Brenda Blethyn's new period drama, A Woman of Substance, has premiered on Channel 4, but the adaptation has drawn criticism from viewers. The series brings Barbara Taylor Bradford's bestselling novel to life, with Blethyn playing the older Emma Harte, while Jessica Reynolds portrays the character as a young servant.
Despite the novel being one of the ten bestselling books ever, with over 91 million copies sold, viewers took to social media to express their displeasure. One viewer wrote on X/Twitter: '#awomanofsubstance I think I might just read the book again instead.' Another complained about a character name change: 'Mac? MAC?!! His name isn't Mac. It's Blackie! Because of his black hair. Good grief!'
Further criticism focused on omitted characters. One viewer asked: 'Where is her brother Winston? Paul isn't listed in the cast either. I hope they haven't changed too much. Might have to watch the Jenny Seagrove version instead.' Another added: 'I have read all the books... and watched the original TV mini series, so I will give this one a chance, but where is Winston?'
However, not all reactions were negative. One fan praised the premiere as a 'good first episode,' while another wrote: 'Brilliant...absolutely brilliant @Mellor76 & Everyone done so well, me & Mum really enjoyed this. Well worth watching.'
The series follows Emma's journey from impoverished servant to global business tycoon, spanning from her humble beginnings to the 1970s. This new adaptation consists of eight episodes, in contrast to the original 1985 mini-series, which had only three.
