all the costume drama

[vaznetti]

...in short form.

I have seen the first part of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and it is good. The casting, especially of Strange and Norrell and Childermass and Segundus, is excellent. I am still not 100% sure about the gentleman with the thistledown hair, because his hair is so very solid-looking, but judging from this episode I will probably be convinced by the end of next week's. The whole thing is clinging tightly, but not too tightly, to the novel, and they have seven episodes, which is enough to do a lot of it properly.

Last night I watched the first two episodes of 1864, which is about that time that Denmark went to war with Prussia about Schleswig-Holstein. It is so far rather slow and stagy, and the main character is a Free-Thinking Young Lady whose opinions are Ahead of Her Time. This is not a character type I like in my historical dramas, I fear. A and I joked that it would be Gone With the Wind but without all the racism, but sadly it also lacks Scarlett O'Hara, who is the thing that makes GWTW great. (What A said after the first episode was that it felt a bit like (modern) Denmark was having WWI envy. I am pretty sure some character said something about it being impossible to understand how hellish the trenches were, and that was when we were still in the 1850s.)

On the subject of major commemorative dramas, the BBC made one last year about nurses in WWI which was absolutely dreadful (it also had a Free-Thinking Young Lady, who was surrounded on all sides by Walking Cliches.) But Anzac Girls, the Australia & New Zealand contribution to the genre, has been much more entertaining -- to some extent the nurses are still walking cliches, but less so, and at least they mostly seem like they actually belong in the period.

So the gaping hole in my TV schedule caused by the end of Poldark can be filled. Although I think that unless they've changed the book rather a lot, there will me significantly less topless reaping in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

Comments

[malkingrey.livejournal.com]

the main character is a Free-Thinking Young Lady whose opinions are Ahead of Her Time. This is not a character type I like in my historical dramas, I fear.

You and me, both. Presentism in historical fiction makes my teeth hurt.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Seconded. (Or thirded - not sure if you count the OP at this point.)

[vaznetti]

The show is actually a weird mix of presentism and nostalgia. On the one hand, only bad guys are prejudiced against the Roma, and weren't they all stupid to be nationalistic? But on the other, there was social cohesion and honesty and life was hard but beautiful. I may keep watching it; I'm not sure.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

The BBC's track record with fantasy is not good, but 'Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell' (which is a great book but not at all easy to adapt) looks like being an exception. Looking forward to the rest.

[vaznetti]

I think in a way it's safe for the BBC because it's a period setting, rather than a fantasy setting. I love the book, which makes me predisposed to like the series (some book-lovers have the opposite reaction), and so far I think they're doing a very good job. They won't be able to capture the whole thing (the footnote material is bound to be mostly missing, I suspect) but I am really looking forward to next week.

I wonder how they'll handle the end, though, because the book ends on a rather ambiguous note; I wouldn't be shocked if they gave it a clearer "happy ending" kind of thing.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I always thought that modern trench warfare started up in the American Civil War, but am willing to be corrected that it was earlier in Europe.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

I have ALL THE EXCITEMENT about the JS&MN miniseries, and cannot wait until I get my hot little hands on it. Glad to see it seems to be living up to the oh-so-tantalizing promos on YouTube.

[vaznetti]

I really enjoyed it! I thought it was great and caught the mood of the book really well. But when I watch TV I look for things to like, not things to dislike. I don't need a show to be perfect to enjoy it.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

And this is one of the reasons we get along well. :-)

[vaznetti]

By the way, you do know that you need to watch Poldark when it's on TV in the US? It is relevant to your interests.

[wiliqueen.livejournal.com]

It is indeed. I actually have vague memories of the tail end of the previous TV incarnation, from its original airing. Mostly I remember Demelza, because redhead with unusual name. I'm sure you're shocked.

When I heard Aidan had been cast, I giggled a LOT.

It starts on Masterpiece June 21, in case you need to tell anyone else over here. :-)

[camille-is-here.livejournal.com]

I have been nervously awaiting Poldark here. I loved the original series, and read all the books, and I worry that it will not be as delicious as the versions that went before.

[vaznetti]

I have no knowledge of the original or the books, but people I know who liked the original (we actually bought it on DVD for my mother-in-law a few years back) also appear to have liked the remake. They are not identical, as I understand it, but the remake has delicious virtues of its own. Especially everyone's obsession with Ross. Especially George's obsession with Ross.

[camille-is-here.livejournal.com]

I am glad they are not identical. I have been torn about the original--I've wanted to see it again, but I worry that it won't live put to the shine memory puts on thing.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

I had no idea they made this into a TV show! Obviously on BBC? We need a Lymond show! :)