I know it failed to connect with a lot of viewers but Jonathan R-D was an absolute revelation here (Velvet Goldmine anyone? pur-lease!) The cinematography and the sets were amazing but in an effort to encapsulate the weighty detail of the books a lot got lost in the translation. the cast was to die for with some hilarious cameos (did they love making this I wonder?) and Neve MacIntosh especially was as luscious as ever. But overall its excess seemed to lose momentum and though I kep watching - hey it was better than a lot of TV - it ultimately seeming rather fatuous. A bit overblown...
I read the books afterwards, my partner long having outgrown them (they're not really 'suitable' for children but they're still on his shelf of fiction) and I really enjoyed reading them. Peake was a strange old bird and if you feel you didn't get a handle on the mini-series because of the relation to the books then maybe reading a good biog of Peake may help.
I went back to the TV series recently and I still found it beautiful in its own peculiar way. And though Steerpike is an evil little bs, and his motives always unclear, I did find it quite endearing as a work of television drama. (But wasn't Titus insipid!)
I read the books afterwards, my partner long having outgrown them (they're not really 'suitable' for children but they're still on his shelf of fiction) and I really enjoyed reading them. Peake was a strange old bird and if you feel you didn't get a handle on the mini-series because of the relation to the books then maybe reading a good biog of Peake may help.
I went back to the TV series recently and I still found it beautiful in its own peculiar way. And though Steerpike is an evil little bs, and his motives always unclear, I did find it quite endearing as a work of television drama. (But wasn't Titus insipid!)