This reimagining pulls together several Charles Dickens stories for a mini-series. Jacob Marley is dead. Inspector Bucket (Stephen Rea) investigates the murder using the new field of police detective work. He suspects Marley's partner Ebenezer Scrooge, their clerk Bob Cratchit, and Fagin who has questionable dealings. Edward Barbary has run into financial difficulties borrowing from Scrooge. He has two very different daughters, Frances and Honoria. Amelia Havisham takes over her father's brewery after inheriting most of his estate causing anger in her incompetent brother Arthur. He plans to take over his sister's share with the help of scheming Meriwether Compeyson.
Money, Money, Money. That's the central theme of this series. In fact, money may as well be the protagonist. I've never really considered this but money seems to be the central theme of Dickens. That is worth an extra point for me. There may be too many Dickens characters. I haven't read most of the stories and I don't remember fully the ones that I know. The one thing about the premise is that the characters' futures are preordain. Nobody is dying other than Marley. I wasn't sure which main character if any would be found to be the killer but I doubt that the person would be hanged unless it's a non Dickensian character. Let's dissect each story.
The most compelling has to be the murder of Jacob Marley and Bucket's investigation although I don't recall that he was murdered in the story. Stephen Rea is terrific and it would be better if his investigation is the only narrative. It would concentrate the story telling and inject greater urgency. The Barbary family is an interesting lot. I don't know much about Bleak House but the sibling relationship is fascinating. Amelia Havisham from Great Expectations has to be the most striking character of them all. I don't think Tuppence Middleton plays it quite right. I get the premise of her wedding's devastation. I just don't think that she can start out as a sweet, trusting soul. I think she has to have elements of her later self before the wedding. So much of the story relies on characters holding back information when there is no reason like a standard sitcom. Also Arthur is as annoying as heck and his plan makes no sense. If not for Great Expectations, logic would dictate that Meriwether Compeyson should kill Arthur even before the dog. Dogs don't talk. Arthur is a threat. The scheme's failure is inevitable. The Bumbles are annoying. They're meant to be the comedic break but their antics aren't that funny. Fagin is cool. Oliver should have a bigger role so when his name is revealed, it becomes a bigger shock. This series is intriguing but it could be more compelling if there is less scattered story telling.
Money, Money, Money. That's the central theme of this series. In fact, money may as well be the protagonist. I've never really considered this but money seems to be the central theme of Dickens. That is worth an extra point for me. There may be too many Dickens characters. I haven't read most of the stories and I don't remember fully the ones that I know. The one thing about the premise is that the characters' futures are preordain. Nobody is dying other than Marley. I wasn't sure which main character if any would be found to be the killer but I doubt that the person would be hanged unless it's a non Dickensian character. Let's dissect each story.
The most compelling has to be the murder of Jacob Marley and Bucket's investigation although I don't recall that he was murdered in the story. Stephen Rea is terrific and it would be better if his investigation is the only narrative. It would concentrate the story telling and inject greater urgency. The Barbary family is an interesting lot. I don't know much about Bleak House but the sibling relationship is fascinating. Amelia Havisham from Great Expectations has to be the most striking character of them all. I don't think Tuppence Middleton plays it quite right. I get the premise of her wedding's devastation. I just don't think that she can start out as a sweet, trusting soul. I think she has to have elements of her later self before the wedding. So much of the story relies on characters holding back information when there is no reason like a standard sitcom. Also Arthur is as annoying as heck and his plan makes no sense. If not for Great Expectations, logic would dictate that Meriwether Compeyson should kill Arthur even before the dog. Dogs don't talk. Arthur is a threat. The scheme's failure is inevitable. The Bumbles are annoying. They're meant to be the comedic break but their antics aren't that funny. Fagin is cool. Oliver should have a bigger role so when his name is revealed, it becomes a bigger shock. This series is intriguing but it could be more compelling if there is less scattered story telling.