Neverwhere

this novel was one of the better dark fantasy books i have read, a very modern Hero Epic. Anyone who has ever lived in london (as i have) will certainly appreciate this. Fans of Neil Gaiman is a must. Its flaw is that some of the performances are only so-so, and it us unfortunately incredibly Under-funded. Not that big budgets are a must (look at Blair Witch Project), but this looks a little too cheap, a lot like Dr. Who.

You probably have to know London a bit to fully enjoy the story of Neverwhere (the series or the novel for that matter). The whole story relies on knowing a bit of the city layout, above and below :) And it's understandable that US viewers can be surprised by the low budget BBC production (unless they were familiarized with it through stuff like Dr Who which seems to be popular at the moment). Most European TVs don't get to sell their productions abroad so they won't invest as heavily as the US productions.

I read the novel long before I could get my hands on the DVD (actually way before I was even aware of anything being available in filmed form, much less as a DVD). For some reason the only release seems to be for the US market.

Regarding the Neverwhere series, yes, while the cast is mostly good, some of the actors are so-so. Even with the obviously shoestring budget, the sets and costumes are quite inventive and convincingly used. The directing unfortunately is really poor and it does quite a bit of damage to the effectiveness of the whole.

If you have read and enjoyed the novel, you will find the series to be something imperfect yes but also something that you can watch with fondness. Possibly a proper adaptation by a proper director with a decent budget would be nice. But it's unlikely it will ever happen. Isn't it better to enjoy what's available even if it could theoretically be better ?

After being treated to the first episode of this gritty tale of another world I was left desperate for more! I am quite surprised that this passed me by in the first instance. What on earth was I doing in 1996 when this was being shown?

Neverwhere begins with the introduction of its characters in a less than conventional way. It almost puts you off by its quirky and totally off the rails introduction. Once you get over this and the low budget nature of the program you find that the storyline is quite appealing. There are many familiar faces to discover throughout each episode.

This 6 episode adventure would appeal to fans of Dr Who and general low budget science fiction. This is never going to be mainstream programming and thats where its appeal lies. Give the first 10 minutes of episode one a try, its a pretty good indicator of the general story itself, and it got me hooked pretty quickly.

8/10 LEWIS CAROL EAT YOUR HEART OUT!

I watched Neverwhere when it was first aired on the BBC in 1996 and really enjoyed it, I was rather disappointed when a second series didn't materialise. When I spotted the series for sale on DVD I had to buy it.

Being made for television at a time when good quality special effects were too expensive some scenes don't look as good as they might now, thankfully the creators seem to have realised this and kept the effects scenes to a minimum instead relying on underground locations to give the series its atmosphere.

Richard Mayhew is an ordinary London office worker who's life is changed when he stops to help an apparently homeless woman. He soon learns that she is Lady Door, a resident of London Below, a strange shadow world who's inhabitants pass barely noticed amongst the people of London Above. After helping Door Richard finds himself trapped in this world; his friends and even his fiancé barely notice him and when he confronts them directly they have no memory of who he was. With nowhere else to go he heads into the sewers of London Below trying to find Door again.

Richard isn't the only person seeking Door, she is also being sought by Messrs Croup and Vandemaar, two sinister assassins who have already killed her family and appear to want to do the same to Door. There are several other interesting characters, some who help Richard and Door, some who hinder them and others who are not what they appear to be.

The story uses the various parts London to give names to characters in a delightfully literal way, Hammersmith is a blacksmith wielding a hammer, The Angel Islington is literally an Angel called Islington and Earl's Court is where the Earl holds court. The actors did a good job, I particularly liked Laura Fraser's portrayal of Door and Hywel Bennett and Clive Russell as the two assassins.

I'd certainly recommend this short series to anybody wanting to see something a little different and likes fantasy drama.

At first glance you may be turned off by the unfortunate quality, but once you can get past it, NeverWhere will take you to places you've never been. You travel along with it's not too willing participant Richard Meyhew as he desperately attempts to figure out London Below's secrets whilst hoping to, in the process, find a way to get back home to London above. Gary Bakewell (known mostly for his perfect portrayals as Paul McCartney) does an excellent job as the confused Meyhew, with a Scottish accent and always another dumb question, all the characters are portrayed wonderfully - especially that of the Marquis De Carabas. The villains, though sometimes the comic relief, can be quite terrifying as well. Wonderful writing throughout, and although sometimes simplified, the sets give the perfect atmosphere to London below. It will make you think about what you *really* see around you!