When it comes to new television shows being screened here in the United States this summer, Hooten and the Lady has a unique appeal to it that seems to captivate the audience. On the surface, the show is about two adventure partners who go on wild adventures. The title of the show is rather straightforward – no hidden symbolism here. Hooten is an American adventurer turn thief played by actor, Michael Landes and the lady is played by Ophelia Lovibond. Ophelia’s character, Alex Lindo-Parker, is a curator for a British Museum. Now you have all of the makings of a storyline that awakens the nostalgia associated with Indiana Jones and Romancing the Stone, with a modern twist.
I mentioned that the series has a unique appeal and it does. In an era in which people want to be surprised and challenged by all types of plot twists, Hooten and the Lady, and times, can be very predictable. The thing is that the writers and producers are keenly cognizant of this fact. The truth is that the nostalgic predictable scenes are actually a part of the appeal of the show.
The first season of Hooten and the Lady, the story spans over the course of an eight-hour period through which a great deal of action and adventure take place. The predictable scenes are meant to drudge up those old Romancing the Store and Indiana Jones moments.
Based on some of the pre-premiere press releases, Hooten can be seen as somewhat of a loner who tends to bend the rules a bit in order to get what he wants. Even based on the description of Hooten provided by the show’s producers, he is simply a vagabond who finds himself in situations in which he is ill-prepared to navigate – always leading to more drama than necessary. Hooten’s willingness to invades areas and cultures he has no knowledge in is what makes Alex’s character necessary. It is her knowledge of these little know cultures and secrets that provide the way of escape and even moments of fortune.
The inspirations behind this show are not hidden. The shows writers and producers did very little to conceal where they garnered the majority of their inspiration from. In fact, they literally wear that inspiration on their sleeves. The image of Indiana Jones is spread throughout the scenes in each episode. They want the fans to make the connection and they do not want the process of making this connection to be a struggle.
If you are wondering whether or not Hooten and Alex will ever be an item, it is not likely at this point, but things can change. According to the creator of the series, Tony Jordan, Hooten and Alex will never arrive at anything more meaningful than the current friendship they share. In fact, Alex has a fiancé.
On the surface, “Hooten and the Lady” does not appear to be something that CW would have jumped on, but it is so different from the normal programming that the network presents that it actually makes the ideal fit – carving out a new audience and market for the network.
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