Spiral (and other French police series)

[DracoM]

June 9th BBC 4 European crime night: a new series of Spiral @ 9.p.m. Two epis on Saturday night.

[amateur51]

Oh well done DracoM! - this has cheered me up no end

[DracoM]

Well, after that almost unwatchable 'Bergmann' piffle............that Rolf Whatsisgaard is just such an overweight, shambling, unlikeable but still totally appalling actor, and all that hand-held camera stuff made me feel queasy. How on earth anyone could possibly have thought he was a Wallander at one point a few years ago absolutely beats me.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

that Rolf Whatsisgaard is just such an overweight, shambling, unlikeable but still totally appalling actor

... but, apart from that ...

I agree; Sebastian Bergmann was a healthy demonstration that not everything from Scandanavia is automatically better than the home-grown stuff. This was very humdrum stuff (not a patch on Cracker!) - the best bit was the revelation of the identity of his illegitimate daughter at the end of the first episode.

[Nick Armstrong]

that Rolf Whatsisgaard is just such an overweight, shambling, unlikeable but still totally appalling actor

He speaks highly of you, Dracs!

[DracoM]

I have to take it from wheresoever, caliban. If you only knew..........

[kernelbogey]

June 9th BBC 4 .... a new series of Spiral @ 9.p.m. Two epis on Saturday night.

Mais non - c'est un re-run formidable du serie deux which 'ave been broadcast avant.

[vinteuil]

Mais non - c'est un re-run formidable du serie deux which 'ave been broadcast avant.

I did watch it. I think I enjoyed it. But in the end the overwhelming depressing nature of a) the baddies of the gangs of the banlieues b) the baddies of the corrupt police and politicos in Paris - make me think that - much as I loved the acting ( the fantastic Caroline Proust as Captain Laure Berthaud ) - I won't be an assiduous follower over the next four weeks...

[amateur51]

Mais non - c'est un re-run formidable du serie deux which 'ave been broadcast avant.

Merde, le re-run?! Sacré nom d'un pipe! (don't ask - my redoubtable Swiss landlady used to hurl it about! )

[DracoM]

Dommage, mais............apres Rolf, un re-run de Spiral ce n'est pas le pire, je crois.

[Anna]

Eh bien! Je me suis dérouté et je l'ai complètement oublié. Tant pis!!!

[johnb]

Well, after that almost unwatchable 'Bergmann' piffle............that Rolf Whatsisgaard is just such an overweight, shambling, unlikeable but still totally appalling actor, and all that hand-held camera stuff made me feel queasy. How on earth anyone could possibly have thought he was a Wallander at one point a few years ago absolutely beats me.

Well, Rolf Lassgård stared in a series of nine films, made for TV, of the actual novels. The first dates from 1996 and the last 2007. The first of the Swedish TV series staring Krister Henriksson was only released in 2005 and the series comprises original stores, based on the books, rather than dramatisations of the books themselves.

Although I enjoyed Krister Henriksson's portrayal of Wallender I don't really think that either actor is ideal for the Wallender of the novels. As far as being overweight is concerned - bear in mind that Wallender was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with obesity.

[kernelbogey]

[....] I don't really think that either actor is ideal for the Wallender of the novels. As far as being overweight is concerned - bear in mind that Wallender was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with obesity.

My mental picture of Wallender from the novels is of a thin, neurotic hard-drinking physique. Henriksson comes closer to that and is IMV the better actor.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Spiral III

the usual merry go round of villainy and violence one trusts but oh swooooon ...

[Dave2002]

Is this worth watching? We missed Spiral I and II.