Have you seen The Fall?

I also finished this the other day. I definitely have a new found respect for Kanye and his music, it’s a shame he is an absolute car crash of a man though.

Oh btw jadis, I watched state of play. It was good and Kelly Macdonald and her accent are top tier. I think the last plot twist lacked a proper build-up so it seemed a bit unrealistic, but apart from that it's a well-constructed story. I always like watching journalism in action and especially the emotional entanglements between the characters were well done

Cracker is one of my favorites. Gritty, bleak and so so well executed. The pilot was directed by Michael Winterbottom, one of the great directors of the generation who (like Danny Boyle in Morse) got his start in crime dramas. The actors are some of the best in the business (stunning guest performances from Robert Carlyle and Adrian Dunbar in addition to the regulars), the writing is sharp, the protagonist/antagonist highly intelligent and demon-ridden. It’s perf.

I guess my problem with Coben is the Netflixy feel of the shows. As though it was produced by AI… he’s a Jersey guy and the shows are set in Britain and France, sans any local flavor. Whereas Morse could only be set in Oxford, Cracker is a deeply Mancunian affair etc. And the dialogue is not exactly worthy of Le Carré (my gold standard is TTSS with Alec Guinness)

You’re spot on about the centrality of reporting, I think in that it’s the Blair era update of All The President’s Men. The twist we’ll agree to disagree on, I bought it hook line and sinker! Knew you would love KM! For me the milf wife is the eye candy. What a performance from Bill Nighy as the editor!

Wasn’t crazy about the first season, I thought even Scully looked a bit bored…

Never heard of By the Sword Divided, will check out.

Harris is a powerful Cromwell but Alec Guinness as Charles is something truly special

One of the things I was bored with in this film is how traditional the narrative is. King vs Parliament, Charles vs Cromwell, royalists and roundheads, Arminians vs the godly puritans etc. There was a lot more going on there, between the radical wing in Cromwell's army (who had to be violently put down and were seen by some as a threat even bigger than Catholics) and various radical sects preaching anarchy, who were emboldened by the chaos of war and the decline in the power and authority of the Church of England, and were seen as a threat to the already ravaged social fabric. And because the film touches on none of that, it ends up presenting Cromwell as far more radical and champion of the people than we know him to be (see the Putney Debates for example).

A film I find more compelling is Winstanley, about the Digger leader. Amazing monochrome cinematography as well.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeLzc7s08ZU

Yeah I love Bill Nighy. He's always fantastic

The Science Guy?

Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!

I've met Bill actually. My daughter and me walked up on him setting up for a presentation at the Museum of S&I in Chicago in the 90's. He's a riot.

Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5iZZvyxtC8


Anyway gonna rewatch Cracker after I'm done with La Promesse. During the lockdowns we did TV time together so I had to watch lots of reality shows and anime but I can't do it any longer. Need to get back on my proper bs like watching Robbie Coltrane scream at a suspect about the death drive.

Ew no