Sherwood (II) (2022– ) User Reviews

The A-team

[dakjets · 8/10 · 24 August 2022]

The absolute A-team of British actors can be found in this crime series which is based on historical events in the mid-80s. Quality pays off!

The story shows us a rich gallery of characters in a former mining town, where what happened 30 years ago still simmers beneath the surface. The calm and seemingly harmonious surface hides both hatred and unresolved events. This culminates in a murder, and soon we are drawn into a very exciting investigation, with several side stories that give insight into the various characters. I found this to be both entertaining, engaging and exciting.

British drama at its very best - do not miss it

[JRB-NorthernSoul · 7/10 · 13 June 2022]

Inspired by real events this timely new drama series is set in present day Nottinghamshire where a murder seemingly has links to the miners strike of 1984 and the divisions in the local community it provoked.

This was an accomplished piece of television with everybody involved in front of and behind camera on song. Good production values all round, a great assembly of Northern acting talent old and new and a special mention for the brilliant script by James Graham.

Loved it from first to last. Congrats to all involved in making this, its a truly wonderful piece of drama that rings true.

Fantastic gripping British police drama

[wrxsti54 · 8/10 · 14 October 2022]

Set in a small mining village of Annesley adjacent to Sherwood Forest near Nottingham, this series partially recreates the true story of the unusual cross bow murder of local retired miner Keith "Froggy" Frogson although depicted as fictitious Gary Jackson (Alun Armstrong). Set against the backdrop of the hugely divisive 1984 miners' strike, the village was home to many local miners who broke from the National Union of Mineworkers' famous protracted and often violent fight with Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Government, hellbent on breaking the power of dominant trade unions, by crossing picket lines and working the local mines. Striking local miners never forgave the "scabs" in their midst and tensions still simmered beneath the surface decades later.

The series features a veritable 'Who's Who' of fabulous British acting talent and contains many flashbacks to 1984 to various incidents between then young police officers and striking families with complex relationships 40 years on now strained by the investigation. The suspected murderer terrorizes the village with random arrow attacks whilst hiding out in the very forest made famous by Robin Hood lending a compellingly surreal mythological backdrop to the extensive manhunt.

The acting across the board is of universally excellent quality and the plot, character development and pace are fantastic with a gripping and compelling pace that makes for great binge worthy viewing.

A compelling start

[the_venetian · 10/10 · 14 June 2022]

With one of the greatest TV casts put together since State of Play, this series promised to be interesting. But the first episode has surpassed my hopes -- the essential background to this drama is brilliantly sketched as we are introduced to the large range of characters, and it is beautifully written, shot and performed. It was so gripping I watched it twice, not wanting to let it go, and counting down the hours to tomorrow night. If it is half as good, the week between episodes 2 and 3 will seem an eternity.

We need much, much more drama like this.

Absolute class

[rnf100 · 8/10 · 22 June 2022]

BBC drama at its brilliant best. A stellar cast of top notch actors and a story line that always keeps you guessing with some real jaw dropping moments. This is definitely one of the best series of the year. Not to be missed.

Fantastic cast, boring drama

[charliebutler-66875 · 6/10 · 8 August 2022]

Hearing reviews comparing Sherwood to Happy Valley and Broadchurch, I had high expectations that sadly the show could not reach. What started out as a fairly interesting whodunnit devolved into a confused and, worst of all, boring slog.

The central mystery relies too heavy on past events, and although the flashback scenes were some of the most interesting, really hurt the plotting. There were several intertwined stories that didn't really work well together as you'd expect from a TV show (I suppose by virtue of being inspired by true events). And the "final" mystery really didn't connect well with the main story. All in all just a confusing mess.

Excellent show with a message

[Laight · 9/10 · 15 October 2022]

Sherwood is easily one of the best shows of the year -- one of those rare productions where everything seems to go right. The direction is smooth, the writing is excellent, the story is worth telling. Most of all, though, it's the acting that stands out -- everyone seems to have been born to play their particular part -- oddly, the only exception is the usually good David Morrissey whose face seems to have frozen in a perpetual frown, and so all his facial expression have to fight that weird tic. But small stuff in another wise perfectly plotted story that not only entertains but imparts a message about the coal miner's strike in 1984, and how a deeply, truly, horribly cynical British government played the down-and-out miners against each other. A great show.

Great lead in Morrissey. Worth a watch

[CrazyArty · 7/10 · 15 August 2022]

A senior police officer investigates a murder in a troubled ex-mining community. Stars David Morrissey and Lesley Manville.

The leads are excellent particularly Morrissey. The story is a bit slow but has exciting moments throughout to keep you hooked. It has a whodunnit style which really works.

Well written, good cast, keeps moving, worth a watch.

THIS is wonderful storytelling!

[rossanova · 10/10 · 21 October 2022]

I was hooked from the first frame. Excellent writing and acting in a gripping story set in Nottinghamshire. Beautifully shot. Twists galore.

It also features and who's who of contemporary British actors recognizable to American viewers.

Three dimensional characters and unpredictable plot.

It begins with a feeling that this mining town is deeply divided over a strike that occurred decades prior. Old wounds still itch. Then, a murder happens and old secrets start to emerge.

A second murder ratchets up the tension and.thickens an already tasty story.

Mystery, betrayal, redemption. It's all here.

Could be better

[Bilse85 · 6/10 · 3 August 2022]

I was really excited about this series. The cast alone was reason enough to watch it and they didn't disappoint. However, there are problems which are hard to ignore. First of all, although this is an interesting and poignant subject, I felt that the events described were a little bit forced. The beginning title gives us the information that the author was inspired by two murders in his home town. As I continued to watch the series I came to the conclusion that these murders were not enough to plot a whole six episode mystery. The fact that the mystery was not at all mysterious was not helping the matters. In the end, the conclusion of the only thing we the viewers were really curious about was handled badly and that left a bitter taste. My second reservation is about the tone. I can't possibly fault the acting of these finest of actors but the way the scenario is written was sometimes too didactic. I never mind a bit of a history lesson in fiction and I am glad that I got to learn about these events through this series but some lines spoken in some situations sounded unrealistic, at least to me. I can see what the writer was trying to achieve but they should have trusted the wonderful cast to convey their message. Lesley Manville needn't say a word to tell a thousand pages, she can just do that by giving us a look. Same with David Morrissey.

In the end, I am glad I watched it but that's mostly thanks to the cast. I heard that there will be a second season and if that's the case, I urge the production to create something hundred percent fiction instead of trying to knit real life events together with the hope of forming a coherent and interesting plot line because that strategy being successful is once in a blue moon thing, as Morrissey's character said in the series. Still I recommend it, it is not bad, just a bit disappointing.

An excellent drama series

[larmo · 8/10 · 12 October 2022]

October 12, 2022 - I have to congratulate the creator of this series, James Graham, and his production company for producing this extremely good series. The acting, directing, writing, and production values are all excellent. The number of well known British actors in the production is amazing. This series shows that plots based on historical events can be somewhat informative and entertaining at the same time. It is an example of a truly quality production, in comparison to much of the cookie cutter "dramas" being produced currently. Dramas that are used to advance political and social agendas, with the desire to be entertaining being only of secondary importance. There is, I believe, a political message in Sherwood. However, I think that it is skillfully included, and is one that people of most political persuasions can agree with. Which is that governmental authoritarian overreach should always be resisted by the citizens of any democracy.

Much to Recommend it

[wheatley-20230 · 7/10 · 25 August 2022]

This series is focused on the aftermath of the miners' strike, using a story of murder and mayhem to lay bare the frictions hovering beneath the surface. A great cast play it for everything it has to give.

As a social commentary this is a top notch drama.

However, as a thriller it falls short, with the murder story becoming ever less engrossing. But still, worth your attention.

Really promising start, downhill thereafter

[stairways · 5/10 · 8 July 2022]

The background to this show is fascinating and, mostly, handled well,. The notorious miners' strikes of 1984 in Britain, and the way they polarised and divided the mining communities themselves, and all of Britain, has left a black stain on British society, and particularly on the Metropolitan police force who used a very heavy hand against the striking miners.

In present-day Sherwood, a lone archer fires at people in a now depressed mining town full of bitter memories of rival unions and collaborators, and we are invited to wonder if the killer of at least one old miner agitator might somehow be connected to the rumour of undercover metropolitan police officers, sent to spy on the miners. While stretching the obvious Robin Hood comparison a bit thinly, nevertheless the ingredients are here for a half-decent if somewhat improbable thriller.

But (as so often in what passes for cutting edge TV drama these days) where things fall apart is with the sometimes ridiculous coincidences on which the plot hinges. A Met officer returning to the town for a single day meets an old flame in the supermarket. Well imagine that. Then it turns out the same old flame is now best friends with the cops nemesis from back in their raw recruit days - the same cop who is now his local, superior liasion. The outlaw Archer, and still another man, also on the run for murder (he's killed his daughter-in-law for reasons that seem completely unconnected), are being hunted by 'hundreds' of Met officers through Sherwood Forest, yet both of them, coincidentally, turn up at a remote campsite at precisely the same time, just as the two camping strangers conveniently decide to take an unexplained walk, leaving cooked food on the pan (no animals in this forest?), their tent wide open and - why not? - both of their cellphones charging on their sleeping bags. With the hundreds of cops, sniffer dogs and even helicopters searching the woods, the two campers are somehow entirely oblivious to the ongoing search, as if the woods were not just a few hundreds acres of woodland but the Amazonian jungle. And what about their phones? No one thought to ring them to let them know 'the biggest manhunt' in recent British history was going on around them?

Oh, and though the hundreds of cops can't find their elusive archer, they do almost immediately come across the note he leaves for them, stuck with an arrow to a random tree. What's that line about not being able to see the woods for the trees? Maybe the needle in the haystack is the better analogy.

And on and on it goes. So that what looks quite promising in the first couple of episodes is just a mess by three and four and five. It's a lucky thing that this is just six episodes long: the dumb desire to find out 'whodunnit' can only take so many scowling miners in flashback and horribly choreographed search scenes in the woods where extras dressed as coppers plod through the ferns and wonder, as I kept wondering myself, if they weren't just wasting their time.

Compelling viewing.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 20 July 2022]

The small town of Sherwood is rocked when one of its own is killed by an unknown bowman in the small hours.

Compelling drama this, every now and then a drama comes along and grabs you, it intrigued, tantalises and immerses you, Broadchurch, Line of Duty, and a few others, Sherwood is very close to being on par with them.

Great storytelling, a powerful scenario, being someone that had coal miners in the family, those divisions are real, and still felt all these years later, the way in which they captured that feeling, incredible.

The acting, sublime, a raft of Britain's best appear here, David Morrissey, Robert Glenister, Claire Holman are all great. Worth watching for the masterclass from Adeel Akhtar, he is astonishing.

Powerful, emotive, captivating, Part five is flawless. I'm surprised that a second series has been commissioned, but why not, hopefully it will be the same standard as the first.

Great viewing, 9/10.

Gripping

[jpolywog · 10/10 · 17 June 2022]

How refreshing to see so many top British actors coming together in this superbly written TV drama. I spent the first 2 episodes spotting some of the British greats. This has to be up there with the best of British drama. Can't wait for episode 3..Keep them coming.

so nearly brilliant.

[whytekt · 7/10 · 3 July 2022]

First two episodes are superbly crafted, drawing in the viewer through a well structured blend of fascinating characters, enigmatic back stories, socio political themes and a plot setting where the enemy will exist within the fractured community. The actors, under deft direction, portray a credibile scenario where ghosts are awaiting revelation. The pace is appropriate as a range of characters bring real life to the place. The references and depiction to a previous era where profound conflict split relationships and created a cancer which continued to fester within and causing the deep rifts existing today.....all plausibly intriguing.

Then from episode 3 through to the flawed conclusion, the tighter earlier themes become over developed or under explored.....too many unnecessary details from the past and today....the story becomes baggy as the writer attempts to add layers to characterisation which results in a "soapification" of the narrative, removing the essential enigmatic nature of the earlier plot and character development.

Also the predictable whodunnit element sarts to dominte as the police move to front stage....now holes emerge: implausibilities abound and police procedural inaccuracies( eg manhunting a killer in a forest would surely involve helicopters with heat seeking technology!!! ) begin to divert from the otherwise entertaining drama. Questions are inevitably raised and frustratingly not addressed...... So nearly a first class BBC drama....shame....but still watchable, entertaining and informative. Timely as we sit on the edge of another period of Government/Union tension.

Well done!

[ronaldalamascus-90506 · 9/10 · 23 October 2022]

Although there are some reviewers who were disappointed, this is an excellent series that has an important story to tell and it's told very well from start to finish. The inclusion of numerous familiar actors playing the various characters added to the experience in a very comfortable and entertaining manner. And while I am not totally aware of the actual events, they are not that different than similar situations in the U. S. in our coal mining regions particularly WV and Appalachia. The bottom line is relationships and their importance in a community especially when that community is so dependent upon a particular industry or field of endeavor. Communities can get torn apart by issues often beyond the control of the citizens of that community but it's important to try and resolve them from within and shut out all the extraneous noise and opinions. I am glad there will be a second season if it's as well done as the first.

A bit samey

[Makkers1 · 15 June 2022]

Someone's just opened the 'Happy Valley' box and got the same characters out. David Morrissey is okay, not brilliant. Storyline is original, Robin Hood and all that but it just feels a bit messy and amateurish. Reminds me of Mare of Eastown where everything was absurdly interconnected yet no one talked to each other. I don't know how a Met Officer can just walk into an investigation because he was policing there during the miners strikes? There's a slight bit of purchase on the plot to keep me intrigued but the UK has too many of these mediocre dramas to gain international credibility.

BBC ticking all boxes as normal

[mark-98200 · 7/10 · 1 July 2022]

BBC as normal ensuring all quotas are adhered to and all boxes are ticked , getting silly the continued obsession to be seen as politically correct and leading the obsession with WOKE casting that's out of all proportion with reality.

Good

[antide-42376 · 8/10 · 29 June 2022]

A lot of dramas fizzle out after a few episodes but that is not the case with 'Sherwood'. Every episode is worth watching and as a drama overall this works. Well acted and with a good story this is one of the best and most consistent dramas the the BBC has produced for a while.

There are some very well known actors here with very little screen time which adds to the drama considerably. Joanne Froggatt, Alun Armstrong, Mark Addy, Lindsay Duncan and Stephen Tomkinson all appear briefly but with impact. This is well worth watching.

Two Episodes Then Downhill

[Warin_West-El · 6/10 · 27 May 2023]

This series is reminiscent of the slow pace of Shetland. However, unlike Shetland, this series is full of serious plot holes. I won't name them because they've already been thoroughly covered by other reviewers.

I agree with several reviewers that this series spikes at the end of episode 2 and then begins declining from there.

David Morrissey and Lesley Manville did a credible job in their respective roles. Lorraine Ashbourne came across as authentic in her portrayal of Daphne Sparrow.

What really bogs down this series seems to be a BBC phenomenon. Namely: 1) the insistence of turning a mystery/drama into a soap opera. 2) a panoply of PC tropes thrown into the plot in a way that seems forced, if not downright propagandist.

If you're willing to overlook the plot holes and the constant BBC social browbeating then the portrayals are reasonably entertaining throughout a series that seems to be one episode too long.

Slow burner

[grahametaylor-30882 · 9/10 · 13 June 2022]

Episode One was interesting from the perspective of one who lived through the Strike and was very familiar with pit villages and mines.

Without a doubt the legacy of bad feeling still lurks beneath the surface .

Thatcher, policing, Unions and ordinary people were involved . All the unrest of 1984 could resurface in 2022, with this current government.

All the signs are there

I look forward to see how this series progresses. A very good start.

Could have been better.

[wisewebwoman · 7/10 · 24 October 2022]

The cast was excellent and I was drawn in by the psychological element of the miners still at war with each other nearly 40 years later. I found this believable, EG: North of Ireland or even The Troubles. Generations of hate.

Everyone has secrets and enormous guilt and family members not speaking to each other in the old mining town. Scabs are not forgiven.

The subplots were awkward and meaningless and distracted from the main story which should have been a lot tighter. And shorter.

As to the whole Robin Hood analogy? My only question would be why? Were the writers having a huge giggle at us?

The greatest manhunt in British history felt comical in its execution, the forest wasn't that big and helicopters and heat sensors had been invented along with, hello, police dogs? No cordon either so an escape by a perp on a bike with a backpack of arrows? Keystone Cops come to mind.

And I am very tired of the younger portrayals of characters in flashbacks having different eye colours.

Plot holes left dangling at the end with the garbling perp (use CC) blathering nonsense at the intense cops.

The "Healing" meeting was well done.

But the Big Reveal in Episode 6 left a lot to be desired. Very flat.

I'm giving it a 7 as it had me hooked and the subject matter was intriguing. A shame the writers couldn't do better. Too many unbelievable co-incidences to count.

Strong start, weak finish

[phynesse72 · 3/10 · 5 July 2022]

First three episodes were interesting and gripping drama then it all imploded into a contrived mess. As others have mentioned plot holes, loose ends that were never explained resulted in a very unsatisfying ending. I found myself frequently fast forwarding through the last 3 episodes.

Class act

[Rogermex · 9/10 · 5 December 2022]

This is not one of your English "garden troll" mysteries with characters standing aroundly stiffly, having cuppas, making slightly witty comments so as to be amusing. This is totally realistic, dark and serious.

Complex cast of characters, very well done by top form actors. Great direction, cinematography, editing, flashbacks relating past to present. Main suspect becomes obvious early, but - what's the motivation? What is the person up to? The detectives are scratching their pates and so are we.

Of interest is the political context - coal mining in England, Thatcherism, unions vs "scabs," old hatred, revenge, family secrets. Even a dead peacock!