Treasure Island series reviewed: Oyelowo praised, changes to the story divide critics
A new six-part Treasure Island series from creator Robert Murphy, starring David Oyelowo and Hayley Atwell, gets mixed reviews. Critics agree on Oyelowo's Long John Silver but split on the story changes.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2A new six-episode adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, created by Robert Murphy, premieres on MGM+ in the US and Paramount+ in the UK. Screen RantN “Robert Murphy is trying his hand at Stevenson's novel with the six-part Treasure Island series at MGM+ (US) and Paramount+ (UK)” Read at Screen Rant ↗ ColliderN “MGM+ is taking another crack at the journey with a six-episode series” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2Collider says it premieres on 11 October on MGM+, and Radio Times says it arrives on Monday 12 October on Paramount+. ColliderN “Treasure Island premieres October 11 on MGM+.” Read at Collider ↗ Radio TimesN “Treasure Island arrives on Monday 12 October on Paramount+.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 2David Oyelowo plays Long John Silver, Hayley Atwell plays Jim's mother Bess Hawkins, Tom Sweet plays Jim, Jack Huston plays the merchant and ship's captain Aaron Graham, and Tomer Capone plays Billy Bones. ColliderN “Young Jim (Tom Sweet)”“not-so-noble merchant Aaron Graham (Jack Huston)” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “played in the series by The Boys alum Tomer Capone” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 2The series gives Bess a much bigger role than the book and makes Jim's memory the key to finding Captain Flint's treasure, so the crew sails to Jamaica with Jim and Bess on board. ColliderN “Jim's mother, Bess Hawkins (Hayley Atwell), takes on a much larger role in this version of the story than any of the others we've seen previously” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “With the map memorized thanks to his eidetic memory, Jim and his mother set sail aboard the ship of the charismatic Aaron Graham to venture to Jamaica” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 3All three reviewers single out Oyelowo's Silver. Collider says he "steals the show", Screen Rant says he "so brilliantly embodies both the menace and over-the-top personality" of the character, and Radio Times calls him "a force of nature". ColliderN “it's Oyelowo who ultimately steals the show” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Oyelowo so brilliantly embodies both the menace and over-the-top personality of Long John Silver” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Radio TimesN “Oyelowo is a force of nature in this Paramount+ series” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 3Collider and Radio Times welcome Bess's expanded role. Collider calls it "one of Treasure Island's greatest strengths" and Radio Times describes her as "a canny survivor". Screen Rant is more guarded, calling her establishment "somewhat decent" and her dynamic with Graham "underwritten". ColliderN “an inclusion that turns out to be one of Treasure Island's greatest strengths” Read at Collider ↗ Radio TimesN “she's a canny survivor whose widowhood has forced her to become a sharp judge of character” Read at Radio Times ↗ Screen RantN “her dynamic with ship captain Aaron Graham proves more layered, even if underwritten” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 1Screen Rant is the most critical review. It calls the series "a Bland Adaptation" that takes too many liberties, says it strips the Jim and Silver relationship of its intrigue, and finds Sweet's Jim the cast's biggest disappointment. Screen RantN “the creative team takes so many liberties with Stevenson's source material that it begs the question of why they didn't instead just aim for a completely original story”“thus stripping the morally complex relationship of any of its intrigue”“the biggest disappointment of Treasure Island's cast is that of Tom Sweet as Jim Hawkins” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Collider is warmer but calls the series uneven. It says the first three or four episodes hum along, but the finish loses its course once the crew reaches Skeleton Island, with some plot threads abandoned. ColliderN “keep the entire thing humming through the first three or four episodes, but Treasure Island does lose its course a bit as it nears the finish line”“several plot threads that feel important to the story, only to be completely abandoned” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Radio Times, which judges mainly from the opening episode, calls it "a handsome adventure with a glint of steel" in the style of a traditional BBC One Sunday-night drama. It says Silver becomes a father figure to Jim and notes that Silver is Jamaican, which adds layers to the story. Radio TimesN “It's a handsome adventure with a glint of steel.”“Having the wise, perceptive Long John Silver become a father figure to Jim twists it again”“he's a modern pirate too, most obviously for being Jamaican” Read at Radio Times ↗
Centre · 3On production, Collider says the series lacks the budget of Pirates of the Caribbean but uses the ship's close quarters well. Screen Rant praises the directing and visual style, and Radio Times praises the grimy, rich detail aboard the ship. ColliderN “the creative and production teams do a lot with a little throughout the series” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “clearly understood the assignment when developing the visual style and scale of the series” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Radio TimesN “It's suitably grimy and grim, a confined space richly rendered” Read at Radio Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre3 outlets
- Framing
- Three entertainment reviews that all praise Oyelowo but differ on whether the reworked story succeeds: Collider calls it dazzling but uneven, Screen Rant a bland adaptation, Radio Times a handsome throwback adventure.
- Emphasis
- Oyelowo's performance, Bess's larger role, how far the series departs from the novel, and the visual and production quality.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Radio Times does not assess the later episodes. Collider and Radio Times say less about the casting of Jim than Screen Rant does.
- Charged language
- “Bland Adaptation”“steals the show”“force of nature”“head-scratchers”
- For example
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“Treasure Island: A Bland Adaptation That Strays Too Far From The Classic Pirate Tale” — Screen Rant
“Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo Steal a Dazzling but Uneven 'Treasure Island' Adaptation” — Collider
“David Oyelowo leads handsome adventure with a glint of steel” — Radio Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The series is a six-episode adaptation of Stevenson's Treasure Island created by Robert Murphy, on MGM+ (US) and Paramount+ (UK).
- Oyelowo's Long John Silver is praised by all three reviewers.
- Bess Hawkins (Hayley Atwell) has a larger role than in the novel.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the changes to the story improve it
- Centre
- Collider says the early changes work wonders but the back-half surprises almost derail the series. Screen Rant says the liberties go too far and the result is bland. Radio Times praises the reworked dynamics, mainly on the strength of the first episode.
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The Jim and Silver relationship
- Centre
- Screen Rant says the series removes the mentor bond and respect between them. Radio Times says Silver becomes a father figure to Jim. Collider notes only that Silver is no mystery to Jim from their first meeting.
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David Oyelowo's performance as Long John Silver is a highlight of the series.
Supported- Supports 3
- Collider, Radio Times, Screen Rant
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The expanded role of Jim's mother Bess Hawkins (Hayley Atwell) improves the adaptation.
Mixed- Supports 2
- Collider, Radio Times
- Disputes 1
- Screen Rant
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The series' changes to the Jim–Silver relationship weaken the story.
Mixed- Supports 1
- Screen Rant
- Disputes 1
- Radio Times
- Reports 1
- Collider
David Oyelowo person
Oyelowo's Long John Silver is the series' strongest element in all three reviews: charming and terrifying (Collider), menacing (Screen Rant), and a commanding antagonist (Radio Times).
“He's terrifying and treacherous, but absolutely overflowing with charm, just as Silver should be.” — Collider
“a thrillingly impossible antagonist, able to emerge strengthened from the foulest predicament” — Radio Times
Hayley Atwell person
Atwell's Bess is praised by Collider and Radio Times as a cunning, central figure. Screen Rant credits her casting with making Bess central but finds the writing only somewhat successful.
“she proves to be a fantastic foil that's every bit as cunning as the men she's up against” — Collider
“made it very clear that Bess would not be a mere one-episode character” — Screen Rant
North America2 outlets
Collider and Screen Rant review the MGM+ release. Both focus on how the series departs from the novel and where it loses momentum or focus.
“MGM+ is taking another crack at the journey” — Collider
“Murphy was not keen on giving Treasure Island a direct adaptation” — Screen Rant
Collider, Screen Rant
UK and Ireland1 outlet
Radio Times sets the series against BBC One Sunday-night drama and the streaming landscape, and is the warmest of the three.
“the product they consume here has the right old-school feel” — Radio Times
Radio Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre3 articles
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ColliderN · · Opinion
Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo Steal a Dazzling but Uneven 'Treasure Island' Adaptation | Review
Mixed Praises the cast and early episodes but says the second half loses momentum.
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Screen RantN · · Opinion
Treasure Island: A Bland Adaptation That Strays Too Far From The Classic Pirate Tale | Review
Critical Argues the series departs too far from Stevenson and weakens its central relationship, while crediting the cast and direction.
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Radio TimesN · · Opinion
Treasure Island review: David Oyelowo leads handsome adventure with a glint of steel
Sympathetic Presents the series as an old-school, handsome adventure led by a commanding Oyelowo.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 9 Oct 17:00 First ColliderN Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo Steal a Dazzling but Uneven 'Treasure Island' Adaptation | Review Opinion
- 9 Oct 17:00 First Screen RantN Treasure Island: A Bland Adaptation That Strays Too Far From The Classic Pirate Tale | Review Opinion
- 9 Oct 17:00 First Radio TimesN Treasure Island review: David Oyelowo leads handsome adventure with a glint of steel Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.