Noughts + Crosses - BBC1 Thurs 9pm

[stumbledin]

Am wondering if this is going to be totally cringe making.

What if the British Isles had been invaded by people from Africa, and they were now the rulling class.

If any one watches let me know whether I should catch up.

(In saying cringe making just wondered if it is going to be so woke it will just be silly, or whether it will be thought provoking)

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p082w992

Have recorded this but not watched as worried about it being another BBC fail.

But based on comments so far will be watching!

Thanks

I found it very thought provoking and actually very challenging. It made me question things, that as a white person, I take for granted. I thought it was very clever but really not an easy watch. I havent read the novels so don't know the stories at all which I think in some ways makes it better to watch.

I'm afraid that "Hunted" trumped Malorie Blackman for us, but we've recorded it.

DD(12) listened to this as an audio book last year, but did comment that it was probably aimed at slightly older children.

Who wrote the Hunted book you mention Madcats ?

Apologies for any confusion. I meant that we decided to watch the Channel 4 programme "Hunted" last night instead of 0 & +.

Small child has had/is having a busy week with music exams and sport, so wanted DC to go to bed in a good frame of mind.

What age is the TV series suitable for? DD (age 11, Year 7) has read the book but bit concerned that because the programme is being screened at 9pm it’s more aimed at adults.

In surprised it's taken this long to make a series, I must have read the books over 16 years ago

The promos talk about not only the characters but the content "aged" up by about 5 years from the book as they are aiming at a more adult audience.

So as other have said much of it (despite interesting scenery and lovely clothes) is about the words being used, and how we have become desensitised about how one group of people talk about another group.

As someone up thread said you might think nobody would talk like that about another person, but we know only too well that in the UK racist comments are made and tweeted every day.

As although there has been some violence and hints of sex, it hasn't been very in your face. But who knows what future episodes would hold.

So not sure if the BBC is screening it at 9pm because they think the issue is too difficult(?) for children / young teens, or because it is an indication that future episodes may have more overt violence and sex.

on ep.3, v good and v thought provoking

Parts of it were filmed in South Africa

Is there going to be a season 2?

I am nearly 40 and read the book(s) as a child. Watching episode 1 with interest now, they will have had to change stuff to update it, and it's that long ago, I can't tell what.

How did you read them as a child, EineReiseDurchDieZeit? The earliest was published in 2001 as far as I know.

I've just watched it all and loved it. The storyline did evoke it's young adult source material and I didn't think it was particularly adult and don't think it particularly needed a 9pm watershed. I thought the acting was superb and clothing and design were outstanding.

It took me a bit of time to appreciate the black haircuts and styles and clothing that the white people had. I didn't recognise Helen Baxendale at first with her tight curls.

I read a synopsis of the first book and would imagine any further TV series would seem to need to deviate from the later books. I'd definitely be watching.

I didn't recognise Helen Baxadale either! I'm watching episode 1; enjoying it so far. I bought the books for DD years ago.

Callum's sister is missing. Her storyline in the book was heartbreaking 😰

@SurpriseSparDay

I think I have confused it with another book if hers, Hacker, from 1992

The actor was interviewed on Graham Norton show on Radio 2 today and had lots of interesting things to say about it. GN did ask if it was suitable for 11 or 12 year old viewers and the actor said yes it was, despite some violence. He also said that hopefully there will be another series and that this series goes quite offpiste from the books. I think it was last week that GN had Malorie Blackman herself on to talk about it all.

Sorry, meant to say the actor, Paterson Joseph, who plays the Home Secretary. link here if anyone missed it

Loving the costume design!

I'm in my 40's but have only just read the books; hadn't heard of them until I came across N and C in a charity shop. It's interesting to spot the differences between the books and on screen.

As I read this as a14 year old girl the first time when I was learning some harsh truths about the world I'll be interested to catch up with this on IPlayer.

Just finished ep 4 and I’m loving it. The detail is great - the noughts with cross hairstyles, the adverts, buildings, clothing and jewellery. The casual racist put downs and stereotypes. Excellent.

Just watched Episode 1, partly to decide whether DD(11) can watch it. Will definitely watch the rest myself. The scene I found most shocking was the fancy party with white people serving an entirely black, rich crowd - I can’t think of ever ever having seen that in real life. I imagine in countries like South Africa, posh parties of majority black people still have black waiters/staff?

Interested in BME posters’ views of it, particularly black posters, given some of it particularly references black experience, eg stop and search, police brutality. (I’m white, and generally pretty privileged in many ways).

Who's Yaro? Is that character in the books? I've read them a couple years ago but can't remember that name.....