The Casual Vacancy...anyone watching?

[Selks]

If so, thoughts so far?

I couldn't get on with the book but I'm enjoying this so far...a cast of fallible and largely unpleasant characters; plot pleasantly complex(ish), good filming - bucolic pretty England with a claustrophobic feel....

Will be interested to see how it develops.

I enjoyed the series more than the book. I thought the teens in particular were excellent and were really compelling. I felt that the book characters were really one dimensional and that JKR hated them all. In fact, I got the impression of a city dweller sneering at country folk and their parochial ways.

Oh and the GP would not work in a practice on her door step with patients she would constantly be running into

I loved the book, the ending was so tragic it left me bereft, also thought the tv adaption was well done. Though it's difficult to know if anyone viewing saw the characters like they were in the book (though I suppose it doesn't matter too much as the books the book and the series is the series!)

From what I can gather it was the first role for the actress who played Krystal.

I found the book a bit lightweight and the tv series un fathomable. Too many characters, big enough time to warm to them.

But I thought the actress who played Krystal was really good. She wasn't quite real in the book, a bit too much of a cliche. Much more understandable on the screen.

The actress who played Krystal was brilliant.

I've read an interview with JK Rowling in which she talks about herself as a teenager - her search for what she felt was "authenticity". It made me think she made Fats the worst, most irredeemable character* because it was an aspect of herself she felt bad about.

Or something

*Not so much in the TV version

Oh dear just read the books ending on wiki

I found the TV version upsetting enough

Think I would have preferred the original ending tbh. Some of the shots were so dark , who was Michael Gambon bonking ? I assume the nephew was the online persona?

The Michael Gambon bonking was quite amusing I thought. It was his assistant in the shop.

Yes, it was the boy, Arf, who was doing the online ghost, right?!

I think in the book, his Mum chucked his nasty dad out, or is that wishful thinking?

The search for authenticity always was a big thing among rebellious middle class kids. It rang very true I thought.

Krystal was played wonderfully, yes. Amazing that was her first big role.

Barry's widow turned...quite miserable...didn't she?!!

I thought it came together very well in the end. I remembered watching Vikram jogging in ep. 1. and thinking - why? And the stuff with the door. And with the TV of course.

JADS two of the GPs at our local surgery live in the area and have kids at the local primary, I often bump into them at the shops and the odd party! I think it's quite normal.

I loved the book and this was less bleak but still harrowing.
The young actress who played Krystal was superb. She must surely be in line for some sort of recognition for that part.

The irony of Colin voting for his rival, allowing him to win and close the centre, thus meaning that Teri couldn't get easy access to her meds so fell off wagon which set the whole final scene in motion is so heartbreaking.

I thought it was utterly crap TBH.

I agree that the actress playing Krystal was good though.

Not too impressed Beeb shud have put it on 2 too convaluted

Oh and my GP is of Indian origin. I know her personally as she is also a school mum. She is very clear and articulate but still has an unmistakable Manchester accent. She has grown up here (we are in the NW) and went to Manchester University. So, I wouldn't expect her to have anything other than an educated Manchester accent.

As far as I can recall there were a number of the (middle class) children that were the online ghost. Each writing àbout the one they knew best.

Dont recall Arfs mum leaving huge dad though. I think she wanted to but didn't.

Nearly finished episode 3. Finding it harrowing viewing. My childhood as a child of an alcoholic wasn't disimilar to Krystals and I'm finding it disturbing. Yet my extended family were the posh m/c background. I'm an odd mix and finding this really really hard to watch.

It was really, truly depressing. I almost gave up when I saw Old Man Mollison shoving it up his assistant in the most repulsive manner but I was too invested in Krystal and Robbie to give up watching it and the ending was a shock and unpleasant.

Shirley Mollison was just as unpleasant as her repulsive husband though. In fact, most of the adults were repulsive and nasty humans, with the exception of Sam and the cosmetic surgeon guy. Maybe Fats mum was also passable.
All in all, mesmerising but oh so shit.

Was there an actual story? It seemed to be set up for a "proper" storyline at the start and then it kind of meandered along and ended.

I haven't read the book but thought the TV series was brilliant. I am just making DH watch ep 3 again as he fell asleep. I think the idea that the Indian gp, or any other characters, should or shouldn't be a certain way is irrelevant. It's a story about Muggles and is exaggerated and sort-of fantasy. The older Mollisons remind me of the Dursleys

I thought it was total utter crap which wouldn't have been made were it not written by Rowling.

What irritated me (and irritates me about lots of TV programmes and novels) is the complete disregard for a real-life timeline so, e.g. the teenagers all finished GCSEs and then continued to attend school in uniform? Also immediately the parish council election finished, they all rushed over to the hall to vote on closing Sweetlove Hall. Five minutes after that, the hall was closed with no notice given to the groups using it at all. Also the doctor's disciplinary hearing seemed to happen about a week after the infamous dinner party, surely not feasible?

Unexpected, I agree about the timelines. I think that's really to do with squeezing the whole thing into three episodes.

The final episode was very sad and unexpectedly moving. Because I knew they'd toned down the book's ending, I thought that Krystal would live. Really shocked at what happened to her. And she was a terrific actress - really made you care about the character.

The book is way, way better.

Drop me a line if you want me to PM the book ending! Would have done the book justice if there had been more episodes.

TV series left out:

• the boy band crush
• the GPs daughter The nut allergy / epi pen *Glimpses of Krystal as a younger and being, funny, brave & feisty

I watched it but didn't really "get" it.

There didn't seem to be a point to it.

Why didn't his widow identify Barry?

Also, i really couldn't get why the Mollinson's were so concerned to curry favour with the Sweetloves after they had been dumped out of he back door!

Presumably they didn't want the folk from the fields there either?

Although the alternative probably didn't have to be a spa!

What happened to the family with the father who dumped the TV in the river?

Seemed as if he & his wife were getting on OK at the end.

Also the Wall family.

What was with the father?

Something hinted at but unsaid?

I did watch, but not intently.

Shame as I had been looking forward to it.