Stephen Carrington

[Rhonda]

Just carrying on the thought from the posts on "changing outcomes".... did ANYONE like Stephen Carrington?

To me he was such a shyster, opportunist and (don't laugh!) whenever I read anything about him I always imagined he had dreadful BO (body odour).

Much like Demelza with Hugh, I found it hard to accept that Clowance fell for him. YUK.

[pdrumpole]

Thanks for my morning laugh! I too could find nothing redeeming in Stephen Carrington and absolutely agree that he was a most unappealing character. In Clowance's defense, she was very young and he was an "older" man (actually older than he told her along with a lot of other things that he did not tell her). Fortunately, for Clowance and the story, all turned out well for her in the end.

Rita

[Sarah]

Hated him. Mind you, he didn't help himself, sitting round the dinner table with our beloved characters thinking they were middle aged, past it and of no consequence to anything. Arrogant little git!

I couldn't see for the life of me what Clowance would have seen in him. She appeared to be quite a sensible girl and there were plenty of eligible men around. Would she really have married someone purely based on physical attraction?

Has anyone got any idea why HTV changed his name from Carrington to Cravenson? What was wrong with Carrington or am I missing something.

I know all of the casting on that production was tripe but, if they had thought of asking Sean Bean to play Stephen he could have saved the day. Whenever I see him in Sharpe I always think he's a bit of a Stephen-a-like.

I almost prefer Hugh to him. Now there was a wet fish!

[carol worster]

I agree entirely about Stephen Carrington, the only way i could imagine why Clowance would actually marry such a man was to think of someone like Tom Berenger playing the part but otherwise I thought she was mad! But there again, didnt like Cuby either and most certainly Demelza must have lost the plot to be attracted by Hugh Armitage, she would have surely have found ossie whitworth more entertaining.

[Rebecca]

Hated him. Mind you, he didn't help himself, sitting round the dinner table with our beloved characters thinking they were middle aged, past it and of no consequence to anything. Arrogant little git!

LOL Sarah! You put it so well. In The Loving Cup we get ample evidence - as if we needed it! that Ross and Demelza are certainly not past it.

I think I need .... I keep wanting to give Stephen, at the very least, a metaphorical . (Which just goes to show, really, how much of a three-dimensional character he is, even though I can't stand him...)

Has anyone got any idea why HTV changed his name from Carrington to Cravenson? What was wrong with Carrington or am I missing something.

The only thing I can think of are the connotations of craven, and by implication Cravenson, with being shifty, and devious, and even base.... - but Sarah, please forgive me, as I haven't seen the 1996 Poldark, so am only going on what I've read of others' reactions to it.

[Sarah]

Lol Rebecca, consider yourself fortunate not to have seen it! I saw it very early on in my Poldark era. So much so, that I hadn't really formed any loyalty to the characters in the books or in the BBC series. But, I still found it hideous!

I was warned not to buy it, but I couldn't possibly have ignored anything Poldark related so I went ahead. I watched it again this weekend and was gob smacked at how awful it was.

Firstly, the book is not one of the best and is not really suitable for a one off film (just MHO). They made no effort to explain anything for the viewer who might not have a clue what was going on. So, we see George back at Trenwith mooning over a portrait of Elizabeth. Now you and I know it was Elizabeth. As far as man in the street is concerned, it could've been his gran!

The actor who played Ross is actually very good in other things, but lean he ain't. Demelza looked more like a reject from the Thorn Birds and was the picture of abject misery throughout the entire film - no way Hugh Bodrugan would've asked her to stir his tea with her little finger, she'd have given him a clout! - Clowance was Irish (?!!!) and miserable, Jeremy was throughly unpleasant, Dwight looked more like Dr Choake, Caroline was about 108 with about as much character as a pair of muddy wellies, George looked more like the Prince Regent. In fact, the best bit of casting was the Prince Regent who looked and acted exactly as he should have done. In short, a travesty which anyone who hasn't seen it is better off out of.

Rant over, sorry...............

[pdrumpole]

Thank you, thank you Sarah. I have been tempted to buy and watch "Stranger from the Sea" out of loyalty to Winston Graham, but you have saved me the time, money and effort. I agree absolutely with you that "Stranger" was not the best book of the series. I introduced the series to my daughter-in-law and she loved the books and then we watched the videos together. She started "Stranger", but could not get into it and never finished reading it. In "Memoirs of a Private Man", Winston Graham writes quite a bit about the casting of "Stranger". It appears that Robin and Angharad were the the original choices. I am not sure that he gives the real reason that they did not star.

I have read them all and love the first seven books. I have mixed feelings about the rest of them. I miss the focus on Ross and Demelza and Dwight and Caroline and Drake and Morwenna. I wish there had been more about Sam. I actually did like the story line of George and
lady Harriet, but not Ross's flirtation with her.

Anyway that is my two cents for what's worth.

Rita

[Ruth]

Absolutely do not watch this travesty. How it ever got to be made I do not know. I had so looked forward to the new Poldark series but could not believe what they produced. Only watched it the once when released and never again. How could anyone take our wonderful characters and do this to them, and whatever the reasons for Robin Ellis and Angharad Rees not being cast, it was probably a blessing unless they had huge influence not to allow this thing to be made as it was.