Far from the Madding Crowd

As a native of 'Hardy country', I feel I have a duty to comment on this production. I, as with many other people in England, eagerly awaited this series, and I have to say I was not disappointed. As us English have come to expect from our television dramas, the locations and costumes were fantastic, but this has the added bonus of an extremely accomplished screenplay. Also, the acting is superb. The accents, one of the major stumbling blocks to American acceptance, are accurate enough to satisfy English viewers (including those with the same accent!), while at the same time allowing American viewers to understand the dialogue. Particular praise should, I feel, go to Nathaniel Parker, who has achieved something very spectacular, in eclipsing Alan Bates' 1967 performance as the faithful shepherd Gabriel Oak. All in all, a feast of Wessex magic which can be enjoyed by all. Nice one.