A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE - Wed&Thur - ch4 9pm - TV PACE NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

A woman of substance Was originally aired 41 years ago and remains channel 4 highest rated program with 13.8 million people tuning in to the rags to riches story of by BARBARA Taylor Bradford

this drama eight episodes - two a week for four weeks

This new adaptation stars as the older EMMA who heads up a business empire we discover as she stepped back through the decades to meet her younger self that she started out of a maid in a big Yorkshire house

This is a story to climb from poverty to great wealth

I don’t think I’ve ever read any of her books so should be interesting if any good

Ok I’ve watched it all. Addition of characters not in the book and important others missing? Stories not in the book. Why not adapt properly, I just don’t get it. But yes I’ll probably watch a sequel 😆

The media coverage of this programme has mentioned it as being a "steamy bonkbuster". Having watched it, I think the sex in it is tame at best. None of the scenes are anywhere near as steamy as that Nicola Coughlan scene in Bridgerton for example.

Well the next post was the OP sighing about talking about anything not in the first two episodes so despite the fact she isn’t owning it I assume she thought something I said was a spoiler. I don’t think I did but there we are. The gist was pretty much what @NewAgeNewMe has said about leaving out key characters, adding others in and changing stories. Plus some casting decisions which also fundamentally change the story.

@PinkTonic, I also agree re some of the weird decisions made around changing key aspects of the story and characters. Woman of Substance has never been 'high brow' fiction but much loved and the last adaptation was very of its time, but a far more loyal to the book. I am not against updating things- otherwise what is the point of the new series? But considering that this has been strung out over 8 episodes and has the benefit of the most current production values and considerable advances since the last one was filmed, I am not sure how they have managed to end with such a hot mess!

As for spoilers, whilst this is a NO SPOILERS! thread, it is basically an adaptation of a book from 1979 (which has sold in its millions) and an update of a 1985 series which is C4's biggest drama of all time so spoilers have been out there for a few decades now 😉

Couldn’t agree more @Dameputtingonabraveface , plus they dropped the whole thing on a free streaming service so it’s highly unlikely that most people these days would string it out over 4 weeks. I get it when the only way to watch episodes more quickly involves a paid subscription

Is anyone else mesmerised by the guy who plays Squire Fairley? He’s awful. Dead behind the eyes, and seems to be being told what to do by someone just off set, or maybe in an earpiece - “now wave your arms about!” and “stand outside the bedroom looking confused”.

I was hoping there would be a thread on this as I’m heavily invested! Agree with comments about missing characters, totally changed characters and storylines. It loses a lot because of this.
Adele wasn’t that mean, neither was the Squire yet Gerald certainly was!
The Butler is very well portrayed.

I enjoyed the old and new Lynleys and am enjoying the new AWOS as much as the old one. I have read all the books, but can't rmember very much as it was so long ago. The new Bergerac is a disappointment though.

Living in Yorkshire, I am enjoying the filming locations as I know most of them. There was great excitement in the nearest town last summer as they filmed outside the town hall.

f anyone gets the chance to visit Brodsworth Hall I highy recommend it. The gardens are exquisite.

I’ve never read the book or seen the original so I don’t know the story at all

I get it’s on online and can watch all in one go

but I always do tv paced threads as like to chat about the episodes - depending on what has happened

plus watch so much that I tend to keep to the day it’s on to watch

it says in title tv paced and no spoilers so anyone who has seen them all and then Tells the plot it’s a bit unfair to anyone who isn’t binging

Just watching first two episodes now and it’s awful. Not a patch on the original.

The alteration of characters (Blackie and Frank), no doubt to meet a political correctness test, is bordering on bonkers.

It gets better. I snotty cried at some bits but v hormonal at the moment and am ill. Good to binge. I love how you can tell when it was written - it’s very much a late 70s early 80s ‘sisters are doing it for themselves’ vibe. I think they have done it well. The young Emma actress is amazing - it’s a big production to carry.

I’ll keep going!

That’s your preference and I did respect that and did not include spoilers. You won’t know the story after watching this either btw, you’ll know a story loosely based on the original with entirely inexplicable changes which people will discuss on your thread if they’ve read the book or watched the old version.

Maybe someone setting up a spoilers thread might be better, for people to chat about all versions etc?

Anyway. Just popped in to say ive still not managed to watch yet as been busy. Hoping to watch later on tonight.

Also the old version was faithful to the book, with characters actually in the book, not randomly made up, which make no sense. It’s natural that people will comment on this adaptation and compare it to a bestseller and an excellent original adaptation. This is just garbage. And don’t even get me started on Frank, Mack & Paula. Just wrong.

The Walsh Sisters adaptation has made some mistakes, but it’s an Oscar winning adaptation compared to this.

I watched it in the 80s and read the book and I remember nowt. You're spoiler safe with me!

Interesting article comparing the two in Daily Telegraph

I did watch e1 of old and seems fairly the same tho 3 kids not 2

That doesn’t load for me.

How on earth can people remember the exact details of a book and TV series from over 40 years ago? Have they watched/read them recently?

I can never remember the exact plot and characters of something I have watched or read from so long ago (or even more recently).

Half way through episode three and really enjoying it. How beautiful is the house?

Ah sorry I thought I put a share on it.
Essentially the journalist mother and her teenage daughter watched the current series and original.
The mother was a fan of the book and original series but the conclusion was that the old series was very slow and production quality poor compared with modern one. The new series was by far the favourite.
I've just watched ep 2. It's grown on me a bit.

I watched it over and over when I was younger so parts of it are imprinted on my brain! Same with The Thorn Birds.

Having watched a few more episodes of the new version, I can understand that review. Programming from the 1980s must seem terribly dated to people not used to it. And actors back then were trained differently, I’m sure.

If I were watching the original for the first time, I might well judge it more harshly.