Jekyll

After watching the final episode on DVD I can list this as one of the best mini series of recent memory. I remained on the edge of my seat throughout each and every episode, so completely drawn into the characters and story line.

James Nesbitt absolutely shines throughout his performance with the contrasting shades of Dr Jackman/Hyde's personalities. The sheer intensity of Hyde left me aquiver, never quite knowing what was next.

An excellent supporting cast showing a range of dynamic talent in bringing the back story to life. An eclectic mix of personalities, each of the characters interacts convincingly with the others, weaving a captivating performance.

The references to Robert Louis Stevenson's works were both subtle and gross, and I think a second watching is in order to truly appreciate the depth of the writing.

Certainly not the kind of television one expects nowadays, Jekyll hearkens to days of true creative writing and absolute engagement with the audience. Whether you while away a day watching the whole series, or watch the series piecemeal, a thoroughly entertaining romp through the annals of a classic with a contemporary twist.

....Luckily this one is firmly planted in the 'good' category.

When I first heard the BBC was making a modern day adaptation I initially jumped for joy but deep worry set in later. The story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde has been redone so many times, I started asking many questions.

Will they do anything new with the story? Will James Nesbitt be able to carry off such an important role? Will there be a big enough gap between the good doctor and his other half? And finally, Will I be able to watch it the same night as Doctor Who to fill the gap 'Any Dream Will Do' left? The answer to all of these questions is 'YES'! I don't want to ruin it for anyone so I won't go into details but I felt this was a very good adaptation of the book. James Nesbitt showed the contrast between his characters perfectly. I was afraid that 6 episodes would be stretching the plot but the first episode certainly gave me more fodder for that small amount! There is a good mix of horror and humour, (Especially shown by two female private detectives.) and none of the characters really got on my nerves.

There were quite a few nods to the book, some were quite subtle and not too in-your-face but this adaptation has also taken a life of its own branching out into other areas. I would like it immensely if at one point Hyde sings 'You should see me dance the Polka' but I'll just have to wait and see. Hyde is the real star of the show of course and can be summed up in one word: Insane.

A lovely mix of Jack Nicholson, Beetleguese, The Mask and even Robin Williams in places, Nesbitt's Hyde is incredibly entertaining but gives you an underlying sense of terror. His lack of morals and love of life is refreshing as I personally feel there haven't been any 'good' baddies in a long while. My mind was made up as soon as Hyde made an appearance. I have a feeling he will make this show- I will definitely be tuning in next week and I sincerely hope you do too.

I hope both of you do.

Jekyll is an excellent series.

The tagline, Everyone has a dark side. oh so true Jekyll and Hyde depicts this wonderfully.

I could not miss an episode.

It pinned me to my seat and i wish it had never ended.

I am not one for watching telly much as most series are the same old plots and stories in general i find TV boring.

Jekyll was played magnificently by James Nesbitt.

I will be looking out for more of his work.

I'm on the look out for a second Jekyll series.

Just watched the first of the series on the BBC. Was not sure what to expect as I had not seen any publicity leading up to the broadcast.

I was very pleasantly surprised. Not just with the slowly revealing dark tones of the plot but also with the underlying eroticism from both the female and male protagonists.

There is quite a lot of attention to detail which hand in hand with the competent acting makes this very believable and therefore watchable. I very much hope the same quality is maintained throughout the series.

I have to say that I like the choice of James Nesbitt in the lead role. Not only because he is an actor who demonstrates, very admirably, human frailty but also he can show that hard edged centre which is believably portrayed.

Looking forward, very much, to the next instalment.

As much as I tend to be an Anglophile when it comes to all things British in the cinema and on TV, I know that just because the actors have plummy accents it doesn't necessarily make something good. However, I'm glad to discover that BBC America's new series is a welcome exception to that rule.

When a post-modern adaptation of "classic" material such as this is attempted, the filmmakers had better bring something fresh and different to the table, if they expect the project to make an impression beyond the first moment or two. And luckily, "JEKYLL" has a real asset in James Nesbitt's tour-de-force portrayal of Dr. Tom "Jackman", the 'hero' of the piece who is sharing his mind and body grudgingly with the absolutely amoral and insane "Mr. Hyde". Blessedly, Nesbitt chose to take the Spencer Tracy route with this version, relying more on acting ability than cheap prosthetics, (though there are some makeup effects used very sparingly, which makes them that much more gruesome when they appear.)

This take is part-mystery, part-conspiracy thriller and part-psychological drama, which at times hints that it might even be headed into old "X-FILES" territory. It is fascinating to try and second-guess Steven Moffat's excellent script, but just when you think you know where it's going, the plot line swerves in another direction, but not with such unexpectedness or contrivance as to make you want to turn it off and ditch the whole thing. (Too bad I can't say the same thing about "LOST".)

I'm coming up on the last couple of episodes, and I'm hoping that it will be back for another installment, if things don't get wrapped up towards the end. Nesbitt, whose work I've never seen before, is outstanding, and he's backed by a terrific supporting cast, especially a nearly unrecognizable Denis Lawson, whom I only ID'ed thanks to IMDb.

If you haven't been following this on Saturdays on BBC America, be sure to catch it when it becomes available on DVD.