Bodyguard BBC1 Sunday

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-r...watercooler-tv

Well, the BBC may be strutting and preening, but the online responses to this article are by no means undiluted praise - far from it.
Maybe people are hanging on in the hopes that a Mercurio-scripted drama can actually at last ignite - as others of his have.

Hmm - interesting?

...by more than double the amount of viewers...

[Nick Armstrong]

Well, I'm enjoying this series hugely - having caught up with the first three in relatively quick succession, I'm feeling deprived to have to wait till Sunday for Ep. 4

Yes there are implausibilities - not least for me that the law firm I worked for previously occupied the New Street Square "Home Office" (been through those swipe card entry points and taken those lifts many times!).

But hey, who cares - it's good rollicking, well-shot stuff, packing tension and surprises (not including the bonking: agreed, that could have been more subtly dealt with) and featuring two of my favourite actresses. (And Robb Stark from "Game of Thrones" is pretty convincing in the title role).

We're being directed to assume the bomb is an inside job, aren't we? The two blokes from the security services were discussing 'doing something' to stop the Home Secretary... The security chief who's daggers drawn with Gina McKee is a great character.

Roll on Sunday!

Left baffled by last night. Haven't a clue what's going on.

(Hardly a spoiler, but.....)

What was the trip to Chequers about? What Julia is plotting, and who is plotting against her, is obviously at the heart of it, but even so. Whose dossier was she reading on that tablet, given to her by the mysterious man (who he?), who was it who was on 50 units of alcohol and did sexual violence (I think it said)?.....

Aye, it's a mystery/thriller, innit?

As I understand it, titles cannot be copyrighted.

Certainly if it's just a non-generic word, and not a new coinage.

[Conchis]

I've binge-watched the first three series of Line of Duty (on Netflix) and yes, it is a far more sophisticated and demanding project than Bodyguard where far more is expected of the viewer (with commensurate rewards). But I think it also needs to be watched from the very beginning (not just the beginning of each series, you need to start at episode one, series one and go forward) to get the maximum benefit, whereas with Bodyguard the 'previously' recaps will just about do to bring viewers up to date.

[LMcD]

Left baffled by last night. Haven't a clue what's going on.

(Hardly a spoiler, but.....)



What was the trip to Chequers about? What Julia is plotting, and who is plotting against her, is obviously at the heart of it, but even so. Whose dossier was she reading on that tablet, given to her by the mysterious man (who he?), who was it who was on 50 units of alcohol and did sexual violence (I think it said)?.....


And given that they'd gone to such trouble to put Budd next door to Lavender, would it have been such a huge stretch to bug the room? (Then they'd have known what the saucy pair were up to). (Had they given Budd that listening device, or was it just something he had?) And for a cabinet minister up to her neck in stuff, it's amazing that the two are just left to get on with it at night (can't the guy in the corridor hear anything?), no PPSs popping in and out with stuff....

What did Budd see in the briefcase? Did he look properly? Was the aide a..... And it won't be long before they notice the sniper was a mate of Budd's (obvs)......

But I'm not watching Vanity Fair, no matter what.

You may be pleased to know that 'Bodyguard' attracted 6.6 million viewers and 'Vanity Fair' 2.9 million.

[LMcD]

Some of the criticism above strikes me as hysterical and just plain wrong.....you're critiquing the series as if it's just ended and left all these loose wires hanging, forgetting that the damn thing has barely begun!

I aslo wondered about Budd's assignment to the HS, given his PTSD and his association with someone who turned out to be a (would be) assassin. But his employers also have issues with the HS, so maybe that was deliberate....

Do British cabinet ministers know when they're bugged? I'm not sure, but I'd hold my tongue before I started dissing this plot detail, which I'm sure occurred to the programme makers.

WE ARE NOT MEANT TO KNOW WHO THE DOSSIER RELATES TO. This has deliberately been left mysterious to arouse our curiosity and ensure we tune in next week. Has anyone seriously never watched a thriller before?

People are saying 'my cat knew who planted the bomb.'. Really? It almost certainly wasn't the clueless Tahir but there's no saying it's his sinister and more competent colleague, either. I've even read speculation that the bomb was an inside job by the HS herself, designed to ramp up her leadership campaign (shades of Bob Roberts).

The fact that you're talking about it, albeit in semi-outraged tones, means the series is working.

I never watched Line Of Duty, so am unaware of Mr. Mercurio's 'form' but I think Bodyguard is, so far, pretty good. I do expect the ending to be unsatisfactory, though, because endings to these things usually are.....

Presumably the masturbation will be cut for sales to America.

No wanks for the Yanks, eh?
I thought it was made pretty clear in episode 1 that the Chief Whip is her ex-hubby.
I assumed - possibly erroneously - that the 'alkie' dossier referred to the PM.

[Conchis]

[/U][/I][/B]
No wanks for the Yanks, eh?
I thought it was made pretty clear in episode 1 that the Chief Whip is her ex-hubby.
I assumed - possibly erroneously - that the 'alkie' dossier referred to the PM.

Budd's reaction to reading the dossier was interesting: he didn't seem at all surprised or bothered.

[Bergonzi]

I don't think very highly of this drama. it was obvious to me that he would have it off with the Home sec, or rather, she as a nympho would like a bit of rough. All very predictable with second rate acting and the usual far fetched scenarios. Lighting only average too. They can't make 'em any more. And V Fair a good bit better in my opinion, and some pretty good performances ... (That Bodyguard gets bigger audiences than VF just goes to show what a load of idiots watch this stuff. Shame on the BBC).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... it was obvious to me that he would have it off with the Home sec, or rather, she as a nympho would like a bit of rough.

And your evidence for this? I don't think that the BBC should feel the slightest scintilla of "shame" when prompted from someone who could make so crass a comment.

[LMcD]

I don't think very highly of this drama. it was obvious to me that he would have it off with the Home sec, or rather, she as a nympho would like a bit of rough. All very predictable with second rate acting and the usual far fetched scenarios. Lighting only average too. They can't make 'em any more. And V Fair a good bit better in my opinion, and some pretty good performances ... (That Bodyguard gets bigger audiences than VF just goes to show what a load of idiots watch this stuff. Shame on the BBC).

I take it that people wanting to watch Vanity Fair are vetted for signs of idiocy before they're allowed to watch.

[LMcD]

A real joy to see Good Morning Boys, 1937, Gainsborough Film romp in the traditions of the Music Hall era with the expert team of Will Hay, Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt creating havoc throughout - an instant transfer to DVD! Delighted to see that Oh Mr Porter, also 1937, with the same team, will be repeated on Talking Pictures TV Channel, (81 on my set) at 925am, tomorrow, 9 Sept, probably the best of their output. Not to be missed.

Should this not perhaps be on the thread devoted to recently viewed tv programmes?

[Serial_Apologist]

Should this not perhaps be on the thread devoted to recently viewed tv programmes?

I guess so, but it's always good to have Stanley coming in on the forum... and the thread had started to diverge a little.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Should this not perhaps be on the thread devoted to recently viewed tv programmes?

Indeed it should, and indeed it now is.

I guess so, but it's always good to have Stanley coming in on the forum...

Indeed it is!

[Conchis]

I don't think very highly of this drama. it was obvious to me that he would have it off with the Home sec, or rather, she as a nympho would like a bit of rough. All very predictable with second rate acting and the usual far fetched scenarios. Lighting only average too. They can't make 'em any more. And V Fair a good bit better in my opinion, and some pretty good performances ... (That Bodyguard gets bigger audiences than VF just goes to show what a load of idiots watch this stuff. Shame on the BBC).

Very unfair! The HS is an attractive, heterosexual middle-aged divorced female stuck in a landscape occupied by late middle-aged men with paunches, fey little male PAs of indeterminate sexual orientation and wispy little eunuchs like the incompetent Mardian who delivered (?) the bomb. I'd liken her reaction to Budd to that of to a person dying of thirst in a desert who suddenly happens upon a waterfall.

And the acting (and, more especially, the direction) strikes me as being excellent.

I've no interest in yet another outing for Becky, Dobbin and co. V.F. may not be quite as done to death as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Great Expectations but it's a close-run thing. VERY glad that Bodyguard is trashing this hoary old 'English classic' in the ratings.

[DracoM]

I think the acting is potentially excellent, the leads can certainly act and are good, and would have been better had they been given a decent scenario to work with.
Stars of this series so far are the slick editing team.

[DracoM]

Spoiler alert:




So Keeley Hawes is now OUT of it? Blimey.