The Forsytes Is Supposed to Be Ugly

PBS’s new version of The Forsytes, originally shown on Channel 5 in the UK, changes Galsworthy’s story about a wealthy family’s downfall. It speeds up the timeline, losing the original’s slow build of tension and sense of impending disaster. While new storylines add more characters and give them more to do, the series feels bloated and loses focus. Most strikingly, and ironically for a story about looking beneath the surface, everything is visually softened. The show is overly glamorous, with the Forsytes’ luxurious ballroom looking just as appealing as a poor woman’s rundown apartment. The older Forsytes, who should appear frail and outdated, are surprisingly youthful and healthy. And the younger characters are all exceptionally attractive, seemingly styled for social media. Instead of a story about a vibrant new generation fighting against the constraints of their conservative elders, it feels like a superficial tale of beautiful people with very little to worry about.







