the emotion of complex relationships.
The Prodigal Father also though is seen as the one that is most pivotal in the lives in all four Musketeers and those they are gathered around, only happily perhaps for D’Artagnan and his beloved Constance, for the others, as well as the King and Queen, life is about to spin very much out of control. For this Santiago Cabrera and Alexandra Dowling gave tremendous appreciation to the enormity to come and the ever scheming MiLady, Maimie McCoy, and Rochefort, the splendid Marc Warren, will no doubt capitalise upon.
As the second series comes to a close, it is to wonder what other tales that have been done before but didn’t live up to the very high standards demanded of them, could be achieved with the modern world at their disposal, Robin Hood has been done to death, flogged almost within an inch of the poor legends life and on both sides of the Atlantic but surely what about the B.B.C. getting hold once more of the legend that is Dick Turpin? If the corporation can do so much with The Musketeers, then surely the time is ripe to make good on yet another tale worth re-telling.
For now though, the news that The Musketeers has been commissioned for a third series is to congratulate the B.B.C. for its foresight.
The Musketeers continues in two weeks time.
Ian D. Hall