It's really good, I liked it very much. And he's very good at playing a character who is sometimes quite unlikeable and who makes you feel for him yet. 
When I was reading PE I could hardly bear reading the last chapters because I was so afraid that something bad would happen to him or Valentine. 

I mentioned this series to my friends, praising it - and when I was returning from our meeting I suddenly saw DVDs with this series being sold in our local magazine shop. I grabbed it and bought it immediately!  

What a pity such things never happen to me when I mention money, through.

Ahem, tonnaree   

Perfect moment to be off...
Nighty night, pretties.

Good God!  I've now watched the whole trilogy and would highly recommend it.  I've ordered the books.  Looking at the short excerpt on Amazon, I think that Benedict captured the voice of Talbot perfectly.  All the characters were good and not stereotypical, but I felt Talbot's character had a lot of depth, despite sometimes being "shallow" .

There didn't seem to be a boring moment in the whole thing.   There were some bits I didn't like so much. I found it difficult to believe in the love story (a short contact when Talbot was clearly suffering from the effects of a head injury, and then his love interest travelling from India to Australia just to bump into him?).    I felt that Zenobia was ignored after the first part of the trilogy and I didn't understand why - I presume it was a reflection on Talbot (he just didn't notice her any more), but I felt it could have been elaborated and I would have liked to know more about her character.   I love that it's all from Talbot's point of view, but it's also a weakness in that we only get to see what he sees, and he seems to switch his interests. 

There is lots for BC fans because he's in just about every scene for three books worth!   He seemed to be arousing my maternal instincts rather than my more lustful instincts, as he does appear and act very young in this, sometimes appearing adolescent or even verging on childlike (the tussle at Prettiman's cabin).  It was released in 2005 when he was, what, 29?  I'd say he comes across as barely 20, and younger at times.  I hope the book will tell me what age he is supposed to be, but does anybody know?   Anyway, despite looking so youthful, I still think he's really attractive in this, and some of the other members off the cast aren't so bad either .   It's very watchable in terms of male eye candy.   A couple of nude scenes too. 

I liked that Talbot developed through the stories without completely transforming (even near the end, I cringed when he told Sumners that he could hardly discuss philosophy with him) ... and then is almost having to start from the beginning again in new environment. 

I loved the swings in mood of the series, from funny to awful to tragic and all over the place.   I'd like to watch this again, and am looking forward to the books.

We just finished watching this series the other day and I LOVED it totally!

Both of us are huge fans of the Hornblower series (with Ioan Gruffudd) and love stories about tall ships so it was a natural fit that something like this would appeal to me.  But even beyond that I really was blown away by the whole atmosphere of the production - the dirt, the close quarters and the concentration to detail especially surrounding the isolation of the "community" on the ship.  Golding's outlook on society was very dark indeed - but also very interesting.   

And of course it was remarkable how BC wasn't yet 30 when it was made but he was mature beyond his years as an actor (especially since the production really rested on the quality of his performance since he was in nearly every scene).  Really impressive. 

And to think too that at some point during the making of this he had the trauma of his abduction to deal with as well...

I was utterly fascinated with the whole story and he pulled it off nicely, showing the progression of Edmund Talbot from the shallow but basically good youth he was when the story began to the wiser, deeper man he was by the end of his voyage of discovery.  

A huge range of emotions displayed on the screen in such a role - he was masterful over all three parts.  I couldn't have been an easy role to take on.

I read through all the comments in this thread and although I can appreciate that some didn't like the happy (or should I say happier) ending it worked for me for the most part.  I think Talbot really deserved the possibility that he may find love.  It wasn't carved in stone (we don't know for absolutely sure that Marian would be able to connect with Edmund on a profound level) but it did give us a hint that it would happen.  I normally am not one for sentimental endings but it is always eventually dependent on whether I think the protagonist has truly earned his happiness and in this case I think Edmund did.  And I also mean that he earned in a story sense (not just within the plot but in a natural way that suits the actual characters' lives in the story) - I can see that his character yearned for some happiness and it wasn't just laid on to make us geel good at the end (that is what I hate the most about sentimental endings).  This ending felt natural for Edmund.

The only thing I didn't like really about the story was that we never find out what happened to Summers after the fire (or anyone else except the Prettimans).  I would have liked a bit more closure with Summers especially because of Edmund's relationship with him. 

But there were so many things that I completely love about this series that I can forgive the few issues that I have with the small things. 

Benedict made Edmund into a very deep human being, full of frailities and strengths - lust, love, ambition, stubborness, intelligence, naivity, outrage, pettiness, silliness, arrogance, kindness and vulnerability.  He just was  a joy to watch.  Sometimes I was so frustrated with his snobbery and then I just wanted to hold him close to comfort him.  

I certainly will watch this one many more times.

-Val 
 

Thanks - I just might do that (read the books).



-Val

I was having serious Benedict withdrawals lately but managed to convince my husband to watch To the Ends of the Earth with me today. I was pretty sure he would like it even though he usually likes action/thriller/horror etc. Anyway, I think he enjoyed the story. He didn't fall asleep, and he laughed a few times at appropriate places 

I was trying hard not to sigh or swoon every time Benedict was on the screen or gush about his beautiful face and body... It was torture having to keep quiet about it!

Found this cute behind-the-scenes photo, wow he looks young

Last edited by ukaunz (April 8, 2015 9:33 am)

That's what I've read somewhere. I'm not sure if it's mentioned in an interview or an article... I guess someone asked him about it? A bit rude