keith-618
Joined Aug 2006
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keith-618's rating
A lot of money was spent on this but anybody can spend money, as they say. Too many phoney accents and cliches make it hard to watch. The actors probably all had a good time and made tons of money but what they ended up with was a second rate drama. The last mob TV series I watched was Kin with real Irish actors and it was far superior. I confess I only watched episode one but that was a waste of an hour.
It has to be said that the original series was a 9+ out of 10 experience. It was a great piece of writing about the continuing effects of the 1980s miner strike many years later. James Graham grew up in the area so his memories give the drama an authenticity that is rare in TV drama. The casting was terrific and David Morrissey was impressive in the lead role.
But on to the follow up. I can picture the conversation: the BBC call James Graham and say "We need a season 2 for Sherwood and we'd like to keep all the original cast." James's reply would have to be "Not really, it was a one off!" However, it seems an offer was made that Graham couldn't refuse and a deal was done. So we get not only a second series but one featuring almost all the cast of the first season. So does it work? Of course not. It feels contrived and forced. The coincidences are implausible and the drama is severely compromised as a result. James Graham should feel ashamed of taking the fee and delivering something so far below the standard of the original. It has to be said though that the casting and direction are faultless. There isn't a poor performance in the second series - David Harewood in a small part and Stephen Dillane cast wonderfully against type. David Morrissey is again terrific especially in scenes with Lesley Manville but the stand out casting is Monica Dolan. What a wonderful actress; she's like a chameleon. This character is miles away from Jo Hamilton in Mr Bate v the PO, The Thief, his Wife and the Canoe and even Rosemary West in Appropriate Adult but her performance is captivating.
So it's worth it for the acting and scattered sections of moving writing. But overall it's about 6/10 and the plotting is a travesty.
But on to the follow up. I can picture the conversation: the BBC call James Graham and say "We need a season 2 for Sherwood and we'd like to keep all the original cast." James's reply would have to be "Not really, it was a one off!" However, it seems an offer was made that Graham couldn't refuse and a deal was done. So we get not only a second series but one featuring almost all the cast of the first season. So does it work? Of course not. It feels contrived and forced. The coincidences are implausible and the drama is severely compromised as a result. James Graham should feel ashamed of taking the fee and delivering something so far below the standard of the original. It has to be said though that the casting and direction are faultless. There isn't a poor performance in the second series - David Harewood in a small part and Stephen Dillane cast wonderfully against type. David Morrissey is again terrific especially in scenes with Lesley Manville but the stand out casting is Monica Dolan. What a wonderful actress; she's like a chameleon. This character is miles away from Jo Hamilton in Mr Bate v the PO, The Thief, his Wife and the Canoe and even Rosemary West in Appropriate Adult but her performance is captivating.
So it's worth it for the acting and scattered sections of moving writing. But overall it's about 6/10 and the plotting is a travesty.