Drama, ITV1, 9:00 pm

by Tina Ogle, TV Times, April 6, 2002

Sink deep into your armchairs and breathe a sigh of relief at the arrival of this spectacular, old-fashioned costume drama. Fans of the original Sixties BBC series will no doubt make comparisons, but they shouldn't be unfavourable. Chronicling the lives and loves of the Forsyte family, we join them in 1872, as Young Jolyon (Rupert Graves) seems to be showing a more than healthy interest in the French governess of his child. This is a very classy melodrama that is not afraid to take its time at drawing us into its very pleasing world. Gina McKee is wonderful, as usual, as the very doubtful Irene, unwilling wife of Soames Forsyte (Damian Lewis), while the handsome Ioan Gruffudd also stars as a young architect who catches Irene's eye.

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Caption: Soames Forsyte and his new wife Irene: Their marriage becomes a saga.