philnoone21

One thing is certain when one has watched a TV series and two questions are answered in the affirmative: 1. Did I enjoy it immensely? "Yes" 2. Will I miss that is has finished? "Yes"

The certainty of the one thing is too obvious to mention, but what a wonderful series, and so sad now that it has passed.

There's a few series when a wife / husband can both enjoy a series equally, this is such a series with my wife adoring it ( she's Indian, I'm Australian, so that contributed to her adoration of Beecham House, and I fed off her emotion )

The sets are absolutely sumptuous with the most beautiful palaces and gardens on display.

There's a few plot holes, but doesn't detract from the overall fun And drama

It's slow for reason, that's the atmospheric, there's a brooding menace around the slowness that builds and writes its own story of deep brooding characters in a wonderfully constrained stage

By espisode six it's all happening - It gets better and better, so stick with it for a just reward

And for those worried about racism themes - please, why on earth wouldn't this story be told?

It's a beauty

The movie is slow, a little 'A Space Odyssey' slow (and so one has to "dig the slowness"), but having said that, there are moments of sheer excitement that come out of left field.

The stage is extraordinary, a sumptuous feast for the eyes. The acting is understated mostly to reveal a believability of characterisation that is easy to accept as being real.

This movie is like going to a major art gallery. It's all about the optics and the gentle and moving revelations of characters that evolve as the movie progress. I'm shocked that the movie only has 7.2 currently. OTOH, I get why some people didn't rate this movie hightly. They might have been after some fast food, (which we all love at times!), but this is fine art dining....

The characters were appallingly shallow. Without trying to give a tiny spoiler, a bloke comes along and saves one of the crew and he dies in the process, but they thereafter make no effort to give him the slightest compassion or thought or anything at all. It's like they're the most selfish people imaginable

I cold go on, but hopefully you get the idea, the idea is pretty good, the stage is good too but the shallowness of the characters is unbearable

A few of the one-star reviews here say they gave up after 2 episodes, Dull acting, silly plot etc etc. Well, I did give up too. I concurred, and thought it was hopeless.

Damn, though, my niece, son and a friend said it was the best TV series they had seen. Respecting their views based on previous recommendations, I persevered out of respect only, and recommenced watching the series with great reluctance and bemusement that they could be so misinformed.

At some point, and certainly into Season 2 I became aware that I was watching the best TV series I had seen. Firefly used to be may fav, but this has swept past. The architecture is spectacular and importantly grounded. Not the fantasy (apologies to fans) that is served up in Star Wars but a grounded realism that hooks one to the possibility.

It's just awesome, truely, I'm mesmerised.

What ever you do, stick with it to Season 2 and I promise you wont be disappointed. If you are, then my profuse apologies for making a promise that I thought could not possibly be compromised.

I wonder how a "Search and Rescue" operative, in the middle of a catastrophic event can only get phone calls from his wife and daughter and not from any of the millions of other endangered people or actually, from his boss, colleagues or friends.... we're supposed to feel for his immediate family and not for the millions of others - in fact during this cataclysmic event, the characters often forget that million of others are dying and they themselves are completely 'isolated' ... oh, and they discuss domestic issues driving along in a car after just watching a city crumble..

Come on script writers - show some heart but hey, the special effects are great, they really were, and those who "love special effect movies and to hell with a good script" will enjoy this.