Anyone watching "Bleak House" on PBS

[Patiod]

The opening (2-hour) episode was really good.

[xmas74]

1. What is it? n/t

[Patiod]

3. Gorgeous, fast-paced BBC adaptation of the Dickens novel

Lots of stars, lots of costumes, snappy direction.

[xmas74]

6. Thought I'd heard of it before.

I'll have to check my listings for it. Sounds wonderful.

[SoCalDem]

2. Damn.. NOW you tell me..

I meant to set the PVR for it, and I forgot.. Maybe it will rerun ..I have 6 or 7 PBS channels.. The odds are in my favor:)

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

4. Is this the 15-odd part BBC adaptation?

If so, it's really good and well worth sticking with. I knew nothing of the story before going in so don't know how faithful it was, but the Tulkinghorn and Smallweed are great characters, although the entire cast is very strong - the woman playing Esther especially. Also great to see Gillian Anderson back on the small screen.

[supernova]

10. Yes, it's that production

the PBS channels are showing it over here. :-)

I was really happy to see it because I read so many wonderful things about it.

I agree I like both Esther and Tulkinghorn. Well, I don't like Tulkinghorn, but that actor is fab. :D

[kwassa]

5. Yes, watched it ..... a little hard to follow

We sat there with a laptop, though, and read the plot summary on pbs.org which helped us keep the huge cast of characters clear.

Very Dickensian, of course.

[CBHagman]

7. Taped it Sunday night.

The terrific review in The Washington Post persuaded me I had to catch it.

Here's the show's link for anyone who wants to look up cast members, read up on Dickens, etc.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/bleakhouse/

Is there a support group for those addicted to adaptations of Victorian novels? I was absolutely glued to the set during the airing of Our Mutual Friend a few years back and then last year by He Knew He Was Right. The Way We Live Now is another must-see, and surprisingly relevant in today's corporate world.

[Patiod]

8. Kick

there aren't any more Masterpiece Theater fans on DU?

[Sequoia]

12. Count me in. Taped it.

I was reading the plot summary...so many characters.

[supernova]

9. Yes, loved it!

Can't wait for the next episode! :D

[Flaxbee]

11. out on DVD soon, you think?

don't have TV, don't want it, but I do hate to miss good series!

[Lavender Brown]

13. Yep... you can order it from PBS already

:)

[Flaxbee]

14. hooray! I got about halfway through the book years ago,

but we moved while I was reading it and it got packed away in some random box - didn't find it for a year (put a lot of stuff into storage) -- I need to get back to it one of these days. Would love to see a good adaptation of the book.

[philosophie_en_rose]

15. I am! Gillian Anderson is surprisingly good.

Her accent is amazing, unlike many American actresses in British roles. (i.e. Gyneth Paltrow or Reese Witherspoon).

I have not read the book, but I know what to expect from Charles Dickens. I sort of wish it Jane Austen-ized, as most of the characters are too sympathetic to go to the workhouse or die in the streets or whatever Dickens will do to them. :(

Amazingly enough, there are still lawsuits like Jandyce v. Jandyce (sp?). Years of legal battles, only to feed a self-perpetuating legal system. :( The older woman who keeps the birds is very disturbing.

[CBHagman]

16. I think Anderson moved to the U.K.

I seem to recall hearing she works primarily in Britain now.

Denis Lawson plays John Jarndyce, the guardian of the two young people (naturally, I've forgotten most of the names :blush:) and Esther. I was going nuts trying to remember where I'd seen him before. A look at his credits at IMDB revealed he'd been in Local Hero.

PER, I agree with you regarding the characters. Invariably some innocent person comes to grief or at least is left lonely and/or heartbroken. I haven't read the book but continue to cling to the notion that at least two or three couples will be united by the end of the story.

[Lavender Brown]

18. I never thought she would be good in period roles

until I saw "The House of Mirth." I thought she did a really impressive job in that one. (It was also filmed in the UK even though it takes place in the U.S.).

[CBHagman]

17. Episode 2 coming up Sunday!

:bounce: Don't forget the VCR/TiVo!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/bleakhouse/preview.html