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The Jewel in the Crown: ITV's dramatic masterpeice?
Ben_Fisher1
Posts: 2,973 Forum Member
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I have always loved TJITC because, for me, it is one of the best written, paced, acted dramas EVER! Probably ITV's best ever drama series, and the moment when they almost surpassed the BBC for quality period drama. The cast was excellent, Peggy Ashcroft, Art Malik, Tim Piggott Smith, Susan Wooldridge etc it was just a true masterpiece which they just could not make now. At least, not in such a classy and beautiful way.
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I agree.
But it is also helped by being based on some of the best fiction books ever written (imo.) I go back and re-read all 4 every few years; I don't do that with many other books.
Sadly I don't think any programme maker ever has that kind of budget any nore.
I first encountered it as a child when it was first on and my mum loved it, and I also remember Russ Abbott (I think) doing a running spoof at the time about the jewel in India's passage...
TJITC is wondeful - everyone in it is really good, the story is so engrossing, and I love how it's all woven together and everyone's stories intertwine. Art Malik is gorgeous in it. I always liked Sarah Leyton best - I love how sensible she is.
Dammit, now I think I may have to start another box set marathon this weekend! It's been a couple of years since I watched them, I think.
And how about that theme tune too? so fitting to the series. I also love how it doesn't try to appeal to any one demographic, the way they would now, especially to younger people, it just tells the story.
I think it might have been Lenny Henry
No way, sorry but disagree here.Seeing BR now it looks like a slow plodding, and dull elitist fantasy. It never comes close to TJINC's savage attack on colonial life. Also Jewel had so much more to it, interweaving story-lines and subplots, it was much more engaging as a story imo. Brideshead was a very dull tale about a drunk aristo and his friend/ lover which could have been told in just two episodes.
The book of Brideshead is much more like that - intertwining storylines and a whole message about a disappearing way of life, and a strong theme about Catholicism and so on. I didn't like the tv series much though.
Didn't part of that veer off into a parody of 'Brideshead' ?
There wasn't much it didn't parody.
Speaking of which,on Lenny Henry's show back in the day, 'The Jewel In India's Passage' was his spoof version of the titular drama,
I did! I loved Sarah Leyton, she was lovely and sensible and funny and clever, and pretty without being covered in makeup. I was 12, I thought she was wonderful.
They were made at a time (which we are seeing a return of - think Game of Thrones) when television budgets and production values rivalled that of the film industry.
Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett was also a standout series from ITV.
It is magnificent and incredibly memorable. It is gut wrenchingly good, and it taught me a lot.