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Post by kathryn on May 27, 2018 21:07:51 GMT
Well, this continues to be wonderful.
Poor Rinka!
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Post by lynette on May 27, 2018 21:12:08 GMT
It's very good, mesmerising.
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Post by david on May 27, 2018 21:14:24 GMT
Another great episode tonight. It’s a shame it’s the last one next week. Well done to the BBC for commissioning this series, it’s great Sunday night tv.
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8,163 posts
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Post by alece10 on May 27, 2018 21:29:12 GMT
That was brilliant. It's a real black comedy with wonderful characters.
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Post by emsworthian on May 28, 2018 6:21:54 GMT
I recommend reading the book by John Preston. There are lots of wonderful details in it which RTD had to leave out for reasons of time. One is: Norman Scott's Christmas present from his soon-to-be in-laws was a mug with "Strychnine" printed on it.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2018 7:27:27 GMT
Apparently, people on social media are calling this series Paddington 3. Do you think Russell T Davis inserted into the text references to Paddington as an in-joke? I noticed that in the scene on the bus Thorpe talks about Paddington station and when he holds his newborn he calls him Rupert Bear. Rusty T has always enjoyed a joke like that so I'd think so/hope so. On the subject of which a big shoutout to whoever had the idea of giving Blake Harrison's character a yellow car for some of the scenes (an 'Inbetweeners reference for those who don't know him). But also shoutout to Blake Harrison for an excellent performance (and 'tache). Episode 2 was just as good (better?) that the first. I love and have missed the way Davies balances laugh out loud moments, wry humour and real drama. It's worth the wait for things he does. Also Hugh Grant is just incredible- it's great to see him in a role he can really run with. Whishaw also, predictably great as well. |
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2018 9:54:46 GMT
It’s a good job it says ‘based on a true story’, otherwise it would be in a bit of trouble regarding its embelishments. More Richard III than docudrama.
It’s wildly entertaining though and seems almost profligate in its casting with great performers getting just a few lines here and there (watch out for a very rare Patrick Marber acting appearance).
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8,163 posts
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Post by alece10 on May 28, 2018 10:16:08 GMT
And lovely to see Michelle Doltrice. So many great actors with just a few lines which makes it more fun spotting the faces.
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2018 17:00:08 GMT
^ I agree. (I’ve been in the pub where she was landlady! Nowhere near Barnstaple. Or Dunstable!)
And Monica Dolan is unrecognisable every time I see her... I loved her playing Rose West, in another great TV drama, Appropriate Adult.
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8,163 posts
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Post by alece10 on May 28, 2018 18:54:03 GMT
^ I agree. (I’ve been in the pub where she was landlady! Nowhere near Barnstaple. Or Dunstable!) And Monica Dolan is unrecognisable every time I see her... I loved her playing Rose West, in another great TV drama, Appropriate Adult. She used to live in a little village near me in Cornwall with her husband the late Edward Woodward and they often used to open village fetes and local events. They were very much part of the community and liked by everyone. |
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Post by karloscar on May 28, 2018 19:43:49 GMT
Excellent work from all concerned, but David Steele was far too tall!
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2018 19:45:58 GMT
Tall blind casting... get used to it!
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Post by emsworthian on May 29, 2018 6:17:01 GMT
It’s a good job it says ‘based on a true story’, otherwise it would be in a bit of trouble regarding its embelishments. More Richard III than docudrama. It’s wildly entertaining though and seems almost profligate in its casting with great performers getting just a few lines here and there (watch out for a very rare Patrick Marber acting appearance). I'm interested Cardinal Pirelli on what you regard as embellishments. There was an interesting article in "The Times" by Danny Finklestein discussing how much is true and how much theatrical license. Finklestein's main objection was to the way David Holmes was portrayed; apparently Holmes was a far more intelligent and cultured man than he appears in this - he was just hopelessly out of his depth trying to organise a hitman.
Norman Scott's wife walked out on him when still was still pregnant rather than after the baby was born but the bit about her spending money intended for food on clothes, books and peacock feathers was true and Scott had to forage for food.
The infamous incident with the Vaseline jar is according to Scott's account; you have to decide whether it's true, but Finklestein points out that Thorpe's mother's bedroom wasn't next to the guest room, as claimed.
The adaptation leaves out a lot of Bessell's dodgy financial dealings. Otherwise it is pretty much true, according to Finklestein. The hitman did get Dunstable and Barnstable confused; the riotous event in Blackpool with Newton getting drunk is pretty much spot on.
People have criticised RTD for depicting an attempted assassination as a black comedy but some aspect of the case are so bizarre that I can understand why he did so.
Plus it is hugely enjoyable.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2018 7:26:28 GMT
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Post by Mr Snow on May 29, 2018 9:06:13 GMT
Wedding speeches mostly rely on our having goodwill to the unfortunate having to make one, but are still often boring in life and on screen…but not that one!
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2018 9:26:17 GMT
It’s a good job it says ‘based on a true story’, otherwise it would be in a bit of trouble regarding its embelishments. More Richard III than docudrama. It’s wildly entertaining though and seems almost profligate in its casting with great performers getting just a few lines here and there (watch out for a very rare Patrick Marber acting appearance). I'm interested Cardinal Pirelli on what you regard as embellishments.
The stock in trade of a good writer, to exaggerate for dramatic (and in this case, comic) purposes. Davies’ dialogue is great but obviously manipulative, again for comic effect or to enhance character. The bare bones of the story are absolutely as I remember but it’s much more entertaining, less equivocal and a whole lot funnier, which makes it great drama. |
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Post by TallPaul on May 29, 2018 15:37:13 GMT
Immediately after the final episode it's straight over to BBC4, for a programme largely made 40 years ago, but not shown at the time.
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Post by Stephen on May 29, 2018 16:23:52 GMT
I enjoyed the second episode even more than the first. Really like Alex Jennings in this too.
During the episode I was thinking about how interested I am by the Profumo affair and Stephen Ward. I was one of the few that liked the musical and would love to see those events adapted for television in a similar format to this. Could Grant play Stephen Ward? He really shines in this.
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2018 17:02:38 GMT
^ But while the Profumo Affair is another modern political scandal, with huge repercussions, Stephen Ward was a scapegoat who ultimately suffered. And that suffering was cruel. The real sh*ts got away with it... And that wasn’t/isn’t funny .
This is working because of the comic spin on the events- unfunny to Norman Scott I would think, but funny for us as ‘the plan’ was so ridiculous and doomed to fail. Yes, we know Thorpe got off, but hardly ‘Scott’-free...
With regard to the Profumo scandal, I rather liked episode of The Crown which introduced us to Ward as an artist who probably ‘entertained’ Prince Philip. I wonder what happened to that particular sketch...?
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Post by david on May 29, 2018 17:03:28 GMT
I enjoyed the second episode even more than the first. Really like Alex Jennings in this too. During the episode I was thinking about how interested I am by the Profumo affair and Stephen Ward. I was one of the few that liked the musical and would love to see those events adapted for television in a similar format to this. Could Grant play Stephen Ward? He really shines in this. That’s a great idea. The whole Profumo affair really is asking to made into a tv series isn’t it. It’s got everything to make a great drama like the current series. I wonder if anybody at the BBC or even ITV would take up the challenge? As @caiaphas mentioned, the whole scandal was a lot more darker in what happened so I would imagine this would only work as a drama rather than the dark comedy that was present in the Thorpe scandal. |
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Post by Stephen on May 29, 2018 17:25:50 GMT
Yes, I’m sure there would be some comedy in there but it would make sense for it to be separate from the darker more intense scenes. A Very English Scandal, I feel, is doing a great job of striking the balance between the drama and comedy.
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3,321 posts
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Post by david on May 29, 2018 17:35:19 GMT
If this doesn’t happen, can we just stick some camera’s in the White House and watch Trump try and run the US. Now that would be pure tv gold!
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Post by lynette on May 29, 2018 19:27:00 GMT
Don’t worry it will come, the Trump years, Trump goes to town, a Day in the Life of T, you get my drift.
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Post by david on May 29, 2018 19:29:17 GMT
Don’t worry it will come, the Trump years, Trump goes to town, a Day in the Life of T, you get my drift. The great thing is the comedy writes itself doesn’t it?! |
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2018 19:49:10 GMT
I used to love Trumpton...  |
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