"The Forsyte Saga" is a term vaguely applied to a multi-novel series by John Galsworthy. It turns up a lot in old book sales. The thing was first filmed as an Errol Flynn flick then remade in the 60s back when British television was all videotape or badly filmed exteriors--and its soap-opera plotting kicked off the American love of all things "Masterpiece Theater"-ish. I haven't seen either of the earlier versions, so I can spare you any comparisons.On with the show."The Forsyte Saga" is a saga indeed. It's chock full of Forsytes, a family that must be the size of the House of Saud. Apparently in the dead center, Damian Lewis plays Soames, a pennypincher talked into building a house for 8000 pounds by Ioann Gruffudd, playing a rising architect. Well, apparently they didn't have laws protecting consumers from predatory contractors as Gruffudd's architect robs Soames blind, producing a house for more than twelve thousand pounds. It's hard to like people like that.Not only is Gruffudd siphoning off all Soames' money, he's seducing Soames' wife, and she falls for his charms, even though the rat is engaged to her best friend (who introduced them). It's hard to like people like that.Soames wants to keep his wife so when he learns about her affair and her plans to leave he hopes to win her back--misguidedly--by FORCING his connubial affections on her. It's hard to like people like that.By the end of this interminable saga, one is left musing on how much dynamite it would take to blow up all those Forsytes. It's amazing Galsworthy could create so many characters and not have one of them I'd invite into my home . . . apart, perhaps, from the jilted fiancé, who, since she was also abandoned by her father for her governess at an early age, is the only Forsyte who might deserve being warned about the dynamite charges laid under all the rest.As with the thieving, scheming architect, no expense was spared on the project. So if opulence is your bag, this is a big, creamy, decadent desert. But it left me with indigestion.

I loved this mini-series and it's continuation in the sequel. It was one of my all time favorites as far as period drama's go. Damian Lewis as the cold and somewhat pathetic figure of Soames Forsyte was played excellently. You both disliked him and his insecurities/obsessions and felt a bit sorry for him as well. What can one say about the lovely Gina McKee as Irene Forsyte this is really her story. The story of desperation after the death of her father she was forced into making the wrong choice. She married a man she disliked from the time she first met him, then lived to regret it. I also loved Ioan Gruffudd as the dashing young architect Phillip Bosinney who falls in love with Irene, even though he's engaged to her cousin June played so well by Gillian Kearney. There are actually several Foryste story lines that get entangled together that really make this mini-series interesting. The other side of the story centers around the family of Jolyon Forsyte (Rupert Graves) who abandon's his wife and child to run off with the governess. Only later he becomes reunited with June and his Father and meets Irene. Feeling an affinity and her situation. Other note worthy characters were Amanda Root as Winifred Dartie, Soames' sister and her husband Montague Dartie played by Ben Miles. Corin Redgrave as the irascible Jolyon Forsyte Sr., and the list goes on. The story line is interesting and really makes you want to see more as the series enfolds. I saw both is sequel and the follow up one, and both kept my interest and kept me wanting more.. Hopefully they will follow up with Part 3 someday. If you haven't seen this yet it's definitely worth a trip to the video store or Netflix!!

This is one of the best mini-series. It has a strong book, excellent adaption and very good production values. The narrative takes its time and enjoys its characterizations and episodes.The performances and following the characters over so many years makes it engaging, just like a 19th century novel. All the actors are on form and while comparisons with Eric Porter's huge portrayal of Soames in the 1960s in invidious, Lewis takes this essentially tragic character completely.Likewise Gina Mckee as Irene is fully realized, and McKee, in the 1920s sequences at least, resembles Virgina Woolf so perfectly that she must be automatic casting for any films about that writer.The story is best in the first half to two-thirds as it uses a refrain later on and by then is overly thematic toward the end as the younger children are not as interesting and their relationships to their parents are repeated too often.The discordant note is the aging of the cast. The story starts in 1874 and by the end Soames is in his mid-70s, June is about 66, and Irene about the same age yet they appear to be ageless, or about the mid-forties. Difficult to do with make up without it being distracting.

At 65 years of age I have seen my share of movies and plays and I would have to say that this series is simply one of the, if not THE best productions I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. From camera work, through scripting, through character development it was simply beyond compare. The acting was of a level seldom encountered these days, or for that matter, any other days. Against this drama the threadbare nature of much of what today passes as entertainment is painfully evident.I can't for the life of me understand why Damien Lewis and others were not immediately catapulted into the highest regions of recognition. If it gets any better than this I've yet to experience it and I'm not holding my breath.BRAVO!