Mayflies

[ToooOldForThis]

Has anyone watched this tonight? I loved the book so much and was actually nervous about how well the adaptation would be done! Just watched part 1 and dying to discuss!

I certainly remember a few boys being a bit mean and moody but the pretentious chit chat was over scripted. They'd be angrier about Thatcher whereas this made them seem shallow.

Don't really agree with this. Teenage boys in the west coast of Scotland generally weren't that angry about Thatcher in 86. That anger came later.

Really?! I was! Don't forget the nuclear bases are there.

I get the impression the book is very political.

I was raging about Thatcher throughout the 80s

To be fair I am still raging about her

I'm still raging about her too, always will be. Five men in my family/extended family lost their livelihoods because of her, so it's obviously personal. But, it wasn't really till the later 80s that the rage toward Thatcher really intensified on the west coast - Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Glasgow. That's when the shipyards wound down, steelworks. Our parents were angry before then and unemployment was high, but as teenagers we weren't particularly affected by the mine closures and strikes for example- well not so much that it impacted us. And the average teenage boy was more interested in girls, booze, music, weed and speed than they were about the nuclear base and Mrs T.

Hats off to Ashley Jensen who lost her husband to suicide, she was phenomenal in this.

I didn't know that. I think she is lovely and a very good actor.

I didn't see the second episode last night but think I'll skip it and read the book instead.

I want to read the book now. It might make more of an imapct.

She's absolutely brilliant. And also replacing Douglas Henshall in Shetland which is a tough act to follow, but I think she'll be great.

she was also in After Life
definately need hats off to her, i do like Ashley Jenson

an assisted suicide bill is going to be discussed in holyrood next year.
i was surprised it was not voted through in 2011 and 2015.
I wonder what has changed?

its a very emotive subject and i think this drama and literary adaptation with the future voting in the Scottish parliament doesn’t sit very easily on my shoulders.

I didn't know Ashley Jensen was taking over in Shetland. Has she appeared in any episode previously?

It's not just that, I think a lot of terminally ill would fear being a burden to their family so would see euthanasia as a way to avoid that.

There's also complex issues regarding capacity, for example if someone is suffering with acute depression are they making an informed, balanced decision.

Plus the fact that some families may suggest this to a vulnerable family member as it will save them forking out for a nursing home etc.

I personally believe it would be too open for abuse plus as a nurse I would be horrified that a nurse or Dr could be involved in the actual process.

As a nurse I have been privileged to work with people at the end of their life, with the right support, medication and care, it is possible to have a peaceful and dignified death without the need for euthanasia.

I'm surprised at some of the harsher judgements on here. I honestly thought it was a great two hour drama. I really didn't pick up on the casting ages at all. They seemed believable early fifties contemporaries.

I guess time constraints restricted more development of Iona and the other boys. But loved the music and the shifting narratives. Thumbs up and lots of wet hankies in this house.

We watched both last night and was gripped,Ashley Jensen was phenomenal. I've not read the book how did their teenage friend die ? .

I believed Martin Compton was in his 50s , I read an article that the writer was on set and approved of the interweaving of the stories, I'm assuming the book was in 2 halves.

The book is definately worth reading to provide more context.
Also, a pp mentioned Tully playing football at the end.
This is significant, in part 1 we see him miss a goal and hear "he never could score a penalty" (Or words to that effect.)
At the end of part 2, he goes outside and has a kick about - and scores.

He did say in the programme about not being able to score a penalty so the ending made sense well to me anyway.

I'm going to download the book I think they missed out on the other friends. The guy who showed up to to the wedding felt slotted in.

Seems those who read the book didn’t think much of the programme

but those like me who hadn’t . Enjoyed it and thought was well done

yes Ashley’s dh , like mine sadly decided to take his own life - tho different methods

I love her. Think she’s a great actress

I live very close to a lot of the locations....and spotted instantly the errors. Plus all film in balmy summer weather.
The relationships between the guys in the 80's...totally fabricated. In Ayrshire....yes, great mates, but not the hugging / deep conversations etc.
Noodles wife/ partner - good actress but again badly cast. No depth at all.
Noodles himself, too young. Casting totally inaccurate.
A lot of the dialogue, particularly in the first episode seemed to be lifted word from word from the TV Series 'Still Game'.
With regard to location.....it flipped from Girvan to Dunure to Irvine to Horse Island in Ardrossan. Very poor continuity.

I think they mix up locations on purpose tbf. @Kontiki There was a programme filmed near me. They went from Stirling to Arbroath back to Stirling in the same scene I was dizzy watching it 😃

Disappointing. Did not find the character Tully as meriting alleged love and affection. Just seemed a bit of a self-obsessed knob tbh