BBC Troy

[Raider4]

By rights the Troy story should start with the Judgement of Paris.

And it pretty much did, but not how it's depicted in most of the paintings . . .

And, there are a lot of paintings over the years of the judgement of Paris. For some reason it's been a very popular subject.

[Leman]

Well full marks for making it look like pre-classical Greece. However, Helen looked about 10+ years older than Paris and more like a strict school maam than the most beautiful woman in the world. I was interrupted about 45 minutes in, and despite having paused it couldn't be bothered going back to it and switched to an episode of Agents of Shield instead.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

One word - STRIUPS

Well know for their use in Ancient Greece, - NOT

IanS

[Leman]

Indeed, even today striups are hardly ever used in horse riding.

[mollinary]

Very true, I can hardly remember when I last saw someone using Striups -
perhaps they were a passing fad?

[d_Guy]

I did find a pair on eBay (and cheap too!)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Horse-striups-for-decoration-/263385614589

[SV52]

Well, that was episode 1, pretty much standard stuff for a multi-part drama; fast forward helped.  Now that the Helen stuff is more or less out of the way it might become interesting.  Pretty much the same fairytale, at least the gods(esses) are getting a look in.

[Steve J]

We watched it this afternoon and enjoyed it. Nothing too taxing but it set the scene. Many years ago I tried reading a translation of the Iliad or something similar, but found it such hard going that I gave up

[d_Guy]

FWIW, I like Robert Fagles's translation. If you get the audio version, Derek Jacobi is the reader and does quite a good job (uses multiple voices) - brings it to life.

[Ithoriel]

I reckon that if I switch off the part of my brain that keeps insisting that "this is supposed to be about the Trojan War" and just watch it as another sub-GoT fantasy I'll probably enjoy the series.

[Orcs]

I enjoyed it, although Mrs Orcs fell asleep halfway through. (she needs to have the good guys in white and the bad guys in black). 

Zeus was black - no problem with that, but Helen his daughter was absolutely Caucasian!!!!!.  She should have been at least mixed race.  While she was attractive, she was hardly "the most beautiful woman in the world" . Please don't get me wrong ( I wouldn't "kick her out of bed"  ) but I can think of a lot more stunning actresses they could have used. 

Use of stirrups was annoying, why go to the lengths they do for building sets and getting things authentic and then make an obvious mistake.  Most producers seem to this. Look at the Saxon helmets in Vikings.

[DanJ]

Amazed I got the Judgement of Paris bit right  

One word - STRIUPS

May not be the BBC's fault, I think I read somewhere that insurance companies don't like actors on horseback without stirrups as they are more likely to fall off, especially at speed.

I had a major gripe with that fact that they were riding at all, the chariot was the height of sophistication and horses just weren't big enough to take a rider.  But the main problem with episode 1 is Paris, he isn't much of a hero, proud, boastful and not anywhere nearly as good as he thinks he is.... They've certainly got the characterisation spot on but it's not a central character I warmed to and want to see succeed.

However apart from the riding bit a good first episode, given that they had a lot of introductions to cram in, definitely be giving the second episode a try.

[SV52]

I reckon that if I switch off the part of my brain that keeps insisting that "this is supposed to be about the Trojan War" and just watch it as another sub-GoT fantasy I'll probably enjoy the series.

A worthy winner 

[fsn]

Have they got the costumes right? Not just armour, but the ladies costumes?

[Ithoriel]

Have they got the costumes right? Not just armour, but the ladies costumes?

Right? .... not even close, fsn, as far as I'm concerned.

We have several images of Mycenaean horsemen from the period so I'm not too fazed by the horsemanship and, as to stirrups, I agree it's probably down to the expense of reshooting chunks of the show if a major player comes a cropper.

As to "the most beautiful woman in the world," get a dozen random forumites together and ask them to name their candidate for the title and you'd probably get a couple of dozen answers. Possible even that number from each