The Musketeers - General Discussion

[ABay]

Sometimes I lose track of the story while I consider how I would rank all of the male characters in terms of attractiveness, based on both aesthetic appeal and personality. It does vary by, and within, an episode.

[merylinkid]

I knew it was going to be D'Artagnan who would be chosen.   But honestly, you are in a fight for which team is better.   Don't you send in your best most experienced guy, not the newbie still trying to prove himself?

[jah1986]

I keep forgetting to watch this live. I hope On Demand doesn't take forever to put up.

[Llywela]

I knew it was going to be D'Artagnan who would be chosen.   But honestly, you are in a fight for which team is better.   Don't you send in your best most experienced guy, not the newbie still trying to prove himself?

At least they gave a solid in-story reason for it to be D'Artagnan, rather than hailing him as the best.

[voiceover]

Yes, it *was* the best of the eps so far for King Louis.  He seems to have an innate sense of fairness (possibly because he was jerked around so horribly by his mother), and as the series goes on, seems less and less cowed by the Cardinal.  Who, I might add, is resorting to his evil ways -- lest we suppose he was going to turn out to be a decent chap after all.

 

Strike another one off the list for Porthos.  This is turning into a drinking game: The Musketeer Farewell Scene.

 

Speaking of: very glad to see D'Artagnan refuse Milady.  I guess the lovers had to be separated, but I never liked D so well as when he was reassuring a jealous Constance.

[Iamsweetdee]

Speaking of: very glad to see D'Artagnan refuse Milady.  I guess the lovers had to be separated, but I never liked D so well as when he was reassuring a jealous Constance.

 

It's official, I can't stand Constance. This cow is screwing a dude living under her husband's roof (or at least place of business) and then she takes it so far to lay the lips on him on the street? The husband should have had her dumb ass flogged. I know the show wants me to root for teen heart throb D'Art and his older chick, but I can't...no, I won't do it. The show probably wants me to think the husband is a big ole meanie by not understanding the lurve between those star crossed idiots, but nope! I was cheering when dude made the threat. Good for him. 

 

Can we just stop completely with the romance and psuedo-romantic storylines or do the IIC think that women won't watch unless there is some dude swooning over some chick? I mean damn!

[thuganomics85]

I was a bit confused: what exactly did Labarge/Vinnie Jones do?  I mean, I know he was burning those farms, including D'Artagnan's, and that's why everyone was after him.  But, I wasn't quite sure what his occupation was, and it sounded like he and Richelieu might have had some dealings, in the past.  But, I guess it really didn't matter, since he was mainly there for D'Artagnan to defeat him and officially become a Musketeer.  I guess defeating Vinnie Jones is certainly one way to earn your spot!

 

Porthos falls for a nice widow, but of course, they have to break it off at the end.  The musketeers are clearly going to be not doing so well in the true love department.  One's former love killed his brother, the other has the hots for the queen, and the youngest is involved with a married woman.  Yeah, a lot of heart-break to come, I suspect.

 

That said, D'Artagnan and especially Constance were idiots, over how obvious they were about their affair.  Kissing in public?  Yeah, even if the husband wasn't spying on them, that's just asking for be found.  I know he was a dick to threaten D'Artagnan's life, but they really didn't have a higher ground to stand-on.  But, I wouldn't be surprised if someone happens that ends up taking the husband out of the picture.

 

Milady be doing what she's does best: scheming and seducing!  Although, she still has ways to go with D'Artagnan.  But, really, I don't care how hot she is: I would think setting someone up for a murder would be a hell of a thing to get over.  It will take more then 30 francs (or whatever it was), to earn back his trust!  Well, I would hope so...

[Raja]

I think he was some kind of local governor who was more brutal than the King or the Cardinal thought appropriate..  

I was a bit confused: what exactly did Labarge/Vinnie Jones do?  I mean, I know he was burning those farms, including D'Artagnan's, and that's why everyone was after him.  But, I wasn't quite sure what his occupation was, and it sounded like he and Richelieu might have had some dealings, in the past.  But, I guess it really didn't matter, since he was mainly there for D'Artagnan to defeat him and officially become a Musketeer.  I guess defeating Vinnie Jones is certainly one way to earn your spot!

 

[missbonnie]

Can we just stop completely with the romance and psuedo-romantic storylines or do the IIC think that women won't watch unless there is some dude swooning over some chick? I mean damn!

Well, I am a bit embarrassed to admit this but the the romance, and hot dudes had a lot to do with reeling me in to watching it every week. I love the intrigue and politics as well, but this show is my weekly escape.

[ZoqFotPik]

 

I think he was some kind of local governor who was more brutal than the King or the Cardinal thought appropriate..

He also killed two musketeers and at least according the Cardinal wasn't paying enough taxes. I guessing that was the greater sin as far the Cardinal was concerned.

[jah1986]

I liked this episode. It really was good one for the King, he's starting to show he's not a complete idiot, and not completely intimidated by the Cardinal.

 

I really was screaming at Constance for being so stupid kissing another man in the street! I just have no words.

 

Glad Porthos got a little love, but these weekly goodbyes to good women could get tiring very quickly.

 

I still don't care about Milady.  Something about the actress keeps reminding me of a young Nancy McKeon. Weird.

[ABay]

Can we just stop completely with the romance and psuedo-romantic storylines or do the IIC think that women won't watch unless there is some dude swooning over some chick? I mean damn!

I would sign this petition.

[mybabyaidan]

It's been a while since I read the book, but the impression I got was that it was fairly normal for women in those days to have men on the side.  Can anyone verify or correct me on that?   I vaguely remember it being mentioned that rich ladies also very normally financed their men, even with husbands in the picture.

 

This wasn't my favorite episode, I miss Anne when she's not around.

Edited August 12, 2014 by mybabyaidan

[ABay]

Don't forget: Dueling Musketeers tonight at 8: 1993 on Ovation, 1973 on TCM!

[Winnief]

Have to say I LOVED Aramis being the one to think to go looking for wealthy patronesses, and his line about the money that lady gave him, "Believe me I earned it."  Oh, I'll bet he did...anyone else's mind go to a really dirty place?

[mybabyaidan]

This is shamelessly my favorite episode.  I loved getting to see so much of Alexandra Dowling mixing it up and letting her hair down...literally.

 

I am going to rewatch it since its been a few weeks since I saw it last, and I'll drop by again with more thoughts.

[Athena]

Another shameless person: I loved the Aramis/Queen stuff in this episode. 

 

Athos's face and line as he said, "You slept with the Queen!" Priceless. 

[scarynikki12]

Easily my favorite moment of the series right there.

[Iamsweetdee]

I'm done. The woman I have loved and thought of all this time and have just now found again was shot and died in my arms just a few minutes ago, oh and and we're under siege, wanna fuck? Ugh!

How the hell did these men have time to become musketeers? Oh well, doesn't matter to me now. The pretty boys can't overcome the stupid.

[Eriu]

After watching yet another woman who's boned Aramis die, I've decided that Aramis' crotch is as cursed as King Tut's tomb. Good thing Queen Anne is protected by history.

[Raja]

You think the Cartwright's had some Musketeer blood in them

[SonofaBiscuit]

Yes, this was by far my favorite episode of the season thus far.  I just think that more Aramis makes everything better and I actually found Athos to be pretty entertaining this episode...he's growing on me.

 

Loved Anne charring the fish and The Musketeers politely pretending that it was delicious.  D'Artagnan was pretty stealthy while dumping his plate of food behind his back. 

[ABay]

it's true, @Raja. I bet if you trace the Cartwright family tree back far enough, you'd find Aramis.

 

@Iamsweetdee, they were overcome by those well-worn TV tropes: grief sex and danger sex.

Edited August 18, 2014 by ABay

[CatWarmer]

Not to mention high treason sex; I believe over in England people were getting beheaded for this.

Edited August 19, 2014 by CatWarmer
spoiler

[thuganomics85]

The stuff with Helene was kind of amusing, since the actress played Ygraine on Merlin, so I kept thinking "Lancelot and Ygraine hooked up!", during all that stuff.  But, of course, she would die at the end.  Such is the life of being a love interest for a Musketeer!  But, what really cracked me up was Charlotte Mellendorf was played by the same actress who plays Ramesy Snow's psycho girlfriend on Game of Thrones, so when she was talking about how much she loves to hunt, I flashback to a certain "hunting scene" she participated in on that show, and started both laughing and cringing. 

 

I'm in the camp that loved this episode and just embraced the silliness.  Yes, Aramis/Anne is problematic on a realistic level, but I just love them together.  Mainly because Aramis is the best, and Anne is much more fun with him.  Yes, I totally think Anne's going to get pregnant because of this.  And, of course, I loved Athos' reaction when he found out.  Athos was actually pretty fun in this episode.  Actually, I kind of enjoyed the split in this one: Athos/Aramis were a riot, and the stuff we did get with Porthos and D'Artagnan, was pretty fun too.  Really, all four of the leads just work well together.

 

Also loved Treville just rounding up all the misfits that were left, and teaming up with Porthos/D'Artagnan at the end.  And he was right with them, despite still having his arm in a sling (points for continuity!)  Treville is all kinds of badass!  As was the Mother Superior, who knows how to load guns!

 

Richelieu and Milady barely escaped for now, but the Musketeers clearly know what's up.  Plus, I have a feeling those two's alliance is starting to fall apart.  I do wonder where this is going since 

Peter Capaldi won't be around next season.

[ABay]

"We keep it [the gun] for shooting rabbits. And Protestants." My Huguenot ancestors would not be amused, but I was. I love a kick-ass nun.

 

And I concur with the general opinion that it was good to see Athos bring the fun for a change.

Edited August 18, 2014 by ABay

[Ravenya003]

thuganomics bet me to the Merlin allusion (Aramis and Helene were Lancelot and Queen Ygraine), but what makes it extra amusing is that Queen Anne was ALSO on Merlin in a fairly small but pivotal role - and the idea of her Merlin incarnation sleeping with Lancelot is even more bizarre. Come to think of it, there's has been more than a few Merlin faces popping up on this show.

[justmehere]

This episode was one of the best. I was surprised they went there with Aramis and Queen Anne but thoroughly enjoyed that scene - a couple of times. It was a little confusing, though, when Athos sort of generally referenced Milady after seeing the embroidered flower, since there was that altercation in the earlier episode. I can't remember how he explained his outburst (in the earlier ep) to the others, and maybe he wants to catch her himself, but it just felt odd that he didn't tie the two events together. I've so enjoyed this series. It'll be a long wait after the finale for season 2.

[voiceover]

Athos continues to be on a roll: "I'll slap you until you beg me to kick you" -- I'll need to rewatch to get it exactly right but that may be one of my favorite lines of the series so far.

 

I expected a better love scene, after all the build-up.  At least D'Artagnan and Constance broke dishes.

 

Boo, hiss!  I didn't realize Sunday is the season finale.  Even the bleah episodes (like this one) have been way more entertaining than most everything else on TV right now.  I shall miss my boys.

[missbonnie]

Me too and I wonder how long it will be before we get season 2. My sister used to watch stuff on BBC America but quit because whatever she was watching, she said it was like a year and a half between seasons. I hope not because that's going to suck huge!

[missbonnie]

Edited because I was so far off base it wasn't even funny. That's what I get for speculating.

Edited August 25, 2014 by missbonnie

[ABay]

The 2011 version is supposed to be on ABCFamily tonight at 8:30. Get those DVRs and bottles of vin rouge ready!

[arachne]

So what's happening -- Aramis as Louis XIV's baby-daddy? I hope the show doesn't go there.

[missbonnie]

Oddly enough that wouldn't bother me in the least, but then I don't watch this show for it's historical accuracy. I'm in it for the eye candy and swashbuckling however shallow that may be.

[mybabyaidan]

So Anne is carrying Aramis' son.  That will only bring fantastic things, I am sure.

 

The Cardinal manages to squeek on by with no real punishment.

 

Milady gets let out into the world again....(why Athos, why?)

 

Constance is guilted and goes back to her scheming husband.

[Athena]

Athos and Aramis's reactions when the King announces the Queen is pregnant. 

 

Then they up it with Aramis/Anne angst. I'm looking forward to how that gets resolved. Ok, off to remove the spoiler topics. Sadly, another year before we get new episodes.

[voiceover]

Well, I was *pretty sure* it was a set-up, but it was a nice, joke-y, Musketeer-reveal nonetheless.  I have grown to love those boys together, and I shall miss them during hiatus.

 

Did anyone catch the "Behind the Scenes" clip?  They all look waaayyyy better in period dress.  I laughed my ass off, anyway.

 

I wonder if Athos & Milady will have HateSex next season?  I guess I'd be down with that.

 

Anyone else waiting for Aramis to say to Anne, I'll look after him as if he were my own? anyone wonder how the Cardinal guessed, so soon?  Eh, they'd have to give him co-blackmail possibilities.  

I think it would be interesting if she had a girl.  That's one young lady, wouldn't date til she was 40.

[justmehere]

I have grown to love those boys together, and I shall miss them during hiatus.

 

 

Absolutely. I love that cable shows have tighter seasons without a lot of filler, but the wait is so bloody long!

 

Did anyone catch the "Behind the Scenes" clip?

 

 

The Stare? That was pretty funny. I thought they looked good but didn't care for Tom Burke's fuller beard; what he has on the show is good.

 

Now that Peter Capaldi is on Dr. Who, it would have been nice to see a resolution with the Cardinal. Timing didn't work, I guess. And I guess Milady had to live to cause mischief another day, but couldn't they at least have put her in prison for a time?

 

Then they up it with Aramis/Anne angst

 

 

I like their chemistry. It should be an interesting storyline next season. The king is such a petulant little boy, but I've kind of grown fond of him -- not him wishing Anne dead, but when he gets giggly and him realizing how much Anne means to him. I hope he never finds out it's not his baby. Hopefully Anne slept with him right after she got back to the palace.

 

I was a little bit surprised that Constance survived. I get it, but I thought they might write her out since she didn't have much story this season.

[Llywela]

The thing is, neither we nor the characters can ever know for sure if the baby is the king's or Aramis's. We were told that Anne has had miscarriages previously, which tells us that Louis isn't firing blanks, and it seems clear that they've been actively trying for a baby - they need an heir, and Anne's visit to the springs was intended to boost her fertility. Louis clearly doesn't doubt that the baby is his, which means it very well might be; Aramis and Anne only slept together the once. But the shadow of doubt would be enough to condemn them both if their extra-marital shenanigans ever came out. High treason - for exactly this reason, in fact.

 

Aramis is always going to suspect that the child might be his. But with no DNA tests...he's never going to know for sure.

[missbonnie]

Sadly. another year before we get new episodes.

Are you serious????? An entire year? Surely there must be a way to see them when they start airing on the BBC network. I'm am seriously bummed about that. How can they keep viewers with an entire year's break. . Argh!

I loved every single minute of the episode, but even though it's necessary to move the plot forward, I was sad about how things ended up between d'Artagnan and Constance.

Did anyone catch the "Behind the Scenes" clip? They all look waaayyyy better in period dress. I laughed my ass off, anyway.

I wonder if Athos & Milady will have HateSex next season? I guess I'd be down with that.

I definitely think Aramis and Athos look better with a cleaner beard and mustache, Porthos looked pretty much the same to me. Now D'artagnan, as long as they don't cut his hair I would still be drooling if he was dressed in a potato sack. To be honest, outside of Porthos, I don't want any of them to have short hair. Something about a hot guy with dark eyes and longer dark hair in this particular period dress has always flipped my switch. Hence my total love of Orlando Bloom in the POTC movies. Hell, they don't even have to utter a sound, it's " the stare" that melts me into a puddle haha.

I too would be totally ok with some furniture destroying hate sex between Athos and Milady wonder how much of the story that Milady told to D'artagnan about the murder she committed was fact. I also wish that they had been able to wrap up the Cardinal's story line. I don't watch Dr. Who, but I assume that they are filming simultaneously so we won't get to see him again. Pity too because Capaldi is just so perfect in the role.

Edited August 25, 2014 by missbonnie

[Llywela]

 

Are you serious????? An entire year? Surely there must be a way to see them when they start airing on the BBC network. I'm am seriously bummed about that. How can they keep viewers with an entire year's break. . Argh!

I don't watch Dr. Who, but I assume that they are filming simultaneously so we won't get to see him again. Pity too because Capaldi is just so perfect in the role

:D That's how TV has always worked over here in the UK - shows have short, tight runs with a year in between, and viewers who enjoyed them will remember to tune back in next year. Our TV year divides into four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), rather than one long season the way it does in the US, and our shows are designed to fit into those shorter seasons. It means we get less of the shows we love, but it also means we get more different shows, plenty of variety, always something new coming along - one show ends, another begins.

 

Doctor Who films for at least 32 weeks a year and overlaps with production of The Musketeers, so there was no way Capaldi could do both, no. It's just a shame that wasn't known far enough in advance for the Cardinal's story to be wrapped up on-screen.

[missbonnie]

Do you guys see it the same time that we do, or will you get it before us here in the states. Also, does that mean that the next season will only be 10 episodes like this year's? Thanks for explaining how this works btw, this is the first show I've ever watched on BBC America.

Edited August 25, 2014 by missbonnie

[Llywela]

This first season aired way back in the spring over here in the UK. I imagine we'll get season 2 well before you do, as well, but I suppose it really depends on BBC America's scheduling.

[Winnief]

 

Anyone else waiting for Aramis to say to Anne, I'll look after him as if he were my own? anyone wonder how the Cardinal guessed, so soon?  Eh, they'd have to give him co-blackmail possibilities.

 

Well the Cardinal has had the inside track so to speak on knowing Aramis's track record for pursuing women attached to powerful men.  And he must have wondered himself if the fault for Anne's barrenness actually lay with Louis rather than her.  Judging by Louis's unrestrained joy, I think Anne was shrewd enough to bed him at least once when she got home, and thus maintain reasonable doubt about paternity.

[ABay]

Just kill her, already, Athos! Jeez.

 

Maybe it would possible to do a one scene wrap-up for Richilieu's departure?

[Llywela]

he must have wondered himself if the fault for Anne's barrenness actually lay with Louis rather than her.

But we know that Anne has had miscarriages previously, proving that Louis can father children (and that she isn't totally barren, but does struggle to conceive and carry to term)

Edited August 25, 2014 by Llywela

[Raja]

In a one for all and all for one world Athos is the unmistakable leader of his team. I had to Google Tom Burke to see if he was an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran. More than actor/character I can think of he carries himself like a real soldier

[Maelstrom]

My Sunday nights won't be the same without this show. I've really enjoyed the whole package - getting to know the characters, the stories, the look of the world/production design, and of course the actors. It's nice to finally see Santiago Cabrera in a decent role on a decent show. My only complaint is losing Capaldi to Doctor Who (and I say this as a onetime DW fan). I only hope that Moffatt can get his act together over at DW, so our losing the Cardinal isn't for nothing.

 

Looking forward to the next season, whenever it may air over here. But what a great episode to go out on! Loved the return of Athos' "I'll punch you so hard you'll beg me to kick you" look at Aramis when Anne's pregnancy was announced. And the Cardinal's Oh Crap look after they tricked him into confessing. At least BBCA is smart enough to release the DVDs right away.

[missbonnie]

This first season aired way back in the spring over here in the UK. I imagine we'll get season 2 well before you do, as well, but I suppose it really depends on BBC America's scheduling.

Hmmm, maybe we will get lucky and it will turn up on YouTube. A girl can dream and maybe it will happen. I am definitely buying this on DVD next week.

[Souris]

I would have preferred they recast. It just doesn't seem right to have the Musketeers without Richelieu!