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The Forsytes

(95 Posts)
eddiecat78 Sun 19-Oct-25 12:15:23

A new version of the Forsyte Saga starts on channel 5 tomorrow.
Will you be watching?
I won't as memories of the original (1960s) are still firmly stuck in my head

Allira Sun 19-Oct-25 12:33:38

Who can forget Nyree Dawn Porter!

I'm not sure, might record it.

Aveline Sun 19-Oct-25 12:36:21

Is it the same as the Forsyte Saga though. I recently watched an updated version and it was ok but Irenee wasn't nearly as beautiful as Nyree Dawn Porter (whatever happened to her btw?)

nightowl Sun 19-Oct-25 12:58:14

I might take a peek, but I too am stuck in the 1960’s. The little I’ve read about the new series doesn’t fill me with confidence that the series will follow the books. Apparently Irene is depicted as a ballet dancer which ‘ties her more closely to the world of the arts’. Wasn’t she a gifted pianist? What’s wrong with that as an art form?

Chardy Sun 19-Oct-25 13:29:14

I loved the 1960s version of course, so I read the books. But I really liked the Damian Lewis, Gina McKee, Rupert Graves 2003 version too. And I read the books again.
I'm hopeful

Calendargirl Sun 19-Oct-25 14:25:02

Chardy

I loved the 1960s version of course, so I read the books. But I really liked the Damian Lewis, Gina McKee, Rupert Graves 2003 version too. And I read the books again.
I'm hopeful

Damian Lewis made a good Soames, who I felt quite sorry for.

Gina McKee was no Nyree Dawn Porter though.

Aldom Sun 19-Oct-25 14:28:36

Aveline sadly, the lovely Nyree Dawn Porter died on April 10th 2001.
Born 1036. Too young to die. flowers

Whitewavemark2 Sun 19-Oct-25 14:44:17

Even-song used to start earlier to accommodate the congregation in our church😊

Oreo Sun 19-Oct-25 15:39:59

Chardy

I loved the 1960s version of course, so I read the books. But I really liked the Damian Lewis, Gina McKee, Rupert Graves 2003 version too. And I read the books again.
I'm hopeful

I always like Damien Lewis he seems to effortlessly act anyone else off the screen.
Gina McKee acted well in it but IMO is not beautiful and certainly wouldn’t have mesmerised a man.Pale as a ghost and as melancholy as well.

Oreo Sun 19-Oct-25 15:41:15

Aldom

Aveline sadly, the lovely Nyree Dawn Porter died on April 10th 2001.
Born 1036. Too young to die. flowers

1036 to 2001 isn’t a short life🤭

Deedaa Mon 20-Oct-25 13:09:48

Eric Porter was so wonderfully sinister as Soames. He's a hard act to follow.

eddiecat78 Mon 20-Oct-25 13:24:05

I was only 10 when it first came out but remember watching avidly with my mum. Considering that's nearly 60 years I'm surprised I can remember so much detail from it.
I think Soames' rape of Irene was only alluded to rather than graphic and at the time I was rather unsure about what had actually happened!

Harris27 Mon 20-Oct-25 13:29:46

Think I’ll record it nice to have something new to watch.

MollyNew Mon 20-Oct-25 22:20:37

I've just watched it. I don't remember the original but this new one is a bit too Downton Abbey for me and there are so many advert breaks, it just breaks the story up. I'm going to give it a chance so I'll record the next episode so I can fast forward the adverts and watch it while my partner is at the football!

Catgrann Mon 20-Oct-25 22:23:39

1036? I'd say she had a good inningsgrin

Catterygirl Mon 20-Oct-25 22:30:53

Never watched it. Willing to give the new one a try.

MayBee70 Mon 20-Oct-25 22:35:17

They were chatting about this on Must Watch and they all agreed that ( and I thought the same) that it was The Forsythe Saga. So much so that they had to look up what it was called when lots of people have a false memory of an event.

MayBee70 Mon 20-Oct-25 22:36:36

…it’s called the Mandela effect…

nightowl Mon 20-Oct-25 22:39:28

Well I did peek, but I’m not sure I’ll continue. The writers seem to have made so many utterly pointless changes to the story that it annoyed me. It felt as though they’d said to themselves ‘oh look, here’s an old book written by some old bloke, we can take the names of the characters and a few ideas but I’m sure we can improve on it’. I dread to think where it’s all going.

LadyBridgerton Mon 20-Oct-25 22:48:15

Someone has said on another site that it's not a remake but a prequel, I will watch it tomorrow. This may be right as there's no Fleur in the cast list.

Nightsky2 Mon 20-Oct-25 23:04:00

Oreo

Chardy

I loved the 1960s version of course, so I read the books. But I really liked the Damian Lewis, Gina McKee, Rupert Graves 2003 version too. And I read the books again.
I'm hopeful

I always like Damien Lewis he seems to effortlessly act anyone else off the screen.
Gina McKee acted well in it but IMO is not beautiful and certainly wouldn’t have mesmerised a man.Pale as a ghost and as melancholy as well.

I recently watched it and loved it. What brilliant acting by Damien Lewis. Will record this new one.

Clawdy Mon 20-Oct-25 23:09:06

Catgrann

1036? I'd say she had a good inningsgrin

Yes, not bad!

LadyGaGa Mon 20-Oct-25 23:24:02

The John Galsworthy novels are one of my absolutely favourites. I shed a tear when I finished them. The 1967 version was good, but Damien Lewis is Soames in my mind and no one else would cut the mustard. (To my husband DL is Homeland, and to my son Band of Brothers - he’s an amazing actor!) I agree that Gina McKee just wasn’t up to Irene - she came across as miserable and boring.
I will give the new series a go though.

Calendargirl Tue 21-Oct-25 06:51:09

I watched half then went to bed, but will watch the rest.

Yes, lots of ad breaks.

To me, it felt a lot like ‘Belgravia’, more than ‘Downton’.

I must look up the characters as I couldn’t remember them all.

Someone said Fleur isn’t in, too early for her to appear yet, as Soames has only just met Irene.

Esmay Tue 21-Oct-25 06:59:45

I loved Nyree Dawn Porter and Eric Porter in the original .
I fell fast asleep before it started !