Desperate Romantics

Expecting some kind of drama (I had read no reviews), I was puzzled for the first 15 minutes or so. Once I realized it was a farce I found it thoroughly enjoyable. I'm sure it has little to do with the reality of the people, time and place. But I don't really care. The writing is excellent and acting is, too. I've gotten plenty of good laughs out of it.

Anybody watching the series expecting a realistic portrayal of the lives of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood will be disappointed however those just wanting an enjoyable romp with a good story that is well acted then this is just the thing. The characters were delightfully over the top without coming over as parodies.

The story follows the lives of artists Millais, Rossetti and Hunt along with their fictional friend Fred Walters as they recruit models Lizzie Siddal and Annie Miller and fall in love with them. The other main character is John Ruskin who supports their work.

While we do see some of their art the series was far more interested in their romantic entanglements which means there many sex scenes which means a fair amount of nudity... no strategically positioned sheets here. Another main theme is their quest to gain a patron who will enable them to become established.

From the moment it starts it is clear that this is going to be a romp as the music is as over the top that the story it goes with. Some people might not like this but I found it very jolly and suited to the story. The acting was fine throughout, I especially liked Amy Manson and Jennie Jacques's performances as Lizzie and Annie, I can see why the men in the story were besotted by their characters.

This BBC drama series on the Pre-Raphaelites concentrates on three major artists - Millais, Hunt and Rossetti, and uses a fourth member of the Brotherhood, critic Fred Stephens, as narrator and fall guy. On the whole the drama works well, with a humorous edge designed to illustrate the somewhat chaotic circumstances of the artists' lives. The character of the artists is well differentiated; perhaps understandably, there is not much about the differences in their art. In fact the series concentrates on personal lives rather than art. Plenty is seen of their various women, both literally and in terms of screen time, and those who are averse to lusty sex scenes will need to fast forward sometimes. The stand-out performances are perhaps Tom Hollander as the art critic Ruskin, and Amy Manson as the tragically ill-used Lizzie Siddal. The period settings are well done.

Some reviewers are taking things way too seriously. This is a fun, bawdy take on the life and loves of the Pre-Raphaelites. It's certainly not meant to be a piece of art scholarship. You see, there's this genre called historical FICTION. I almost turned it off in the first few minutes because I thought it going to cheesy but am so glad I didn't. It's funny, fast moving, well written, well acted, and infinitely watchable. But why oh why only one season??

So far I have only seen the first three episodes, but I must say I am hooked big time. I love a good costume drama, especially one based on real life historical people. This one tells the tale of the Pre-Rafaelite Brotherhood, a group of young, talented and influential artists, active in London around 1850. As with most historical dramas, you can argue that the story has been modernized to appeal to what an audience today wants to see, rather than depict a true documentation of actual facts, but I have no problem with that whatsoever. I want my dramas hot, juicy and plot and character driven; as I want my documentaries dry and fact based. As it happens, this show has kept me busy online for several hours, finding out more about these artists and their paintings. So my verdict is: hot, steamy and educational.