kjruk

Charles 1 was no different to any other European king - they all believed in their "divine right" - which is why a King or Queen is annointed. Previous kings had been disposed of by other means but as the programme states no King had been put in trial, no matter how brutal. Legally he was right. It was a military trial, normal customary procedures had been set aside. It was a Show Trial. He didn't even know what exactly he was charged with. He had no legal defence. The idea that Cromwell was acting for the people is not credible but they did make statements that ring true today about rule by the people. However in the real world Cromwell crushed all the real democratic movements like the Levellers. It was a show trial.

The people didn't like what they got in the end - a cheerless Puritan world that banned Christmas, singing and dancing and all such frivoliy. So got the next king back Charles ii.

Probably all these historians are royalists. I would have been happy to see Guy Fawkes succeed but the programme is about how Parliament managed to kill a King - by using the Army and inventing their own legality. That's undeniable. They didn't create a Republic so there was nowhere to go it was a bourgeois reviluy, if you take a Marxist view. The People's revolution was once again there but silenced by the bourgeoisie establishment.

It's supposed to be a study of the English aristocracy - a more ghastly bunch of people you couldn't imagine. And probably mostly true. However it's just uninteresting. There is more incident and action in any well known Agatha Christie movie. You have to wait about 1hr and 20 minutes before the "incident" happens. The "secrets" when they come out are a good twist but wasted.

The inspector is an unbelievable caracature. Even Inspector Lestrard wasn't quite as daft. Presumably supposed to be the comedy but out of place.

I wouldn't watch it again - my judgement of a good film like Godfather or Lethal weapon.

All the actors of course excellent.