Written by and starring Tony Robinson, Maid Marian and Her Merry Men was a classic British children’s TV show that ran for four seasons between 1989 and 1994. It was a historical farce which presented Marian as the true leader of the legendary outlaws, whilst Robin was nothing more than a dim-witted and cowardly ex-tailor.

The definition of children’s crush Kate Lonergan played Marian, and along with Robin, Little Ron, Rabies, and Danny John-Jules’ Barrington, she defended the mud-encrusted peasants of Worksop from Robinson’s Sheriff of Nottingham (After Blackadder, he wanted to play someone evil, even if his character here is almost as stupid as Baldrick was).

As with all the best children’s programmes, the comedy aimed upwards, and the social commentary, fourth-wall breaking, and parody songs were all played with a straight face, especially Marian’s idealism:

“We’ll camp out under the stars, hold rich travellers to ransom, and give it all to the poor, and we’ll surround ourselves with a band of highly attractive respectable young men who are just a little bit rough and are dedicated to freeing our country from tyranny and injustice and animal cruelty to animals and stuff, and we’ll swing through the trees on long ropes, and we’ll have our own costumes and we’ll never be cross or grumpy, and we’ll do these fantastically brave deeds with a merry smile on our face and people will say “Good Heavens! It’s those merry men! Come in and have a cup of tea, and can we have your autograph?” And no one will dare stand against us, and we’ll be famous for ever, and people will name pubs after us!”

Also, it had a supremely catchy theme tune playing over the end credits:

Also this is my hundredth thread on the Avocado. Yay me!

Have a good day, Avocados!