[TV] Little Drummer Girl (BBC1 drama)

[Weststander]

Just started, looks very good.

Set in 1979, following Israeli agents in central Europe, tracking down a terrorist cell.

Based on the 1983 Carre novel, there was a film version in 1984.

 

[BensGrandad]

Watching the Grand Prix I forgot to put this on record so I did so after about 30 mins for the series as a result I will have to watch the first episode on BBC I player before next Sunday, just hope it is worth the trouble.

 

[Weststander]

Watching the Grand Prix I forgot to put this on record so I did so after about 30 mins for the series as a result I will have to watch the first episode on BBC I player before next Sunday, just hope it is worth the trouble.

It's good. Slow scenes, but it will all gradually come together I think.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Just started, looks very good.

Set in 1979, following Israeli agents in central Europe, tracking down a terrorist cell.

Based on the 1983 Carre novel, there was a film version in 1984.

Read the novel.

Did you watch the previous drama to fill the Sunday 9pm slot? The Cry

 

[Bry Nylon]

No drummers though? Misleading.

(Don't even get me started on 'Day of the Jackal' )

 

[Weststander]

Read the novel.

Did you watch the previous drama to fill the Sunday 9pm slot? The Cry

Yes, I watch most decent dramas and I recall you do too including the brilliant Nordic Noir films/series.

The Cry grew on me, I liked it. Overbearingly depressing in the middle, plus that loathsome Scottish barrister in the trial scenes, but it was clever and different. My wife had read the book so for her there was no surprise twist; luckily it was all new to me!

 

[BensGrandad]

We tend to record the dramas and then rather than watch them over a period of time watch 2 or 3 hours one afternoon and then again each day until the series is finished either on record or I Player. The Cry is next on the agenda.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Yes, I watch most decent dramas and I recall you do too including the brilliant Nordic Noir films/series.

The Cry grew on me, I liked it. Overbearingly depressing in the middle, plus that loathsome Scottish barrister in the trial scenes, but it was clever and different. My wife had read the book so for her there was no surprise twist; luckily it was all new to me!

I struggled with the first one ..and had to rewatch half of it.......got into it and really enjoyed the last three...my daughter was the opposite loved the first and then lost interest

 

[Weststander]

I struggled with the first one ..and had to rewatch half of it.......got into it and really enjoyed the last three...my daughter was the opposite loved the first and then lost interest

I sometimes have to rewatch early episodes of Nordic Noir stuff, to get my mind round the 20 key characters and all the story smoke screens. It gets quite complex with Larsson, Andersson, Petersson etc.

Concentration broken by me failing to put down bloody NSC on the ipad.

 

[marlowe]

I was intrigued by the folk song the girl (Charlie) sang while playing the guitar so I googled the lyrics and discovered it was based on a true story of murder. The lyrics sound like they could have been written by Nick Cave but the song is an old traditional murder ballad which was covered by Shirley Collins and the Albion Band. This is an account of the story on which the song, "The Murder of Maria Marten" is based:

On May 18 1827 Maria Marten, 26 year old daughter of mole catcher Thomas Marten, left her father's cottage at Polstead in Suffolk for the last time. She said a tearful farewell to her young son, her sister and her stepmother, then set out to meet William Corder, her 24 year old lover, in the Red Barn. At his request she went dressed as a man. Her family never saw or heard from her again.
In April the following year Thomas Marten was prompted by his wife to search the Red Barn. He discovered a shallow grave which contained a body, recognisable from the clothing as that of Maria. Shortly afterwards, William Corder was arrested in London. He was taken to Polstead for the inquest and sent to Bury St Edmunds to stand trial.
Corder's trial took place on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 of August 1828. Throughout the trial he claimed his innocence. Nevertheless he was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. His body was to be anatomised (dissected).
Shortly before the sentence was carried out, Corder confessed. He was executed on the Monday August 11, at the county gaol in Bury St Edmunds. Despite heavy rain thousands of spectators attended. The body was taken to the Shire Hall, where it was cut open and laid out on show. Thousands of people filed past to view it before it was removed for dissection at the West Suffolk Hospital. The skeleton was kept, and the scalp and part of the skin were preserved. The surgeon, George Creed, later had an account of the trial bound in leather made from Corder's skin.
After the widespread press coverage of the murder thousands of visitors made a pilgrimage to the Red Barn - Curtis estimated over 200,000 during the summer of 1828 alone. Many shed a tear for Maria. Many more took pieces of the barn as souvenirs and removed the boards to a height of five or six feet.

https://youtu.be/vBVYotyxSdU

 

[marlowe]

Another thing which intrigued me was I couldn't work out where the cute black hitchhiker in the hotpants and short sleeved crop top produced her pistol from.

 

[Weststander]

Another thing which intrigued me was I couldn't work out where the cute black hitchhiker in the hotpants and short sleeved crop top produced her pistol from.

Blindside to the terrorist, tucked into her minimal clothing. It warrants a closer examination.

 

[marlowe]

Blindside to the terrorist, tucked into her minimal clothing. It warrants a closer examination.

It certainly warrants a closer look and purely in the interests of critical analysis I gave it a few more looks. However her blindside is in full view to the camera when she puts her rucksack on the back seat. I couldn't see any evidence of any pistol tucked anywhere in her tight minimal clothing. Maybe I should give it another look.

 

[Nitram]

Thanks for the tip. Just watched on catch up, as soon as I recognised Michael Shannon I knew it was going to be top quality.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Another thing which intrigued me was I couldn't work out where the cute black hitchhiker in the hotpants and short sleeved crop top produced her pistol from.

Puzzled me to, although I was slightly distracted

 

[Marxo]

Well spotted. (Shirley Collins Sussex girl from Hastings).

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Looking good. Michael Shannon is a very fine actor; the late 70s 'feel' is pretty authentic. Complex plot but if I can follow it can't be that complex. Looking forward to the next episode...…...

 

[Surrey Phil]

Nope, lost the plot half way through and gave up!

 

[The Clamp]

Found the lead actress very, very annoying. I shall return to see whether she gets her norks out at any point.

 

[Steve in Japan]

Found the lead actress very, very annoying. I shall return to see whether she gets her norks out at any point.

I read somewhere this series is nork-free. They want to sell it to the American market and they don't like norks in their drama. Strange world.