Indian Summers

I went into Indian Summers out of curiosity but, with the thought that, realistically it wasn't something I'd be too into. The whole kind of 'period drama with a twist' has never worked for me. However, I quickly had a change of opinion - I think this might be the best show I've seen this year.

Everything that you would expect to be good is - the acting is superb from pretty much the whole cast - I can't think of anyone who lets it down. The story is complex, with various characters lives interweaving against the backdrop of crumbling colonial India, with endless contrasts of high society and vicious oppression being beautifully balanced to seem both natural and revealing.

The thing that stood out to me though, and it is certainly something that is harder to pinpoint, was the vibrant nature of the whole show. Despite much of the 'action' coming from character tensions rather than events, the eclectic range of character backgrounds, combined with the fierce political and cultural battles being fought brought the show to life in a way I haven't seen for some time. A beautiful colour palette with some stunning camera work makes this an absolute pleasure to watch.

I don't know how season 2 will live up to this standard, but I owe the whole team my confidence after such a brilliant show.

I am enjoying this series, because of the fabulous scenery and the historical context. It's interesting to see how the resentment is building up amongst the local people, and how racism exists not only amongst the British occupiers but amongst the Indians themselves with their appalling caste system.

However I am disappointed with the characters. The cast includes a full set of stereotypes of the late British Empire, from the drunken Scot to the frustrated missionary, the arrogant consul to the Anglophile nawab. Thank goodness for Julie Walters, she's the only one who can actually carry off her character and bring her to life. The rest are just wooden.

Some months ago, I binge watched all of S1 over a weekend. Real life was effectively cancelled until the closing credits of the final episode. It was a glorious, immersive experience.

This is a genuine 'Jewel' of a show. Sure, it has some laboured historical anachronisms and the usage of tropical Penang as a filming location means Simla has been woefully miscast. But these misgivings aside, as a filmic experience Indian Summers is magnificent.

Cinematography is exquisite, the vibrant colours simply dance off the screen and the production values are top notch. The setting is lush and evocative. The plot is riveting, inter-laced with the politics of the time, (with dark resonances for us today). This is definitely a post-colonial reading of the last days of the Raj, but there is certainly some balance afforded by the marvellously textured and excellently acted characterisations. For example, Ralph Whelan is a charming sociopath, but there is nuance and intrigue in his character that makes him compelling throughout.

Overall, I can safely say that this is one of the best, original TV productions I have seen for some years. I can't wait for the second series!

Just watched the first episode on Channel 4, the pilot was 1 hr 45 min long but wasn't boring at all though some of it was a bit predictable but it's only the first episode and still got 9 more to go. The first episode was about Ralph Whelan and the rest of the Indian Civil Service begin the annual move to Simla where Cynthia Coffin prepares the exclusive white British Club for the summer season. Overall it was a great experience and especially performance by Jemima West, Julie Walters, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Nikesh Patel were flawless and true to their character. The sets looks great and hope the audience enjoys it and the producers manage to make the remaining 30 episodes.

The setting is beautiful and the audio and visuals and costumes really bring you into the series. I can almost smell the air of the mountains. There are several themes running through the series and you can see things starting to come together into a more coherent whole by the 3rd episode. I would rate this series as one of the best i've seen - along the lines of Downton Abbey or The Wire. There are also some really great actors and actresses like Jemima West and Henry Lloyd- Hughes. Jemima West really carries the show. Little subtleties add a lot of flavor to this series. Highly recommended and great for unwinding after a long week.