Bookish

I must admit that I had been looking forward to this debuting from the moment I found out of its existence.

I was not disappointed.

I love the characters. Book and Trottie are a wonderful couple, tender and loving. But at the risk of divulging spoilers, I shall say no more on that.

At the time of writing I have only 'binged' four of the six episodes (why are there not more?!). The supporting cast are equally compelling, hinting at depths not yet explored.

The cinematography, direction, set and costume design are all superb.

The storylines are well thought out, with allusions of other famous whodunnits, but with spins on them that only bring them to light during the denouement.

Gatiss is a superb writer, like all of his works he knows his subject matter and he sprinkles Easter eggs and nods throughout whilst creating something truly original.

I am sad that only six episodes have been made. So far. The series, the characters, the mysteries, deserve many, many more outings. If there is any justice, we will see Book and co. Again.

10/10.

This looks great and has very fine writing and performances. There's a limit to how many plot variations an amateur detective can have and Bookish doesn't really try to push the envelope.

But that is part of its charm.. familiarity with the characters and plots makes it all more enjoyable.

The one negative and itis a big one is that the sound quality s not good enough to make the dialogue clear in all circumstances. Could badly do with optional subtitles.

It's rare for a show with such a brilliant theme and concept to fall apart so quickly, but Bookish manages it with surprising speed. What starts as a gentle, character-driven world in the first episode devolves into a frustrating and aimless experience by the second.

Unfortunately, this promising premise was let down by poor execution. The second episode squanders all narrative momentum, turning the possibly deliberate pace of the premiere into a frustrating meander.

The central mystery, which should be the show's driving force, struggles to move forward, or may I say just entangles itself repeatedly... making the plot feel aimless and repetitive.

Instead of building tension, the story feels too clever for its own good, introducing a series of convoluted scenes that go on with no clear end in sight. The show relies heavily on its quirky characters, but without a compelling narrative, their unique traits become a tedious way to fill time.

Ultimately, Bookish fails to deliver, leaving me with a sense of disappointment and a feeling that the series is a book best left unfinished.

I'm not a fan of everything that Mark Gatiss has been in, like "Moonflower Murders" or the "Sherlock Holmes" series, but I did enjoy "Bookish". I've always been a fan of Polly Walker from "Enchanted April" to "Bridgerton", she's great in any role. And Connor Finch is a nice addition.

It's a very English detective series, something to relish like an Agatha Christie mystery. You just need a cup of tea and some biscuits and a comfortable chair. Trottie and Gabriel's lavender marriage wasn't that unique, it had a name. The episodes are different, not recycled plots that have been done before.

It's already been renewed for a 2nd season. I hope season 2 has 8 episodes instead of 6. It's a different take on the amateur detective genre and worth a second season.

Bet you never thought you'd hear anyone say that about any programme, let alone a mystery penned by the usually very reliable Mark Gatiss. The premise is great: book shop owner with lavender marriage solves mysteries in post-war London, but everything is just so slow. The stories creep along at the pace of the encroaching London smog. And London is not London, so there's a fair bit of not very good AI making the streets look a little less Belgian, where it was actually filmed. On top of that, there are some very dodgy accents - the Turkish girl's comes straight out of 2020s Top Boy - and the while thing is filmed in a washed out, over exposed palette. It's a real shame as I was looking forward to this. In the battle of the afternoon TV Marks, it's a win for Mr. Williams.