The Forsyte Saga (ITV)

NO-one would dare to accuse this new adaptation of the John Galsworthy novels of being slow-moving.

London 1874 noted the first caption. And we were off: Bournemouth, nine years later. London (again). Six months later. Two years later. All within the space of a 90-minute episode.

When someone said "The Forsytes go on forever", you couldn't help thinking that was a little optimistic. At the rate they were moving, they'd have to pause for breath at some point.

Much has been made of ITV daring to remake one of the BBC's most spectacular successes, which attracted audiences of 18m back in the late 1960s but who could grumble after seeing this new version, which is as lavishly and lovingly produced as you could possible wish for.

I suspect that my memories of the original are like those of most people - fairly hazy. So watching the latest Forsyte is like coming afresh to the story. Or rather, stories as the family fortunes cover the entire clan.

As far as I can tell, not having read the trilogy, this is a faithful and straightforward adaptation of books about a family at war with each other.

Within the first 20 minutes, Jolyon has left his wife for the governess with the comment: "I'll work for a living, it'll probably do me good".

Before you can say Eric Porter, we're in Bournemouth (where Soames sets his eyes on Irene, in mourning for her father, and decides he wants her.

Irene's pushy stepmother can spot a man with a bank balance with her eyes closed. She makes sure the way is clear - "There is no Mrs Forsyte is there?" she inquires - before pushing the two together.

Irene is reluctant to marry because she doesn't love him. But stepmom is adamant: "A spark is very fine but £3,000 a year is better".

By the time we reach two years later, Irene is fed up with having lie-back-and-think-of-England sex with hubby Soames and demands separate rooms. As the credits roll, her attention has strayed to dashing young architect Philip Bosinney (Ioan Gruffudd, in his third major TV role in as many weeks).

Unlike the Soames-Irene marriage, the series is shaping up nicely. Damian Lewis asks for no sympathy - and, in the light of his behaviour, won't get any - as Soames, a man of money but with an inability to express his feelings. You can only fear for Gina McKee's stony-faced Irene once he finds out about her and her new beau