That’s
right; the Tenth Doctor’s comment about being at the first Christmas (“I had
the last room”) is truer than you think.
Only a few years before being cast as Twelve, PC appeared in this
four-part miniseries of the Christmas story.
With the holiday soon upon us, I figured it was a good time to check it
out.
Now,
having seen the first episode, I’m really enjoying it. As far as Bible stories go, it has a very
human focus. This episode is mostly
set-up – it ends with Mary getting the Big News – introducing the major players. Mary is a sweet, devout girl preparing to
leave childhood for married life. Joseph
isn’t especially accomplished, but he has a good, eager heart. Three astronomers discover a star that
captures their imagination, their hope.
A struggling shepherd wonders whether God cares for the likes of him.
PC plays
Balthazar, one of the magi. When he
first hears of the strange movement of the stars, he thinks it’s an
impossibility, but wisely, he’s quick to accept the evidence before his eyes. He shifts immediately to trying to convince
his fellow scholars of the star’s reality, arguing that they can’t call
themselves wise men if they ignore the undeniable.
Each of
the three main magi has a distinct personality from the other two; I like that. Balthazar is a well-spoken intellectual, a
man of action. He’s calmer than the
young, excitable Gaspar, less somber than the elderly, sage-like Melchior. Ultimately, he agrees to join the others
following the promise of the star.
Lots of
familiar faces in this one. Andrew
Buchan, who played the father in Broadchurch,
is Joseph. Mary is played by Tatiana
Maslany – I’ll admit that I haven’t seen Orphan
Black, but I have seen the 47
billion commercials for it on BBC America, so I sometimes feel like I have. Finally, I’ve seen Frances Barber, who plays
Elizabeth, in several roles since her turn as the eye-patched Madame Kovarian
in Who, but I still have a hard time
trusting her. The second I hear her
voice, my brain goes, “Danger!”
Accent Watch
A
pretty good RP.
Recommend?
In
General
– So far, yes. If you’re interested in
Bible stories but think a lot of adaptations seem overly stiff, I think you’d
really like this one.
PC-wise – Maybe. PC is doing well in a small but important
role. We’ll see what the coming episodes
bring.
Warnings
A few very tame sexual references – comments
about Mary’s virginity and so forth.
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