Latest Harlan Coben series…..

[seratoninmoonbeams]

Is it just me that thinks they’re absolute dog shit? I’ve watched a few, mostly because the one with Michael C Hall was ok. But my god, I’ve just watched episode 4 of Run Away…. James Nesbitt is actually awful, his acting gets worse and worse. I went against my instinct and started this because we have been recommended it by so many people. I can’t watch another episode 😆 Can’t believe I’ve wasted this many minutes of my life on another series. (also whenever Ruth Jones refers to Neil by name, I have to say “the baby” - every time - which doesn’t help).

Am I being unreasonable and missing that it is gripping, well acted and excellent?

Or am I being reasonable in that the acting is awful, it’s unrealistic, there are more holes in it than ten golf courses and it’s basically just shit?

Obviously this is light hearted and everyone likes different things. I’m mostly asking because people I would’ve thought ( and know actually) like a lot of the same stuff as DH and I are the ones that recommended it.

They’re all awful. And forgettable, so I’ve started watching a second or third time before realising “I’ve watched this tripe before”.

It kept me viewing because I wanted to find out what happened but yes, I agree. I don’t expect masterpieces - I expect cheap pulp entertainment, but this was the worst of the lot.

James Nesbitt was just awful. He’s always played himself somewhat, but this was proper hamming it up.

Ruth Jones (who I like) did not convince as an armed police officer or as a PI. The character was also hopeless.

So many far fetched twists and events. The only character I liked was Cornelius, and for some strange reason, Rocco. I also think Ken Bone is a great actor, although he was barely on screen.

I’m amazed such great actors sign up for this tosh - I can only imagine they pay extremely well.

Haha. Funnily enough finished that the night before last. Wasn’t particularly keen on that either but it was better than this by a mile. Still farcical in places though.

I gave up last night. Can’t watch any more. James Nesbitt with his angry face/sad face/reminiscing face…….Minnie Driver may have elevated it I guess if she was in it 🤣 DH doesn’t mind it and kind of wants to know wtf is going on, so he can finish it next week while I’m away with work 😆

Seen one seen them all.

There’s loads of things that are set in America, or the UK, that are adapted for tv with American or British actors playing the opposite (usually British playing Americans) and vice versa that work really well though aren’t there. Whoever produces these makes it such a wierd combo and none of it works.

Chewing gum for the eyes. I will never, ever understand their appeal.

These series are ridiculous, but I still
enjoy them! Why does Nesbit do that weird thing with his eyeballs/eyebrows. Minnie Driver looked fantastic.

Well I loved it, as did everyone I know who's watched it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Then again, I don't know anyone who is hating the second series of the Night Manager like people are on here 🤔 we all think it's great!

I enjoy them. The plots are full of holes and are unrealistic and ridiculous, but they are my guilty pleasure.

I don't just watch "worthy" TV.

They’re all really badly acted for some reason, even though these actors have done a decent job in other programmes!
It really pisses me off because I’ve read most of his books years ago and really enjoyed them but they just don’t transfer to screen well. The America - England locations translate never works either

Only watched oneepisode of His and Hers. Friend recommended but I absolutely hate gratuitous sex scenes.

YANBU.

I'm three episodes into "Run Away"

It's so bad. So, so bad.
Everything about it - acting, setting, storylines, characters - is completely awful.
It properly stinks.

But that's why I love it.
Its brilliant escapism and I find it great fun to deconstruct the millions of plot-holes with DP after each episode.

It was pretty bad. It bumbled on entertainingly enough, but the unlikely American scenarios (teenage hired killers, big shootouts etc.) and ludicrous plot holes and mile-long loose ends were ridiculous.

@Freysimo I think they go away

He killed her sister and his own brother and a kid at school!

Play Dead, his first book, is very good. I couldn't get into any of his other books.

But that's why I love it. Its brilliant escapism and I find it great fun to deconstruct the millions of plot-holes with DP after each episode.

Exactly. It's entertaining escapist tosh. I don't watch Harlan Coben to be educated or informed. I watch it to be entertained.

So so bad. Couldnt even finish the first episode.

They are terrible. It's annoying as it's exactly the sort of show we like, twisty murdery thrillers, but no they are too awful to watch.

Me and DH watch them but criticise them all the way through.

The stories are so far fetched. Also some of the casting is ridiculous. Ruth Jones in the special forces? Watching her lumbering around in the flashback was ridiculous. You have to be fit to be in the special forces

Haha it’s absolute rubbish but I like watching them to find out what ridiculous thing is going to happen next 😁 I also like they’re filmed in and around Manchester and enjoy location spotting. But all the guns and stuff is proper silly for the uk.

I like them, the American ones can be hard to follow.

Why is the acting so bad in these series? I can never put my finger on it... But then I wonder if it's actually the scriptwriting and directing that makes it bad, rather than the acting, since many of the actors are usually not bad in other programmes.

They're all a hit samey and formulaic. I enjoyed The Woods, but that was the first one I saw and it was in Polish, which gave it a bit of added mystique - you can forgive a lot more when you don't know the language or the actors!