Jonathan Bailey in a scene from Jurassic World RebirthImage via Universal Pictures
By
Amanda M. Castro
Published 57 minutes ago
Amanda M. Castro is a Network TV writer at Collider and a journalist based in New York. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Amanda is a bilingual Latina who graduated from the University of New Haven with a degree in Communication, Film, and Media Studies. She covers the world of network television, focusing on sharp, thoughtful analysis of the shows and characters that keep audiences tuning in week after week. At Collider, Amanda dives into the evolving landscape of network TV — from long-running procedural favorites to ambitious new dramas — exploring why these stories matter and how they connect with viewers on a cultural level.
Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapHooten and the Lady doesn't merely provide a light-hearted adventure. It's a beautiful, boisterous, globe-trotting romp that perfectly fuels the missing itch when you've finished viewing every Indiana Jones film and every feel-good action film available. Fans of Jonathan Bailey also get to see Bailey as a young man before his fame on Bridgerton or Wicked. Therefore, this show is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining homage to prior television series, intended only for a good time.
The CW later picked up the British Sky1 series, featuring two enemies who are brought together by chance in an adventure for treasure: rugged American explorer Hooten (Michael Landes) and polished British Museum curator Lady Alexandra Lindo-Parker (Ophelia Lovibond). Lady Alexandra is ready to escape her desk posting and enter into a real field environment, whereas Hooten is a charming rogue who may become involved with something too big. The two characters have an intense relationship, but they are both lying on the ground in the jungle, in an unkempt camp where there is plenty of opportunity for humorous arguments, exchanges, and sexual chemistry.
Hooten & The Lady is an homage to classic 1980s adventure movies, while still being true to pulp fiction's roots; you can easily see this in the series as well as in the fact that the show takes place in many different locations, features several historical enigmas, and includes many action-adventure scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat.
What is 'Hooten & The Lady' About?
Michael Landes and Ophelia Lovibond in a scene from Hooten & The LadyImage via CW
Hooten and Alex travel to a different region of the globe in each episode to pursue a fresh legendary treasure while avoiding an entirely new peril. One week, they search for Percy Fawcett’s missing campsite in the depths of the Amazon rainforest; the next, they search for a missing Fabergé egg somewhere in Russia, trek up the world’s tallest mountain searching for an ancient Buddhist scroll, and crawl through the dank catacombs of Rome to find the Libri Sibyllini. The immense array of environments they encounter on their journeys (though shot in South Africa and representing numerous countries) has created an exciting, visually stunning atmosphere akin to a big-screen movie.
The show's style is not a slow build or overly emotional plotlines. The episodes aren't intended for serious drama; they're essentially like mini-movies and contain a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to: 'snakes', helicopter stunts, last-minute rescues, and a considerable quantity of treasure that would take you months and possibly years to find on an entire History channel series. If you want a good plot process in a series, this isn't your best option, and you will most likely be let down by it. On the other hand, if you want to take an hour off your everyday routine to watch something enjoyable, this is a good choice.
The heartbeat of the show is the banter between Lovibond and Landes. She is annoyed by his thoughtless "jump first, think later" approach, while he finds her aristocratic background amusing because she often lectures people in tense or emergencies. Together they create a traditional courtship: "I dislike you (but in reality, I like you)."
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Posts 1 By Jen Vestuto Dec 29, 2024Alex has the brains and understanding of history, art, and culture, while Hooten possesses street smarts and instincts that allow them to navigate complex, dangerous situations. Despite their differences, the two have one thing in common — they cannot ignore their attraction to solving a good mystery.
That dynamic is a major reason the show works. Even critics who weren’t sold on the title or the pilot agreed that the leads’ charisma keeps everything afloat. Their chemistry has the effortless spark of a vacation fling — fun, messy, and never meant to be taken too seriously.
And then there’s Bailey as Alex’s fiancé, Edward — a role far different from his confident, romantic leads in later years. Here, he plays the well-meaning but out-of-his-depth partner stuck at home while Alex dashes across the world, dodging death and bantering with a roguish American. Watching Bailey in this early supporting role is a particular treat for fans eager to see the range he was already showing long before Bridgerton.
'Hooten & The Lady Is Worth A Watch—Especially For Early Jonathan Bailey
Jonathan Bailey in Hooten & The LadyImage via CW
Is Hooten & the Lady predictable? Sure. But that’s part of the appeal. It has the self-awareness of a show that knows it’s delivering glossy escapism — a throwback to pulpy Saturday-matinee adventures with a wink and a grin. Instead of attempting to recreate the genre from scratch, this program embraces the genre's archetypes. The tick-tock pacing, the coonhound, the conflict between the two competitors for the prize, the looming cliff edge, and the sexual tension between the leads leave viewers guessing about the outcome of their battle for the prize.
Even though the show is full of clichés, the way that it plays with those clichés makes the use of those clichés fun. The show moves quickly, has a lighthearted quality, and features a new storyline in each episode. All of this makes the series great for people who like to watch something entertaining that does not carry a lot of emotional weight.
While it was canceled after only one season, the complete eight-episode run is still a complete adventure and very short. With the current landscape of complex, long-running television series, it is refreshing to watch a self-contained treasure hunt focused on having fun with good chemistry between characters.
Hooten & the Lady
TV-14
Drama
Action
Adventure
Release Date
2016 - 2017-00-00
Network
Sky One
Directors
Colin Teague, Daniel O'Hara, Justin Molotnikov
Genres
Drama, Action, Adventure
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