“The inherent will to enjoy and the circumstantial will against enjoyment.” [Thomas Hardy: ‘Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented’ (1891)]

BBC 1’s new four-part costume drama, ‘Tess of the D'Urbervilles’, based on Thomas Hardy’s gloomy masterpiece, Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented (1891), is its best for years, and it justly dominated the peak-time ratings for Sunday evening, taking a 23.4% share (5.7 million viewers) of the key 9 pm - 10 pm audience [see: ‘BBC wins Sunday ratings battle in triumph for Tess of the D'Urbervilles’, BrandRepublic, September 15]. ‘Tess’ even beat ITV’s popular ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot’ (5 million viewers), starring David Suchet and Zoë Wanamaker.

Yet, far more satisfyingly, ‘Tess’ absolutely trounced BBC 2’s dire attempt at some semblance of ‘global warming’ balance, ‘Earth: The Climate Wars’, which managed a mere 1.6 million viewers (a 6.7% share), a low figure for that time in the evening, when BBC 2 should be attracting at least 2.5 - 3 million viewers. Mind you, it is clear that the BBC’s idea of balance is to buy an expensive white elephant and to let it stamp on a quizzical mouse - so watch this space for more scathing comment.

I actually feel a tad sorry for the poor souls who did opt to watch this (a colleague switched off after 20 minutes) - they would have been far better off admiring the superb acting of Gemma Arterton as Tess [left: BBC promotional picture]. Gemma is a Gravesend lass, who went to the same school as one of my daughters. She will star in the next Bond film, ‘Quantum of Solace’, and she is to be the face of Avon’s Bond Girl 007 fragrance.

By contrast, the climate programme has received mute comment, which is hardly surprising when inflation has just risen to 4.7%, banks are imploding, and pension funds collapsing. People have genuine problems to face, rather like Tess herself. It is just like losing her father’s horse. This is a point well made by Gill Hornby in her splendid piece today entitled: ‘Thomas Hardy’s Tess proves to be a woman for our hard times’ [The Daily Telegraph, September 16]:

“Watch and learn how to milk a cow, tend the poultry and keep those food miles down. And as the banks collapse around us, who knows who will soon be tramping around, “claiming kinship” to the clever folk who had the sense to keep their money out of the City and under the bed.”

So, “Brava!” to Tess Durbeyfield - thanks for murdering both the wicked Alec Stoke-d'Urberville and for putting a knife into the heart of middle-class BBC fashion over climate change. My black flags would rise over the Downs for the hanging of Alec and ‘global warming’ trumpery both - Tess herself deserved much, much better, although, of course, Hardy has to remain ‘dark’ to the bitter end:

“Justice was done, and the President of the Immortals in schylean phrase had ended his sport with Tess.”