The Luminaries - BBC1 - started 21 June 2020 - a NZ Poldark?

[stumbledin]

I thought this was going to be a sort of southern hemisphere Poldark.

First 10 minutes I couldn't even see what was going on!

But what with switches back and forward in time got a bit confused.

Did anyone else watch?

(I understand it isn't a faithfull adaptation of the book, so maybe those who have read the book might want a different thread, so that those of us trying to get to grips with the tv storyline?!)

[crispysausagerolls]

The astral twins part is supposed to be a big reveal. You read a whole mystery novel and at the end it turns out it was a romance all along. All the bits with Anna and emery are in the last tiny chapters of the book. Before that you think she’s some drug addled prostitute. You don’t realise she has been conned etc.

Why they are doing the show the other way round i have no clue!

[Furball]

I cracked on with episode 3 tonight, I find I really have to concentrate and can't have any distraction and it then makes it seem a really long hour.

I don't seem to be any the wiser but Im intrigued how its going to go so will probably do an episode every night.

[Quackersandcheese3]

I read it years ago but can’t really remember it , I’ll give the adaptation a go.

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

I loved the book but haven't started watching yet as I know DH will be offering his (not so useful) comments. . . and, of course, the bugger can' leave the house atm.

[Bowchicawow]

I got sucked into it despite finding it slow dark and confusing for 2 episodes

They were trying a bit hard with the whole witcher time jumps + GoT-esque credits, scenery, grubby plebs and dark lighting + Poldark master servant tension

I never read the book but would have preferred less of the 'magic'

All the actors/actresses are brilliant though

Watching the rest this weekend

[heartyrebel]

I watched it recently and enjoyed it. When I read about the book it seems the series is quite different. Keen to read the book now.
It's still on TV here in NZ

[CaraDune]

The scenery was beautiful but everything else about it bored me to tears, I'm afraid. I gave up after 15 minutes.

[Newgirls]

Spoiler

I’m annoyed that she is going through such an awful time prostitution etc while emery seems to be on a camping adventure. It’s prob accurate to the time but left me feeling very gloomy. I need to watch a comedy to rebalance!

[crispysausagerolls]

The pacing is off. In the book he’s some missing hero/amazing prospector who you know nothing about. She’s a prostitute who you think the worst of. You only realise at the end she was effectively conned into being a prostitute and is actually a nice young woman. And that he was SPOILER ALERT just very lucky!

I am finding it v watchable though. In spite of Eva green and her shocking accent. I also don’t know what people are on about with it being dark? It’s not dark at all?

[Newgirls]

I think it was dark due to lack of lighting rather than theme

I think I’m just over women being the victim stories - I like the Eva green baddie though

[MashedPotatoBrainz]

I've been watching this on iplayer and just get more and more confused. Now halfway through episode 5 and I no longer have the faintest idea of what's going on. Stopped watching to come here for some insight but you lot seem just as lost.

[crispysausagerolls]

@Newgirls

Yes but on my tv it’s not dark at all! Maybe people need to adjust their tv?!

[Newgirls]

How strange! I think you made a very good point about the pacing. No real intrigue about emery is an issue isnt it - I find the Moari man more interesting.

[PuppyMonkey]

I haven’t read the book, but I am SOOOO over time shifts. Every bloody thing you watch has to have a clever flashback or forward, otherwise it’s not a proper drama. Enough. Beginning, middle, end. That’s what I want.

I thought this was a boring load of old tosh. Eva Green was supposed to be American? I thought it was just her normal french accent or whatever. I mean, not that it made the slightest difference as the character was a bit shit anyway.

Won’t be watching any more - Poldark this is not.

[PuppyMonkey]

Btw, it wasn’t dark on my tv either. Just a bit crap.

[Newgirls]

😂 puppy you should write reviews

[Newgirls]

That sort of sums it up for the mumsnet jury

[AppleYumYum]

I thought Eva Green was trying an Irish accent!

[crispysausagerolls]

I am so bloody pleased I’m not the only one who thinks her accent is shifty as fuck. I’m just reading glowing reviews about her performance and wondering if people have ears

[Newgirls]

I thought her voice a sort of melting pot having lived among so many travellers. I didn’t mind it and loved watching her face. Still an odd adaptation though.

[Wemayhavemetbefore]

Really interested that the book is from Moody's pov and doesn't reveal the truth about Anna and Emery until the end - sounds as though it would be a much more gripping story! There wasn't a great deal of surprise in the tv version. Now I wish I'd read it instead!

I'd also have liked to know more about Anna's backstory - how did she come to be travelling to NZ alone? Crosbie hinted at what he suspected. Does the book tell us more? (heads off to wikipedia)

[Newgirls]

3 episodes in and I don’t know who moody is?!

[CodenameVillanelle]

I'm not clever enough for time jumps. I found the Witcher too hard to follow too. I relied on episode summaries to get me through both! Though I did enjoy this a bit more in the second half.

I have to say I found Eva Green's character infuriating. Her accent was shite. She spoke in this weird low tone which I think was meant to be sexy and mysterious but just sounded stupid. I found the 'sexy vamp' cliché too boring and felt she was phoning it in in the first few episodes. Her face is so beautiful and her costumes so gorgeous that it seemed as if the show makers and she were relying on them to act for her. It was cringe making and awful. The seance, the capering around making eyes at men, the stupid 'married a man for a bet I'm so quirky me'

[Waspnest]

3 episodes in and I don’t know who moody is?!

He's a lawyer but I don't think he appears until a later episode. Which is a bit odd if the book is written from his viewpoint!

[Wemayhavemetbefore]

Yes, I think we're in one of those hybrid threads where some have watched the whole lot on iplayer and others are watching at broadcast pace - Moody turns up later. Having read the wikipedia summary of the book I can see that that structure (from Moody's pov) would be a much more mysterious way of telling the story!

I do have a question but it's about the last episode, so I will wait until everyone's watched it all before I ask!.