To date, all the user reviews of this series give it 10/10, so could I do less? So how is the overall rating only 8.3? I don't get it. However, to chime into the overall praise, this is a cracking good drama which is remarkably true to the novel by Alexandre Dumas. In comparison with other versions, it provides a clear exposition of the major threads of the story. I saw it in my teens and recently had the pleasure of reprising it after an interval of more than 50 years. I had never forgotten the closing lines of dialogue and was pleased to find that my recollection was accurate. Considering the series as a whole, it starts off quite well and the first 6 or so episodes are workmanlike, given the low budget. The seafaring and prison scenes are handled quite competently given the challenges involved with a small B&W screen, but things get easier with the move to Paris. However the real magic of the series is the depiction of the enigmatic and Machiavellian figure of the Count. Charismatic Alan Badel is quite simply magnificent, with the profile of an eagle, and the clear and musical articulation of his lines. Apart from his mesmerising performance, there is time to admire the depth of acting talent right through the cast. They may fluff their lines occasionally, but they are fully in command of the characters they portray. Both cast and crew richly deserve plaudits, and this series stands as a tribute to the talent which the BBC could marshal in the 1960s.
Review of The Count of Monte Cristo
