I thought the first episode was decent enough, demonstrated potential but the 2nd was disappointing and as others have said, didn't really move the story along. You know you've wasted your time when you know by more about the programme afterwards than before you started!
The best thing about it was the Game of Thrones trailer in the ad breaks!
Its perplexing and incomprehensible and utterly fascinating.
I have no idea why Im watching it but I am.
As others said, episode 2 was about nothing in a landscape of nothingness with characters who have no identity. I should hate it but I dont.
That dinner scene with three characters who said nothing for its entire duration was hilarious and weird...like a mime.
Maybe in the end it will be about something or nothing. I dont care. I just want to find out.
I watched about 45 mins then switched over to see what was going on in Pompei on BBC 4. I just don't find it all that captivating, perhaps because the place seems so odd with a community in the middle of nowhere full of people with all sorts of English accents (all of this can be explained by the presence of mine that employees around a dozen people apparenty). The entire story just has the feel of somebody who wants to make a stereotypical Scandinavian crime drama.
It was a bit sloppy that Stanley Tucci was able to use a Sky+ remote control to operate something that clearly wasn't a Sky TV box.
A sky box would also turn onto standby after afew hours so they wouldn't know where Charlie paused 5 hours later let alone 35 as it gave!
I'm interested in the story. I record and watch later on so I can skip the adverts. I agree with another poster I don't think it's about the hotel or the mammoth at all I think it's something we don't know about yet. It's also been suggested a lot of adultery goes on in the town, who is shagging who..? Dan took a very unhealthy interest in Elena
Wind chimes are a sign of willingness to shag around - there were chimes outside Ecclestone's place and the baldy detective worked out that the governor's hubby was shagging Ecclestone's wife - I think that's what made for the silent dinner .
I'm guessing Frank was up for this added bonus of living here but not so his wife!
I enjoyed the first episode but just watched episode 2 and it was the most boring hour of TV I've seen for ages, absolutely nothing of note happened. I'll give the next one a try but it better pick up or I'm out of here.
Wind chimes are a sign of willingness to shag around - there were chimes outside Ecclestone's place and the baldy detective worked out that the governor's hubby was shagging Ecclestone's wife - I think that's what made for the silent dinner .
I'm guessing Frank was up for this added bonus of living here but not so his wife!
The wind chimes significance is the only part of this load of claptrap that makes any sense to me . I've enjoyed watching The Wire , Breaking Bad and even Deadwood but this is just too disjointed for my liking and I can't take to any of the characters either .
The opening section of episode two showed the significant points of the first episode and even those looked as though a two year old kid had selected them randomly from a pile of clips .
Can't disagree with any of your points. But would like to add a couple more:
Fortitude is 'sold' as the safest town in the world, with just 750 (or so) people, where there is no crime. SO:
1) Why do they have such a huge civic facility for the governor?
2) If there is 'no crime' why do they have such a big police force?
It's the little faults that bother me tbh. When the English detective saw the prisoner being led out ,handcuffed , he asked him if he'd spoken to a solicitor or had 'his phone call ' and when the guy said he hadn't had either - rather than making a fuss or helping him out he simply passed him a business card .
The overall filming of the show was good and I thought it was well executed.....
I don't think I will be watching again sadly and I wanted to enjoy it.....but the following reasons were deal breakers for me.....
1. Glaring errors in continuity... The Terminally ill character running through the nightclub with a lighted letter which was burning brightly and pretty fully, then the next scene he lays it in the snow and there is only a third of it gone....maybe this was me but it pulled me out the story.....another with the detective with a torch initially in a bright room.....
2. More of a deal breaker for me was the lack of any sympathy or likeability at all for any of the characters at all....there were all much of a muchness, maybe the fault of the script however.....
3. You had to watch it and fill in sections of story yourself, maybe intentionally but doesn't help following the story. One such scene the ill child leaving the house through the window to find his father...the next you see him tucked up in bed and screams out and his feet are in an awful state.....they could have at least shown him climbing back through the window but maybe again that's me being thick (or perhaps I dozed off and he did climb back through)
I have so much other stuff to watch that I don't feel like neglecting to give this another chance, will wait for reviews and opinions of future episodes to give it another try....
Lordy, it doesn't take much to put you off does it?
The reason you didn't see the boy climb back in is because you weren't meant to, weren't meant to know where he was at the point his dad then mum got home.
Dad had blood, presumably from bitey sex with the strange girl, but he was rushing to hide his clothes and wash her smell off him. He never checked on the boy at all, so as far as we the viewer are aware, the boy is not there when the mum gets home.
This leads to suspense as we expect her to go ballistic that he has run off but no, it's a false alarm. He IS there after all, but after a time, the frostbite kicks in as his feet thaw and the pain hits.
You had to watch it and fill in sections of story yourself, maybe intentionally but doesn't help following the story
It's the little faults that bother me tbh. When the English detective saw the prisoner being led out ,handcuffed , he asked him if he'd spoken to a solicitor or had 'his phone call ' and when the guy said he hadn't had either - rather than making a fuss or helping him out he simply passed him a business card .
I think that's because he gave him his own phone number and didn't want the other office to see that;s what he was doing.
I'm not convinced the Christopher Ecclestons's character is dead. We saw him have some sort of fit in the ambulance but did we see him die?
The other doctor treated the kid seems completely dodgy to me.
More confusion tonight. Am I right in thinking the waitress bonking the father of the sick child ( ep three and I still can't remember any of their character names) was revealed at the end as being an undercover cop !!!! Either that or the word police under her photo was a mugshot, I couldn't tell. Police chief is gagging for a ride and is putrid with jealousy that he heard them both bonking and thats why he almost pulverized him in the shower at the end.
So where are we by the end of ep 3. Wife of dead scientist knows governor wiped his message off her phone and even thinks she had hubby killed. Visiting policeman tells governor this. Governor then takes Charlie's (I remembered his name !!) original report passing the hotel and prepares to send it to the proper authorities and widow confronts her, which rattles Governor.
Visiting policeman finds some kind of sonar report in Charlies house, but does not know what it refers to. Sends the details to London for them to investigate. The pair of boys dragged in the previous week for not having a gun on the ice are connected to this and are also looking for this report. When Charlie left a message on the wife's phone saying something amazing had been found, which would change everything, are we all assuming wrongly he is talking about the mammoth when in fact those ground sonar readings could be the discovery of big reserves or oil or natural gas or some such element.
Man with daughter who robbed the mammoth takes off with her in the dead of night, goes on a boat and hides daughter in cabin, going back to saw off the mammoth's tusk in the hope of escaping to Norway and sell the tusk. Can't see this going well considering the fact that they found his anti psychotic drugs still at his house.
I think most of these side stories will end up having NOTHING to do with Charlie's death. If someone had to kill him, why fillet him. Why leave him looking like his entire intestines had been ripped out. I get why they would do that out in the open, it would look like a bear attack, but to do it in his living room in a locked house does not make sense. To attack him so viciously and so hands on is personal, is filled with anger. Who did Charlie piss off so badly to have a death like that. Another week of confused madness to look forward to next week to see if we get another hint.
Sorry but this is a complete snorefest to me. 3 episodes in (4 if you count the pilot as 2) and I feel like the plot hasn't progressed by one inch. I've seen glaciers move at faster speeds.
I think that's because he gave him his own phone number and didn't want the other office to see that;s what he was doing.
I'm not convinced the Christopher Ecclestons's character is dead. We saw him have some sort of fit in the ambulance but did we see him die?
The other doctor treated the kid seems completely dodgy to me.
I think you could be onto something there. It surprised me that someone of Eccleston's profile would sign up for something where he is bumped off half way through the first ep. I can actually see a shocking dramatic return near the end.
I think you could be onto something there. It surprised me that someone of Eccleston's profile would sign up for something where he is bumped off half way through the first ep. I can actually see a shocking dramatic return near the end.
Maybe he could just appear in a couple of flashbacks or something?
If they money was right, why not turn up for a couple of days shooting I guess.
One problem I'm having with this show is that all the characters are pretty much detestable.
I agree the characters are difficult to like. .but its so bleak where they live I don't think I'd be a barrel of laughs. .I love a skiing holiday with the reflected sun on my face or a week of snow for the kids to play in at home. .but the cold and dark there depresses me. .
The hospital and police holding cells look one and the same.
That said im enjoying the series so far. .even if I do get wrapped up to watch it and turn the heating on full!
Sorry but this is a complete snorefest to me. 3 episodes in (4 if you count the pilot as 2) and I feel like the plot hasn't progressed by one inch. I've seen glaciers move at faster speeds.
Uh oh, I haven't watched Episode 3 yet but it sounds as boring as Episode 2! It's in danger or turning into a very expensive flop.
Comments
The best thing about it was the Game of Thrones trailer in the ad breaks!
I have no idea why Im watching it but I am.
As others said, episode 2 was about nothing in a landscape of nothingness with characters who have no identity. I should hate it but I dont.
That dinner scene with three characters who said nothing for its entire duration was hilarious and weird...like a mime.
Maybe in the end it will be about something or nothing. I dont care. I just want to find out.
A sky box would also turn onto standby after afew hours so they wouldn't know where Charlie paused 5 hours later let alone 35 as it gave!
I'm interested in the story. I record and watch later on so I can skip the adverts. I agree with another poster I don't think it's about the hotel or the mammoth at all I think it's something we don't know about yet. It's also been suggested a lot of adultery goes on in the town, who is shagging who..? Dan took a very unhealthy interest in Elena
I'm guessing Frank was up for this added bonus of living here but not so his wife!
But there's too many questions. Too much mystery. Just give us a few points to keep us going.
We've been introduced to so many new characters all in one go too. When referred by name only - I don't know who's literally f**king who!
I think I'm giving it my 100% attention, I'm sure I am. But I'm struggling.
Its as wondering as Richard Dormer's Nordic accent.
The wind chimes significance is the only part of this load of claptrap that makes any sense to me . I've enjoyed watching The Wire , Breaking Bad and even Deadwood but this is just too disjointed for my liking and I can't take to any of the characters either .
The opening section of episode two showed the significant points of the first episode and even those looked as though a two year old kid had selected them randomly from a pile of clips .
Even the theme tune is absolute tosh .
It's the little faults that bother me tbh. When the English detective saw the prisoner being led out ,handcuffed , he asked him if he'd spoken to a solicitor or had 'his phone call ' and when the guy said he hadn't had either - rather than making a fuss or helping him out he simply passed him a business card .
Lordy, it doesn't take much to put you off does it?
The reason you didn't see the boy climb back in is because you weren't meant to, weren't meant to know where he was at the point his dad then mum got home.
Dad had blood, presumably from bitey sex with the strange girl, but he was rushing to hide his clothes and wash her smell off him. He never checked on the boy at all, so as far as we the viewer are aware, the boy is not there when the mum gets home.
This leads to suspense as we expect her to go ballistic that he has run off but no, it's a false alarm. He IS there after all, but after a time, the frostbite kicks in as his feet thaw and the pain hits.
Yes, that's how drama works.
I think that's because he gave him his own phone number and didn't want the other office to see that;s what he was doing.
I'm not convinced the Christopher Ecclestons's character is dead. We saw him have some sort of fit in the ambulance but did we see him die?
The other doctor treated the kid seems completely dodgy to me.
The Eccleston character is regenerating because he is the Doctor!
So where are we by the end of ep 3. Wife of dead scientist knows governor wiped his message off her phone and even thinks she had hubby killed. Visiting policeman tells governor this. Governor then takes Charlie's (I remembered his name !!) original report passing the hotel and prepares to send it to the proper authorities and widow confronts her, which rattles Governor.
Visiting policeman finds some kind of sonar report in Charlies house, but does not know what it refers to. Sends the details to London for them to investigate. The pair of boys dragged in the previous week for not having a gun on the ice are connected to this and are also looking for this report. When Charlie left a message on the wife's phone saying something amazing had been found, which would change everything, are we all assuming wrongly he is talking about the mammoth when in fact those ground sonar readings could be the discovery of big reserves or oil or natural gas or some such element.
Man with daughter who robbed the mammoth takes off with her in the dead of night, goes on a boat and hides daughter in cabin, going back to saw off the mammoth's tusk in the hope of escaping to Norway and sell the tusk. Can't see this going well considering the fact that they found his anti psychotic drugs still at his house.
I think most of these side stories will end up having NOTHING to do with Charlie's death. If someone had to kill him, why fillet him. Why leave him looking like his entire intestines had been ripped out. I get why they would do that out in the open, it would look like a bear attack, but to do it in his living room in a locked house does not make sense. To attack him so viciously and so hands on is personal, is filled with anger. Who did Charlie piss off so badly to have a death like that. Another week of confused madness to look forward to next week to see if we get another hint.
I think you could be onto something there. It surprised me that someone of Eccleston's profile would sign up for something where he is bumped off half way through the first ep. I can actually see a shocking dramatic return near the end.
If they money was right, why not turn up for a couple of days shooting I guess.
One problem I'm having with this show is that all the characters are pretty much detestable.
I agree the characters are difficult to like. .but its so bleak where they live I don't think I'd be a barrel of laughs. .I love a skiing holiday with the reflected sun on my face or a week of snow for the kids to play in at home. .but the cold and dark there depresses me. .
The hospital and police holding cells look one and the same.
That said im enjoying the series so far. .even if I do get wrapped up to watch it and turn the heating on full!
which is obviously wrong - as he has only been in 1 of the first 3......
This series for me has the same failing as The leftovers - zero empathy for any of the characters
As others have allueded to, there isn't one single character with any redeeming features.
Uh oh, I haven't watched Episode 3 yet but it sounds as boring as Episode 2! It's in danger or turning into a very expensive flop.