THE FORSYTES - Mon 9pm ch 5 - TV PACE NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

5 has announced the release date for new period drama The Forsytes, which features the likes of Doctor Who (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-season-15-release-date/)'s Millie Gibson among the cast

The series, which is an adaptation of John Galsworthy’s Forsyte Saga novels, will launch on Monday 20th October at 9pm, with each episode airing weekly.

Penned by Poldark screenwriter Debbie Horsfield, The Forsytes (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/forsyte-saga-millie-gibson-uk-broadcast-newsupdate/) follows an upper-class family of stockbrokers across multiple generations, set against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving late-Victorian world.

The show (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/downton-abbey-star-joins-forsytes-newsupdate/) focuses on the battle between Soames Forsyte (Home and Away (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/soaps/home-and-away/)’s Joshua Orpin) and his cousin Jolyon (Fate: The Winx Saga (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/wheel-of-time-what-to-watch-after-cancellation/)’s Danny Griffin) as they clash over who will take over the family firm.

James and his son Soames have been edged out of the family stockbrocking company now run by JAMES‘s older brother jolyon and his son Junior

This doesn’t sit well with JAMES and Soames

Plus Jolyon marriage to Frances and becoming step dad to her daughter June , is threatened by the return of Louisa , from his past.

Lousia is a dressmaker and has a big secret

A trailer was previously unveiled (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/the-forsytes-5-trailer-exclusive-newsupdate/), giving fans a first look at this clash between the cousins, as well as a glimpse at Gibson as Soames's wife, Irene Heron, and Eleanor Tomlinson (The Couple Next Door (https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/couple-next-door-season-2-ending-explained/)) as Louisa Byrne, Jo's first love.

The cast also features Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey: A New Era (https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/downton-abbey-3-release-date/)) as Frances Forsyte and Stephen Moyer (True Blood) as Jolyon Forsyte Sr.

A second instalment was confirmed back in June, despite the first series not having aired yet.

Paul Testar, Commissioning Editor, Drama, 5, said at the time: “We are excited to announce that production has begun on the second series of The Forsytes.

"With the first series set to air soon, this early commitment to a second chapter is a testament to the strength of the stories and characters that we know our audience will embrace.

"We look forward to sharing even more of this rich and compelling series.”

Damien Timmer, CCO & Founder of Mammoth Screen, added: “We can’t wait for the world to see series 1 of The Forsytes, and we’re so pleased to be getting ahead of ourselves and starting on this thrilling second series with Debbie Horsfield’s irresistible scripts and our glorious – and ever expanding – cast.”

Just watched it. It was so so. Jolyon jarred, he looked modern. And Soames' stubble irritated me. So inaccurate. What were they thinking?
It's just not quite right in so many aspects.

I was disappointed with some of the plot changes. My DM loved it in the 60s, so much so that I have still her DVDs mumbleyears later. I must have seen the ’67 version on a later rerun as I’m sure I saw it on TV before reading the books as a teenager.

The ’67 and ’02 version also change parts of the books but somehow changing June into a stepdaughter, the governess into a seamstress who has already borne Jolyon’s children and Ann becoming Jolyon & Soames’ grandmother instead of their aunt seemed pointless changes.

I also found the dress weird. If you are going to research the cut and shape of garments why on earth not apply them correctly. The Soho “widow with children” would not be wearing loose hair in the workplace as if she was a 14 year old girl and absolutely Soames would not have attended a funeral hatless, even if it was removed for prayers.

Having Susan Hampshire in for a small part was a nice touch and they obviously didn’t stint on the casting which makes the other errors all the odder. Its a great family saga for dramatising, its a shame to do it sloppily.

Does anyone remember another family saga about a family called the Whiteoaks and the dramatisation of the Pallisers? I think that was made after the Forsytes triggered a spate of such sagas.

Finally seen and enjoyed.

but as haven’t read the books I have nothing to compare it to

and obv faaaaaaaaaaaaaar too young to have watched the original

Sounds like you and me are the only ones that liked it lol. I’ve not read the books either or seen any other versions but don’t forget that this is a prequel so I’m not sure how faithful a prequel should be to the book

I enjoyed the first episode. Not read the book or seen previous adaptations.

The storyline was inaccurate. However, I thought the casting was better. Shames and Irene in 2002 were totally wrong afaiwc.

Me too.
Sometimes I like to be somewhere else, so it’s good to watch a drama set in a different era, with costumes, family dynamics, and romantic relationships

I just get too distracted by historical inaccuracies.

Its a prequel to A Man of Property but the earlier story is well documented both within the main books and also the half dozen short stories, interludes (some full sized books) and appendices etc written by Galsworthy.

That would still have left scope to invent back stories and add details but instead they have chosen to change the backstories already well described in the books and short stories.

Indeed we are

tho you and I often like the same stuff 😀

I think as we haven’t we have nothing to compare it to so happy watching it

But the books are extremely well-known. I'm surprised you don't know them, even if you haven't seen the other two series of The Forsyte Saga.

I like both the 1967 and 2002 TV versions, but the older one is a better representation of Galsworthy's writing. You can see the whole thing on YouTube.

No I had never heard of it nor read the books

and I love reading

Annoyingly I can’t seem to find a recap either

I think they are a lot less well known now than when I was a young teen, rampaging through historical sagas and dramas from Jean Plaidy, Georgette Heyer, Trollope and Austen and a host of now largely forgotten writers of historical bodice rippers. This genre of book was very hot at the time.

They are well known but never famous in the way of Trollope or Austen. The Galsworthys went out of print for quite a while - I was missing a book and could only find it in a second hand shop - that would be in the early 90s. The fashion for Galsworthy and this genre of book has fluctuated so it wouldn’t surprise me if the new adaptation brings a bunch of new readers who grew up in one of the genre’s fallow periods.

If anyone who watches this latest Forsyte series is then spurred on to read the books, they'll be mightily puzzled by the huge plot changes.

The books won't make sense.

Looking forward to watching along with others enjoying it

Enjoyed this first episode, looking forward to the next.

Why did the seamstress have her hair loose? Even working class women would have had their hair up in Victorian England.

This is correct. I sell vintage dress accessories and have some knowledge of historic costume. Putting up ones hair was an important mark of adulthood in Victorian Britain. It showed that a girl was ready for marriage. It was also a sign of "respectability". Loose hair was somehow associated with free manners and lack of morals. A young unmarried girl like June would have put up her hair when she "came out" in society. She could have got away with wearing it loose informally at home until she married. However a professional woman with two children and presenting herself as a widow would definitely have worn hers up. Wearing it flowing about her shoulders would not have attracted the kind of clientelle known as the "carriage trade" of which the Forsytes were part.

@wistytwin thanks so much for the link to the 60s version on U Tube. The costumes are so much more accurate. Its he kind of thing I would love to watch on my tablet last thing at night.

Yes I also remember The Pallisers with Susan Hampshire. I did see it again more recently but cant remember where. Again, I dont believe its available for streaming but maybe on u Tube.

I’ve seen both earlier instalments , and loved them both.
But I absolutely loved the first episodes of the new series.
the changes to young Joy and Jane I could easily accept.
i always thought Sommes was the older brother, which confused me at first.
But I felt the character of young Jo was more fleshed out this time.
Previously, when he left his wife it did feel a bit rushed/forced.

i find this Irenie more believable as a woman that Sommes could become ‘obsessed’ with.
I like her a lot.
And it was a nice touch to see her with her father.
Nigel Davenport….. well Nigel Davenport - just love him.
The new Sommes is interesting.
Like him , but very different from the earlier vision.
Joy senior is great too….and if the story runs true , his future ‘friendship ‘ with a certain lady makes much more sense than in the 2002 version.

I’m really looking forward to part 2.

i find this Irenie more believable as a woman that Sommes could become ‘obsessed’ with

I suspect that is fashion. Nyree Dawn Porter was very hot stuff in her day. At that time would have been extremely believable as an object of desire for any eligible man with money looking for an accomplished trophy wife.

I’ve also been watching a few of the early episodes. I have DM’s old DVDs but I imagine that youtube link has been getting a bit of a pasting 😀

There are places where it departs from the books but on the whole it was closer and much closer in the spirit and showing some of Galsworthy’s social satire, especially the suffocating snobbery of the period.

The lack of special effects and more indoor settings due to cost of location filming seems to benefit the production rather than limit it. I think the acting is mostly better for the constraints of the time. The costuming effects are definitely better. Not perfect - I don’t think Victorians were big on eyeliner and it might have been better if they had resisted the urge to enhance the elaborate hair arrangements with back combing but the period feel is much stronger. The new version is more like Bridgerton which is great for an alternative history fantasy but not for a documented period.

I've read that the BBC realised they'd made an understandable but regrettable mistake when they made the late 1960s version in black and white. They couldn't sell it worldwide which they probably would have done if it had been in colour. It's probably affected their ability to repeat it and to sell it on videotape and DVD as well. Nowadays it would be fine on Talking Pictures and I'm sure it does well on YouTube. The diehard fans don't mind black and white.

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