TV Review: THE MUSKETEERS: Season 1, Episode 4: The Good Soldier [BBC]

BBC’s The Musketeers The Good Soldier TV Show Review. The Musketeers: Season 1, Episode 4: The Good Soldier works better than all the previous episodes. The villain is more interesting than ever, the backstory is intriguing, the fight scenes have maintained their improved quality and the pay-off in the end is the very best yet.

The looks of the show are getting better. The production design is more impressive and the shots give us a sense of a larger scope. The editing in this episode provides for the generation of exhilarating tension especially during the opening scenes. The single sword fight present in the episode and the preceding action sequences are shot dynamically if at times ugly (during the sword duel). The cinematography carries the same beauty, developed through Episode III although it still hasn’t really started to look like cinema rather than a TV show.The story is as sharp as ever. It is fast-paced with countless turns and twists lurking behind the corner. Some supporting characters are given additional weight which makes the story all the more interesting. This time the focus is on the emotional connection within the brotherhood of Musketeers. It is a strong dramatic subject that is well explored within the episode and is enough to draw us in. Here, as well there is also several laugh-out moments and also some that will genuinely catch you off guard. Episode III is possibly a bit better in terms of jokes and surprises but nevertheless Episode IV is better because of the power of the narrative and its conclusion.

There are three scenes in the last ten minutes which tie all ends in a very emotional and thrilling manner. We behold a whole new look at the life of the musketeers. When they are seeking justice for others it all settles in a calm and victorious fashion but when they want it for themselves we come to the realization that justice is impossible. It is a very appealing, bitter-sweet notion which puts the mighty Musketeers in the role of servants and tortured heroes who make sacrifices and not simply slash their way to victory undisturbed. Aramis is the main character of the episode, if Atos was the main one in the last episode. Atos and D’Artagnan also get some special screen time.

This where the only existing problem with The Musketeers lies: the characterization. In Episode IV Portos was left out. In Episode III it was Aramis. We need an episode in which all four musketeers get equally screen time. All of them proved to be awesome characters and since there are four of them it is only natural that we get four episodes each of which are concentrated on each of the four Musketeers. Perhaps Episode V will finally unite The Musketeers, not plot-wise but direction-wise. It is not a problem, really. The show is still intriguing and awesome but a storyline that involves emotionally all four of the main characters in equal measures will hit even harder, just like the moment in the opening sequence when the quartet is walking towards the camera with an epic score sounding in the background. Episode V still has problems to fix even if solving them would only mean making the show better. The Musketeers is already good.

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