Klondike (2014) User Reviews

Entertaining

[mvdennisuk · 8/10 · 29 January 2014]

I watched this mini series for entertainment. If that is your purpose - enjoy!! The scenery is spectacular,the photography is beautiful, the acting is solid and the story is ENTERTAINING (somewhat melodramatic)!!! I thought the cast was excellent.

Much of the criticism that comes from the other reviewers seems to stem from the lack of realism. I have always felt that the hallmark of a good television show or movie is the ability to suspend disbelief. There are dramatic elements to this series that stretch the imagination BUT it is a story not a documentary. If you want it to be absolutely realistic don't watch it. I LOVED IT!!!!!

Just falls short...

[canuckteach · 7/10 · 24 January 2014]

Klondike was much-hyped on Discovery, and looked interesting. As a period-piece, it works on some levels, offering a gritty look at the Gold-rush era in the Yukon. However, the story-telling and logic of the plot is sadly wanting. It's almost as if the scriptwriters didn't want to use any clichés in their dialogue - so, they wrote obscure, pompous phrases that are not clichés - but they don't make any sense either. I wouldn't say that the acting is flawed - Tim Roth is brilliant as a psycho land baron-villain - but the lines they are given just don't explain the plot or what the characters are supposed to be thinking.

We watched 'Alaska-Ultimate Survivor' during which we saw how real-life survival experts dealt with frigid cold, especially after unexpected encounters with icy water. The Director should have watched that series before setting up some of his shots. (Once your core temperature drops, so do you).

There was also some explicit 'skin' scenes, thrown in to further narcotize the viewers who may have been nodding off. Unnecessary. Try writing a realistic script instead, Ridley Scott!

I liked it, but totally inaccurate

[scott1-912-252003 · 8/10 · 31 January 2014]

Folks, you see a number of reviews angry or frustrated with the tale because of its inaccuracies. Yes, that is true. I've read Bill Haskell's book, and he did not travel to the Yukon with a guy named Epstein. First Haskell went to Chicago and could not find good work. That's when he found himself in Colorado looking for some mining prospects. He traveled from Colorado with Joe Meeker after they met working some gold fields there. The entire story about how Bill Haskell met Joe Meeker in Dawson is pure fantasy. The gambling Epstein story is completely fabricated by writers. Bill Haskell was educated in a Massachusetts Academy from age 15 off the Vermont farm (sent by his farming father with high aspirations). After this, he denied college and Haskell worked in a Boston dry goods store. He was bored and wanted to travel west. He made it to Colorado and overheard some guys talking at a table in a restaurant. He inquired and they offered to sell him claims in a Colorado creek area. He couldn't afford a claim, but went to find those fields and met Joe Meeker there. The idea they travel to the Yukon was Joe Meeker's, not Bill's. Bill had $800 dollars saved up and between them, about $1700 total. Joe Meeker had been to the Yukon before. These were tough men, who put together a provision of 3500 lbs in San Francisco, and then traveled to Alaska, walking and surviving in brutal conditions. Bill Haskell got to Dawson before it was Dawson and he was good friends with Joe Ladue who developed the town. Bill Haskell worked for a cabin builder in Circle City for a while, after he split from Joe Meeker who stayed behind to mine in (if memory serves me right) Circle City. Haskell rode (worked on) a steamer up into the arctic circle and wrote about Eskimo hunters and other interesting sights he behold while up there. Once Bill Haskell got to Dawson, he worked in the lumber mill, built a cabin, and staked a claim on the creek...after Claim #60 down (stream) and stayed there through the winter because of all the stories he was hearing about gold finds up there. He had the claim, but wasn't convinced there was gold and had figured it was all bloated stories of fortune. The first summer and fall 1896, Haskell was actually in the "wood business" in Dawson. Joe joined him later, but Bill had another partner at the claim through the winter and it wasn't Joe Meeker, it was Joe Ladue. Haskell and his lumber yard/real estate selling partner made it rich off that claim. Before they got rich, he spent his days baking bread and helping with the claim. It wasn't until later in the summer, that they hit pay dirt. They kept those $40,000 coffee cans full of gold quiet and then they left town and went home after two years in the Klondike. Most of the gold collected up there by the miners was housed in a warehouse through the winter and went out with the steamboats in the summer months. Belinda actually married the "count", who is depicted in Klondike as an English bad guy. He was actually French and was a barber who claimed fame and royalty once he made it to Dawson. Belinda lost her first fortune to him and divorced after traveling to Paris. The divorce didn't happen until 1906, after he had kidnapped one of her kin and a bunch of lawsuits ensued over assets. She eventually made another fortune in the banking business, retired, and moved to Yakima. She died in a nursing home in Seattle in 1967 at 95 years old. She had sold her orchard and mansion in Yakima when her fortune ran out. SHE's the one with the Orchard, not Bill Haskell. Bill was noted in the Dawson town log in 1901 after he had returned, and was never heard from again. That part is true. And another truth is Joe Meeker falling through the ice and drifting down a fast river, ever recovered. Bill had left the Yukon after Joe Meeker's death. Haskell made a fortune in his claim after the brutal first Dawson winter. The Indians we saw in the miniseries was just nonsense dreamed up by the writers again. Most of the Indians either worked as pack/guides or did nothing at all, but survive. Anyway... we will never know the full story, but it was indeed fun to watch Klondike with all its Hollywood B.S. But what do you expect? The real story is so complicated and filled with real brutal harsh life, that the normal soft American audience wouldn't watch it. For what Klondike is, (a nice western), I enjoyed watching and really liked the music. I think if the writers did some real research on Bill Haskell's stories and accounts of his time in the Klondike, they could have come up with something really neat. As a published fiction author myself, I'm considering such a story.

Poor geography and not as authentic as I had hoped for.

[Tatalsek60 · 25 January 2014]

I was looking forward to this series as I have done the Chilkoot Trail and spent a fair amount of time in the Yukon. I saw an interview with the producer stating how they went out of their way to be accurate so I had high expectations. Yes the scenery was spectacular, but not at all like that of the real Chilkoot Pass. The first disturbing piece of footage was at the beginning when the miners were working their way up the pass and in the background there is a ski area! You would think in this digital age they would be able to "photoshop" it out. Did not one person in their crew notice this? At the pass they are greeted with a spectacular view of the Yukon River. Sorry, but that's not what you see. Also, each miner had to prove they had 1000 pounds of gear to get over the pass, an important fact left untold. Okay, all this technical geography stuff aside (most folks would never know anyways), I just thought they did a poor job making this look like the late 1890s. Modern phrases are used and everybody is way too clean. It was a good attempt on the Discovery Channel's part but it ended up being a disappointment for me. There are great books on this great historical time out there for folks who are interested. Think I'll go pull out some Robert Service poetry and get a better fix!

I Agree With The Good Reviews and the Bad Reviews

[rusgch · 9/10 · 23 January 2014]

My wife and I were frustrated by all the factors other reviewers have pointed out...the "Hollywoodization" of the costuming and make up of the women, the inclusion of modern issues, race, anti Jewish, women's suffrage. The implausibility of the wolf attack, river near-drowning, etc.. Stupid mistakes historically I don't think cigarettes were invented until the early 1900's, as well as the events mentioned by others. It always surprises and annoys me when otherwise great production values are undercut with stupid and/or lazy mistakes.

All that being said, we did enjoy the production...great scenery and sets, the story line was interesting even though it was TV/movie formula with dark lighting and poor sound. Visually it was interesting...the series could easily have been shortened by a couple hours. I turned on the Captions which made the dialog easy to follow, and I enjoyed a number of quotes which, I'd love to be able to remember. They weren't authentic to the times I'm sure, but were little gems.

In conclusion, we put our critiques aside and watched the series and enjoyed it for what is was, not what it could have been.

Great Series!

[wildtswelding · 10/10 · 22 January 2014]

I found it very compelling. It was raw and fit with the times back then. Yes there was race issues back then. Hell there was people from all walks of life that made the journey there. People fought over claims back then. It was lawless back then. The Mounties were way outnumbered do you really think they was going to pick a fight in such a desolate place. Most people these days have gotten to soft. You can't say this, you can't believe that. Last time I checked it's a free country. It's takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. Discovery Channel has done a fine job with this one. Great cast and directed masterfully.

I Found It Entertaining

[roxybell500 · 7/10 · 13 February 2014]

To the reviewer Scott1-921-252003, you offered the best review out of anyone. Thank you for supplying the historically accurate parts of the story and offering your other comments.

I personally found the mini series entertaining even if it was historically inaccurate. I'm not really sure why so many people expected it to be overly accurate anyway. Sometimes you just need to enjoy something for what it is. Plus, the movie was pretty clear about calling itself a "docudrama". I also don't understand the reviewers who clearly didn't like it, felt that their time was wasted on it, yet sat through the entire mini-series anyway. If you don't enjoy something, stop watching it lol.

I thought the man who played Bill Haskel was a good actor and honestly, very hot. I enjoyed Belinda's character but it would have been nice to know a little more about her, such as why she was there to begin with. I guess because she had more freedom there? I don't know. I didn't think the actress who played Belinda was as good an actress as the man who played Bill, even though I found her entertaining, but perhaps it was because of the way they wrote her character. Female characters on film do not seem to receive the same emotional depth exploration as male characters in film do. It's not often we truly get to see strong female characters on TV and she gave a hint of that. I don't think our society is yet ready to see likable female characters explore a wide range of emotional depth and gabble with morality (unless it's regarding sex) yet, unfortunately. I wish they had developed it more to counter the usual female narratives we see.

I really enjoyed the scene where Belinda confronted Sabine who got pushed outside by Tim Roth's character. It's not often you see scenes like that between women on TV either. I thought the dynamic of it was very interesting. Although, I will admit I am getting tired of seeing casts of older distinguished men with one or two young women thrown in.

I did enjoy the juxtaposition between Sabine and The Superintendient with the way they both "whored" themselves out. Again, it's not often on TV where the way men "whore" themselves out is so clearly defined. Yet, it's often a common story line when it comes to women. So I enjoyed the way they tied their two life experiences together in that and the morality of the Superintendent. Although again, Sabine was considerably younger than the Superintendient. Once again proving that we are only interested in women's stories when they are young and men's stories no matter their age.

I thought the bit where Father Judge got measured for his coffin was oddly endearing and was a nice light reprieve. I enjoy Sam Shepard as an actor.

Clearly it was not historically accurate, based on almost everyone else's comments, but I enjoyed the mini-series and as someone who doesn't really read books about the history of the Klondike, it did spark my interest to research it on the internet. I think I might go buy some books on the topic even because of how it sparked my interest. And perhaps that's a better gift then simply having something be historically accurate.

Historic Drama with a powerful ending

[jeff-907-357768 · 9/10 · 26 January 2014]

The show is slow moving because it is supposed it is supposed to accurate. I believe it is based on a novel by Jack London who visited the Klondike to write about it. Richard Madden is the main character and plays it well except that he hates to wear hats as a personal matter. He was a character in Game of Thrones crossing the frozen landscape and did not wear a hat. Stupid thing to put up with. That show has a powerful ending including a couple minutes of the credits but you have to watch the entire show to get the ending. My suggestion is to record it and binge watch it. remind yourself that the show is supposed to give you a snapshot of many situations that happened in the gold rush.

Watched 1 episode, so far so good

[tomfieldfare · 7/10 · 20 May 2014]

Have just watched the first episode and enjoyed it. When I watch a drama I'm not concerned if the historical accuracy is not perfect I'm more concerned that the actors can act (they can). Some reviewers seem to be upset that a Scotsman and an Australian play the leads complaining that the accents aren't believable, but who can say how someone talked over 100 years ago, language changes FACT. Yes the language they use is modern screen writers write for there target audience (as they always have). Enough of a rant if you want to be entertained and get an impression of the conditions in Dawson City watch, if you want 100% historical accuracy either invent a time machine and travel back to the 1890's or watch a documentary.

Many are wrong

[burrseiler · 10/10 · 21 January 2014]

This mini-series is by far one of the best I've seen on television. Being a Game of Thrones fan I'm enjoying seeing Richard Madden shining in another series as well. This show is dark, it has a certain GoT feel to it just set in the 1800's. The stunts are great and many are done by the actors themselves. Richard Madden said he has done all the stunts in this mini-series and hardly any CGI was used so he actually fell into that river and swam it in the freezing cold. The setting is beautiful and all natural landscapes, no studios were involved. The superb acting, fantastic stunts, and beautiful setting and interesting story makes me give this title a 10/10.

Well made, well acted, decent script, very mediocre story

[MathizsiasDezial · 7/10 · 15 May 2014]

I'll keep this short and without spoilers, I found this mini-series to be well crafted, well acted on the most part, it had decent dialogues but a very mediocre story and boring villains. Historic accuracy.. not here, it is however fun.

Most actors hit the spot when it comes to filling their role and acting their bit, I particularly liked Abbie Cornish(Belinda) and Tim Blake Nelson(Meeker). The other main cast does a decent job, but doesn't get up to their level.

Tim Roth plays Tim Roth which is fine, I liked him in Lie to me, but there's nothing distinguishing about his role in this mini-series, he plays a very generic villain.

if you have a full schedule of activities. don't start watching this miniseries..because you will not get anything done for the next 6 hours!!

[mscharle01 · 10/10 · 26 January 2014]

I accidentally turned on the miniseries at 8 am on a beautiful sunny Colorado Saturday morning and did not leave the house until 1:30 that day. I was hooked from the opening scene and continued so..until I realized there was only 30 mins left in the 6 hour series and I did not want it to end..so I turned it off so I could savor the last 30 minutes at a later time.

I would compare it to Lonsesome Dove and the Hatfield's and McCoys in its capacity to draw you into the characters and living conditions of that time. This miniseries was a little less dark than Hatfield's and McCoy's. They had a little fun on the way to the Klondike and some fun when they got there. There were a few parts that were a little unrealistic like how did Abbie Cornish stay looking so good dealing with the harsh elements and how did she get there and why did she stay? It makes me want to read the book..although I don't want the ending for the Count to be any different than it was!! Thank you Discovery Channel for giving us something inspiring and exciting to watch..the reality shows are getting a little demoralizing..the investigative dramas and detective stories a little creepy..how much gratuitous blood do we need. The miniseries helps one see the eternal value of taking the high road..even when justice doesn't prevail at that moment in time..and the importance and joy of having true friends!

KLONDIKE: a few Promising Nuggets, but no Mother Lode of Gold Here! :(

[jdanek007 · 6/10 · 22 January 2014]

Discovery climbs aboard the premium drama train with "Klondike", its first scripted miniseries - about hunting for gold in the Yukon - and delivers some promising nuggets, but not the mother lode. I don't recommend intentionally skipping this one, but manage your expectations and accept the need to suspend some disbelief and tolerate historical inaccuracies in pursuit of the bright & shiny parts!

The series is based on the true tales of some of the men and women who were caught up in the Dawson City gold rush of the late 1890s, culled from Canadian historian Charlotte Gray's 2010 book "Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich in the Klondike".

Richard Madden, who played Robb Stark (RIP, King of the North!!!) in "Game of Thrones," stars as Bill Haskell, an adventure-seeking college graduate who, with his pal Byron Epstein (Augustus Prew), goes west to see what entrepreneurial fortunes await. During a chance encounter in Denver, a stranger in a bar pays their tab with a fat gold nugget, and that's all it takes: The young men buy into the hype and head for the far, far northwest.

"Klondike" is not going to win awards for its lackluster screenplay and penchant for melodrama, but it does have some of the plucky energy you'd enjoy at one of those faux-saloon dinner theaters, where the gradations between good and bad hardly exist. It comes across almost like a musical without any songs, and before long, you're swept up in its crisp visuals and steady pace.

You can't really tell a story of the Yukon gold rush without portraying the inordinate amount of suffering that went on. "Klondike" starts out strong in aiming for an accurate 19th-century period report but gradually lapses in detail. As bad as life gets, the characters still look a little cleaner and healthier than the old photographs depict — the winters are harsh but not harsh enough; the starvation is too painless; the teeth are too pearly white...

Still, it's a strong cast delivering an honest effort. "Klondike" has a solid spirit and a moral underpinning, which contrasts sharply with Discovery's increasingly-desperate prospectors of the 21st century as portrayed in its hit reality shows "Gold Rush" and "Bering Sea Gold"...

Klondike's six hours might not be well worth your viewing commitment, however. After rewatching segments, I feel like this entire mini-epic production could've been repackaged much more effectively into a stand- alone 2.5hrs (max).

A victim of its own ambition

[larshevn · 4/10 · 4 January 2015]

Klondike is one of those series I picked up because it looks fascinating, with a somewhat unorthodox setting. With gold digging as the historical background, you assume that this is what the series will also be about mostly - aside from all the frauds and the harsh climate. Alas, everything seems to be addressed only once throughout the series, because there isn't time to remind the viewer what's so perilous about the environment, and what's at stake. Instead the show aims to be a classical Western story featuring cold weather.

The gold digging itself is also left completely out of the story. While I wouldn't want to watch a 6 hour series about digging gold, it's striking that a 20 page chapter of "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck" is more detailed in the process of extracting gold, than a 6 hour series produced by Discovery. At times it's easy to forget that the show is even taking place in Klondike, and not just any saloon in Santa Fe.

Despite a good crew of actors, the characters are one-dimensional and there is little room for any character development. Although some of the characters undergo transitions, there's no development - they simply go from A to B while not giving the viewer any credible reason for their transition. The same goes for the relationships between the characters. Some characters that take up a lot of screen time are even completely redundant, and a waste of the precious time of a 6 episode mini-series. I can think of at least two subplots, without which the show would have lost virtually nothing, while gaining both time and coherence.

"Klondike" bit off more than it could chew. A mini-series of 6 episodes is not equipped to deal with profound questions on the true value of gold, while also dealing with the position of females, the suppression of Native Americans, the presence/absence of hope and God, and so on.

This series could and should have been a lot better.

I can't help but think of "The Far Country"

[grizzledgeezer · 21 January 2014]

That's the Jimmy Stewart film (directed by Anthony Mann) in which Stewart heads for Dawson City, his boyfriend (Walter Brennan) and cattle in tow, to escape a number of people (most notably John McIntire) who want his hide. (Get it? His hide?) Consciously or not, "Klondike" borrows heavily from it.

For a program supposedly based on fact, "Klondike" displays two obvious errors right at the start. For one thing, the Canadian authorities required prospectors climbing the Chilkoot to bring at least a year's supply of food, so they wouldn't have to bother burying people who died from starvation. This is glossed over to the point of being ignored.

The second error occurs when Bill Haskell (a real Yukon prospector who wrote a book about his experiences, played by Richard Madden) falls into a near-freezing river. (Madden insisted on doing the stunt himself.) He makes it to shore, but even without a fire, his clothing somehow manages to dry out. Why he doesn't succumb to hypothermia (a huge amount of body heat would be needed to evaporate the water in his clothes) isn't explained. Nor is the sudden appearance of Father William Judge (Sam Shepard), who shoots a wolf about to make a meal of Haskell. (Three errors, actually -- non-rabid wolves rarely attack humans.)

The story is less documentary than drama, perhaps excessively so. There are lots of characters with conflicting desires (the very basis of drama), but it seems mechanical and schematic. Belinda Mulrooney (Abie Cornish) finds Haskell attractive (apparently for an innocence she doesn't want destroyed) and helps him, simply because it moves the plot along.

As for the reviewer who complained about "social engineering"... If racism and anti-Semitism were part of that era, there's no reason not to include them (where appropriate). What bothers me -- as a liberal -- is the projection of liberal values on people who did not have them.

I haven't read Charlotte Gray's book (from which "Klondike" is derived), but I suspect the writers tarted it up with as many dramatic clichés as possible -- the murder of one's best friend and the search for justice, the prostitute with a heart of gold, the priest who has to decide whether to keep silent when he knows who the killer is, etc, etc, etc. Sorry, but I've seen all this before. And the 60-year-old "The Far Country" includes homoeroticism (Brennan has a serious man-crush on Stewart), while "Klondike" ignores this. (Ditto for "Paint Your Wagon" -- Marvin and Eastwood love each other more than they love any woman.) We don't even see a bull dance!

The series slogs to a dragged-out, highly implausible anticlimax. Most of the people receive their just rewards (good and bad), or "recover their forgotten moral senses". But Meeker inadvertently finds the one weak spot on a frozen river and falls in, taking a lot of the gold with him. And Father Judge is given a funeral while he's alive, so he can enjoy it. The funeral music is supplied by white musicians inexplicably familiar with Dixieland jass. Are we supposed to take this seriously?

"Klondike" is well-acted and beautifully produced. The script is merely serviceable. It's larded with pretentious aphorisms and philosophical observations that seem more 20th-century than 19th. The writers show no awareness of when particular figures of speech came into use. ("I never thought the first day of the rest of my life would be so bad.") The low point of their ignorance comes when Bill tells the Mountie "You're incentivizing killers!". (!!!) Is it too much to expect a scriptwriter to own the OED, and use it? (I do, and I do.)

Frankly, "Deadwood" covered the same moral and psychological grounds, and did it with greater depth and imagination. Discovery Channel has labored mightily and brought forth a mouse.

A Singularly Outstanding Mini-Series In Every Respect

[frwinkler-904-353322 · 10/10 · 22 January 2014]

This is a truly exceptional mini-series, shot in an actual cold climate setting and with an extensive and most impressive set. The story line was most interesting and tracked nicely throughout the series. Acting was superb, as were costumes-- all most believable. The scenery shots complemented the series and to say the least were stunning and beautiful. We also appreciate that the series story line was based on actual historical fact, which lent still more credibility to events portrayed.

If I had a criticism, it would be that dialog was on occasion somewhat difficult to understand. Even so, the story line itself remained clear and easy to follow-- but not predict. A comment also about commercials-- we appreciated the lengthy presentation between commercials, even at expense of the typically lengthy ad breaks when they did occur.

Kudos are in order for whoever decided to develop such a series-- no doubt a costly venture, and not without risk. Please know that we as viewers most appreciate the excellent work to produce a superb production. Likewise to the actors, writers, costuming, etc., etc., etc.-- absolutely outstanding. Many, many thanks for such a refreshingly different and original series.

Excellent..powerful, raw, gripping...unforgettable

[qormi · 10/10 · 16 February 2014]

Very down-to-earth. Unpretentious, intelligent...pulls no punches. The re-creation of the boom town known as Dawson....the lawlessness, the dog- eat-dog mentality, the toiling and tedium as mud and rocks are shoveled as miners stake claims side-by-side in the ice-cold, slippery muck. The con men, prostitutes, thieves, murderers. Jack London depicted as a bright young man with a drinking problem. From the very first episode, you get the feeling that anything can happen...nobody is safe and there are layers to each character. The dialog seems very real...the conditions unrelenting.Dawson is an evil town...its inhabitants never at ease and stalked by disease and people driven by desperation to lie, steal, and kill.

Good watch, especially if you like historical drama.

[fiddleferme · 7/10 · 26 January 2014]

I give this only a seven because of the miscasting of one major role: Belinda. But the series is still enjoyable to watch and certainly worthwhile for a few hours of fascination. However, the performance of Ms Connor (Belinda) was a major flaw, in my opinion. She was too young for the part, failed to deliver a performance with the depth of personality her character required, and at times seems stiff and out of place in her portrayal of her character. Had the role been better cast, this historical drama would have accomplished its' goal of taking the viewer back to the drama and tragedy of the Klondike gold rush. Her presence in her every scene pulled me away from the authentic magic of the movie.

Great Series

[matthewdavidwren · 8/10 · 23 June 2021]

I thought this was a really good series. Abbie Cornish was excellent, and it was extremely well written. My only negative point would be that Tim Roth's character seems to be a copy/paste from so many of his previous films, with little to no variance in accent, personality or demeanour, it's starting to wear thin, and smacks a little of laziness on behalf of the directors.

Amazing

[taddeoblakk · 9/10 · 13 January 2019]

With boring part but good story with sarcasm,I had love the perfect character done Colin Cunningham,he makes me happy to had watch the show . Without the sarcasm part the show is only an historian series Last episode is the best The first i had sleep

Don't expect a History Lesson but Great Visuals with Good Story

[wolfbarkley · 8/10 · 28 January 2014]

After reading over some of the over reviews, there seemed to be a few negative criticisms. When I heard Ridley Scott had a part in the making of this "show", I expected a masterpiece. I admit I was not mesmerized but I was also not disappointed.

After reading some of the reviews criticizing the poor historical detail, one must remember that in order to keep the viewer watching some Hollywood drama needs to be manifested. After all, who wants to sit through six hours of a cinematic encyclopedia? In conclusion, if you are expecting a university lecture in History 101 with facts that are 100 percent accurate, then you will easy find a lot of things to criticize. If you enjoy western drama's then would recommended you watch the show. You may not get an authentic feel of the real gold rush, so just watch the show not expecting a history lesson.

Please remember this is a fictional story loosely based on historical times in that Era, don't expect accuracy. It has a Good Storyline with very respectable acting and exceptional visuals. A good Watch.

Horrible in every possible way!!!

[tahltanmum · 1/10 · 16 March 2014]

I sat through all three episodes, and the entire time, I was howling in outrage! I was born, raised and still live in the north, and am a First Nations woman. I am an avid reader and history glutton for anything "northern", especially the gold rush era, it's characters and the effect it has had on the north, and the peoples who lived there. From the very beginning, this show was unbelievable. The guy with the fancy can of nuggets? How did he get there without getting robbed or killed after flashing this around? Why didn't he take it to a bank or gold dealer for Cash? Then Skagway/Dyea; totally inaccurate. Other reviewers have mentioned this as well, along with the Soapy Smith connection. His character should have stayed in Skagway. Where was the border crossing/checkpoint at the top of the pass? Whitehorse and the canyon? All of the other Stampeders along the way? And don't get me started on the clothing, especially the women! Since when did women in the 18 or 1900's ever dress in tight-fitting spandex pants, and pleather! She was supposed to be a respected woman of business? Puuleeze!! Blatant killings, inaccurate costumes, weak NWMP characters who didn't uphold the law, and vigilante Indians? That was the most irritating! The natives lived peacefully amongst the Stampeders, in fact helped many to survive the harsh conditions, with many intermarriages and children. The scenery, while spectacular and definitely Canadian (if you could ignore the ski hill and highways in the background) is NOT the type that is in the Yukon or around Dawson City. Sorry Discovery, this was an EPIC FAIL in my book, and your historical and location researchers should have done a better job. Maybe an actual trip to the Yukon, Dawson City, and the Chilcoot Trail should have been on the agenda. As a northern Canadian and Indian, I am insulted.

Not authentic - too nice clean looking actors

[prayersinabottle · 22 January 2014]

I was looking forward to this kind of entertainment. I was so disappointed! If it wasn't for the rain, mud, etc. I would have thought that you got the characters off Hollywood street and put them in the scenes. The women's makeup was in the now, not then. The men and women's teeth were so perfect and white that it was hard to get into the time era. Enough for me. All of that ruined it. Whomever was responsible for that time period - don't use them again! I want a time period to look real. All you have to do is look at our past movies and you realize that you don't have to have beautiful or nice and perfect characters.

review of review

[qsilver-2 · 9/10 · 28 August 2016]

Previous review asks why not more gold digging? First of all the author is Charlotte Gray and they followed her book she wrote which they kept to in script. Reminded me of "Deadwood". Scandinavians wanting to be North American's. Terrible revue, fantastic entertainment. Who really wants to see 6 hours of digging in the permafrost and mud? The acting was a little stiff when it came to the main character's Jewish pal. I believe that in Charlotte Gray's book a lot more emphasis on Jack London could and would have been beneficial. Alaska is drop-dead beautiful and crazy to look at. I tried living there and almost went nuts, I mean everything is shipped in including the toilet paper and feminine napkins and petrol. The geological idea of where gold lies is spot on. L J

Very enjoyable for so many reasons

[mskittykay · 9/10 · 7 August 2019]

Firstly we have the fantastic Madden delivering another rich performance full of passion and emotion but the star of the show has to be Abbie Cornish who I found completely mesmerising as soon as you see her in screen. I am a complete history buff and appreciate that these adaptations of actual historic events can be rather stretched from the truth but they have to have creative license for a wide audience.

I found it captivating right from the start with romance, adventure, brotherhood and all the drama you would expect from a story so full of hope. I was really emotionally involved with all the characters. A total binge watch for a rainy duvet day.