This felt like a low budget adaptation. The sets and production values were not very good. The music was awful. Dull camerawork too and what's with the closeups? Is that to hide the poor production?
Some good acting (Timothy West as Sir Leicester, Burn Gorman as Guppy, Charles Dance as Tulkinghorn, Denis Lawson as John Jarndyce) saved the series. Anna Maxwell Martin as Esther Summerson initially gives the vibe of Jennifer Ehle in the excellent Pride and Prejudice, but pretty soon it's evident she's not quite in that league. The worst acting in the miniseries is by Gillian Anderson. She must have read somewhere that a stiff neck and sideways glance and slightly open mouth makes you a lady. By the end I wanted to forward every scene she was in because I couldnt take it anymore.
Some good acting (Timothy West as Sir Leicester, Burn Gorman as Guppy, Charles Dance as Tulkinghorn, Denis Lawson as John Jarndyce) saved the series. Anna Maxwell Martin as Esther Summerson initially gives the vibe of Jennifer Ehle in the excellent Pride and Prejudice, but pretty soon it's evident she's not quite in that league. The worst acting in the miniseries is by Gillian Anderson. She must have read somewhere that a stiff neck and sideways glance and slightly open mouth makes you a lady. By the end I wanted to forward every scene she was in because I couldnt take it anymore.