‘The Crimson Field’ episode 2 review: Is the BBC’s latest series too depressing?
The second episode of BBC’s “The Crimson Field” felt at times like you were watching a combination of “Platoon” and, as previously mentioned, “Call the Midwife.” It also worked unintentionally at convincing us that this may not be the right show for us.
In reviewing many BBC and ITV efforts over the years, what makes the stories stand out is that they are typically character-based, and focus more at times on people than the circumstances surrounding them. Sunday’s episode of the show made little effort to hide from you that this was about the war just as much as any of the characters. It was at times bloody and devastating, and perhaps more difficult to watch than any other series that BBC has on its docket.
When looking at the “Call the Midwife” comparisons, there are episodes of this show where you see death, or mothers who are on the verge of losing everything and unable to care for their children. On this show, you had a wife who was ashamed of her husband’s injuries, and wanted to separate him from the rest of the soldiers to keep their morale high. This is more about the horrors of war, and the mental devastation that these horrors leave on more than just the men on the front lines.
We suppose that from a sociological perspective, it is interesting to see how different people, men and women, young and old, react to hardship. But, many sociologists tend to reserve this to their research, and not their Sunday-night viewing. This is the way to close the door on your weekend, and while we admit that the stories of Kitty, Joan, and the other nurses were reasonably well-acted and written, it was just far too depressing for our taste. Clearly, we know that the British end up being one of the victors of World War I, but that does not take away the lives that were lost. Swimming in the ocean is not going to be enough for us. Grade: C+.
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Photo: BBC