Hornblower: The Even Chance

At the start it was fifty-fifty whether this TV series would work (or not). However, already the opening atmospheric scene with the arrival of the rain thrashed HMS Justinian immediately quashes any such fears. The opening episode is not intended to do anything but to introduce the characters and to the viewer onto the hero’s side. And even though a bigger budget would have helped, it does these brief introductions in style. Because Grieve is a clever, ripe gentleman and so he knows very well that to play the awe-inspiring production design card is pointless if you don’t give a damn about the characters. And you can be sure that neither of the above happens in this. (10/02/2010)