HELLO!
Sorry about that. Ahem!....
S2's been that 'difficult 2nd album' and I've been trying to put my finger on why, because there were some great bits in it. IMHO I think it fell between two stools, it didn't quite know what it wanted to be again...if you're going to go down the 'darker' route and wish to include story lines such as gang rape, then that is a very different beast. Such subject matter is what it is, take the gang rape...it's a vile act but it did and does happen, and if you are going to include it, it needs to be dealt with in a far more shocking, grittier and realistic way, it can't be made light of. Plus any humour would have to be included very cleverly, and be black as pitch.
The genre that the The Musketeers falls into, with it's often rather lumpy writing (how many scenes do they need to sit and explain the plot?) and the quite frankly laudable plot lines in some eps (astrolabe anyone 
) is far too lightweight to carry such subject matter, it's just not that kind of show.
All of this and I'm a huge fan of the hot beardy men show! It's such a shame...they've got a fabulous cast, a very talented crew, the most amazing locations and sets, and thanks to Monsieur Dumas, the potential for the most swashbuckling adventurous stories.
aaaand I maybe a teeny weeny bit biased here, but Tom Burke is an extraordinarily talented actor, with incredible depth and range....and I can think of only about five moments during the entire series where he was given the opportunity to really stretch his acting legs. What a waste. I can't comment on the others coz I barely notice them, soz
not soz