The original Thorn Birds mini series was one of the most passionate and vibrant works to ever grace the small screen. A sequel is already a gamble due to the high expectations involved. The first step in the wrong direction was not casting Rachel Ward as Meggie...what were they thinking? Although the new actress can deliver her lines, she'll never match the chemistry that Ward/Chamberlain had in the original. I might have forgiven the absence of Ward if the script remained true to the original, but it certainly didn't. Not only did the majority of the situations completely disregard what was put forth in the novel, but they also turned what was rare and beautiful into a soap opera fiasco. In short, it should not have been attempted in the first place. Read the book or watch the original...avoid watching this one!