Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Musketeers: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

"I'm not finished yet. Not by any measure!"

Steps forward and steps back define the second season of The Musketeers, an improvement over last season... except when it isn't. Oh, there's swashbuckling aplenty, backed by a darker series of storylines, more engaging character arcs, and a decent baddie in Marc Warren's Comte de Rochefort (based on the villain of the same name in Alexander Dumas' d'Artagnan novels, "The Three Musketeers," "Twenty Years After" and "The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later.") But all the swords, horse chases, punch throwing and rope swinging grows a bit formulaic, the plot wears thin on more than one occasion, and Warren spends much of his time trying to outshine Peter Capaldi, who declined to return as Cardinal Richelieu because of his interest in some less popular BBC show. Can't recall the name. Rather than recast the Cardinal -- which would've been the smarter choice -- the series writers unceremoniously remove him from the equation entirely, eliminating the Musketeers' classic antagonist in one fell swoop. Deal breaker? Not really. The season eventually gains a fair amount of momentum and finishes relatively strong, but the wait is tiring. Fans will cheer when the showrunners begin to recover from Capaldi's untimely exit, embracing each new episode more than the last. The cast is certainly up to the challenge, committing to every melodramatic dust-up, romantic flourish and action scene with genuine bravado. Casual viewers propped squarely on the fence, though, will still be sitting there at season's end.

• Keep Your Friends Close: The Musketeers are sent to retrieve the Comte de Rochefort, the Cardinal's man in Madrid, who has escaped from a Spanish prison and brings news that the chief author of France's military strategy against Spain, General De Foix, has been captured. The Musketeers must join forces with Rochefort to rescue De Foix before this critical information falls into the wrong hands, but can Rochefort be trusted, and will the Musketeers succeed against the traps laid for them?
• An Ordinary Man: King Louis demands to experience the life of his carefree subjects, but his night of fun quickly comes to an end when he and d'Artagnan are mistaken for commoners and kidnapped by the notorious criminal Lemaitre to be sold to Spain as slaves. The musketeers must find and rescue d'Artagnan and the king. Can they save Louis from mortal danger and will they return him to the palace in time for the dauphin's christening? Meanwhile Rochefort uses the king's absence to become closer to Queen Anne.
• The Good Traitor: When a Spanish general, Tariq Alaman, offers to hand over the formula of a unique and deadly gunpowder in exchange for help rescuing his kidnapped daughter, the Musketeers find themselves tangled in a complex web of political trades with the Spanish. Their mission is further complicated when Porthos is captured by Spanish agents. Meanwhile, when the dauphin becomes seriously ill, Constance takes matters into her own hands and risks everything to save his life.
• Emilie: The Musketeers investigate Emilie of Duras, a woman claiming to have visions from God which instruct her to lead her thousands of followers into war with Spain. As word of Emilie's visions triggers violent anti-Spanish riots, Aramis is sent to discredit her before she pushes France into an ill-timed war with Spain. Meanwhile Rochefort continues to clash with Spanish Ambassador Perales. He resorts to blackmail and murder to resolve the problem.
• The Return: When Athos is kidnapped and taken back to his estate of Pinon, the Musketeers go in search of him. They find themselves in the middle of a battle against Baron Renard, who is shocked by Athos' decision to reject his nobility and is determined to seize the land for himself. As the Musketeers train the people of Pinon in combat and defend them against multiple attacks, Athos is forced to confront his past when he encounters an old friend whose life was ruined by his actions years ago.
• Through a Glass Darkly: Renowned astronomer Marmion gathers the royal household to his impressive observatory in a transformed old fort to watch a solar eclipse. The Musketeers and Rochefort escort them but could never have predicted the twist in fate that ensues and the impossible choices that must be made. Who is Marmion really and what is his game? The Musketeers are forced into the fight of their lives with dramatic consequences. Will they accept Milady's help despite their mistrust of her? It might be their only chance to save the king, queen and themselves.
• A Marriage of Inconvenience: The king's cousin is ambushed while under Musketeer escort as she travels from Mantua to Sweden to make a political marriage that will be advantageous to France. The Musketeers must quickly discover who is targeting her to keep both her and the alliance between countries protected. However, it emerges that other important figures at court also appear to be in danger. Who is the killer and could he already be inside the palace walls?
• The Prodigal Father: Porthos uncovers the truth about his parentage and demands answers from his new-found father. As he learns more about his past, Porthos questions his place in the Musketeers regiment. However, the Musketeers have suspicions about Porthos' new family, wondering whether he should trust them. Can they save Porthos from the dangers that lie ahead, and where do his true loyalties lie?
• The Accused: The Musketeers must put their lives on the line when the queen is accused of treason. They have no choice but to steal her away from the palace to safety while they search for evidence to prove that Rochefort is a Spanish spy. However, it soon transpires that nobody is safe from Rochefort's grasp, not even the king.
• Trial and Punishment: The Musketeers must risk everything to save France from Rochefort's treacherous plan. While Porthos seeks to lure the Spanish spymaster to Paris to prove Rochefort's betrayal to the King, Athos and d'Artagnan must save Constance from certain death. However will they be able to protect Aramis and the Queen before Rochefort gets to them first? The fate of France and their closest comrades lies in the Musketeers' hands.

The Musketeers: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The second season of The Musketeers delivers a strikingly similar AV presentation to its Season One counterpart, beginning with a solid 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode that isn't subject to any significant problems. The palette is once again overly bright, bordering on washed out, but it's perfectly faithful to the showrunners' intentions, making it something of a non-issue. Skintones are relatively lifelike, black levels are decent (albeit rather dusty), and contrast is consistent. Detail is excellent, though. No two ways about it. Edge definition is crisp and clean, without any pesky ringing to report. Fine textures are resolved nicely, highlighting every stitch and distress mark in the series' costumes and production design. And delineation is revealing, without much in the way of crush or ravenous shadows. There also isn't any serious artifacting, banding or other anomalies to report. Is it a stunning presentation? No, it barely brushes remarkable. But it is precise and proficient, which goes a long way.

The Musketeers: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release of Season Two offers just one audio option: a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. Like its Season One predecessor, it gets the job done, and without any derailments or major distractions. That said, the two-channel experience still disappoints during the series' action sequences. Sound effects are clear and carefully prioritized, but without LFE support or any rear speaker activity, the most thrilling adventures are rendered flat and two-dimensional. It's an undeniably capable mix. Dialogue is clear and intelligible at all times, the soundscape is convincing and engaging, and there aren't any technical issues to worry over. It just isn't going to wow anyone, particularly fans, who continue to hold out hope for a more robust and rousing experience.

The Musketeers: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Music of The Musketeers (HD, 7 minutes): Composer Paul Englishby discusses the series' score and the development of the grand themes, hero motifs and sweeping compositions featured in Season Two.
• Episode I: The Escape (HD, 5 minutes): A look at a large-scale sequence in which the Musketeers flee a castle under fire from Spanish guardsman, only to find themselves at the edge of an enormous ravine.
• Episode I: Underwater (HD, 3 minutes): This second behind-the-scenes featurette finds d'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) swimming through a submerged tunnel to reach the entrance of a fort.
• Episode V in Action (HD, 4 minutes): A broader overview of the action featured in the season's fifth episode, a Seven Samurai-esque adventure that pits the Musketeers and a quaint village against an overwhelming force.
• Building of the Queen's Chambers (HD, 4 minutes): Production designer Dave Arrowsmith offers a tour of the Queen's Chambers set, talking about its construction, functionality, and the various challenges it presented.
• Building the Astroglobe (HD, 2 minutes): Another set tour with Arrowsmith.

The Musketeers: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Musketeers isn't a bad show by any means, nor is its second season a failure. Peter Capaldi's departure is just one of many production woes faced by the showrunners, and they handle each new challenge with admirable passion. Once again, though, the series delivers a season that stumbles out of the gate, only gaining its stride when its latest 10-episode run is coming to a close. Perhaps next season will finally see The Musketeers go from entertaining show to must-see DVR'ing. Of course, I said the same thing last season...

Ah well. BBC Home Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Season Two is a decidedly decent one, fortunately, with a strong video presentation, a solid DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, and a small but enjoyable selection of special features. More substantial extras and a 5.1 surround mix would have certainly helped, but fans will still be pleased with the results.