Anyone watching this excellent new historical horror series? The yanks here can brush up on history that we Brits take for granted at this time of year as November the 5th approaches.
The websites and newspapers have been full of claims of viewers being disgusted etc. All good for the BBC publicity machine. Anyone who likes Game of Thrones should get a thrill from this non-fantasy fact filled equivalent starring Kit (Jon Snow) Harington, who developed it and is executive producer. Liv Tyler also stars, looking a lot rougher than when she was Arwen!
Made the wife feel sick as folks online and the the papers said. Looks stunning, very nicely directed. As the reviewer here says, the best thing in it for me was Shan Dooley who did indeed come across in a very similar fashion to Vincent Price in Witchfinder General. Great stuff, and definitely not for the squeamish.
I watched the first episode on Saturday night, I haven't got round to watching the other two yet which are available on the iplayer. Not bad, I've never seen Game Of Thrones so I can't comment on any comparisons though I did find those torture/execution scenes a bit gruesome to be in a BBC drama. I don't doubt it was fairly realistic to the times, but it's the stuff of nightmares!
On the positive side, it's even-handed (Catholics being tortured in episode 1, Catholics torturing Jews in episode 2), and the costumes and sets are totally authentic, which is a refreshing change from the usual fantasy comic-book design of many historical romps today. It's well made and technically good. The James I&VI was a hoot.
On the negative, it's quite a telescoping of events, as you'd expect from a drama, which it'd not do to take as 'history'. The gist is true, but Catesby's family life wasn't literal. But the myth is the thing here anyway.
In episode 3, fans of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid will smile ...
Jimmy McGovern the screenwriter was behind 'Cracker'.
