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I've just finished watching season 1 of this series and, to cut to the chase, I'm not impressed. The acting was usually tolerable - Julia Sawalha and Olivia Grant were clear stand-outs and a pleasure to watch. The other actors have my pity: almost all the characters have been denied the basic right and necessity to develop and create depth. The writers and producers of this series (the first season, at least) should to go back to film school or pick up a history book to learn that 19th century life had far more meaningful worries than a lost parcel or teenage love triangles.
Many of the episodes start promisingly and tease the viewer with the prospect that they will soon be witnessing something more than inconsequential frivolities; and then in the last five or so minutes of the episode every inch of seriousness is cut short and the loose ends tied with a pretty yellow ribbon (no doubt purchased from the ridiculous Pratt sisters). To the credit of the show, it does occasionally present serious issues such as domestic abuse, financial mismanagement, and alcoholism. These issues are, however, trivialised in the show by the inability of any of the characters to develop and change after being inflicted by these issues: the beaten wife returns happily to her husband after she magically returns from the workhouse, the Pratt sisters are distraught and form a bond with Dorcas after being conned by their father only to be, five minutes later, back to their snarky old selves, a love interest to Dorcas (who was born in the workhouse and is therefore resilient) leaves town a few days after arriving in Candleford to avoid being fired from his job and to avoid one day, perhaps, growing unhappy with her, etc.
It's probably better for this show to steer clear from the serious stuff entirely unless it's going to address the harsh reality, and unhappy endings, which they may cause accurately. This series, set in two small country towns had the potential of being great if it didn't try to sugar coat every issue and with fluff. As such, I can only say that it is good - even then I'm being generous.
score 8/10
MrHogs2001 9 March 2013
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2764553/ |
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9-10-2020 06:34:07