Cannot understand people who want to opt out as early on as episode two .
Surely the whole point of a drama like this is for it to tease backwards and forwards inducing an audience who are willing to watch a plot enfold gradually into speculation and finally anticipating a finale worthy of time spent .
Cannot understand people who want to opt out as early on as episode two .
Surely the whole point of a drama like this is for it to tease backwards and forwards inducing an audience who are willing to watch a plot enfold gradually into speculation and finally anticipating a finale worthy of time spent .
Yes but there are good and bad ways of TV shows doing what you describe. I'm not sure if Honourable Woman is doing it particularly well.
I'll stick with it for now, but I'm not too impressed with it so far.
Even I saw his death coming - he didn't have great instincts did he?!
Anyone could have seen that coming no disrespect , except someone who just doesn't follow this kind of conspiracy drama. He was well set up there ! No wonder she was wailing saying she'd done something terrible.
Big surprise for me was the revelation about the kidnap driver.
All in all I thought this episode was uncomplicated.
I thought it was interesting that Genevieve O'Reilly said 'our employer' when talking to the bodyguard in the lift. Makes me think they weren't really working for Maggie. They said 'her' a few times but not at that point.
Was that woman trying to give the bodyguard a clue that he was being set up, with all that nonsense about "she works in a stone factory doing the books at night"? And he was suddenly too stupid to realise it made no sense, or even to check that it was a stone factory? Up till then he had been very clever, hadn't he?
My daughter interrupted just when the police were saying what DNA they had got from the toothbrush; can someone tell me what they said, please? I gathered from what Ephra said later on that it wasn't Kasim's toothbrush and Atika had put it in her own mouth to get her DNA onto it, but what did the police say, something about the father's DNA not being on it?
Wouldn't the police start to get suspicious about this whole kidnapping thing by now, with no message from the kidnappers (or have I missed it?) and the family seeming to be obstructing them in trying to get a sample of Kasim's DNA. Will they start to think that the family are involved in Kasim's disappearance? Also, do they still believe that the best course of action is to keep the kidnapping secret? How long will they wait to hear from the kidnappers before deciding it would be better to ask the public for help?
Did she have her own bodyguard killed? Seriously. What?
That's how I saw it . She got the info about where he was going ? She wept and wailed to Atika that she'd done something bad? [that was after the phone call from the voice asking if her secret was safe ]
I’m sure, along the way, we will meet the father/s, who may even be connected with the Palestinian Authority. Logically, the appearance of father/s will be the midpoint twist late in E4 or early in E5. Fwiw, I'm still leaning towards Stockholm Syndrome rather than rape, though Blick is so smart you have to think it's going to be more complicated than a binary choice.
I can almost feel the egg on my face already .....
Too right he is smart. Anyone who can understand the complexity of the British pension schemes should have a PhD IMO!:D
Was that woman trying to give the bodyguard a clue that he was being set up, with all that nonsense about "she works in a stone factory doing the books at night"? And he was suddenly too stupid to realise it made no sense, or even to check that it was a stone factory? Up till then he had been very clever, hadn't he?
My daughter interrupted just when the police were saying what DNA they had got from the toothbrush; can someone tell me what they said, please? I gathered from what Ephra said later on that it wasn't Kasim's toothbrush and Atika had put it in her own mouth to get her DNA onto it, but what did the police say, something about the father's DNA not being on it?
Wouldn't the police start to get suspicious about this whole kidnapping thing by now, with no message from the kidnappers (or have I missed it?) and the family seeming to be obstructing them in trying to get a sample of Kasim's DNA. Will they start to think that the family are involved in Kasim's disappearance? Also, do they still believe that the best course of action is to keep the kidnapping secret? How long will they wait to hear from the kidnappers before deciding it would be better to ask the public for help?
Basically she bought a new toothbrush which she used. It thus only had her DNA on it. When Ephra confronted her with the proof that the driver was a woman, so obviously not Kassim's father as she'd been persisting with claiming, it went to a flashback featuring a lingering shot of the kidnapper's, implying that one of them was the father.
Daddy has maybe taken his little boy back? Or not. Hard to tell at this stage!
That really made me laugh out loud (to coin a phrase).
The otherwise excellent The Shadow Line was let down by that scene on the yacht. I nearly put my boot through the telly at the end of that scene!
The rest of your post was excellent.
Thus far, no kettle's have been boiled within sight of a shotgun in The Honourable Woman
Similar fate's for Tobias Menzies, though. He must insist on it being written into his contact..."look, I really enjoy death scene's, so you'd better kill me off, or I won't sign on to do it".
I wasn't that impressed with the second episode, but I thought the third episode got this series back on track again.
Not as good as The Shadow Line but still the best thing on TV at the moment.
It's close between this and Utopia for me. I think this is just winning so far, but that might change as Utopia gets going. That's not quite as good as it's first series so far, but then, Stephen Rea isn't in it anymore. I loved Shadow Line, but the dialogue was slightly too clunky. I think The Honourable Woman is slightly better and I think that the "big" storyline will prove to be more substantial. Gatehouse kinda made The Shadow Line for me (ahem). Although I did love Jay Wratten too with his "naughty tackles" and such phrases. Need more Rea in this for it to get better!
Oh yeah, and Edge of Darkness too, of course. 3 cracking conspiracy drama's on air at once, happy days.
Honourable Woman; I'm watching here as a friend of mine is watching it in New York, and we've compared notes which are probably the same as anyone elses in parts.
Nessa isn't an angel, she might even be a psychopath.
Hugh tells off his subordinate for being caught with his pants down; who by? Nessa took them off presumably, but they should be commended for having sex without removing any. How did Hugh know they'd had sex?
Her Bodyguard; write into the script he had instincts for danger, and he can't see he's been set up, when all it needed was a great big neon sign at the abattoir to say 'You're going to die'. C'mon! Script writer get bored with him and decided to make it really unbelievable?
I think Kasim is really Nessa's son, my friend in NY isn't sure one way or the other. Father is the assassin (who might be ex or current Mossad)
It's so disjointed that I think it will be all about which broadband supplier gives the best value. It wouldn't surprise me if the 'point' is pretty mundane.
The toothbrush thing (What were they trying to establish?) and Ephra refusing to give a DNA sample hasn't raised suspicions with the police? And a CHIEF police officer is doing the family liaison thing? Really?
I did find this a bit all over the place to start with but not in a particularly good way although I've stuck with it and am quite enjoying it now. I do however feel that Maggie Gyllenhaal is hamming it up too much like some kind of silent film actress! I have a suspicion that Kassim is Nessa's son because of the way Hugo was looking at the photographs. He kept glancing from one photo to another, then it seemed that he was drawn to the one where it looks as though Nessa could be giving the baby to Atika, then the next photo is Atika holding the baby with Nessa leaving the shot, possibly implicating some kind of handover had taken place.
Honourable Woman; I'm watching here as a friend of mine is watching it in New York, and we've compared notes which are probably the same as anyone elses in parts.
Nessa isn't an angel, she might even be a psychopath.
Hugh tells off his subordinate for being caught with his pants down; who by? Nessa took them off presumably, but they should be commended for having sex without removing any. How did Hugh know they'd had sex?
Her Bodyguard; write into the script he had instincts for danger, and he can't see he's been set up, when all it needed was a great big neon sign at the abattoir to say 'You're going to die'. C'mon! Script writer get bored with him and decided to make it really unbelievable?
I think Kasim is really Nessa's son, my friend in NY isn't sure one way or the other. Father is the assassin (who might be ex or current Mossad)
It's so disjointed that I think it will be all about which broadband supplier gives the best value. It wouldn't surprise me if the 'point' is pretty mundane.
The toothbrush thing (What were they trying to establish?) and Ephra refusing to give a DNA sample hasn't raised suspicions with the police? And a CHIEF police officer is doing the family liaison thing? Really?
No. Shadowlands was the film about C.S. Lewis starring Anthony Hopkins.
Fwiw, I have to re-watch before forming a view on this.
Atm, it seems reasonably clear the stone factory was this weeks taxi journey. Whatever else it is, it's intentional.
It seems Blick likes a particular structure, perhaps one that involves almost independent vignettes through which the story flows. Maybe these are of a somewhat surreal bent - I might be pushing it but perhaps even with shades of Samual Beckett.
I wonder if that general, theatre-based, slightly absurdist sensibility is also the key to the character of, at least, Hugh.
The only thing I feel sure about is Blick wants us to really work for it; as David Simon famously once said 'who needs casual viewers, *uc* casual viewers'
Anyway, going to see it again before firming up any thoughts ...
Comments
Lack of concentration when typing on my part! Thank you for pointing this error out.
Surely the whole point of a drama like this is for it to tease backwards and forwards inducing an audience who are willing to watch a plot enfold gradually into speculation and finally anticipating a finale worthy of time spent .
I'll stick with it for now, but I'm not too impressed with it so far.
The dichotomy is really that simple; no point complaining about this type of drama being on Two, it's where it's supposed to be.
I've watched both episodes twice now and looking forward to the third one .
Even I saw his death coming - he didn't have great instincts did he?!
"This doesn't look like a stone factory."
You think?
Also, Maggie's English accent reminds me of Carey Mulligan's. Very deep and regal, it's perfect for the character she's playing.
Big surprise for me was the revelation about the kidnap driver.
All in all I thought this episode was uncomplicated.
My daughter interrupted just when the police were saying what DNA they had got from the toothbrush; can someone tell me what they said, please? I gathered from what Ephra said later on that it wasn't Kasim's toothbrush and Atika had put it in her own mouth to get her DNA onto it, but what did the police say, something about the father's DNA not being on it?
Wouldn't the police start to get suspicious about this whole kidnapping thing by now, with no message from the kidnappers (or have I missed it?) and the family seeming to be obstructing them in trying to get a sample of Kasim's DNA. Will they start to think that the family are involved in Kasim's disappearance? Also, do they still believe that the best course of action is to keep the kidnapping secret? How long will they wait to hear from the kidnappers before deciding it would be better to ask the public for help?
That really made me laugh out loud (to coin a phrase).
The otherwise excellent The Shadow Line was let down by that scene on the yacht. I nearly put my boot through the telly at the end of that scene!
The rest of your post was excellent.
Too right he is smart. Anyone who can understand the complexity of the British pension schemes should have a PhD IMO!:D
i remember the hours i wasted watching The Outsiders... It was always going to get better in the next episode.
Basically she bought a new toothbrush which she used. It thus only had her DNA on it. When Ephra confronted her with the proof that the driver was a woman, so obviously not Kassim's father as she'd been persisting with claiming, it went to a flashback featuring a lingering shot of the kidnapper's, implying that one of them was the father.
Daddy has maybe taken his little boy back? Or not. Hard to tell at this stage!
Thus far, no kettle's have been boiled within sight of a shotgun in The Honourable Woman
Similar fate's for Tobias Menzies, though. He must insist on it being written into his contact..."look, I really enjoy death scene's, so you'd better kill me off, or I won't sign on to do it".
Not as good as The Shadow Line but still the best thing on TV at the moment.
It's close between this and Utopia for me. I think this is just winning so far, but that might change as Utopia gets going. That's not quite as good as it's first series so far, but then, Stephen Rea isn't in it anymore. I loved Shadow Line, but the dialogue was slightly too clunky. I think The Honourable Woman is slightly better and I think that the "big" storyline will prove to be more substantial. Gatehouse kinda made The Shadow Line for me (ahem). Although I did love Jay Wratten too with his "naughty tackles" and such phrases. Need more Rea in this for it to get better!
Oh yeah, and Edge of Darkness too, of course. 3 cracking conspiracy drama's on air at once, happy days.
Stephen Rea would be my dream James Bond.
Honourable Woman; I'm watching here as a friend of mine is watching it in New York, and we've compared notes which are probably the same as anyone elses in parts.
Nessa isn't an angel, she might even be a psychopath.
Hugh tells off his subordinate for being caught with his pants down; who by? Nessa took them off presumably, but they should be commended for having sex without removing any. How did Hugh know they'd had sex?
Her Bodyguard; write into the script he had instincts for danger, and he can't see he's been set up, when all it needed was a great big neon sign at the abattoir to say 'You're going to die'. C'mon! Script writer get bored with him and decided to make it really unbelievable?
I think Kasim is really Nessa's son, my friend in NY isn't sure one way or the other. Father is the assassin (who might be ex or current Mossad)
It's so disjointed that I think it will be all about which broadband supplier gives the best value. It wouldn't surprise me if the 'point' is pretty mundane.
The toothbrush thing (What were they trying to establish?) and Ephra refusing to give a DNA sample hasn't raised suspicions with the police? And a CHIEF police officer is doing the family liaison thing? Really?
No. Shadowlands was the film about C.S. Lewis starring Anthony Hopkins.
Atm, it seems reasonably clear the stone factory was this weeks taxi journey. Whatever else it is, it's intentional.
It seems Blick likes a particular structure, perhaps one that involves almost independent vignettes through which the story flows. Maybe these are of a somewhat surreal bent - I might be pushing it but perhaps even with shades of Samual Beckett.
I wonder if that general, theatre-based, slightly absurdist sensibility is also the key to the character of, at least, Hugh.
The only thing I feel sure about is Blick wants us to really work for it; as David Simon famously once said 'who needs casual viewers, *uc* casual viewers'
Anyway, going to see it again before firming up any thoughts ...