‘The Forsyte Saga’: A Lavish Period Drama
The family saga exploring love, wealth, and scandal is complete with acclaimed performances and exquisite costumes. New viewers of Channel 5’s latest period drama The Forsytes might not be familiar with its predecessor, The Forsyte Saga.
Despite airing more than twenty years ago, The Forsyte Saga continues to receive praise from period drama enthusiasts for its sweeping portrayal of an affluent family across generations.
Background and Adaptation
The new series serves as a prequel and reimagining of the Nobel Prize-winning novels by John Galsworthy. The original ITV miniseries from the 2000s is a 10-part drama depicting scandals over three generations, from the 1870s to the 1920s.
Main Characters and Plot
Central to the story is Soames Forsyte, played by Damien Lewis, described as delivering a
“constant marvel”with his portrayal of the family’s complex and unlikable patriarch.
Soames is a wealthy solicitor obsessed with property and status. His pursuit of Irene Heron (Gina McKee), a beautiful woman living in genteel poverty, is initially rejected despite his fortune. They eventually marry, yet their relationship reveals that money alone cannot buy love.
Their troubled marriage and its repercussions form the core of this multi-generational tale about a family driven by wealth and social standing, as noted by the Express.
Historical and Social Context
The saga spans around fifty years, covering the Victorian era through the end of World War I. It is celebrated for its insightful social commentary on British society’s transformation at the turn of the 20th century.
“The Forsyte Saga is renowned for its social commentary of a changing British society at the turn of the 20th century.”
Author’s Summary
This richly detailed series offers a compelling exploration of family dynamics, societal pressures, and the limits of wealth in early 20th-century Britain.