Gayle Smoak Gibbs

I love the Cadfael books, but this series bothered me a lot. Although I think Jacobi is a fine actor, he just doesn’t get the right personality. He’s harsh when he should be kind, he’s rude to those over him in a way Cadfael simply would not have been. He took his vows seriously and would not have spoken to the abbot and the prior as rudely as he does in this show. He never boils bones. Ever. He talks to the several Hughs in a way he would never have done. They were friends and didn’t argue with each other over the crimes they solved. Plus it was very disconcerting to keep changing the Hugh character. The first one was the best one. I must agree that the portrayal of the time and surroundings is very good. But they kept changing the story lines Ellis used for story lines that were weak. I will say one good thing though. The prior and Jerome were perfect. Especially Jerome.

I like everything about the show but those “comics” you have wandering about, annoying the bakers as they struggle with heat and time. One of them had a spoon he wanted them to kiss, which was not only dumb but a bad idea in the days of covid. Frankly, they lower the level of the show. Its hard to take it as seriously when you have these aggravating guys trying to be funny and not succeeding. They just got in the way and wasted the bakers time. I watched one of them, trying to talk to a baker and following the baker about as he went to the oven and then to the refrigerator, having to dunk him and walk around him. I’ve seen some of the bakers turn their backs on them to get on with what they were doing. I wouldn’t miss them. The show would have a lot more dignity. Also, their constant jokes about one of the judges also lowered the level of the show. I know he is pompous but he is one of the judges, after all.