Beecham House

[florentina1]

Is anyone planning to watch this tonight?

Must add, though, that the house and gardens did look lovely!

Agree re Bessie Carter... Not what you know but who you are related to... 😉😉 😉 😉

Do think Lesley Nicol has been miscast, she isn’t convincing and almost seems uncomfortable with the role

Despite, having fallen asleep on Sunday, I gave it another go tonight. Now we've got all the main characters assembled at Beecham House, I assume the story will begin properly - I hope.

I agree fikel that Lesley Nicol doesn't seem right for the role. I'm not sure how grand the Beecham family are supposed to be, but she certainly gave the impression of being from a more modest background - or maybe it's just the shadow of Mrs Patmore looming over her?

I also found the conversation at breakfast, when Mrs Beecham spoke openly about Miss Woodhouse marrying John, in front of the lady herself, to be very unlikely. As for the revelation at the end of the episode - I guessed that about 45 minutes earlier.

Lesley Nicol has been woefully miscast...

And two episodes in (because I wanted to give it a fair chance), the scenery is beautiful and....well, that's it really. Beautiful scenery. Take out the wooden acting and the dreary plot and it would make a great travelogue.

Another one for the "life's too short" category.

I'm wondering if Marc Warren will turn out to be a baddie? He seems to specialise in playing those!

It's very easy on the eye, but the lines seem to be delivered too earnestly.

In a way I think the dazzling visual palette (perhaps inspired by the Bollywood genre) is part of the problem - the universally intense colour and lighting aren't realistic for hot, hazy dusty Delhi and it's difficult to suspend disbelief and imagine oneself there. it doesn't help that the sound has a "studio" feel too - even when characters are outdoors there is an echo-type resonance for voices and footsteps as though the sound is bouncing off a wall or a ceiling.

I was reading a preview of next Sunday's episode in the Radio Times and had to laugh at the writer's final sentence, "Everyone talks as if they are reading from flashcards." - I knew there was something I couldn't quite put my finger on. It's such a shame...

Indeed lark : it's fur coat and nae knickers.

Piggy you put it so much more succinctly than I did

I'm finding it infuriating - why does no one ever answer any questions asked of them?

Mrs Patmore is not right for this role at all. If she's supposed to be high class like her sons, it's not working. She's more like a fishwife or a serving wench. (No offence to either stereotypes)

The sound and delivery is odd. More suited to the stage. I keep expecting them to burst into song, like a musical. The baby is very cute.

I liked it!
Evidently I know nothing

I was right!!!!

I am no expert on history but I think the family wouldn't be that grand. ie back in England (were we the UK then?) they would definitely not be accepted in polite(?) society as they are "in trade".

For many lower / middle class people going overseas with either the army or trading companies was a way of getting wealth and status to a level that would never be able to do in England.

So Mrs Beecham may well have come from quite modest background and a bit like the mother in one of Jane Austin's novels (Mrs Bennett) she is so desparate to emphasise correct behviour of social standing that she just keeps putting her foot in it.

Who knows why she is drugging herself? Why would she drag herself off on a difficult journey in the hope of finding her 2 sons who have left her behind to survive (in genteel poverty).

Anyhow, still think the script is terrible, and the dialogue unlikely for that time.

I am watching it in the same way as I watch those documentaries where some already spoilt celebrity then gets taken all expenses paid to some wonderful part of the world.

A pantomime with beautiful locations.

I agree the script is woeful. Utterly cringeworthy. I’m only watching it because it looks beautiful. I just don’t get it - they must have spent an absolute fortune filming this, but they couldn’t make sure that the script was up to scratch?

And I agree with stumbledin that this wouldn’t be a grand family, people from that background did not need to join the East India Company and incur a significant risk of death. Having said that, the fact that the main character was an officer in the East India Company’s army suggests he isn’t from a lower class background either.

I hadn't realised but now learn from googling that the "armies" of the East India company where nearly all recruited from among different Indian regions. I think only later when it came under Government control that British troops were sent.

But I suppose the trading company only wanted British born men to be in charge. Wonder how they were recruited? I still suspect that apart from some runaway younger son looking for adventure. "good" families would not have approved anyone working directly for the company, though happy to improve their income through the company asset stripping India of raw materials and treasures.

Okay so I watched the next episode. Still love the clothes, the scenery, the buildings so may not have concentrated that hard on the dialogue and might have nodded off.

But how does telling your family that your son is in fact the heir to a kingdom (I know that's not the right word) explain why your sister in law (the son's aunt) is visiting your bedroom in the middle of the night.

Bonkers script!

I agree with your assessment stumbledin. I am still watching with only half an eye on it - and that seems to be all that is required!

The story so far has been utterly predictable from the very first flashback in the first episode. And, yes, I have no idea how John's confession explains or excuses the bedroom visits from his sister-in-law. It's really not in the same league as Lady Mary's illicit liaison in Downton, especially when you consider the long-term repercussions of that poor decision.

It's such a shame it hasn't all come together better because, as you say, from a visual perspective, it's really beautiful.

Anyone still watching? Are there many episodes left? It's bad isn't it but I don't know why exactly; with the cast and setting it should be good but it isn't......i'll stick it out though.

Yes, I'm still watching icelolly but now on plus one after Poldark, and whilst I'm doing other things at the same time! Yes, it's still, sadly, pretty bad. However, it has made me appreciate Poldark a little more.

According to the Radio Times it's the last episode on Sunday but they've left the door open for a return. Judging by comments and reviews, it seems unlikely that will happen. Though, you never know, perhaps with a bit of a reboot...

Actually, it's set me thinking about another series from many moons ago - The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye - it was on ITV back in the 1980's with Ben Cross playing a British army officer brought up in an Indian family, during the late nineteenth century. I remember enjoying that. I don't know if it would stand the test of time though. Anyone else remember it?

Well, do we think it will be back?

No icelolly. I think it's fallen over the same Cliffhanger's edge into the deep gorge of cancelled series as 'Home Fires'.

BH was tosh. V scenic tosh with easy "spot what line will be next." Can't see it being re-commissioned.

I liked The Far Pavilions, meatier drama but more enjoyable tosh.

Would have loved another series of Home Fires. That was a really good drama.