Sean Bean's 10-Part Fantasy Series Is A Hidden Gem Every Game Of Thrones Fan Must Watch

It has been a long time since Game of Thrones killed off Sean Bean, so it is exciting that the actor’s new series brings him back to the fantasy genre. It is a little ironic that viewers were so shocked when Game of Thrones broke the rules of storytelling in its ninth episode and killed off Sean Bean’s Ned Stark. Granted, Bean’s character did appear to be the protagonist of the series until that moment, so the death was a fairly shocking about-face.

However, at that stage in his career, Bean was famous for playing characters who got killed off in every franchise he appeared in. From the James Bond movies to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bean’s characters were killed off so often that there were entire YouTube supercut montages detailing this phenomenon. Nonetheless, viewers were still universally stunned when Joffrey ordered Ned’s execution and Game of Thrones abruptly lost its main character.

For any viewers who are still struggling to get over this loss, Bean’s latest project will be exciting news. While the Game of Thrones franchise is still going strong with its new shows, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Bean now stars as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham in the MGM+ fantasy adventure series Robin Hood. Set in the Middle Ages, the show stars Jack Patten as the titular legendary outlaw Rob Locksley and Lauren McQueen as his love interest, Maid Marian.

Robin Hood Flips Sean Bean’s Game of Thrones Role On Its Head

As Bean’s Sheriff hunts the duo, Robin and Marian spend the ten episodes of Robin Hood season 1 taking down a corrupt royal regime from the inside and outside at the same time. While Marian goes undercover in the Norman court, Robin leads the band of Merry Men, including Marcus Fraser’s Little John, Henry Rowley’s Will Gamewell, and Angus Castle-Doughty’s Friar Tuck.

The cast of the series is rounded out by stars like Connie Nielsen and Anastasia Griffith, but Bean’s return to the small-screen fantasy genre is a big part of Robin Hood’s appeal. The show’s most famous star doesn’t disappoint, with various reviewers highlighting his performance as the gruff Sheriff of Nottingham as a highlight of the series. Fittingly enough, the character forms an interesting contrast with Bean’s earlier fantasy TV role.

Robin Hood's version of The Sheriff of Nottingham is exactly the sort of wily and methodical tyrant that would have excelled in Westeros, operating not from a place of cartoonish evil but rather from what he sees as a need for law and order. Like Ned Stark, this version of the infamous Sheriff believes in honor, but uses his warped moral compass to justify hunting Robin Hood and crushing his enemies.

Sean Bean's Robin Hood Is Already Guaranteed A Season 2

Bean’s reinvention of the role is a fascinating one that proves the actor can bring nuance and depth to a character that even the late, great Alan Rickman played as a pantomime villain in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Fortunately, anyone who enjoyed Bean’s performance in Robin Hood season 1 can breathe a sigh of relief since the show has already been renewed for a second season.

Robin Hood was largely well-liked by critics, who called the series a fun Medieval romp that was likely to please fans of historical dramas and fantasy shows alike. However, the show’s limited runtime meant that the series couldn’t delve into the stories of Robin’s Merry Men in much depth and was limited in its exploration of Robin’s relationship with Marian. As such, the news that Sean Bean’s biggest fantasy show since Game of Thrones will return for Robin Hood season 2 is a welcome surprise for fans of the genre.