Troubled Acting

[terminal7]

'Troubled Blood' is the latest Cormorant Strike on the BBC. This is the fifth series based on the Galbraith (JKR really) books and continues the down ward spiral. I find it difficult to get beyond the growing plague of bad acting that has descended upon UK TV series in recent years. As noted recently, the English was an exception with outstanding appearances from the whole cast. Unfortunately, after some 30 minutes I had enough with every secondary character hamming for England. Even Tom Burke was sleep walking through his main role.

It clearly is not a question of money - so why has the level of acting gone down? As for the sound quality - don't get me started on that.

T7

[Arborbridge]

'Troubled Blood' is the latest Cormorant Strike on the BBC. This is the fifth series based on the Galbraith (JKR really) books and continues the down ward spiral. I find it difficult to get beyond the growing plague of bad acting that has descended upon UK TV series in recent years. As noted recently, the English was an exception with outstanding appearances from the whole cast. Unfortunately, after some 30 minutes I had enough with every secondary character hamming for England. Even Tom Burke was sleep walking through his main role.

It clearly is not a question of money - so why has the level of acting gone down? As for the sound quality - don't get me started on that.

T7

I don't agree necessarily about the general level of acting going down. Maybe it's as much that directing fashions alter? However, I do agree that the first episode was oddly non-engaging, and there was no pace; nothing to really get interested in. Tom Burke's - or his character's - attitude didn't help either. I like low key acting, but this was so laid back as to be offhand - as you say, sleep walking.

Is there too much TV being made? Much of it has to be churn for the sake of filling the hours. Bring back the potter's wheel, decrease the output but increase the quality

PS another one I couldn't get moved by: Granite. Wooden might have been a good name for it.

[Gaggsy]

I find it difficult to get beyond the growing plague of bad acting

Couldn't agree more. But the script didn't help either.
Example: Strike takes a phone call: "Strike? Hi, it's Johnny - your father."
Ridiculous. I actually turned to my wife at that point and said can you imagine anybody saying those words?

We did see it through to the end but yeah, the whole thing was very poor.
One thing in its favour - it was only 4 episodes!

[Watis]

I find it difficult to get beyond the growing plague of bad acting

Couldn't agree more. But the script didn't help either.
Example: Strike takes a phone call: "Strike? Hi, it's Johnny - your father."
Ridiculous. I actually turned to my wife at that point and said can you imagine anybody saying those words?

We did see it through to the end but yeah, the whole thing was very poor.
One thing in its favour - it was only 4 episodes!

I enjoyed it. I like the understated acting style, finding it more restful than the American style, where everyone seems hyper all the time.

That phone call: I believe that Strike had fallen out with his father many years ago, and this was his father calling to try to mend fences. So, to me, the introduction didn't come over as clumsy scriptwriting.

As for the sound quality - don't get me started on that.

For me, a sound bar solved that issue. Mine has a voice enhancement feature, which may help.

Watis

[Arborbridge]

By the final episode, I had come to terms with Strike's rather laid back performance. In fact, I found that last episode very good and quite beautiful in the way it ended. A nice piece of writing and acting.

The sound didn't seem unusually bad to me, though I do need help from subtitles with most things these days - even with a soundbar.

Arb.

[Gerry557]

I don't think I've read the books on this one but enjoyed the others after reading the books.

As I watch more and more things in surround sound I struggle to watch stereo only especially on just a TV speaker sound which is quieter on the HD channels.

Fortunately The English was available in both formats and I chose the surround sound rather than the BBCs poorer offering.