SPOILERS Every production which consists of many chapters has a black spot. Whether it's television series with a week season, or a drama with a weak episode, all have them. In episodes five and six, this magnificent series has it's black-spot.
As third lieutenant aboard the HMS Renown, Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd) is working under the legendary Captain Sawyer (David Warner). After a few major errors in judgement by Sawyer however, Hornblower and the other lieutenants begin to suspect the captain might not be entirely well. To remove him however means mutiny, and the punishment for this crime is death.
After the irritating adventures in a French village in the previous episode, it is at least refreshing to get back out to sea in this stretched out two part encounter.
Based almost entirely on either the HMS Renown or in the Lieutenants' trials, this story is a remarkably simple one which feels over long. Perhaps too much of a squeeze to have been contained into one two hour period, three hours feels excessive. In effect, we are left with a no win situation.
As the slowly deteriorating captain Sawyer, David Warner is suitably aggressive and insane. Sadly this pushes him from seeming like a serious actor into an over the top one. Normally an outstanding actor, Warner frustrates in these episodes.
Whilst Warner might not convince, series regulars Ioan Gruffudd, Jamie Bamber, Paul Copley and Sean Gilder all perform unsurprisingly well. All these actors have taken their characters to heart and made them their own, and it is a shame that one of them won't feature in any more episodes.
The problem with both "Mutiny" and "Retribution" however is not acting, but purely that the script feels drawn out and grates on the nerves. Written by T.R.Bowen and Ben Rostul these episodes are far the finest of the series and could do with a rewrite.
Even the almighty Hornblower series has a few bad episodes. Often the finest thing on British television, the series is let down in particular by both "Mutiny" and "Retribution". Featuring an excessive performance by David Warner and an awkward story, these episodes should have been so much better.
As third lieutenant aboard the HMS Renown, Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd) is working under the legendary Captain Sawyer (David Warner). After a few major errors in judgement by Sawyer however, Hornblower and the other lieutenants begin to suspect the captain might not be entirely well. To remove him however means mutiny, and the punishment for this crime is death.
After the irritating adventures in a French village in the previous episode, it is at least refreshing to get back out to sea in this stretched out two part encounter.
Based almost entirely on either the HMS Renown or in the Lieutenants' trials, this story is a remarkably simple one which feels over long. Perhaps too much of a squeeze to have been contained into one two hour period, three hours feels excessive. In effect, we are left with a no win situation.
As the slowly deteriorating captain Sawyer, David Warner is suitably aggressive and insane. Sadly this pushes him from seeming like a serious actor into an over the top one. Normally an outstanding actor, Warner frustrates in these episodes.
Whilst Warner might not convince, series regulars Ioan Gruffudd, Jamie Bamber, Paul Copley and Sean Gilder all perform unsurprisingly well. All these actors have taken their characters to heart and made them their own, and it is a shame that one of them won't feature in any more episodes.
The problem with both "Mutiny" and "Retribution" however is not acting, but purely that the script feels drawn out and grates on the nerves. Written by T.R.Bowen and Ben Rostul these episodes are far the finest of the series and could do with a rewrite.
Even the almighty Hornblower series has a few bad episodes. Often the finest thing on British television, the series is let down in particular by both "Mutiny" and "Retribution". Featuring an excessive performance by David Warner and an awkward story, these episodes should have been so much better.