Forsyte Saga
Sky One

by Neil Batey, Star Magazine, May 2003

It's a familiar tale ... the star-crossed lovers whose doomed romance brings ancient family feuds to the boiling point again.

Shakespeare hit paydirt with the formula in Romeo And Juliet and now telly addicts can gear up for more of the same in the eagerly-awaited second series of The Forsyte Saga.

After winning both ratings and critical acclaim the first time round, Granada have gone out of their way to ensure that the follow-up adaptation of John Galsworthy's epic period drama does not disappoint.

Based on Galsworthy's third book To Let, the four feature-length episodes depict a powerful story about the intensity of first love for the next generation of Forsytes.

Damian Lewis, Gina McKee and Rupert Graves reprise the famous roles of Soames, Irene and Young Jolyon.

Meanwhile, newcomers Emma Griffiths Malin and Lee Williams take on the major roles of Fleur and Jon, the children born to Soames and Annette and Irene and Young Jolyon in the final moments of the last series.

Damian Lewis, who plays Soames, is enthusiastic.

He said: "The next four episodes are quite different from the first series.

"It's become more of a romance between the two children -- my child and Irene's child -- and it's about us preventing them from coming together. There's a lot of bitterness and animosity getting in the way."

Following some head-turning roles in The Forsyte Saga and Steven Spielberg's Band Of Brothers, Lewis is now firmly established as one of Blighty's top stars.

He is currently starring alongside Morgan Freeman and Tom Sizemore in the horror movie version of Stephen King's Dreamcatcher but relished the chance to return to Robin Hill.

"The first series was such a huge hit," Damian said. "I love it because it's a different type of drama. It doesn't follow a formula quite so much.

"People compare it to a soap opera, and it does have soap opera elements in it in the way that the plot intertwines with different characters, but it's not just about young lovers.

"You should always love your characters. But I don't think I would like Soames if I met him, but I love playing him."

For co-star Gina McKee, re-uniting with her cast mates in the north was a real thrill.

"It was great returning to Manchester because we had many people on the crew from the first series," she says.

"It means everyone is familiar with each other and you short cut getting to know a new vibe on set. We picked up where we left off. The cast and crew are great to work with.

"It was a very happy shoot."

Caption: Daddy's girl: Soames (Damian Lewis) does the Macarena with his daughter Fleur, played by Emma Griffiths Malin. Just out of shot, Damian completed his tuxedo outfit with a Hawaiian grass skirt and a pear of very high heels. ...