zsuakay Highly enjoyable show about a small group of artists trying to break the mould

sheebs Yes, well it may not be completely accurate and the writers may have taken certain liberties with the characters and the timelines, but I thoroughly enjoyed this show. It's a fast, funny, witty, sexy romp which doesn't take itself too seriously. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, as is the fact that everyone seems to be having a really good time playing some very interesting characters. I've watched it about three times now over the years and have enjoyed it every time. It's also made me curious to read up more about the PRB and their work. The actual PRB and their circle were, in many ways, extraordinary and occasionally over the top, and their lives were pretty fantastical, so this version really isn't much a stretch - I rather think they would have appreciated the 'inventive spirit' of the show's creators in bringing a contemporary interpretation of their story to the screen, as mentioned in the introduction / disclaimer at the beginning. If you want a staid art history docu-drama, this may not be for you. But if you want a fun, well made, entertaining, modern interpretation of a particular time and place and a group of people whose lives were, at times, stranger than fiction, go for it.

Holly Dc Being a complete Aidan Turner fan , My review might be slightly biased. It was a strangely addictive series. From the very first episode I was hooked. Whether it was the witty characters or the entangled love affairs , it was both entertaining and at times a little heart-breaking. But I really must compliment Mr.Turner on his performance. Indeed it was a shallow and egotistical character but he still manages to retain a certain charm that draws you in. No matter how many terrible things he does. The reason I marked it 7 out of 10 was because of two things. Even though I enjoyed the story line it was very predictable , but at the same time intriguing. Secondly the messy sex scene were at times unappealing. The show was trying to convey the lust driven Rossetti indeed , but in my opinion they over did it slightly. Some scene were not necessary. In saying that some showed great intimacy and love. In conclusion , I enjoyed the season immensely. And retains my respect as it is both clever and dramatic.

angelofvic It takes a lot of hack-work to make a mess out of the incredibly intriguing and colorful story of the Pre-Raphaelite painters in Victorian England, but boy they managed it here. This is a juvenile, tedious, badly acted and worse-written mess. Evidently to make up for the lack of intelligent script or acting, the BBC threw in as much sex and nudity as possible.There's no effort to even remotely approach the truth, and we never really see the paintings, which should be the star of the whole series. Everyone agrees that the best thing about the show is the costumes, but that doesn't make for intelligent viewing. I couldn't make it past 45 minutes of the series without getting incredibly bored.I'm really disappointed lately with the hack-work -- which relies completely on visuals and titillation for its appeal -- that is coming out of the BBC in their period pieces these days. Take me back 5, 10, 15 or more years ago when the BBC was at the height of its period-piece glory. Now it's like everything else -- all show and titillation and lowbrow appeal, no intelligence or thought.