The Famous Five

Continuity breaks and plot holes you can sail a wooden boat through, pacing issues, and some really bad dialogue. Yes, I grew up with the books, as did my kids who watched with me. We were all prepared for alterations in story, but so much of it was unnecessary and caused us to spend way to much time with the "big name" actors chewing the scenery and the dialogue, whilst the "famous" five were very often absent. The kids were appalled, and I'm still bewildered at how this could be so bad. And don't get me started on the dialogue-drowning era-jarring electro-soundtrack and epilepsy-inducing titles!

I was really looking forward to this remake. I owned all the books by 10 years old ('70s) and read them many times.

I tried hard to watch it, but it was so awful. The changes to bring it "up to date", while leaving it still in the 40s were just confusing and jarring. I also couldn't watch Jack Gleeson (no, nothing to do with GoT) - his villain was worse than pantomine level.

As others mentioned, the plot/story was nonsensical at times. I also got far too confused trying to work out exactly how the cousins were related, and it took me out of the story.

I've not finished it, but saw enough to give this rating.

Hello. I just turned on the tv and saw this programme. As a child I adored these books as did my friends, we even made up our own famous five stories. I remember the books as wonderful, timeless classics, warm and lovely. However this series is the opposite. I was struck immediately by George's converse. Fun fact, converse was popularised in the 1960s. Secondly, the characters were rude, petulant and wooden. None of them convey any realistic human emotions. Also, what is with the music? It's incredibly annoying and unnecessary. The acting is outright hilarious, a complete mockery of these cherished books.

"Yeah right?" Is this a phrase used in the 1930s? This series is a disappointment to anyone who loved these books. In addition, I am writing as a thirteen year old who is warning others to stay away.

One last thing. The start titles. I thought I was watching some kind of experimental perfume ad. CANCEL THE SERIES!

This has very little to do with the book other than the character names.

Not even their personalities seem to match those of the book characters.

George is very girly, Anne is certainly not timid, Timmy doesn't do much, Dick is just weird and Julien seems rather meek.

3* because some of the scenary is really nice, especially the island, but the story is ludicrous, with the plot jumping all over the place, and the whole thing was just really odd! Lots of really wooden acting as the whole thing lacked fear and emotion as in the books, and was so far from dramatic I almost laughed at many of the scenes.

And don't get me started on the hair cut of the baddie! Soooo funny!

Will I watch the next one? Possibly for the scenery and comedy factor. Such a shame as I had high hopes for this and was really looking forward to it.

Another shameless example of trading on a name. This is the Famous Five in name only. If they didn't want to adapt the actual stories then they should have given the characters original names and made the story they obviously wanted to tell.

The original 70s series frequently played fast and loose with the stories due to trying to the need to fit them into 30 or 60 minutes, but even at their worst they still felt like the Famous Five. This monstrosity feels nothing like the Famous Five.

Don't waste your time with this and encourage them to make more. Go watch the 70s version on Britbox or better yet, go read the books (the proper uncensored versions).