mark.waltz For an extremely gruesome topic that touches on some serious spiritual issues, this three part British TV series (continuing into a second set of episodes) is amazingly riveting and easy to follow once you get to know all of the characters. I was hoping that this was a contained story told over three episodes, but after seeing how it ended, wondered if the tale, not yet wrapped up, would continue. It appears to be done for now, but as a tease, it makes me want to investigate other British TV shows not broadcast here in the United States. I discovered it perhaps like any other American fan of "Downton Abbey" by researching the other works of certain actors, and got it after discovering that Siobhan Finneran (O'Brien, "Downton Abbey") was one of the featured players. Boy was I shocked by not only the change in her appearance but the change in her circumstances, not that I expected her to have dowdy clothes, a bad hairstyle and sideburns (as she amusingly commented on in a "DA" interview). Now, she's the lady of the manor, albeit one with a secret, and one that makes O'Brien seem like Little Mary Sunshine.The story focuses on Church of England vicar Anna Maxwell Martin, a widowed lady with a vulnerable young daughter who becomes involved with the occult. The story starts off by going into detail of a gruesome murder, one almost identical to the Crucifixion of Jesus. That part alone is disturbing enough, but the way the story is presented shows that this is being told through the idea that good vs. evil always ends with good winning and the evil somehow destroyed or dis-empowered. A dying old man seems to be the key from where all this evil seems to be coming from, and when Maxwell Martin visits him on his hospital death bed, it is very apparent that even in death, this sack of a human is still as depraved and perverted as when he was up and around and fully healthy. The stacks in an old library are visited where ancient details of this occult group are revealed, and individual characters are shown to either be secretly a part of it, deathly afraid of it, or fighting it with all of their spiritual might.There are certain parallels you see in society today used as plot devices, including the manipulation of the young through old prejudices regarding the church, false accusations of inappropriate behaviors, and the fear of the widow of the evil old man which caused her to pretend that their daughter died in childbirth and give her up so she would avoid being around such a depraved existence. Ania Marson is excellent in this role, first confronting the vicar with great anger at the clinic where her husband is dying, and later revealing details which soften her character up. Finneran, having played a Mrs. Danvers ("Rebecca") like schemer in "Downton Abbey", now emulates Billie Whitelaw from "The Omen" in her passive/aggressive nature, proving as she indicated in an interview that she truly disappears into each character she plays. I hope that this continues for another couple of episodes to at least wrap everything up neatly, although most of the plot devices introduced early on were, only leaving the full mystery unsolved.

Tweekums This new ITV drama is set in rural Herefordshire where vicar Merrily Watkins has recently been made a deliverance minister; better known as an exorcist. She hasn't been in the post for long when the police as for her opinions when a man is found crucified in woodland; she is understandably shocked but doesn't see how she can help. Later she is asked to attend a dying man in the hospital; the nurses are afraid to go near him and as he dies Merrily senses an evil presence as he grips her hand so hard that he draws blood. After this she has a feeling of his presence and starts to believe that she is out of her depth. If this wasn't enough her daughter is becoming more and more estranged after meeting another, slightly older, girl who turns out to be the dead man's daughter. If she is to save her daughter and ultimately the local cathedral she, and her mentor Huw Owen will have to find the connection between current events and events that happened there in the Middle Ages.Not having read any of the books on which this series was based, I can't say how true this was to the original works but as a stand-alone TV series I found it rather enjoyable. There is a good creepy atmosphere throughout and the cast do a solid job. Anna Maxwell Martin is very good as Merrily; nicely depicting somebody who knows they are out of their depth and rabidly losing control of the things that matter most to her. David Threlfall is equally good as Huw. The story progresses at a decent pace and ultimately reaches a gripping conclusion that both wrapped up the story and left certain details open enough for further series if ITV want to make more. Overall an effective and atmospheric chiller that made a nice change from more conventional mysteries.

cmcastl Good supernatural drama these days on TV is as rare as Hen's teeth, as the saying goes. Well done to ITV for presenting new and original drama such as this which the BBC has long given up doing. I didn't previously know about the novels upon which this series was based. In any event, there is a real hunger, I am sure, for non-formulaic supernatural/crime drama and I do hope to see another series.All the performances were top-notch and the production values were good. For those who have belief in these things, the fate of the world is not determined by sociological forces but by what perhaps the Middle Ages more clearly saw as the eternal struggle between Good and evil.

gmorgan51-158-682165 I liked the first episode of Midwinter of the Spirit, and look forward to future episodes. The biggest complaint I have is one that is fairly constant for many series and mini-series - the background noises, whether music or other sound effects, often overpower the dialogue. Some actors easily overcome this problem because their voices carry well enough that they can be heard and understood. Other actors are, naturally I suppose, more soft spoken, and I have to strain to understand what they are saying. For me, this really takes away from my enjoyment of the show. I found this to be true of this show, as much as any other. Otherwise, my rating would have been higher. I wish those in charge of sound effects would be more cognizant of this. As for those soft-spoken actors, I would exhort them to SPEAK UP!