What is it? The Jewel in the Crown, Miniseries, 14 episodes on five discs from PBS
How much? $39.99
When? Now
What jewel in what crown? The crown in question is the British Empire and the jewel isn't a literal jewel -- it's India.
The story begins in the early 1940s. World War II is raging, but there's turmoil in India that's not related to threats from the Japanese. Cries for independence are getting louder, thanks to the efforts of leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, and it's becoming obvious that changes are coming. Not everyone in the British community is ready for that.
For people like the newly arrived, naive nurse Daphne Manners (Susan Wooldridge), independence isn't necessarily a bad or shocking thing. As her budding relationship with Hari Kumar (Art Malik) shows, she's progressive in her thinking.
Not so progressive? Ronald Merrick (Tim Pigott-Smith), an insecure, social- climbing, racist British police officer who inserts himself first into the saga of Daphne and Hari (with tragic consequences) and then becomes involved with strong-willed Sarah Layton (Geraldine James) and her weaker sister Susan (Wendy Morgan).
Following through to India's independence in 1947, the story twists and turns through dozens of characters and storylines as the characters bump in and out of each other's lives, resulting in death, injustice, violence and love triangles. Answers and happy endings aren't exactly easy to come by.
It sounds complicated. Not terribly complicated. But it does ask that the viewer pay attention. This is not a "have it on in the background while dusting and folding laundry" kind of series.
It's a personal saga/soap opera and an examination of the results of colonialism.
The heart of the series is perhaps best represented by Hari Kumar, an Indian who was educated at an upper-crust school in England. He's only a major player early on, but he hangs like a specter over the rest of the series and, trapped as he is between the British and Indian worlds -- not fitting in or fully accepted in either place -- he's the embodiment of post-Britain India.
It's a series that requires a certain level of commitment and it's rather slow-moving. But it's extremely well done, thought-provoking and ultimately engrossing if you give yourself the time to really get immersed in the story and the people.
Are there extras? Four episodes have commentary tracks and there are also the original Alistair Cooke Masterpiece Theatre intros.
New this week: Atlantis, Season 2, Part 1; Batman, Season 2, Part 1; Hart to Hart, Season 4; Mama's Family, Season 6; Nurse Jackie, Season 6.
Next week: Action Man, Complete Series; Breaking Amish: LA, Season 1; The Chair, Season 1; Game of Thrones, Season 4; Jumanji, Season 1; Wahlburgers, Season 2; Wish Kid, Complete Series.
Style on 02/08/2015