the hour

[HoneyDuke]

Not as good as mad men is it?

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

I assume it got good ratings. I don't know how true it is but have read that Abi Morgan is writing the next one as we speak.

Interesting about the notorious production company!

[ppeatfruit]

Like you LadyC and whoneeds I felt it was a waste of time, especially the way it was continually publicised as if it was so brilliant; DD who's in the business agreed with my criticisms so it wasn't just me being an oldie she mentioned that the particular independent company which was responsible is known for its lacklustre productions. The beeb need to look a bit harder at what they put out IMO.

There's going to be a 2nd series???!!!!Why??? No LadyC I won't bother watching again.

[whoneedssleepanyway]

I finally caught up with the last episode on sky plus the other night and frankly am pretty annoyed that I wasted 6 hours of my life on this, thought it was very poor ending...

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

ppeatfruit, I thought the climactic interview with Lord Elms was poor ? I don't believe that Freddie would have just asked over and over 'But it's a personal story, isn't it?'. I vaguely suspected Clarence because he was so quiet and always seemed intent on fading into the background, but I wasn't 100% sure and at one point thought it was Anna Chancellor's character!

I didn't like the 'I hate you' scene very much either, but that may just be because the whole series didn't convince me of any real chemistry between Freddie and Bel.

I'm amazed I watched the whole thing really ? I seem to have so many negative things to say about it! I don't know if I'll bother with the second series; will you?

[ppeatfruit]

ladyC What did you think of the last episode had you guessed the mole was Clarence? I agree he acted well. I thought that the suspense was good in the last ep. apart from a very weak finale. Shame it wasn't there during the first ones!

[niccibabe]

Ahh! DVD sales...I get it! Thanks.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

teejwood, I found it all very underwhelming, tbh, although I tried hard to like it. I also thought the reveal was obvious and rather thin. I kept hoping that other characters (the dead woman's dodgy fiancee for example) would turn out to be more involved, to give it some depth. I never got a handle on Hector; we were constantly being told that he was 'charming', 'smooth', 'ambitious' etc but never actually shown or made to feel those things. I thought Whishaw was rubbish in the first few episodes, picked up for a couple, and was poor again in the last. I also never quite believed in Romola Garai's character. I'm still trying to figure out whether they all did a bad acting job or whether the script/direction was at fault. I thought acting-wise Clarence was excellent, as were Anna Chancellor and Juliet Stevenson. I didn't find the period convincing; I'm no expert but some of the clothes, sets and language rang very false.

Oh dear. I do like SOME telly, honest! I am actually loving the US The Killing and am saving up the Danish one to watch when that finishes.

[teejwood]

nicci i think it's off iplayer in part to help the dvd sales but have no doubt it will be repeated at some point. they have recomissioned it for another series so i'm guessing s1 will be reshown before that is aired if not sooner.
(so confusing the beeb keeps some things on for a week, some for 2 weeks, some for a month - grrr)

in terms of other things to watch i'm sticking with Torchwood till the bitter end , rewatching the first (danish) series of The Killing because i loved it so much first time around, and am looking forward to Birdsong, Sherlock, new series of Outnumbered and series 2 of The Killing.

LadyC what did you think of the series overall? i was a bit disappointed with the reveal as i had wanted it to be more complex than that (felt it was a bit obvious early on and tried to make up alternative theories!) but thought the way the personalities played out - with all their attendant weaknesses - was quite good. will probably tune in next time if they keep Wishaw involved at the very least.....

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

I think once things have gone from iPlayer they're gone ... but someone may have posted it on YouTube. Worth a try.

I watched Page Eight (disappointing IMO) and am going to start on The Field of Blood tonight. Next big exciting thing for me though is Birdsong. Or Sherlock. Whichever comes on first (I suspect Birdsong).

[niccibabe]

Hello, new to Telly Addicts... can I jump in here?

Does anyone know if the series will be back on iPlayer?

I watched episodes 1, 2, and 3 on series catch-up and now it's disappeared.

If it's not coming back, what are you all watching instead?

thanks

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

Interesting, Muriel. I've been finding Hector unconvincing as the 'smooth', 'confident' upper-middle-class type that the script keeps telling us he is. I had put it down to a rubbish script but perhaps it's as you say and he is in fact masquerading as a member of a class to which he doesn't quite belong, and is uneasy about it.

[MurielTheActor]

So I'm developing a bit of a theory here re the class thing.
Mrs Hector is very new money. In fact the family are, I think, Jewish. The father looks very Jewish. Their name is Sherman - a Jewish name. I'm thinking that Hector doesn't quite belong to the true establishment - minor public school, third at Cambridge and has married into a family that have merely acquired the trappings of upper class (and being Jewish can never belong themselves) which makes him as much an outsider as Freddie and Bel and makes him somewhat of a phoney.
I'm hoping his 'journey' will illuminate this for him and he will eventually assist in the bringing down (exposing) of the establishment forces and turn him authentic, as Freddie is the only true authentic, class wise.
Well that's my theory FWIW...

[teejwood]

Muriel that bit got to me, too. To me it was that combination of demonstrating his dementia and also showing how someone like Freddie's dad would assume someone like Hector was in a position of authority without even having to say a word.

Chaz agree that Bel finally showed come backbone for a change!

I did waver in my theory this week - thinking it might be Clarence rather than Lix - but then maybe he did just want to ensure that his team was "clean"?

And I agree - I'm loving this, but have made a conscious decision to just park the inconsistencies and enjoy the ride!

[KurriKurri]

campocaro, it's repeated tonight. 11.20 BBC2

[campocaro]

Loving this series. Does anyone know if the Tues episode is repeated later in week?

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

muddlinleigh


There's a photo of DW on my profile which I took outside the theatre a week or so ago.

[muddlinleigh]

Sorry to lower the tone but am amazed noone has mentioned Dominic West's lovely bot.

[MurielTheActor]

2 episodes behind so trying not to read any spoilers in the posts but I just have to say that in Ep 2 when Freddie's dad saw Hector and said "Captain" tears fell.
I don't think I've ever before cried over one word before - which must mean that they were getting a lot of things right for it to have that impact.
I'm LOVING it.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

It seems to be picking up the pace a bit this week. I hadn't expected the Freddy & Lix storyline. Good to see Bel finally (at least for 1 moment) show some real backbone in her exchange with Clarence. I still found there were a few times where the dialogue jarred as being too modern.

[LadyClariceCannockMonty]

Good point about Freddie, teej.

I don't remember the tin in Kish's pocket either ... Must pay more attention next time.

[teejwood]

x-post chaz! Women had to have backbone and determination to succeed then as much as now. I'm just wondering whether they make Bel more assertive in the coming episodes and it's to show her journey in becoming more confident as the show is better received and she becomes more used to her position over time...

[teejwood]

LadyC re the jumping on the bed incident - yes that's kind of what I felt but in a deliberate way! Ie it was part of his "act" in front of Bel in this type of situation. Bless him he so wants her to be impressed when actually she's thinking "matured beyond 12 yrs old, much?"....

Chaz - lovely photo of DW - slightly sleepy eyes and bed-hair thing going on there or is that just me projecting

ppeat I'm taking the liberty of answering your question to Chaz - I think the problem with Bel might well be the direction, actually. After all, it's the director who decides to focus on those fumbling fingers etc and it's not generally the actor who has the final say over characterisation etc.

which leads me to - Kurri Garai was quite good in The Crimson Petal, imho, but whether Bel is doing her any favours
oh and as for the film - iirc Freddie found a small rattly tin in Kish's pocket but it wasn't the same size as the film - but it's quite possible I didn't watch that bit closely enough!

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

I am struggling with Bel's character, I think they have caught some of the casual sexism very well and perhaps they are trying to show how difficult it for a woman to be strong and assertive in such an environment (where such traits would be regarded so unfeminine). Undoubtedly, Romola Garai looks the part but I would have liked to have seen a tougher edge to the character. I think part of the problem may be that in the 50's its probable that the only woman who would have succeeded is Lix because she is more masculine in her style and in reality a Bel Rowley type would not have been taken seriously at all and would never have become a producer so her character is at odds with the era in which it is based.

Romola Garai is undoubtly a talented actress I am just not sure that the character works. Mind you, until the last episode I wasn't sure if half of the characters worked!

KurriKurri the cast of Butley were chatty and happy to sign programmes etc. which was really nice. (I usually try to get my programme signed and it also gives you a chance to tell the cast that you enjoyed the play.)

[KurriKurri]

Agree with the comments about Bel, - I haven't seen Romola Garai in anything else, she's very beautiful, but maybe miscast here. Although I do think the author is trying to make a point about looks versus talent, and Freddy has the talent but not the looks so is unfairly held back while Hector gets the limelight, maybe Bel also fits that idea.

Like your theories about Anna Chancellor Teej. I'm slightly confused about the film of Ruth, I thought that was what Freddie found in Kish's coat pocket just before they had their fight, so think I'm a bit muddled there if anyone wants to explain

The picture of Dominic West is great Chazs - how nice of him to pose for you

[ppeatfruit]

Chazs Do you think as I do that it's Romola Garai being cast out of type (for her looks) and possibly out of her depth rather than the script, of course it could be both.