Great news: maybe the French won’t be at war with the Spanish for much longer in the world of The Musketeers?
I’ll be honest: I’m fuzzy on the historical details. Milady’s returned to possibly do some murders for Treville, and that’s bunches more interesting to me.
So after some Spanish prisoners of war are marched to confinement, Aramis goes to chat with a Spanish ambassador, but gets ambushed by Grimaud’s men!
One of the things I disliked most intensely about this episode was the time Gaston referred to Anne as the b-word. Son, just don’t. You are dead to me. I hope you get a urinary tract infection, pal.
Meanwhile, we get some spectacular joyful acting from Ryan Gage, as Louis goes for a wander in the palace grounds in his flouncy pyjamas and rolls around in the dirt. This is the kind of quality content I am here for.
That and Anne trying to get stuff done. If they just did a show called Anne, I’d watch it. Even if they have to release those Spanish prisoners before Marchaud hangs them and I guess that’s controversial.
Also apparently controversial is whether D’Artagnan should save his cousin from hanging for some minor shoplifting, which obviously he does, even if he’s justifiably cross at the dude for landing in trouble in the first place.
But the nicest thing about the episode is Team Ladies Get Stuff Done Together. Constance approaches Sylvie with a generous offer from Anne to help in her efforts of improving the lives of poor citizens. Yay! But Milady’s popped round to stir up trouble with Sylvie. Boo.
You’ll no doubt be surprised to learn that the fellas enact a heroic rescue and retrieve Arsmis from the very naughty Grimaud, who miraculously gets away, which is something he’s very good at.
Athos has an emotional reunion with (technically still) his wife, which goes unsurprisingly badly, especially as Athos learns that some meanie has framed Sylvie in producing politically slanderous printed material about Queen Anne. Anne is distressed, Louis is cross as heck, and as usual, gets the very wrong end of the stick. He’s so good at being so stupid. Blessums.
Well, it would be cute if it didn’t mean that Sylvie gets publicly tortured and the fellas have to step in to the rescue.
(But the real star of this show is Lorraine’s magnificent hair.)
Aired at 8.30pm on Saturday 23 July 2016 on BBC One.
> Buy the complete Season 1-2 box set on Amazon.
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