Kenn Kid

Episode 1 introduces the characters ,sets the stage ,and gives a clear view of what seaport towns were like. Sailors were very low on the social scale. Whalers were at the bottom of that scale. The ships were noted for long voyages,dangerous conditions, being dirty and smelly. Melville felt the crews were mostly lubbers and the skeleton staff were professional whalers. He himself was not a professional sailor. I think the real purpose of the voyage is to wreck the ship and collect insurance money. This was called Barratry.? It was a frequent occurrence. Captains who lost ships by no fault of their own could get new commands. The Whale Ship Essex,on which Moby Dick was based, had men who stayed in the fishery after that. By 1859 Whale oil was being displaced by kerosene to light lamps. They may even have had gas lighting in cities. So the industry was dying. They were still clubbing baby seals,which are white, for pelts,into the 1970s in Canada, I think that ended with the hue and cry at that time.My wife was very up set with the seal hunting interlude.Good historic setting and I love sea stories.Why is the sound so low? One would think they could preview that and edit it up so you can hear more than mumbles.This seems a pattern for BBC ? productions. Bad sound quality.Mr Alderson works in the Drugstore in this one. From All Creatures-,Helens dad. Timothy? No TOM Courtenay. Is the owner Baxter. He was in Dr. ZHIVAGO. The Captain is an excellent actor. He was AL Capone in Boardwalk Empire. Never slipped in the American accent. Some fine actors here .Farrell is menacing.and looks filthy.WEll cast. These ships were pretty small and people routinely must have got on each others nerves. I have been on the Charles Morgan at Mystic Conn. Its a rather small ship really.The long times between whale chases must have been incredibly boing.