‘The Musketeers’ season 2: What we know now about return of BBC series

Tonight, “The Musketeers” is set to close off what was a pretty successful first season on BBC One, and a handful of episodes that really accomplished quite a bit. It has told a dramatic and exciting version of the classic “Three Musketeers” story.

So what do we know already about a potential second season? Let’s start off, first of all, with the news that there is going to be one in the first place. The show is going to have an opportunity to air a new batch of episodes in early 2015, with filming for them getting ready to take place. More of the main cast is expected to concern, and we’re about to get into the exception.

One other obvious bit of news here is that Peter Capaldi, who played Cardinal Richelieu on the series, is not going to be back for the second season thanks to his position on “Doctor Who.” This isn’t exactly something that you can begrudge him for, since Peter was a childhood fan of the series and the job is really just too good to ever pass up. It’s possible that Richelieu ends up being killed off in the finale, anyway, since it is not particular clear at the moment how much the show really knew about his future on the series at the time in which they wrote and filmed the final episodes. (Update: In watching the episode, the Cardinal lived. The writers better think of something creative!)

For those of you who have heard good things about the series so far but are waiting to know when the first season will air in the United States, know this: The show has a tentative premiere date on BBC America for June. That’s not the same generous deal that “Doctor Who” has, and is more along the wait that American audiences have for “Downton Abbey.”

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Photo: BBC One