The 1931 setting was beautifully done. The actors did a good job. The storyline is a soap opera and like most soap operas, it is addictive. One definitely gets hooked into watching the whole series from the very beginning.
There were some things however, that were so unrealistic, they were irksome. Illicit sex is a recurring theme in this mini series, however, not once do they ever discuss, show, or allude to any form of contraception being used. I would expect better of HBO and of a period piece. Much effort is taken to depict the 1930's, even the details of medical procedures during the hospital scene. Yet they just happened to leave out the important question of how so much sex is happening without anyone becoming pregnant, over and over again. Typical American hypocrisy.
Another completely unrealistic plot twist was when Veda becomes a Prima Donna coloratura opera singer after only a couple of months of training. No previous voice training or experience. She explains that "after a whole week of training, she 'finally' found her coloratura voice". Wow, I didn't realize one could become a prodigy soloist after only one week to two months of training. That was so dumb, it almost made me stop watching. And it is an important part of the plot during the last two episodes.
Lastly, I never could wrap my mind around how Mildred could allow her daughter to behave like such an incredible snob with no moral conscience, repeatedly. She turned into a monster really. Yet Mildred and Bert never seemed to take any responsibility for helping to make her that way.
Unrealistic. Too much of this.
There were some things however, that were so unrealistic, they were irksome. Illicit sex is a recurring theme in this mini series, however, not once do they ever discuss, show, or allude to any form of contraception being used. I would expect better of HBO and of a period piece. Much effort is taken to depict the 1930's, even the details of medical procedures during the hospital scene. Yet they just happened to leave out the important question of how so much sex is happening without anyone becoming pregnant, over and over again. Typical American hypocrisy.
Another completely unrealistic plot twist was when Veda becomes a Prima Donna coloratura opera singer after only a couple of months of training. No previous voice training or experience. She explains that "after a whole week of training, she 'finally' found her coloratura voice". Wow, I didn't realize one could become a prodigy soloist after only one week to two months of training. That was so dumb, it almost made me stop watching. And it is an important part of the plot during the last two episodes.
Lastly, I never could wrap my mind around how Mildred could allow her daughter to behave like such an incredible snob with no moral conscience, repeatedly. She turned into a monster really. Yet Mildred and Bert never seemed to take any responsibility for helping to make her that way.
Unrealistic. Too much of this.