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Telly addicts

Little Drummer Girl anyone?

271 replies

IAmBeyonceAlways · 28/10/2018 21:10

Anyone watching? Cant see another thread!

OP posts:
BoreOfWhabylon · 26/11/2018 13:01

Charlie had never met Khalil before. He wasn't at the camp. He's a shadowy figure constantly on the move to avoid detection and capture.

That's why Charlie has been checked out so carefully by the Palestinian group and why her 'story' was so well-prepared and documented by the Israelis.

whatevermaycome · 26/11/2018 13:52

Khalil was the man who was teaching her to fire weapons in the first camp. He told her off for firing with one hand.

You can look on the I player - about 6.07

LadyPeterWimsey · 26/11/2018 15:01

The actors look similar but I'm pretty sure that is not Khalil in the training camp. Certainly in the book Charlie has not met him before - Khalil lives in Europe, never staying in the same place more than a night to avoid being captured by the authorities, and has elaborate ways of communicating with his cell to avoid having to meet anyone face to face, even his own people.

Bumbelinadance · 26/11/2018 15:42

Best episode so far
Having spent years living in the Middle East myself , The scenes in the village where the training camp was in Lebanon seemed so realistic ... the children running out to them etc .
I hasten to add I have never been inside any kind of “ training camp “

I get I am sidestepping the human and political issues A LOT here .

Like others of you have said , I too am loving the depiction of when travelling around Europe was “ glamourous” and crossing borders and changing currencies . I remember as a child going on family holidays taking the car across on the ferry( pre channel tunnel )to the foreign adventure of “ the continent “
Postcards home rather than Instagram and Facebook merely adding to the “ mystique”
The language barriers dealt with by my mother shouting loudly and “helpfully “in English and my DF. saying “ No Bumbelinadance’s DM use the phrase book “ 😋😋😋

I also read the book at 13 when I dreamt of being allowed to go off interailing in my denim cutoffs and kissing a dark , handsome older boy .
I also remember my bed as a student being a mattress on the floor ( what I referred to as a futon ) just like in that frightful bedsit and the Helga was having Hot noisy sex in the next room ( I wouldn’t have cheated on Gavi either )

Gavi Is definitely emotionally invested in Charlie
Way beyond “ professional “
That scene in the bar where they were exchanging sideways glances and he was looking at the bracelet just sizzled ! God I so would (
My money is on a different ending to the book after seeing that )

Still feel wardrobe department got it bang on but for 5-10 years earlier ......my only criticism .

Thought Charles Dance was great
Does Florence Pugh remind anybody else of a young Kate winslett ..?

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 26/11/2018 15:57

I actually felt as if I was Charlie 'shoes' for much of that episode.

I agree about the university bar scene, Bumbelinadance. Gadi looking at her 'bracelet substitute' wasn't a spy message but very much an emotional, person to person one. As was his secret 'invisible message' in the cigarette box There were a few key scenes in that episode, alternating between showing Charlie in the Lebanon and Gadi being restless (as if worried for her safety and well-being) which clearly were suggestive of more than spy/handler relationship.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 26/11/2018 15:59

in Charlie's shoes

Melamin · 26/11/2018 16:11

The earlier books used to refer to spying in terms of lovers and courtship - the human interaction and emotional ties being an important part of the modus operandi.

Xiaoxiong · 26/11/2018 16:15

Oh I really REALLY hope they don't change the ending from the book, it is so perfect!!

One detail from the book that didn't carry over to the series, probably sensibly because it would have been confusing, is the divide in the Israelis themselves between those who are Israeli born, speak fluent Hebrew and don't respect Jews who haven't moved to Israel, and those like Marty who are immigrants to Israel, speak awful Hebrew and are more ambivalent about military strikes etc. And how the younger members of the Israeli team are confused, because Gadi is a sabra and a war hero and they regard him with awe, but he has the ambivalence of a non-sabra like Marty.

Bumbelinadance · 26/11/2018 16:50

I just wanted to say if anybody is as over invested as myself
And wants some insight into the complex and just really sad background.. the horrific context of the jewish hocaust ...
I watched a brilliant programme A few years ago called “ The promise “
Give it a google
I shall attempt to send a link

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 26/11/2018 16:51

Oh that's spoiled my fantasy ending then Melamin, although what you say does make sense. Ever the romantic...

whatevermaycome · 26/11/2018 17:49

The last episode has already been shown in the US. Reading between the lines the ending has been simplified rather than changed. I also loved the ending of the book so hope it's not a disappointment.

In regards to Charlie meeting Khalil in the first camp as her weapons trainer I'm fairly confident it is the same person. Completely agree that it's a different scenario than the book where she only meets him at the end. Will have to see the last episode to understand why they've chosen to do so.

Have really enjoyed this but perhaps if I had t loved the book I wouldn't have kept with it.

I always felt that the point for quite a lot of the book was that you didn't see the whole picture until right near the end. You were as confused and uniformed as Charlie was.

Yes, could well have been watching Noel and Harry doing bushtucker trials if it was not for my English Lit teacher 😂

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 26/11/2018 20:02

I feel a John Le Carre novels phase coming on (I've not read a single one, I'm ashamed to admit). When I was a teenager I was extremely interested in Cold War espionage in particular, so very surprised I'd not considered reading his novels sooner - very possibly not many of them had yet been written!!!

mushforbrain · 27/11/2018 23:06

Yes Bumbelina first time Charlie spoke I thought she sounded exactly like kate winslet!

GhostsToMonsoon · 28/11/2018 07:40

I'm enjoying this series but last night's episode annoyed me when the Charles Dance character mentioned an Israeli ship in 1947 - Israel didn't come into existence until 1948. It's also supposed to be May 12th and yet all the trees are bare.

I'm quite confused about which side Florence is now on.

In these kind of series I'd prefer it if all the characters spoke their native language to each other and there were subtitles, but I suppose they often cast people of different nationalities to play them.

LadyPeterWimsey · 28/11/2018 16:30

NewModelArmy I think his Cold War stuff is his best - everything up to A Perfect Spy is excellent. After that it ranges from ok to really awful. My favourites - apart from The Little Drummer Girl - are Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley's People. The Honourable Schoolboy is the middle one of the trilogy but you don't need to read it to understand what is happening in the other books, and I have never enjoyed it.

I wish I still had these ahead of me to read - lucky you.

NewModelArmyMayhem18 · 28/11/2018 20:14

I feel a Christmas present request coming on....Thank you so much for your recommendations LadyPeterWimsey.

Melamin · 02/12/2018 17:37

Last episode!

LadyPeterWimsey · 02/12/2018 18:03

To quote another wonderful writer - I am half agony, half hope. I won't be able to stand it if they ruin the ending. I think they have well done enough with the previous episodes to be trusted, but what if they stuff it up?

I think I might be a little overinvested.Smile

llangennith · 02/12/2018 21:11

Just searched for and found this thread. Congratulation to you all for keeping up with LDG. I'm not sure I really understand what's going on and the opening of this last episode has me even more confused. I'm off to google it so I can read all the episode summaries. Fingers crossed 😊

BeanBagLady · 02/12/2018 22:03

Wow’
So did they mock up the whole bomb aftermath?
What did Charlie throw in the bin after Gadi gave her the replacement radio? Was it the wig?

BeanBagLady · 02/12/2018 22:04

And, even Gadi’s coffee cup and coffee pot were retro chic!

Everincreasingfrequency · 02/12/2018 22:11

yes i think khalil mentioned she'd left the wig behind.

Ah, so Gadi gave her a replacement radio? and didn't check whether the one he swapped it for still had batteries in - well I suppose you wouldn't really. That was a scary moment - I didn't think Charlie would survive!

UrsulaPandress · 02/12/2018 22:13

I loved the coffee pot.

ElenadeClermont · 02/12/2018 22:13

So was Gadi's secret all along that he is an elderly English lady who is into gardening and teapots?

How can you find the right Alte Strasse with no other clue?

Beanbaglady I thought they mocked up the aftermath of the bomb so that they can follow Charlie to Khalil. She threw away her wig indeed.