A great episode. Sadly, Esther contracts smallpox, but survives. Her face is badly pockmarked but her courage doesn't wane. Ada is there for her. Meanwhile, Mr. Guppy tries to create his extortion method but gets to Krook too late. According to the coroner's inquest, he dies of spontaneous combustion. Guppy is beside himself. No one knows if the letters were consumed in the fire. Tulkinghorn becomes aware of Guppy's involvement. Also, young Jo disappears, most likely the doing of Skimpole, the rat who hangs around Bleak House and is tolerated for some reason. Sergeant George is threatened again and must decide whether to cotton to Tulkinghorn's and Smallweed's wishes.
2 Reviews
Combustion and extortion
TheLittleSongbird24 September 2019
Loved this 2005 adaptation of 'Bleak House', a wonderful book though long and quite complicated upon first reading, when it first aired, and it was one of my favourites on television that year. Fourteen years on and it has held up brilliantly. Up there with my favourite Dickens television adaptations and there are many superb ones out there, not just television but film as well. Though generally in my view Dickens' books work better as mini-series, with longer lengths to have more of the story in and more complexity.
Episode 7 continues the outstanding standard set by the previous six parts. Again it is an eventful episode, while with enough room to breathe and coherence is not affected. Things that viewers already know are built upon, with both the storytelling and characterisation advancing (with a different side to Guppy seen, one would never think that he would be capable of what he does here before) advanced. While also having new story elements set up, like with the small pox.
It didn't feel rushed to me, which is great for so much going on and with an episode length that is relatively short. The story doesn't lose its coherence, which is again great when some of it is complicated to get your head round at first.
Visually, Episode 7 is beautifully shot and the Victorian era is nailed in both look and atmosphere, although the buildings and costumes are so handsome to look at one can feel and smell the full impact of the dangerous living conditions present in the era. The music fits nicely.
Dialogue is literate and thoughtful in an accessible way, without being too wordy which is a feat as Dickens is talk-heavy and it can be quite dense. Just to say, if anybody recoils from and is disturbed by the state of Krook's body that is very understandable.
All the performances are strong, with Charles Dance, Tulkinghorn as reprehensible as ever, and Burn Gorman, with a more tortured side here, coming out on top. Appreciated too that Anna Maxwell Martin's Esther avoids being too meek, while Carey Mulligan is a sympathetic Ada and Hugo Speer is suitably honourable. Jo isn't on the wrong side of cloying either.
To conclude, another outstanding episode. 10/10
Episode 7 continues the outstanding standard set by the previous six parts. Again it is an eventful episode, while with enough room to breathe and coherence is not affected. Things that viewers already know are built upon, with both the storytelling and characterisation advancing (with a different side to Guppy seen, one would never think that he would be capable of what he does here before) advanced. While also having new story elements set up, like with the small pox.
It didn't feel rushed to me, which is great for so much going on and with an episode length that is relatively short. The story doesn't lose its coherence, which is again great when some of it is complicated to get your head round at first.
Visually, Episode 7 is beautifully shot and the Victorian era is nailed in both look and atmosphere, although the buildings and costumes are so handsome to look at one can feel and smell the full impact of the dangerous living conditions present in the era. The music fits nicely.
Dialogue is literate and thoughtful in an accessible way, without being too wordy which is a feat as Dickens is talk-heavy and it can be quite dense. Just to say, if anybody recoils from and is disturbed by the state of Krook's body that is very understandable.
All the performances are strong, with Charles Dance, Tulkinghorn as reprehensible as ever, and Burn Gorman, with a more tortured side here, coming out on top. Appreciated too that Anna Maxwell Martin's Esther avoids being too meek, while Carey Mulligan is a sympathetic Ada and Hugo Speer is suitably honourable. Jo isn't on the wrong side of cloying either.
To conclude, another outstanding episode. 10/10
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