Where to start? Oh yes, the casting. In this respect they got it nearly perfect. Blair Brown and Harry Hamlin are both fine actors but the scripting of their characters leaves them little scope to work with. The characters of Penny and John Pope in the book were sugary sweet to begin with but this was made even more saccharine in the TV series. However, in the positive side, David Dukes is immaculate in the role of the roguish Strabismus. Beau Bridges, James Garner, Michael York and Bruce Dern are all inspired choices too and revel in their much better defined roles.
Another point of annoyance for me is the deviation from the staggeringly comprehensive and educational form of the book. The statistics and detail in Michener's book make an educational saga. The basic storyline is more or less faithful to the original but many technical and historical elements were sacrificed for the purposes of drama. Of course, this is a TV show so there has to be a soap opera feel to it but overall, this was an opportunity missed.
Another point of annoyance for me is the deviation from the staggeringly comprehensive and educational form of the book. The statistics and detail in Michener's book make an educational saga. The basic storyline is more or less faithful to the original but many technical and historical elements were sacrificed for the purposes of drama. Of course, this is a TV show so there has to be a soap opera feel to it but overall, this was an opportunity missed.