SummarySet in 1827 London, river police Inspector John Marlott (Sean Bean) discovers a body composed of several other bodies in this Frankenstein re-imagined period crime drama created by Benjamin Ross and Barry Langford.
SummarySet in 1827 London, river police Inspector John Marlott (Sean Bean) discovers a body composed of several other bodies in this Frankenstein re-imagined period crime drama created by Benjamin Ross and Barry Langford.
Some archetypes are overly familiar and a few twists take too long to develop, but fans of period garb and Brit-accented chatter should be able to look past it. Thanks in no small part to nuanced turns from Bean and “The Crown” star Vanessa Kirby(!), The Frankenstein Chronicles feels authentic even when it’s dropping names like Mary Shelley and alluding to characters like Dracula.
Started watching for Sean Bean, finished in a day due to being hooked on a captivating spin on a classic story. Acting is great as well as believable and the set designs are fantastic. Pacing was solid with not much lulling about. I"m a **** for period pieces and this on has been one of the best I've seen in the past few years. Looking forward to plowing through season 2.
This is a pretty interesting bit of historical fiction, asking the question of "what if Marry Shelly had inspired more than just imaginations?" Although the plot and its progress isn't exactly unknown, the acting and sets are excellent and really convey the feeling of a dark England on the brink of modern breakthroughs. The characters have interesting stories that are fleshed out nicely and interact in realistic, if not obsessive,ways. It's definitely worth checking out if you have any interest in historical fiction.
A great twist on the familiar story of Frankenstein's monster. The story develops at a steady pace, without trying to create too many forced plot twist. The characters are fantastic, and Sean Bean delivers a phenomenal performance. Highly recommend.
I just saw the first Season and I thought it was a good tv show. I admit that the first few episodes were kind of sloW. And there were some originality to it, just not a lot. But I enjoyed it the acting was fine, so was the story. So I don’t have that many complaints
One thing BBC has mastered is consistency. They have yet to produce a bad show. The Frankenstein Chronicles continues this trend, though it is not without faults. Now, the title can be a bit misleading; it's not about the actual Frankenstein monster. The show takes place in mid-19th century London where Mary Shelley is alive and well, has written her famous novel and is actual character on the show. Sean Bean delivers a terrific performances as a London detective on the search for the deranged lunatic that stitched several pieces of children together. The cast is full of unknowns- at least here in the West- but they all show impeccable and believable acting talent and create an authentic experience. The costume design is on point, as the set design, perfectly capturing the time bleakness of London in the mid-19th century. However, despite all this, the show suffers from several plodding moments. I found myself losing interest every few minutes due to lack of anything exciting going on. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this show, but there were times were I drifted off during one or two scenes. The first four episodes focus primarily on world and character building, and the show doesn't find its momentum until the fifth episode. But if you can wait that long, the payoff is worth it. Without spoiling anything, by the end it becomes clear why this show is called The Frankenstein Chronicles and certainly has me excited to view the second season. Hopefully, this show continues to build on the momentum of this season's final episode, but for now I look forward to seeing where the story goes.
Seldom have I ever been so baffled by a season finale.
The first five episodes set up a charming yet gritty and authentic feeling victorian era crime mystery. It features believable characters, solid dialog, interesting takes on historic figures and events and a fresh take on classic mystery/crime tropes. I also have to say that the costumes, sets and locations are on point.
Then however we get to the final episode. And the show quickly devolves into a jumbled mess. It feels like the writers, now they had spent all this time setting up an intriguing mystery, just wanted to solve it in the most lazy way possible. I found myself rolling my eyes and thinking "Come on, that's how decided to go about it?". The final episode also throws the entire pacing out of wack and feels extremely rushed itself. It changes the entire feeling and atmosphere of the show. We go from a mature and gritty crime/mystery drama with a twist, to a campy second rate mystery adaptation that you'd expect from a Sci Fi channel production.
Do yourself a favor and stop watching after episode 5, just make up and ending yourself (you'll probably do better) and you'll get one of the best pieces of historical fiction out there.
Pros:
- Sean Bean
- Costumes
Cons:
- Literally everything else
- Massive, massive pacing issues
The first 5 episodes of each "season" (I wouldn't really call 6 measly episodes a season, but whatever) go along at a decent pace. The final episode of each season completely changes the entire show, and not in a good way. I really hope this doesn't get a third season.