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Tuesday 12 July 2016

The Musketeers 1.8 "The Challenge" Review

                                       Image result for the-musketeers the-challenge photos
The Musketeers must bring in Labarge (Vinnie Jones) who's been wrecking havoc in Gascony and has killed two Musketeers, en route the Red Guard intervene to take him to the Cardinal (Peter Capaldi) but a fight ensues and the captain of the Red Guard is killed by Labarge.  The Red Guard accuse the Muskeeters of causing the captain's death and fight them.  Labarge is taken to the Bastille and the cardinal and Louis (Ryan Gage) have a wager on who is better: the Red Guard or the Musketeers, as Treville (Hugo Speer) states ten of his men can take out the Red Guard.  One man from each side will fight and there will be an entrance fee of 30 livre.  Of course none of the Musketeers have the money, but Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) comes up with the idea that they "need to go fishing for a patron."  He takes him to the church where they seek out wealthy widows and Porthos (Howard Charles) catches the eye of Alice (Zoe Tapper).  She's been in mourning for a year and he walks her home as she pretends that she knows he knew her husband, which he didn't.

She changes her black mourning clothes and invites him to dinner as she's prepared plenty.  Porthos never turning down a good meal saying he's always hungry.  She gives him her husband's gold pipe which is worth 30 livres at least.  As they strike up a friendship and more ,even talking marriage. D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) can't afford the fee and trains with Athos (Tom Burke) who teaches him to be less emotional, as he also provokes him by saying that Labarge is being held in the Bastille and living in luxury, as Treville tells D'Artagnan that Labarge burnt down his farm in Gascony and he doesn't have any income to pay for his rent either.
Athos: "You have natural talent, but too often you let your emotions run away with you.  Talent won't keep you alive if your heart runs away with you."
D'Artagnan: "Can we just get on with it."
Athos: "My point in a nutshell."  Though there probably have been times where Athos too would have been guilty of letting his emotions rule him, especially when it came to Milady, or the Comte. As we've just seen she still has an effect on him, especially when she still makes him kiss her.  Which doesn't last for long, his momentary lapse of judgement.

D'Artagnan secretly goes to the prison where he disguises himself as a guard and he fights with Labarge, who just happens to be better than him.  However Athos saves him.  Constance (Tamla Kari) and D'Artgnan kiss when her husband arrives back home.  Asking for the rent.  Constance sells some of her things from the house to raise the money for his entrance fee.

The Cardinal wants to know what Milday (Mamie McCoy) is up to and tells her that she should stay away from the Musketeers, however she thinks D'Artagnan can be useful and she can seduce him to bring him over to their side.  As she follows Athos who finds her in a an alley, saying she could've killed him.  He doesn't want to be reminded of the past and neither does she, though they do share some kisses, well a long one. She also sees he still wears her necklace and he wonders why he does at times too.  She meets D'Artagnan and gives him the money for the entrance fee, as he calls it a loan. As well as giving him her necklace with the forget-me-not on it.  Obviously not remembering where he's seen that crest before, or at least the flowers.

The Cardial summons Bonacieux (Bohdan Poraj) and tells him he might be in the market for some new attire, however he wants him to spy on D'Artagnan and tell him everything he's up to.  Obviously he sees him with Milady, but also with Constance as they kiss on the street, how public did she want her affections to be known by others, obviously people know her.  Even if she does call herself a "respectable woman."  He tells her he got the money and asks where else someone would give him 30 livres for nothing, as she stares at the money in her hand. Bonacieux searches his room and finds the necklace, which he takes and gives it to the cardinal.

The Musketeers practice and Porthos is good at physical combat, Aramis is the better shot and D'Artagnan is the better swordsman.  Yet after all that, Treville says he can't choose one of his men, so will fight himself.  Athos tells him he just took away D'Artagnan's commission as a Musketeer and they all know he's the better man.  The Cardinal promotes Labarge to the Ted Guard and he's the fighter for him.  Athos says Treville knew Labarge would be his opponent which s why he put himself forward and as they fight, Louis tells him his man broke the rules.  As Treville is wounded he can now pick someone to take his place and he chooses D'Artagnan.  Who is the better swordsman and wins, getting his revenge in the process, not that he was after it now.  Not letting emotion get in
the way.  Louis says there'll be no prize money as the rules were broken and the treasury needs it more.  He gets D'Artagnan to kneel and he becomes a commissioned Musketeer.

As Bonacieux tells Constance to break up with D'Artagnan as he has friends in high places and he can now tells the cardinal  that he spoke of treason.  She refuses but tells him she can't see him anymore and he should go to Milady, also she's a respectable woman and can't do this flirtation anymore.  He thought it was love.
D'Artagnan: "I'm sure you've made the right decision, I mean what use is love compared to money." As Constance makes him believe her material life is what she desires the most, as opposed to someone who has nothing to offer her.
He leaves the house and will live at the garrison, as she watches him at Milady's carriage.  Milady asks him in but he says maybe another time, Constance missing that he didn't go with her.  Porthos doesn't get to propose marriage, as Alice says she can't be the wife of a soldier but this is all he knows and wants to do.  He tells Aramis he has to look after him.

Plenty happening to keep us amused and D'Artagnan finding out he's probably made a mistake with Constance, but hey you can't live on love alone!  But he doesn't want Milady either, though he will repay her money.  As Athos finds he still can't resist her charms of seduction, it was just like D'Artagnan not being able to resist Constance.  Ah these Musketeers and their complicated love lives and let's not forget Porthos too meeting a lady here and she walks away from him cos she doesn't want to be the wife of a Musketeer, with all the killing they do.  Hey Constance said similar in series 3 when she tells Anne that she doesn't want to be a Musketeer's widow and raise orphans.  At least D'Artagnan became a fully fledged Musketeer finally!  Well at least Louis got to keep his loot! ha.

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