Discussion of Spiral series

[UnholyStramash]

I’ve done searches looking for any chat on Mumsnet about the French cop drama Spiral. I’ve come up with nothing. Maybe I’m doing it wrong? Anyway can anyone point me towards any relevant chat? I’m puzzled that there’s been no chat about this very popular drama. I’ve just finished series 7 a few days ago. It was IMO terrific.

@UnholyStramash Spiral is great! But I haven't yet met anyone else who watches it.

I know a lot of people who won't watch with subtitles, especially fast ones like the Spanish dramas where they speak at lightning speed.

Spiral fan here !

Me and DH both love Spiral. We watch just about all the subtitled series on BBC4 and the Walter Presents ones.

I think people miss out on some great programmes because they don't like subtitles. Although I know my sister can't read fast enough to keep up.

Some of those Walter Presents are excellent dramas. We really enjoyed Hotel Beau Sejour.

After a while you pick up the skill of block reading subtitles while simultaneously watching the action. The only downfall is when I close my eyes 'just for 5 minutes' I can't pretend to know what's going on!

DH and I are massive Spiral fans! Don't meet many other fans IRL though. Can never understand why it's so unknown/underrated.

Thanks for the Walter presents recommendation, must check it out...

There was a big Spiral thread on here. It's so good.

Spiral fan here too if you like spiral you have to try Braquo

The best chat I've found online about Spiral has been in the comments on the guardian episode review articles. There was some really detailed and interesting info, e.g. how the social realism is achieved by consulting with real life French flics and juges etc, the colourful lives of some of the actors (yes, Gilou!), and the social markers of the kind of French spoken by the different characters

All time favourite for me

DH and I are massive fans of Spiral. I love the gritty realism of it.

Thanks for all the replies, fellow Spiral fans. I wonder if the big discussion was on Chat and that’s why I can’t find it. I’m always a bit behind on tv progs as we don’t have a TV. This means we watch stuff on DVD, usually quite some time after they first air. DH had a charity shop habit and brings box sets in regularly. With Spiral I bought the first series after I’d heard about it. I quickly became hooked. I’m thinking now of going back and rewatching all the series. I did something similar with The West Wing when the current POTUS gained power, kind of to offset the trauma. That last series of Spiral was very gripping. Lots of surprises in the twists and turns of the story.

Hi

Have found 22 threads about Spiral. Some of us were obsessive.

I loved its grubbiness, that was somehow chic! (Always felt a bit of an english clodhopper around french people )

Hope this link will bring up all 22 threads for you - enjoy!

www.mumsnet.com/SearchArch?mustmatch=Spiral&dontmatch=&nickname=&src_displ_option=s_t_d_t&fromDate=&toDate=&topicmode=chs&chosentops=2000

@DefiniteArticle, I did find the Guardian discussion. Vv interesting detail in it.

I do agree about the subtitles. I’m actually deaf so have got used to using subtitles . When my hearing started to fade DH was a bit of a bastard and hated that I needed to use them. He used to sit with his hand out to block them from his view. He’s since grown up quite a bit and now accepts the situation. We actually both have studied French so can follow some of the dialogue (for me, if it’s loud enough) . But it’s very fast with beaucoup d’argot so the subtitles are essential.

Oh wow, @stumbledin. It obviously was me being an old dinosaur and not searching properly. Thanks so much.

From the threads here it does seem that the French speakers think that the english subtitles rather tone down the more expressive tone of the original french.

And I enjoyed both the threads here and on the Guardian. Very different takes.

As in fact the Poldark series, which the Guardian commentators took to a whole other level of obsession but also fun making!