Jekyll & Hyde have their work cut out

Now that Downton Abbey has come to an end, the UK's ITV channel has to find a new historical drama to replace the long-running hit series. That is why all its efforts have gone into Jekyll & Hyde, the umpteenth adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novel. While the first two episodes of the new series have not been anything to write home about, the story hints at a number of ideas that, combined with the novel's original plot, show some potential for the future.

The series blends fantasy, comedy, romanticism and adventure in a version of Jekyll & Hyde that is set in the 1930s, rather than in the late 19th century of the original. We follow the ups and downs of the grandson of the renown Dr. Henry Jekyll, Robert. Called to London to deal with an inheritance issue, Robert becomes embroiled in his grandfather's past life, while discovering that he too is affected by the strange disorder that afflicted his forebear.

However, apart from the challenge of finding a replacement for such a successful series as Downton Abbey, ITV at the same time has to compete with one of the most popular series on television, Doctor Who. The way it has gone about this is to add elements to the new programme that have made the BBC series such a classic. For example, Jekyll and Hyde have to face monsters, as well as the department of the British secret service commissioned with eliminating the supernatural creatures. As we have come to expect from a British production of this kind, the settings and atmosphere are magnificent, with an aesthetic that reminds one of Peaky Blinders.

With its clear references to icons of British culture –from London Calling to Sherlock Holmes– the series gives us a character who could easily have walked off the set of Penny Dreadful, along with hints of the aforementioned Doctor Who and a touch of Marvel thrown in for good measure (Let's not forget that the Hulk was inspired by Stevenson's novel). And all of this, while trying to match James Nesbitt's fabulous interpretation of Jekyll in the 2007 Steven Moffat adaptation of the classic story.

ITV is certainly facing some stiff competition and as a consequence has its work cut out.