I voted "lukewarm" on the Revival series. I watched it for the first time when I bought it on dvd. The beginning was much too HoDS for me. I found myself rolling my eyes a few times at the dialogue, etc...because of how close it was to House. It isn't until 1790 that I think the show picks up a bit.
My favorite was Joanna Going as Victoria (& Josette). I've always liked Alexandra Moltke and feel she got the short end of the stick over the course of the original series, but Going was near absolute perfection in my eyes. She brought a maturity and intelligence to the role and I adored her. The revival is worth owning for her, IMHO. While I was watching, I found myself daydreaming about what it would've been like to see her act with some of the original series cast, like Frid, Karlen, Bennett, etc... Quick! Somebody build a stairway through time!
My feelings on the rest of the cast is mixed. I liked Jean Simmons as Elizabeth. I found Barbara Steele to be fine as Julia. She gave a more subtle, cold performance, but I thought it worked. I didn't mind Ely Pouget as Maggie because they gave her something different to do. Lysette Anthony as Angelique was more primal and simplistic, but that wasn't a bad thing. Roy Thinnes and Barbara Blackburn didn't make much of an impression. I couldn't warm up to Jim Fyfe as Willie. I found the character to be too silly, too comic relief. It wasn't just the actor though, but the writing as well. I admit I laughed a few times, but I didn't like the take on the character.
Ben Cross.... He's not a bad actor. I think he improved as the episodes went on and he was good with Joanna Going. A few scenes between them, as Barnabas & Victoria/Josette, I enjoyed. Overall though, he just doesn't do it for me. There was a kind of stiff distance with his portrayal and I found it hard to get involved emotionally with him. His Barnabas would never appeal to me the way Frid's Barnabas does.
My favorite moment in the revival is [spoiler]Victoria and Josette realizing that they are the same person.[/spoiler]
I chose "lukewarm" because besides Going, the Victoria/Josette angle & some of 1790, nothing else really left all that big of an impression.