Love, Nina

[heyhulahoop]

Anyone watching? Helena looks good!

[EnidButton]

Why isn't she wearing shoes? Is it ever explained?

[EverySongbirdSays]

I found this desperately twee. And the lead actress a bit too "lets pick a Lena Dunham type"

So in RL did this all take place on the same street as Lady In The Van then?

[Davros]

"No mates" because I started a thread but this one proved more active. I don't think they're normal at all - eccentric, arty, bohemian, creative etc.
Yes, it is exactly the same street as Lady In The Van and many of the same people. It was a little enclave of likeminded artistic types. I think Paddington was also filmed there but haven't seen it

[YellowPrimula]

I loved this book and as usual the TV adaptation is a disappointment , shame that they have morphed Alan Bennett into the rather odd Malcolm, presumably the real AB didn't want to be involved, same for Mary Kay now being called George .Think I will persist but was a bit let down

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

She did say Nucular, didn't she?

I thought I heard its but then thought, No, it's the BBC, can't possibly be!

[EnidButton]

Thanks Rosie.

[educatingarti]

I think they had to fictionalise AB as he didn't want to be represented in the series. It is the same street as the lady in the van and this is referenced by a discussion about parking spaces in Nina.

[EnidButton]

Oh! Is she Mary Kay Wilmers? I haven't read the book so didn't pick up on Alan Bennet either but the character makes a more sense now. I couldn't understand what their relationship was meant to be.

Is the book worth reading?

[Davros]

Yes, read the book. It's light and funny

[southeastdweller]

Fictionalising Alan Bennett and Mary Kay just takes so much joy out of the TV show, I think. M.K had some famous visitors to her house as well as famous neighbours apart from A.B but I doubt we'll see them in this adaptation, at least not the people as mentioned in the book.

[EnidButton]

I might stop watching the series until I read it then. It sounds much better, although I do like Nick Hornby.

[The80sweregreat]

had half hour to kill so watched it all again as there were loads of things I missed before - with a different head on so to speak! HBC was actually quite good I thought, but Nina I cannot warm to at all. The children were funny ( not as good as the outnumbered kids, but okay) The bare feet thing was annoying me - in grotty London who would? and why? in a shop too!
read a few reviews of the book and most were favourable so maybe I should just read that instead. Never heard of Mary Kay so had to google her. Sort of made sense then! I can imagine Nigella Lawson and her friends and hangers on behaving like this..i have watched the lady in the van as I like Alan Bennett and some of his work and that was good.

[Postchildrenpregranny]

Thought the book was dire and TV prog not much better

[tallpoppies]

Boring and tedious! Didn't get it at all!!!

[NoahVale]

not read the book but really enjoyed this.

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

I thought it was terrible. Really boring.

[stareatthetvscreen]

what noah said

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I didn't realise the bloke was meant to be Alan Bennett!!

I'll read the book I think.

[hollyisalovelyname]

LikeASoul
I'm glad I wasn't the only one.
It was soooooo boring.

[EnidButton]

The character that's supposed to be Alan Bennett isn't very likeable is he? A pretentious, self centred arse in fact. Could that possibly be why AB wouldn't allow his name to be used in the tv adaptation? Or is he a pretentious, self centred arse and that's why?

[EnidButton]

Actually I've realised they've changed the character quite a lot so he doesn't resemble Nina's version of AB. Quite a daft thing to do really and makes it slightly pointless.

Been thinking and realised that I found George cold and odd, Nina irritating, the children obnoxious and Malcolm a bore. So as none of the characters seem likeable at all I won't bother with the rest of it.

[fussychica]

Turned it off after 15 minutes. Had read extracts from the book and knew what to expect but thought this was quite poor.

[Pooseyfrumpture]

What happened there? Did it stop half way through?

[raisedbyguineapigs]

I thought it was boring and pretentious too. I usually like Nick Hornby books but this is like a tick box. North London, bohemian, Arsenal references...yawn. and the no shoes. Why is it bohemian to walk the needle and litter strewn streets of Islington with no shoes?