The Crimson Field

The Crimson Field has been such an amazing series to watch and I cannot believe the final episode is tomorrow! The actors have done a brilliant job, contrasting drama and humour well! Sarah Phelps has created such a different and fresh look on the role that women had to play in World War One. Each episode changes your feelings about each character and the many stories taking place within the general story makes it that much more enjoyable to watch. Every character have different qualities that are either subtle or obvious meaning that each week of the series, when new characteristics are shown, new characters become your favourites and your old favourites become your least. Because your opinions change, and even though the general story is carried on and romances/relationships between the characters are continued, plots to each episodes are different making the show never boring. Definitely recommended and I will be so upset if I hear the BBC haven't renewed it.

I am really loving this series, and hoping it not only is renewed for a second season but is picked up in the US. The portrayals of each character are great, and we see them as they are revealed layer by layer. Also like that they are not black-and-white, cardboard people, but layered and ones we grow to care about and respect. The sets and action are true to the time period, well devised and shown. Crossing my fingers to see more... I find Richard Rankin's portrayal especially good. He is a doctor who is more progressive that many of his "superiors" but also from a lower social class than most, so he fights a double battle. The support he receives from the Lt. Col. Roland Brett (head doctor played by Kevin Doyle) and Brett's own struggle with what's good for the patient vs. the Army wanting to put men back out in the field is well-portrayed. I'm liking very much the lives of the nurses and VAD's. Oona Chaplin is Kitty, a VAD with a secret and spectacularly shows the emotions boiling under her very controlled surface. The other nurses and VAD's all have their own secrets and these are slowly being revealed. All in all, excellent series. Hoping to hear the BBC has renewed it soon.

The Crimson Field has been such a beautiful series, at times reducing me to tears, all the actors have done a brilliant job in bringing the story alive. I really hope that there is another series or 3! I feel there is so much more for all the characters to tell. We have had a glimpse into what it would have been like 100 yrs ago, the V A D's , nurses and surgeons worked wonders in such difficult conditions. All the actors deserve credit, I wan't to hear all their stories, and the fizzing will they /won't they romance between Tom and Kitty has kept us on tender hooks! The writers have done a wonderful job, Sarah Phelps has real talent in making us believe anything that she writes.

As a fan of period dramas, I knew The Crimson Field would be up my street, but I have really loved every second of this and will be devastated if this is the only series. The mix of well known actors and new faces was inspired casting and I've been hooked by all the characters and the back stories which emerged over the first couple of episodes. Still so much to be resolved and only one episode left. How can this be?? Richard Rankin and Oona Chaplin deserve special mention for their sizzling tension and I would love them to have their happy ending! But as a seasoned drama addict, I know that what the viewer wants isn't always what is delivered by the writer. Talking of the writer, Sarah Phelps has excelled herself in creating this and I really hope the BBC see sense and commission at least one more series to bring her remaining ideas to life.

BBC One needs to be much more attentive to highlighting the work that is being accomplished in this show, to draw in a much wider audience. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching The Crimson Field. It has been a delight to be introduced to so many actors and actresses who are so very talented. To be able to portray each story line, to actually get the underlying feelings and angst across in each episode in such a short time is difficult under the best of conditions. Some of the best stories from history are those of people who were not in the lime light, as that is how you get the best "feel" for how "real" people dealt with "real" life without boring the viewer to tears. The story line is quite believable, and the interaction between and amongst the principle characters is quite spot on. Modern viewers who are easily disappointed by "not enough action" or "not enough gore" or something equally compelling need to remember that, during this period, things were much simpler and people were still functioning around stereotypes and clichés. News from the rest of the world was *not* instantaneous as it is now, therefore watching a period piece with hindsight is really quite unfair to all involved in the production. To be able to portray so much within a short period of time requires all involved to be succinct and on-point ... which this series is. Now it needs to be available in the US *and* we need to have at least another 3 seasons to be able to properly follow these story lines to their conclusions.