He is about to receive a beating from Cribben and is ordered to take his pants down. Cribben sees that he is uncircumcised and crudely performs one on him. Stefan bleeds to death. The rest of the orphans are not poisoned or gassed. They older ones are strangled and the younger ones have their necks broken
Yikes! I did guess they would die that way, but I was wrong (TV version). I'll have to buy the book now.
Great ghost story, v moving at the end. One question I had was am I right in assuming the child that the Mum heard was the psychic's son, not cameron obviously as she thought.. Ta
Great ghost story, v moving at the end. One question I had was am I right in assuming the child that the Mum heard was the psychic's son, not cameron obviously as she thought.. Ta
The voice belongs to a boy in the cellar. The one who was the blond boy lying on the ground while ghost children looked down at him, waiting for him to get up.
I was confused about the ending, when the ghosts of the children and Nancy went out of the house, but Cribben walked downstairs to the cellar. Are we meant to think that the house is "exorcised", or that Cribben is still there? Would love to hear people's thoughts!
It wasn't bad. I was interested to see how it all worked out but it was... messy. Too convoluted I felt. And some parts you really had to sustain belief like gassing the children. Its a less gruesome way to kill them for TV (if you ignore how on earth that would work in a room like that in the short period his sister and the Maurice were out looking for Cribben), but the book version would have made more sense. I think they could have found a way to imply what happened without actually showing it. But I imagine they were told it was too upsetting to air.
I don't know. For me it was missing that really sinister atmosphere. I know Cribben was damaged and hurting the children but the show didn't really capture that. Not for me anyway. I didn't find him frightening, or get the impression that the children were terrified either.
It wasn't bad. I was interested to see how it all worked out but it was... messy. Too convoluted I felt. And some parts you really had to sustain belief like gassing the children. Its a less gruesome way to kill them for TV (if you ignore how on earth that would work in a room like that in the short period his sister and the Maurice were out looking for Cribben), but the book version would have made more sense. I think they could have found a way to imply what happened without actually showing it. But I imagine they were told it was too upsetting to air.
I don't know. For me it was missing that really sinister atmosphere. I know Cribben was damaged and hurting the children but the show didn't really capture that. Not for me anyway. I didn't find him frightening, or get the impression that the children were terrified either.
Thanks for your opinion. It is really interesting to learn other peoples takes on things that someone else viewed positively. I didn't really notice the flaws as I was too engrossed in the whole spectacle. I thought it was outstanding television and I did think Augustus was sinister. But, I suppose once you have the little bits of unrealism pointed out to you it does make you think.
But, I am a forgiving chap and considering this was three hours of superb telly I am not going to think about it! I loved it.
Amazing little series. I haven't read the book yet but I thought this was fantastic. Brilliant acting from all involved and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. Gripping stuff, and deeply moving in places.
I'm going to read the book now, but hearing Herbert kills off Stefan in such a horrible way makes me feel uncomfortable. I want to really delve into the story though so I'm looking forward to getting stuck in.
They really werent greatful to Percy in the end. He saved their dog (imagine what Cribbens would have done to him!) and they were annoyed that he took him.
When Eve got on to the police about Cam's body being in the canal, she told Gabe that she wouldn't mention to them who'd told her because they wouldn't believe her. Presumably this was enough to get them searching the canal again because the body was found a short time later. Wouldn't the police have been demanding some kind of answers of Gabe at this point? Rather than simply stating that Cam had never been hurt, wouldn't they be a bit more suspicious of a family that suddenly knew with such certainty where to find him?
Even though I thought the whole thing was drawn together a bit loosely in places, I'd agree with whoever it was that said it was one of the best things on TV in a long time. I don't know what I expected from the last instalment apart from seeing all the pieces of the puzzle come together, but I did not expect to be as gripped by it as I was or in tears by the end. I'm still feeling a bit shaken by it all some time after it was over, but I'd rather that than know I've spent an hour watching something so vacuous that I'll have forgotten it inside of five minutes.
More of the same a bit more often would be no bad thing.
Bleak and harrowing. This went further than most UK TV drama's in showing the pain and suffering people can suffer, and the darkness ordinary humans are capable of.
Maurice and Magda were almost as evil as Cribben in a sense.
I'm glad Stefan survived. I genuinely thought that one of the Caleigh's two daughters could have died too.
I really enjoyed the series and was pleased to hear that the outcome was happier than in the book - I have read several books by James Herbert and he is not one to ensure that everyone survives! However, once the tension of the end had gone I had a few questions:
Why did Maurice and Magda assume that Cribben was outside (or even think that he was missing)?
The children were shown passed out on their beds and then dead in the cellar - how long would it have taken for Cribben to carry them all downstairs?
Stefan did very well (considering his size) to push Cribbens over the bannisters...
As Cribbens did not leave with the other ghosts presumably he is still haunting the house?
I thought this brilliant. I'm not really a fan of ghost stories, but I caught this almost by accident and it sucked me right in.
I'm glad Stefan fought back and survived and had a happy life after all his suffering. Normally I don't like deviation from the book, but in this case after reading what happened to book-Stefan , I'm glad. The TV ending seems more satisfying. I think it would have been too bleak otherwise with Cam being dead, all the other orphans and Nancy murdered, and Cribben and Magda more or less getting away with it.
I'm not sure about Nancy asking Cribben to go with them as they leave the house and Cribben refusing. Part of me wanted him to go with them and find peace, leaving the house and other children safe from him, but the other part of me thought his forgiveness was too easy after all he had done. His ending was a bit conflicting for me.
I'm not too sure about Magda's breakdown either. I mean, she enabled those children to be abused for years and she was personally involved with Nancy's murder. I'm not really buying that she feels guilt, grief or trauma. Or was she faking it to escape the consequences? It wasn't too clear.
On a random note, the actor who's played the past-vicar had been bugging me from the beginning because I recognised his face but couldn't place me. Finaly twigged that he's the not bothered probabtion officer from Misfits right in the middle of his discovery of the punishment book. Took me right out of the scene for a moment, but so please I could put a name to a face
Did I see though at the end the Suranne Jones character visiting Stafans grave and said 1943 died, I thought he survived, I maybe made a mistake but thought it said Stefan. Which I didn't get.
Didn't really understand the dognapping bit and why not explain, That creepy Morris character too, would you leave you kids in a house with someone you know nothing about and only met about an hour before.
Did I see though at the end the Suranne Jones character visiting Stafans grave and said 1943 died, I thought he survived, I maybe made a mistake but thought it said Stefan. Which I didn't get.
Didn't really understand the dognapping bit and why not explain, That creepy Morris character too, would you leave you kids in a house with someone you know nothing about and only met about an hour before.
The tombstone on Stefan's grave showed he died in 2009.
Dogs are believed to see ghosts - it was certainly very spooked by the house, so was safer out of it.
Amazing how people choose to believe that they are safe with someone who claims to be a ghosthunter.
On a random note, the actor who's played the past-vicar had been bugging me from the beginning because I recognised his face but couldn't place me. Finaly twigged that he's the not bothered probabtion officer from Misfits right in the middle of his discovery of the punishment book. Took me right out of the scene for a moment, but so please I could put a name to a face
I knew I'd seen him somewhere before. Thanks for that. It's probably a lot safer to be a vicar up against demonic forces in a deadly terrifying ghost story than it is to be a probation worker in Misfits
I'm not too sure about Magda's breakdown either. I mean, she enabled those children to be abused for years and she was personally involved with Nancy's murder. I'm not really buying that she feels guilt, grief or trauma. Or was she faking it to escape the consequences? It wasn't too clear.
I think she thought her brother was perfect and everything he did was for a noble reason.
She didn't seem guilty or upset about children's deaths, though. Her biggest concern was that her brother will be hanged for the killings. This is what rendered her traumatised.
But I do believe she recovered much later on, but chose to stay in that state for the rest of her life. The ultimate denial. Just to be spiteful, I think.
I still don't get why the police of 1943 didn't bother looking down the well when they recovered the children from the cellar. Magda and Maurice could still get away with it by letting the police believe it was Cribben who killed Nancy.
Just watched the last episode. I cried so much at the end! This was so enjoyable - not many things capture my attention like this. Thought it was as good as Marchlands. Let's hope the BBC take note and do some more quality dramas like this.
Maurice and Magda were almost as evil as Cribben in a sense.
I don't think Maurice was evil. Nor almost evil, even. He was very weak, and completely reliant on Magda and Cribben for whatever he was looking for. He probably had had a bad or neglected home life before he was evacuated to the hall. Magda certainly had what he was looking for, and manipulated him into making him more loyal and submissive towards her.
Having said that, I don't think Magda and Cribben were always evil in the normal sense.
Cribben was mentally ill and seemed to genuinely believe in what he was doing (the proverb or verse on his office wall). The vicar's discovery shook him up. As if it woke him up to what he was doing. I think he turned evil after he almost committed suicide. I think he believed killing children would either wipe his slate clean or render the vicar's threat useless.
Magda was simply selfish. She only cared about her brother. No else. Well, she did have a photo of Maurice in her room at the elderly home, which I found surprising. I didn't think she cared about him. I don't know, to be honest.
On a random note, the actor who's played the past-vicar had been bugging me from the beginning because I recognised his face but couldn't place me. Finaly twigged that he's the not bothered probabtion officer from Misfits
Comments
Yikes! I did guess they would die that way, but I was wrong (TV version). I'll have to buy the book now.
The voice belongs to a boy in the cellar. The one who was the blond boy lying on the ground while ghost children looked down at him, waiting for him to get up.
I think he's still there, creepy.
Yeah, but I don't know if all were orphans. All were evacuees from London.
Henshall always does creepy roles. Bless him.
I don't know. For me it was missing that really sinister atmosphere. I know Cribben was damaged and hurting the children but the show didn't really capture that. Not for me anyway. I didn't find him frightening, or get the impression that the children were terrified either.
Thanks for your opinion. It is really interesting to learn other peoples takes on things that someone else viewed positively. I didn't really notice the flaws as I was too engrossed in the whole spectacle. I thought it was outstanding television and I did think Augustus was sinister. But, I suppose once you have the little bits of unrealism pointed out to you it does make you think.
But, I am a forgiving chap and considering this was three hours of superb telly I am not going to think about it! I loved it.
I'm going to read the book now, but hearing Herbert kills off Stefan in such a horrible way makes me feel uncomfortable.
Even though I thought the whole thing was drawn together a bit loosely in places, I'd agree with whoever it was that said it was one of the best things on TV in a long time. I don't know what I expected from the last instalment apart from seeing all the pieces of the puzzle come together, but I did not expect to be as gripped by it as I was or in tears by the end. I'm still feeling a bit shaken by it all some time after it was over, but I'd rather that than know I've spent an hour watching something so vacuous that I'll have forgotten it inside of five minutes.
More of the same a bit more often would be no bad thing.
Maurice and Magda were almost as evil as Cribben in a sense.
I'm glad Stefan survived. I genuinely thought that one of the Caleigh's two daughters could have died too.
Why did Maurice and Magda assume that Cribben was outside (or even think that he was missing)?
The children were shown passed out on their beds and then dead in the cellar - how long would it have taken for Cribben to carry them all downstairs?
Stefan did very well (considering his size) to push Cribbens over the bannisters...
As Cribbens did not leave with the other ghosts presumably he is still haunting the house?
I'm glad Stefan fought back and survived and had a happy life after all his suffering. Normally I don't like deviation from the book, but in this case after reading what happened to book-Stefan , I'm glad. The TV ending seems more satisfying. I think it would have been too bleak otherwise with Cam being dead, all the other orphans and Nancy murdered, and Cribben and Magda more or less getting away with it.
I'm not sure about Nancy asking Cribben to go with them as they leave the house and Cribben refusing. Part of me wanted him to go with them and find peace, leaving the house and other children safe from him, but the other part of me thought his forgiveness was too easy after all he had done. His ending was a bit conflicting for me.
I'm not too sure about Magda's breakdown either. I mean, she enabled those children to be abused for years and she was personally involved with Nancy's murder. I'm not really buying that she feels guilt, grief or trauma. Or was she faking it to escape the consequences? It wasn't too clear.
On a random note, the actor who's played the past-vicar had been bugging me from the beginning because I recognised his face but couldn't place me. Finaly twigged that he's the not bothered probabtion officer from Misfits right in the middle of his discovery of the punishment book. Took me right out of the scene for a moment, but so please I could put a name to a face
Didn't really understand the dognapping bit and why not explain, That creepy Morris character too, would you leave you kids in a house with someone you know nothing about and only met about an hour before.
Gutted it was only on for 3 weeks :-(
The tombstone on Stefan's grave showed he died in 2009.
Dogs are believed to see ghosts - it was certainly very spooked by the house, so was safer out of it.
Amazing how people choose to believe that they are safe with someone who claims to be a ghosthunter.
Agreed it was excellent, I hope they make more Herbert adaptations, perhaps a new one for every Halloween.....
I knew I'd seen him somewhere before. Thanks for that. It's probably a lot safer to be a vicar up against demonic forces in a deadly terrifying ghost story than it is to be a probation worker in Misfits
Same here, thought it was just me!!
I think she thought her brother was perfect and everything he did was for a noble reason.
She didn't seem guilty or upset about children's deaths, though. Her biggest concern was that her brother will be hanged for the killings. This is what rendered her traumatised.
But I do believe she recovered much later on, but chose to stay in that state for the rest of her life. The ultimate denial. Just to be spiteful, I think.
I still don't get why the police of 1943 didn't bother looking down the well when they recovered the children from the cellar.
I don't think Maurice was evil. Nor almost evil, even. He was very weak, and completely reliant on Magda and Cribben for whatever he was looking for. He probably had had a bad or neglected home life before he was evacuated to the hall. Magda certainly had what he was looking for, and manipulated him into making him more loyal and submissive towards her.
Having said that, I don't think Magda and Cribben were always evil in the normal sense.
Cribben was mentally ill and seemed to genuinely believe in what he was doing (the proverb or verse on his office wall). The vicar's discovery shook him up. As if it woke him up to what he was doing. I think he turned evil after he almost committed suicide. I think he believed killing children would either wipe his slate clean or render the vicar's threat useless.
Magda was simply selfish. She only cared about her brother. No else. Well, she did have a photo of Maurice in her room at the elderly home, which I found surprising. I didn't think she cared about him. I don't know, to be honest.
Oh yes................. nicknamed "Dot", I believe.