MovieChat Forums > The Forsyte Saga (1969) Discussion > Best television ever

Best television ever

posted 13 years ago by cohen_jack
5 replies | jump to latest

My wife and I are in the midst of a marathon re-viewing of the 1967 "The Forsyte Saga." For those of you with criticisms of some of the actor's nuances, or issues with the underlying weaknesses of Soames or Irene- give it up! This is, hands down, the best series ever placed on television. After 45 years, it has stood the test of time.
Show me anything with the depth of character, with the quality of acting performance, either in England or abroad that matches this production. The later version, while game, only underscores what a magnificent achievement the 1967 edition was. The only shame is that so many of the key actors- Nyree Dawn Porter, Kenneth Moore, Eric Porter- are no longer with us.
The only production of similar quality in this country is "East of Eden," with Timmothy Bottoms and Jane Seymour.
Much as I enjoy "Downton Abbey," "The Forsyte Saga" remains the gold standard for presentation, acting and production.

[–] greenegg 13 years ago

I'm with you all the way, cohen jack. The original FS still seems note perfect, even in B&W.

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[–] tiderolls 13 years ago

I think the B & W add to the charm of the series; I have the feeling I'm really going back in time --Although I will say, I loved seeing the beautiful colors of that same time period in The Pallisers.

[–] JukeBox-Bill 13 years ago

I just finished viewing The Forsyte Saga's all 7 DVD's within a week. My first impulse at the end was to start again at the beginning. That's how good it is.

But there are some other British TV series, that are equally good or come close.
For instance:
Somewhat similair to TFS: Upstairs, Downstairs, a story about an aristocratic family and their servants, spanning 30 years at the beginning of the 20th century and broadcasted 5 seasons long.
Brideshead Revisited, a series, that kept me at home, when it was first time broadcasted on television, and since I have the series on DVD, I watch it almost once every year.
And of later days and acting in a more modern period: Inspector Morse.

What if this as good as it gets?

[–] morgana-31 13 years ago

I've just done the same. Now going to re-read the novels. This really is as good as it gets.

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[–] shoolaroon-9-43507 10 years ago

I first saw this series nearly 45 years ago or so when I was a child of about 12. I was fascinated by it then and actually read the entirety of Galsworthy's saga afterwards. I'm so grateful that it's now on YouTube and I saw the whole thing again, so many decades later and it holds up as one of the best, if not THE best, thing I've ever seen on TV. The writing, acting, sets, everything, is perfect and really pulls you into that era, and into a wonderful story of real human beings. Television at its finest!