Not-So BRAVE NEW WORLD?

Article first published as TV Review: BRAVE NEW WORLD on Seat42F.

Peacock, the new NBC streaming service that launched today, wants to take you to a BRAVE NEW WORLD. The book by Aldous Huxley gets a nine-episode television adaptation, with two episodes free to everyone and the other seven for subscribers only. For this review, I watched only the first two.

BRAVE NEW WORLD is one of my favorite books, though it’s been a little while since I read it. Many of the familiar elements are present in this version, such as the extreme caste society. On the higher end, everyone is connected at all times by a network, and are barred from any privacy, monogamy, or pregnancy. Children are genetically engineered from birth and raised in groups, rather than by parents. Out in the desert live the ‘savages,’ or people closer to what we have today, who still marry. But they’re violent and miserable, while the ones in the New World are happy. If they’re not happy, there are plenty of drugs readily available to make them so.

Most of the main characters are there, too. Bernard Marx (Harry Lloyd, Game of Thrones) is near the top of the food chain as an Alpha Plus. But he’s a little off. He soon becomes taken with B+ Lenina Crowne (Jessica Brown Findlay, Downton Abbey), who experimented with a single partner for a while. Together, they journey to the Savage Land and meet John (Alden Ehrenreich, Solo: A Star Wars Story), who is being raised by single mom Linda (Demi Moore, Empire). But revolution breaks out while they’re there. While back at home, the Director (Ed Stoppard, Knightfall) and Mustafa Mond (Nina Sosanya, Good Omens) try to figure out why CJack60 (Joseph Morgan, The Originals) is acting funny after the death of his friend.

But there are quite a few differences, too. The character of Helm (Hannah John-Kamen, Killjoys) is quite a bit different from her literary counterpart. And the Savage Land is a lot more developed and fleshed out, with more action going down there. I’m not sure if these additions are designed to build a world that can keep going past the initial adaptation of the novel, inevitably a one-season project, or if they’re just meant to enhance aspects of the story that aren’t explored all that much on the page.

Neither the Enlightened nor the Savages have it all that good. There are pluses and minuses to both worlds. Sure, the Savages have more freedom, but they also have less overall, and are treated like dirt, made to play for the amusement of the advanced society. Either one of these two worlds could make up a post-apocalyptic landscape, and combining them is both interesting and a bit confusing because it’s hard to know which side to root for. Don’t we want things to get better? But at what cost? With more focus on the Savage place, this springs fully to light.

What might be remarkable is that the main ideas presented in BRAVE NEW WORLD no longer feel new. There have been so many dystopian series, especially as of late, that have borrowed elements from the source material that this one almost feels like a repeat of what’s come after the book. I’m not sure if that’s a testament to how far Huxley could see into the future, or just proof that good ideas are often stolen and done to death. With Westworld, Altered Carbon, Black Mirror, and so many others, does BRAVE NEW WORLD stand a chance of breaking through?

I guess, maybe. There’s some fine acting, though it stops short of breathtaking (which I’m not sure is fully the actors’ fault). The obligatory sex and danger is present in this iteration of BRAVE NEW WORLD, and that keeps the pacing moving. I’m not sure these particular ideas are begging to be explored again on screen, but they are always relevant. I liked it, but didn’t fall in love the way I expected to. Still, I want to finish watching.

The biggest obstacle BRAVE NEW WORLD faces is the platform it is on. Peacock rudely launched without much access for those who don’t enjoy watching TV on a phone or browser. Certain Smart TVs can access it, and it works with Chromecast. But it lacks an app on Amazon Fire, Roku, TiVo, or other streaming devices. Personally, I was very annoyed at the hoops I had to jump through to watch, and hope Peacock gets its act together if it wants to succeed. Then again, at a too-high price tag ($9.99/month for the ad-free version without nearly the catalogue that Netflix or Hulu boasts), do we even need another streaming service? Maybe it would be easier for another streamer to absorb the content.

BRAVE NEW WORLD is available now exclusively on Peacock.

Return to Downton Abbey

American fans eagerly awaited the series three premiere of Downton Abbey on PBS. We finally got it this past Sunday night with a special, two-hour episode. In the first part, the guests arrive for the highly anticipated wedding of Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) to Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens). Among those attending are Grandma Martha Levinson (Shirley MacLaine, Steel Magnolias), who would like to help loosen up her stuffy British in-laws, and Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) and her "commoner" husband, Tom Branson (Allen Leech).

Unfortunately, the guests aren't the only thing causing trouble, as Robert (Hugh Bonneville) gets some disturbing news: he has lost virtually all of his money. This means, without a cash infusion, the family could lose Downtown Abbey. Luckily, Matthew has just inherited a large sum. Unluckily, he feels guilty about keeping the cash, given the circumstances of its passing to him so he plans to give it away, an act that Lady Mary not only has trouble fathoming, but also spurs her to consider calling off the nuptials.

Viewers of the series have watched Mary and Matthew go through so many ups and downs that the writers simply could not follow through with another break up! It would have utterly killed the show. Plot reasoning be damned, there is frustration at these last minute complications, and the only good part about them is seeing the concerns pushed aside in the name of love, cementing the couple's union.

The person who manages to save the day here is Tom, surprisingly. I don't care much for Tom's character, who pushes things further than he should. But his spirit adds a dash of acceptable drama to the proceedings, making him an invaluable part of the cast.

When Matthew stands up for Tom during a prank gone wrong, Tom returns the favor by talking Matthew into righting things with Lady Mary. The relationship developing between the two brother-in-laws is fun and satisfying. They may come from different worlds, but they are both sort of outsiders. Dealing with the family gives them something to bond over. It will be interesting to see if Tom begins to change to adapt to the Crawley way of life, as Matthew has, or if living away in Ireland will save him from that.

And so, the wedding takes place, with smiles all around. It's beautiful, of course, but it's odd that it ends so abruptly. PBS pushed together two separate episodes on Sunday night, so there has to be a transition somewhere. But the way it is edited together, cutting off after a mere moment at the alter, feels stilted. Perhaps nothing could be done about such an issue, but it really breaks the flow of the story.

In the second half, Lady Mary and Matthew have no sooner returned from their honeymoon than Mary and the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) begin to hatch a plan to get Martha to give up (more of) her money to save the estate. Like any scheme, it's ill-thought-out, and does not unfold according to plan. In the end, Martha is willing, but doesn't have the liquid assets to acquiesce, though she offers other assistance.

The dinner party that Mary and the Countess plan is a comedy of errors. Part of this involves a servant feud, which I'll get to in a moment, but that's only where some of the blame lies. Neither woman is truly cold-hearted, which is what it takes to pull off master manipulation. They are working towards what they see as a noble purpose, and they go about it through the positive light, rather than by hurting anyone. Which, while sympathetic, even if it it displays their out-of-touch attitudes, sadly fails.

Martha salvages the party as things go awry. She is a wonderful energy to add to the house, even temporarily, bringing a modern (for the 1920s), American sensibility with her, but also a lot of genuine love. She may not approve of the way her daughter, Cora's (Elizabeth McGovern), family lives, but she doesn't judge them too harshly, nor try to tear them down. She only encourages an acceptance of the change that no one can stop. She also does her best to keep things light and fun for everyone around her.

My favorite interaction Martha has, though, is not with the upper crust, but with new footman Alfred (Matt Milne). Martha doesn't look down upon those working at Downton Abbey, and her teasing back and forth, at first not picked up by Alfred, is delightful!

Besides Martha, the Dowager Countess gets all of the best lines in these two hours. Maggie Smith always adds something wonderful to every episode she is in, but she has stepped up her wittiness in the series three premiere, and seems to have slightly increased her screen time. This only benefits the show.

The last story I'll mention among the upper half is Lady Edith's (Laura Carmichael) serious pursuit of Sir Anthony (Robert Bathurst) as a husband. She has flirted with him before, but it's gratifying to see such a serious turn happen for the couple, as they get engaged. Edith is the last of the Crowley sisters to marry, and while her romantic life has had some missteps, she seems well suited to Sir Anthony, besides his obvious drawbacks as a spousal choice. I hope their nuptials go off without a hitch, and they live happily ever after, even if that makes for boring television.

Now, down to the lower class. Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle) is still in jail, despite Mrs. Anna Bates' (Joanne Froggatt) efforts to clear his name. I have to be honest, this plot has been dragged out quite enough. Yes, getting absolved of a murder charge isn't something that can easily be done. But the show has spent more than one series dealing with Mr. Bates' first wife and her subsequent death, keeping Anna and her hubbie in misery. It would be great if Anna can find something and put this whole thing behind them.

In Downtown Abbey itself, O'Brien's (Siobhan Finneran) nephew, Alfred is the new guy. One would think that he might be a bit evil, since O'Brien has caused more than her share of trouble, even if she seems to have somewhat turned over a new leaf. But no, this apple falls far from the tree, and Alfred proves to be a kind and amusing addition to the downstairs. Especially as he takes up with Martha's naughty maid (Lucille Sharp).

The issue with Alfred is, he is hired behind Carson's (Jim Carter) back. Then, he jumps from footman to valet too quickly, which makes Thomas's (Rob James-Collier) resentment justifiable, for once. None of this is Alfred's fault, but it's not doing him any favors. Alfred is very likable, but he hasn't yet found his place within the staff. I'm sure it'll sort itself out in time.

As mentioned, Alfred's presence is not tolerated well by Thomas, which sparks his villainous streak once more. This time, though, O'Brien is on the opposite side. After watching them team up to take on good people who don't deserve it, I like the pay off of seeing them battle against each other. I just hope that Alfred doesn't become too damaged in the crossfire.

Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) has a lump in her breast that might be cancerous. When things start to calm down, why does something like this have to come along? I get that it keeps the plot moving forward without having to bring in another character, but if anyone does not deserve breast cancer, it's Mrs. Hughes. The only good thing that comes out of this story so far is when an oblivious Carson tells Mrs. Hughes that he cares about her.

Mrs. Hughes also has support in the form of Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol). At first glance, Mrs. Patmore might not be the person one would like to lean on, given her blunt, outspoken attitude. Yet, her tendency to tell it like it is can be a breath of fresh air, away from all the fronts put up by the others, both upstairs and downstairs. And it gives her something to do that's more meaningful than comic relief, or putting up with the whiny, thoroughly unlikable Daisy (Sophie McShera).

A few more tidbits:

• The scene where the women of the staff welcome Tom home, even while the men take umbridge, is sweet.
• I did not expect to see Ethel (Amy Nuttall) again, and especially not as a prostitute seeking Isobel's (Penelope Wilton) help!
• When Matthew makes Tom his best man, I'm not sure if Robert or the Dowager Countess will have the first heart attack, but they both look awfully close to a cardiac episode!
• I think it's possible that Carson may even more stuffy than the people that he serves.
• It's nice to see Robert and Cora's marriage has been repaired.
• Robert keeping the money issues away from the staff, while issuing an unexplained hiring freeze, makes the two classes seem further apart than they ever have before.
• Finding out that Mrs. Hughes sees the same village doctor as the Crawleys do, even while outside of the estate, makes the two classes seem closer than they ever have before.

The heart of Downton Abbey is clearly the characters, as that is all I have been talking about this entire review. In this, the show continues to do well, using its sprawling cast mostly wisely, and allowing the people to grow, both as themselves, and on the viewers. There is relatability in both major groups, and yet, the show still shows us a world that few living today are used to, and which is fascinating.

Downton Abbey continues Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on TheTVKing