Jamestown

As stories go this was very well written and the acting was exemplary. Once again however we are reminded of why we should not learn our history from Hollywood. As far as to history this show is extremely inaccurate. Only one of the characters (James Reed) was actually on the censor from Jamestown at the dates listed. Jamestown was founded by the London Company not the Virginia Company as the show narrates. It was originally known as James Fort during the time this show takes place. Life in Jamestown was also a lot harder than shown in the show with almost 80% of the inhabitants dying from starvation, dysentery, or disease over the first three decades of the colonies formation with the colony actually being abandoned twice, the second time after the colony was burnt to the ground. None of this is mentioned in the show.

If you expect a factual, realistic and historically based drama, this is not the show for you. If you are looking for simple entertainment value and not having to think too hard, this show does pretty good. The characters are good if a little caricatural with the obviously good and honourable James Read, the nasty greedy Governor Yardley and the scheming and sneaky Widow Castel. There is a hint of depth to them but nothing that will make you wonder very much. Yet you start to like some of them and hope they'll prevail.

I thought the acting was very good and the characters worthy, but right from the beginning the script was lacking and you notice things are off. Coming out of the water or the woods and the character is spiffy clean? the clothes are not perfectly period, though that won't bother many, the ship mooring as some others have mentioned, and honestly, a gay man wearing an earring in the open, in such a tough society? he'd have been flogged and tossed off the ship before it even landed. I found too many things that were not believable and a script lacking. Too bad because I love period drama's.

I checked out the reviews on here before I watched the first episode, and proceeded despite the overall negativity. I'm glad I did - I was hooked right away and I won't find the wait until the next episode easy.

I understand how some people care about historical accuracy - but I couldn't care less and I'm sure that's true for many viewers too, and I don't think you could call any of this show's mistakes egregious. They made some compromises for convenience, some to spice things up, and some probably out of ignorance but if it's spoiling someone's enjoyment of the story then that's on them because there's nothing ridiculous.

Overall I think it's a finely polished show, focused mainly on the relationships between the characters, and particularly the struggles of the new female arrivals to find their place in the settlement and carve out some agency for themselves. I like all of the main characters a lot, and I don't get to say that very often. Verity and Jocelyn in particular are delightful. I can't wait to see what they are going to do and say next.

It's not as witty as Downton Abbey, but it's soapy in the same way. However, I wouldn't assume it would attract the same kinds of fans.

I've seen people whining that it isn't historically accurate. But I've yet to see a show that truly is. This show is everything it needs to be. Thrilling, captivating and well acted. Period dramas are just that, dramas, set in history. It's not a documentary so if that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere. Great and entertaining show.