The Crimson Field (DVD)

The Crimson Field is a British mini-series that aired on PBS recently. The BBC commissioned the mini-series as part of its special programming in observance of the centenary of World War I. Apparently the series did not receive good reviews in the British press. And I guess it didn't get very good ratings either because it's not coming back for another season. I've heard that some people have started a petition to get the BBC to bring it back, but I don't think that's going to happen.

I think I mentioned this program or other programs set during World War I in my review of ANZAC Girls. At first I wasn't going to review The Crimson Field because I just reviewed another mini-series and also TCF is six episodes long. However, after viewing the first episode, I had opinions, and I need to vent about some characters. So now I'm reviewing it. I'll be splitting it into three more posts, each of which will cover two episodes.

While ANZAC Girls focused on nurses from Australia and New Zealand who served in field hospitals in Egypt, Lemnos Island, and France during World War I, TCF tells the story of British nurses serving in a field hospital in France during the same war. These particular nurses are at a busy field hospital in France. In ANZAC Girls there was snobbery from British nurses towards their Australian counterparts. In TCF there's snobbery from British Army nurses towards British civilian volunteer nurses. Why are British nurses so snobby? I don't like it.

Overall I enjoyed the mini-series. I would have enjoyed it more if it had been more focused on its main ensemble rather than giving so much screen time to the guest actors that portrayed each episode's injured soldiers. If they had another season, maybe they could fix this. You can look for reviews of The Crimson Field over the next few weeks!

--Reviewed by Ms. Angie

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