I'm going to go out on a limb here and NOT compare this series to the original. I've never seen the original, so I really have no basis for comparison.
IMO, the new US/DS is an enjoyable, if flawed, production. Yes, the musical score _can_ be a little overbearing at times. The acting ranges from fair to good, with no real standouts but nobody really dragging things down either. And as a whole, the servants seem a highly unlikely bunch, even considering that they are being hired "on the cheap." (The exception here was Adrian Scarborough as cruise line Steward-turned-Butler, Mr. Pritchard). The show's saving grace, for me, is that it depicts a part of British history that is usually overlooked - the nation's flirtation with Fascism and the rise and fall of Mosley's British Fascist Party.
I understand and agree with (to a point) those who complain about characters entering and leaving the series too quickly. What must be remembered, however, is that at the time of production, there was no certainty of ever having more than 3 episodes to work with, so plotting was necessarily going to be a bit rushed. I would hope, now that a second series of 6 episodes has been ordered (and possible additional series seem likely), that they will be able to relax the plotting a bit and give the characters time to develop before killing them off.
Overall, I'm looking forward to the next series, but see a considerable amount of room for improvement.
IMO, the new US/DS is an enjoyable, if flawed, production. Yes, the musical score _can_ be a little overbearing at times. The acting ranges from fair to good, with no real standouts but nobody really dragging things down either. And as a whole, the servants seem a highly unlikely bunch, even considering that they are being hired "on the cheap." (The exception here was Adrian Scarborough as cruise line Steward-turned-Butler, Mr. Pritchard). The show's saving grace, for me, is that it depicts a part of British history that is usually overlooked - the nation's flirtation with Fascism and the rise and fall of Mosley's British Fascist Party.
I understand and agree with (to a point) those who complain about characters entering and leaving the series too quickly. What must be remembered, however, is that at the time of production, there was no certainty of ever having more than 3 episodes to work with, so plotting was necessarily going to be a bit rushed. I would hope, now that a second series of 6 episodes has been ordered (and possible additional series seem likely), that they will be able to relax the plotting a bit and give the characters time to develop before killing them off.
Overall, I'm looking forward to the next series, but see a considerable amount of room for improvement.