I have not read the book, but am aware of how it ends and know that some "liberties" have been taken - but more of that later.
I thought this was a great piece of television, with so much "fly on the wall" and "I wanna be famous cos" TV, this show made for a refreshing change.
The acting I thought was great and Eddie Izzard is really underrated. The costumes were sumptuous and I liked the fact that when it was meant to be cold it looked cold. You could see the actors breath, I hate it when you are told it's winter and yet you can't see steam when they speak - ruins it for me. I knew perfectly well what time period it was (the costumes saw to that) and it didn't need and introduction, Treasure Island - says it all really. The locations were excellent, cold damp England, the high seas, the hot tropical island. What more could you want from an escapist fantasy? I enjoyed seeing pirate crews with a truly multinational crew as it would have been in those days. A black man as first mate? Maybe for a private venture such as this? yes I can see that.
The script was good and most of the filming too was very good. Some of the styles of filing did get on my nerves a bit (a tad too try hard with all the sped up action in parts). The sound was at times very quiet and I struggled to hear what the cast were saying. I know it was all meant to be cloak and dagger stuff but at times just too quiet.
The ending - I shan't say what the books ending was but I can see why it was changed. Mr Stevenson was writing in a time where gentlemen were always good no matter what their ideology was. He was also writing about a time that had very similar views. If he wrote it the way it ended here the audience simply would not have believed it nor liked it. I see this ending as a modernisation of the that original ending. Would Mr Stevenson liked it? Doubt it but he was of a different time and that's how we should view it. Given all the dross that is on telly at the moment this is a true bit of treasure.
I thought this was a great piece of television, with so much "fly on the wall" and "I wanna be famous cos" TV, this show made for a refreshing change.
The acting I thought was great and Eddie Izzard is really underrated. The costumes were sumptuous and I liked the fact that when it was meant to be cold it looked cold. You could see the actors breath, I hate it when you are told it's winter and yet you can't see steam when they speak - ruins it for me. I knew perfectly well what time period it was (the costumes saw to that) and it didn't need and introduction, Treasure Island - says it all really. The locations were excellent, cold damp England, the high seas, the hot tropical island. What more could you want from an escapist fantasy? I enjoyed seeing pirate crews with a truly multinational crew as it would have been in those days. A black man as first mate? Maybe for a private venture such as this? yes I can see that.
The script was good and most of the filming too was very good. Some of the styles of filing did get on my nerves a bit (a tad too try hard with all the sped up action in parts). The sound was at times very quiet and I struggled to hear what the cast were saying. I know it was all meant to be cloak and dagger stuff but at times just too quiet.
The ending - I shan't say what the books ending was but I can see why it was changed. Mr Stevenson was writing in a time where gentlemen were always good no matter what their ideology was. He was also writing about a time that had very similar views. If he wrote it the way it ended here the audience simply would not have believed it nor liked it. I see this ending as a modernisation of the that original ending. Would Mr Stevenson liked it? Doubt it but he was of a different time and that's how we should view it. Given all the dross that is on telly at the moment this is a true bit of treasure.