The Musketeers – Summer Show Obsession

Below is my love letter to BBC’s The Musketeers. Try to stay with me while I ramble on about all its greatness.

I like TV. If I were a teenage girl I’d say, “I like TV…like…like like it.” My DVR is always full. There are shows I watch 15 minutes after they air so I can skip through commercials, there are shows I watch the day they air and there are shows I watch days after they air.

I rarely, if ever, watch a show live. The Musketeers on BBC – I watch that show live. I need the time the commercials give me to regroup or breath or just swoon.

Not only do I watch The Musketeers live I save the show on my DVR until the next one airs because I know I am going to have to go back and watch it again (and in some instances again and again).

The Musketeers is, pardon my Beauty and the Beast reference, a tale as old as time. If you’ve seen any of the recreations you know the basic story. Three Musketeers – Athos, Aramis & Porthos – fighting against those who would oppose the King in 17th Century France. Often times their biggest foe is The Cardinal. In this instance he is played by Peter Capaldi. It’s interesting to watch the man who will become Dr. Who as the scheming Cardinal. Then d’Artagnan joins them, for one reason or another, to fight alongside the Musketeers.

BBC has mixed action, adventure and romance in such a way I can’t stop thinking about The Musketeers. Last night I had a dream I was in some little French town in a 17th century dress talking to Porthos while I did my laundry in a wash basin outside my house. If you knew me you’d know the idea of me being in a dress and doing laundry is just ridiculous. That’s how obsessed I am with this show.

BBC hasn’t strayed too far from the story I know. Athos, (Tom Burke) is still a little serious. Milady de Winter (Maimie McCoy)  is still his love turned very manipulative nemesis. Porthos ( Howard Charles) is a lot of fun and Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) is still quite the ladies’ man.
It is Luke Pasqualino, who plays d’Artagnan, that steals the show for me. D’Artagnan’s slow burning romance with Constance (Tamla Kari) is seriously something to watch. Constance, in this version, is the wife of a merchant who rents a room to d’Artagnan. Their friendship, and what I can only hope is a subsequent affair, has me sitting on the edge of my couch demanding silence from anyone watching with me.

As if good looking guys sword fighting and wooing women wasn’t enough the costumes, sets, the whole feel of the show is fantastic.

I highly suggest watching…obviously.

My one comment (if you don’t like spoilers) is this show already aired in its entirety on BBC. I would stay off of the internet it if you don’t want to see images or recaps for episodes that haven’t aired here in the States.

Thankfully The Musketeers was picked up for a second season so I can be consumed with this show next “season” as well.

The Musketeers airs Sunday 9/8c on BBC America