Readers and viewers of Shetland Quartet (Octect?) by Ann Cleeves

[cueominousmusic]

I especially liked the early books before (spoiler) Fran got killed - after that I went off them a bit. I felt they had a strong sense of the setting - I may be completely wrong as the closest I've been to Shetland is Aberdeen. This was something I was very keen on at that time.

I just noticed that Netflix has the series, and wondered if people who liked the books enjoyed the series and found it worth watching. I did avoid it on free to air TV for several reasons. I no longer enjoy mysteries that drag out over weeks, and, I'm sure Douglas Henshall is a fine actor, but is just not my idea of Jimmy Perez. Additionally, at the time, I was sort of emotionally invested in the books and thought that I would be inevitably disappointed. I seldom find TV or film productions of books that I enjoyed live uptime expectations.

However, that was several years ago, and I am probably over that - for these particular books, at least - by now. So, any unbiased opinions of the series from readers of the books, please.

I've really enjoyed both and Dougie Henshall is very likeable as the main character; also the relationship between him, his daughter and her natural father is interestingly worked out as a separate strand from the various crime plots.

I agree that his appearance doesn't match the description of Jimmy Perez in the books, but I almost enjoy the series as a different entity iyswim.

And Shetland itself looks amazing (although not all of it was filmed there)

If you're Scottish you'll realise that there's a pretty wide range of accents .. there just aren't enough actors from Shetland available for it to be more accurate I guess; in fact the only authentic accent belongs to Sandy I think.

@highlandcoo: Thanks for that. Your response is really helpful. I'm Australian, so the accents won't worry me unless they suddenly introduced a tourist with a mock, supposedly Australian accent. I did spend a year working in Scotland, but that was on the West Coast, so a completely different accent.

I think I'll give it a go. I tend to get too attached to my image of characters in books, probably the problem of a vivid imagination. As you suggest, looking at it as a different entity makes good sense. Yes, I noticed that Steven Robertson was from The Shetlands when I looked him up after I saw him in "Luther". For some reason that piqued my interest. That sounds awful - as if I regard as a novelty.

This is slightly off topic, but I gather by your user name that you are Scottish. Can you recommend any TV shows set in Aberdeen? I know I mentioned visiting it, but that was decades ago. Since then I have been reading Stuart MacBride - my current favourite, and I don't think I could cope with a Logan McRae series, but maybe an Ash Henderson one - and Chris Brookmyre (I think "A Big Boy did it..." is partially set there) and have become interested in it.

Thanks.

The tv programmes are different to the books, but still enjoyable. Douglas Henshall doesn't look like Perez or have an Islands accent, but he's good. Tosh is excellent. They've made Cassie a young adult. The scenery is fantastic and the programmes atmospheric. Only Steven Robertson has the right accent!

@Clionba: Thanks for that. Shetland sounded fascinating, especially in the first few books.

Yes, I'll watch the TV series on its own terms.I probably became a bit disillusioned with the books when Fran was killed - that makes me sound like a real saddo - and have only recently read the ones after that happened.

I suppose I was also a bit put off by "DCI Banks" and "Thorne", both of which I thought were truly dreadful - TV series, not the books. I watched "Hamish Macbeth" long before I read the books, and didn't mind the series at the time, but now I couldn't watch it. The books are silly, but enjoyable and I see Hamish as a slightly taller Damien Lewis with a highland accent, certainly not Robert Carlyle.

However, becoming too invested in books is a failing I have had to learn to live with, and is just my problem.

@cueominousmusic - I don't think it's a failing! I also get lost in books. Many adaptations are not very well done at all, I rarely find one that I like. "Cranford", "North and South" and the serialisation of "Bleak House" wonderful exceptions. I think you're right to treat them as different from the books.

Hello again OP.

Not too sure about TV series set in Aberdeen, sorry, but another Scottish crime series you could look at is Rebus, set in Edinburgh and starring John Hannah for the first series, and Ken Stott subsequently.

There's an excellent series called Takin Over the Asylum set in a Glasgow psychiatric hospital and featuring a very young David Tennant among others.

And my personal favourite, Tutti Frutti, with Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson (with a very convincing Scottish accent - you can tell she has a Scottish mum). Dry comedy about a struggling rock band and an unconventional love story.

HTH

Oh, and book-wise you might enjoy the Lewis trilogy by Peter May set in the Hebrides.

Start with The Blackhouse. They are really good.

I agree about the Lewis trilogy, I really enjoyed those.

Thank you both so very,verymuch.

I've read a lot of "Tartan Noir" (Scots probably cringe at the term) - as mentioned, Stuart MacBride, Chris Brookmyre, plus Aline Templeton, Ian Rankin, William McIvanney, Denise Mina, Ian Rankin, Alex Grey, Quentin Jardine, etc, and especially enjoy the slightly sardonic sense of humour that many have.

I read the first of the Lewis trilogy, but it didn't really grab me, for some reason. Probably my mood at the time. I will have to give it another go.

@Clionba: `I'm showing my age here, but I loved Derek Jacobi's "I, Claudius" and it inspired me to read Robert Graves' books. Same with 1981's "Brideshead, Revisited" and Evelyn Waugh and "The Barchester Chronicles" and Trollope. I've never read anything by Elizabeth Gaskell, so will take your advice and give both the serials and the books a go. I find if I read the book after the TV show/film I enjoy both more.

The wonder of the easy access of the electronic age!

@highlandcoo: I've seen both versions of Rebus. I like John Hannah, but he just wasn't right, (I have read it was an obligation he had to his then-production company) whereas Ken Stott was.Thanks for your other recommendations. I like the sound of both shows. Can't go wrong with any of those people.

It's off topic, but I saw David Tennant wearing a kilt and singing along with The Proclaimers (plus Basil Brush et al) to 500 Miles at a Red Nose Day thing on Youtube. It's probably a cliche for you, but he looked sooo good.

You are right about the Barchester Chronicles with the late, great Alan Rickman as Obadiah Slope! Have you enjoyed Victoria, with Jenna Coleman? I thought both series were very good.

OP I just searched Netflix and couldn’t find Shetland . What am I doing wrong ?

@Clionba: I remember how I loved Donald Pleasence in Barchester. It was odd seeing him play a lovely character. I kept on expecting him to do turn into a maniac like he played in so many things. I had my Geraldine McEwen's Mrs Proude imitation down to a fine art, and used to use it to address my Year 6 class..

Thanks for the recommendation of Victoria. I checked and it's on Netflix, so I think it's in my near future.

@0rlaith: It's Australian Netflix, so different programmes.

Ironically, I have read a mention of Australian shows like Kath & Kim on UK Netflix which aren't available locally.

neither I like John Hannah too but he was too fresh-faced and healthy looking for Rebus wasn't he? Ken Stott looks as if he's been around the block a few times and suits the role much better.

I heard Ian Rankin speak at the Edinburgh Book Festival this summer and when asked his opinion on the two different portrayals of Rebus he diplomatically - and honestly I think - said he owed John Hannah a huge debt of gratitude for agreeing to take the part as without his name behind it the series wouldn't have got a start on TV.

I'm a David Tennant fan and have searched for him in a kilt without success but did find him singing with the Proclaimers at the Dr Who wrap party .. so enthusiastic and altogether excellent. Did you know he announced at the age of three he wanted to become an actor because of loving Dr Who so much... how cool that he finally got to play his hero.

I loved him on Who Do You Think You Are? The WTF look on his face after his first visit to long-lost totally bigoted relatives in Belfast was a classic.

OK maybe enough DT love for now For those who like a bit of sardonic Scottish humour can I suggest Magnus Mills' The Restraint of Beasts .. very dark and funny. It's a book not TV btw.

Oh, and another good book/TV series combo is The Crow Road by Iain Banks. Highly recommended, and set in Argyll and Glasgow with a group of excellent Scottish actors.