The Cazalets

The show was slow, but enjoyable, but absolutely no ending. It was almost like they just stopped writing, and that was that.

The new PBS series "The Cazalets" is billed as a latter day "Upstairs Downstairs." It isn't. The characters are far less finely formed and the first episode was a back to back (well, front to front) series of graphic sexual couplings. Set in England on the eve of WW2, it appears that nobody in the British Isles did anything in 37 and 38 other than bonk each other. Marital sex. Extra marital sex. Violent sex. Lesbian sex. Even incest. And this was only episode one! What can we expect in coming weeks? Kinky sex? SM sex? Bestiality? Really! This is not the mandate of either PBS or BBC. There are x-rated channels for such voyeurism.

The first episode also has some glaring errors. The word "flak" is used twice. A German acronym for "fliegerabwehrkanonen" or "anti aircraft guns", it entered the language only in the early years of the war and would have been in no-one's vocabulary in 37 and 38.

The first episode also shows the servants gathered around a small radio listening to Neville Chamberlain's address. Small radios were rare in 1938 and they certainly were not in plastic cases. There also appear to be no antenna or ground wires, essential elements of the receivers of the period. I spotted these two errors because they fall within my knowledge. How many others might there also have been?

It's an interesting snapshot of an interesting period of history. But like most snapshots, it was done without much thought or artistry.

Why did it stop when US got into it?? The books go all the way till the end of the war! This show won awards! How about making it again, the whole series!! It could be another Downton Abby! Perfect timing! It'll remind people what these countries went through to defend freedom! We need this type of programming to wake people up, especially in US! Make sure it shows in US! PBS could bring a lot of funding your way! We know the Republicans put you in a terrible bind concerning your Government Funding!! I thought they'd say this review was too long! Come to find out when you're done saying something you're not really done. Maybe now!

Cazalets is a sensitive portrait of complicated people. The fact that all the main characters belong to the same wealthy family makes their portrayed individuality even more unique. Historically there are some minor blurbs. But love, jealousy, sex, suffering, sorrow, death are unique to all times. Money and name cannot insulate us from the human condition, as the movie thoughtfully expounds. Five Stars !!!!! in my estimation.

I really enjoyed this beautifully filmed series. The acting was top notch, but I still felt something was missing. I think it's because I wanted more in depth character development and background. I looked for the books and now realize that his could have been a much longer more in depth depiction. It's still worth watching, but I'm looking forward to reading the 5 books it was based on.