I watched the first hour and a half on Masterpiece Mystery last night. Why it is considered a mystery is a mystery to me. Certainly a "period piece", "soap opera" or "melodrama" are better as categories. The presentation / cinematography is good, and the series has a good period feel to it.
The story thrusts you into scenes without any development of the characters before that, and interactions between individuals appear to have a back-story or may be important in the future, but you don't have a clue as to why. Most of the characters are difficult to either like or with whom to identify. Parts of the plot feel forced and heavy handed where the point could have been made without the audience being beaten over the head with it. This far in, I'd expect to have a better framing, direction and character development.
Having wasted ninety minutes already, I'll try to watch to the end just to see if it makes any sense at the end whatsoever. Unlike other period pieces PBS has shown (Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs, Mr Selfridge, etc. this one has done nothing for me. Your view may differ just as some of the reviews have. But if you had not yet seen this and asked for a recommendation from me, I'd recommend something else instead.
The story thrusts you into scenes without any development of the characters before that, and interactions between individuals appear to have a back-story or may be important in the future, but you don't have a clue as to why. Most of the characters are difficult to either like or with whom to identify. Parts of the plot feel forced and heavy handed where the point could have been made without the audience being beaten over the head with it. This far in, I'd expect to have a better framing, direction and character development.
Having wasted ninety minutes already, I'll try to watch to the end just to see if it makes any sense at the end whatsoever. Unlike other period pieces PBS has shown (Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs, Mr Selfridge, etc. this one has done nothing for me. Your view may differ just as some of the reviews have. But if you had not yet seen this and asked for a recommendation from me, I'd recommend something else instead.