''Sherwood'' is an animated

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as films and television series, streamed over the Internet. Standing in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air aerial systems, cable t ...

series created by Diana Manson and Megan Laughton that premiered on March 6, 2019, on

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. It is a new telling of the

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...

legend. Some reviewers have noted the focus on

socioeconomic class A social class or social stratum is a grouping of people into a set of hierarchical social categories, the most common being the working class and the capitalist class. Membership of a social class can for example be dependent on education, wea ...

, as Robin lives among "the impoverished 99%," leading rebels who will overthrow the Sheriff, who lives in an Upper City housing "the wealthy citizens of Sherwood." Others also noted the focus on class difference, with Robin and her comrades trying to "overcome inequality and fight for justice." Apart from this, others said the series has a

cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting said to focus on a combination of "low-life and high tech". It features futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyberwa ...

feeling to it. The show had a world premiere in

Sydney, Australia Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean ...

, in March 2019. In April 2020, ''Sherwood'' was one of the originals that Google decided to make freely available in light of the pandemic.

Premise

In the year 2270, in the dystopic 23rd century, 14-year-old hacker Robin Loxley and her friends battle the Sheriff of Nottingham in a Britain devastated by environmental disaster.

Characters

Main

* Robin Loxley (voiced by

Anya Chalotra Anya Chalotra (born ) is an English actress. She began her career in a 2017 production of the play '' Much Ado About Nothing'' at Shakespeare's Globe, and made her screen debut with BBC dramas '' Wanderlust'' and '' The ABC Murders'' in 2018. Sh ...

) is the main

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

of the series. She often has to fight and steal from the Sheriff of Nottingham, to protect Sherwood. She is called "Insurgent Hood" by the Sheriff and his allies, also once takes the alias of " Marian Johns." She is presumed killed in the Upper City's destruction. * Iniko (voiced by

Tyler Posey Tyler Garcia-Posey (born October 18, 1991) is an American actor and musician. He began his career as a child actor and received recognition for his role as Raul Garcia in ''Doc (2001 TV series), Doc'' (2001–2004) and Ty Ventura in ''Maid in Man ...

) is one of the main

protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

, the pilot of the submarine Amphy, and a self proclaimed Sea Pirate. * Gisbourne (voiced by

Aneurin Barnard Aneurin Barnard (; ; born 8 May 1987) is a Welsh actor. He is known for playing Davey in '' Hunky Dory'', Claude in '' The Truth About Emanuel'', Bobby Willis in '' Cilla'', Tim in '' Thirteen'', King Richard III in '' The White Queen'', Will ...

) is the son of the Sheriff of Nottingham and is the Head of Security of the Regime. He often commands the Drobos and attempts to catch the Insurgents. * Sheriff Nottingham (voiced by

Joseph Fiennes Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 27 May 1970), known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor of film, stage, and television. Fiennes is particularly known for his versatility and period pieces. Journalist Zoe Williams observed t ...

) is the main

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Rachel House) is like a mother to Robin, and helps her around the Kelp Farm. * Gripper (voiced by Adetokumboh M'Cormack) is part of Robin's crew and acts like a father to Juba. * Rose Trefgarne (voiced by

Jamie Chung Jamie Jilynn Chung (born April 10, 1983) is an American actress and former reality television personality. She began her career in 2004 as a cast member on the MTV reality series '' The Real World: San Diego'' and subsequently through her appea ...

) is a protagonist, often helping out the main cast. Formerly a resident of The Upper City, she now resides in Sherwood. * Thomas Loxley (voiced by Darrill Rosen) is a scientist and inventor, and is the father of Robin Loxley. * Juba (voiced by Neneh Conteh) is a small girl with dark skin and light blonde hair like Gripper and who is a refugee before she came to Sherwood.

Production

The idea for the series was originally posed by Diana Manson and Megan Laughton, of a New York company named Baby Octopus, in 2016, to Justin Trefgarne. Additionally, the show is, according to Trefgarne, aimed at "the pre-teen market," and is focused "on positive female empowerment." The production company, Baby Octopus, worked with the Computer Science in Media team of

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to help imagine "world of the future and what it meant for design, travel, technology and society," and to inspire "young women and girls on their role in technology of the future." Trefgarne, in an August 2018 post on his website, noted that he was commissioned to write the pilot script in 2016, with YouTube ordering nine additional episodes in January 2017, and continued production, with an original release date in November 2018. He also stated that the series is "inspired by the classic Manga Akira," a

Japanese cyberpunk Japanese cyberpunk refers to cyberpunk fiction produced in Japan. There are two distinct subgenres of Japanese cyberpunk: live-action Japanese cyberpunk films, and cyberpunk manga and anime works. Japanese cyberpunk cinema, also referred to as Ex ...

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series set in a

post-apocalyptic Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction are genres of speculative fiction in which the Earth's (or another planet's) civilization is collapsing or has collapsed. The apocalypse event may be climatic, such as runaway climate change; astronom ...

and futuristic Neo-Tokyo, more than two decades after a mysterious explosion destroyed the city. In February 2019, a number of behind-the-scenes specials were released about the show. In the first one, on February 22, director Bruce Carter talked about the setting of the show in a futuristic London, which those in this story call "Sherwood," with the story based around Robin and her "merry band" of followers. In the same special, executive producer Nanette Miles said that the show would inspire "lots of young girls," production designer Daniel McKay called Robin a "tinkerer" who can easily adapt technology, and production coordinator Freya Walker Smith called her a "cool girl" who fights for herself and a "powerful heroine who can code." In the second special, on February 26, music producers Jacob Yoffee and Roahn Hylton said they wanted to make the audience pay attention and listen to what is going on in the story, trying to make the world larger and feel more realistic. Yoffee also said that Bruce Carter, wanted a futuristic sound, with

world music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

"more infused" into the mainstream and said they worked with Mickey Shiloh, on all the songs. Hylton also described Robin as a hero "everyone can get behind," with her theme having a "

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

element" to it, plus a "bit of sadness" because she is searching "for her identity." In the last special, on February 28, Anya Chalotra, who voices Robin, said that if she was 14, Robin would be her friend and would inspire (and empower) her. Chalotra further called Robin self-sufficient and dedicated to "making the world a better place" which is more equal, talked about the challenge of playing such a "complex character" and stated she "sets an amazing example of a young leader." At the same time, Erin Rainaldi, a software engineer from Verily who works on the show, said that it's important to show that women and girls are just as good at "technology and tinkering" than boys, saying it sets an example for young girls, and Jamie Chung, who voices Rose, called Robin fun and a rebel, hoping the show does the same in speaking to young girls. Bernadette Carter, a software engineer from

called Robin a "strong female lead," not letting others tell her what to do, while balancing it with compassion for others, and is determined and dedicated to her goals.

Episodes

Season 1 (2019)

Reception

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

, a family-friendly media review site, gave the series an aggregate of three stars, stating its themes made it suitable for older viewers. Alexis Gunderson of ''

Paste Magazine ''Paste'' is an American monthly music and entertainment digital magazine, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with studios in Atlanta and Manhattan, and owned by Paste Media Group. The magazine began as a website in 1998. It ran as a print publi ...

'' listed it as one of the 13 Best Original TV Shows on

in 2019. Gunderson said that while it may look similar to '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', it is an original, with visually layered scenes and set in a "distressing believable" dystopia, while saying she appreciates it for its own merits, calling it a compelling family-friendly animation. Apart from this, in the show's first week on YouTube, the show's first episode garnered seven million views, something which series writer and developer Justin Trefgarne said he was delighted by.

References

External links

Official website
* {{Robin Hood 2010s American animated television series 2010s American children's television series 2019 American animated television series debuts 2019 American television series endings 2010s American science fiction television series Television series set in the 23rd century Fantasy web series American animated web series Animated science fiction web series American children's animated adventure television series American children's animated science fantasy television series American computer-animated television series Works about computer hacking YouTube Premium original series 2010s YouTube series Robin Hood television series American teen animated television series Television shows about rebels Cyberpunk television series