Living up to the great expectations

Mona

Charles Dickens’ coming-of-age story ‘Great Expectations’ is a classic celebrated for over a century-and-a-half. When its six-episode reimagined series, written by Steven Knight (creator of ‘Peaky Blinders’), drops, expectations are super high. And the Brady Hood and Samira Radsi directorial delivers well.

The very first episode transports one into early 18th century the dreary world of poverty, prison ships and escaped convicts. The story follows little Pip, who isn’t keen to take after the blacksmith trade that he assists his brother-in-law in. The clever, industrious boy would rather be a gentleman! His little act of kindness on Christmas Eve links his fate to the rich and powerful in London and his life is about to be transformed.

High production quality is the USP of the series. From production design to characterisation and costumes, each single detail is superbly planned and executed. Right in the beginning, one is bowled over by powerful performances courtesy Tom Sweet (young Pip), Johnny Harris (Magwitch) and Trystan Gravelle (Compeyson).

Even if one knows the story, one is instantly drawn into the world of a young Pip, who carries out the innocent and earnest act effectively. Fionn Whitehead delivers a superb performance as the older Pip, striving to be a man of commerce, and, to some extent, thriving as one. Characterisation has been given much attention. For instance, Hayley Squires as Pip’s sister Sara her act, costume and environs is strikingly true to the times. As the story moves further, it is filled with intriguing characters Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham, Ashley Thomas as Jaggers and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella that one enjoys being on a journey with. The beauty of the series is that characters that are malicious like Jaggers, a conniving lawyer, or the rather crazy Miss Havisham, a bride jilted at the altar who refuses to let go of her wedding dress even 20 years on get their redeeming scenes. One doesn’t hate them, but is rather sympathetic.

The world that the story is set in prison ships, Satis House, Bailey’s chambers and the Thames becomes a character in the narrative and registers a strong presence. The dim lighting, ominous music and striking nature add to the atmosphere of doom and gloom. Brilliant performances across board are the strong suit here.

Trystan Gravelle deserves a special mention as Compeyson, whose character is evil personified. Ashley Thomas nails his role as Pip’s master aka guardian, Jaggers, who is a man of the world. Towards the end, when he sees Pip alive (having assumed that he had drowned), the emotions and expressions of sigh and relief that he conveys through his eyes are noteworthy. Olivia Colman’s Miss Havisham act is exceptional. The diverse cast is in sync with the times.

The dialogues convincingly convey the heartaches and burdens that the different souls carry. “I’m afraid everything changed today except my heart,” says Estella. “There is no thing as misfortune. Only unfortunate fools who do not have the imagination to reconfigure the mechanisation of fate,” professes Jaggers.

Reimagining a Dickens’ classic is a tall order. Well, comparison of a six-episode series, summed up in six hours, to a 544-page book would be rather unfair. While the story invokes the major scenes, including the graveyard act, this series co-produced by FX and BBC, stops short of Pip’s entire journey in the novel but brings it to its fair conclusion early on. And as Pip says, “Magis magisque satis est” (It’s more than enough), it holds true for the series too.

The series is rated A, on account of violence, drug use, sexual content and coarse language.