Le miserables

[Doobydoobydooyeh]

Anyone watching? Not quite the same without the songs!

I loved the book and the musical, although they are very different beasts. I really enjoyed this episode. It's good to see the stories getting proper treatment - to understand Marius' background, Fantine's full story.

Compared to the book, they are romping through! I forget how many chapters Hugo spent on the Bishop's life story alone, but it was extensive!

I've seen the musical version a few times, plus the film with Hugh Jackman and Ann Hathaway. I didn't think this non musical version would compare but I have to say it does!.

Men were utter bastards in the 1800's. The haven't changed

Episode 1 of 6! I thought it was only a couple of episodes. Think I’ll give it a miss

Loved it! I loved the musical but the first version I saw was the 1930s film on tv about 30 years ago. I really liked seeing Fantine's backstory shown properly. The book is 1000 pages long, so much of it hasn't been included before.

The pace will pick up ontheboardwalk there is a lot to happen.

I really enjoyed it, especially the back stories. Can't wait for the next instalment.

Way better than any of the crappy musicals

This is my fist encounter with Les Miserables : have not read the book, not seen the musical, nor any of the films. I have a question about the baby and dare not goggle for fear of spoilers ( I do even think Davies, the master adapter, assumes viewers know a lot already and so has compressed some vital things!) : is the baby Felix's(am assuming so, as references were made to Fantine's virginity)? When was she born? Did Felix know ( we see him passing the baby on the stairs)? And , if not, how on earth could he not? It was a blessed relief not to have to watch another drama with a childbrith sequence but it left me a bit bemused. I know the baby is Cosette , and that she will become important because she is one of the few characters I had heard of before last night.

Piggy from what I recall (it's been years since I read it) the book never specifically mentions that Felix knew about Euphrasie (a.k.a. Cosette), but she definitely is his daughter.

However, he was definitely still around when Cosette was born, and it would seem odd that he would have failed to notice a pregnancy, and Fantine would have failed to mention her baby's birth.

Hugo is rather scathing of him in the novel.

Thanks mhw. He certainly deserves to be scathed (?!) from what I have seen.

I liked it last night but am fed up of reviewers etc focusing on the idea that 'everyone knows the plot' - ermmm , no, we don't.

DH resorted to the RT to establish who the bloke at Waterloo looting dead soldiers was, so mumbled was his name!

so who was that at the start? @Piggywaspushed ?

I have a vague (wiki assisted) idea of the story, i tried to watch the film (HUHE! Hugh J fan) but cant bear musicals

It was Thenardier : who is to become important, I assume!

i've taken out potentially 'spoilerish' bits, as i don't know if they should be here?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9nardiers ?

The Thénardiers, from the first French-language edition (1862) by Gustave Brion.
The Thénardiers, commonly known as Monsieur Thénardier (/təˈnɑːrdi.eɪ/; French pronunciation: [tenaʁdje]) and Madame Thénardier, are fictional characters, the secondary antagonists in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables and in many adaptations of the novel into other media.

They are ordinary working-class people who blame society for their sufferings. Early in the novel, they own an inn and cheat their customers.........; some adaptations transform them into buffoonish characters, though sometimes still criminals, to provide comic relief from the generally more serious tone of the story.

thank you Piggywaspushed

Is this version true to the book?
I haven't read the book, seen the musical and the film though.

Really enjoyed it. Took some mental gymnastics reallocating the character Felix into my mental ‘Total Gits’ column after the actor playing him has so firmly planted his other most recent period drama character of Dobbin from Vanity Fair in my ‘Thoroughly Decent Chap’ catagory.
Need at least six months pause between recasting actors in similar tight breeches roles please telly people.

Also enjoyed Derek Jacobi very much. “Ooh It’s Derek Jacobi!” I shouted at the dds. “Who?”
Philistines.

Recent post on Twitter where someone said that the film musical of Les Mis should be remade, keeping Hugh Jackman but everyone else should be replaced by The Muppets. I agreed heartily.

Enjoyed this first episode. I am not a fan of the musical so was pleasantly surprised by this episode.

I enjoyed it too. I'd like it to stay true to the book if possible. The accents are off putting though - found them quite distracting.

I think Dobbin/Felix may now be cast in every period drama. He did a very good posh totty, I thought. Lucy Mangan was amusing on this in The Grauniad:

Meanwhile, the young grisette Fantine and her friends have become enmeshed with a trio of posh boys who promise them the world – gold necklaces, fine clothes, £350m extra a week for the NHS – then bugger off home when they have had enough

Scribbly, he'd be good as thingymajig in Bleak House should they ever re(re)make it. I am sure you know who I mean...

Also, I discovered he is Jerome Flynn's stepbrother!

half brother even..

Interesting

I think I do know who you mean re Bleak House

Yes, thought the scavenger at the beginning was "Master of the House" as it went with the thieving, lack of morals etc