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© Companions of the Longbow
Robin Hood Goofs - Episode 7
Episode 7 "Brothers in Arms"
The outlaws increase their number after allying with a rival band led by Allan-a-Dale's brother Tom, who soon proves to be more trouble than he's worth. Marian tells Robin the details of Gisborne and the Sheriff's latest plot to catch him - but puts herself in danger by doing so.
The Premise of the Character Lucky George
This episode introduces a character called “Lucky George” who wears a Trilby hat, a sheepskin coat and goes into towns to buy valuables from the peasants. The sheriff likes this as he can then go and collect more money from the poor people. He calls this a perfect “public-private partnership”. Excuse me while I vomit a second. Robin Hood decides this is wrong and therefore robs Lucky George to give all the peasants their valuables back. The problem with this whole set up is (a) Later in the series it’s shown that the sheriff does not just collect taxes in the form of money, he collects them in the form of goods too (episode 11, “Dead Man Walking”) and (b) All the peasants have to do to thwart this evil plan is not sell their stuff. Lucky George does not force anyone to sell anything, he just rolls in and sets up shop.
At one point Little John says something along the lines of “They’re selling their stuff at rock bottom prices because they think Robin will get it back for them”. What? Did they think that once Lucky George had been robbed by Robin he’d come back and buy the same stuff for a second time? Why not sell it as dear as possible because you know it’ll be a once in a lifetime chance? This shows that (a) the peasants are really, really thick and (b) Lucky George isn’t a villain at all, he’s just a merchant. It’s actually Robin Hood who’s in the wrong in this show, especially when it’s clear he not only takes back the villagers stuff, but Lucky George’s starting money too.
The character of Lucky George would only really work if he were a crooked pawnbroker. Remember, a pawnbroker is a person who offers loans to individuals who use their personal property as collateral. These items are called pledges or pawns. (The word pawn is derived from the Latin patinum, meaning cloth or clothing. Typically, most people's primary assets were their clothing.) If he were to default on returning the pledge after being repaid the loan, then he’d be a proper bad guy. In this version he’s just buying stuff at a price both the peasants and he agree on.
More Non-Speaking Extras
Alan A-Dale’s brother Tom has his own gang which consists of him and two other people. Handily for the script writer the two other guys in the gang have had their tongues cut out “for spitting on guards”. Quite right too, spitting is a nasty habit. It does however reduce these two guys to level of moving scenery. Even if they’ve had their tongues cut out they’d be able to more than just sit like idiots in the background. One might suspect these two are actually Hungarian extras who don’t speak English.