Written by Jonathan Klotz | Published
after Hercules and Xena A huge hit on syndication, some networks wanted to try out the hackneyed fantasy adventure genre. No one tried as hard as the TNT cable network.
Instead of Greek mythology, the network decided to revive one of the most legendary heroes The New Adventures of Robin Hood. If you remember watching it, there’s a very good chance it was because of Hulk Hogan’s infamous marketing stunt that tricked viewers into watching the first episode.
The infamous Robin Hood match
TNT wanted a large number of viewers for the premiere of its film The New Adventures of Robin HoodAnd at that time, WCW Monday Nitro It was the hottest show on cable. This was thanks to a few months ago, when Hulk Hogan formed the NWO and suddenly, pro wrestling was cool.
On January 13, 1997, 12 days before their clash in NWO Solided Out The pay-per-view, “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan and The Giant (Paul Wight) had a match, but it only aired during commercial breaks for the new series. For more than 30 minutes, during intermissions, fans enjoyed the “live” match, which actually lasted only about nine minutes but was edited to appear longer and keep the crowd watching.
It was derided as “The Robin Hood” match in wrestling fan circles for decades, and was an embarrassment for both the network and WCW (both of which were owned by Ted Turner). No one has tried the promotion as misleading and manipulative since.
The New Adventures of Robin Hood It didn’t retain much of that initial audience, but those who stuck around for the next four seasons were able to enjoy a cheesy, corny, low-budget but incredibly fun take on the English legend.
Campy series that knew what it was
It starred Matthew Poretta as Robin Hood, which is notable since he played Will Scarlett in the Mel Brooks parody. Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
The New Adventures of Robin Hood He wastes no time introducing magical weapons, monsters, witches, aliens, and eventually time travel. The casting of Warwick Davis as Big John was a testament to the tone of the show. It seemed like it wasn’t supposed to work, and it didn’t, but that was a big part of the magic of the show.
Adaptation Hercules and Xena The Robin Hood formula involved making episodes that were homages to various films. These included The Seven Samuraia Predator-style chase in the woods in Season 4 and the Season 2 episode “Outlaw Express” which is similar Flip/Stop With Robin and his evil doppelgänger. Of course, there is also a time loop Groundhog day-A family episode and another with Elvis being sent back in time to Sherwood Forest.
The New Adventures of Robin Hood She started getting really weird after she switched from TNT to co-starring in the third season.
This change is also one of the reasons why it is impossible to watch the series today, because not only is it not broadcast, but the first season has only been released on DVD. If it wasn’t for Matthew Porretta YouTube Channel He posted video clips in which he talks about the period he spent producing the series. The New Adventures of Robin Hood Maybe it’s completely gone.
There’s always hope that the series will appear on a service somewhere; After all, The Drew Carey Show It aired this year for the first time ever, but until then, explaining the time Robin Hood met Elvis will make you look crazy.