Decided after endlessly dithering and wondering what they would be like some 30 years after first broadcast, to purchase The Pallisers. Waited until they were on DVD of course, the old videos would have taken up about a yard of much needed shelf space.
So, what do I think so far after two episodes watched? First of all, it is very much studio bound (no location shots here) and some of the background sets in Switzerland are pretty obviously cardboard cut outs and fairly hoot worthy, but the acting is terrific and the characterisation wonderful and the cast liberally strewn with assorted British Thesps all of whom are excellent, so one can ignore the wobbly scenery. If I remember rightly the BBC version of Mansfield Park back in the 80's was one of the first costume dramas to be shot on location. I have a copy of it and it is very very good indeed. Not having interior scenes with sounds of hansom cabs trotting by the window to add verisimilitude is such a relief.
Now the problem with watching this of course is that I can feel the series already twisting its tendrils around me and making me want to pull down the books off the shelf. At the moment, we are watching the start of the series as in Can you Forgive Her? and I really want to take this volume down and check to see if Alice Vavasour really is as dour as she is being portrayed (my memory is that she is not so sure of herself or so didactic as she appears to be in this series) and is Lady Glencora really so spoiled and thoughtless as Susan Hampshire is making her out to be? It is very early days yet and as I am a huge admirer of Ms Hampshire I am looking forward to the characters being rounded out. Episode One made it very clear that Glencora was deeply in love with Burgo before marrying Plantaganet Palliser - more subtly hinted at by the great Anthony Trollope.
I have to say though I am already gripped and feel a Palliserfest coming on and can't wait to see what Phineas Finn is like which is my favourite. Wonder if the BBC have ever thought of re-doing it? I could spend many happy hours mentally casting it. Must be a place in there for Colin Firth, Alan Rickman and Richard Armitage, surely....
O blow it I am going to start Can you Forgive Her tomorrow. I am reading a Neil Gaiman collection of short stories at the moment which is leaving me stone cold, after a good start followed by a falling off (a sitting ovation and cries of less I fear) and so am now due to a good old bit of VicLit.
