The Forsytes opens in London, 1877, when I was knee-height to a grasshopper…
Oh, actually that was *19*77, but close enough.
It’s the time before Kid’n’Play, when people held house parties with the guests being individually introduced as they arrived into the above, then have posh dances while saying, “Hey, nonny nonny, my lord!”, while budding artist Jolyon Forsyte’s (Danny Griffin) going to take up the heir to this dysfunctional family fortunes, much to the annoyance of brother Soames (Joshua Orpin).
Ten years later, no-one looks any different, other than that Frances’ daughter, June (Justine Emma Moore), is now 18. Maybe it’s because they spend their days sitting throughout with tight expressions and pursed lips?
Men and women give each other what 1988’s Cocktail would determine as “serious fuck-me eyes”, and Susan Hampshire‘s also here, as Lady Carteret. She played Fleur in the 1967 TV adaptation, and at 88, is it wrong of me to say she’s looking quite foxy?
Well, hearts are a-flutter all over the place, potentially leading to characters being tempted to dally away from their respective spouses. Ooh, la la!
For The Forsytes, it’s all very nicely polished, but also very hoity-toity with the characters as they’re beyond posh, although thankfully not posh is Millie Gibson as Irene Heron. She was the only decent thing in recent Doctor Who, and here, she pretends to be a natural redhead, but not even dyeing her eyebrows red.
However, it can feel rather soap operay at times, since if anyone shows the slightest sign of being a bit crook, you know they’ll soon drop dead.
Will this spawn multiple series? Well, like the other Family Fortunes, if the answer’s there, I’ll give you the money myself!
However, it’s been a popular draw, since as far as I’m aware, this is the third TV adaptation of the Forsyte Saga novel, following BBC2 in the aforementioned 1967 adaptation (and thanks to Linda for the info that it was repeated in 1968 and 1969, with 19 million tuned in to the finale! Plus, that it was first UK drama picked up by the Soviet Union), and ITV in 2002, although there has been a movie and radio versions, too. Thus, will probably run and run, like All Creatures Great And Small‘s revival.
The Forsytes continues next Monday on Channel 5 at 9pm.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
If you miss it when broadcast, you can watch the each episode after broadcast on My5.
Series Directors: Meenu Gaur, Andy Newbery, Annetta Laufer
Producers: Sarah Lewis
Novel: John Galsworthy
Screenplay: Debbie Horsfield
Music: Anne Dudley
Cast:
Jolyon Forsyte Jr: Danny Griffin
Jolyon Forsyte Senior: Stephen Moyer
Soames Forsyte: Joshua Orpin
Frances Forsyte: Tuppence Middleton
Ann Forsyte: Francesca Annis
Louisa Byrne: Eleanor Tomlinson
James Forsyte: Jack Davenport
June Forsyte: Justine Emma Moore
Professor Heron: Tristan Sturrock
Emily Forsyte: Naomi Frederick
Winifred Dartie: Eleanor Jackson
Irene Heron: Millie Gibson
Mrs. Ellen Parker Barrington: Josette Simon
Philip Bosinney: Jamie Flatters
Lady Carteret: Susan Hampshire
Clarissa Heron: Fiona Button
Young June Forsyte: Billie Joyce
Swithin Forsyte: Don Gallagher
Wiggins: Rory Bray
Montague Dartie: Tom Durant-Pritchard
Olivia Carteret: Tallulah Evans
Horatio Carteret: George Lammiman
Isaac Cole: Owen Igiehon
Joss Forsyte: Dexter Seaton
Holly Forsyte: Tilly Walker
Hannah: Issey King
Alicia Cole: Sharon Rose
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.