The Sheriff of Nottingham
BBC Series Robin Hood
This one starts with the Sheriff being publicly ridiculed - he doesn't like this much. It turns out the Sheriff is now dismissed. This makes the group really happy - but now there's going to be a new one. This one is pretty nasty and has a Sarasen helper, too. It turns out the Sarasen has a personal feud with Nazir.
Guy quickly sides with the new Sheriff and they decide to burn down the village of Wickham. They decide to start with the headman's wife. The Sheriff has no qualms at all at killing six people a day until there are no more left or Robin Hood gives in. In short order, the old Sheriff is banished out of Nottingham. In fact, he's abandoned by Nottingham at nightfall. He hooks up with Robin and together they realize they can help each other.
There's discussion in this episode about why Robin is so important to the Sheriff - because they stand for freedom, justice and the people. Guy points it out, the new Sheriff points it out, and there's even a direct discussion about the situation and the legend.
Robin and the Sherrif go in and are of course captured. Guy and the old Sheriff turn on each other rather quickly. In the meantime the two Sarasens meet up to fight. Soon a masked Sarasen comes back, and the new Sheriff figures it's his lackey. He frees Robin to have a duel to the death with the Sarasen. Of course it's pretty obvious who it is. The new Sheriff is slain and the whole group escapes.
Robin and Marian end up smiling, nose to nose at the escape. The Sheriff gets back on his throne and things are back to normal.
There was hope for this one in the discussion of the legend, but again I just didn't feel it. I think that they've made the Sheriff out to be so "bad" and nasty at this point that it was hard to cheer for him to come back onto the throne. I really liked the early Sheriff much better (i.e. his more balanced nature).
BBC Series Robin Hood Episode List
Robin Hood Information, Movies and Legends