Chacun à son goût, I suppose, but the extravagant praise this show has had here really surprises me. My partner and I were struck throughout by its sour, nihilistic tone, heavy-handedness and implausibility (especially in the casting, from the ill-matched leading pair and their children to the ridiculous current ages of Donald Sumpter and David Warner's characters, 'Gordon' and Percy). To save the trouble of enumerating all the faults, I hand over to the "Telegraph" critic, Gerard O'Donovan:
With James Herbert, the BBC really are scraping the bottom of the barrel. If they're going to spend their precious resources on combining the supernatural and period recreations, they might as well go the whole Victorian/Edwardian hog and tackle Algernon Blackwood, Sheridan le Fanu and M R James - as they used so wonderfully to do at this season in Lawrence Gordon Clark's versions:
Question: Did that git killer abduct and kill the couples son too?
Also anyone else find it odd that they buried their son their too?
The death of the couple's son was an accident.
They buried their son next to Stefan because their son's body was discovered following information provided during their stay at the Hall. We don't know where Stefan was buried: I agree it would have been odd to have buried the son far from where they lived.
They buried their son next to Stefan because their son's body was discovered following information provided during their stay at the Hall. We don't know where Stefan was buried: I agree it would have been odd to have buried the son far from where they lived.
How? He was taken by someone in the first episode but I can't remember the face of the person.
If they're going to spend their precious resources on combining the supernatural and period recreations, they might as well go the whole Victorian/Edwardian hog and tackle Algernon Blackwood, Sheridan le Fanu and M R James -
God, no. I love these authors, but I'm so bored with TV/radio adaptations of their works that it's not funny. New blood is needed. Even lesser known names of their time will do. Like Oliver Onions or Amelia Edwards.
James Herbert is okay, but at least he's new to TV, which is nice.
I thought it was brilliant. Great Sunday night entertainment. Ended up downloading the book. Well done to all involved, was especially impressed with the two little girls who played Loren and callie.
No, he wasn't taken by anyone. Eve fell asleep, then woke up and found him gone.
Maybe what you saw was a flashback?
What I remember is her falling asleep, then i was wondering that as the boy was being taken away by a bloke, was it part of her dream or not and it wasn't. I'l have to try and rewatch it if they keep it on i player.
Cribben seems to be stuck in that house, before and after he died, first because if his mental health and his spirit in death. So how did he know where Cams body could be found? He had no connection to Cam.
Why was Magda and Maurice out searching for him that night when he was presumably in the house drugging the children and then carrying them one by one into the cellar to gass them to death very very quickly.
Why didn't Nancys ghost help the children? Why did she only pop up right at the end, and why discomposed?
If Steffan got a new family and changed his name, why did he have his old name in his gravestone? (I'm going by memory on this one so I could be wrong)
Why would anyone leave their wife and children alone with a complete stranger in the house?
Why in earth would Nancy ask Cribben to come with them!?
Watched the final episode last night! I have really enjoyed this little series! Scary yes but very interesting and intriguing!
A few questions I have though, and sorry if they are basic..
1. Why did Cribbens actually decide to kill the children by gassing/poisoning them? Did the Vicar understand/realise what Cribbens was doing to those children? What made him decide that he should kill all of them? How did he know the flood was coming..?
2. Why was Magda upset at the end? I thought she was going along with what was going on and knew everything that was going on..
3. How did the flood start and get into the house? a door open? Window?
4. I assume the 'skeleton' in the well pointing upto the older Maurice was Nancy? No? I thought it was pretty horrible that Skeleton...
5. Cribbens couldn't move after he fell from the balcony, I assume that's because he landed on his back/head and therefore paralysed and couldn't move?
6. What was Magda doing at the end? She was just staring straight forward? Was she still alive there, or...
Nice one of Stefan to hit him with the cane on his fingers though! I'm glad Stefan had a nice ending!
Question: Did that git killer abduct and kill the couples son too?
Apparently not [though I think Maurice trying to satisfy Cribbens' 'lust' for children by kidnapping random tykes and 'feeding' that well could have been cool, but very dark twist].
Excellent conclusion though. It made me up.
Very glad Stephen managed to have a life. Unlike the book...
I thought Nancy's 'They're mine' quip made her no better than Cribben really, though. Should've been something more along the lines of freedom or something I felt.
Cribben seems to be stuck in that house, before and after he died, first because if his mental health and his spirit in death. So how did he know where Cams body could be found? He had no connection to Cam.
Why was Magda and Maurice out searching for him that night when he was presumably in the house drugging the children and then carrying them one by one into the cellar to gass them to death very very quickly.
Why didn't Nancys ghost help the children? Why did she only pop up right at the end, and why discomposed?
If Steffan got a new family and changed his name, why did he have his old name in his gravestone? (I'm going by memory on this one so I could be wrong)
Why would anyone leave their wife and children alone with a complete stranger in the house?
Why in earth would Nancy ask Cribben to come with them!?
1. To get the parents (Eve and Gabe) out of the house, I guess?
2. Magda was panicking and perhaps she thought he had left the hall without her.
3. As a ghost, what can she do to help the kids? She came up because he killed her? She was decomposed because she'd been in the water.
4. I raised that question earlier. Maybe the director thought Stefan's real name should be there because we wouldn't know who he was if his new name was used on the gravestone. On the other hand, now the truth came out, his family maybe decided to destroy the old gravestone for a new one with his real name on it? Who knows?
5. I know! Really daft, I thought.
6. Why not? It fit in with her character. She believed in compassion and redemption.
Watched the final episode last night! I have really enjoyed this little series! Scary yes but very interesting and intriguing!
A few questions I have though, and sorry if they are basic..
1. Why did Cribbens actually decide to kill the children by gassing/poisoning them? Did the Vicar understand/realise what Cribbens was doing to those children? What made him decide that he should kill all of them? How did he know the flood was coming..?
2. Why was Magda upset at the end? I thought she was going along with what was going on and knew everything that was going on..
3. How did the flood start and get into the house? a door open? Window?
4. I assume the 'skeleton' in the well pointing upto the older Maurice was Nancy? No? I thought it was pretty horrible that Skeleton...
5. Cribbens couldn't move after he fell from the balcony, I assume that's because he landed on his back/head and therefore paralysed and couldn't move?
6. What was Magda doing at the end? She was just staring straight forward? Was she still alive there, or...
1. I think he decided he would be safe if there would be no one left to testify against him if the vicar did carry out his threat.
2. Murder was a hanging offence. She didn't care about the kids. It was her brother she cared about and so, the idea of him getting hanged left her catatonic (as you see from when Maurice found her against a tree)
3. Under doors and through old air vents under windows on ground floor, I'd imagine?
4. Yes, Nancy. She was bloated because of the water.
5. I think his neck or back was broken.
6. Someone (Percy, I think) said Magda's mind was gone since that night, but the psychic guessed Magda had recovered, but pretended she was still catatonic.
I hope someone else has better or more interesting answers.
It was a brilliant series. I recorded all three and watched them on Sunday night so I wouldn't have to wait for the next ep. Great stuff - wish the BBC did a few more like that.
Apparently not [though I think Maurice trying to satisfy Cribbens' 'lust' for children by kidnapping random tykes and 'feeding' that well could have been cool, but very dark twist].
He almost did, but later. Maurice believed having the daughter as his replacement would mean he would not be hounded by Cribbens for the rest of his life and in his afterlife.
But yeah, I agree Maurice had nothing to do with Cam's disappearance and death.
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.
Comments
Brilliant cast too, love the guy from Misfits
Also anyone else find it odd that they buried their son their too?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9714947/The-Secret-of-Crickley-Hall-BBC-One-review.html
With James Herbert, the BBC really are scraping the bottom of the barrel. If they're going to spend their precious resources on combining the supernatural and period recreations, they might as well go the whole Victorian/Edwardian hog and tackle Algernon Blackwood, Sheridan le Fanu and M R James - as they used so wonderfully to do at this season in Lawrence Gordon Clark's versions:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2012/nov/30/ghost-stories-for-christmas-boxset ).
The death of the couple's son was an accident.
They buried their son next to Stefan because their son's body was discovered following information provided during their stay at the Hall. We don't know where Stefan was buried: I agree it would have been odd to have buried the son far from where they lived.
How? He was taken by someone in the first episode but I can't remember the face of the person.
No, he wasn't taken by anyone. Eve fell asleep, then woke up and found him gone.
Maybe what you saw was a flashback?
God, no. I love these authors, but I'm so bored with TV/radio adaptations of their works that it's not funny. New blood is needed. Even lesser known names of their time will do. Like Oliver Onions or Amelia Edwards.
James Herbert is okay, but at least he's new to TV, which is nice.
Was it common for people to speak German during the war?
How was Cribben able to tell the medium where Cam's body was?
What I remember is her falling asleep, then i was wondering that as the boy was being taken away by a bloke, was it part of her dream or not and it wasn't. I'l have to try and rewatch it if they keep it on i player.
The well was built over an underground river, was it not? So anything going down the well would get carried off to sea?
He was also in the Omen and came to a grisley end
Nancy’s body was wedged in there so it would seem not.
It's possible. I don't remember anyone saying it was over a river, but I may have missed it. Thanks.
Cribben seems to be stuck in that house, before and after he died, first because if his mental health and his spirit in death. So how did he know where Cams body could be found? He had no connection to Cam.
Why was Magda and Maurice out searching for him that night when he was presumably in the house drugging the children and then carrying them one by one into the cellar to gass them to death very very quickly.
Why didn't Nancys ghost help the children? Why did she only pop up right at the end, and why discomposed?
If Steffan got a new family and changed his name, why did he have his old name in his gravestone? (I'm going by memory on this one so I could be wrong)
Why would anyone leave their wife and children alone with a complete stranger in the house?
Why in earth would Nancy ask Cribben to come with them!?
I didn't realise it was him and I often think abouth that great film too!
A few questions I have though, and sorry if they are basic..
1. Why did Cribbens actually decide to kill the children by gassing/poisoning them? Did the Vicar understand/realise what Cribbens was doing to those children? What made him decide that he should kill all of them? How did he know the flood was coming..?
2. Why was Magda upset at the end? I thought she was going along with what was going on and knew everything that was going on..
3. How did the flood start and get into the house? a door open? Window?
4. I assume the 'skeleton' in the well pointing upto the older Maurice was Nancy? No? I thought it was pretty horrible that Skeleton...
5. Cribbens couldn't move after he fell from the balcony, I assume that's because he landed on his back/head and therefore paralysed and couldn't move?
6. What was Magda doing at the end? She was just staring straight forward? Was she still alive there, or...
Nice one of Stefan to hit him with the cane on his fingers though! I'm glad Stefan had a nice ending!
Thanks,
Apparently not [though I think Maurice trying to satisfy Cribbens' 'lust' for children by kidnapping random tykes and 'feeding' that well could have been cool, but very dark twist].
Excellent conclusion though. It made me
Very glad Stephen managed to have a life.
I thought Nancy's 'They're mine' quip made her no better than Cribben really, though. Should've been something more along the lines of freedom or something I felt.
1. To get the parents (Eve and Gabe) out of the house, I guess?
2. Magda was panicking and perhaps she thought he had left the hall without her.
3. As a ghost, what can she do to help the kids? She came up because he killed her? She was decomposed because she'd been in the water.
4. I raised that question earlier. Maybe the director thought Stefan's real name should be there because we wouldn't know who he was if his new name was used on the gravestone. On the other hand, now the truth came out, his family maybe decided to destroy the old gravestone for a new one with his real name on it? Who knows?
5. I know! Really daft, I thought.
6. Why not? It fit in with her character. She believed in compassion and redemption.
1. I think he decided he would be safe if there would be no one left to testify against him if the vicar did carry out his threat.
2. Murder was a hanging offence. She didn't care about the kids. It was her brother she cared about and so, the idea of him getting hanged left her catatonic (as you see from when Maurice found her against a tree)
3. Under doors and through old air vents under windows on ground floor, I'd imagine?
4. Yes, Nancy. She was bloated because of the water.
5. I think his neck or back was broken.
6. Someone (Percy, I think) said Magda's mind was gone since that night, but the psychic guessed Magda had recovered, but pretended she was still catatonic.
I hope someone else has better or more interesting answers.
He almost did, but later.
But yeah, I agree Maurice had nothing to do with Cam's disappearance and death.
ahh thanks for that, must be seeing things, that clears that up then
yeah I get the dog was scared but why didn't he tell them he would look after him instead of give them something else to worry about.
On the gravestone it said he died in 2009.