As the first episode of Sherwood begins, we see archival footage of a miner’s strike. A miner talks to a reporter about being beaten by police. They begin protesting scabs who cross the picket line. Someone claims what happens to a community happens to everybody when you have a village connected to a mine. Sarah Vincent (Joanna Froggatt) hands out fliers about running to become a Tory councilor. She claims Labour can’t take working class votes for granted anymore now that the red wall fell. She gets a call from Neel Fisher (Bally Gill) who complains about her handing out fliers although she denies it. Sarah admits she was just doing one area on her way to the hairdresser.

Gary Jackson (Alun Armstrong) approaches a group of kids kicking a ball around and joins them. He notices a car slowly driving toward them. Rory Sparrow (Perry Fitzpatrick) drives a Sparrow Taxi and has a hammer next to him. Gary tells the boy to go inside to his mom. When Rory drives by, Gary kicks the ball into the side of his car. Rory stops briefly before continuing down the street. DCS Ian St Clair (David Morrissey) gets ready as he tells his wife he has to wear this for the photos and salute the Sheriff. He shows her how he is going to salute the Sheriff before leaving. Julie Jackson (Lesley Manville) comes down the stairs and complains about the mess her family has left for her. She makes Cindy turn off the television and reminds Noah to be in bed by his bedtime.

Gary burns stuff in a barrel outside. Scott Rowley (Adam Hugill) looks through his window and reads about the great reset on his computer. Noah asks Julie what they do during an anniversary. She doesn’t like Cinderella’s suggestion. Julie says they have nice meals and talk about the nice memories they’ve had. Cathy Rowley (Claire Rushbrook) arrives at the door to tell Julie that he is doing it again. When Julie asks what she is talking about, Cathy says he is burning rubbish here when he has a good allotment. The wind is blowing it right into their house and making Fred (Kevin Doyle) struggle. Julie doesn’t know why Fred doesn’t come. They argue as Cathy walks away and Julie shuts the door. When Julies goes out the back to tell Fred that the neighbors have complained, he tells her she looks fantastic. Cathy returns to tell Fred what Julie said about coming around himself.

Fred calls them a-holes before Cathy reminds him that Julie is her sister. She yells for Scott only to learn that he has already gone out hunting again. Cathy argues they need to talk about next week since he isn’t ready. Fred doesn’t think there is anything to get ready for because the daft ha’p’orth is getting sent down. Scott walks into the woods. As Rory returns, Mickey (Philip Jackson) and Daphne (Lorraine Ashbourne) at in the kitchen. Mickey seems to be measuring drugs. Rory’s dad tells him that Ronan has gone out. Daphne tells him not to get tanked up because she has about five bookings for the reception tonight. Rory says he is only having one. His dad asks whether it is him. After Rory says he has hit, Daphne gets another call about the Fisher wedding. Sargent Cleaver (Terence Maynard) is next to Ian when his name is called to accept his award.

Although Ian accepts the award, he gives credit to his team because they worked tirelessly to get these criminals off the streets. He says policing requires cooperation from the public. They need their faith and support although they find themselves in a bad spot right now. He explains that they police by consent. If they lose the consent of the people, it would be problematic. They have a long way to go to earn back some of that trust. Andy Fisher (Adeel Akhtar) visits Sarah who is busy dancing with her friend. Sarah tells him he should’ve rang the doorbell around front before noticing he isn’t wearing the suit they ordered. He admits it didn’t fit well so he got this one. Sarah introduces him to her friend as Neel’s dad. They leave in a car while Ian is shown riding in the back of one as well.

As Ian meets with Helen (Clare Holman), he tells Sarah and Neel that it was a beautiful service. Andy addresses the crowd. He is touched that Sarah asked him to speak in the absence of her father. Gary calls her dad a scab. Andy thanks Sarah for asking him to give her away today. He says they’re off to the Yorkshire Dales in a couple of weeks after the elections. He got them tickets on the Settle and Carlisle railway which is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the world. Andy says it was built in the 1840s by over 6,00 navvies, many of whom lost their lives. He goes on about the harsh conditions and the risk of smallpox. Andy believes it is a good metaphor for marriage, especially with his late wife Trudy. He says people keep going, bridge through the gaps, and pushing through the obstacles.

Cindy gets a visit from a boy. She reminds Noah that he wasn’t supposed to play his game, but she won’t say anything if he doesn’t. At the wedding, Gary is eyeballed by Dean Simmonds (Sean Gilder) so he complains to Julie that this is why they don’t come to these things. Julie says they had to come because he is her boss. Ian walks over to Andy to say he had difficulty with public speaking today too. Gary joins them to order a drink before telling Andy that he should call Maggie. Andy thinks it is because she is a conservative, but Gary says it is because she’ll be screwing a working man tonight. He says Tories screw people. Dean tells him that some people screw themselves up when they act against their own best interests due to pride.

When Gary leaves, Ian tells Andy that Gary is a friend of his dad so he has known him for a long time. When they’re alone, Dean apologizes to Andy and explains there is a bit of history there. Later, Scott gets something from a storage unit and locks it back. Julie and Gary come downstairs with their grandchildren. Gary says he has agreed to go up to Donny next week for a reunion. When asked by Noah, he explains that Donny is up in Yorkshire where many of his friends from the old days are. He tells them what it was like to mine and hold a rock in your hand. Fred climbs the stairs to see if Scott is in his room because Cathy wants to have a word about tomorrow. When Scott opens the door, Fred tells him that Cathy has made a Sunday roast. Scott locks his door on his way out. Cathy tells him that he should wear a suit for the sentencing.

She gives him a book with all their phone numbers to ensure he’ll have them in there. Gary takes his dog to the bar where Fred is sitting nearby. Julie tells the kids she is going to have to take an early night but refuses to let them turn the channel. Cinderella sneaks out to see the boy she likes. At the bar, Gary calls Dean a scab. Dean gets mad and throws his glass at the wall as Maddie begins screaming. Dean reminds him it was 30 years ago. Cindy makes it back home. As Gary walks back with his dog, a man with a crossbow whistles at him. In the morning, a man finds Gary on his back with an arrow stuck in his stomach. Dean steps outside just as the police arrive to find out what has happened. Julie checks the door moments later and is surprised to see PC Kirsty Dove (Chloe Harris) and PC Arjun Patel (Harpal Hayer) outside.

She runs past them and turns the corner before noticing her husband on the ground. Ian gets a call about a serious incident. While he arrives at the scene, Kirsty talks to Julie inside. After Julie says she doesn’t want a lot of people in here, Ian enters in hopes of getting answers from Julie. He starts by asking where he was coming back from. Once she says he was at the club as usual, Ian asks whether she can think of anyone who might’ve wanted to do this. She is asked about disputes, but she doesn’t think there was anyone who would’ve done that. He offers to call a friend of the kids’ mom named Rosie. Julie says she is on a cruise and won’t be back for a week. She doesn’t want to tell her over the phone. Ian says they’ll call her before asking if she knows the passcode to Gary’s phone.

She reveals it is the dog’s birthday or 0708. Then, she begins worrying about the dog. Ian goes back outside to give Cleaver the passcode. He tells Cleaver about the club around here. It is the Miners’ welfare although they call it the clubbie. Cleaver is asked to interview the staff there and look for the dog. Rory drives by in his taxi and sees what is going on. The police talk to a lady who says Jacko wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. Cathy is questioned while asking whether Julie is okay. Fred admits to witnessing the altercation at the club. He tries to explain that Gary has been doing that for years and their family has nothing to do with him now. Cathy claims he came home around half ten and they were all three home together. She tells the detective about her stepson Scott who is currently out.

She says they’ll need to make full statements before asking whether anyone in the family is into archery, but Fred says no. PC Dove finds something in a bag that has been partially burned. Ian has to stop a fight with Dean and the others as they blame one another for Gary’s death. They also criticize the police by claiming the piggies only made things worse. Dean shakes Ian’s hand and says they never forget around here. Cleaver learns that Gary was arrested in October 84. Ian remembers since he was a young PC at the time. Clever finds he was arrested for suspected arson with intent along with four others, but the charges were dropped following the intervention of another officer. Ian was there and remembers what happened. The lab reveals Gary’s last text was Friday to a solicitor in Kirkby named Chakarabarti.

He had an appointment with him today. They begin talking about Dean since he has had words with Gary on several occasions including at the clubbie. Ian wants his clothes from last night regardless of his alibi. He also says that the victim profile should mention that Gary was a member of the National Union of Mineworkers. He was one of the few around here that kept solidarity with them during the strike. This was predominantly a UDM village or a breakaway union that didn’t support the strike and went back to work. Moments later, Ian says security cameras confirm Gary returned home at 10:18 PM although none of them caught what happened. He walked past the camera at number 23, turns, comes back up the street, and passes it again. Ian wonders if this means the murderer called out to him.

He learns that there is an archery range up on a farm off the Elmbank Road run by the Sparrow family. Ian says they’ve only been charged with minor offenses now although they suspect them of more. He suspects people are afraid of naming them. PC Dove admits people don’t seem too happy to talk to the police. Ian says they have history with the police so she shouldn’t take it personally. When Taylor brings up a modern-day Robin Hood, Ian asks them not to do that. These are good people so he doesn’t want their tragedy turned into a tacky headline. After they agree to meet again at six, Cleaver shows Ian Gary’s arrest files that have been redacted to some degree. Cleaver assumes the information leading to his arrest has been restricted even though the charges were dropped.

The officer who led to them getting dropped was from the London Met so that might have something to do with it. Ian remembers him. He looks at the paperwork and sees the name PC Kevin Salisbury. As Kevin returns home, his son complains about him leaving his stuff on the floor because he was going to have friends over. He apologizes to Adam (Joe Bolland) who tells him mom is swinging by too. Kevin says he should just twist the knife in even further. Adam thinks they could’ve tried harder, but Kevin isn’t sure about that. Later, Kevin (Robert Glenister) tries to put up the airbed as he gets a call from St Clair. Kevin learns about Gary’s murder. Ian says the charges were dropped against Gary after Kevin stepped in, but Kevin says that was a long time ago.

They’re having trouble accessing relevant details including who provided the information leading up to his arrest. Kevin would prefer to submit everything in writing to ensure it is less clumsy. Ian promises to send him some questions and he can get back to him. Taylor and Cleaver go to the Sparrow place to ask Mickey where he has records of people who visited his range. Mickey says they don’t keep records, but Daphne brings out the records for the ones who book by phone and leave their names. Kevin goes to his boss (Pip Torrens) who says the information Notts Constabulary requires relates to a confidential matter elsewhere unrelated to the poor victim.

They think it would be a good idea if Kevin went there and offer support. Kevin believes they’re just trying to get rid of him while the IOPC deliver their verdict on him. His boss admits it’d be a good idea to discuss what options are available to him in advance of their decision. Kevin lost his head and a fellow officer is charging him with physical assault. He says that anonymous officer has a history of treating suspects of certain ethnic backgrounds quite aggressively. Kevin has also seen the posts he like on social media. The boss has seen the x-ray of his arm. He believes Kevin has come as far as he can and done his 30 years. His pension is in the bag, retirement is there for the taking, and all of this can go away. Kevin can’t do that since he is going through a divorce. He pleads with the boss to allow him to keep working for a while longer.

The boss says it looks like he is going to Nottinghamshire then. Ian calls Jules to ask if anything came up about Gary’s arrest recently. She isn’t sure what 84 has to do with anything. When Ian says he probably shouldn’t have called, Julie asks him to always call. Although she isn’t okay, she has her grandkids here and her daughters on the way. After the call, Kevin rides on the train and Fred hangs out in the clubbie again. Ronan returns to the Sparrow property and tells Daphne that he is fine. Rory drives back by the crime scene. Cathy contemplates calling Julie. We see what appears to be a hideout in the middle of the woods where Scott is hanging out. Seconds later, Scott shoots arrows at a tree.

 

Sherwood Review

Sherwood has everything going for it including a notable cast, an interesting story, and prerelease controversy. Unfortunately, the first episode did not live up to the hype. A handful of issues prevent Sherwood from being anything other than an ordinary crime drama. The cast and story are bloated as if it is too complicated for their own good. For instance, Sarah Vincent was built as a pivotal character only for her to disappear almost entirely midway through the episode.

There are already signs that Sherwood is going to play heavily on modern politicization of every topic even though it is unnecessary. In a way, Sherwood wants the attention of being linked to the horrible events. On the other hand, it wants to play with the past and adapt it to fit its needs. The production could’ve easily continued without ever being connected to the real-life events whatever since it has been fictionalized so much.

There are certain miscast roles, but the biggest problem might be the slow pacing. The first episode just felt like it was going through the emotions without hitting any high points in terms of drama or emotions. There is clearly a compelling story here, but it is questionable whether Sherwood will be the show to tell it. The first episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of Sherwood can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our work at this link.