The New Adventures of Robin Hood (1997–1999) User Reviews

Wonderful nonsense

[clichedusername · 7/10 · 14 June 2020]

This show is absolutely terrible, and a great deal of fun. Historical accuracy is a long ways off from the point (there's an episode where Marian befriends an alien who crash-landed in a ufo in Sherwood forest. Do I need to elaborate?), but as entertainment, it's very enjoyable. It's dated, the editing is appallingly bad, and shows from the mid-90s in general don't tend to hold up long-term content-wise. But many Robin Hood adaptations take the content entirely too seriously, and rather suck the fun out of the concept. This one doesn't have that problem. It's very much a "giggle at the terrible editing, godawful effects, grab-bag accents, and genuinely goofy costuming" kind of show, but silliness suits it, it's genuinely enjoyable in a non-serious way, and it's worth a watch. Just don't expect it to be Game of Thrones: this more has the vibe of something you might have watched on snow days when you were a kid.

Met my approval

[maxvaughn · 28 January 2003]

I am a Robin Hood fanatic. So, it had to meet my standards. True, it was cheezy and most of the plots were takes on my favorite movies, still I watched. Let's face it folks! Sometimes we just need good mindless entertainment....with Christopher Lee. I've always remembered seeing Christopher Lee on that show which was awesome. The acting was surprisingly good and it kept my attention. I would love to see it on the air again just for the re-runs. I just wish they had given it an ending.

Absolute sewage

[orderyourfuneral · 1/10 · 3 May 2008]

This series is one of the worst shows I have ever seen. Terrible acting, terrible effects, terrible writing, you get my drift. The stories are so far from the legend of Robin Hood it's amazing. Looks like they just wanted to use the name Robin Hood to attract an audience. It might as well have been called New Adventures of Mr. Bland Acting.

Someone commented before me that if you had imagination, you'd love this show. That is a horrible approach to a TV-series. A visual media like this should spark your imagination, you shouldn't have to force your imagination into something to make it good. That would be like the Simpsons episode where they try to brainwash Homer with a religious propaganda movie, and he starts talking about who killed who or whatever. "If a movie is boring, I just make up my own story."

In conclusion: Absolute human waste.

cheap crap, bad acting,bad plots

[hodekin2000 · 1/10 · 2 August 2006]

i wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. Porretta was good looking but resembled like a Mexican porn star not an English outlaw. costumes? what costumes? a t-shirt with strips of black leather on it. it was Marion's clothes--or lack of them--that really got me. do the 'fans' of this stinker really believe women dressed like that in medieval england. the Mongols and vikings were inaccurate and stupid, but the episode with an ALIEN was worst of all. Especially as his make up mainly consisted of oatmeal on his face--an old trick.The hedgehog monster was pretty funny, as was climbing up the side of a castle on a ladder of arrows--as if. the US accents grated as did the initial drawling voice over' RAW-bin Hood and LIDDLE John'.the second robin and Marion were really quite minging in looks and what was left of the show went totally down the pan...

Matthew Porretta

[debbieboucher-72898 · 10/10 · 3 August 2020]

My 10 stars are for the original characters. They fit well together, loved the charisma Robin and Marion had. This show, Zena, and Hercules were my favorites growing up. Just a good time watching with the tongue in cheek comedy.

Twenty + Years & still no Season 2,3, or 4

[lasermn1 · 2/10 · 18 November 2020]

I'm NOT going to buy just Season 1. Apparently, they/re never going to market all 4 seasons as a package deal

So bad it is almost good.

[Chris-742 · 22 January 2005]

"The new adventures of Robin Hood" can be described as a light-hearted, silly piece of recorded live role-playing. The actors(?) probably had a lot of fun playing out their own fantasies, but the result is lacking. The plots consists mainly of Robin Hood and his merry men (Marion, Tuck, Little John) helping people in need, resulting in fights against the antagonists of the relevant episode. As in similar series (Sinbad, Hercules etc), there is no blood. In fact the whole series is completely bloodless and soulless. Instead silliness rules. Robin Hood is flippant (for comic relief), Marion is haughty (for comic relief), Little John is stupid (for comic relief) and Friar Tuck is a fat fart (for comic relief). Topping off this silliness is a lack of credible plots and a long line of historical inaccuracies. For instance Vikings (ca 800-1000) and Mongols (Asia and Eastern Europe ca 1200-1400) appear in what should be an late 12th century England setting. A series like this should make you very, very upset that someone wasted even low-budget money. But you can also revel in all the silliness and play "Silly Bingo" and try to finds as many historical inaccuracies or ridiculous fight scene events as possible, say: Two Mongols (beep, inaccurate), slash at Robin Hood with their swords. Robin Hood blocks both swords with his bow (beep, ridiculous), which is made out of glass-fiber (beep, inaccurate). He then hits both Mongols over their metal helmets with his bow, and they go down (beep, impossible). And so on...

You have to have an imagination...

[thornedbud · 7 July 2003]

The New Adventures of Robin Hood, known to the fans simply as NAoRH, is lack of publicity. To enjoy this show you need to at least like the legend of Robin Hood. After that you need to have an imagination, this is a fantasy show with a almost none existent budget. The special affects were literally cardboard cut-outs and tricks such as putting a sword to your side to make it look as if it went through you. If you have an imagination you can see past that and enjoy. One particular aspect of the show that made it so short lived was replacing Robin Hood. The original and by many considered the best Robin Hood after Errol Flynn was Matthew Porretta. He looked the part, and pulled off the terrible one liners in the scripts so that you HAD to like them. It also didn't hurt that he is gorgeous, has one hell of a voice and the most adorable smile in history. When he said he was Robin Hood you didn't feel the need to question it, you just believed. He was one of the few involved in the show that had talent, then they replace him with John Bradley, whose claim to fame is a bit part in Independence Day. He actually did that part well, but he made Robin Hood looked like a continually drunk, out of place and generally ignorant oaf. That change was very bad, where as the change in Marions was not quite so crushing. Their acting abilities were similar and they both portrayed the lady warrior as well as could be expected. Though it may be difficult to except a female fighter in the twelfth century, as woman I have to admit I enjoyed seeing a Marion that wasn't screaming and wringing her hands. The stories were interesting, but could have been done considerably better with a larger budget. They were good in the first two seasons then got so bad and half were stolen in the third season I got headaches. The first and second seasons are worth your time, but don't bother with the third unless your a John Bradley fan. As a huge fan of the Robin Hood legend, with a wild imagination and a woman with eyes I fell in love with the first two seasons of NAoRH.

I just love it!!

[Donttrustines · 1 July 2004]

I really liked that show( and I think it just ended too early). Well, I've only seen seasons three and four, but I became pretty mad about the whole series and especially about Barbara Griffin.I think she acted Marion exactly the way lots of people wanted to see her : Strong and funny but also with dreams of a normal life with family. She acted just great in every episode I saw. Admittedly the storys were a little too fantastic sometimes, but it was great fun to imagine what could come next. The only thing I sometimes hated was the relationship between Robin and Marion, because it was different every episode. One episode they kiss and in the next one , they're just good friends - I was pretty confused about that...

But all in all there's nothing else to say (at least for me) than: I just love it!

The Perfect Robin Hood

[Shewolf-2 · 10 February 1999]

I've been watching this series of the Weintraub's since it started because I love adventure actions shows and the Robin Hood Story. I've always thought Erol Flynn the better of all and I've seen most on TV and movies,and enjoyed them all but my favorite was always Will Scarlet or King Richard even the Sheriff. But Matthew Porretta's portrayal of Robin Hood is for me the best. There can never be another Robin now. His acting his looks his voice, I can go on and on but there are other actors who also give reasons to watch. The two Maid Marions, Anna Galvin and Barbara Griffin are excellent and show that she doesn't need a man to save her that she can do her fighting. Richard Ashton is finally a sexy Little John and Martin Ellis is perfect as Friar Tuck and portrays him as a gourmet not a drunken glutton as others have.

As you can see I loved this show and cannot wait until on video so I can watch and re-watch. If anyone at IMDb has any influence with Warners or the Producers please beg them to put it out on Video. I promise many will buy them. All you have to do is search the web and see all the fans. Especially as there is a new actor in the lead role not Matthew. He is missed.

the best Robin Hood story of them all

[shirly-scheerhoorn · 7 October 2002]

NAoRH is about the best Robin Hood story of them all. I'll keep on watching it.The first actor that played Robin Hood was a lot better than the second one. The second actress to play Marian was better than the first, this because with her the fights look real.With the first actress it looked like the enemy fell down by themselves and not by her punches or things like that.

The new adventures of robin hood

[milame30 · 9 March 2005]

It is a pity to me of all of you! You look this wild delirium and name the legend of Robin Hood, and, maybe, for you it is Robin, but you have severely and ridiculously deceived! Unique Robin Hood is a British serial of the eightieth years, in a leading role Michael Praed. That we see in new adventures - very very bad. I do not speak about historical reliability, it simply is not present, I speak about soul, how it looks, about suits, about the script. What relation Mongols to England have 12 centuries? Besides the majority of subject courses are simply stolen at the British serial which I have mentioned earlier. I looked New adventures. The only thing, that was pleasant to me - music! Porretta is good in role Scarlet in the comedy of Bruks , but he cannot be Robin in any way!

I understand, that there are fans which simply love the actor, and everything, that he makes. But this love too should be adequate! New adventures is very bad film!

The very best

["L" · 14 December 1999]

I have followed NAoRH ever since it started in the Netherlands. I do think it is great and I also think that Matthew plays a very good Robin Hood. The third season has started already and so by now the role of Robin Hood is played by John Bradley. I think Matthew was a better Robin Hood. But I'll give John a chance to prove himself to. I've always been a fan of Robin Hood stories. NAoRH is about the best Robin Hood story of them all. I'll keep on watching it.

beautiful place around

[natalija-vanagelyte · 2 November 2011]

I enjoyed watching this TV series when I was a child, as it was filmed in my home-country, near my home-town and even some of my friends were participating in filming mass scenes, like villagers etc. so every day I was waiting for new series to appear on TV with excitement. so it gives me nice memories and the scenery of series is beautiful as it is my Lithuania :) also the costumes and all set is done very professional. actors do their characters well for this kind of production. in general it is suitable to watch for teenagers and easy history interpretation lovers. The New Adventures of Robin Hood anyway is a must see for all fans of Robin Hood story itself; it is also enjoyable for family get together evenings and relaxed eves.