Did anyone else see The Watchman last night?

[SuburbanRhonda]

Jesus it was so tense! I normally can't watch violence, especially when it's something you can imagine happening in real life, but the story was riveting. The actor who played Carl was brilliant - I felt like I was in his head, feeling every awful moment with him as the situation unfolded.

Anyone else?

Carl - yes, definitely, wrt to the complex relationship. So much easier for him to have been 'you tell your mum and her fancy man to deal with your problems, Kelly, and tell that bitch I'm not paying maintenance this month', or for her to have been a real cow. But that felt like a real break-up in that neither had quite stopped loving the other entirely.

Dolly yes also - I did think that surely Carl would have been aware that Lee had more integrity than to agree they should share the money, and Lee would have been aware that Carl was not a white knight who could be relied on so heavily to do the right thing. Other than that, I think the characters were well written, but that aspect of their friendship was less strong than other parts of the characterization.

I wasn't clear but I think Carl was an idiot about dropping the drugs to the police like some weak student desperate for the teachers approval. Not because he thought a messer like Lee wouldn't want to keep the cash (though that too). And he didn't think he'd be in line for serious criticism or even losing his job for overstepping his role and interfering with police work (even though they were to overstretched to actually do it)? He just came across as very low intelligence when the character should have been sharp and strong and very intelligent.

I thought it was very good. Stephen Graham is excellent!

Just watched it now. Very gripping - Carl's frustration at knowing all the stuff that was going on (in the city and in his ex's home) but being unable to do anything about it was palpable.