Indian Summers

I found it delightful, suspenseful, and full of drama. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical backdrop Characters were so well defined, I wanted more from the Whelans and Dalals . I so wish it had gone on for 3 more seasons

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!

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.

When I saw the trailer for Indian Summers, I couldn't wait till the series began. For some reason I was positive that this was going to be a class apart.

The settings are picturesque, reinventing Shimla's green glories. The English men and women are dressed in the most befitted way. The story, although gripping, is a little slow paced for a 10-part series.

I enjoy watching the series, but with a grudge. I strongly feel the authenticity of Indian culture in northern India have been heavily compromised. I could be wrong, I am not a historian or an expert of the past. However, from what I see, the Indian folk shown in the series are no where close to what people of Shimla look and dress like. The dressing and physique of the people is heavily bent towards South India. Even if there were multiple cultures thriving in Shimla at the time, considering it's summer capital status, something doesn't seem to fit in.

Love this show as my family came from India. My dad has frequently told me about the many dances he attended and the opulent lifestyle that the family led while living in India. My Great Grandfather was known as 'Car Pop' due to the amount of cars he had back in the early 1900's in India. I have so many photos of dinners, cars and camping trips, trains and military in India. The show helps me understand how life may have been for both the British and the Indians. Though it may not all be factual ,it is still a great show to watch. I thoroughly enjoy the story line, cast and settings. Cant wait to see the next series of Indian Summers. The Indian actors are all great.