Mapp & Lucia

I really didn't think I would like this but as each episode played I grew to love it more and more and was actually quite upset when it finished. I've been to Rye and so got a lot out of watching the series and trying to familiarise myself with the streets and the extraordinary church. I thought each character was well cast and I loved the cat and mouse games between Mapp and Lucia and not knowing what plot each one would come up with next. I thought Miranda Richardson was fantastic in her portrayal of Mapp, including her fake teeth and the way it forced her to talk.... very funny. The characterisation was brilliant, as was the set and the way Tilling looked exactly as you would imagine. Had I seen the 1980's version I would be able to understand why a few of these reviews favour the former series, however I feel in love with it and just wish there were another series to follow.

It is inevitable that there will be comparisons with the earlier 1980's production and I agree that some of them are justifiably unfavourable and many would agree that the cast of McEwan/Scales/Hawthorn etc. was a tough act to follow.

However I think it is unfair to compare the two as its often the case that we deem subsequent productions of any TV show or movie to be inferior to the original because we form our opinions on the first one that we see. It would be interesting to get a consensus of reviews for the new series from people who have never seen the original to see what they thought without being influenced by it.

I've read the books several times and also have the original series on a set of DVD's but still enjoyed this new series. Having said that I did find some of the acting a little unconvincing at first but I felt this did improve as it progressed. I also thought that bringing in the Guru (from a prior time in the book) was a great mistake but then it was nice that the vicar's wife 'Evie' was included as she was omitted in the original. Many things in the book were not included in the first series which ran for ten episodes so it was always going to be difficult to do justice to the book in just three episodes, although perhaps there will be further episodes if this series is successful.

Hopefully the new production will introduce E.F.Benson's Mapp and Lucia to a wider audience who may then read the books and view the original series.

With such comedic talent assembled in one series, the outcome is decent but rather timid. I, too, found the 80s version wickedly funny - Geraldine McEwan in particular took huge risks with her "30s fag hag" role (and boy, did it pay off!) - and therefore this remake felt like it was lurching from almost a frame-by-frame copy-and-paste job to a desperately over-the-top retelling and embellishing. Previously, Miranda Richardson had been laugh-out-loud funny in almost every vehicle I had seen her in; yet here, she somehow never came into her own. Overall, the main impetus seemed to be one of the BBC trying to out-ITV ITV, so to speak. That said, the show makes for decent-enough viewing on a home-alone evening, and the gardens, interiors and costumes are luscious indeed.

I have seen both Mapp & Lucia adaptations and prefer this one. The two leads, Anna Chancellor and Miranda Richardson, are excellent. Also, since this is a 21st century version it has a more modern feel.

The 1980s version feels like a stage play, while this seems more like what it is--a limited TV series. The previous adaptation is also ten episodes as opposed to three. The story in the 2014 version is charmingly told. The conclusion is satisfying, though it leaves the possibility for a sequel.

The key difference between the two versions for me is the Lucia character. I normally love Geraldine McEwan, but McEwan's performance is hammy, while Chancellor is the better, more subtle performer as Lucia. For some reason, perhaps direction, McEwan decided to use a baby talk voice that eventually became unbearable to me. I cannot stand to hear a grown woman talk like a toddler, and McEwan's performance became cringey.

Another important difference between the two is how the gay subtext is handled. In the 2014 version the gay characters have a lot more depth and poignancy. Overall, as I said, this is the better version to me, but watch both and reach your own opinion.

This was a minor disappointment. The cast really doesn't hold a candle to the original. The costumes of the first were much better although in this version they looked more like 1930's clothing.