The Living and the Dead

It is beautiful. Just beautiful Gothic story, served by impecable acting, inspired atmosphere, great care for details, haunting theme. A couple, a farm,possesed children and shadows of past, old stories, the effort to save the other and himself and beautiful love story. Short, just impressive.

If I'm honest I didn't think the BBC had the capacity to make a series like this, nothing to do with production or calibre, just that a series such as this feels less mainstream somehow.

It's fantastic from start to finish, you get a horror vibe from it, it's full of intrigue, suspense and manages to get you on edge. Beautifully filmed, it oozes quality, the cinematography is sublime, and the music is perfect throughout, it really added to the overall 'gothic horror' feel of the show. Fantastic costumes, which looked incredibly authentic. I got vibes of the recent Woman in Black and The Others, a very definite positive.

Colin Morgan goes from strength to strength, he has a definite quality, and somehow seems to have matured into an actor of some presence. Entire cast were great, Charlotte Spencer and Kerrie Hayes particularly good, as was the all too brief appearance of Fiona O'Shaughnessy.

It's disappointing that a second run was not commissioned, particularly in light of the ending of the final episode, but as I said earlier, it may not have been 'mainstream' enough.

I have a feeling this will be a series remembered for years to come, 9/10

This show is very well acted. The setting and scenery is magnificent. As an American watching, I love the historical references emerging through the story. Colin Morgan and Charlotte Spencer make a wonderful couple.

The plot, itself, reminds me of the series Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010), in which Jennifer Love Hewitt's character solves mysteries related to those haunting the living. This is much deeper, but still retains that episodic start to finish feeling.

I became familiar with Colin Morgan watching Merlin (2008-2012). His acting completely impressed me. I hope to find other works he has been/is involved with. I am desperately waiting the release of The Rising. I truly think Mr. Morgan can carry the weight of the big screen.

I'm very sad to hear that there will not be any more seasons. It really was wonderfully done.

The Living and the Dead taps into the late 19th century obsession with spiritualism and runs with it.

This is a well crafted series. It examines the obsession with spiritualism of the time but hints, ever so subtly, that there may be more going on than one man's obsession, in the face of bereavement.

The settings and in particular, the beautiful, well crafted visuals and set pieces breathe Victorian "atmosphere". Familiar settings reminiscent of agricultural scenes from paintings by the like of Constable are cleverly combined with an unspoken, eerie, other worldly quality, that sits just below the surface of rural normalcy.

The acting is of a high standard and the chemistry, in particular, between Colin Morgan and Charlotte Spencer's young couple, the Appleby's, who own a struggling country estate is electric. They are an inherently likable couple whose shared warmth helps to soften the "chilliness", found in the supernatural aspects of the series.

This series is in many respects highly original but also familiar. Certainly there are aspects reminiscent of films like The Other's, to be found in The Living and the Dead. I have enjoyed this slow burn psycho supernatural mystery series and plan to keep on watching. Nine out of ten from me.