The programme, not the people, a 6 part slow burn on Prime, the BC being part responsible. Anyone baffled by episodes 1, 2 or even 3, hang on in there, it delivers. Made by Hugo ‘The Honourable Woman’ and ‘Black Earth Rising’ Blick, it is a western, by way of equal parts Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino and Oscar Wilde. A terrific mix of history, fantasy and nonsense, the cast is a fabulous mix of can you see who it is nows: Stephen Rea, Rafe Spall, Ciaran Hinds. Blood, guts, unrequited love and huge landscapes full of clouds and poppies.
Get yer BAFTAs here!
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eddie g says
Not sure if I can be bothered to be baffled by three episodes before it gets good. Life really is too short.
Jaygee says
Agreed.
Will give it one.
aging hippy says
One’s enough. It’s great.
NigelT says
It is on BBC2 as well, on Thursday night. Not sure Mrs. T would be up for this, but might give it a whirl.
Black Type says
Isn’t the lead character played by Emily Blunt? Curious as to why you named three male actors but not her. Don’t want to get into a kerfuffle about it, though.
Lodestone of Wrongness says
All the (glowing) reviews I’ve read centre around Emily Blunt
retropath2 says
Sure, she’s very good, as is the male lead, the new to me Chaske Spencer, but I was commenting on the characters I enjoyed, liking my (prime) ham sliced thick.
Vulpes Vulpes says
I’ve just seen the first part, then I promptly dropped the entire series onto my hard drive to watch at leisure with a dark rum or three over the hols. Fab stuff. Can’t wait for Tom Hardy to show up. What? Surely he must? Ah, never mind, thought he’d be a shoe-in. Series 2 pr’aps? As for this series, they’ve already offed two of my favourinte character actors in the first eppy. Such profligate use of talent bodes well for the rest of the run.
retropath2 says
Let’s just say Rafe Spall gives his part the full Alfie Solomons, when and as he appears………
Vulpes Vulpes says
Splendid news, my boy!
Gary says
Am curious to check out ‘The English’ now, also on account of my being one. Makes me wonder if I’m in it.
Talking of telly, I enjoyed ‘Somewhere Boy’. It’s on Channel 4’s catch up thingy. It stars “Ralph” out of ‘Ladhood’*. The Guardian gave it a (glowing) five star review:
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/oct/16/somewhere-boy-review-channel-4-danny-lewis-gribben
*Talking of telly still, I quite like ‘Ladhood’ too. Sort of like a less puerile and homophobic ‘The Inbetweeners’ meets a less Irish ‘The Young Offenders’, sort of thing.
seanioio says
An up for Ladhood. I thought it was superb & had some excellent dialogue.
‘I don’t need therapy, I’m not depressed or anything. I’m just from the north’
Sewer Robot says
Ooh, my grand-daughter lives in Australia too. You probably know her. The stout girl with the lazy eye..
Jaygee says
SB is indeed terrific
Twang says
I remember seeing it recommended in The Times now and several episodes await me on the PVR via the Beeb route.
Munster says
I watched the final episode last night and, yes, it all comes together well. It repays close listening to sometimes mumbled dialogue, though, which is perhaps why I could not quite get the ending. No doubt there is a consistent logic there but I may have to revisit the climax to satisfy myself. On the whole a worthwhile watch, summed up beautifully by your lines: “…by way of equal parts Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino and Oscar Wilde. A terrific mix of history, fantasy and nonsense” . Some tasty snippets of music as well.
Moose the Mooche says
To watch films or TV dramas these days you have to be Harry Caul in The Conversation. I think this is why I enjoy foreign language dramas more.
Jaygee says
أي نعم
Moose the Mooche says
*hits rewind*
Whassat?
Gary says
I’m guessing it’s the smiley face in Iranian.
Ardnort says
I find myself watching with subtitles now. Saves constanrly rewinding and trying to understand all the mumbled dialogue.
Black Type says
Sorry?
Gatz says
I’m watching it now and have seen the first half hour (paused to put something in the oven). Initial thoughts: it looks fabulous, with full use made of the widescreen; the dialogue is a bit ponderous, and taken at minimum speed to allow its full significance to sink in; surely he would have waited a minute and taken the gun back from Toby Jones?
Jaygee says
With one of Putin’s missiles having killed two in Poland, a NATO member, I think we’re all in for a few sleepless nights.
Jaygee says
Wrong thread
Jimmydon says
That will be the ‘End of the World as we Know It’ thread, Jaygee, next door
Moose the Mooche says
Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Though he’s already dead, to be fair.
dai says
A Ukraine missile apparently
Jimmydon says
I loved it all the way through…and if Rafe Spall doesn’t win an Emmy for that performance I’m through with this acting malarkey. Pure malevolence.
Junglejim says
It’s gorgeous.
Fab cinematography & first rate sound design. Lashings of ‘Morriconiesque’ atmospherical music & the old unlikely allies on a western Odyssey angle? What’s not to like?
Emily Blunt is a exec producer & carries the lead admirably, whilst managing to pull off ‘chic & ravishing’ as well as ‘feisty & plausibly tough’.
I’m 3 episodes in & enjoying it immensely. Mrs Jim, who can’t abide Westerns, is also fully absorbed, which is the highest praise imaginable.
I’m not sure how it will pan out, but I’m very comfortable that it will deliver as it seems very assured thus far. The best executed drama I’ve seen on the BBC for what seems like an age.
Black Type says
Binge-watched it all yesterday. Very enjoyable, fantastic cinematography and a very evocative soundtrack. Rafe Spall is indeed very Solomons-esque…indeed my wife, who is not an avid Peaky fan, noted that parts of the show have a very Peaky-esque atmosphere.