History Series / MaidMarianAndHerMerryMen

** TheChick: Robin. He's cowardly, ineffectual, and self-centered, but he's also the friendliest and most soft-hearted. And occasionally GentleGiant Rabies, who's very sweet-natured and loving, plays this role.

* AnachronismStew: Offhand reference to dynamite (supposedly used in the outrage commemorated on “High Forks Night”. And nobody in the castle is incredulous at the idea of outer space aliens dropping by to collect for a jumble sale.

''Maid Marian And Her Merry Men'' was a children's SitCom made by Creator/TheBBC, based on RobinHood and written by Creator/TonyRobinson, who also played the Sheriff. Calling it [[LighterAndSofter a kids' version of]] ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' is trite, obvious and (to a certain extent) true. However, it's much more surreal.

The concept was that Robin wasn't a noble outlaw hero at all, but a clueless yuppie who had inadvertently got involved with the revolutionary schemes of Maid Marian, presented here as the real brains behind the operation. Joining them were Little Ron (a violent dwarf), Rabies (a large and very stupid peasant) and Barrington (a Rasta, despite Rastafarianism not existing yet). Much to Marian's exasperation, none of them were particularly reliable, least of all Robin, who spent most of his time designing their outfits (except when he started believing the hype and thinking he ''was'' the leader).

Prince John, technically the leader of the forces of oppression (or "Ye Baddies", as the credits had it), was usually portrayed as an unstable raving lunatic, leaving the actual scheming to his [[TheDragon Dragon]], the Sheriff of Nottingham. The Sheriff's two {{Mooks}}, Gary and Graeme, were almost as stupid as Rabies.

* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: The show is a very good example of the second kind. The show featured a considerable amount of slapstick (mostly mess), though almost no actual violence, but Maid Marian herself is practically never a victim, even when all of the rest of her band are. The worst that happened to her was a bucket of water, once. Admittedly Rose once got paint poured over her, but then Rose is a villain (the trope seems to apply slightly less strongly to female villains).
** Except in the first episode of series 4 where she was pelted with mud while her and Rose were tied up together thanks to Guy. Of course, that was nothing compared to what happened to two of the bad guys that episode as the Merry Men had set up a maze specifically designed to get them CoveredInGunge. However, Marian also received the maze's final big gungeing, it happened off-screen but we did get to see the aftermath IIRC.

* NotSoDifferent: Both the Sheriff and Marian are far more intelligent than the idiots surrounding them and easily frustrated and exasperated by their stupidity.

''Maid Marian And Her Merry Men'' was a children's SitCom made by Creator/TheBBC, based on RobinHood and written by Tony Robinson, who also played the Sheriff. Calling it [[LighterAndSofter a kids' version of]] ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' is trite and obvious but also, to a certain extent, true. Only much more surreal.

* AnticlimacticParent: Marian never admitted to her mother that she was an outlaw. This leads the main characters to keep up the charade of being The Merry Dentists. However, when Marian is captured her mum leads the rescue effort and ultimately reveals she has her own geriatric gang of outlaws.
* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: The show a very good example of the second kind. The show featured a considerable amount of slapstick (mostly mess), though almost no actual violence, but Maid Marian herself is practically never a victim, even when all of the rest of her band are. The worst that happened to her was a bucket of water, once. Admittedly Rose once got paint poured over her, but then Rose is a villain (the trope seems to apply slightly less strongly to female villains).

** "Wait a minute!" (The Sheriff's most-used phrase when he has an idea or notices that something's off. Often followed up by "Wait a <random adective> minute!")

* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Garry and Graeme. They're inept to the point Marian and co quite like them when they're not pursuing them on Nottingham's orders.

* TickleTorture: Happens in the first episode

* VisualPun: In one episode, the Sheriff is collecting taxes. This includes a large carpet (the carpet tax) and a small mint (the Tic Tax).

* FiveManBand:
** TheLeader: Marian. She's the unquestioned leader of the gang, even if people occasionally think Robin is.
** TheLancer: Barrington, who's laid-back and easy-going and also occasionally doubles as TheSmartGuy.
** TheBigGuy: Both Little Ron and Rabies. Rabies is the physically biggest and strongest, while Little Ron is the toughest and scrappiest.
** TheChick: Robin. He's cowardly, ineffectual, and self-centered, but he's also the kindest and most soft-hearted.

** TheLeader: Marian.
** TheLancer: Barrington, who also occasionally doubles as TheSmartGuy.
** TheBigGuy: Both Little Ron and Rabies.
** TheChick: Robin.

* CatchPhrase "UNDERSTAAAND?". (King John as coda to his latest threat to do something nasty if the Sheriff fails in carrying out his orders.)

* FiveManBand

* LimitedWardrobe: Most of the characters, though Marian and the Merry Men get two wardrobe upgrades -- after the third episode of the first series they begin dressing mainly in green to "coordinate with the trees," and from the second season on their outfits have become more detailed, distinct and idividual. The one exception to the trope is Robin, who has ''lots'' of outfits, and from the second season onwards [[UnlimitedWardrobe seldom wears the same one two episodes in a row]].
* MargaretThatcher: Had a house repairer character called 'Margaret The Thatcher'.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2646539085_035834ea35.jpg]]

* LargeHam: John, who is something of a BrianBlessed {{expy}}, sans beard.

[[quoteright:350:~~[[{{Formats}} HalfHourComedy]] [[CategoryShowGenres BritCom]]~~]]

->''"They've got the power, they've got the weapons. [[SurroundedByIdiots All we've got is a Rasta, a wally, and a bearded avocado]]."''

* AnachronismStew: Virtually everything that happens. Despite being set in TheDungAges, it still manages to have a Rastafarian (identified as such), a telethon, belief in space aliens and sell-by date laws. Amongst many other examples.
** One episode contains numerous references to PaulMcCartney and his then-wife Linda.

* ShoutOut: Plenty. Not least of which- ''Hang on! We're playing [[SonicTheHedgehog Chronic The Hedgehog!]] It's the first time we've ever got up to level four! And he hasn't been zapped by the crabs once!''
** In the same episode, Robin is [=DM=]ing live action ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', and devises the Maze of Mystery. Which, for some reason, involves him [[TheCrystalMaze shaving his head, wearing a leopard-print coat, and playing the harmonica]].

Prince John, technically the leader of the forces of oppression (or "Ye Baddies", as the credits had it), was usually portrayed as an unstable raving lunatic, leaving the actual scheming to his [[TheDragon Dragon]], the Sheriff of Nottingham. The Sheriff's two {{Mooks}}, Gary and Grahame, were almost as stupid as Rabies.

* KeepAway: Used as a spoof of Rugby. Just to add to the spoof, they're using an actual egg.
** With ''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny running commentary]]'' by Graham.

* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Garry and Grahame. They're inept to the point Marian and co quite like them when they're not pursuing them on Nottingham's orders.

* TerribleTrio: The Sheriff, Gary and Graham.

* YouMeanXMas: Invoked and parodied. The Sheriff of Nottingham and his henchmen, Gary and Grahame, invent a public holiday called "Bloopy" in order to get out of trouble with King John, and every single cynical thing ever said about Christmas applies to Bloopy as well.

** In the episode "The White-ish Knight", the mysterious knight gets his own theme tune which goes "Aah-ah, aah-ah, the White-ish Knight", in a way not completely dissimilar to Music/{{Clanaad}}'s ''Series/RobinOfSherwood'' theme.

* StockholmSyndrome: King John's torture victims are horrified by the idea of leaving the torture chamber and going to live in the world with all its stress and fast carts and modern technology (like pointy sticks)

* HeyItsThatGuy: Barrington the Rasta is [[Series/RedDwarf the Cat]], and the Sheriff is [[Series/BlackAdder Baldrick]] (but [[PlayingAgainstType acts more like Blackadder]]).

* NonSingingVoice: While certain actors, such as Danny John-Jules, provide their own singing voices, several characters are dubbed over in the song numbers by professional singers. The show doesn't even try to hide this fact -- most of the singing voices sound nothing like the characters' speaking voices and Marian notably gets a distinct American accent when singing. This is mostly ignored but occasionally [[RuleOfFunny played for laughs]] and on occasion {{Lampshaded}}, such as when Marian interrupts a song number by telling the peasants to "stop miming!"

* PlayingAgainstType: Tony Robinson's most famous role is the imbecilic BumblingSidekick Baldrick in ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'', a complete 180 from the savvy, intelligent Sheriff. In fact, one gets the feeling that Robinson fancied playing Blackadder for a change (ith Gary and Grahame as his Baldricks).

* PlayingAgainstType: Tony Robinson's most famous role is the imbecilic BumblingSidekick Baldrick in ''{{Blackadder}}'', a complete 180 from the savvy, intelligent Sheriff. In fact, one gets the feeling that Robinson fancied playing Blackadder for a change (ith Gary and Grahame as his Baldricks).

** In the same episode, Robin is [=DM=]ing live action ''DungeonsAndDragons'', and devises the Maze of Mystery. Which, for some reason, involves him [[TheCrystalMaze shaving his head, wearing a leopard-print coat, and playing the harmonica]].

* YouMeanXMas: Invoked and parodied. The Sheriff of Nottingham and his henchmen, Gary and Grahame, invent a public holiday called "Bloopy" in order to get out of trouble with King John, and every single cynical thing ever said about Christmas applies to Bloopy as well. Also, Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras) becomes "P-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake Day!"
** Shrove Tuesday ''is'' known as Pancake Day/Pancake Tuesday in the UK, and doesn't share many similarities with Mardi Gras despite it being celebrated for the same reasons.