The Musketeers series 3 (BBC)

Another series another arch villain, this time Rupert Everett plays the King’s illegitimate brother Feron. Governor of Paris, head of the Red Guard and crippled junkie, he has an endless supply of evil henchmen to combat our intrepid musketeers, but an even more evil puppetmaster, Grimaud, is found to be pulling his strings. The musketeers have been away at the war with Spain for four years and in their absence Paris has gone to the dogs of the Red Guard. Very dark in tone, with less humour than the first two series, the signs of an incipient revolution are ever present, stirred up by war refugees, corruption and power plays. Strong women are again to the fore - D’Artagnan’s wife Constance has become a de facto musketeer, Queen Anne is battling for her son’s future and a new feisty girl, Sylvie, takes Athos’s fancy. Even Milady makes an appearance. The fights and explosions are bigger and bangier than ever, with the musketeers escaping beatings, stabbings and burning buildings with barely a scratch. The final episode makes it clear the series has come to a close, with all loose ends tied up neatly and satisfactorily.