[CD93]

Good thing we have another 6 hours, then

[RichmondBlue]

Originally Posted by CD93

Good thing we have another 6 hours, then

Yes, wake me up when something happens.

[Prince Monalulu]

Is the John Goodman or Stanley character based on anyone in real life, just wondering.
I like Mel Smith's work here.

Not sure where this is going though, I'm not exactly gripped, but I'll try again next week, see where this is going.

[bongo essex .]

I think it's quite good. Will be watching tomorrow.

[maggie_07]

Well. I absolutely loved it. I loved the music and the clothes, and it had a great cast. I didn't mind that it was a little bit slow in the first episode, that may be because they have to introduce all the characters and their backgrounds. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

[maggie_07]

Originally Posted by Prince Monalulu

Is the John Goodman or Stanley character based on anyone in real life, just wondering.
I like Mel Smith's work here.

Not sure where this is going though, I'm not exactly gripped, but I'll try again next week, see where this is going.

The next episode is on tomorrow, and then it will be on Mondays.

[Sallyforth]

Originally Posted by Paul Grayson

Sorry, but I had a major problem with this.

The style of music, particularly the arrangements, was simply wrong for the era it was supposedly set in. It sounded closer to the kind of material that big bands were recording in the mid 1950s than the early 1930s.

Can understand it grating for anyone knowledgeable or a fan who felt it was musically inauthentic. I was more interested in the political and social side of it, so I think I was less bothered by it because of that.

[alixfowler]

I liked it but as some have said I'm not sure where it's going I mean we know what happens near the end but not why and how. Good cast of up and coming actors but maybe it's too soon to judge the character but why have they cast Jenna Louise Coleman as the sort of girlfriend/work colleague with benefits of Stanley? So far she has had about 5 lines and it just seems odd to have the current toast of the BBC in such a non role. In no way am I saying she should have been Sara or Pamela but hopefully the role will fill out a bit. Always funny when you get people who are in two things in quick succession such as the girl who plays Sara was in Spies of Warsaw a few weeks ago as the lead female Anna and the guy who plays Wesley is in the Lewis episode over on ITV at 9

Looking forward to seeing the rest and seeing where the story will take us.

[Billy_Value]

i thought it was rather boring, if the first episode doesn't grip me, i aint gonna watch anymore, they should of made the first episode more gripping to keep viewers

[Sallyforth]

Originally Posted by alixfowler

I liked it but as some have said I'm not sure where it's going I mean we know what happens near the end but not why and how. Good cast of up and coming actors but maybe it's too soon to judge the character but why have they cast Jenna Louise Coleman as the sort of girlfriend/work colleague with benefits of Stanley? So far she has had about 5 lines and it just seems odd to have the current toast of the BBC in such a non role. In no way am I saying she should have been Sara or Pamela but hopefully the role will fill out a bit. Always funny when you get people who are in two things in quick succession such as the girl who plays Sara was in Spies of Warsaw a few weeks ago as the lead female Anna and the guy who plays Wesley is in the Lewis episode over on ITV at 9

Looking forward to seeing the rest and seeing where the story will take us.

Bit ambiguous but this article implies Jenna was actually cast in DW after her role in this - and more clearly BTW, a similar result for Joanna (Pamela) who played Denise in The Paradise
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/med...poliakoff.html

[Billy_Value]

Originally Posted by RichmondBlue

Looked good and the music was great. But it was too slow for my taste, style over substance I would say.

thats Poliakoff for you

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by Paul Grayson

Sorry, but I had a major problem with this.

The style of music, particularly the arrangements, was simply wrong for the era it was supposedly set in. It sounded closer to the kind of material that big bands were recording in the mid 1950s than the early 1930s.

I thought that too.

I posted this link earlier.

These were the popular UK bands in the thirties and I mean popular.
http://www.dennydennis.co.uk/dennyde...nce_Bands.html

It was what the public wanted and the band in the drama wouldn't have got a look in.

Jazz records by Afro/American bands were few and far between in the thirties especially in the UK and it's doubtful that the reporter would have had so many. They weren't something "you could nip into HMV's and buy." They'd have to brought over from someone from America.
That's not to say this couldn't be an enjoyable drama series for many, but it just doesn't "sound right." So I won't be watching any more of it.

[miss buzzybee]

Quite slow going but stylish and will carry on watching it.

See they are no longer saying 'Award Winning' Stephen Polliakoff!

[miss buzzybee]

Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley

I thought that too.

I posted this link earlier.

These were the popular UK bands in the thirties and I mean popular.
http://www.dennydennis.co.uk/dennyde...nce_Bands.html

It was what the public wanted and the band in the drama wouldn't have got a look in.

Jazz records by Afro/American bands were few and far between in the thirties especially in the UK and it's doubtful that the reporter would have had so many. They weren't something "you could nip into HMV's and buy." They'd have to brought over from someone from America.
That's not to say this couldn't be an enjoyable drama series for many, but it just doesn't "sound right." So I won't be watching any more of it.

I dont think it showed the band were popular, they would have been very much part of an underground scene.

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by miss buzzybee

I dont think it showed the band were popular, they would have been very much part of an underground scene.

Yes but the point being made, is that the arrangements and style in jazz heard, wasn't around in 1933.

The top Afro/American band in the States in the early thirties was Fletcher Henderson, playing this sort of stuff. Many like his.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B-bCdra_9A

Which wasn't what we heard tonight. It was more like a swing band, which didn't start to get popular in America until the late thirties and forties.

[jammoon1]

I enjoyed the first episode. The style is great and the music too. I think the racial prejudice has been glossed over but perhaps this will come to the fore later.

[Sandra Bee]

Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley

I thought that too.

I posted this link earlier.

These were the popular UK bands in the thirties and I mean popular.
http://www.dennydennis.co.uk/dennyde...nce_Bands.html

It was what the public wanted and the band in the drama wouldn't have got a look in.

Jazz records by Afro/American bands were few and far between in the thirties especially in the UK and it's doubtful that the reporter would have had so many. They weren't something "you could nip into HMV's and buy." They'd have to brought over from someone from America.
That's not to say this couldn't be an enjoyable drama series for many, but it just doesn't "sound right." So I won't be watching any more of it.

I'm no music expert but I felt the musical arrangements were too "modern" for the era.

The name Leslie Hutchinson has been mentioned as the basis for the 'Louis' character.

This is him performing in 1933


http://youtu.be/Ecw72gSd3_Q


This is the sort of music that cafe society was listening to.

[bongo essex .]

I think* I read somewhere they were trying to get the music to reflect a more underground sound for the time, that an up-and-coming and struggling band might have tried out in small-time places first, than exactly what you would have heard at the top table at the time.

[Inkblot]

The Guardian has a bit of a go at the music: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-rad...edge-episode-1 but from that article it seems the brief was to create music that was right for the drama rather than factually authentic.

[Balb0wa]

I thought it was great, didn't want it to end.

[alixfowler]

Originally Posted by Sallyforth

Bit ambiguous but this article implies Jenna was actually cast in DW after her role in this - and more clearly BTW, a similar result for Joanna (Pamela) who played Denise in The Paradise
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/med...poliakoff.html

Yes I always forget when these things are filmed and I'm pretty sure this was meant to be on autumn last year before Doctor Who. Though I still stand by why cast someone who is fairly well known and was before Doctor Who in such a small role? That's the problem with schedule changes as it took over a year to get Room at the Top out so it can look like overkill for some actor/actresses if it's bad timing.

I agree with Joanna being a future star as she has been good in all the things I have seen her in. Also thought it was quite funny to read that Janet was Beth in Skins who is in one of the most explicit scenes Skins ever did.

[fruitloop27]

I gave up about 20 mins before the end. I was really looking forward to watching this but it was so slow. I don't mind slow-burning programmes (I watched The Shadow Line 'til the bitter end ) but this took the biscuit. Also some of the accents were rather dodgy- Louis' accent veered from American to English to African in one sentence.

[Friday's child]

I thoroughly enjoyed it, it may help that I know nothing whatsoever about the music of the era.

Had to chuckle when Stanley said he was (thinking about) writing a movie about King Arthur given the presence in the cast of Anthony Head (Uther), Angel Colby (Guinevere) and Janet Montgomery (Princess Mithian).

Chiwetel Ejiofor has a beautiful voice as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop in tonight's episode.

[bongo essex .]

"I gave up about 20 mins before the end"

the ending of the episode was actually great - when one of the female characters managed to get the prince into the room, completely changing the atmosphere of the gig.

[bongo essex .]

Very sexy one, can't remember who she was in relation to the guests.