Beth Shirley

Great acting from Claire Danes (Cora Seaborne) saves this melodrama from going over the edge. The muddled plot threads do eventually come together— housing reform, serpent, fossils, and love triangles, pioneering surgeries, devils and saints—believe it or not. All are neatly resolved in the final episode. Clemence Poesy’s Stella deserves special mention as a dying woman making some terrible decisions, as she nearly becomes a saint in what she will do for her husband. Many modern viewers will find her choices unbelievable, but they are in keeping with the period. Her acting throughout is marvelous. Tom Hiddleston (Rev. Will Ransome) offers up the gravest disappointment—his weak character and poor choices are mostly morally wrong. The happy ending seems entirely undeserved, for him. Overall, I recommend this lovely period drama.

Lousy picture of realities facing the real Bass Reeves. I almost think I’m being punked. Anyone ever see the classic Blazing Saddles? I don’t think the wonderful actor playing Reeves believes the part he has to play either. Totally unserious, I don’t think they want me to laugh, but I did. Loved the crazy, unbelievable shooting though. Also funny.