I can't give this show 1 or 2 stars because I did make it thru the whole season. That said, I wouldn't recommend this anyone unless they really want to watch a specific actor or if they've watched every other period mystery first and still want more. Not sure if I'll watch season 2.
I don't think this was particularly well written and some of the casting had me constantly saying "now who is that again?" because they would look somewhat alike. The last couple episodes I had to refer constantly to IMDb to keep the faces and names straight. I do like Sean Bean in general but I didn't really think much of him here beyond maybe the first 2 episodes. Same with Anna Maxwell Martin, who usually I love. The ending felt like something M. Night Shyamalan would come up with. Like, ok, I see what you did there but it wasn't worth 6 hours.
I especially did not like the "clue" left by Blake. Pretty hacky to have a character leave an incredibly obscure clue that takes forever to be figured out and by then it's too late. How about leave a note that says "Dr Hervey is the killer"? That's what people would do in real life. Stuff like this only happens in lazy, contrived mystery stories. His whole character exists only as an attempt to work up an occult mood (unsuccessfully). Speaking of contrived, I don't get why Sir Robert is portrayed as a minor villain, besides him being obviously written as a red herring. His motive was to create a proper police force and stop body snatching? There was no real reason for him to not believe Marlott was guilty so he was just doing what seemed right from his point of view?
The overall show also moved very slowly and Marlott's hallucinations and flashbacks became redundant. Alice singing her song also became very annoying. I caught myself looking at my phone over and over because of this, which I'm guessing is also why I couldn't bother to learn people's names or motivation. I see many people referring to this show as a horror story, but I personally never felt any dread or even suspense. When Marlott was headed to the gallows, you know he can just be brought back. When Nightingale and Flora plan their happy future, after one last mission, you know one will die. Again, hack. How many times have we seen some soldier in a war movie talk about his pregnant wife back home only to be killed in the next mission?
Finally, I can't help but wonder if the writers had some right wing agenda going. Obviously I know abortion was illegal at this time and most felt it was wrong. I definitely don't enjoy shows injecting modern, anachronistic sensibilities into historic content. But there was something about all the talk of every life being sacred, over and over and over, that seemed off. Then, when it turned out the abortionist was experimenting on the fetuses and using a substance made from them, it felt like adrenochrome territory. I see Lawrence Fox was cast in season 2, which compounds suspicion.
Not into it.
I don't think this was particularly well written and some of the casting had me constantly saying "now who is that again?" because they would look somewhat alike. The last couple episodes I had to refer constantly to IMDb to keep the faces and names straight. I do like Sean Bean in general but I didn't really think much of him here beyond maybe the first 2 episodes. Same with Anna Maxwell Martin, who usually I love. The ending felt like something M. Night Shyamalan would come up with. Like, ok, I see what you did there but it wasn't worth 6 hours.
I especially did not like the "clue" left by Blake. Pretty hacky to have a character leave an incredibly obscure clue that takes forever to be figured out and by then it's too late. How about leave a note that says "Dr Hervey is the killer"? That's what people would do in real life. Stuff like this only happens in lazy, contrived mystery stories. His whole character exists only as an attempt to work up an occult mood (unsuccessfully). Speaking of contrived, I don't get why Sir Robert is portrayed as a minor villain, besides him being obviously written as a red herring. His motive was to create a proper police force and stop body snatching? There was no real reason for him to not believe Marlott was guilty so he was just doing what seemed right from his point of view?
The overall show also moved very slowly and Marlott's hallucinations and flashbacks became redundant. Alice singing her song also became very annoying. I caught myself looking at my phone over and over because of this, which I'm guessing is also why I couldn't bother to learn people's names or motivation. I see many people referring to this show as a horror story, but I personally never felt any dread or even suspense. When Marlott was headed to the gallows, you know he can just be brought back. When Nightingale and Flora plan their happy future, after one last mission, you know one will die. Again, hack. How many times have we seen some soldier in a war movie talk about his pregnant wife back home only to be killed in the next mission?
Finally, I can't help but wonder if the writers had some right wing agenda going. Obviously I know abortion was illegal at this time and most felt it was wrong. I definitely don't enjoy shows injecting modern, anachronistic sensibilities into historic content. But there was something about all the talk of every life being sacred, over and over and over, that seemed off. Then, when it turned out the abortionist was experimenting on the fetuses and using a substance made from them, it felt like adrenochrome territory. I see Lawrence Fox was cast in season 2, which compounds suspicion.
Not into it.