he Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells three-part miniseries kicks off the new Hallmark Channel (formerly Odyssey Network) in style by bringing Wells' short stories to television for the first time. The miniseries opens in 1946, as newspaper reporter Ellen McGillivray (Best) pays a visit to a cranky 80-year-old H.G. Wells (Ward) with hopes of finding out what led to his visionary storytelling.
Wells is ready to give her the boot, but there is something about the young woman and her desire to learn more about his past and the secrets he knows that stops him. Wells relents and begins his tale a half-century earlier at London's Imperial College of Science, when he met Jane Robbins (Carmichael), a lovely
scientist and teacher who holds the same fascination for unexplained phenomenon that he does. Wells and Jane soon find themselves slipping into amazing adventures that cross the bounds of time, space and science itself.
Part One begins with "The New Accelerator." Odd happenings abound at the Imperial College as equipment and lab animals disappear and doors get blown off their hinges. Wells begins to investigate, and what he finds stretches the limits of even his imagination. In "Brownlow's Newspaper" a railroad worker has an electrical accident at work and suddenly finds himself reliving the past.
Part Two starts with the tale of a pawnshop owner who comes across a crystal rock with mysterious properties in "The Crystal Egg." In "The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes," an accident during a scientific experiment causes a young man to suffer terrible delusions. But is he really mad?
In Part Three, "The Truth About Pyecraft," a brilliant mathematician wants to lose weight, but getting his wish just might cost him more than he could possibly imagine. Finally, in "The Stolen Bacillus," a flask that may hold a dangerous virus is missing and Wells gets on the case to hunt down the thief.
As the elderly Wells tells his stories, he discovers that Miss McGillivray has a secret of her own, and meeting her may affect him in a more profound way than he could ever have dreamed.
A miniseries worthy of much more
This exquisitely produced miniseries effortlessly weaves the tales of H.G. Wells together with an elderly Wells recalling "true" stories from his past. The script, direction and casting are all top-notch, and they bring to life both the late 1800s and the legendary Wells.
The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells works well as a miniseries, but could have also made a wonderful series, and it's too bad Hallmark didn't decide to take it in that direction. The tales are consistent, with especially superb storytelling in "The New Accelerator," "Brownlow's Newspaper" and
"The Truth About Pyecraft." Only "The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes" comes off as a little weak. That the creators of this mini could make these stories, some written over 100 years ago, seem so fresh and rich is amazing. It's also a testament to Wells that his ideas and characters still hold up.
While the producers and writers have done their job in taking Wells' stories and entwining them together with an old Wells' remembrance, none of this would have made any difference if it weren't for the strength of Tom Ward's portrayal as Wells, and the strong supporting cast. Carmichael as Jane is especially charming as Wells' ladylove and eventual wife. The chemistry between them is delightful and amusing.
There are only a few complaints to offer. In the otherwise excellent "Brownlow's Newspaper," thick accents initially make the story hard to follow. In "The Remarkable Case of Davidson's Eyes" there is plenty of humor, but few surprises. Finally, at the beginning of Part Three, the wrap-around story
with the old Wells doesn't show up until midway through the episode, and it's a bit confusing.
Those are minor quibbles, considering that The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells is a wonderful miniseries that brings to life the wonder, mystery and danger of the unknown and gives us some insight into a man who is often referred to as the father of modern science fiction.
