Of course when you have read the book, a television adaptation often disappoints. However, this is pitch-perfect. Tone, production and (above all acting) is bang-on.
This has all the qualities of a premium BBC costume drama title, but with the tongue in cheek, almost Blackadder style fantasy. Of course, the end of the first episode hints at the far darker turns ahead in the source material.
Like Mad Men, Game of Thrones and Chucklevision, this is what quality TV should be. My only concern is that the original source is not a doorstop of a novel and that the producers might be tempted to pad out some of the mid-section of the story.
Finally for those with an interest in script writing - even if you don't like this type of fiction, this is a absolute masterclass in adaptation.
This has all the qualities of a premium BBC costume drama title, but with the tongue in cheek, almost Blackadder style fantasy. Of course, the end of the first episode hints at the far darker turns ahead in the source material.
Like Mad Men, Game of Thrones and Chucklevision, this is what quality TV should be. My only concern is that the original source is not a doorstop of a novel and that the producers might be tempted to pad out some of the mid-section of the story.
Finally for those with an interest in script writing - even if you don't like this type of fiction, this is a absolute masterclass in adaptation.