Other viewers have commented this title much more competently; I come to merely express outrage. "Modern adaptation"? The modern thing about it is the characters yelling at each other; being not just mannerless but plainly rude to each other and thus violating (not adapting) the author. It is below Gambon to ever have been in this. I had to shut it off after a few minutes, because it hurt my ears more than the action film on the next channel. I have acquired the English language to some degree by watching screen adaptations of English literature - which made me fall in love with the language. This 'Emma' is not just a violation of Austen: it is a crippling of language AND culture. It is about as much a carrier of culture as your next Legally Blonde.

This is such a fun, refreshing mini-series. Wonderfully cast -- you can see the chemistry between Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller. The banter is very enjoyable! I found myself smiling all throughout the series and laughing at the wit of the characters.The first time I watched this, I found myself glued for four hours. I watched it a second time, and had a better appreciation of the story. I was still laughing at the lines and the wit! JLM is perfect as Mr. Knightley, he is funny in the sarcastic moments and yet can make ladies swoon during the moments when he shows such gentlemanly behaviors.I guess the only drawback I had here was that Isabella Knightly looked older than Anne Weston. I think Mrs Weston should have looked older since she was their governess. Also, George Knightly looked younger than John Knightly, but he is obviously the older brother because he was master of Donwell Abbey. Other than that, everything was just right.

I have read everything Jane Austen wrote, and now I'm working on re-reading her novels, listening to audiobooks of them, and watching all the film adaptations. This version of Emma comes alive more than the other Emmas as well as some of the other titles.When I first started watching it, I didn't think Jonny Lee Miller was tall enough, handsome enough, or refined enough to be Mr. Knightley. But, by the time I had finished watching it, his tremendous acting skills had me falling in love with his Mr. Knightley. Who could resist him?Romola Garai also owns her role.Don't miss it.

not that there's anything the matter at all with the two 1996 versions of Austen's novel or their two Emmas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Beckinsale, but I think that Romola Garai releases an Emma that's perfect: her obtuseness as far as the hearts of others are concerned is matched perfectly with the special kind of air-headed charm that Garai delivers (so very far from the sensible Cordelia she delivered in Ian McKellen's "King Lear"). Paltrow was beautiful, Beckinsale sweet, but Garai manages an Emma who seems unaffectedly oblivious to her own beauty and sweetness and only strives to do right by others – and fails. This appears to me to be the essence of the character that is the most fallible of Austen's heroines, with the possible exception of Catherine Morland in "Northanger Abbey." But apart from that, the scenes between Garai's Emma and Jonny Lee Miller's Mr. Knightley are electrifying. Especially their argument after Emma has talked Harriet Smith into rejecting Knightley's champion, Robert Martin. Miller's Knightley doesn't just correct Emma with a wish to render her a more blameless person – this Knightley truly enjoys his rows with Emma, without knowing it himself, of course: that clearly comes across.The fact that the Director O'Hanlon has been extremely aware of every opportunity of non-verbal communication where the camera studiously catches every frown, every half-smile, every twinkling of an eye makes this version a pure delight to watch from beginning to end.It's lovely.