SPIRAL. Season 7. BBC 4 Saturday evenings. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

[rosegoldwatcher]

Thread for Episode 1 and 2 (Season 7) of Spiral on BBC4.

We are watching on BBC 4, UK pace and have only seen episodes 1 & 2 so far.

Please, NO SPOILERS.

[Twirlypoos]

Joining but still catching up on season 6 hopefully should be caught up this week

[Brainwashed]

Ahh Gilou 😍

[stumbledin]

Have just watched and think I need to sit and think.

Started off thinking oh its a bit slow, but in no time there were so many threads my head is whirling.

Does anyone remember what happened to the woman (Marianne?) who used to work for the Judge. Was this yet another sad episode in his lonely crusade life?

And they really throw the tough calls on Josephine dont they? )But cant help thinking how much better she looks without all her make up.)

Does anyone know a fan site or something. I seem to have forgotten quite a lot about the back stories. But think it works without knowing, but it irritates me that I have forgotten so much.

[stumbledin]

Thanks rosegoldwatcher for setting this up!

[UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe]

Stumbledin The Guardian does a recap of every episode on their website, which is really handy for catching up when you’ve forgotten everything They’ve definitely still got season 6 on there.

[Morgenrot]

There are a few Facebook groups for European drama fans @stumbledin

[rosegoldwatcher]

@stumbledin - Marianne resigned in season 5 (?) as she didn't approve of M. Robin's treatment of the trainee, the lad who was the son of his ex-girlfriend.
In Season 6 Robin met Marianne in a cafe. She had assumed it was a sort of date, but when he wanted only to pick her brains about a work thing she got up and left in disgust!

Am about to catch up on last night's episodes!

[stumbledin]

Many thanks for the update on Marianne. It must have been the scene in the cafe that jogged my memory. He's is so good a portraying someone who makes everyone else uncomfortable but remains unaware.

Have realised I am more interested in the other character than the main ones. Like Tintin who was always excluded.

I do sometimes read the Guardian catch up series but they often are only as good as those commentating. The Poldark one was always hilarious. As was one for a series called I think Indian Summers with Julie Walters. The Spiral commentators dont seem that inspired.

In the past was the language much more racist? And the focus does always seem to be on young Black men breaking the law. But there is nearly always a thread about white collar crime or some terrible family squabble. And of the course the infighting and political jostling.

[rosegoldwatcher]

It remember the episode when the group were told of a change in the law that meant they were no longer allowed to interview a suspect without their lawyer present. The series has become less 'slappy' since.
I hope that Josephine gets out during this series; I want to see her at full strength again.
How will M. Judge Robin get out of his enforced retirement?
Will oily Marchand make an appearance?
Can Laure and Gilou get back to where they were last series?

[StarbucksSmarterSister]

Comment on Twitter about Gilou. I must say when he came back from his run and went straight into the office, I did think ewww.

[Moanranger]

I love how the story line reflects the sociological reality of France “ a set moment”. How les flics aren’t trusted, despised, even by huge swathes of society & the drama plays off that. Some of the best acting on TV. (contrast this with Captured, which had to go all sci fi & unbelievable to move story line along. Stopped watching.)
Looking forward to the resolution of Laure’s & Josefine’s predicaments. Great female characters!

[SeaRabbit]

I speak a bit of French, and it's interesting how the translation is gentle with what they say - they didn't say "the 4th suspect" but "le noir" (the black).

Enjoying this, as I did the 6th series so I'll have to get S1-5 for Christmas.

[MissB83]

@SeaRabbit I noticed the same, had assumed it was too racist for a UK audience!

[stumbledin]

@rosegoldwatcher

Have been disappointed that not many seem to want to discuss Spiral but it turns out someone started another thread. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/3718784-Any-Spiral-fans-out-there?

I was going to suggest that maybe you could get moderators to edit the heading to this thread to just say

SPIRAL. Season 7. BBC 4 Saturday evenings. UK pace. NO SPOILERS!

if not many want to do the episode by episode thing.

Or just give up on this thread and join the other one - some people are posting spoilers - but has other interesting comments.

Either way I will be back tomorrow when I have had chance to catch up later than broadcast time and will happily join in a special thread for tomorrows episodes or a general one.

Thanks for starting us off.

[rosegoldwatcher]

@stumbledin - I don't suppose it matters which thread we use, as long as there is one! Happy to do as you suggest though. How do I contact the moderators about editing the title of this one?

[stumbledin]

@rosegoldwatcher

sorry - only just seen this.

as far as I know the only way to contact them it to "report" yourself.

There's a button top right of your post.

I have seen them edit other thread titles.

I suppose it depends whose at work today and how busy they are!

[rosegoldwatcher]

@stumbledin -
Thanks, I have done that.
We will see what happens!

[rosegoldwatcher]

@stumbledin - They did it already! That's efficiency.
Thank you Mumsnet Boffins!

[stumbledin]

Have just watched my recordings of episodes 3 & 4.

Too late to really comment but very emotional - and am finding it easier to follow the stories lines. Last week I was struggling to keep up.

Will Tintin return or was it just a fleeting visit.

Will the Judge find the cash strapped health service guilty?

Will either Josephine or Laure ever find if not happiness some reward in their lives.

And many amazing shots of Paris skylines but not the picture postcards ones.

[MissB83]

What do people make of the presentation of Laure as a new mother? I find it quite hard to understand. I have a nearly 20 month old who was sick/nearly died at birth but I can't really identify with where she is coming from at all, it seems bizarre.

[FLOrenze]

She feels that she is not good enough to be a mother. Her job does not lend itself to being a mum. Even TinTin found it hard to give enough time to his family.

[stumbledin]

Have seen some interesting discussion about Laure. I cant remember all of her back story but she has suffered personal loss.

And I think I am right in saying she had already decided she didn't want to be a mother and kept missing appointments made to have an abortion because she kept putting the job first.

So actually having the baby wasn't something she actually wanted.

And she may have post natal depression.

There is also the think that because she is a mother she is seen less sympathetically than the male police who often fail at being a good father.

And true to character, whether right or wrong for her or anyone else, she has gone back to policing at the expense of everything else.

I saw on another thread that the original Spiral series was created by 2 women writers who wanted the drame to reflect the conflicts in women's lives.

eg Josephine is not necessarily a "nice" person but in many instances her choices are based on being a woman trying to fit into a male dominated world.

And the poor baby doesn't seem to be wanted by her father either. His response to getting sole custody wasn't exactly positive. It seemed getting Laure to appear before the family Judge was more about getting at her than anything else.

[MissB83]

I do agree that the realistic (not idealistic) portrayals of women in this show is one of its key strengths and something to be welcomed. Some interesting perspectives though, it feels a while since some of the previous series so have forgotten some of the back story!