TheNorthernMonkee SPOILERS Every production which consists of many chapters has a black spot. Whether it's television series with a week season, or a drama with a weak episode, all have them. In episodes five and six, this magnificent series has it's black-spot.As third lieutenant aboard the HMS Renown, Horatio Hornblower (Ioan Gruffudd) is working under the legendary Captain Sawyer (David Warner). After a few major errors in judgement by Sawyer however, Hornblower and the other lieutenants begin to suspect the captain might not be entirely well. To remove him however means mutiny, and the punishment for this crime is death.After the irritating adventures in a French village in the previous episode, it is at least refreshing to get back out to sea in this stretched out two part encounter.Based almost entirely on either the HMS Renown or in the Lieutenants' trials, this story is a remarkably simple one which feels over long. Perhaps too much of a squeeze to have been contained into one two hour period, three hours feels excessive. In effect, we are left with a no win situation.As the slowly deteriorating captain Sawyer, David Warner is suitably aggressive and insane. Sadly this pushes him from seeming like a serious actor into an over the top one. Normally an outstanding actor, Warner frustrates in these episodes.Whilst Warner might not convince, series regulars Ioan Gruffudd, Jamie Bamber, Paul Copley and Sean Gilder all perform unsurprisingly well. All these actors have taken their characters to heart and made them their own, and it is a shame that one of them won't feature in any more episodes.The problem with both "Mutiny" and "Retribution" however is not acting, but purely that the script feels drawn out and grates on the nerves. Written by T.R.Bowen and Ben Rostul these episodes are far the finest of the series and could do with a rewrite.Even the almighty Hornblower series has a few bad episodes. Often the finest thing on British television, the series is let down in particular by both "Mutiny" and "Retribution". Featuring an excessive performance by David Warner and an awkward story, these episodes should have been so much better.

Havan_IronOak I first read the Hornblower novels as a schoolboy and have reread them from time to time over the years when I wanted to escape to an era when life moved at 6 knots or less. In the books, Hornblower thought of himself as the `Midshipman that got sick at Spithead' in fact he was always getting sick at the beginning of every voyage. He was more than ordinarily plain in appearance and was plagued by being tone deaf in an era when Music was the highest form of art. Finally he was frequently terrified to the point of nausea by the things he had to do to survive. Yet, the reader saw that he overcame all of that by using his wits, determination and inborn intelligence and by persevering when others were panicking and giving up. Even into the latest novels as he became first a Knight of the Realm and later a Lord, he still felt that if folks knew the real Hornblower as only he knew himself they would see him as a failure and a sham. In these films A&E has cast Ioan Gruffudd as Hornblower. He is physically attractive and most of Hornblower's self-perceived inner faults are ignored or only hinted at. We do see his fear of heights but very little else that allows us to see the `fallible Hornblower' that is so richly developed in the books. Yet so much of the rest of the story is there in such wonderful detail that it's hard to dislike or fault this series. I'm continually intrigued by the films because of the ways that they are faithful to the originals and by the ways that they stray. It's clear that some episodes so richly developed in the books include a dramatic element that is largely in Hornblower's thoughts. Due to the nature of the medium and the demands of the typical viewer, its clear that much of this will not work as a movie. What does puzzle me from time to time are the wholesale changes that are made where I can see no reason for the change. One prime example of that is strongly featured in the episode Mutiny. In the books when the captain is chasing through the ship trying to catch the mutineers and he falls down the hatch, only Hornblower is below decks. It is left to Hornblower's word that he fell. Several folks figure out that he MAY have been pushed and several credit Hornblower with being quick-witted enough to realize that if he pushed him, no one would be able to prove it. Only Hornblower knows for sure and even the readers never learn the truth. It's up to the individual to decide. I can see from others comments that perhaps they would enjoy the novels more than the movies.

PeeJay The 'Mutiny' and 'Retribution' parts of the Hornblower series are the best till now. Even when the books do not develop characters much, and the previous parts give some lines, it is in these two parts that the series comes to an height. Good acting and beautiful photography, and a good story; it all makes this series worth watching, and especially these parts. Themes like good leadership, loyalty, honour, friendship are in potential not very easy to be communicated in these times, but in this case it is done in the right and proper way... never overdone, never unbalanced. In short, a good cast, nice story, good photography, good plot, very good acting: *****

rfscott Though they are listed as separate movies, A&E's _Hornblower: Mutiny_ and _Hornblower: Retribution_ together form a 4-hour movie that I found simply riveting. They are taken from the second book in C.S. Forester's Hornblower series, _Lieutenant Hornblower_; and while keeping the spirit of the book, add substantially to its drama and characterization.The first book in the series -- _Midshipman Hornblower_ -- was the basis for the first four movies produced by A&E. The original movies were wonderful as well, but the new movies are far more mature and well-produced in comparison.I highly recommend these movies to fans of historical drama, tall ships and Horatio Hornblower.