Shetland - BBC1

[CallMePaul]

I was sad to discover that Ann Cleeves has recently been widowed. The latest edition of British Birds carries an obituary of her husband Tim, who was a distinguished ornithologist and who met Ann while she was working as a cook at the Fair Isle bird observatory (the setting for Blue Lightening in which, as RT points out above, Fran is killed). Ann took up writing to pass time while they were living in remote locations because of Tim's work.

I have read and enjoyed all the Shetland series but have been disappointed with the TV series so have only watched a few of them. RT is right to point out that they are only very loosely based on the books. The preview in yesterday's Times does not relate to any published book in the series and it is unlikely that AC would release the story of what I understand will be the final Shetland book to TV in advance of publication.

[Richard Tarleton]

I was sad to discover that Ann Cleeves has recently been widowed. The latest edition of British Birds carries an obituary of her husband Tim, who was a distinguished ornithologist and who met Ann while she was working as a cook at the Fair Isle bird observatory (the setting for Blue Lightening in which, as RT points out above, Fran is killed). Ann took up writing to pass time while they were living in remote locations because of Tim's work.

Thank you for this, Paul, sad news indeed and I hadn't made the connection - another obituary here. Co-author with Peter Holden of the excellent RSPB Handbook of British Birds.

The magnetic Douglas Henshall of course looks nothing like the swarthy, Hispanic-looking (Armada-descended) Perez of the books, but is nevertheless tremendous in the part on TV.

[johncorrigan]

The excellent 'Shetland' on BBC1 swiftly followed by a switch over to BBC2 for 'Mum' makes Thursday evening my favourite night of TV at the moment.

[DracoM]

Erm.................'Shetland' is on Tuesdays here?
Is it being screened differently somewhere else?

[Richard Tarleton]

The excellent 'Shetland' on BBC1 swiftly followed by a switch over to BBC2 for 'Mum' makes Thursday evening my favourite night of TV at the moment.

Terrific acting as ever.

Here in Wales it goes out at 10.40 on Tuesday so we watch it the following day. At 9 pm on Tuesdays BBC Wales is screening a drama series, about the fall-out from a solicitor going missing, called "Keeping Faith", set in Dylan Thomas's Laugharne. It has several of the cast from "Hinterland". Stretched to inordinate length and skimpily plotted, like the heroine's lingerie, I don't see this one going national.

[johncorrigan]

Erm.................'Shetland' is on Tuesdays here?
Is it being screened differently somewhere else?

Meant Tuesday was the best telly night just now, DM,... Must have been thinking of 'Endeavour' - that's Thursday innit.

[LMcD]

Erm.................'Shetland' is on Tuesdays here?
Is it being screened differently somewhere else?

Not sure where you are, but I believe 'Shetland' was moved to Wednesday, at least in England, in order to make way for live coverage of an FA Cup replay.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not sure where you are, but I believe 'Shetland' was moved to Wednesday, at least in England, in order to make way for live coverage of an FA Cup replay.

That did indeed happen last week - this week it was back to Tuesday (and, indeed, with Mum following on BBC2 immediately afterwards).

[eighthobstruction]

....given up on Mum....just too cringe-worthy....too too too....gave it a chance - it didn't cross my credibility line too much in first series....but it has now. Got half way through first episode and decided "enough"....feel it needed to move on a little, rather than more of the same, and the first 15 minutes I saw was an absolute cringe fest - Michael lying about the presents in his car was just too much....

[LMcD]

....given up on Mum....just too cringe-worthy....too too too....gave it a chance - it didn't cross my credibility line too much in first series....but it has now. Got half way through first episode and decided "enough"....feel it needed to move on a little, rather than more of the same, and the first 15 minutes I saw was an absolute cringe fest - Michael lying about the presents in his car was just too much....

'Mum' does seem to have ground to a halt. At least it was subtler than 'Hold The Sunset'. Now....which CDs shall I play with the 2 30-minute slots that have become available?

[Richard Tarleton]

I like to pour myself a dram every time Perez has one.

[Nick Armstrong]

I like to pour myself a dram every time Perez has one.

Just caught up with the latest - and I did just that (just realised there was a smidgin left - glug!).

Am I right in thinking that Shetland used to comprise separate stories, 1 or 2 episodes for each one?

Not sure they are sustaining the overall story arc in this season with sufficient tension - they seem to be trying to emulate the Scandi series and it's not quite as tightly-wound as the best of the latter. Still, decent watching and Henshall is always worth watching (and keeping pace with )

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Am I right in thinking that Shetland used to comprise separate stories, 1 or 2 episodes for each one?

Yes - things changed with Series 3.

Not sure they are sustaining the overall story arc in this season with sufficient tension - they seem to be trying to emulate the Scandi series and it's not quite as tightly-wound as the best of the latter. Still, decent watching and Henshall is always worth watching (and keeping pace with )

I was hooked until the Norwegian Secret Service was introduced in the last episode - behaving like Secret Services behave in every ryddu Crime Drama: I think they even use the same dialogue for every police series! Pity.

[HighlandDougie]

TOH refuses to watch it ("Tosh by name - and tosh by nature") but I'm hooked. As with an earlier series where Ailsa Craig mysteriously appeared, some of the filming of the present series features the Firth of Clyde to which Shetland has clearly been towed ....

[Dave2002]

TOH refuses to watch it ("Tosh by name - and tosh by nature") but I'm hooked. As with an earlier series where Ailsa Craig mysteriously appeared, some of the filming of the present series features the Firth of Clyde to which Shetland has clearly been towed ....

The last season - definitely Tosh ...

Six hours of my life wasted!