I recall watching this when it was first aired (on ITV, I think) and recently re-watched some of it when round at a friend's - and found it very thought-provoking. Read on ...
Whilst we can always rely on the good old BBC to produce a great costume drama whilst blindfolded and handcuffed, I've always thought ITV's efforts to be hit-and-miss affairs. So which is The Forsythe Saga? Predictably, both.
Visually, there's no problem - it's a gorgeous production, the script is nicely paced, and a generous amount of time is allocated to each of the main characters so we can watch the most interesting developments without getting bored or losing sight of the big picture. This is truly a family saga, spanning several generations and their friends and enemies, their acts and consequences. It's also a cracking story - I've never read the original novel, so can't vouch for it's accuracy, but the script is very well done.
But I'm afraid the largest stumbling-block comes in the form of casting. This, ostensibly, ought to be Irene Forsythe's story - pressured into a loveless marriage by a guardian who ought to be taking care of her, the victim of a cold, and often brutal man who violently rapes her, she dares to risk it all for a chance at true love with a young businessman. Tragedy and eventual bittersweet joy result. The majority of our sympathy ought to be with Irene.
But unfortunately it doesn't work out like this. Gina McKee looks beautiful, but whether through the script she was given or a decision to play Irene as a sad, reserved woman, she comes across as unfeeling, unresponsive, and totally indifferent to those around her. Indeed, it's hard to see why one man would become obsessed with her, let alone three or four. It was difficult to relate to her, with the only moments I genuinely felt bad for her being Soames's violent attack and when she is told of Bossiney's death. Ioan Gruffudd by the way, does his not inconsiderable best, but his character is really just a means to an end - a common-or-garden bold young man who loves the central female character and prompts her escape.
I spent the majority of the viewing time, meanwhile, cursing Damian Lewis - he is simply superb. He takes the vile Soames - a bully, a cruel, violent rapist, a jealous and possessive husband - and at times threatens to win sympathy totally from Irene. His repressed passions and darkness glimmer beneath his surface, and his spurned adoration of Irene prompts genuine pity. Damn you Lewis, we're not supposed to like Soames! But he is by far the most complex character of the series, and Lewis emerges as a star-in-waiting.
Every other actor and actress does themselves credit, but Rupert Graves deserves a mention as a an excellent contrast to the cruel Soames. But it's the above love triangle that drives the story. Make up your own mind where your sympathies lie, but definitely worth a viewing.
Whilst we can always rely on the good old BBC to produce a great costume drama whilst blindfolded and handcuffed, I've always thought ITV's efforts to be hit-and-miss affairs. So which is The Forsythe Saga? Predictably, both.
Visually, there's no problem - it's a gorgeous production, the script is nicely paced, and a generous amount of time is allocated to each of the main characters so we can watch the most interesting developments without getting bored or losing sight of the big picture. This is truly a family saga, spanning several generations and their friends and enemies, their acts and consequences. It's also a cracking story - I've never read the original novel, so can't vouch for it's accuracy, but the script is very well done.
But I'm afraid the largest stumbling-block comes in the form of casting. This, ostensibly, ought to be Irene Forsythe's story - pressured into a loveless marriage by a guardian who ought to be taking care of her, the victim of a cold, and often brutal man who violently rapes her, she dares to risk it all for a chance at true love with a young businessman. Tragedy and eventual bittersweet joy result. The majority of our sympathy ought to be with Irene.
But unfortunately it doesn't work out like this. Gina McKee looks beautiful, but whether through the script she was given or a decision to play Irene as a sad, reserved woman, she comes across as unfeeling, unresponsive, and totally indifferent to those around her. Indeed, it's hard to see why one man would become obsessed with her, let alone three or four. It was difficult to relate to her, with the only moments I genuinely felt bad for her being Soames's violent attack and when she is told of Bossiney's death. Ioan Gruffudd by the way, does his not inconsiderable best, but his character is really just a means to an end - a common-or-garden bold young man who loves the central female character and prompts her escape.
I spent the majority of the viewing time, meanwhile, cursing Damian Lewis - he is simply superb. He takes the vile Soames - a bully, a cruel, violent rapist, a jealous and possessive husband - and at times threatens to win sympathy totally from Irene. His repressed passions and darkness glimmer beneath his surface, and his spurned adoration of Irene prompts genuine pity. Damn you Lewis, we're not supposed to like Soames! But he is by far the most complex character of the series, and Lewis emerges as a star-in-waiting.
Every other actor and actress does themselves credit, but Rupert Graves deserves a mention as a an excellent contrast to the cruel Soames. But it's the above love triangle that drives the story. Make up your own mind where your sympathies lie, but definitely worth a viewing.