Haven't read the book, but the impression I got from the TV series is that it shouldn't have been condensed to three parts. Neither themes nor characters seemed to be very well developed. Everything seemed rushed and skirted-over; unfocused and messy.
Exactly this. I've read the book which I really enjoyed but I think the rot set in in the first part in the tv series.
All the characters seemed to be involved almost immediately but weren't introduced in any way so we didn't know who they were, what they did or how they were involved with each other. The book had a desperately sad ending, which was deemed by the BBC to be too traumatic for the viewers so they changed it.
Wiki gives a brief synopsis of the book which helps to explain some of the things that were glossed over.
Did I miss the lesbian daughter at the party or was that also thought too shocking for a sunday night audience?
I for one am left feeling very disappointed with tonight's episode and the entire series.
I don't think the TV series does the book any justice. It was rushed, missed large parts out from the novel, makes strange changes and doesn't really go to the trouble of explaining what it's all about.
There is no in-depth portrayal of the characters either, so it's little surprise that the viewer is feeling little sympathy for the complex and problematic lives of the people on the estate.
As for the series finale, I'm really annoyed with the big changes that have been made. In the book, Robbie drowns in the river not Krystal and Fats and Krystal leave Robbie alone in the book to have sex, not just to talk and nor do they break-up or have a baby.
It's also Sukhvinder (Parminder's daughter) who we see barely anything of in the TV series (she's always on them headphones) who tries to save Robbie, not her father Vikram.
It was good but felt a bit watered down, especially the election, which seemed almost unimportant in this episode. Also, why did they change the ending? Krystal's drowning was tragic but seemed a bit randomly thrown in at the last minute, whereas the book's ending made total sense, and Krystal's death was a direct result of her environment.
Exactly this. I've read the book which I really enjoyed but I think the rot set in in the first part in the tv series.
All the characters seemed to be involved almost immediately but weren't introduced in any way so we didn't know who they were, what they did or how they were involved with each other. The book had a desperately sad ending, which was deemed by the BBC to be too traumatic for the viewers so they changed it.
No, no it wasn't. That was the writer's decision, the writer and "the BBC" (which people seem to think is one person who makes every single decision) are two separate things. In fact the production company responsible for this series and the BBC are two separate things.
It was the best episode for me, but thank god it was the last one.
This was the best episode for me too but not because I liked it. It was the best because it was the last one and I don't have to waste any more time on this utter tripe. I kept watching hoping it might make some sense. It's had plenty of hype since it was written by the 'Potter' woman so I thought it might just turn out right in the end. How wrong could I have been.
I'm a bit lost (through my own fault) had the show on record, got the first episode and 15 mins of the second and all of the last - did I miss who the "ghost" was - the one who posts all the things on the internet
Don't worry I watched all of it and still hove no idea who the ghost was.
In the book the Ghost was firstly Andrew, who accused his father of peddling stolen goods. Sukhvinder used the username to discredit her mother and Fats used it to reveal Colin's obsessive fears. Fats shoulders responsibility for all three posts, letting Andrew and Sukhvinder off the hook.
Don't worry I watched all of it and still hove no idea who the ghost was.
No, it wasn't made clear at all.
The only mention was when Andrew admitted to Fats that he was the ghost who wrote the message about his own dad Simon.
The TV series neglects to mention three other ghosts, who use the same account to discredit both the Mollisons, Parminder and Colin Wall.
In the Mollisons case, it was Patricia, their Lesbian daughter who despised them due to their lack of acceptance for her sexuality. For Parminder, Sukvinder was the ghost as she resented her mum for showing favouritism towards Jaswant and Rajpal.
And in Colin Wall's case, it was Fats, who just hated him for not being his dad, for being a hypochondriac etc... A theme in all the ghost posts is son/daughters annoyance at their parents' obsession in an election they could not care one jot about.
Fats takes the blame for the lot of them, this, at the same time his stupid actions with Krystal contributed to the death of Robbie. It didn't end well for him. He was the hated face of the community.
The only mention was when Andrew admitted to Fats that he was the ghost who wrote the message about his own dad Simon.
The TV series neglects to mention three other ghosts, who use the same account to discredit both the Mollisons, Parminder and Colin Wall.
In the Mollisons case, it was Patricia, their Lesbian daughter who despised them due to their lack of acceptance for her sexuality. For Parminder, Sukvinder was the ghost as she resented her mum for showing favouritism towards Jaswant and Rajpal.
And in Colin Wall's case, it was Fats, who just hated him for not being his dad, for being a hypochondriac etc... A theme in all the ghost posts is son/daughters annoyance at their parents' obsession in an election they could not care one jot about.
Fats takes the blame for the lot of them, this, at the same time his stupid actions with Krystal contributed to the death of Robbie. It didn't end well for him. He was the hated face of the community.
Yeah well, thanks for that but I was watching the TV miniseries and you are talking about the book. How is the viewer supposed to understand who the 'ghost' was?
In the book the Ghost was firstly Andrew, who accused his father of peddling stolen goods. Sukhvinder used the username to discredit her mother and Fats used it to reveal Colin's obsessive fears. Fats shoulders responsibility for all three posts, letting Andrew and Sukhvinder off the hook.
And the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother also filmed Howard shagging the blonde woman and uploaded that as well
I was really disappointed with the series in the whole being such a big fan fan of the book. One of my biggest gripes is how poorly Sukhvinder was written, an excellent character in the book who just sat around listening to her music the entire time. A missed opportunity, if you're going to adapt a book in my eyes you have to do it right and they didn't do this series right. It's been a disappointment
Oh Julia McKenzie has turned into an old woman all of a sudden
Both her and Michael Gambon look decrepit. They are only early 70s, surely they don't look as old as that in real life? I think she has had ageing make up on, she looks very haggard for her age in this.
And the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother also filmed Howard shagging the blonde woman and uploaded that as well
In the book Howard and Shirley's lesbian daughter comes to Howard's party and drunkenly reveals to Andrew Howard has been having an affair with the woman for decades and to cur favour with his father he made the post exposing the affair. Personally I preferred it that way, it made sense
Both her and Michael Gambon look decrepit. They are only early 70s, surely they don't look as old as that in real life? I think she has had ageing make up on, she looks very haggard for her age in this.
And the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother also filmed Howard shagging the blonde woman and uploaded that as well
We we did see Andrew storming away from Fats and Gaia kissing, stumbling upon Howard and the woman plus Shirley confronting Howard with the footage, though.
I seem to remember in the book (haven't read since it was released), which wasnt in the show:
-Andrew showed his dad how to post as the ghost for him to take revenge on someone else. I'm think he mit have been fired,mans Andrew was trying to make amends?
-In the book Sukhvinder was also cutting herself and hiding it from her parents. She was at the river and tried to save Robbie, but she was injured by the TV.
-Obbo rapes Krystal which causes her to return to Fats. She would then pretend she was pregnant with his baby. It is then that Robbie drowns whilst they are doing their business
-Colin was more clearly unstable
-the Fairbrothers had children
-Keeley Hawes character became obsessed with a boyband and was going to take her daughters to see them (the same night as the party?)
-Krystal hated Sukhvinder - she believes Parminder was responsible for the death of her Grandmother
-Andrew showed his dad how to post as the ghost for him to take revenge on someone else. I'm think he mit have been fired,mans Andrew was trying to make amends?
-In the book Sukhvinder was also cutting herself and hiding it from her parents. She was at the river and tried to save Robbie, but she was injured by the TV.
Yeah, Andrew and the family were moving to Reading and Andrew felt a certain affinity towards his dad for once and showed him how to do it. Ultimately it ended up making Andrew culpable for helping Fats with the other posts and his sad beat him up in the end for it which was ironic.
I was really disappointed with how they went about Sukhvinder, she was possibly the only decent and pure character in the entire original book.
I'd already heard about the ending of the book and I expected them to take out the death of Robbie. The trouble with it was the whole thing seemed to have no focus. I was watching with my Mum (who had read the book) and she told me that although confusing the book came together at the end almost like 'An Inspector Calls' in which everyone in town knew Krystle and felt in some small way responsible for her and her brother's death, with the whole thing culminating in their funeral.
This adaptation just didn't have that feeling, there were loads of unnecessary scenes post Kyrstle's death which only served to take away from the importance of it. That should have been the ending, the climax! Instead it just meandered on with the focus being more on the town as an identity, I think that was the wrong choice.
The story of Krystle and Robbie actually put me in mind of Studio Ghibli's anime classic 'Grave of the Fireflies'. Although it's an odd comparison to make and the situations and style couldn't be more different the themes are the same: The heartbreaking story of a teenage sibling desperately trying to take care of their young Brother/sister culminating in both their tragic deaths. The point I'm trying to make is that that was an extremely powerful film and if the book and this adaptation of The Casual Vacancy had just been focused on Krystle we would have had a far more powerful story in my opinion. The actress playing Krystle was remarkable, I expect this isn't the last we've seen of her.
Comments
Exactly this. I've read the book which I really enjoyed but I think the rot set in in the first part in the tv series.
All the characters seemed to be involved almost immediately but weren't introduced in any way so we didn't know who they were, what they did or how they were involved with each other. The book had a desperately sad ending, which was deemed by the BBC to be too traumatic for the viewers so they changed it.
I think it totally goes back to the lack of episodes, three hours was not enough.
Did I miss the lesbian daughter at the party or was that also thought too shocking for a sunday night audience?
I don't think the TV series does the book any justice. It was rushed, missed large parts out from the novel, makes strange changes and doesn't really go to the trouble of explaining what it's all about.
There is no in-depth portrayal of the characters either, so it's little surprise that the viewer is feeling little sympathy for the complex and problematic lives of the people on the estate.
As for the series finale, I'm really annoyed with the big changes that have been made. In the book, Robbie drowns in the river not Krystal and Fats and Krystal leave Robbie alone in the book to have sex, not just to talk and nor do they break-up or have a baby.
It's also Sukhvinder (Parminder's daughter) who we see barely anything of in the TV series (she's always on them headphones) who tries to save Robbie, not her father Vikram.
Overall - Poor.
No, no it wasn't. That was the writer's decision, the writer and "the BBC" (which people seem to think is one person who makes every single decision) are two separate things. In fact the production company responsible for this series and the BBC are two separate things.
This was the best episode for me too but not because I liked it. It was the best because it was the last one and I don't have to waste any more time on this utter tripe. I kept watching hoping it might make some sense. It's had plenty of hype since it was written by the 'Potter' woman so I thought it might just turn out right in the end. How wrong could I have been.
Don't worry I watched all of it and still hove no idea who the ghost was.
No, it wasn't made clear at all.
The only mention was when Andrew admitted to Fats that he was the ghost who wrote the message about his own dad Simon.
The TV series neglects to mention three other ghosts, who use the same account to discredit both the Mollisons, Parminder and Colin Wall.
In the Mollisons case, it was Patricia, their Lesbian daughter who despised them due to their lack of acceptance for her sexuality. For Parminder, Sukvinder was the ghost as she resented her mum for showing favouritism towards Jaswant and Rajpal.
And in Colin Wall's case, it was Fats, who just hated him for not being his dad, for being a hypochondriac etc... A theme in all the ghost posts is son/daughters annoyance at their parents' obsession in an election they could not care one jot about.
Fats takes the blame for the lot of them, this, at the same time his stupid actions with Krystal contributed to the death of Robbie. It didn't end well for him. He was the hated face of the community.
Yeah well, thanks for that but I was watching the TV miniseries and you are talking about the book. How is the viewer supposed to understand who the 'ghost' was?
And the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother also filmed Howard shagging the blonde woman and uploaded that as well
Both her and Michael Gambon look decrepit. They are only early 70s, surely they don't look as old as that in real life? I think she has had ageing make up on, she looks very haggard for her age in this.
In the book Howard and Shirley's lesbian daughter comes to Howard's party and drunkenly reveals to Andrew Howard has been having an affair with the woman for decades and to cur favour with his father he made the post exposing the affair. Personally I preferred it that way, it made sense
They are both 74 which is very old !
We we did see Andrew storming away from Fats and Gaia kissing, stumbling upon Howard and the woman plus Shirley confronting Howard with the footage, though.
-Andrew showed his dad how to post as the ghost for him to take revenge on someone else. I'm think he mit have been fired,mans Andrew was trying to make amends?
-In the book Sukhvinder was also cutting herself and hiding it from her parents. She was at the river and tried to save Robbie, but she was injured by the TV.
-Obbo rapes Krystal which causes her to return to Fats. She would then pretend she was pregnant with his baby. It is then that Robbie drowns whilst they are doing their business
-Colin was more clearly unstable
-the Fairbrothers had children
-Keeley Hawes character became obsessed with a boyband and was going to take her daughters to see them (the same night as the party?)
-Krystal hated Sukhvinder - she believes Parminder was responsible for the death of her Grandmother
Yeah, Andrew and the family were moving to Reading and Andrew felt a certain affinity towards his dad for once and showed him how to do it. Ultimately it ended up making Andrew culpable for helping Fats with the other posts and his sad beat him up in the end for it which was ironic.
I was really disappointed with how they went about Sukhvinder, she was possibly the only decent and pure character in the entire original book.
This adaptation just didn't have that feeling, there were loads of unnecessary scenes post Kyrstle's death which only served to take away from the importance of it. That should have been the ending, the climax! Instead it just meandered on with the focus being more on the town as an identity, I think that was the wrong choice.
The story of Krystle and Robbie actually put me in mind of Studio Ghibli's anime classic 'Grave of the Fireflies'. Although it's an odd comparison to make and the situations and style couldn't be more different the themes are the same: The heartbreaking story of a teenage sibling desperately trying to take care of their young Brother/sister culminating in both their tragic deaths. The point I'm trying to make is that that was an extremely powerful film and if the book and this adaptation of The Casual Vacancy had just been focused on Krystle we would have had a far more powerful story in my opinion. The actress playing Krystle was remarkable, I expect this isn't the last we've seen of her.
Just one observation: the actress who played Krystal has the smallest head I've ever seen on an adult human.