STRIKE 5 - TROUBLED BLOOD - bbc 1 9m sun and mon - TV PACE ONLY. NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Yah no 5 of the strike series starts on Sunday

BBC
Based on the 2020 novel, the second most recent in the Strike series, Troubled Blood sees Strike tackling his first ever cold case.

The official synopsis the season says: "Private detective Cormoran Strike is visiting his family in Cornwall when he’s approached by a woman asking for help finding her mother, Margot Bamborough, who went missing under mysterious circumstances in 1974.

"Strike’s never tackled a cold case before let alone one 40 years old, but despite the slim chance of success, he’s intrigued and takes it on, adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency Robin Ellacott are currently working on. Robin herself is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention as well as battling her own feelings about Strike.

"As Strike and Robin investigate Margot’s disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. They learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly

There's a lot going on and I'd be lost if I hadn't read the book. But it does still feel choppy, and a bit unsatisfying - guess it's inevitable when there's only four hours of the adaptation to watch when the book was something like 1,000 pages.

I also notice that the writer has - so far - omitted the trans story, and I wonder what Rowling thinks of that.

I finished the audio book (second listen) a few days before this TV adaptation started and was really looking forward to it as it’s my favourite Strike book.
I’m really disappointed ☹️
The acting feels really off, the pacing of a lot of the scenes is so weird. So slow, dull and deliberate with weird off-beat silences. The scene with Irene and Janice was just wrong. It’s an incredibly long interview (I know this as I wrapped almost all the presents listening to it) is hilarious not because of the farting, the fart is the cherry on the cake, but because Irene is so obnoxious and has verbal diarrhoea. Strike, Robin and Janice all trying to get a question or word in gets more and more awkward, exasperating and funny, and THEN she farts.
We got none of that really in the scene. And yes, her house is much more vulgar and swaggy in the book, to match her insufferable nature.

The actor playing Shanker is great. Wish there was more Shanker in both the books and the tv series.

I always imagined Robin to be blonde (I've only read the books, not watched the previous series). I don't tend to binge watch, I will be out on Sunday evening though so might watch that one early.

Yes I totally agree about Irene! The house on tv looked too posh. You also didn’t get a sense of how ill she’s been feeling over the years.

I found a lot of it quite disjointed. But maybe I’d feel differently if I didn’t know the story, it’s hard to say. Love watching Strike in his knitwear though!!

Yes, the passage in the book where Irene and Janice are interviewed felt off in episode two. JK Rowling is fabulous at writing vivid and believable characters and that very much came across in that bit in the book, as well as the dynamic between Irene and Janice.

Just seen last nights e2

the plot thickens

I did feel for her dad. Was it better for his daughter to have a new life without her mum

but then kids do remember things and to hide all those photos of her was awful

so creed didn’t kill cara

yes they have to continue looking for Margot

man’s lovely to see Cheri - she will always be the coffee lady to me - showing my age. As was prob in the 90’s

Robin's hair is very dark at the roots but auburn from her ears down like the red is growing out when she's in the light. She was much blonder before with pale red. In the books she's usually described as blonde.

It's mentioned a few times that she's strawberry blonde, aka ginger, and it's quite key in some places. (Career of evil, the green dress etc) I think to have her now dark haired isn't Robin. It's like they couldn't be bothered making the characters look right any more, skinny Strike, dark haired Robin.

Perhaps there was a reason the actress didn't colour her hair.

Strawberry Blonde is NOT ginger.

Just watched episode 1. Enjoyed it.

I just watched episode 2, a lot of information to absorb.

I love this series, the main characters can do no wrong for me! Holliday Grainger is such a great actress and I love how she can switch between accents and play parts in Strike. I thought she was stunning with red hair but she looks good with dark hair too. I haven't read any of the books so nothing to compare the TV to.

I can't remember, and I've read all the books, where the name Strike came from. Ted's surname is Nancarrow and Leda was his sister. So she either married a Strike or made the name up perhaps?

Strike was one of Leda’s ex-husbands, possibly her only ex-husband, I’m not sure.

I also don't understand the point of changing the first name of Mrs Athorn from Deborah to Delia. I mean why???

Watching episode 1 again because dh was sad that I didn’t wait for him 🙄

What I have noticed second time round is how they’ve created the 70s flashback aesthetic. Lots of oranges and browns. The attention detail is very good. Have a proper warm fuzzy at seeing those losenge shaped Christmas lights and foil decorations from the Christmas party scene.

Im sad they've skipped Strike having the flu when he goes perfume shopping. I’d have loved to have seen him acting that scene. It’s SO visceral how she he feels trying to shop in the hideous Christmas crowds.

What have they done to Robin! She looks completely different and her Yorkshire accent has disappeared. She’s quite formal and clipped.it’s actually putting me off the show!

They change the names if it's a relatively uncommon name and there's someone in real life with that name.

Binged them all and loved it, brilliant adaptation of a complex book, though agree the Janice & Irene interview is just so good in the book - could've easily taken up an entire episode!

It's picking up a bit now. I was tempted to watch the last episode but I'm saving it for to morning. It's made me want to read the book again.

Are there not 4

assumes was on sun and Monday

@AutisticLegoLover
A gentle reminder that this is a spoiler free thread.

@LadyEloise1 I know, which is why I haven't said anything about the episode I watched.