sherwood television show
Sherwood is the name of two different TV shows: a 2022 British crime drama on BBC One, and a 2019 animated sci‑fi reimagining of Robin Hood.
What is the Sherwood television show?
When people talk about “the Sherwood television show” today, they usually mean the 2022 BBC One crime drama written by James Graham.
- It is set in a former mining village in Nottinghamshire, near Sherwood Forest.
- The story begins with two shocking local murders that tear open old divisions dating back to the 1984–85 miners’ strike.
- The drama is inspired in part by real murders in Nottinghamshire in 2004, though the plot and characters are fictionalised.
There is also Sherwood (2019), a CG‑animated web series: a futuristic, 23rd‑century Robin Hood riff where a teenage hacker named Robin Loxley fights an oppressive regime in a climate‑ravaged, flooded Sherwood.
Key facts at a glance
| Show | Type | Setting | Core premise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwood (2022) | Crime drama (BBC One) | Nottinghamshire mining village, UK, present‑day | Two murders reopen wounds from the 1984–85 miners’ strike and expose old secrets and police operations. | [8][1]
| Sherwood (2019) | CG‑animated web series | Flooded, high‑tech Sherwood in the 23rd century | Teen hacker Robin Loxley battles the Sheriff’s regime in a sci‑fi Robin Hood reimagining. | [5][4]
Sherwood (2022 BBC drama): Quick scoop
Plot and themes
Sherwood (2022) follows a local detective, DCI Ian St Clair, as he investigates the killing of former trade union activist Gary Jackson, who is shot with an arrow in his village. The police suspect a skilled archer and quickly realise the case is entangled with historic undercover policing and bitter divisions left from the miners’ strike.
- Old NUM vs. strike‑breaker tensions, neighbour grudges, and family rifts all resurface.
- The show blends whodunnit tension with political and social commentary about post‑industrial communities and trust in institutions.
An example from episode 1: the village gathers for a wedding, but celebrations are cut short when Jackson is found murdered, and documents from his 1980s arrest appear mysteriously redacted.
Cast and characters
The series is known for a very strong ensemble cast.
- David Morrissey as DCI Ian St Clair, the local senior officer trying to hold a divided community together.
- Lesley Manville as Julie Jackson, connected to the murdered activist Gary Jackson.
- Robert Glenister as DI Kevin Salisbury, a Met officer whose past involvement in the area during the 1980s complicates the new investigation.
- Alun Armstrong as Gary Jackson, a staunch former NUM miner who never lets people forget where they stood in the strike.
The drama is written by playwright James Graham, who grew up in Nottinghamshire and channels that personal background into the script.
Seasons and latest developments
The BBC recommissioned Sherwood for a second series, which introduces new families and storylines while keeping some core characters. Season 2 again explores local gangs, entrenched feuds, and cycles of betrayal and revenge around the Sparrows and other families.
- Early forum reactions suggest some viewers feel season 2 has a noticeably different tone and structure from season 1, and not everyone is warming to it.
- Others appreciate that it is not simply repeating the original case, instead widening the focus to broader community and crime dynamics.
A typical comment from British TV forums: people who “loved the first series” sometimes describe series 2 as “disappointing” or less believable in its police‑procedural elements, even if they still rate the acting highly.
Sherwood (2019 animated series): Quick note
If you were searching more generally for “Sherwood television show,” you might also encounter the 2019 web series.
- It is an American‑Irish CG‑animated series, co‑produced for YouTube Originals.
- Robin Loxley is re‑imagined as a teenage girl hacker, dubbed “Insurgent Hood,” fighting the Sheriff of Nottingham’s high‑tech regime.
- The show only ran for a single 10‑episode season and ended on a cliffhanger, so it is often discussed as a “short‑lived but promising” adaptation.
Why Sherwood is a trending topic
Sherwood (2022) initially drew attention in the UK for its mix of crime thriller tension with real political history around the miners’ strike. It has remained a talking point as season 2 rolled out, especially in British TV communities that debate whether the new run maintains the original’s grounded tone.
Online discussions also highlight:
- The show’s willingness to revisit painful local history and undercover policing controversies.
- Its portrait of how old conflicts can shape voting patterns, loyalties, and distrust across decades in post‑industrial towns.
If you tell me whether you meant the BBC crime drama or the animated Robin Hood re‑imagining, I can dig into episode guides, where to watch, and more detailed fan/forum reactions for that specific Sherwood.
