Stylish but barely mediocre overall

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Loved the first episode and could hardly wait for the second. Waited for something to happen or be resolved in the second episode, but never happened. Hopeful for the third episode. Nope. It devolved into some kind of a teasing B-grade movie where you anticipate something is REALLY going to happen, and it never does. I was so tempted to fast-forward, and wished I would have when it ended. Basically, if you want to watch it, watch the first episode, skip the second, and fast-forward through the third to when there is about 10 minutes left.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable and atmospheric ghost story with a very Victorian feel to it, yet it takes place in the here and now. Others have described the plot, so I'll skip that part and just say each episode was fun to watch. The creepy atmosphere is kept at a steady rhythm and one is kept guessing as to the reasons for what is going on. You have to pay attention the entire time, which is perhaps why some viewers found it tiring. Clues are given in visual images of photographs and other shots, so you can't watch this program with your head buried in your cell phone. It's a quiet piece and you have to pay attention and participate as a viewer. There are several familiar faces to PBS viewers (Mina Anwar, Mark Addy, Rebekah Staton, Julia Sawalha, as well as some character actors). Michael Palin is touching as the main character, who is still tied to his nanny from a century ago (what a beautiful woman, by the way) and conflicted about the relationship. The final episode is where the pace picks up and it really is suspenseful wondering what is the meaning of that version of "Scarborough Fair" as well as wondering just how the story will end. I'm taking two stars off for the very clumsily written chief of police, who seems to serve more as a "conflict device" than an actual character. Also, Mina Anwar's character is gone after episode two without any feeling of resolution with her, considering her strong presence in the first two episodes. That said, the program is beautifully shot, well-acted, and steadily paced. One feels that one is moving forward all the time, without knowing quite what will be waiting at the end of the journey. This was a very enjoyable story and well worth watching.

I generally enjoy Michael Palin's work very much and looked forward to watching this series; but the first episode was so slow, so boring, so annoying, that I never bothered with the second and third installments. Adding to the general misery is the fact that at least three-fourths of the action (and I use the term loosely) takes place in the dark. The electricity doesn't work ... or the house is abandoned ... or it's just the middle of the night and no light source is available. Whatever, the ambiance is so relentlessly murky, it hardly seems worth the effort to try to figure out what's happening, if indeed anything is. Save your eyesight and your temper and skip this one.

Feeling disappointed with this British horror. It started slow and I was hopeful that the second part may pick up. However this was not the case and if anything it got slower with more questions than answers. It did build up the atmosphere but did little or nothing with it. I felt the characters were not developed enough for me to care about them. The 'victims' were minor players in the first two episodes. Michael Palin is a good actor but he has little to work with. The other actors have even less to work with. The detective does not really do much until the final episode and by then I was past caring. He seemed incompetent and disinterested. The ending was very poor and did not justify three hours of slow drama to get there.