Only reason I didn't vote this mini-series I watched on a DVD as a movie at the max rating of 10 is that it doesn't completely follow the true story, which makes fascinating reading online afterward (not before, so you don't spoil the dramatic unfolding) with greater detail of intense interest inspired by this film.The artistic license taken with the inspiring actions of Cornishwoman Mary Braund Bryant & other seminal settlers of New South Wales given a chance to live out of prisons overflowing from British caste system starvation like were shipped to the American colonies is so engaging and gripping that I recommend it for mature audiences though ladies you may not want your husbands watching sexy actress Romola Garai in this earthy steamy depiction of desperate overcoming.We can all relate to the human condition of striving to meet & rise above life's challenges & difficulties, and recordings of such history help us explore in our spirits & souls how we would rise to the occasion in such situations as these with God's help not acknowledged here but ever present in the facts of timely favor and circumstances bringing common folk to uncommon experiences & unlikely fame. Thought provoking not only about "relative ethics" to survive in our cruelly fallen world, but also a bird's eye view of a macrocosm of a microcosm of His-story through different cultures encountering & influencing each other as well as by individual choices between good & evil, lowness & greatness, in our fleeting world, with ramifications for eternity. As theologian William Shedd said later, in the new USA, in the 1800s, "A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." And as Phoenician/Lebanese Christian chiropractic physician Dr. Michael Shalhoub, cousin of actor Tony Shalhoub, of Southern California says, "Courage is contagious." Each of us faces challenges we can look back on & be glad we tried, even regardless of outcome.

I only had a chance to watch this programme today, however I thought it was absolutely fantastic. The voyage of a young woman to Australia as a convict was amazing. Not only was this film based on facts and true stories but it also showed compassion. You got the chance to look in on Mary's feelings. I felt so sorry for Mary, she was convicted for stealing money, but knowing her social class, you could understand that she was trying to provide for her family, even if it was the wrong way to go about it.Romola Garai played Mary very well. You could see all sides of Mary's personality, her compassion and love for her two children and husband, but also her more cunning side, using Lt Ralph Clarke on two occasions, the first being to avoid the conditions on the boat. The second time she used him was worse, she lead him on to believe that she had feelings for him (and as you would have already found out) and he has feelings for her. Both Jack Davenport (Lt Ralph Clarke) and Alex O'Loughlin (Will Bryant) performed their roles very well. Jack Davenport shows the audience how sensitive he is towards Mary and how easily he can fold for her, yet as a Lt he can be a hard/tough person.I would highly recommend watching this i thought it was brilliant

this was a really fantastic drama. the passion shown by the cast - most of whom were unknown to me - was amazing and the story was spellbinding and heartbreaking. i don't really mind that some think it was an inaccurate portrayal of real life, the tragedy of each part of the story was accurate for some poor soul at the time. every unnecessary death pained me, and set against such a beautiful but unforgiving backdrop this really stirred me. i would recommend this to all, and would strongly suggest it as compulsory viewing for history students to see just what life was like 250 years ago. i hope that the cast - particularly Mary and will go on to do more great things

In shades of blue the story begins with Mary Broad (Romola Garai) running from the law after stealing a bonnet through the bleak English landscape. For her crime she is sent to Botany Bay as a convict on the First Fleet and it is on this journey that the story begins. It is here she meets the British Naval Officer Clarke (Jack Davenport) and William Bryant (Alex O'Loughlin), whom she later marries. Garai (as always) is mesmerizing as the desperate Mary Bryant, with an indomitable will to protect the futures of her children from poverty at all costs. The determination of this character is supported with strong performances from O'Loughlin and Davenport. But it is Alex O'Loughlin who remains, in my mind, a stand out. He is truly captivating as William Bryant, a man that is quietly unsure of him self. He is to a degree searching for self validation in the most masculine sense but this is somewhat complicated by living his determined and strong willed wife Mary. Directed by Peter Andrikidis (who also directed the Australian two part movie 'Jessica'), there has in many ways, never been a more confronting imagery presented on Australian screens. Particularly the scene whereby Andrikidis captures the terror and brutality reaped on the women convicts by the men while the British Officers passively look on. Trust me when I say that the poignancy of this scene will stay with you forever! Acting to dispel any romanticized ideals (and we all have at some time or another) of early settler life in Australia, especially for women.Despite these accolades there is something amiss in this account of Mary Bryant's story which I can not exactly pin point. Perhaps it could be something of a naivety in Garai's portrayal, an innocence which acts to unintentionally undermine the veracity of Mary Bryant. Or maybe it is Sam Neil (who I think was better left at Jurassic Park!) as a Governor Phillip that fails to evoke any real emotion within the audience towards his character. At the same time there is this sense that the story was cut short before it was ready. There is not real detail into Mary's trail when she returns to England, despite is importance to the story. It almost seems as though the producers got to the end, ran out of money (which would not be surprising considering the current state of the Australian Film Industry!) and had to rush the ending, leaving the audience feeling somewhat let down.Yet, while there is faults in this interpretation (lets not forget the pearly whites of our convicts, a very unlikely depiction!) there is no doubt in my mind that it is worth seeing. In reality it is as much an English story as it is Australian. So if you're looking for some great performances and want to enjoy a great story of, love, betrayal and determination, Mary Bryant is well worth watching!