Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell [BBC]

JP Liz V1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE1nsOoTJos

Starts this Sunday on BBC 1

Basq

Eddie Marsan? Sold!

JP Liz V1

Basq wrote: »

Eddie Marsan? Sold!

Never in a bad role

Harry Palmr

Looks very exciting and flashy. Better not be a loud empty vessel.

conorhal

Well I'm glad I was loafing on boards this evening, I'd no idea that this was on so soon! Finally something worth watching on a Sunday night!

I read the book, it seems to divide readers but as a lover of whimsical fantasy I absolutely loved it. The book is a very slow burn that builds up to an unbelievable page turner. It's a sort of adult fairy tale filled with the standard fairytale archetypes (the magician, his apprentice, the enchanted 'princess' and the rumplestilskin-esque villian), and while some might say it's predictable, it ends with the right ending, even if it's an expected one. Not every tale needs a twist, and the journey to it was incredibly enjoyable.
Doubtless the slack pacing of the first half of the book is likely to be eliminated by the pacing requirement of TV so I'm really looking forward to this but it will be interesting to see how it translates to TV.

I've never been much of an Eddie Marsan fan, the characters he tends to play are off putting, that said, Mr Norell is a dull, pedantic and dour creature, so I can see him working in the role.

Mechanical Clocktail

The book went on for an age and I honestly don't know why I finished it. Could have put it down at any moment and it wouldn't have been a loss. Maybe something a little better will come across on screen.

Skerries

a bit confusing with all the characters but very promising

therabbittest

A good start for this, I'm definitely intrigued enough to watch next week.

My mother wasn't as taken by it

WoollyRedHat

Anywhere where I can catch up with this.. is BBC showing it again during the week?

conorhal

It wasn't a bad start and it's too early to judge, the casting has been excellent but I can't help feel like the tone was all wrong. The aesthetic was a bit too Downton Abbey when it kind of needed a touch of magical realism, it needed a Terry Gilliam at the helm to give the series a slightly more off beat tone.

Glebee

3 episodes in and really quite enjoying this. Not everyones cup of tea I guess but thumbs up from me. Anybody know how many episodes there are??

Harry Palmr

I like it a lot esp Jonathan Strange, who wears the air of a man who both believes and can't quite believe its happening to him. I also love the idea of the Duke of Wellington deploying magic against his own better judgement to beat the beastly French.

Glebee

Done my best a few years ago to get through the book. Got about half way and gave up. It really is a tome.

FunLover18

I'm really enjoying this at the moment! The scene this week where

Strange comes out of the mirror was great.

. I think the fact that they're using magic so sparingly really works in it's favour, although it's laying strong hints and nods at how magic does work without exploring further, eg Strange's description that it's like music in his head. I'm not saying I necessarily want it explored but it seems like it might be important to the overall arch.

loyatemu

are people still watching this? It has gotten better and better as it has gone on, last night's penultimate episode was a cracker...

CaoimheSquee

Last night's episode was incredible. I am enjoying this more than the book.
The casting, the vision, the humour, acting, the storyline - it is all completely wonderful!!
I do no want it to end.

The chap who plays Jonathan Strange completely stole the show last night. WOW!

Harry Palmr

CaoimheSquee wrote: »

The chap who plays Jonathan Strange completely stole the show last night. WOW!

Bertie Carvel, he was great as a snivelling ambitious sort in police black comedy drama Babylon on Channel 4. I'd not knowingly seen him before that. As you say very good.

Its a real pity that this isn't getting better viewing figures its averaging about 2.5 million - the beeb really boobed with the summer scheduling - its clearly a winters night sort of thing. When the sun is shining brightly outside it robs some of the melodrama!

Glebee

Have the last two episodes to watch tonight, cant wait. Really good show.

FunLover18

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Bertie Carvel, he was great as a snivelling ambitious sort in police black comedy drama Babylon on Channel 4. I'd not knowingly seen him before that. As you say very good.

Its a real pity that this isn't getting better viewing figures its averaging about 2.5 million - the beeb really boobed with the summer scheduling - its clearly a winters night sort of thing. When the sun is shining brightly outside it robs some of the melodrama!

As far as I know Carvel was primarily a theatre actor prior to Babylon and this. Have to agree that I've been impressed with him in both. You're right that it feels much more like a winter show.

Having not read the book (I actually found a copy upstairs, it's massive!!) I was wondering is this definitely a one off? Maybe spoiler answers as I'm even sure I definitely want to know, but I think I'll be really disappointed if the finale next week ends slightly ambiguously.

What I love about this is how much they fit in without it being rushed. On several episodes I've checked my watch because I couldn't believe it was only an hour.

loyatemu

FunLover18 wrote: »

As far as I know Carvel was primarily a theatre actor prior to Babylon and this. Have to agree that I've been impressed with him in both. You're right that it feels much more like a winter show.

Having not read the book (I actually found a copy upstairs, it's massive!!) I was wondering is this definitely a one off? Maybe spoiler answers as I'm even sure I definitely want to know, but I think I'll be really disappointed if the finale next week ends slightly ambiguously.

What I love about this is how much they fit in without it being rushed. On several episodes I've checked my watch because I couldn't believe it was only an hour.

this adaptation is the whole book AFAIK. Supposedly the author is working on a sequel, but given the viewing figures I wouldn't hold out much hope for a second series.

Harry Palmr

It might sell, I could see one of the American cable channels picking it up.

loyatemu

Harry Palmr wrote: »

It might sell, I could see one of the American cable channels picking it up.

It's already airing on BBC America.

Harry Palmr

Ah right. ZDF it is then!

Harry Palmr

Last one tonight, its been great. There was always a big chance the programme makers who do a "Gormanghastly" and throw everything at the screen resulting in an incoherent mess but they've kept it thematically and narratively coherent while delivering the drama and spectacle.

Harry Palmr

I hope they write another series, even though the book has yet to be written.

CaoimheSquee

It was certainly left open enough for much more to happen!