The Living and the Dead

The Living and the Dead is a very evocative celebration of rural England. It is powerful because, rather than present a life of twee corn-dollies and doilies, it presents the real struggles of life on the land, and what the agricultural year used to mean to people: i.e. everything. The haunting come across as an expression of this place in time and I think, despite other reviews, are truly original in that they are rooted in deep story. The central characters are mostly real and deep - especially Gideon and Nathan Appleby. I find Charlotte's character a little cookie cutter at times - she is the straightforward one. The acting by Morgan is really rather stop-you-in-your- tracks, but I must also acknowledge that I am a red blooded female with an appreciation for tortured souls in a waistcoat. The twists, and complexities of plot, the imagery of the thing and - most of all I think- the questions it raises about the nature of time, make this compelling TV viewing. Many are super keen for more.

This show is very well acted. The setting and scenery is magnificent. As an American watching, I love the historical references emerging through the story. Colin Morgan and Charlotte Spencer make a wonderful couple.

The plot, itself, reminds me of the series Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010), in which Jennifer Love Hewitt's character solves mysteries related to those haunting the living. This is much deeper, but still retains that episodic start to finish feeling.

I became familiar with Colin Morgan watching Merlin (2008-2012). His acting completely impressed me. I hope to find other works he has been/is involved with. I am desperately waiting the release of The Rising. I truly think Mr. Morgan can carry the weight of the big screen.

The series is beyond words, truly another one of BBC's fine works. The plot is something that I have never encountered before, with its elegant and swift twists. The characters are absolutely lovely, and watching the character development flow is simply beautiful. The series take on paranormal is genius. It is nothing like being afraid of the beast under the bed, or the creature that lingers within the shadows. It is almost like a dreadful feeling of a living being stalking behind you, or eyes that follow you in a painting; and that's what managed to capture me in joining Naethan's journey. The concept of time between the living and the dead is very thoughtful. It allows the viewers to question themselves, "is time real?" and that's the beautiful thing about this show. It gives everyone something to ponder at night, staring into the ceiling with questions that have no right answer. Of course, I must mention the unique dark misgivings that invade the village. It is very interesting to watch how everyone copes with the hectic difficulty, especially Naethan. His struggle with trying to separate the blended lines can be frustrating for a viewer, but that's the whole point I think. You know a show is good when you have a love-hate relationship with it, and all you wanna do is smack the protagonist in the head, then point them in the right direction. All I can say is that it has potential, and hopefully the writers don't waste it.

If I'm honest I didn't think the BBC had the capacity to make a series like this, nothing to do with production or calibre, just that a series such as this feels less mainstream somehow.

It's fantastic from start to finish, you get a horror vibe from it, it's full of intrigue, suspense and manages to get you on edge. Beautifully filmed, it oozes quality, the cinematography is sublime, and the music is perfect throughout, it really added to the overall 'gothic horror' feel of the show. Fantastic costumes, which looked incredibly authentic. I got vibes of the recent Woman in Black and The Others, a very definite positive.

Colin Morgan goes from strength to strength, he has a definite quality, and somehow seems to have matured into an actor of some presence. Entire cast were great, Charlotte Spencer and Kerrie Hayes particularly good, as was the all too brief appearance of Fiona O'Shaughnessy.

It's disappointing that a second run was not commissioned, particularly in light of the ending of the final episode, but as I said earlier, it may not have been 'mainstream' enough.

I have a feeling this will be a series remembered for years to come, 9/10

It is beautiful. Just beautiful Gothic story, served by impecable acting, inspired atmosphere, great care for details, haunting theme. A couple, a farm,possesed children and shadows of past, old stories, the effort to save the other and himself and beautiful love story. Short, just impressive.