SPOILERS BBC "Dickensian" *** Spoilers ***

[Mary Skater]

Did anybody else watch this? Anyone interested in a chat about it? I saw one or two places where the BBC plot definitely deviated from Dickens' original, but I don't know all of the books well enough. Also, in the final episode, the TV Compeyson was threatened with prosecution for his "crimes." But I don't think it was made clear what actual crimes he had committed. Yes, he's a liar and he's cruel, but that's not against the law. He planned a bigamous marriage, but was stopped from carrying it out, so the law can't get him on that. He did steal and kill a dog, but would that have been considered a very serious offence in that context?

Anyone else have any comments on it?

Mary

 

[The Mad Collector]

Saw the first one and didn't like it, however this thread should be in the TV, film and theatre section of the forum

 

[janet]

Yep! Should be in the TV, Film etc thread! Phew! I nearly read the post and haven't watched the latest episode yet :doh: Some of us don't watch live TV, just iplayer when it's convenient :shhh:

 

[Mary Skater]

Okay, sorry for putting it in the wrong place. Maybeone of the moderators can move it.

 

[Tonyblack]

No worries!

 

[janet]

Don't know about deviating from the original! The concept of taking a hefty selection of Dickens' characters and plots and making them all happen in a place which could easily rival Harry Potter World as a family attraction? The series took this idea to the limit and came up with its own originality. I was trying to guess the ending and, having now watched it, wasn't too far out. Compeyson actually got off lightly compared with my version of events which involved him being tied in a sack and dumped in the Thames. I predicted that Arthur would end it all at the same time or shortly afterwards. At least the good guys were able to hold their position on the moral high ground by behaving as they did with Compeyson trotting off in a Hansom with a bloody nose and ten grand in a bag!
Loved the series on the whole but it was a tad long and one or two episodes were thin on plot. The cast and acting were perfect!

 

[Mary Skater]

I agree about Arthur, I think he was planning to throw himself in the river. He'd given away all his money in the hope of getting back on good terms with his sister, but it didn't work.

A couple of inconsistences that I had in mind were: it was Bucket who consigned Oliver to the care of the workhouse. But in the original, Oliver was born there. And after his "ask for more" scene, he was put to work with a local undertaker, before eventually ending up in London with Fagin. Also, the ending suggested that Scrooge was about to be haunted - that shouldn't happen until 7 years after Marley's death.

I suspect Honoria's baby girl is going to become Miss Havisham's ward Estella, but she'd have to be placed with the Magwitches first, as that's where Estella is supposed to have come from. It depends if the Beeb and the writers think it's worth stretching the idea to another series. But while it was a nice idea, I don't know if it's meaty enough to take further. Some of the characters didn't do much except increase the Dickens name-count.

 

[Antiq]

I watched a couple of episodes and I'm intrigued. I love the concept, but I see no reason or purpose for altering anything - like Oliver's birthplace etc - that bugs me. I don't mind anyone taking a bit of license in general, it just seems totally unnecessary for this series.
I absolutely love Stephen Rea as Bucket, he has it down to a T, fat finger and all
I'll have to see more to give a better critique.

 

[Mary Skater]

I think a lot of the character/ plot alterations were done to bring so many characters together in place and time, but sometimes it felt like the writers were over-straining themselves to do that. Had they been content with say 12 episodes instead of 20, and fewer "borrowed" characters, they might have achieved tighter plotting and a more pleasing finish. I agree with you about Stephen Rea as Bucket - excellent.

 

[janet]

Hear! Hear! Stephen Rea was superb, also Pauline Collins as Mrs Gamp!
The whole concept of the show was very similar to a couple of other works I can think of: Shrek comes to mind.....almost every character from fairy tales brought together in one story!! Also Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next/ Nursery Crime series (Did Humpty Dumpty fall or was he pushed? Who is the Fourth Bear? etc) Taking characters from fiction and putting them in your own stories is fan fiction isn't it? That's what Dickensian was. I didn't read any media reviews but I hope the purists gave it a wide berth for the sake of their sanity.