Tom Jones

I can't say I'm familiar with the original or the book, but certainly heard of it. I have to say the characters were pretty unlikeable... Maybe that's what the book portrays. Males and females alike were snippy, immature, unrealistic ... Far too modern for the story. I would have to say it felt like watching a Disney adaptation, and not a good one.

I'm sad. Time of year to go hunting a good little series to fill network voids. Uh-uh, give this a miss. And 600 character mandatory responses here just make us inane and stupid at times. I didn't like it much. I didn't like it much. Not my cup of tea, so they say, definitely not worthy of my time. There ya go.

Not having seen the 1963 film, I didn't tune in to this version with any comparisons in mind. So it's just what this production offered-or rather, didn't offer-that led me to bail after the first episode. On the whole, the performances were reasonable, but hardly great. One exception would be that of Tom Jones himself, Solly McLeod, who was clearly cast on the basis of looks, acting ability be damned. It's hardly a formula for success when the supporting cast has to carry the show.

One thing that this production shares with many other recent period pieces is the almost certain appearance of characters of color, which other reviewers have noted and criticized. Given that there actually were Africans and Afro-Caribbean people living in Britain at that time, it wouldn't have been impossible to find them. But since the majority were former slaves, the chance of so many making their way into the gentry (and even the aristocracy) really stretches believability. But there is no central casting authority that makes these choices for every historical production being made these days. Rather, I believe it's more of a marketing strategy, not aimed so much at the underserved potential Black viewership of these "bonnet dramas", but as a tacit sign to younger audiences that what they are about to see is a production with fully modern values; values that their parents and grandparents would find shocking. It's not clear to me that this is an effective strategy, since older demographics are the more likely consumer of these period pieces than younger ones.

The 1963 Tom Jones was a deserved classic, perfectly cast and well nigh perfectly adapted. But most of all it was fantastically high spirited, with wit and energy from the first frame. It caused me to read Fielding's novel, one of the great comic romps in English literature.

The inevitable concessions to the spirit of these times don't bother me in this version. But the utter lifelessness, the joylessness, the absence of humor and wit - that does. And making Sophie the narrator and center of wisdom is just absurd. Fielding's Sophie, wonderfully portrayed by Susannah York on the movie, is a smart, but youthful ingenue, beginning her own life's journey (to be sure, with many fewer options than a young man of that v era). Giving her preternatural insight doesn't work.

In short, another BBC disaster. You'd think one of these days the writers and directors who do these things will figure out that you can't slip a little sermon into these classics and have them survive. Not yet, evidently.

Fiction is not history! If you want history read a freaking history book! Art is subjective and can change and differ and transform. Have you heard of speculative fiction? Alternative history?

I'm so sick and tired of boneheads voicing their boneheaded opinions. They are not trying to make a documentary on British history it's entertaining material designed to engage viewers in a fun time!

With that said I've appreciated the counters and the effort to bring this world to life but there are definite shortcomings that need to be addressed. First, the writing needed to be fighter and the acting sharper. This is mid.

It's really hard to believe that 60 years after original Tom Jones things couldn't have been done better. It is sterile, without any real emotions or life of its own.

I am old enough to remember the original Tom Jones with Albert Finney & Susannah York. Now that was funny & raucous! . This pales in comparison, but it's what one comes to expect from PBS....nothing to offend viewers. It's like it's made not to offend ANYONE!

Although we still watch PBS from Canada for some other fine shows with some more depth and substance and, dare I say, swearing. This must have been quite costly to produce....too bad there is no real life substance to it.