I have to say that my opinion of The Fixer is gradually dropping.
The first episode was a promising start, the second one had somewhat confused storytelling - and this week's was pretty unsatisfying.
I think that perhaps the biggest problem is the running time. The Fixer is the same kind of hokum as Spooks - but Spooks has an extra 12-15 minutes (approx) running time.
That means they have more time to let the plot and characters develop.
This week, virtually every scene seemed to be designed to propel the plot at far to fast a speed.
eg, Outhwaite's character gets kidnapped. In the next scene the Fixer gets told by his boss that this has happened.
Then in the main 'action scene' The Fixer simply walks through the front door of the enemy stronghold, shouts at some people and blows the main villain of the piece away.
I'm not exactly expecting TV gold, but it just seems rushed. I wish they'd give a little more space to breathe.
I know what you mean. I was quite surprised at how quickly Mercer dispatched everyone, but I ended up feeling quite refreshed by that, rather than have a five or ten minute stand off while she had a knife held to her throat.
Yet another great episode last night, I am really enjoying this series. Did I miss an episode last week? The last one I saw, before last night, was the one with the guy that was killed by Calum in Mercer's flat, after he ripped his picture of his mum
Yet another great episode last night, I am really enjoying this series. Did I miss an episode last week? The last one I saw, before last night, was the one with the guy that was killed by Calum in Mercer's flat, after he ripped his picture of his mum
Was it off for a couple of weeks after that?
No I think you must have missed one. There was one last week where Tamzin Outhwaite's character got kidnapped... I'm sure it'll be on the ITV catch-up thing tho if you want to watch it...
Yeah he is a great character. Altho they're all great characters; well maybe with the exception of john mercer himself...! I haven't quite got to grips with him yet... but maybe that's the idea...
I really liked last night's episode. Good mix of tension and dry humour
Like the fact too that it was complicated and you had to concentrate in order to follow what was going on. Rarely does anything on ITV hold my undivided attention like The Fixer does
I think the Fixer is getting better, and better each week. The key to it all seems to be the relationship between Mercer and Callum. A couple of weeks ago, Callum had no loyalty to anyone, and was obviously doing Mercer's head in...Last night, despite being threatened by Lenny, Callum didn't reveal where Glover was being kept by Mercer, and it's clear that Callum looks up to Mercer and is becoming loyal to him. Mercer despite being an assassain has a need to take care of people - his sister, Rose, Callum, and the murdered woman's mother last night. In that regard, he reminds me of Schofield in Prison Break...does what is necessary, but tortured by it. His hatred for Lenny looks close to boiling over at any moment. I suspect that it might happen before the end of the series. The trailer for episode 5 looks great, and I really believe that this is a series that will be even better in season 2. I hope the viewing figures are good enough - 4.5 million viewers last night...for ITV that's got to be a hit.
I think the Fixer is getting better, and better each week. The key to it all seems to be the relationship between Mercer and Callum. A couple of weeks ago, Callum had no loyalty to anyone, and was obviously doing Mercer's head in...Last night, despite being threatened by Lenny, Callum didn't reveal where Glover was being kept by Mercer, and it's clear that Callum looks up to Mercer and is becoming loyal to him. Mercer despite being an assassain has a need to take care of people - his sister, Rose, Callum, and the murdered woman's mother last night. In that regard, he reminds me of Schofield in Prison Break...does what is necessary, but tortured by it. His hatred for Lenny looks close to boiling over at any moment. I suspect that it might happen before the end of the series. The trailer for episode 5 looks great, and I really believe that this is a series that will be even better in season 2. I hope the viewing figures are good enough - 4.5 million viewers last night...for ITV that's got to be a hit.
It should get a recomission from that. I love it - a superb drama.
To be fair, I can't see that they have the time with the weekly villains to give them much depth, but I will be severely disappointed if they don't give Mercer a lot more development as the series goes on. They're doing well with the lead and Callum. I was so-so on the first episode but I am being drawn in and liking it more and more.
I too missed the TO kidnapping episode and I can't get ITV's player to work (despite having no problem with the Beeb's iPlayer). Can anyone give or point me to a summary?
Really enjoying The Fixer, but the damn breaks do my head in! Ruin the immersion and mean the overall running time is shorter, and it really could be doing with being longer...
To be fair, I can't see that they have the time with the weekly villains to give them much depth, but I will be severely disappointed if they don't give Mercer a lot more development as the series goes on. They're doing well with the lead and Callum. I was so-so on the first episode but I am being drawn in and liking it more and more.
I agree. I find their developing relationship far more interesting than the one between Mercer and Rose.
I too missed the TO kidnapping episode and I can't get ITV's player to work (despite having no problem with the Beeb's iPlayer). Can anyone give or point me to a summary?
I just tried it and all I had to do was choose 'instant access' and it started playing - well after a bunch of adverts. :rolleyes: Might be worth another go, maybe it was having a blip when you tried it earlier.
if the series is realistic, callum will assassinate john and inherit his role
but i hope it will just be a silly romance with a happy ending
i saw john in party animals and i look forward to much more of his acting
Why would Callum assasinate John? If you have watched the show you will see that Callum doesn't like or want to kill anyone, in fact it isn't in his nature to be violent. It is one of the ways he is different to John, because they have different moral compasses.
Why would Callum assasinate John? If you have watched the show you will see that Callum doesn't like or want to kill anyone, in fact it isn't in his nature to be violent. It is one of the ways he is different to John, because they have different moral compasses.
yeah but realism is about people being coerced by situation.
what has callum got to hang to if the head guy turns round and gives him a few more vulcan grips?
that's how fear and violence dehumanise, and that is the world that is being protrayed.
maybe that's existentialist but on a lesser plane isn't that what life is? a series of compromises and making the best of it? or do you think a social worker would turn up and put callum in a half-way hostel?
but since the last episode ended with john saying that he was on the side of the angels in a power struggle between brits and armenians, i'm guessing the ending will not be so unpatriotic as to kill off the best hero we've had since indiana jones!
yeah but realism is about people being coerced by situation.
what has callum got to hang to if the head guy turns round and gives him a few more vulcan grips?
that's how fear and violence dehumanise, and that is the world that is being protrayed.
maybe that's existentialist but on a lesser plane isn't that what life is? a series of compromises and making the best of it? or do you think a social worker would turn up and put callum in a half-way hostel?
but since the last episode ended with john saying that he was on the side of the angels in a power struggle between brits and armenians, i'm guessing the ending will not be so unpatriotic as to kill off the best hero we've had since indiana jones!
I understand you are saying that Lenny could try and coerce Callum into killing John but in the last episode when Lenny hurt and threatened Callum to try and get him to reveal the location that John had the baddy, Callum didn't tell him it showed that Callum will not betray his friend easily.
I also think if it came to the crunch and Callum had a gun in his hand and pointed it at John..his hands would shake and he wouldn't pull the trigger.
but since the last episode ended with john saying that he was on the side of the angels in a power struggle between brits and armenians, i'm guessing the ending will not be so unpatriotic as to kill off the best hero we've had since indiana jones!
I really didn't like that line. Generally the dialogue has been excellent but there was something about that line that really jarred for me.
Losing the hero is an interesting concept - though I hope it doesn't happen! Not yet anyway, but it could be a dramatic end if Andrew Buchan wanted to leave the series. I think I'd rather Mercer escaped Lenny's clutches and lived though.
Much depends on the programme makers. Party Animals was by some of the same people and there has been no sequel yet. So, if they don't intend for The Fixer to run into a second series, they could be quite dramatic. Which way the drama would go, depends on what the writers want to say. Maybe they just want to entertain or maybe they want to make a statement. I thought the 'side of the angels' line, was quite political. So, they could give us a shock ending to shock us into vigilence! The recent series about a totalitarian world/virus was scary. :rolleyes:
Comments
I know what you mean. I was quite surprised at how quickly Mercer dispatched everyone, but I ended up feeling quite refreshed by that, rather than have a five or ten minute stand off while she had a knife held to her throat.
Yes I agree with you. I do think this show is getting better and better.
I do feel sorry for the young lad though (im hopeless at names). The one that went to find his mum.
Was it off for a couple of weeks after that?
No I think you must have missed one. There was one last week where Tamzin Outhwaite's character got kidnapped... I'm sure it'll be on the ITV catch-up thing tho if you want to watch it...
Callum.
That'll be the one
Yeah he is a great character. Altho they're all great characters; well maybe with the exception of john mercer himself...!
Like the fact too that it was complicated and you had to concentrate in order to follow what was going on. Rarely does anything on ITV hold my undivided attention like The Fixer does
It should get a recomission from that. I love it - a superb drama.
use the free ITV.com catchup service, thats your best bet.
A true sign of real character depth.
To be fair, I can't see that they have the time with the weekly villains to give them much depth, but I will be severely disappointed if they don't give Mercer a lot more development as the series goes on. They're doing well with the lead and Callum. I was so-so on the first episode but I am being drawn in and liking it more and more.
I too missed the TO kidnapping episode and I can't get ITV's player to work (despite having no problem with the Beeb's iPlayer). Can anyone give or point me to a summary?
but i hope it will just be a silly romance with a happy ending
i saw john in party animals and i look forward to much more of his acting
Why would Callum assasinate John? If you have watched the show you will see that Callum doesn't like or want to kill anyone, in fact it isn't in his nature to be violent. It is one of the ways he is different to John, because they have different moral compasses.
yeah but realism is about people being coerced by situation.
what has callum got to hang to if the head guy turns round and gives him a few more vulcan grips?
that's how fear and violence dehumanise, and that is the world that is being protrayed.
maybe that's existentialist but on a lesser plane isn't that what life is? a series of compromises and making the best of it? or do you think a social worker would turn up and put callum in a half-way hostel?
but since the last episode ended with john saying that he was on the side of the angels in a power struggle between brits and armenians, i'm guessing the ending will not be so unpatriotic as to kill off the best hero we've had since indiana jones!
I understand you are saying that Lenny could try and coerce Callum into killing John but in the last episode when Lenny hurt and threatened Callum to try and get him to reveal the location that John had the baddy, Callum didn't tell him it showed that Callum will not betray his friend easily.
I also think if it came to the crunch and Callum had a gun in his hand and pointed it at John..his hands would shake and he wouldn't pull the trigger.
My two cents.
I really didn't like that line. Generally the dialogue has been excellent but there was something about that line that really jarred for me.
Losing the hero is an interesting concept - though I hope it doesn't happen! Not yet anyway, but it could be a dramatic end if Andrew Buchan wanted to leave the series. I think I'd rather Mercer escaped Lenny's clutches and lived though.