By Valerie Milano
Pasadena, CA (The Hollywood Times) 1/11/20 – Based on E.M. Forster’s novel of the same name, Howards End is coming to a television screen near you via PBS Masterpiece. Howards End follows two unconventional and independent sisters – Margaret and Helen Schlegel – as they seek love and meaning in an ever-changing world.
The drama stars Hayley Atwell as strong-willed Margaret and Philippa Coulthard who plays Helen. Alex Lawther (“Black Mirror”) plays Tibby Schlegel, their hypochondriac brother. Matthew Macfadyen, Julia Ormond, Joe Bannister, Jonah Hauer-King, and Bessie Carter star as members of the Wilcox family while Tracey Ullman rounds out the star-studded cast as the meddling Aunt Juley.
In episode one, Margaret is first seen retrieving a telegram from her younger, idealistic sister Helen. She is recounting her tales of the Wilcox family as she visits them on holiday. It is revealed that Schlegels had met the Wilcox clan on a previous holiday in Germany. Helen is obviously fascinated by them as the audience quickly learns during voice-over narration of the telegrams.
Opposing forces seem to be a popular theme in this story. Margaret and Helen are clearly opposites as Margaret seems to be more grounded while Helen lends herself to dramatics. The Wilcox family unveil even more opposing trends.
Matthew Macfadyen who plays Mr. Henry Wilcox, the patriarch of the Wilcox clan, is portrayed as opiniated, overbearing, and apparently represents the no-nonsense, materialistic aspect of the English upper classes. Julia Ormond is Ruth Wilcox, Henry’s wife. She possesses a quiet strength and is greatly respected amongst her family. Her death later in the series works as a catalyst for much of the drama.
The remaining episodes promise to further reveal more in a tale involving loss, societal issues, classism, financial turmoil, and—of course—romance.
This classic period piece has been previously adapted for television and film. Howards End originally aired on premium cable network Starz in the Spring 2018 and the original 1992 Merchant & Ivory film adaptation of Howards End starred Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Anthony Hopkins and Vanessa Redgrave.
Based on E.M. Forster’s novel of the same name, Howards End is coming to a television screen near you via PBS Masterpiece. Howards End follows two unconventional and independent sisters – Margaret and Helen Schlegel – as they seek love and meaning in an ever-changing world.
The drama stars Hayley Atwell as strong-willed Margaret and Philippa Coulthard who plays Helen. Alex Lawther (“Black Mirror”) plays Tibby Schlegel, their hypochondriac brother. Matthew Macfadyen, Julia Ormond, Joe Bannister, Jonah Hauer-King, and Bessie Carter star as members of the Wilcox family while Tracey Ullman rounds out the star-studded cast as the meddling Aunt Juley.
In episode one, Margaret is first seen retrieving a telegram from her younger, idealistic sister Helen. She is recounting her tales of the Wilcox family as she visits them on holiday. It is revealed that the Schlegels had met the Wilcox clan on a previous holiday in Germany. Helen is obviously fascinated by them as the audience quickly learns during voice-over narration of the telegrams.
Opposing forces seem to be a popular theme in this story. Margaret and Helen are clearly opposites as Margaret seems to be more grounded while Helen lends herself to dramatics. The Wilcox family unveil even more opposing trends.
Matthew Macfadyen who plays Mr. Henry Wilcox, the patriarch of the Wilcox clan, is portrayed as opiniated, overbearing, and apparently represents the no-nonsense, materialistic aspect of the English upper classes. Julia Ormond is Ruth Wilcox, Henry’s wife. She possesses a quiet strength and is greatly respected amongst her family. Her death later in the series works as a catalyst for much of the drama.
The remaining episodes promise to further reveal more in a tale involving loss, societal issues, classism, financial turmoil, and—of course—romance.
This classic period piece has been previously adapted for television and film. Howards End originally aired on premium cable network Starz in the Spring 2018 and the original 1992 Merchant & Ivory film adaptation of Howards End starred Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Anthony Hopkins and Vanessa Redgrave.
Critics have described the updated television adaptation as intriguing due to the fact it will allow the story several additional hours to breathe which will, in turn, allow the audience time to truly invest and appreciate the complicated societal issues at play.
“I think with Kenny’s script, it’s very fresh. It’s like I said. There’s a real energy to it,” Atwell shared when asked about her thoughts regarding the television adaptation from Kenneth Lonergan, “…There wasn’t anything, kind of, reverential about [the script] or sentimental. It didn’t romanticize. E.M. Forster doesn’t either.”
The four-episode PBS series will air beginning Sunday, January 12, 2020 and is meant to serve as a segue and companion to upcoming Jane Austen drama Sanditon.
