New Worlds (TV series) explained

Genre:Historical drama
Creator:Peter Flannery
Martine Brant
Director:Charles Martin
Starring:Phil Cheadle
Pip Carter
Composer:Harry Escott
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Series:1
Num Episodes:4
Executive Producer:Peter Flannery
Martine Brant
John Yorke
Producer:Johann Knobel
Location:Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Runtime:50 minutes (including adverts)
Company:Company Pictures
Network:Channel 4 (UK)

New Worlds is a 2014 Channel 4 TV series, set in 1680s England and America and forming a sequel to The Devil's Whore.[1]

Production

In August 2013 Channel 4 announced a follow-up series to The Devil's Whore. Written by Peter Flannery and Martine Brant, it follows Angelica (the central character from the previous series), now Countess of Abingdon, trying to protect her daughter, in an England still full of unrest and Hope and Ned, struggling in colonial Massachusetts. It is produced by Company Pictures with Johann Knobel serving as the producer. The executive producers are Peter Flannery, Martine Brant and John Yorke. Channel 4 started airing the series as one-hour episodes on 1 April 2014.[2]

Cast

Reception

Stuart Jeffries writing for The Guardian, criticised the dialogue and writing saying: "[...] the writing needs to be so much better. The dialogue is too often laughably expository. Too often characters tell us history rather than dramatising it."[3] The same sentiment was echoed by Patrick Kevin Day of The Los Angeles Times, though he praised the production design and the cast's acting.[4] He concluded saying: "Just don’t expect to be compelled to finish the whole thing in one sitting. Sometimes, a little magic goes a long way." Conversely Ellen E. Jones wrote for The Independent: "[...] despite their derring-do, this new cast of Skins graduates and ex-models didn't quite live up to the Devil's Whore originals, a group that memorably included Peter Capaldi, Dominic West, John Simm and Michael Fassbender."[5]

David Hinckley of the New York Daily News was more positive about the series as he said: "Once we sort of figure out what's going on, which takes some work, the action is lively." He commended the cast, with particular notion for Dornan's performance, stating: "Dornan plays historical drama smoothly, as do his fellow performers."[6]

References

  1. News: Stubbs . David . 29 March 2014 . New Worlds to conquer: meet the cast of Channel 4's new historical drama . en-GB . The Guardian . 23 July 2023 . 0261-3077.
  2. Web site: Munn, Patrick. 6 August 2013. Channel 4's' The Devil's Whore follow up 'New Worlds' adds to cast. TV Wise. 11 April 2014.
  3. News: Jeffries . Stuart . 2 April 2014 . New Worlds; Building Burma's Death Railway – TV review . en-GB . . 23 July 2023 . 0261-3077.
  4. Web site: Kevin Day . Patrick . 16 February 2015 . 'New Worlds' review: Historical drama that's more talky than epic . 23 July 2023 . . en-US.
  5. Web site: E. Jones . Ellen . 2 April 2014 . New Worlds, Channel 4 - TV review: Restoration rebels fail to fire the . 23 July 2023 . The Independent . en.
  6. Web site: Hinckley . David . 12 February 2015 . 'New Worlds': Television Review . 23 July 2023 . New York Daily News.