laogui-04449

I had looked forward to this series but honestly I found it dragged and was constantly gloomy, without relief. Where were any bright spots? Quality of cinematography and production high, as expected. So I've persevered through to Season 2 episode 5, but I am more and more tempted to walk away. Enough! Too much! Family differences and class prejudices and financial skulduggery and seaside mining, a sullen Ross seldom smiling. A gutful really, but I've stuck it out. Take a break, I think and maybe two episodes at a time then a break. In fact the theme of business venture competition and domination attempts and scheming palls pretty quickly, for me at least.

Season 2 the devious malevolent George constantly plotting and scheming and lack of success, disaster after disaster. What a bore!

I watched this without the benefit of having watched a French production, which many reviewers refer to and employ to lessen the quality of this series. In my view this production or reproduction stands on its own feet. The plots are not exactly credible, whether in French or English, but I particularly enjoyed seeing York townhood streets lanes and minster. Filming acting and characterisation were all good enough, not great but very acceptable. The autistic behavioural characterisation was ok, but slightly lacking in conviction from my experience.

In summary the plots were the weak point, but the series was agreeable overall - a 7+ but by no means and 8.

From beginning to end unrelenting pleasure and my eyes watering as the end approached. Why not a 10, given that it just couldn't be better? I rank this watching experience as the very best of my life, never to be forgotten. That thought came to mind as a certainty as episode 9 drew to an end. I'll have to go back and compile a list of the food terms. A second run through is assured, and I need to look closely at the streets and houses - when I stayed in Kyoto it was the nearby hilly tourist area of Higashiyama, but the setting of The Maganai was quite flat, and densely built up - of course it is Gion. Kyoto starred in this series too, as did the yakata lifestyle.