A Dinner of Herbs

A Dinner of Herbs is the last offering from Catherine Cookson. A tale of lust, hate, and murder. It follows the lives of three friends, Roddy Greenbank (Jonathon Kerrigan) a artistic orphan who is raised by his dead fathers long-time friend Kate Makepeace (Billie Whitelaw), Hal Roystan (Tom Goodman Hill) a tough mill worker who is also orphaned after his father is murdered, and Mary-Ellen Lee a pretty housemaid who has openly yearned for Roddy since the day they met When it emerges that the same man killed both Roddy and Hals father, Roddy sets about becoming an artist and leaves his home village of Langley, leaving Mary-Ellen pregnant and Kate ashamed of the boy she raised as her own. Further heartache occurs when Hal is nearly murdered by his fathers killers daughter and events spurns Mary-Ellen to realising that she cannot lose the man she has grown to love. The story picks up twenty five years later Hal and Mary-Ellen have made a success out of a farming life and Kate (Debra Stephenson) Roddy and Mary-Ellen's daughter is beautiful and kind and set for marriage until she's jilted on the big day by the groom. She soon meets Ben Hamilton (Joseph May) a reclusive and handsome American millionaire who has a painful past to hide. Kate soon embarks upon a passionate affair with him and believes she has found the perfect man. But when Ben reveals his true identity to Kate, their endless love is put to the test in the most trying of circumstances.

A sort of Romeo and Juliet somehow different, a very beautiful story signed Catherine Cookson. I do not know when those almost 5 hours passed (I watched all the episodes on a double videotape found in the street), so captivating is the narrative. The actors are all wonderful and impeccable, starting with three old big names, Billie Whitelaw, John Castle and Michael Jayston, and continued with whom I discovered with great pleasure, because of this TV Series: Tom Goodman-Hill, Jonathan Kerrigan, Melanie Clark Pullen, Kate Magowan, Ivan Kaye, Debra Stephenson, etc. It is a very good show, you will not regret watching. The music is very beautiful too, contributing to the atmosphere of the era.

DVD1 is great, excellent storyline and actors. Then I tried to watch DVD2, I noticed that They replaced all actors. I have never experienced this with any show. It looks like they fired everybody and then they hired family members. They also replaced the script writer because the story was weak. My advice, only watch DVD1 and quit. do not spoil it.

A legacy of love, hate, betrayal and revenge that spans three generations and nearly half a century. Catherine Cookson's epic novel is brought to the screen in a sweeping miniseries.

Growing up in a 19th century, working class English town, Roddy, Hal and Mary Ellen are the closest of friends. The unspeakable hardships they have each suffered as children - including the murders of Roddy's and Hal's fathers at the hands of the same man - have sealed their bond of friendship.

That unshakable friendship of childhood will be severely tested in the years to come. Mary Ellen secretly yearns for Roddy, who spurns her before leaving town - and leaving her pregnant. She thinks she has found a loving partner in Hal and believes their marriage will heal the chaos of their early lives. Years later, events reach an explosive conclusion, when an American visitor begins to court their young daughter - and Hal uncovers the real identity of her mysterious suitor.

Filmed on location in the north of England, "A Dinner of Herbs" is an unforgettable mix of murder, passion and revenge!