I’ve caught up with the
final episode of Hidden, which I’ve reviewed here before, and also seen another
recent BBC TV crime show, The Field of Blood. The contrast between the two was
striking.
Hidden first. It was
full of action and plot developments, but it all became pretty incoherent. A
sad waste of the talents of a cast that included David Suchet as well as the
charismatic Philip Glenister. Disappointing.
The Field of Blood,
unlike Hidden, was not originally written for TV. It was a two-parter adapted
from a novel by a talented author, Denise Mina, though I haven’t read it. Set
in 1982, the story concerns a young woman, Paddy Meehan, who is keen to make
her way in journalism. The abduction and
murder of a young boy gives her a chance. But her own youthful cousin becomes a
suspect.
The script was an odd
mixture. There were some good lines, but the first episode was painfully slow
at times, and there was a weird and monotonous insistence that Paddy was fat
and plain. Jayd Johnson, who played Paddy, is certainly neither. And I also
felt the repellent sexism of the newspapermen was rather unsubtly depicted.
But the pace picked up,
and the second episode was excellent. David Morrissey and Peter Capaldi, in
relatively small parts for such notable actors, were very good, but Jayd
Johnson was at the centre of everything that worked best. And the story had some interesting things
to say about families - also a theme of Hidden. The Field of Blood tried to do less than Hidden, but in
the end made much more of an impact.
Excellent review, Martin. Thought 'Hidden' a wasted opportunity; stretched a thin storyline too far, and its actors not enough. The Denise Mina tale was terrific, and agree absolutely with your view of the talented lass who played Paddy Meehan: hope we see both again soon.
ReplyDeleteOnly reservation was same as yours: they really over-egged the supposed workplace sexism of the time. IME you were more likely to have your sensibilities rattled by an excess of chivalry than outright coarseness (the latter, however, was widespread in the '80s).
LOATHING being back; but have finally caught up with 'The Serpent Pool' + 'The Hanging Wood', & enjoyed both immensely (slight pref. for former, where atmosphere of underlying menace among the bien-pensants was beautifully established and sustained - can't have been easy)! There have to be some compensations ...
I have not read any of Mina´s Paddy Meehan stories, and I am not sure I want to, but her Garnethill trilogy was absolutely overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteOne of the great issues lately with TV adaptations of crime novels is how many episodes are needed to tell the story. I find myself careening between ones that are told so quickly I have no idea what happened and ones drawn out far too long. Rich books, with lots of great characters, need more episodes to do them justice. Plot-driven thrillers can be told more quickly. But no one seems to know which is which.
ReplyDeleteHi Minnie, glad you liked the books, but very sorry you aren't happy to be back in the UK. I really do hope it gets better for you soon.
ReplyDeleteDorte, I haven't read the trilogy, but am encouraged to do so by your enthusiasm for it.
ReplyDeletePatti, what an excellent point you make. I shall think more about the length issue, because it is, as you point out, very significant.
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