Watch trailers for Olivia Colman’s new ‘Great Expectations’ series

[Nearly Sane]

Hmmm... look I get Olivia Colman is a great actress but Miss Havisham is far from the most important character to get right in an adaptation of Great Expectations. Will watch to see what they do with it but not sure I have high hopes.


https://britishperioddramas.com/news/great-expectations-bbc-hulu-series-trailer-olivia-colman/

[Aruntraveller]

I understand it has been scripted by the same guy who wrote "Peaky Blinders". I expect it will have some kind of what they think is a unique/modern twist. Like a Brummie accent, or an overabundance of stupid male headwear, but what in fact it will be, is very tedious.

Having just read this, however:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/great-expectations-bbc-one-episode-1-review-charles-dickens/

I'll upgrade my "tedious" to distressing.

[Nearly Sane]

I understand it has been scripted by the same guy who wrote "Peaky Blinders". I expect it will have some kind of what they think is a unique/modern twist. Like a Brummie accent, or an overabundance of stupid male headwear, but what in fact it will be, is very tedious.

Having just read this, however:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/great-expectations-bbc-one-episode-1-review-charles-dickens/

I'll upgrade my "tedious" to distressing.

Archived version to avoid the paywall.


https://archive.vn/J6eNj


I'd not even thought how recently the latest BBC version was.  I don't rule out that there's a relevant new take on Great Expectations but have to admit to wonder about that. I really like Dickens but...

[Aruntraveller]

Didn't realise there was a paywall, it let me read all the article.

Anyway, you are right it has been done quite recently, couldn't they try their hand at one of his lesser done works.

Maybe "Barnaby Rudge". I don't think that's been touched since the 60's.

[Aruntraveller]

Another view about Dickens adaptations which I find myself largely agreeing with:

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/24/why-we-never-need-to-see-a-dickens-novel-on-tv-ever-again-great-expectations-bbc

[Nearly Sane]

Another view about Dickens adaptations which I find myself largely agreeing with:

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/24/why-we-never-need-to-see-a-dickens-novel-on-tv-ever-again-great-expectations-bbc

Yes, that's excellent.

[Nearly Sane]

This one almost makes me want to watch it though


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/columnists/article-11892017/PETER-HITCHENS-assesses-BBCs-lurid-new-version-Great-Expectations.html

[Udayana]

I thought it was actually alright/interesting/good ... considering we all know the story basics from other adaptations.

[Nearly Sane]

I thought it was actually alright/interesting/good ... considering we all know the story basics from other adaptations.

  I am sure it's fine but the question is why? It's a big chunk of the drama budget to make something done not that long ago.

[Harrowby Hall]

... considering we all know the story basics from other adaptations.

Indeed! And some of us know the story because we have actually read the novel written by Charles Dickens.  It was my O Level Eng Lit set text  ...  and I loved it. Based on the hour I spent last night, I am not sure that I will watch the rest. Im not saying that I don't accept that it is legitimate for dramatists to make adaptations of original texts but this seems to me to be setting up some form of new narrative taking it away from Dickens.

And the beginning ... didn't the Beeb learn anything from from the death of Nigel Pargetter in The Archers? The scream, as Nigel fell from the roof of Lower Loxley Hall, suggested that the building was some sort of rural Shard. The suicide leap from the bridge would have needed someone with the reflexes of Clark Kent to have averted its inevitable conclusion.