The Doll Factory

I binge watched the full series and enjoyed it all the way, yet I admit it may only attract limited audience with certain interests.

First of all the setting is London 1851, when the very first World Expo was bringing London and the whole British Empire to a whole new cultural level, and many underprivileged people wanted to take this chance to climb up.

And then it plays with the art society especially the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, but instead of paying homage to the historic artists it took a critical perspective to see their artwork and artistic life.

The four occupations in the story (namely doll making, taxidermy, surgery and painting) were all about treating a life as an object. When doing the job like producing an artwork with passion and admiration, they gradually grow an obsession of eternal beauty and ignorance of real life.

This is what we call "objectification" in art. When they paint a portrait it's like gazing and owning of a real person, mostly a delicate woman in the 1850s context, very often a "damsel in distress" under chivalric gazes. But what if a woman wants to be a painter instead of a model? Can she assert a subjective voice of the painted character?

Also the image of cage is all over the whole series, from the poster and the opening sequence to various occasions the leading characters confront. When they think they could take the 1850s momentum to climb up in the art society, probably they are jumping into a larger cage.

If you had did artwork and critically thought about it yourself, this series may strike your notes. Also if you concern about female empowerment you may see a 1850s version in the series. But it is not for everyone.

Set in Victorian London, this english speaking piece colourfully depicts the period full of both Dicken's like characters to the hopes and dreams of it royals.

The plans to costruct the crystal palace are on display and various characters compete for the rights to exhibit. This is entertwined into our visually remarkable show. After watching two of the series, the line between the classes has not been defined and the posh accents mingle with the commons with far too much ease.

The story is explained as twin sisters, one ravished with rements of small pox, the other untarnished, and their struggles in a shop that macabrely recreates look a like dolls to reflect the customers children, dead or alive.

One of the sisters has the ambition to reach greater heights and this is where the plot abandons me. You are left wondering why the title would not be related to the plot, or why the characters seem aimless and drifting through life? Is this a drama or a melodrama? Are we about to be inflicted with a hundred episoides that go no where?

Personally I have surrended all interest after episode number two, however, perhaps others will find joy here?

Pros: Great costumes, acting, set design

Cons: Plot & characters. It's year 2023 and mental illness is still the major plot device. Blame everything on a bipolar woman and a schizophrenic man. Perfect! This is based on a book from 2019 that copies Jane Eyre and adds more mental-illness shaming. What an achievement!

I was hoping that by now we should be more open-minded. But it seems despite achievements in technology and costume/set design, the entertainment & publishing industries just keep recycling the same BS. Why bother making something good and fresh when you can just keep making the same stories over and over?!

I watched the show on one of my local streaming channels. What I get from the show is how Iris chooses her life compares Rose does hers. You should know women in that time in Europe had a very low social status. They didn't get to decide their lives, the society did. Iris didn't want to be a doll maker forever and refused to marry someone she didn't like. She wanted to be who she wanted to be: free and liberal. Rose, on the other hand, was defined by the society. She detested disobedience and her sister's actions. The show somehow reflects how women fought for their lives hundreds of years ago. But, 6 episodes for a very simple and dull plot, it was a waste of time. If it were a movie which was only 90 mins long, it would be interesting. A lack of depth was also a problem. It was just a love story between a doll maker and an artist. And how the crew members recruiting for extras/background actors, was a problem too. It didn't fit that era presented in the show. This is a problem for a lot of movies/tv shows that have a background of the general society of 100 years or earlier, a lack of authenticity.

Most of the reviewers here haven't watched the series beyond two episodes. It's a shame they didn't see it through to the end really. Having read the book, I was keen to see how the show compared.

I don't claim to know if it was an accurate depiction of the times it was set in, but it portrayed an earie, darker side of life that I found convincing. The detail in the sets was impressive. I love that feeling of going back in time and I think the series acheived it well.

Its a tale of jealousy, passion and obsession, with interesting side character stories as well. I thought the story of Silus' character was told in a clever way; anybody who hasn't read the book will be surprised by the twist in his character in later episodes.

With references to The Great Exhibition was interesting to me, imagining an exciting time in London.