BBC's woke adaption of Dickens classic loses nearly 3m viewers
Low expectations: BBC’s woke adaptation of Dickens classic loses nearly 3m viewers
The BBC’s modern reworking of Great Expectations has suffered a ratings flop, losing nearly 3 million viewers since the first episode aired last month.
Steven Knight’s adaptation, which stars Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham and Fionn Whitehead as Pip, has been mired in controversy over accusations of wokery and the inclusion of opium addiction and sadomasochism.
Episode one pulled in 4.4 million viewers, reaching a peak of 5.5 million, but 1.8 million had switched off by episode two.
Last week’s penultimate episode only managed to draw in 1.5 million, some 2.9 million down on the first instalment.
It is one of the biggest losses for a new BBC drama so far this year. The Gold, starring Jack Lowden as Kenneth Noye, one of the masterminds behind the Brink’s-Mat robbery, lost 2 million viewers across six episodes, while Belfast police drama Blue Lights lost 1.2 million.
‘Hysterical’: Low expectations: BBC’s woke adaption of Dickens classic loses nearly 3m viewers (Fionn Whitehead pictured with Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella)
Screen: Written by Peaky Blinders creator Stephen Knight, the series stars Fionn Whitehead as Pip and Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham (pictured)
Shocking: Last week’s penultimate episode only managed to draw in 1.5 million, some 2.9 million down on the first instalment – it has been mired in controversy over accusations of wokery and the inclusion of opium addiction and sadomasochism
Better, about a corrupt police officer, dropped 1.4 million, while Death in Paradise spin-off Beyond Paradise only lost 740,000.
Knight’s previous Dicken’s adaptation, A Christmas Carol, opened to 4.6 million in December 2019, losing 1.4 million across three nights.
The Dickens Fellowship said the latest ratings slump was a result of ‘appalling dialogue’ and a ‘juvenile attempt to shock’.
Paul Graham, honorary general secretary, told the Mail: ‘It comes as no great surprise. Far too many major liberties have been taken with the original story. It is being mis-sold as Great Expectations.
‘Apart from the fact that the majority of the characters bear little resemblance – other than in name only – to the originals as depicted by Dickens, and the rather juvenile attempt to shock by bringing in scenes of sadomasochism, drug taking, and an anti-imperial rhetoric, the dialogue is appalling.
‘That, for me, is the greatest arrogance, to ditch the brilliant dialogue Dickens wrote and replace it with something far inferior.’
Knight previously expressed an interest in tackling A Tale Of Two Cities.
But Mr Graham said: ‘Perhaps a decline in viewing figures may persuade the powers that be to reconsider.’
Viewers were startled to witness a bare-bottomed Mr Pumblechook, played by Matt Berry, being spanked over a bed by house-wife-turned-dominatrix, Mrs Gargery, played by Hayley Squires.
Miss Havisham was portrayed as an opium addict who frequently smokes with Estella.
The show was also criticised for repeated references to the British Empire’s connections to the slave trade and the use of profanities.
Great Expectations concludes on BBC1 on Sunday at 9pm.
Not hitting the mark? It is one of the biggest losses for a new BBC drama so far this year
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