North And South (1985) - General Discussion

[blackwing]

Started watching this classic miniseries again earlier this week.  Love all of John Jakes' books, to me he is still the master of the historical drama despite his retirement (Ken Follett is a close second).  My wife has never seen it and she is watching with me.  She is a bit taken aback by the depictions of slavery, and she is finding the show depressing and tough to watch.  I told her that at its heart, this is a story about the friendship between two men who met as cadets at West Point and are best friends despite being from completely different worlds.

Given the current environment, I do wonder if a show like this would be made and aired today.  Probably not.

I do appreciate how the villains (Elkanah Bent, Justin LaMotte, Ashton) are so over the top evil.  One thing that has definitely changed for me on this viewing is my views towards Kirstie Alley's character, Virgilia Hazard.  I recall greatly despising this woman when I first saw this series.  But on this viewing, I have come to see that she wasn't an evil person, she was just very passionate about a cause she found important, and frustrated that not enough people in her family agreed with her.

On another note, I do miss the classic days of the TV miniseries event.  It was such a simpler time.  The first book was 6 two-hour episodes airing over the span of a week in November 1985.  I think the VCR was around because I remember recording shows at the time.  But it seemed to me that these miniseries were truly "event television".  If you missed it, you missed it.  And I am not sure if there were re-run airings.  Nowadays the miniseries are considered "limited series" and air one episode a week over a span of 10 weeks or so, and if you miss one airing, don't worry, because your DVR can record the 3 AM showing at any point during the week.

[lookeyloo]

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

Started watching this classic miniseries again earlier this week.  Love all of John Jakes' books, to me he is still the master of the historical drama despite his retirement (Ken Follett is a close second).  My wife has never seen it and she is watching with me.  She is a bit taken aback by the depictions of slavery, and she is finding the show depressing and tough to watch.  I told her that at its heart, this is a story about the friendship between two men who met as cadets at West Point and are best friends despite being from completely different worlds.

Given the current environment, I do wonder if a show like this would be made and aired today.  Probably not.

I do appreciate how the villains (Elkanah Bent, Justin LaMotte, Ashton) are so over the top evil.  One thing that has definitely changed for me on this viewing is my views towards Kirstie Alley's character, Virgilia Hazard.  I recall greatly despising this woman when I first saw this series.  But on this viewing, I have come to see that she wasn't an evil person, she was just very passionate about a cause she found important, and frustrated that not enough people in her family agreed with her.

On another note, I do miss the classic days of the TV miniseries event.  It was such a simpler time.  The first book was 6 two-hour episodes airing over the span of a week in November 1985.  I think the VCR was around because I remember recording shows at the time.  But it seemed to me that these miniseries were truly "event television".  If you missed it, you missed it.  And I am not sure if there were re-run airings.  Nowadays the miniseries are considered "limited series" and air one episode a week over a span of 10 weeks or so, and if you miss one airing, don't worry, because your DVR can record the 3 AM showing at any point during the week.

I remember enjoying that series too.

[CountryGirl]

I watch this show every couple of years.

While there were many stories I enjoyed -

Orry/Madeline - I miss Patrick Swayze and he was born to play this role

George/Constance and I love that James Read and Wendy Kilbourne met and fell in love, married, and are still together all these years later as are Genie Francis (Brett) and Jonathan Frakes (Stanley). 

Brett/Billy - I loved that the sweet sister "won" over her sexy, older sister even though Terri's Ashton was a hoot. And possibly UO, I preferred original Billy (John Stockwell) to Parker Stevenson's in Book II. 

Virgilia/Grady - although it had such a sad ending but it would have been unbelievable if they had been allowed to have a happily ever after. I greatly disliked how they changed Virgilia's storyline from the book as she was so bad-ass in Book III (and when I say I rewatch, I rarely watch Heaven and Hell).

But my favorite storyline was that of the two friends, Orry and George, and that last scene from Book One where George helps Orry escape and they embrace, not knowing if they were ever see each other again, always makes me tear up.

Truly one of the best friendships in TV history.

[Wonkabar5]

Yes, I remember watching this in high school and being allowed to stay up late with my parents who were watching. My dad was not very much interested,lol.  He was reading the paper. 

It’s very 80’s with the heavy makeup and sex scenes. And overacting.  I was surprised to read how actually soapy and explicit it reads on the page in the book, as well. And every actor on the planet was in it.  Liz Taylor as the madam. Lolol

As Ken Burns points out as well in his CivilWar Series- it was amazing how so many men came of age at West Point, and bonded, only to fight each other later, on the opposite sides of the field.

The dvd extras I believe has a Patrick S saying something like,” Give me a cape (and something else, I forget) and I’m good to go.”   LOLOL 

I never got to see the other 2 adaptations until they were released on dvd. Really *hated* the third book.  I too, prefer Original Billie.  I’ll have to think of more later.

Edited March 15, 2021 by Wonkabar5

[CountryGirl]

I did love how so many in Hollywood were in this, even those who had pretty decent careers going (i.e. Linda Evans was one of the queens of nighttime TV as Dynasty's Krystle Carrington). And I thought Hal Holbrook made for a great Lincoln although Daniel Day-Lewis will always be the epitome of Lincoln to me. George Stanford Brown, just a few years removed from his memorable performance as Tom in Roots.

But it tickles me now that so many stars weren't too proud to be in this - Elizabeth Taylor, as you mentioned, but other unexpected folks like Gene Kelly, Olivia de Havilland, and Jimmy Stewart. 

This really had it all - friendship, romance, soapy/trashy goodness, fight scenes (and not just those from the battle scenes) secrets, scandal, gorgeous locations, beautiful costumes, and all set against the backdrop of the Civil War. 

I was in Charleston for my honeymoon and dragged my husband to Boone Hall, the plantation they used for Mont Royal, although my biggest interest was the African-American history. It was astonishing and sobering to see the brick slave cabins (some of the only ones in existence in terms of standing all these years later) and think about the history there. 

It's a shame we don't have miniseries like this one anymore. Some other faves were The Thorn Birds, The Winds of War/War and Remembrance, and Lonesome Dove. 

[blackwing]

On 3/13/2021 at 6:53 PM, CountryGirl said:

Virgilia/Grady - although it had such a sad ending but it would have been unbelievable if they had been allowed to have a happily ever after. I greatly disliked how they changed Virgilia's storyline from the book as she was so bad-ass in Book III (and when I say I rewatch, I rarely watch Heaven and Hell).

But my favorite storyline was that of the two friends, Orry and George, and that last scene from Book One where George helps Orry escape and they embrace, not knowing if they were ever see each other again, always makes me tear up.

Truly one of the best friendships in TV history.

Just finished my rewatch of Book One, and I dial back a little on my earlier comments about Virgilia.  I think she started out as good intentioned... she was vehemently against slavery, and she clashed with Orry and his family about it.  But after Grady died, she ventures from advocating a cause that she believed in into cuckoo land.  She blamed the South and Orry in particular for killing Grady, and then tried to get Orry killed.

Fully agree that George and Orry have one of the best friendships in TV.  These two were like brothers and would do anything for each other.  And this was in the days before telephones and Facetime... they lived far apart so they had to make the effort of physically travelling to see each other.  It would be months between when they saw each other, and they would just pick up right where they left off.  I felt sad for them knowing they would be divided by war and not sure when they would see each other again.

5 hours ago, Wonkabar5 said:

It’s very 80’s with the heavy makeup and sex scenes. And overacting.  I was surprised to read how actually soapy and explicit it reads on the page in the book, as well. And every actor on the planet was in it.  Liz Taylor as the madam. Lolol

When I first saw this show years ago, I was much younger and not aware of who any of these famous people were.  I remember my parents mentioning some actors but the names didn't register with me.  Then I remember watching again on VHS tape some years later and seeing the names in the credits and I had fun picking them out in the cast.  This was way before the days of Wikipedia (or even probably IMDB) so it wouldn't have been as easy to find out who played who without watching. 

[libgirl2]

On 3/13/2021 at 6:53 PM, CountryGirl said:

Brett/Billy - I loved that the sweet sister "won" over her sexy, older sister even though Terri's Ashton was a hoot. And possibly UO, I preferred original Billy (John Stockwell) to Parker Stevenson's in Book II. 

 

Truly one of the best friendships in TV history.

So I wasn't the only one???! 

[scorpio1031]

11 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

It's a shame we don't have miniseries like this one anymore. Some other faves were The Thorn Birds, The Winds of War/War and Remembrance, and Lonesome Dove. 

Backstairs at the White House, Far Pavilions - I miss the miniseries and the movies of the week

[blackwing]

5 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

So I wasn't the only one???! 

I liked both Billys well enough but I think I preferred Parker Stevenson.  The first one, it's like his head is a bit too big for his body, and I hate his Tresemme, Tresemme, ooh la la hair.

Yes, irrational, I know haha.  Especially since Orry's much longer hair doesn't bother me in the least!

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, blackwing said:

I liked both Billys well enough but I think I preferred Parker Stevenson.  The first one, it's like his head is a bit too big for his body, and I hate his Tresemme, Tresemme, ooh la la hair.

Yes, irrational, I know haha.  Especially since Orry's much longer hair doesn't bother me in the least!

Well, when I was done with the mini-series, I was left with a very healthy crush on James Read. 

[blackwing]

11 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

It's a shame we don't have miniseries like this one anymore. Some other faves were The Thorn Birds, The Winds of War/War and Remembrance, and Lonesome Dove. 

Anyone see "The Blue and the Gray"?  How is it?  That one is a little before my time but I remember my parents watching it.  All I remember is a house burning and someone (I think maybe Stacy Keach's wife) dying in the fire.  Will probably check it out.

[CountryGirl]

I watched The Blue and The Gray a few years back and it was fine. N&S was much better but worth a watch. 

[Tdoc72]

So many memories of this!  I was in 7th/8th grade (depending on when in the year it aired) and all the girls at my Catholic school were just gaga over Orry.  
I also remember getting in a big fight w/my sister over the dishes and my dad told  us we couldn’t watch that night’s episode. I had a tv in my room so I sat as close as possible w/the volume as low as it could be and watched.  
I’ve watched the dvds a couple of times. I’ve tried to get my kids to watch but the idea of a 6hr miniseries is weird to them. I, too, miss the miniseries and movies of the week. 

[CountryGirl]

Speaking of Stacy Keach, I remember a few more mini-series I enjoyed - Mistral's Daughter and Princess Daisy. Totally soapy and trashy and with MD, the ridiculousness of Stefanie Powers, then well into her 30s playing Maggy as a teenager, but I was so bummed when they took it off of YT. I also enjoyed I'll Take Manhattan with Valerie Bertinelli.

Back to the original topic, I may start a rewatch of N&S in the new few weeks.

[blackwing]

Wife and I started Book 2 last night... it turns out she doesn't really like either Billy!  She didn't like the first one because she thought he looked too young ("like a kid playing army dress up").  But she doesn't like Parker Stevenson either ("such a bad actor").  I don't know the backstory of the replacement... did the first one have a conflict, or was it simply a case of Kirstie Alley wanting her then-husband on the show so they fired the first one?

Her favourite character is Charles.  I told her that Charles gets recast as Kyle Chandler for Book 3 and she was disappointed, as she likes Lewis Smith.  But she was heartened to know that at least he makes it to Book 3!  Was there any reason for that recast?  I remember Kyle Chandler being an up-and-coming actor from "Tour of Duty" and "Homefront" but not sure if Smith was unavailable or if they wanted a change.

One question that she had that I wasn't able to satisfactorily answer... Bent got dismissed from West Point.  If so, how did he end up as a commanding officer in the U.S. Army in the Mexican-American War that had the power to send Orry to his intended death?  The show never really addressed that and it's been far too long since I've read the books so not sure if there was a better explanation there.

[Ceindreadh]

I remember when this aired back in the day, and I was watching it with my mother and sister and one of us commented during the first few scenes that it was 'very like Dynasty', and we all agreed.  Except we then realized that one of us had meant the music, another the clothes, and the third meant the house exterior!

[Wonkabar5]

Oh,  N and South has a very *definitive* musical score which one can remember well, like Dynasty, and Gone With the Wind.  🙂  And Dynasty makeup.  LOL 

Regarding The Blue and the Grey: I believe the 381 minute dvd (yes, there is another shorter min dvd out there ) has all the strange historical stuff that I remember my history teacher drilling into us. LOL.  It should contain the civilian “picnic”on the frontlines of the Battle of Bull Run, and most definitely the reunion between the 2 cousins or (brothers?), wherein the battlefield action was most graciously halted as they exchanged pleasantries and family business, only to then resume. Utterly surreal. 

It has been quite a while since I have last viewed it though.

Story by renowned historian, Bruce Catton. 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Wonkabar5

[blackwing]

8 hours ago, Wonkabar5 said:

Regarding The Blue and the Grey: I believe the 381 minute dvd (yes, there is another shorter min dvd out there ) has all the strange historical stuff that I remember my history teacher drilling into us. LOL.  It should contain the civilian “picnic”on the frontlines of the Battle of Bull Run, and most definitely the reunion between the 2 cousins or (brothers?), wherein the battlefield action was most graciously halted as they exchanged pleasantries and family business, only to then resume. Utterly surreal. 

It has been quite a while since I have last viewed it though.

Story by renowned historian, Bruce Catton. 

 

Bruce Catton wrote it?  I will definitely have to check it out, read several of his books in my history classes in college.

[CountryGirl]

20 hours ago, blackwing said:

Wife and I started Book 2 last night... it turns out she doesn't really like either Billy!  She didn't like the first one because she thought he looked too young ("like a kid playing army dress up").  But she doesn't like Parker Stevenson either ("such a bad actor").  I don't know the backstory of the replacement... did the first one have a conflict, or was it simply a case of Kirstie Alley wanting her then-husband on the show so they fired the first one?

Her favourite character is Charles.  I told her that Charles gets recast as Kyle Chandler for Book 3 and she was disappointed, as she likes Lewis Smith.  But she was heartened to know that at least he makes it to Book 3!  Was there any reason for that recast?  I remember Kyle Chandler being an up-and-coming actor from "Tour of Duty" and "Homefront" but not sure if Smith was unavailable or if they wanted a change.

One question that she had that I wasn't able to satisfactorily answer... Bent got dismissed from West Point.  If so, how did he end up as a commanding officer in the U.S. Army in the Mexican-American War that had the power to send Orry to his intended death?  The show never really addressed that and it's been far too long since I've read the books so not sure if there was a better explanation there.

That was when the aforementioned Gene Kelly made a little bit of an extended cameo, playing Bent's father (he was a bastard in more ways than one). Bent's father was a US senator and he blackmailed his father (by threatening to out his existence) in order to get back into the military and with a superior rank to boot. That was in Episode 2. 

If you go to 2:12:04, that shows the very brief scene, which, hilariously, still manages to include one of Bent's oft-repeated delusions about having the military brilliance of Napoleon.

17 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:

I remember when this aired back in the day, and I was watching it with my mother and sister and one of us commented during the first few scenes that it was 'very like Dynasty', and we all agreed.  Except we then realized that one of us had meant the music, another the clothes, and the third meant the house exterior!

Yes! And - fun fact - Bill Conti created the musical scores for both shows. 

[CountryGirl]

Looks like The Blue and The Gray are on YouTube. 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+blue+and+the+gray

[Wonkabar5]

@blackwing:  Upon checking the very tiny fine print, “Story by John Leekley AND B. Catton.” 

Teleplay by Ian McClennan Hunter. Sorry for any confusion.  This is from the 3 (not 2) disc set. 381 minutes.   A Newsweek reporter liked it, lol

The acting  in B and G seemed a bit stilted/wooden, but then again N and S has some real OOT over-acting, so I guess it all balances out in the wash. LOL

 

 

[blackwing]

51 minutes ago, Wonkabar5 said:

The acting  in B and G seemed a bit stilted/wooden, but then again N and S has some real OOT over-acting, so I guess it all balances out in the wash. LOL

I do declare, Ashton Main Huntoon has to be one of the most deliciously over-the-top villains in TV history.  Terri Garber must have had such a blast playing her.  She's so ridiculous and evil but I can't help but be entertained by her.  Her husband is such a pathetic and clueless fool and I would feel sorry for him if he wasn't such a tool.

3 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

That was when the aforementioned Gene Kelly made a little bit of an extended cameo, playing Bent's father (he was a bastard in more ways than one). Bent's father was a US senator and he blackmailed his father (by threatening to out his existence) in order to get back into the military and with a superior rank to boot. That was in Episode 2. 

If you go to 2:12:04, that shows the very brief scene, which, hilariously, still manages to include one of Bent's oft-repeated delusions about having the military brilliance of Napoleon.

Yes! And - fun fact - Bill Conti created the musical scores for both shows. 

Ah right... thank you.  I do recall that he went to Gene Kelly but somehow that slipped my mind.  Loved that Orry survived the death order to take the bridge and that he was viewed as a hero for it.  I guess maybe in the army you don't complain, but surely there would have been other officers who could have questioned Bent's decision especially if they knew of Bent's personal animosity towards George and Orry.  But.... story.  And the need for a villain.

[CountryGirl]

I would have had a ball if I had been Terri being Ashton, a trashier but more fun version of Scarlett O'Hara. 

Getting to be the belle of the ball and throw off lines like "I couldn't possibly love just one man. Think how disappointed the rest will be?"

And Terri's chemistry with Phillip Kasnoff was off the charts. 

[Black Knight]

On 3/15/2021 at 6:46 AM, blackwing said:

Just finished my rewatch of Book One, and I dial back a little on my earlier comments about Virgilia.  I think she started out as good intentioned... she was vehemently against slavery, and she clashed with Orry and his family about it.  But after Grady died, she ventures from advocating a cause that she believed in into cuckoo land.  She blamed the South and Orry in particular for killing Grady, and then tried to get Orry killed.

Having read the books, I always felt like they did a hatchet job on Virgilia in the miniseries so the audience wouldn't feel guilty about rooting for the Mains (apart from Ashton). Her story really got changed a lot, especially her endgame.

I was thinking of this miniseries just yesterday, when I saw it was Lesley-Anne Down's 67th birthday.

[Snow Apple]

On 3/15/2021 at 8:24 PM, libgirl2 said:

Well, when I was done with the mini-series, I was left with a very healthy crush on James Read. 

This was the first thing I saw Patrick Swayze in and immediately got a crush on him. By the end, I fell in love with James too.

I also had a girl crush on Kirstie Alley. She was gorgeous. This was the days before we knew about her beliefs.

Phillip Castoff played such an evil character that it confused me why I found him hot. LOL

As for the story, Orry and George's friendship was so cute and funny in the beginning. A bit bittersweet and by the end, but their amazing bond was still there and not even war can take it away.

I thought Orry and Madeline story was so tragically romantic. The scene were Orry stumbled upon her wedding. Oy!

Like others, I was young when this aired. I need to watch it again for the entire story and not the romantic and soapy parts.

[jah1986]

I absolutely love this mini-series in all it's ridiculous, over the top soapy glory. Just hearing the dramatic music makes me happy. I did think John Stockwell looked like a kid playing dress up with the adults but I still preferred his Billy. I don't think Kirstie Alley had a hand in the re-casting as I thought she met Parker Stevenson on set and then they got married.  And as much as I love Kyle Chandler, I preferred Lewis Smith's Charles. I generally prefer everything over Book 3,  I just hated it.  Orry and George's friendship was awesome.  Charles and Billy's friendship was similar but nowhere near as deep and enduring.

I'm going to have to go back and re-watch this now...

[blackwing]

22 minutes ago, jah1986 said:

I absolutely love this mini-series in all it's ridiculous, over the top soapy glory. Just hearing the dramatic music makes me happy. I did think John Stockwell looked like a kid playing dress up with the adults but I still preferred his Billy. I don't think Kirstie Alley had a hand in the re-casting as I thought she met Parker Stevenson on set and then they got married.  And as much as I love Kyle Chandler, I preferred Lewis Smith's Charles. I generally prefer everything over Book 3,  I just hated it.  Orry and George's friendship was awesome.  Charles and Billy's friendship was similar but nowhere near as deep and enduring.

I'm going to have to go back and re-watch this now...

Kirstie Alley and Parker Stevenson were already married when they appeared together in Book 2.  I don't remember when they got divorced, but they were definitely married when he was cast.  I'm also not sure why the casting change, but I would imagine that Kirstie must have pushed for her husband to get the part (whether the first one not returning was voluntary or not).  Although it would be better to me if the first one didn't want to return, and then she suggested her husband, as opposed to the show firing the first one in order for her to get her husband onto the show.

There were four marriages that came out of this show.  James Read and Wendy Kilbourne (still together), Genie Francis and Jonathan Frakes (still together, although I believe they had previously met on another show earlier), Lesley Anne Down and cameraman Don Fauntleroy (still together, both were married to others and both obtained divorces and then married), and Terri Garber and a screenwriter (since divorced).

[JAYJAY1979]

On 3/15/2021 at 8:25 PM, blackwing said:

Anyone see "The Blue and the Gray"?  How is it?  That one is a little before my time but I remember my parents watching it.  All I remember is a house burning and someone (I think maybe Stacy Keach's wife) dying in the fire.  Will probably check it out.

Julia Duffy played the wife who was shot by accident.

It was pretty good.

[Egg McMuffin]

John Stockwell declined to reprise his role in Part II because he didn’t enjoy doing Part I.

[blackwing]

14 hours ago, Kyle said:

John Stockwell declined to reprise his role in Part II because he didn’t enjoy doing Part I.

Ah, good for him for following his heart.  The first part was hugely successful and he probably would have had a bigger career if he had stayed in Part II which might have led to more offers, etc.  But if he didn't like doing it, then some things are more important than money.

[CountryGirl]

He did land blockbuster Top Gun a year later, albeit his part, Cougar, vanished after that nail-biter first 15 minutes or so.

[Egg McMuffin]

He’s had a solid career writing and directing for both features and TV. And he still occasionally acts.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Kyle

[Mrs. Stanwyck]

I haven't seen this since it originally aired but I came away with a huge crush on Patrick Swayze.  Even so, there is one line that my friend and I still bust out occasionally - it was over the top and we thought not delivered in a very good southern accent:

If you EVER... touch Madelaine... AGAIN .... I will kill yew.

I'm sure over the decades the way I hear it in my mind is way campier than it was if I were to watch it again but we thought it was so funny and it has stayed with us.  We did love the miniseries though.

[Egg McMuffin]

It also has an epic theme song from the great Bill Conti 

[shipmate]

This story would be totally ripe for a reboot a la Netflix! (And I would totally watch it)

[Snow Apple]

17 hours ago, shipmate said:

This story would be totally ripe for a reboot a la Netflix! (And I would totally watch it)

I'm not usually fond of remakes but I think enough time has passed that a remake with current actors might work. They had newcomers and acting legends in the original and they can do the same in a remake.

[Wonkabar5]

Has anyone seen the documentary about Patrick S?   There is absolutely NO mention (that I could see-though I saw it late at night) of North and South. Did I miss it?

 I think it odd, because I think many more people saw him in that over Red Dawn or even The Outsiders, which were featured, before he became mega successful in Dirty Dancing.  Very strange.  

 

 

[Dr.OO7]

VH1's segment about this on "I Love The 80's. . .Strikes Back"* sums this up perfectly:

"It was a 38-part miniseries and each part was 9 hours long."

* As an aside, did anyone else absolutely LOVE those shows?

[CountryGirl]

I loved those shows, too.

@Wonkabar5, I know it's been a bit since your last post. That is strange, not to mention North & South in the Patrick documentary as he always said that he was "born to play Orry Main." I seem to recall that it was because of him being in N&S that he got the part of Johnny in Dirty Dancing.

[CountryGirl]

I just recalled another aspect of the adaption of Book III that I detested.

Orry getting killed by Bent, instead of on the battlefield at Petersburg. But more than that, how when George goes to visit, Madeline already seems drawn to him and him to her when her husband just died! And Constance is still very much alive although she wouldn't be by the time he George returned to Pennsylvania.

Their whole love scene just squicked me out.

It was (again) another plotline that was handled so much better in the book where it was more two grieving, lonely individuals coming together and less about them being hot-to-trot within a few weeks of their spouses being murdered.

And it still bugs that Virgilia didn't get to make amends by taking on Ashton and threatening to throw acid in her face if she didn't immediately turn back ownership of Mont Royal to Madeline. And it was water the whole time. 

Don't get me started on how George is helping Charles out west, yet somehow they manage to make it back to Mont Royal when the Klan shows up later the same night. 

One change I did like was Orry and Madeline having a child together.

[blackwing]

I didn't even know Kirstie Alley had cancer.  So sad, she is gone far too soon.  She was so great as Virgilia Hazard, she made me really grow to dislike the character.  I need to find time to rewatch the whole series again.

[CountryGirl]

Kirstie was perfectly cast as Virgilia. I'm still annoyed that they killed her off at the end of Book II of the mini-series and didn't have her wonderful saving the day and Mont Royal from Ashton's greedy clutches as they did in the book (as noted upthread.)

One of Kirstie as Virgila's best scenes: