The Gallows Pole - BBC2 - starts 31 May 2023

[IwantToRetire]

I will probably hate this as it is a "modern" telling of an historical story, made by Shane Meadows (This is England) and compared to Peaky Blinders (groan).

But it may turn out to be really interesting!

Just posting in case anyone else might be interested.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mg3k

Michael Socha is hot now though 😁

I was looking Howard to this but it doesn't sound promising.

I think I might get the book

The book is amazing. I liked the trippy credits and the opening scene. The costumes (apart from Mohawk woman) and scenery were spot on. But after that? I liked the scene outside the wake. Everything else was just Shane Meadows. TIE wi’ clogs on.

It seems like a waste to spend money and effort on the location, the costumes, and then have an episode like that where very little actually happened. What did it tell us about the characters? Not much really. Someone spent time editing it, and that is the best of the production?

Will be reading the book instead. Thanks for the recommendation, FancyFanny!

How do we know people have always sworn.
Do they swear in Shakespeare? Dickens?
I think that if you are religious and have a fear of God, ending up in hell, you might not swear.

If you love your history, as I do, you'll have read about language over the centuries and how it was used, so for example there was lots of cursing in the court of Elizabeth I and the words and how we use them have changed over time. So fuck was a word used, but more in terms of the act, not a curse as such.

Dickens was writing for a general/family friendly audience to some degree, shakespeare not so much.

The Canterbury Tales is a good example of lots of cursing and coarse behaviour from some parts and disapproval from others.

I gave up after 45 minutes. The woman breaking out into song for a second time was the straw that broke the camels back. Dire.

I was so disappointed! It was really amateurish and boring! The book is incredible and I loved This Is England so I had high hopes for this, but it's a let down.

The word 'fuck' seems to be inserted into almost every sentence uttered by every character in TV drama these days. Too much and it loses its impact. It's lazy writing imo.

Nothing will ever come close to This is England, both the film and all the series.
I was so sad when I'd finished watching them all.
Bloody brilliant

Going against the grain here but I quite enjoyed it! Yes, it seemed very modern in language and attitude but that didn't bother me at all. Admittedly I haven't see anything by Shane Meadows so can't compare. I'm going to stick with it.

Oh dear, I foolish believed one reviewer who implied a bit Peaky Blinders so was prepared for flash over styled modern.

Had they said early Ken Loach whose films started the dreaded improv, I wouldn't have bothered.

Sorry but some actors are really great at being actors ie they use the words and direction of someone else.

A short introduction to the story doesn't give you in depth understanding of the period.

What a waste.

I was also attracted by the deer headed figures and wondered if it would be like that historical drama from some time ago, which was one look trip, or was it real life. Something about an ancient magician. Never made sense but quite thought provoking. Like the series when Sean Bean was executed but then a doctor dabbling in experimental medicine sewed his head back on!

But in terms of this series, just dont think I can be bothered.

Anyone know if there is documentary either tv or radio?

On episode 2 not sure about it really

It was laughably bad. I was looking forward to it as I am local, and I absolutely love the book.

It's an insult to the author, although at least it will have made him some money and maybe boosted his sales. This ghastly tripe in no way reflected the mastery of the original novel.

The improv was dire, the anachronistic language and modern cultural references really, really jarred. The constant swearing was dull, and characters randomly bursting into song was just embarrassing.

Bewilderingly awful. Reminded me of a pretentious, earnest, student drama production where everyone on the course, however lacking, had to be somehow shoe horned into a role.

Oh, I was so looking forward to this because I loved the book, but it sounds like it's not worth watching!

hmm
not keen on swearing

Just given up after half an hour. It's interminably slow. The modernisms are too grating. There's too much swearing. The dialogue is like something out of Eastenders. Dire. And the Guardian gave it 5 stars. I should have known.

Everybody should just read the book. It's actually a great story, brilliantly written.

Im just a few minutes into episode one. The language and dialogue 🤔😀

It was terrible, it felt liked the actors were ad-libbing and put in the fucks as a filler.

I couldn't get no silver, I couldn't get no gold

I'm no expert with these things, but far too much swearing, never really got going, disliked most of the characters. None of the brothers even slightly resembled each other. I could go on....

So David had a serious wound but recovered so quickly that he was a pall bearer for his father's coffin. I doubt they would have left more than a few days between any death and burial. They buried him in unhallowed ground. Really?

It was those magical herbs applied to the wound, catsnoozing !😄