The look on Iron's face at the end is priceless. I hope you're not insulted that I think this one of the best vids you've ever posted. Tommi

Great clip.

But what a horrible show... I saw it many years ago, but I must have missed the last episode. I had such good memories of this series, so I decided to watch it again.

The main character is an atheist throughout the series, and makes many references to it, including some fairly poignant ones about the absurdity of religion. But religion keeps popping up.

And in the very last episode, an old man who is an atheist, lies on his dying bed. His children -- and the local priest -- browbeats the frail old man into becoming a Catholic.

At this point, instead of becoming enraged with the way they treated the old man, the main character decides that Christianity is good after all.

That bit of preaching completely ruined that quirky, charming series for me.

[spoilers ahead] Actually, the whole point of the story (in both the book and the adaptation) is that the only way to find satisfaction in life is through the Catholic church. It's a key part of the plot, but it's so subtly handled that many people miss it. I'd seen the series and read the book twice before I realized that it's a story about Charles's religious conversion.

Its religious argument doesn't make it a "horrible" show, any more than the religious themes of the Sistine Chapel make it horrible art. I'm an atheist, but I can appreciate beauty where I find it.

Its religious argument doesn't make it a "horrible" show, any more than the religious themes of the Sistine Chapel make it horrible art. I'm an atheist, but I can appreciate beauty where I find it.

I'll have to watch the show. As for whether one should view a well-written book, and well-performed adaptation as an example of "beauty" - I'm conflicted. I suppose that something can be beautiful and pernicious.

I think Tom is speaking in general terms. Substitute "art" for "beauty" there if that helps.

I agree with him that one can appreciate an artwork for its other virtues despite having themes one disagrees with, just as a good writer can make you sympathize with a character you may not approve of. For one example, I love the music of Sufjan Stevens, even though I'm an atheist and he's a devout Christian who often sings about his god. But since his music is so damn good, and it never feels like he's proselytizing, it doesn't particularly bother me.

Its religious argument doesn't make it a "horrible" show, any more than the religious themes of the Sistine Chapel make it horrible art.

Absolutely, yes. Personally, I'm an adamant atheist, but I've visited lots of churches and cathedrals in Europe, to enjoy the architecture, as well as the cool, serene atmosphere inside. I can express admiration of its architecture, and set aside the evil history of the church; the blood, sweat and tears that the parishioners shed to have it built; the extortion, oppression and hipocracy of the church -- and that old saying that the priest's dinner plate killed far more than any soldier's sword.

But just as I hate South Park episodes that get preachy at the end (which often tends to be in favor of my own personal views), I hated Bridgehead.

What they did to the old man was monstrous.

The moral of the story is no better than if the main character was a woman trying to find herself -- only to come to the conclusion in the final episode (after having witnessed a violent rape) that a woman can only find happiness if she subdues herself to a man.

Actually, the key part of the story is that Lord Brideshead (the old man) chooses to come back to the church at the end. In real life, I would object to they way his family treated him the same way that Charles does. They would be taking advantage of the weakness of an old man. However, in the narrative world of the book, Lord Brideshead's last action -- crossing himself -- is a positive act of will. He chose to do it. The awfulness of some Catholics in the story is deliberate. Waugh meant to show that God is awesome despite his believers and representatives.