Saturday 31 December 2011

Great Expectations

On TV: Tuesday 27th-Thursday 29th December 2011
Channel: BBC 1 9pm
Episode Type: Three part drama series
In 1 Sentence: A stunning, chilling, atmospheric drama that was gripping from start to finish...
BBC Summary: Lavish adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel in which orphan Pip becomes a gentleman when his life is transformed by a mystery benefactor.

My Review: Put simply Great Expectations is one of the best, if not the best, dramas I’ve seen this year.
I have nothing but high praises for the entire series: it was incredibly moving, excellently produced and just absolutely captivating from start to finish. I had been looking forward to the drama since I’d seen the trailers which displayed a glimpse of a usual BBC beautiful drama, based on a story I’d never explored before. I was a little apprehensive as the Dicken’s novel is supposed to be very dark and hard to love. And while it was dark (which anyone who knows me knows I adore) it had the complete opposite effect on me as I fell head over heels! 
Both Pip’s were brilliantly portrayed. In the first episode Oscar Kennedy was young Pip, and it was nice to see him again after his fantastic turn in Toast earlier this year. Then the wonderful Douglas Booth took over and, boy, was he the star of the show. And it wasn’t just him that was extraordinary; Vanessa Kirby as Estella, Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham, Shaun Dooley as Joe and Harry Lloyd as Herbert Pocket all particuarly stood out to me. 
Not only was the acting talent just spellbinding, the cinematography was just outstanding. The series opens on the forge with the cool blue mist, instantly drawing you in to that beautiful, cold, deserted land. And the sets for Satis house were exquisitely crafted as a rotting, morbid place for Miss Havisham to cruelly decay in. 
I cannot fault this in anyway, all I can say is that if you get the chance to catch it on iPlayer do so while you can!

Score: 10/10

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