The Great Fire

The Great Fire is a captivating historical drama that aired on PBS in 2014. The thrilling series, sprawling over four episodes, is an enthralling, evocative, and immersive exploration of one of the most significant disasters in London's history: The Great Fire of London in 1666. The disaster, one of the most iconic fires ever recorded, decimated the medieval city within the Roman city wall, engulfed 13,000 houses, 87 parish churches, St. Paul's Cathedral, and many more buildings while leaving almost 70,000 of the City's 80,000 inhabitants homeless.

The storyline of The Great Fire is grounded in historical fact but is woven around fictional characters and their experiences, giving viewers the opportunity to appreciate the human aspect of this historical disaster. The narrative is set over four consecutive days, mirroring the timeframe of the fire, adding to the tension and impending doom that grips the series from start to end.

The plot of the drama revolves around Thomas Farriner, a baker in Pudding Lane, played by actor Andrew Buchan. With humble beginnings, Farriner is known for his honesty and kindness but remains largely unnoticed in the grand scheme of the city. However, Farriner plays a pivotal role in the series as it's his bakery where the fire is believed to have started.

The horror of the fire is paralleled with a taut and explosive narrative of political intrigue, corruption, and deceit running in the background. The viewer gets to witness the lives of Charles II, played by actor Jack Huston, and his exploits, deepening the viewer's engagement with the 17th-century time period and adding to the dynamics of the drama.

Danny Huston stars as the all-powerful Lord Denton, a chief advisor to the king, while Oliver Jackson-Cohen portrays James, Farriner's womanizing brother-in-law, adding layers of complexity to the character dynamics. These characters, their transformative journeys, interlaced with their individual stories of courage, love, opportunism, and survival, make the series a vivid and gripping historical drama.

The complexities and the magnitude of the fire itself are visualized superbly in the series, presenting to the audience a cityscape entrenched in tragedy and despair. Through its detailed set designs, refined cinematography, and extensive use of special effects, The Great Fire manages to recreate the overwhelming blaze and destruction with stunning effect, reinforcing the horrific ordeal the city and its people sustained.

One of the notable elements of the drama is its exploration of the socio-political climate of the period, capturing the essence of 17th-century London aptly. Its nuanced portrayal of class distinctions, corrupt politics, and the role of influential figures in the outbreak and management of the disaster, add a sense of realism and authenticity to the narrative, making the series a fascinating watch for enthusiasts of historical dramas.

The Great Fire dances along the lines of alliances and rivalries, love and betrayal, resilience and despair, and survival and loss, delivering a storyline just as fiery and volatile as the inferno it's varied array of characters must confront. The disaster serves not just as a backdrop but also as a catalyst, triggering significant changes in the lives of the characters and the city itself.

Despite being a mini-series, the pacing of The Great Fire is such that it keeps you engaged from the first minute till the end, keeping viewers on edge as they navigate through the four terrible days with the characters, witnessing their heroism, fear, decisions, and the consequences that followed.

The creator, Tom Bradby, along with the dual direction of Jon Jones and Andrew Buchan ensure the series maintains an intimate focus on its characters while simultaneously emphasizing the grand scale of the disaster itself. Together, they strikingly visualize a world on the verge of massive change, grappling with its most searing catastrophe.

In conclusion, The Great Fire is an intriguing mix of historic fact and dramatic fiction that delivers a compelling narrative, which intertwines personal lives and societal dynamics within the tumultuous events of 1666. It presents viewers with an intense, suspenseful, and emotional glance into a key period of British history, making it a must-watch for history enthusiasts and fans of period dramas.