This didn’t tick too many boxes for originality, but it definitely ticked the box for glorious scenery (mostly filmed in Croatia, but let’s pretend that it’s the Italian Riviera) and plenty of different brewing dramas. A posh-ish British woman has opened a hotel in Portofino in the 1920s. Could we have a bit more about her family’s background, please? I’m curious as to whether being called Ainsworth means that they’re from Lancashire. She’s got an alcoholic husband who spends all their money, a grouchy war widow daughter with a child, and a dilettante son who’s a) scarred by his experiences in the war and b) possibly the object of affection of his best friend.
There are a lot of other stock characters. Two Innocent Young Ladies, one accompanied by a snooty mother, the other by a hypochondriac aunt. Two Flashy Americans. Two Northern Servants. Some Charming Italians, but also some Dodgy Italians with links to the rising fascist movement.
It’s not very original, as I said, but the shots of the coast were stunning, and the shots of local streets and markets were gorgeous as well. There’s a lot going on, and we’ll see how it goes.
setinthepast 
I read the tie-in book—likely the scripts plus a little description. I got it on NetGalley not knowing of the tv show. I keep thinking I’ll watch it. Nice review.
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Thanks!
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Visually, it was stunning! Everything else, however, was total CRAP! Confusing story line, cliched stereotypes, intrigues that made no sense, you name it. I tried to read the book, and gave up. I then tried to watch the series, and despite some great cast members, I gave up after the 2nd episode (about the same place where I stopped reading the book)! By the way, I think they published the book just to promote the TV series. The “author” of the book doesn’t appear anywhere on the credits for the TV series.
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Oh dear! Only seen one episode, so I’ll see what the next one’s like.
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So, in the first episode, when the girl isn’t picked up at the train, and starts walking to the hotel, didn’t you wonder why she didn’t ask anyone for help, or at least to make sure she was going in the right direction? In the book, she’s on a dusty road when a horse driven cart comes by and she doesn’t even check that she’s on the right road, despite the text saying she wasn’t sure where she was going! She’s a friggin’ WOMAN, not a man. Women ask for directions, even if they’re wary of accepting help getting where she’s going. SO stupid! It obviously written by a man.
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