I saw RECKLESS when it first aired on PBS. It has stayed with me for 20yrs, I loved it so much. I could not get it out of my head; I absolutely adored everything about it. It's THE BEST thing Ever put on TV, or, anywhere else!! It was my first introduction to the gorgeous Robson Green. I fell madly in love, naturally! Francesca Annis, I've loved since Lillie Langtry. Some reviews have mentioned that it might not be up to par with Anna Karenina, simply b/c the narrator derides Paul Abbott's writing and warns viewers not to expect the likes of the classic. However, I think it's a harsh and unfair criticism. Reckless has all the drama of A.K., only with a lot more humor, grace, and sensitivity. I think it's an extraordinary tale of the human condition: of love, lust, jealousy, class warfare, age discrepancy, adultery, baby-out-of-wedlock, and divorce. All in all, the vicissitudes of life. And, just like real life, it's got a lot of funny bits as well. For me, it's just as compelling as Tolstoy's tearjerking account of life, only with a modern twist and with some laugh-out-loud moments, truly mimicking reality.....as life is not all serious and maudlin....hopefully, anyway! Don't get me wrong, I Loved Anna Karenina, but I don't like the outright dismissal of Reckless, just b/c it's written in the 20th century. And if the narrator had not planted that silly comparison, I doubt that anybody would even bring it up! The acting here is stunningly superb!!! As in most British shows, the actors inhabit their roles so strikingly that it's hard to imagine them only as actors. As always, these phenomenal Brits put Hollywood to shame. I don't know what it is, the directing, the acting, the writing......all of it.....just comes across so realistically. Reckless is my absolute all-time favorite thing ever shown on screen. This and Oliver's Travels, also a British mini-series, (with Alan Bates) are a must-see!!

This gripping tale of intergenerational love, jealousy and revenge was even more enjoyable to see on DVD years after its PBS broadcast, with a sharper picture and crisper sound. My only reservations are that the plot has a few improbable moments and that some of the stronger Manchester accents are difficult at times. Luckily even missing a word here and there won't spoil the fun: the primary actors are ideally cast. Robson Green brings an enigmatic smile, a go-for-broke temperament and an athletic physicality to his role as a young surgeon who falls hopelessly for the wife of his boss at the hospital where he's just begun to work. Francesca Annis is one of the most striking 50-ish women imaginable; her acting rivals her beauty. (The love scenes between these two demonstrate better than words how little the age difference matters to them!) Each of the supporting characters is sharply drawn and excellently portrayed as well. The mix of pithy dialog and passionate excess makes this a delightful miniseries. As Russell Baker notes in his introduction, you may not be morally improved by viewing "Reckless" -- but you'll have plenty of fun. (The sequel, a part of the DVD box set, provides a wild yet satisfying two-hour denouement. You won't want to miss it if you've enjoyed what came before.)

Don't bother trying to watch this terrible mini series. It is a six hour bore, an unbelievable love triangle between three people who have absolutely no chemistry for each other. There is no heat in this story, no real passion, no real romance. It is a dry, boring, drawn out, and uninspired as they come. And it doesn't even meet the expected level of technical proficiency. Take those six hours of your life and use them for something more worthwhile.

Hunky Geordie Robson Green is Owen Springer, a young doctor who moves home to Manchester to be near his father. Along the way, he falls for Anna, a woman 20 years his senior, and who happens to be the wife of his new boss, Richard Crane. Despite warnings from his new colleagues, Owen proceeds to get Anna for himself, going as far as to sabotage Anna and the cheating Richard's marriage. This is a romantic drama with many humorous undertones and a quick wit. The actors are superb: Green of "The Student Prince" and "Touching Evil" smolders on-screen as the cunning, yet warm-hearted Owen; Annis of "Dune" fame is lively and proves a good match to Green; Kitchen, from "To Play The King" is the right menace as Richard, whose comic missteps and snobbery underline his masterful, building hatred for Owen. This is a perfect love triangle, and despite the foibles and fallacies of our three characters, you come away better for knowing and watching them.