I quite enjoyed the two hour premiere (2 episodes slapped together) of Pillars of the Earth last week and the next installment airs tonight. This is exactly the kind of show I've been wanting to see of late. Gritty, extremely well produced, solid performances all 'round, and 12th century England.
Anyone else see it? What did you think? Do you think they'll cancel the show right as we're loving it, or wait until we're full-on addicted?
I had a strange feeling no one was watching The Pillars of the Earth. This does not bode well. Ah well, I'll enjoy it while I can.
Starz has really stepped up the ante here. After the amazing Spartacus: Blood and Sand, I was so excited to hear about this series. Unfortunately I don't get Starz, so will have to wait for Netflix.
I don't even know how they can afford this one, honestly. Perhaps because they shot it in Hungary (which looks astonishingly primeval) and it was a simpler time, with simpler dress, ornamentation and architecture.
Sorry, bro. I was sorry to see PotE wind up a channel most wouldn't see. But as Stardust said, it will be on Netflix eventually.
I waited to Netflix for years and years because the through the mail thing didn't appeal to me, but their selection of streaming films is VAST. I'll Nevah Go Hungry Again!
I've seen the first two episodes, and so far I'm really enjoying it. It's doing a good job of portraying the abject poverty and corruption aspects of the Dark Ages, and casting Ian McShane as the venal bishop was a great decision.
I'll have to check out streaming, cos rentin dvd's don't work. My kids chew on them.
I had a dvd player until my youngest decided to cram 20 dvd's into it at the same time. I can't rent dvd's. It'd be cheaper to buy them.
I can see the logic there, yes.
I've seen the first two episodes, and so far I'm really enjoying it. It's doing a good job of portraying the abject poverty and corruption aspects of the Dark Ages, and casting Ian McShane as the venal bishop was a great decision.
Absolutely. I have yet to not be riveted by an Ian McShane performance. Deadwood, Kings, Lovejoy. The man generates his own gravity.
I've seen the first two episodes, and so far I'm really enjoying it. It's doing a good job of portraying the abject poverty and corruption aspects of the Dark Ages, and casting Ian McShane as the venal bishop was a great decision.Absolutely. I have yet to not be riveted by an Ian McShane performance. Deadwood, Kings, Lovejoy. The man generates his own gravity.
In the book, the villains are quickly established as entirely despicable people, and it's good to see that the miniseries is doing that as well. My only concern is that Ian McShane's Bishop Waleran might overshadow the William Hamleigh character.
OMG, Somebody actually remembers Lovejoy.
In the book, the villains are quickly established as entirely despicable people, and it's good to see that the miniseries is doing that as well. My only concern is that Ian McShane's Bishop Waleran might overshadow the William Hamleigh character.I've seen the first two episodes, and so far I'm really enjoying it. It's doing a good job of portraying the abject poverty and corruption aspects of the Dark Ages, and casting Ian McShane as the venal bishop was a great decision.Absolutely. I have yet to not be riveted by an Ian McShane performance. Deadwood, Kings, Lovejoy. The man generates his own gravity.
I've noticed that though Ian is shorter than most of his costars, he can't help but to overshadow them.
Starz On Demand has the 3 episodes as well as a background episode and has had those available before the actual premier.
Cool. Thanks for spreading the word. :)
OMG, Somebody actually remembers Lovejoy.
And Tinker and Eric and Lady Jane. I haven't seen that in so long. I should buy that series. I know I missed a few episodes.
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Really enjoyed this so far. I love the grittiness and even more I love the script writing. Every episode has ended with something rather [i]interesting[i] happening, particularly the second and the utterly perfect gesture of contempt involved.
Still there are a lot of little details that work in this i.e. the people of the middle ages act as such in their beliefs and attitudes rather then being 20th century imports and unlike so many other historical dramas.
At the same time so much of the show is very human, in the sometime very little details, like a Aliena moving away from a person in a crowd or Prior Phillip's dealings with the Bishop are things we instinctively 'get'.
Brillant work.
Really enjoyed this so far. I love the grittiness and even more I love the script writing. Every episode has ended with something rather [i]interesting[i] happening, particularly the second and the utterly perfect gesture of contempt involved.
Still there are a lot of little details that work in this i.e. the people of the middle ages act as such in their beliefs and attitudes rather then being 20th century imports and unlike so many other historical dramas.
At the same time so much of the show is very human, in the sometime very little details, like a Aliena moving away from a person in a crowd or Prior Phillip's dealings with the Bishop are things we instinctively 'get'.
Brillant work.
I enjoyed reading those insights, Thanks, Kerney.
I loved Ian McShane in Deadwood. I'm not sure if he'll quite live up to that character in this show, but so far I'm enjoying it.
I don't even know how they can afford this one, honestly. Perhaps because they shot it in Hungary (which looks astonishingly primeval) and it was a simpler time, with simpler dress, ornamentation and architecture.
The production company made the series off the cuff, as it were, and then sold it to Starz later on, as well as to a batch of European and Asian channels. If Starz funded it themselves, it would have likely been too expensive for them.
Haven't seen it yet. The book fell into the so-bad-it's-good category, lots of cheesy melodrama and heaving bosoms, so I'm not expecting huge things from it, although I hear they've upped the coverage of the civil war in the TV version which is a good thing.