Yahoo News The Musketeers: Reunited, and it feels so good
It’s been a frustrating wait for Musketeer fans, but finally our heroes hit our screens - along with multiple other things - for the long anticipated Series 3.
Straight into battle, with Athos (Tom Burke) leading the charge, and the action doesn’t let up for the hour. It’s a great start to this final series, and makes you question why on earth it isn’t being re-commissioned.
We’re back in slightly familiar territory: traitorous French spies working with the Spanish, the King not listening to Treville - but where’s the fun in an enemy you can see?
We knew it wouldn’t be long before the merry band of three became four again, as Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) confesses to God he’d got it wrong. The trademark BurkeSmirk made an appearance as Athos eavesdropped.
“You are many thing Aramis, but a monk is not one of them”
Porthos (Howard Charles) wasn’t quite so quick to forgive, cold shouldering Aramis to begin with. It lasted all of five minutes, before they were joyously back on form together, bonding over blowing stuff up, and a bunch of cute little orphans. Cue a million exploding ovaries …
Four years have passed in Musketeer-land since the end of Series 2, and this opener effectively reconnected the principle characters, and introduced our new arch villains. Three of them this time, with Rupert Everett’s Byronesque Governor of Paris, the Marquis de Feron, hamming it up marvellously, all malicious snarls one minute and slimy servitude the next.
Although, I was convinced he was going to greet someone with a “Good moaning” at some point, such is the accent he’s adopted.
Lucien Grimauld (Matthew McNulty) is the seriously nasty, ruthless one, lurking in the shadows and pulling the strings from there. Is he Feron’s lackey - or is it the other way around? With the Governor not in good health, the final, physical battle will likely pit the Musketeers against this vicious gangster.
In the absence of the boys, Treville (Hugo Speer) and Constance (Tamla Kari) have been standing up for the little people, making themselves a target for the third of our villains, Marchaux (Matt Stokoe). The captain of the Red Guard, really, really doesn’t like independent women. I can’t wait for the moment he tries his luck with Constance …
Treville brings the Musketeers face to face with Feron at the end, who wastes no time in establishing how things are going to do down.
First he insults …
“We need men in their prime fighting for France, not worn out dregs.”
Then he threatens …
“Cross me and you’ll live to regret it.”
The Musketeers be like …
The show trended at no.2 on Twitter at one point, having a fantastically engaged audience - and cast and crew, who actively take part in the conversation - and is sold to many other countries (where it aired considerably earlier than it has here). Let’s hope another channel will re-commission, as I’m not the only fan who feels there are adventures still to be had - the original source consisted of six books, so there’s plenty more material to adapt. And, it’s only the best theme tune ever.
The next episode airs on Saturday but at the earlier time of 8.30pm, BBC1. Don’t miss it - see you at #TheMusketeers.
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