A Suitable Boy continued on BBC One last night and viewers seem deeply divided.
The drama, an adaptation of the classic novel by Virkam Seth, is set in 1950s India – a time when the country was grappling with its newfound independence from Britain.
Screenwriter Andrew Davies penned the six-part series, which stars Tanya Maniktala as a university student whose mother is determined to find her a suitor to marry.
What do BBC viewers think of A Suitable Boy?
In episode two, Lata continued to pursue her romance with Kabir Durrani – her own lover of choice. But the news reached her mum, Rupa, who took steps to keep them apart and sent Lata away to Calcutta.
After it aired on Sunday (August 2) evening, viewers appeared deeply divided over the programme.
Some branded it “boring” and a waste of TV licence payers’ money. Others focussed on the “questionable” acting, or admitted they had decided to turn over because it’s too “slow”.
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On Twitter, one frustrated viewer said: “#ASuitableBoy is pretty, but also pretty boring.”
‘Waste of the licence fee’
Another wrote: “Poorly written and [bleep], basically #ASuitableBoy [is a] waste of the licence fee.”
A third said: “The acting in #ASuitableBoy when they are speaking Hindi or Urdu is so natural and realistic, but the acting in the English scenes is questionable.”
Someone else tweeted: “#ASuitableBoy well at moment it’s very slow going. I can’t say it’s got me hooked. Was really looking forward to it but think it’s a no from me.”
The acting in the English scenes is questionable.
“Gosh. Is there anything more excruciatingly painful and cringeworthy to watch on TV right now than #ASuitableBoy?” asked a fifth. “Awful. But [it’s] making me so grateful for never having believed the hype and wasted my time reading the book! Every cloud has a silver lining!”
“#ASuitableBoy this is just wasting licence payers’ money,” said a sixth, bluntly.
#ASuitableBoy is pretty, but also pretty boring
— Mariah Mulla (@MullaMariah) August 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/icypricyx/status/1290068849208025088
#ASuitableBoy well at moment it’s very slow going. I can’t say it’s got me hooked. Was really looking forward to it but think it’s a no from me.
— shirlz (@nanna2b2l) August 2, 2020
Gosh. Is there anything more excruciatingly painful and cringeworthy to watch on tv right now than #ASuitableBoy Awful – but making me so grateful for never having believed the hype and wasted my time reading the book! Every cloud has a silver lining!
— Missy (@Ms_tweetz) August 2, 2020
#ASuitableBoy this is just wasting license payers money
— sal hussain (@SalXhussain) August 3, 2020
A ‘beautiful’ series
However, some viewers on Twitter hailed it as a “beautiful” show, calling it a “brilliant” drama and saying it ‘makes their Sunday nights’.
“Brilliant! #ASuitableBoy,” wrote one fan.
“#ASuitableBoy what a beautiful show!” said another. “I had to read the book twice to get the grip of all the characters in the story. Now I’m almost jealous of those who would get to watch the series and then read the book, for they won’t miss any piece of the masterpiece!”
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“Well I for one am enjoying #ASuitableBoy,” someone else said, seemingly picking up on some of the more negative reactions. “I love love love India and Kolkata, and this show has great actors.”
“Lovely romantic period drama,” praised a fourth fan of the series. “Can’t wait for next episode, made my Sunday night #ASuitableBoy.”
Lovely romantic period drama can't wait for next episode made my Sunday night #ASuitableBoy
— Caramel brownie (@SahraB1) August 3, 2020
Brilliant! #ASuitableBoy
— Safesound (@Musicmarky) August 3, 2020
Well I for one am enjoying #ASuitableBoy – I love love love India & Kolkata and this show has great actors
— lexheath (@lexheath) August 3, 2020
#ASuitableBoy what a beautiful show! I had to read the book twice to get the grip of all the characters n the story, now I'm almost jealous of those who would get to watch the series and then read the book for they won't miss any piece of the masterpiece!
— anica shah (@anicashah) August 2, 2020
What do you think of A Suitable Boy so far? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.