James Smith

This remake of H E Bates book "the Darling Buds Of May" entitled "The Larkins" is an insult to the author. The script is puerile, the casting and acting appalling. Each episode an excruciating, disjointed, messed up muddle. I and my wife endured 1 ½ episodes, but tuned to different channel halfway through episode 2, we couldn't stand anymore. The original series "The Darling Buds of May" was, and still is a delightful top quality entertainment. Well directed and produced. David Jason's portrayal of Pa Larkin was brilliant. Bradley Walsh as Pa Larkin is awful. He would do better to get a part in "Eastenders" or "Coronation Street" where acting helps but is not necessarily required! Other viewers reviews seem to agree "The Larkins" series is abysmal, and should be banished to the cutting room floor.

I and my wife are enjoying watching a re-run of Downton Abbey, but we have now come to the episodes where Lady Edith Crawly's daughter Marigold has been put into the care of a foster family. We cannot understand why Marigold is apparently a VERY early developer. She was conceived several years after her 2 cousins, but strangely looks to be a similar age? How come she was never seen as an infant? It doesn't make any sense chronologically.

Quite enjoying this production. The actor playing Jean Valjean is very believable as Victor Hugo's character desperately trying to put his horrendous past behind him. But I'm not impressed with the portrayal of Inspector Javert, this actor seems to be just speaking his lines without any feeling. A very dull and wooden performance. He does not convey Javert's spiteful and vindictive nature, hell bent on bringing down, by any means, Jean Valjean's attempt to live a more honest and compassionate way of life. Such a shame because this could have been an excellent version of this wonderful novel.

With virtually nothing but repeated programs on TV at the moment I and my wife so looked forward to a new drama series. OK, so this is about the 4th adaptation of the tales of vet James Herriot we have seen. We have followed this new series from the beginning, and have come to the conclusion it must be the worst ever made. Samuel West, in our opinion is a great actor, but he has been totally miscast in the role of Siegfried, he comes across as nasty, snidey individual, with a spiteful smile. Hugh Hutton is quite good as Herriot, same goes for Callum Woodhouse as Tristram. But Anna Maddeley as Mrs Hall? Totally wrong! She's not a middle-aged women, with problems in her private life interfering in the running of the practice, but a 60+ Housekeeper/ cook, Yorkshire lass with no nonsense about her. Why, oh why was dear Diana Rigg ( in her last acting roll before her death ) cast as Mrs Pumphrey, Triki Woo's owner, dressed like a Bag Lady? I feel the producer's changes to the sets, and the story lines are are an insult to the writer and creator of the wonderful books. E.g. The Darrowby Show set in the High street not a field in the wonderful Yorkshire country side. Triki Woo did not eat liquor chocolates and have to receive stomach pump treatment, he was brought to Skeldale House to lose weight by running around with Siegfried's pack of dogs, but not another dog is seen in the house? Thanks but no thanks, we will give the remainder of this series a miss, and watch the original series which is being shown now on UK TV's Drama channel.

The "Name of the Rose" is an excellent drama production ( it is NOT a SHOW) . But which idiot on the BBC scheduling decided to broadcast it on BBC 2 on a Friday when at least 2 episodes to date have been cancelled in favour of blasted football. Why on earth wasn't this great drama shown on BBC 4 instead of the repeated Pop Music shows. Oh well I'll read my copy of the book since the schedulers only seem to cater for Strictly or Football mentalities and the "Name of the Rose" requires intelligence to appreciate it.