This vital time in history is continually overlooked in television and movies. With "The Crimson Field", there is an accurate depiction of the trauma and life of World War I soldiers and nurses. Expertly crafted by the writers and directors, the accuracy of the production is also worth noting. The show both draws you in with the poignancy of stories and repels you with the brutality of war. Important to note the work of Oona Chaplin as our heroine Kitty Trevelyan, who holds mysteries within that seem to prevent her from opening up to others. Her behavior is intriguing and perplexing. Another character of note is Suranne Jones as Sister Joan Livesey. I wish Sister Joan had been given more of her story sooner than the last few episodes. Her work is really quite extraordinary and the resonance of action and character work would have been nice to see earlier. Her story comes to fruition quite abruptly and then dominates the end of the season. Lastly, Richard Rankin as Capt Thomas Gillan is the moral compass and voice of reason in the chaos of war. He silence is golden and emotes every possible thought and feeling, communicating with the audience on another level. His tet-a-tet with Kitty is playful, sensual, emotional, and freeing. There a lot of wonderful work here.
It is too bad that BBC didn't choose to renew the show for another season. There was a lot of story and character to be developed. That might have been the issue some would have with the show later, they wrote it with a need to discover more, but there has to be more "pay-off" sooner for viewers. Overall, an interesting and important show that won't disappoint with a very minimal commitment. Beautiful, warm, and lovely, "The Crimson Field" doesn't disappoint.
It is too bad that BBC didn't choose to renew the show for another season. There was a lot of story and character to be developed. That might have been the issue some would have with the show later, they wrote it with a need to discover more, but there has to be more "pay-off" sooner for viewers. Overall, an interesting and important show that won't disappoint with a very minimal commitment. Beautiful, warm, and lovely, "The Crimson Field" doesn't disappoint.