TV Review: 'Howard's End' is Lavish in All the Right Ways

The news that STARZ was bringing "Howard's End" to television was always an interesting choice. After all, a film adaptation of E.M. Forester's work was released as recently as 1992. It was not only not very long ago, but even last year our ACCA voters gave Emma Thompson the win in Lead Actress. However, despite this potential drawback, STARZ made a strong move by adapting the classic novel to the limited series format. The new series, directed by Hettie Macdonald and written by Kenneth Lonergan is quite the sight. It is a gorgeous series with every detail. Visually, there are few shows that compare. Perhaps most importantly, the story that Macdonald and Lonergan craft continues to be as poignant as ever.

"Howard's End" takes place among the social elite of Edwardian England. A young woman, Helen Schlegel (Phillippa Coulthard) is staying with the Wilcoxes of Howard's End. Helen met the Wilcoxes on a vacation to Germany and has come to love their family. She writes letters to her sister, Margaret Schlegel (Hayley Atwell), about her budding romance with Paul (Jonah Hauer-King). After the two accidentally get engaged, tension builds between the family's when Aunt Juley Schlegel (Tracey Ullman) shows up uninvited to Howard's End. We're introduced to both families, including Tibby Schlegel (Alex Lawther), Henry Wilcox (Matthew Macfadyen), and a third family the Basts (Joseph Quinn & Rosalind Eleazar). The matriarch of the Wilcox family (Julia Ormond), is a very conservative woman, yet softens around Margaret. The two begin to bond after Paul and Helen realize their romance is not to be, and Margaret heads to Howard's End.

This is the setup to a story that is about much more than meets the eye. Class and elitism are at the center of the series, and Lonergan brings it to the audience in very engaging dialogue. The energy in this period show is much higher than one might expect. There is definitely humor present throughout, and a lot of that is due to the performances. Lonergan brings all these elements out in a very human script. While some may be scared away by the Edwardian setting, the show feels modern and relevant in ways that appeal to today's television audiences.

Atwell, in particular, is very strong and seems born to play these kinds of roles. She's charming and witty when the story needs her to be. She's also very worried about the social repercussions or setting her sister up for success. She'd be the most humorous character if not for Lawther. Lawther delivers the dialogue as if it's second nature to him. He's got small quirks that make his character feel lived in while being a very far departure from his great performance in "End of the F***ing World" earlier this year. He's one to watch as he develops into a great actor.

There should also be a lot of credit given to Macdonald. Macdonald gives the actors room to breathe and uses interesting camera angles to convey their points of view. Whether shooting in POV, or even wide shots, we often get the opportunity to see the world as our characters do. What's interesting is that the point of view changes depending on which character Macdonald would like us to focus on. Macdonald's slick direction makes the world a fascinating place to live.

Furthermore, we feel the beauty of both the country and the lavishness of the city. Macdonald proves effective at shooting in drastically different settings throughout the season. Whether in an overly crowded, liberal city, or in the more conservative, slow-paced world of Howard's End, our characters feel at home. With beautiful sets, costumes, and cinematography to boot, Macdonald's world is interesting to look at, without getting lost in its period setting.

All in all, "Howard's End" is a worthy adaptation of its source material. While others have already shown the potential of the source material, Macdonald and Lonergan introduce it to a new generation at the right time. The questions about class, misogyny, and political leanings all feel essential to the moment. Lonergan's scripts lean into these moments, and Macdonald's eye provides a loving gaze at the characters that inhabit this world. There is a lot to come that we left spoiler free in this review, but rest assured, it's well worth the trip.

What do you think of "Howard's End?" Does it live up to the film for you? Do you see it's relevance to the modern world? Let us hear in the comments below. 

"Howard's End" is a four-part series. It airs on Sundays on STARZ. 

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