Liars and Saints

A few thoughts on the new Andrew Davies PBS version of "Les Miserables": *In the Davies adaptation, Valjean's early story seems to be a mirror image of Fantine's story. (We lose this in the musical, which unwisely abandons the narration of Fantine's past, except to have her murmur, in her "American Idol" ballad, "He slept a summer by my side....") As Fantine falls under the spell of a demon, Valjean falls under a different spell--a spell belonging to a powerful wizard, the Bishop of D---. As Fantine makes her way through a story of lies, secrets, half-truths, curses, and reverses, so, too, does Valjean. But the similarities end there. * Unlike  Fantine's Boy Toy, the Bishop is a force for good. The Bishop's scenes-- maybe  the most iconic scenes in the novel--unfold through a series of startling twists (big surprise). Valjean lies: He presents himself as a paying guest, then steals  silver . In turn, and our jaws drop, the Bishop li...

I sense no one is watching the new PBS version of "Les Miserables"--it's up against "Game of Thrones," inexplicably--but here are some things to consider, anyway: *The writer is Andrew Davies, beloved for his adaptation of "Bleak House." (Also recommended!) *Every set in this Victor Hugo PBS adaptation is stunningly beautiful. Whether or not you care about the plot, you can enjoy the bustling city street, the shady grove, the mansion that belongs to the royalist nincompoop. It's like you're in a painting. *The characters are boldly-drawn and compelling. The first hour gives us three plots: Fantine with her boy toy, Valjean wrestling with Javert, and little Marius struggling against his grandfather. Note the intrigue! The boy toy doesn't actually want seriousness with Fantine, so he tries to escape the romance by persuading lovelorn Fantine that the breakup is *her own* idea. (Like something from "New Girl"!) Javert torment...