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Original poster

The Casual Vacancy...anyone watching?

273 replies

Selks · 15/02/2015 21:52

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.

OP posts:
Arsenic · 16/02/2015 07:28

The child protection decision is bugging me.

Two ensemble casts to grasp last night

annabanana19 · 16/02/2015 07:36

Ive done 20 mins on Sky+ and im bored.

Off it goes. Utter crap

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 16/02/2015 07:48

I liked the book.

Found last night very slow - switched off after half an hour, but have recorded it to try again later.

TeddyDreadful · 16/02/2015 07:53

Much of the dialogue was terribly clunky and like a middle class representation of how non-MC people talk. I cringed at Krystal's swearing, it was so badly written and delivered.

QuickQuickSloe · 16/02/2015 07:55

The book broke my heart. I wanted to watch the series but can't if the ending is the same. Can someone PM me with a safe to watch yes or no and I will catch it on the IPlayer?

Bakeoffcake · 16/02/2015 08:05

It was full of cliches too. The ghastly aristocracy, the Indian doctor and the council estate tart

Other people perceive them instantly as cliches, Kristyal as a tart, the Indian Dr etc but they actually aren't clichés at all. If you think they are cliches then you have just proved JK's point.

YeahDamon · 16/02/2015 08:10

The book is one of only two books I've never finished. I hated it.

I thought the series was nicely done and very we acted but I'm not going to bother with the rest of it. Life is too short.

YeahDamon · 16/02/2015 08:11

The other book I've never been able to finish is Lord of The Flies, by the way.

DameEdnasBridesmaid · 16/02/2015 08:12

I have think I have read somewhere that the ending has been changed?

I loved the book and am liking the program - so far. The casting is excellent.

OP when I read the book, the SW visiting the house seemed entirely plausible to me (given area I live and my dealings with CSC here). Now since they have been in special measures things have dramatically improved and I am confident that wouldn't happen now.

Going to red the book again now

ShipwreckedAndComatose · 16/02/2015 08:14

That's exactly it bakeoff.

Peacocklady · 16/02/2015 08:19

I've read the book and remember thinking it was full of kind of unnecessary descriptions and that none of the characters were at all likeable so it was hard to relate to anyone and just felt that Rowling hates everyone! They were all a bit ott so I think they're well portrayed in the tv version. Saying that, I did read it all and enjoyed it and will definitely watch the series though.

Bakeoffcake · 16/02/2015 08:20

Thank you Ship. I'm finding reading this thread rather frustrating. In fact I want to shout...

YOU'RE ALL MISSING THE BLOODY POINT.

merrymouse · 16/02/2015 08:24

I love that it has been broadcast just after that conservative announcement about addicts losing benefits.

HoraceCope · 16/02/2015 08:25

am struggling to read book, too many characters and havew given up

HoraceCope · 16/02/2015 08:27

and because i gave up on the book did not bother with this, preferring to take my chances with channel 4 Indian Summer

Peacocklady · 16/02/2015 08:27

Well Krystal was likeable for most of the book

ShipwreckedAndComatose · 16/02/2015 08:27

I think in the book, she leads you into thinking they are cliches and into trying to hook 'good guy' and 'bad guy' onto the characters.

That, to me is how she creates the tradegy.

And it's why I like it so much. Non of the characters are heros who save the day, they are all fallible and all understandable in some way.

Peacocklady · 16/02/2015 08:30

The one obvious good guy is dead from the beginning though! The others all do some really vile things which definitely isn't normal!

rookiemere · 16/02/2015 08:32

I've not read the book, but I watched the episode last night. I found it hard to watch particularly the man horribly bullying his poor teenage sons. I'll keep watching it because it's well acted, but I hope there aren't too many episodes.

greatbigbushybeard · 16/02/2015 08:35

Really enjoyed it. I haven't read the book. It seems to have a very dark undercurrent & is v compelling. I thought it was good that the bbc were putting on something a bit controversial. I felt really sorry for the 2 boys. I've heard the character that dies sticks around as a narrator. I am totally surprised at the tone of the book, seems JK Rowling really wanted a change after Harry potter.

hackmum · 16/02/2015 08:37

I liked the book and I liked last night's episode.

About the good guy dying near the beginning: to me it's fairly clear that Barry Fairbrother is a Christ figure who has done a lot of good in the village. All the people who might otherwise be decent people and who have largely followed his lead fall apart afterwards and lose direction (much like the disciples).

TeddyDreadful · 16/02/2015 08:49

Like a banal sort of evil fills the void his death creates, hackmum?

frostyfingers · 16/02/2015 09:00

I haven't read the book but I did enjoy the episode last night. I had to concentrate because they introduced so many characters (possibly feels a bit rushed) but there were some great lines in it.

I find that if I've read a book and it's serialised/filmed I generally hate the filmed version - you've got in your own mind what the characters are like and to see them brought to life rarely works.

Original poster
Selks · 16/02/2015 09:17

I did like the way it was filmed...that slightly hazy, golden light which seems superficially 'English' and 'beautiful' but is actually claustrophobic and suffocating...

OP posts:
Clawdy · 16/02/2015 09:45

Think I read that the ending is certainly not happy as such, but slightly more positive than the book's ending.

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