Dickensian

[EElisavetaOfBelsornia]

Anyone else watching? I am really enjoying it, and have either read more Dickens than I realised, or at least the right books.
I had always imagined Little Nell to be a bit younger though.

Thanks LassWith I'll give it a go.

I know the books well, and am really enjoying it. I did wonder how it would go down with people who didn't know who all the characters were though.

My impression is that there is more than a whiff of homoeroticism, I had assumed that they were a couple and had been for a while!

I'm loving this!

I noticed Martha Cratchit's intended is a Bagnet - surely a relation of Matthew Bagnet of the second-hand wiolin-celler, and Mrs Bagnet, Colour-Serjeant of the Nonpareil Battalion (but I never own to it in front of her: discipline must be maintained).

I hadn't spotted that, well done.

I wonder, given the events in Bleak House must be at least 20 years in the future (as Esther isn't born yet) could Martha's intended be Matthew Bagnet himself and Martha the Mrs Bagnet of that book?

I kept an ear out for that, once I spotted the surname. But the young groom is Peter (I think, but definitely not Matthew).

And the fellow soldier who brought the message to the Havisham house about the senior officer's visit? In the credits as Serjeant George.

Someone has had way too much fun putting this together.

I'm having way too much fun watching!

I didn't spot Serjeant George in the credits. I think I'll have to watch again.

Sgt George is one of my favourite characters.

Ooh, no, EElisaveta's DH.

I'm watching this in the full confidence that these are plausible backstories for all the characters just as we know them, where the only violence to them is that the times/places of setting are made to align.

And that it's not just a mash-up of here-are-some-Dickens-characters-what-can-we-do-with-them.

I shall be very upset if it turns out to be the latter.

confession: I have only read one book by Dickens and I have an English degree
I am really enjoying this series though!

SurelyYour Just rewatched it. Peter is a Cratchit, he's the one who is sweet on Nell. It's John Bagnet , so well spotted on Bagnet and Sgt George.

How did Fagin get Marley's wallet?

Though I've read and reread a few of the novels there's no way I can remember all of the characters (or even half of them!!) so some of them would completely confuse me.

Dickens did go in for too many characters IM umble O

I spotted the Bagnet too - I'm assuming they grow up to be the Bleak House Bagnets. So this will be a sort of early bonding process with Insp Bucket. I missed Sgt George though.
I'm glad you're with me about internal consistency. I am now regarding Mr. Barbary with suspicion as a result.

I just watched the first episode yesterday and enjoyed it :)

Just started watching Dickensian lm totally hooked it is brilliant Scrooge Inspector Bucket Fagin Arthur Miss Haversham are all great characters. It really is a must see something really different

Did Miss Havisham have a brother in GE? Also which book is Herbert Pocket from? He's a good sort isn't he.

Herbert is Matthew's son and is in GE, he is Pip's friend when he moves to the city.

Herbert Pocket is in Great Expectations. He's one of Dickens' good characters who isn't irritating. (Trooper George, who appesred as Sgt George is another on)

He first meets Pip at Satis House when they are both boys. He challenges Pip to a fight, but it's all a bit silly and although he loses he doesn't bear any grudge.

He looks after Pip when he first comes to London and helps him fit in with polite society. Herbert however shows Pip that there is more to being a gentleman than fancy manners and fancy clothes. Herbert treats Joe and Magwitch the same way as he would treat anyone whereas Pip treats both of them very badly (although he does make up for it)

His father was Matthew and he was Miss Havisham's cousin. She did have a brother.

Anton Lesser is very good as Fagin. It's too simplistic to play him just as a cartoon villain.

Is anyone else a bit put off by Mr Bumble being played by Daddy Pig? I half expect him to say "I'm a bit of an expect at drinking ale"

*expert

Is that daddy pig? He was in Jericho on 't other side too.

Bucket and Honoria Barbary are in War and Peace.

I think the actor playing Arthur Havisham is really good. He's very pretty but he can make himself quite ugly by being so petulant and spoilt.

He's doing a good job of expressing conflicting emotions -telling Compeyson his sister might be a girl but she's nobody's fool -and in tonight's episode being aware of what a shit Compeyson is and should he throw in his lot with him. It really gives the impression he's torn between reconciling with his sister but his pride won't let him.

Apparently he's fresh out of Rada and this is his acting debut.

I think Omid Djalili should give up comedy and concentrate on acting, I think he's great.

pizzaeatingmonkey Omid Djalili has had a huge amount of acting roles in film, television and on stage going back many years. I don't see why you think he needs to give up doing comedy to "concentrate on acting".

grunt Some people only know him from the comedy circuit :)