by Mary Anne Butler Editor/Reporter/Photographer

Let me start by saying I’m really glad Dominic Cooper didn’t get the role of Freddie Mercury in the upcoming highly anticipated biopic, because after watching all four hours of Fleming, I can’t see him portraying the Man Who Would Be Queen.

The 4 part series follows author Ian Fleming, and his early life set against the permissive society of war-torn WWII London.  Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond from The BBC is fantastically immersive from the get-go with it’s first scenes.  The classic underwater visuals with the heavily orchestral score illicit visions of several 007 films.   I guess it’s easier to work backwards this way, to take certain visuals fans of  the Bond series would recognize and put them into these scenarios during the chronicles of Fleming’s life.

In the first episode, we meet Ian’s mother Evelyn Fleming (played by Lesley Manville) and his brother Peter Fleming (played by Rupert Evans).   Fun fact: Peter was an adventure and travel author, possibly influencing Ian’s future career choice, and both Fleming boys were commissioned to help to establish the Auxiliary Units.  The GHQ was to be a “secret army” of civilian volunteers who would fight on behind enemy lines if Britain was invaded during WWII.  (The other amusing factoid is that Ian held the title of Commander, which James Bond shares.)

My two favorite characters of the mini series are Second Officer Monday played by Anna Chancellor (who I think mirrors Lois Maxwell, who played Miss Moneypenny in the film), and Ann O’Neil played by Lara Pulver.  I do absolutely love seeing Irene Adler in anything, especially when she gets….um…you’ll have to wait til episode three for more detail.  Just be prepared for another side of the mythos.

There is intrigue of course, I don’t want to get into too much detail until I do a full review of the series as a whole.  There are beautiful women, drinks, high stake card games, fast cars, Nazis and Russians.  Both true and new Bond fans will find this series exciting and provocative.  The first episode of the 4 part mini series premieres on BBC America on Wednesday January 29th, 2014 at 10pm EST.

Mab says:  See it.