"Dickensian" - BBC1. Wonderful !

[vinteuil]

a new character who, it is discovered, arrived in London on around the 22nd Dec and who hasn't been seen so far.

... my money is on Joshua Lirriper, brother of the husband of Mrs (Emma) Lirriper, 'who was a doctor of some science, "though of what it would be hard to say, unless liquor." '

['Mrs Lirriper's Lodgings and Legacy', 1863/1864]

[Anna]

* Actually, seven: 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, & 20.

But we know in 14 and 15 what happens (cos I just told everyone!!) which means one less in the cast so that leaves just 5 episodes and it's a cheap cop-out to introduce a new character isn't it - which is why I say it's Nellie's kindly old Grandpa driven to it by his gambling debts. Unless it's someone else.

I don't think you could do the same thing with a Bronte because everyone knows Dickens' books inside out which is not the case with the Brontes (I still have my edition of Jane Eyre from schooldays inscribed with my name and form!!)

[mercia]

next week Bucket's taken off the case, there is a new Detective

are there any other detectives in Dickens ?

[vinteuil]

are there any other detectives in Dickens ?

There are detective stories in 'Household Words' 27 July, 10 August, and 14 September 1850, making a reappearance in Reprinted Pieces', 1858. The narrators of these stories were based on real-life detectives of the time, the names thinly disguised : Wield, Field; Stalker, Walker; Witchem, Whicher; Fendall, Kendall; Dornton, Thornton; Mith, Smith. The Insp. Bucket of OMF was based on the real-life Insp. Field.

There is a discussion of Dickens and his hero-worship of the detective police in Philip Collins, 'Dickens and Crime' (1962), ch. 9.





.

[mercia]

thanks. Mr Jordan has a few to choose from then.

[mercia]

I can understand why Bucket would have to leave - he has quite a busy social life in St Petersburg It's just dawned on me that we have Miss Havisham in War & Peace too - have I got the right actress ?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I can understand why Bucket would have to leave - he has quite a busy social life in St Petersburg It's just dawned on me that we have Miss Havisham in War & Peace too - have I got the right actress ?

- you may not have recognised her with her clothes on.

[Anna]

There are detective stories in 'Household Words' 27 July, 10 August, and 14 September 1850, making a reappearance in Reprinted Pieces', 1858. The narrators of these stories were based on real-life detectives of the time, the names thinly disguised : Wield, Field; Stalker, Walker; Witchem, Whicher; Fendall, Kendall; Dornton, Thornton; Mith, Smith. The Insp. Bucket of OMF was based on the real-life Insp. Field.

There is a discussion of Dickens and his hero-worship of the detective police in Philip Collins, 'Dickens and Crime' (1962), ch. 9.

The new Detective is to be Inspector Thompson. I don't think a Thompson (or derivative) has featured in any book but there was a real life Inspector John Thompson who gained fame due to being one of the first plainclothes to arrest a thief in 1831.

I now see how ferney's Drood theory came about - the Reverend Crisparkle is to appear!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The new Detective is to be Inspector Thompson. I don't think a Thompson (or derivative) has featured in any book but there was a real life Inspector John Thompson who gained fame due to being one of the first plainclothes to arrest a thief in 1831.

I now see how ferney's Drood theory came about - the Reverend Crisparkle is to appear!

How do you discover all this, Anna? (I just struck on Drood because that was Dickens' only unsolved murder mystery!)

[vinteuil]

The new Detective is to be Inspector Thompson. I don't think a Thompson (or derivative) has featured in any book...

,,, no - but there is 'Tally Ho Thompson', a horse stealer in Dickens's 'The Detective Police' (Household Words , Reprinted Pieces).

But perhaps 'Thompson' is a nod to Tintin - the Hergé detective twins Dupont and Dupond are Thomson and Thompson in the English translation...

Actually there are various Thompsons in Sketches by Boz - Bill, an actor at the Victoria Theatre; a dweller at Seven Dials; Harry, a friend of the Waters: plus, in Sketches of Gentlemen there is Miss Thompson, a friend of the Domestic Young Gentleman. Why not Miss Thompson as a Lady Detective?

[Anna]

vints, I know there is Tally-Ho Thompson, con man and horse thief, and there is a Dickens story with him, but I thought that a little bit too unlikely don't you? I did also think of Tin Tin

How do you discover all this, Anna? (I just struck on Drood because that was Dickens' only unsolved murder mystery!)

I just looked at the forthcoming cast list ferney!

[ardcarp]

I'm sticking with it, but found it hard to understand that episode where all the quick cutting from one bustling scene to another was abandoned in favour of 'Call the Midwife'...or not in this particular case. Even Mr and Mrs Bumble were put on hold. Anyway Mr and Mrs Ardcarp are waiting with breath not quite bated for Sunday's denouement.

[Ferretfancy]

We have had characters from Oliver Twist, The Old Curiosity Shop, Hard Times etc. but not one character from The Pickwick Papers as far as I can see,odd that.

[ardcarp]

We have had characters from Oliver Twist, The Old Curiosity Shop, Hard Times etc. but not one character from The Pickwick Papers as far as I can see,odd that.

...see posts 58 and 60

[Anna]

...see posts 58 and 60

And Jagger's clerk, Lowten, who was bribed to not find any evidence against Compeyson is from Pickwick Papers. It's been a hit locally here and has generated a lot of discussion about characters - Manning (who is locked up for the murder) must be based on Hortense (BH) who was based on the real-life murderer Maria Manning, Rev. Chadband (BH) who helped Dodger escape was blackmailed to do it because he'd been one of Nancy's clients, etc.

So many people have decided to start reading Dickens again but yesterday (whilst I was attending an obelisk building morning!) the subject of Sunday tea-time drama came up and the fact that Dickens was a regular staple years back - does anyone remember? All in all I think it's been a bit hit except for the two-hander mentioned by ardcarp which jarred because part of the fun is the rapid switching from one storyline to the other.