Jane Austen modernized

bogan-bogan-bogan-bogan

I think this program borrows really cleverly from Jane Austen in three ways that are lost in much modern story-telling.

First, all of the characters are nice people. This gives heavy subjects a certain lightness. It is also a form of realism, even though it might not seem as much.

Second, there is subtlety in tone and wit. This is present in both the writing and acting. (Tom's voice-mail messages for pregnant Niamh are an example.)

Lastly, my first impression was that Josh (the character) just hadn't been loved all that well in his childhood, and that this had left blanks spots in the nap of his personality (for example vis Geoffrey he seemed blank, indifferent). But as the series unfolded I realized that Josh had been loved, just quirkily. And then I realized that another idea from Jane Austen was at play here as well: what was going to keep the main characters (Josh & Geoffrey) from coming together (too quickly) was not a series of external events, but their own characters: "blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd," yet full of goodness. So unusual.

There was not a single off note in either script or cast: this is well worth watching.

score 10/10

bogan-bogan-bogan-bogan 15 August 2013

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2855877/