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ITVs 'Midwinter of the Spirit' Phil Rickman's Merrily Watkins

61 replies

mollie123 · 12/09/2015 09:18

just a heads up that this 3 part drama commissioned by Encore is to be shown on ITV on 23rd September. It has me worried as it is described a 'contemporary and edgy' Shock
it also has the following pedigree:
Midwinter of the Spirit will be directed by Richard Clark (Doctor Who, Whitechapel), produced by Phil Collinson (Doctor Who, Coronation Street, Sea of Souls) and executive produced by Creative Director, ITV Studios in Manchester Kieran Roberts (The Trials of Jimmy Rose, Blue Murder, Coronation Street.
I have loved the books but as I live in Herefordshire/Welsh border which is the location for the books I am a bit uneasy that the casting will not reflect that area of England.

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mollie123 · 12/09/2015 09:20

pleased that some of it was actually filmed on location and expect 'Merrily Watkins country' tours any time soon Smile

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mollie123 · 23/09/2015 09:23

it is on tonight 9 p.m

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TittyBiskwits · 23/09/2015 21:40

Looks like they've cut the Moon character and replaced her with Rowenna. Not sure wher they're going with it now.

TittyBiskwits · 23/09/2015 21:40

*where!

BitOfFun · 23/09/2015 22:01

I'm watching now on plus 1. Was t good? I love Anna M-M.

RJnomaaaaaargh · 23/09/2015 22:04

I'm not quite sure what I thought if that.

CMOTDibbler · 23/09/2015 22:06

They combined Moon and Rowenna as they had to reduce the number of characters to make it more watchable (according to Phil Rickman)

I really enjoyed this first episode

TittyBiskwits · 23/09/2015 22:10

I enjoyed it. Thought the casting was spot on, even though they weren't how I'd imagined them.

Looking forward to seeing more of Lol next week though, hopefully.

SilverHawk · 23/09/2015 22:24

Thumbs up, from me.
I have read the books but I'm not a purist when it comes to television.
I keep thinking of Colin Dexter and Morse...
I think that this could really hit the spot but let's see the whole three.

BitOfFun · 23/09/2015 22:27

She's quite stroppy for a vicar, isn't she?

sillygiraffe · 23/09/2015 23:05

I enjoyed it as well. Liked the way it was filmed. Quite atmospheric. I really loved the books and thought I might be disappointed but I wasn't. Look forward to next week. Shame it was only on for an hour.

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mollie123 · 24/09/2015 07:17

I think I see the hand of the Corrie's Kieron Roberts in this
characters seem to have no back-story to make them believable
I found myself saying - yes you have a few black and white buildings in your location shots but where do you find that very straight road beside a lake in this part of the world, why do you bring a vicar to a crime scene
yes the cathedral and the church looked nice
but the whole atmosphere is wrong IMO and although I stuck it out to the end I am afraid it does not do justice to the books, the characters or the location - sorry to disagree and I started this thread Blush

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ladymalfoy · 24/09/2015 10:07

Watching it now. Huw could be a bit more scraggly.
I love Phil Rickman. Hope they do an FG Cottam next.

ladymalfoy · 24/09/2015 10:10

Which other characters are in it? I know Lol is .

TittyBiskwits · 24/09/2015 11:49

lady I thought the same. An adaptation of The House of Lost Souls would be frickin amazing!

Lol was in it last night. I don't think Gomer is in it at all, but he wasn't in this book. I wonder if the old witchy lady in the old peoples home is in it (can't remember her name though).

CalonDu · 24/09/2015 15:32

I thought the casting was good but didn't think it felt as spooky as Herefordshire is in real life. Where was the straight bit of road/lake meant to be? And where did they find that 1954 petrol station?! They should have gone to Locke's in Allensmore...

The cathedral looked nice, but the interior shots were all done in Chester Cathedral, weren't they, because the cathedral didn't authorise filming inside.

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mollie123 · 24/09/2015 15:39

calondu - same thoughts as me
yes forgot about the antiquated petrol station
didn't realise the interior shots were Chester cathedral (the outside shots were definately Hereford.)
is Herefordshire spooky in real life? - it is dark and atmospheric (I Live there) and that comes across in the books but I did not feel it in this drama although they tried hard - perhaps too hard

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CMOTDibbler · 24/09/2015 15:42

The garage is in Weobley, so right area.

Yes on the cathedral - they didn't want to be too associated I believe.

ladymalfoy · 24/09/2015 15:58

Titty! I thought the same! I'd never sleep. Just hope they'd do a better job than the Joames Herbert one.
I saw a tractor so that could be Gomer.
I thought Frannie could have been taller. But that's just my image of him.

ladymalfoy · 24/09/2015 16:03

Crickley Hall!

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mollie123 · 24/09/2015 16:09

I too saw the tractor - and thought Gomer - but he would have been in a JCB Smile
apologies to Weobley - there is indeed an antiquated petrol pump - not a place I have visited. I have my own 'black and white' house if I need to see one Grin

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KurriKurri · 24/09/2015 16:09

I was quite scared by it (especially the bit in the hospital - aaaargh!) - so scared in fact I looked intently at my knitting at the very end and didn't see what had happened to bishop/cannon Thingy (Dobbs?) - can anyone enlighten me please?

lorelei9 · 24/09/2015 16:17

to answer Kurri's question - spoiler alert....will scroll down a bit so you can avert your eyes if you want to...

he seemed to have been stabbed repeatedly. I thought it was quite good. I found it fascinating - as an atheist - that she said of the crucified man "why are you showing me this, this is my faith".

CalonDu · 24/09/2015 16:25

I've never been to Weobley. The shame!

Love Herefordshire, but I do find it quite a spooky place. It's maybe something to do with the historic dependence on the elements, and the brutal realities of farming. That, and the strong cider. Grin When we were house hunting, there were one or two houses that looked ideal on the estate agents details, but when we got there, there was just that funny atmosphere - that sort of 'blimey, wouldn't want to be here on my own with dusk falling in the early winter' feeling. Easily the spookiest thing I've ever done is joining in with the wassailing in Much Marcle - following crowds of locals carrying flaming torches down the road in pitch black night to the cider orchards. It was amazing.

Phil Rickman's original Merrily books really capture that sense of a rolling, peaceful countryside with an ancient darkness running just under the surface. I hope these adaptations are going to do them justice - at the very least, I hope it'll bring them to even more people's attention.

stopfaffing · 24/09/2015 16:26

Wow, I'd missed that this book had been adapted for tv so have just watched it on catch up.

Of all the characters so far, Lol doesn't look anything like I envisaged. I will have to read the book again Grin but I thought he had longish hair and his glasses were more like the ones John Lennon used to wear.

I've had a look at Phil Rickman's website and there is a page devoted to the adaptation with a brief description of the changes made for the tv programme. Interesting reading.