Great characters, intriguing and riveting story lines, excellent and believable acting. Obviously I am a huge fan of the show, and am sorry to see it go. In fact I delayed watching the last two episodes for months because I didn't want to see it end! Fact is, I kind of wish I had skipped the last two after all though I will not succumb to giving it away for those who have not. Truthfully, for all of the ups and downs in the show, it seems very realistic and accurate as far as portraying the vagaries and hypocrisies of the day. The values of justice and mercy were quite different from what we currently hold; and the role of science--prominent in today's crime solving efforts, was at the time often viewed with suspicion or derision.
Policing of any sort was quite new in the time depicted (and in fact had been completely illegal! out of fear of rebellion as had occurred in France), which explains some of the (realistic) inconsistencies in policing practice. While the issues of poverty, race (or "Englishness") and class continued to exert undue influence on the whims of official law and order--as it did in broader Victorian society. Most police were encouraged to use fist and night stick in order to maintain order--and to coerce confessions (torture to obtain confessions--true or not was standard practice, especially if undertaken to protect someone powerful), whether their unfortunate suspect was guilty of anything (other than being poor) or not--and the show reflects this ugly truth (if not to the degree such actions were actually carried out). In this regard the show quite vividly exposed this ugly truth of the time. Men like Drake were the rule not the exception.
Fortunately for us today, and as depicted in the series, it was the efforts of investigative journalists who exposed this ugly underbellly to the light of day and called it out for what it was--especially when the "guilty" were found to be innocent, or when punishments didn't fit the "crimes"--or when crimes against the forgotten were ignored by authorities. Journalists have indeed been the instruments of change and have brought even the powerful to justice, often at great risk--even in today's fast paced world of the internet journalist.
In addition, activists like Edmund Reid (though fictional, is a reflection of those who did indeed agitate for change). People like him were very much responsible for major changes in police conduct and procedure, and for the rise of the scientific method in investigation, from the inside out--despite entrenched resistance from the system itself. Interestingly, the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes was actually inspired by a real London Detective--who could have been the inspiration for our beloved Reid, while the character Holmes, helped popularize the whole idea of a methodical (and fair) system of investigation and justice--in much the same way that shows like CSI have popularized the idea of forensic proof in solving today's crimes and in the trials of suspects themselves.
It is both the beauty and horror of Victorian England, it was these injustices exposed--crimes even by the "great and good" that allowed us to grow and change as a society--to seek a kinder, gentler and hopeuflly fairer world. Children are no longer forced into dangerous factory work for 14 hour days but allowed free education for all; being poor does not automatically brand one a ruffian, ignorant or stupid; being born to wealth does not bring the perception of inherent superiority (or good breeding); being a woman does not mean being frail or feeble or require the ownership of a man; being poor does not equal starvation or the work house; being disabled no longer means begging or dying on the street. Being wealthy does not mean being clean or clear of the ugliness of brutality, prejudice or free from the risk of sudden ruin (which I believe was in fact the cause of many of the brutalities of the day--fear that they would lose it all and wind up in the gutter--which could all too easily happen with one bad investment). Fear that they wouldn't and couldn't live up to expectations. Victorain society--for all of it's strengths, was also a cruel and rigid caste society. Increasing social and economic mobility, frightened the hell out of them, and nothing represented this more than Americans who practically defined such change. This accurate depictions of a society experiencing major growth pains (and the fear this engenders), is a major strength of the show.
One of the other strengths of the series, is just how clearly it portrays the motives and factors that lead to the varied actions of these beloved (or hated!) characters--without needless exposition; for all of their good intentions or their faults, their failings are all too believable. It is clear that for most, they are driven by the circumstances of their time, and many are not of those circumstances are not of their own making. More than a crime show, this is a social commentary--and a very good one at that.
Policing of any sort was quite new in the time depicted (and in fact had been completely illegal! out of fear of rebellion as had occurred in France), which explains some of the (realistic) inconsistencies in policing practice. While the issues of poverty, race (or "Englishness") and class continued to exert undue influence on the whims of official law and order--as it did in broader Victorian society. Most police were encouraged to use fist and night stick in order to maintain order--and to coerce confessions (torture to obtain confessions--true or not was standard practice, especially if undertaken to protect someone powerful), whether their unfortunate suspect was guilty of anything (other than being poor) or not--and the show reflects this ugly truth (if not to the degree such actions were actually carried out). In this regard the show quite vividly exposed this ugly truth of the time. Men like Drake were the rule not the exception.
Fortunately for us today, and as depicted in the series, it was the efforts of investigative journalists who exposed this ugly underbellly to the light of day and called it out for what it was--especially when the "guilty" were found to be innocent, or when punishments didn't fit the "crimes"--or when crimes against the forgotten were ignored by authorities. Journalists have indeed been the instruments of change and have brought even the powerful to justice, often at great risk--even in today's fast paced world of the internet journalist.
In addition, activists like Edmund Reid (though fictional, is a reflection of those who did indeed agitate for change). People like him were very much responsible for major changes in police conduct and procedure, and for the rise of the scientific method in investigation, from the inside out--despite entrenched resistance from the system itself. Interestingly, the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes was actually inspired by a real London Detective--who could have been the inspiration for our beloved Reid, while the character Holmes, helped popularize the whole idea of a methodical (and fair) system of investigation and justice--in much the same way that shows like CSI have popularized the idea of forensic proof in solving today's crimes and in the trials of suspects themselves.
It is both the beauty and horror of Victorian England, it was these injustices exposed--crimes even by the "great and good" that allowed us to grow and change as a society--to seek a kinder, gentler and hopeuflly fairer world. Children are no longer forced into dangerous factory work for 14 hour days but allowed free education for all; being poor does not automatically brand one a ruffian, ignorant or stupid; being born to wealth does not bring the perception of inherent superiority (or good breeding); being a woman does not mean being frail or feeble or require the ownership of a man; being poor does not equal starvation or the work house; being disabled no longer means begging or dying on the street. Being wealthy does not mean being clean or clear of the ugliness of brutality, prejudice or free from the risk of sudden ruin (which I believe was in fact the cause of many of the brutalities of the day--fear that they would lose it all and wind up in the gutter--which could all too easily happen with one bad investment). Fear that they wouldn't and couldn't live up to expectations. Victorain society--for all of it's strengths, was also a cruel and rigid caste society. Increasing social and economic mobility, frightened the hell out of them, and nothing represented this more than Americans who practically defined such change. This accurate depictions of a society experiencing major growth pains (and the fear this engenders), is a major strength of the show.
One of the other strengths of the series, is just how clearly it portrays the motives and factors that lead to the varied actions of these beloved (or hated!) characters--without needless exposition; for all of their good intentions or their faults, their failings are all too believable. It is clear that for most, they are driven by the circumstances of their time, and many are not of those circumstances are not of their own making. More than a crime show, this is a social commentary--and a very good one at that.