Main cast: Michael Landes (Hooten), Ophelia Lovibond (Lady Alexandra Lindo-Parker), Manuel Cauchi (Professor Gohar), Jessica Hynes (Ella Bond), Shaun Parkes (Clive Stephenson), Blake Ritson (Dr Yannaras), Waldemar Schultz (Captain Rasul), Irvine van der Merwe (Semir), and Angel Coulby (Melina)
Director: Justin Molotnikov
Hello, Alexandria. And given its location, it’s not surprising that the long lost tomb of Alexander the Great is involved in the third episode of Hooten & the Lady.
For once, Hooten and Alex are already collaborating on this mission from the start. Clearly being around him has rubbed off on her a bit, as Alex hires Hooten as part of her staff for this particular assignment. Not openly, of course, as his ways of doing things are not exactly dignified. She tells Hooten that there are riches untold to be found in the tomb, perhaps at the range of a billion dollars, and he’s completely on board. Naturally, they have different ideas on how to go about getting excavation works up and about.
Alex tries to get funding the proper way, but she soon meets a wall of skepticism. Fortunately, her assistant Ella has a previous history with one Professor Gohar, who warns her Alex that his rival, Dr Yannaras, is already excavating nearby the location in which she intends to set up camp. Yannaras represents the interests of Greece, so Alex will have to tread carefully. Nonetheless, she and Gohar decide to head over to Alexandria to see whatever they can find on their own.
Meanwhile, Hooten is already out there in the desert, doing his best to cause mayhem in Dr Yannaras’s excavation site in what he claims is his way to help Alex skip a few stages in the approval process. All in good, as Alex soon shows up to join him. She doesn’t have the permit to excavate yet, but she isn’t above piggybacking the naughty Dr Yannaras to get to her own goals. Will she and Hooten spark off a Greek-Britain diplomacy crisis over archaeological territoriality, or will the tomb of Alexander the Great be finally found at last?
Egypt is actually an unexpectedly good episode when compared to the previous two episodes in this series. While in previous episodes Alex came off sometimes like an unworldly person that bumbled her way into trouble, here she displays some adorable cunning and savvy, even pulling a fast one over Hooten. These two come off as players on an equal footing for once, and while the show predictably plays on the developing attraction between them that none wants to acknowledge, there is a more overt kind chemistry this time around in their barbs and exchanges that feels natural rather than contrived.
Oh, and there is a nice scene of Michael Landes in rather tight boxer-briefs that shows off a nice package. Uh, yeah.
The pacing is solid, the cast including the naughty Dr Yannaras are all fun to watch (Blake Ritson is very easy on the eyes too), and for once, the show finally delivers on the whole Indiana Jones and National Treasure premise it has been promising since day one. I’m entertained, so let’s bring on the next episode.
