Little Women viewers divided over latest BBC adaptation
Some fans were pining for previous takes on the classic novel, but others wanted to see how the three-part BBC1 adaptation plays out
The BBC's latest adaptation of Little Women has proved divisive amongst viewers after the first of three episodes aired on Boxing Day.
Many devotees of Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel and its previous adaptations took to Twitter to bemoan a "boring" start to the miniseries, complaining about the score, casting choices, and the writers' decisions to omit certain plot points.
However, others said there was "a lot to like" about the series adapted by Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas.
Director Vanessa Caswill faced an uphill battle from the beginning by taking on such a deeply beloved story, and though the reaction from critics has been positive, it appears the fans are not yet convinced.
https://twitter.com/thebigloc/status/945752416598839296
Some had particularly brutal put-downs...
https://twitter.com/femininelawless/status/945752272264400897
Others were more hopeful for The Minaturist...
https://twitter.com/sarahshaffi/status/945749681019260928
On the Radio Times Facebook page however, viewers praised the casting of the main characters.
"I'm really enjoying it. Good adaptation and brilliant casting. All working well so far. Could have been extended to a four hour programme but three will have to do," Debbie Mead wrote.
"Overall I thought the adaptation for TV was very good although some of the scenes were too short and hopped about too much," Diana Blake added. "The casting was good though and Laurie and Jo perfect."
https://www.facebook.com/radiotimes/posts/10155668556866075
Some viewers yearned for previous versions, including the classic 1949 version featuring a young Elizabeth Taylor and the 1994 film adaptation starring Winona Ryder and Christian Bale.
https://twitter.com/bexx0588/status/945749335828058112
But others were more willing to give the new adaptation some time...
https://twitter.com/sureed67/status/945755835367591936
...and some argued that fans were being particularly harsh because of impossible high expectations.
https://twitter.com/stephsiu/status/945780851438182400
And one user in particular did NOT get what they were expecting...
https://twitter.com/GazWeetman/status/945749292853153793
Did the new version of Little Women live up to your expectations? Vote in our poll below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRQ5GKfzR5U
This article was originally published on 27 December 2017
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