Aramis gets very passionate this week, unusually it isn't a woman in his sights but he is incensed about getting justice for an incident from five years ago when practically his whole troop of Musketeers were betrayed and needlessly slain while on a training exercise. The only other man to survive, Marsac (JJ Field), ran away from the slaughter in their camp unable to take in the devastation that surrounded him, and has since that day been wanted for desertion. Marsac hasn’t been idly wasting his time in hiding though, he has been tracking down the real culprit of the massacre, and with the Musketeers help hopes to expose the web of political lies and intrigue at the heart of it all.
The rest of the guest cast is superb also, the stand out for me (as a Being Human fan) has to be Adrian Schiller as Gontard, the Duke of Savoy’s first minister. It’s one of the smaller roles but nonetheless he manages to portray in a few small scenes that he is essentially the equal to the Cardinal, and is just as capable as serving the Duke as he is of serving the King. Vincent Regan and Phoebe Fox are also both marvellous in their roles as the Duke and Duchess, and their being at court with their son also, finally, gives us a small hint at what is causing some of the problems in the marriage between Louis and Anne.
Constance has much more involvement again this week too, it seems as though her house is becoming a favourite place for the troop to have meetings away from the watchful eye of Treville. She is upset at them though at first for lying to her about who Marsac is, well upset at D'Artagnan mainly and tells him that he must move out, but they do make up fairly quickly and he promises to help her with something that must be kept secret from her husband. Unfortunately, I think that the way that the promo was been edited last week has led us to believe that something more romantic will be happening between the two of them this week. I hope it will not be too disappointing when this doesn't happen, they are certainly developing a deeper respect for each other and D’Artagnan learns to treat her as more of an equal, but I think that any affair is still a way off for the two of them as yet.
The Good Soldier airs at 9pm on Sunday 9th February on BBC 1 and BBC 1 HD, below are a few dialogue teasers to see you through until then. Don't forget to come back to vote in our poll after the episode and let us know what you think.
“If this gets me hanged, I'm going to take this very personally”
“I appreciate a melodrama as much as the next man but an explanation might clarify things”
“Allow the Spanish into your country and your independence will be lost forever”
“The captain keeps a record of every Musketeers campaign since the regiment was founded, all except that one night”
“This has to end here Aramis, you know that”
“Insulting a man who holds your life in his hands, I see you are a fool as well as a coward”
“That’s for leaving me alone in the forest with twenty dead Musketeers”
“I killed a man for you yet you still don’t trust me”
“You think I won’t have you arrested, that you are above the normal laws of soldiering?”
“Your prisoner, describe him”
Trailer Teaser
“There are three of us pastor, you are outnumbered”