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lynnkear
Reviews
Bone Detectives: Britain's Buried Secrets (2020)
Fascinating Show With Women Scientists
It's nice to watch a show that features women scientists. Obviously some people can't handle it, but I actively seek out programming with women. It's unfortunate that so many men are threatened by women. Frankly, some of the other comments border on misogyny. In any event, this show is fascinating. It's kind of a true crime/history/archeology mashup. Hope there are many seasons of this.
Mapp & Lucia (2014)
Anna Chancellor Is The Star In This Production
I have seen both Mapp & Lucia adaptations and prefer this one. The two leads, Anna Chancellor and Miranda Richardson, are excellent. Also, since this is a 21st century version it has a more modern feel.
The 1980s version feels like a stage play, while this seems more like what it is--a limited TV series. The previous adaptation is also ten episodes as opposed to three. The story in the 2014 version is charmingly told. The conclusion is satisfying, though it leaves the possibility for a sequel.
The key difference between the two versions for me is the Lucia character. I normally love Geraldine McEwan, but McEwan's performance is hammy, while Chancellor is the better, more subtle performer as Lucia. For some reason, perhaps direction, McEwan decided to use a baby talk voice that eventually became unbearable to me. I cannot stand to hear a grown woman talk like a toddler, and McEwan's performance became cringey.
Another important difference between the two is how the gay subtext is handled. In the 2014 version the gay characters have a lot more depth and poignancy. Overall, as I said, this is the better version to me, but watch both and reach your own opinion.