• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell |OT| Magic now also available in the US | BBCA, BBC One

Status
Not open for further replies.

berzeli

Banned
1qvb.png

SfFr82o.png



uHqP2Ae.png
 

berzeli

Banned
A note about spoilers:
If you have read the book please refrain from asking leading questions or teasing events and characters that have not taken place/been introduced or been fully explored in the TV adaptation.
When you are talking about the book, tag accordingly: (book)
spoiler-y stuff
A note to Americans:
All seven episodes have aired in the UK which is reflected in the thread. First episode available on Youtube.
Official websites:
BBC
BBC America
Previews:
Den of Geek: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: the best UK fantasy in years
The Guardian: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: can the BBC's ambitious magician drama put a spell on audiences?
Susanna Clarke on the TV Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: ‘My own characters were walking about!’
Radio Times: "could be something truly magical"
note: not my fault, all titles are bad puns.
Reviews:
Den of Geek: "BBC One fantasy drama Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a marvel, from its cast to its magnificent world-building"
The Telegraph: "Harry Potter for grown-ups" (3/5)
Digital Spy: "Nothing less than a television triumph"
The Guardian (recap): "Scene after scene, I found myself agreeing with almost everything Haynes has done here"
io9 (recap): "not quite a perfect adaptation, there is still enough at play in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell to make you want to see more"
New York Times: "a largely unremarkable mini-series"
AV Club: " it can pull off the story, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll pull off the magic" (B+)
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
I need to finish the book first before the show's premier on BBCA next month I've been so bad about reading this past year I've yet to finish a single book. I hope to hear good things out of the UK about the show it looks really great from the previews.
 

Chopper

Member
I've not read the book, but I just watched the first episode. I enjoyed it.

The scene with the stone figures coming to life was great, and Paul Kaye is always brilliant. But that final scene has me baffled. Was that the Raven King?

Made me think of Gozer from Ghostbusters.

T1M3lD5.jpg


Edit: Just read a review that suggests it's not. Well, I'm very confused, but am definitely in for the rest of the season.
 
Awesome OT! The Gentleman looks fantastic. Hope they capture his funny side as well as his creepy side.

note: not my fault, all titles are bad puns.

I hate how everyone insists on doing this. The worst is when a new Donkey Kong title releases. The puns are relentless.
 

Quick

Banned
Well done on the OT.

Berzeli, your PM about this got me interested in checking this out. And it looks like it has some quality talent writing and directing from the Doctor Who/Sherlock area, too.
 
Never even heard of this series, book or show. Looks interesting, though. The trailer makes it look slightly comedic, is that an accurate representation of the show's tone?
 

royalan

Member
Question:

Are we talking a fantastical world with actual magic here? Because if so, yes, fix me a plate of some of that. Haven't had some of that in a while.

Or is this just more boring The Prestige/Now You See Me battle of smoke and mirrors crap?
 

Chopper

Member
Question:

Are we talking a fantastical world with actual magic here? Because if so, yes, fix me a plate of some of that. Haven't had some of that in a while.

Or is this just more boring The Prestige/Now You See Me battle of smoke and mirrors crap?
I'm new to this, but looks like actual magic to me!
 

berzeli

Banned
Well done on the OT.

Berzeli, your PM about this got me interested in checking this out. And it looks like it has some quality talent writing and directing from the Doctor Who/Sherlock area, too.

Thanks for the compliment and on your assistance to my queries.

Toby Haynes is one of the best directors that works in British TV and he has done some things I absolutely adore, Peter Harness mostly has worked on Wallander so I wasn't as familiar with his work. Harness actually only has written one episode of Who (Kill the Moon) but since that is the reference most people on this forum would get I though I would throw it in there.

Question:

Are we talking a fantastical world with actual magic here? Because if so, yes, fix me a plate of some of that. Haven't had some of that in a while.

Or is this just more boring The Prestige/Now You See Me battle of smoke and mirrors crap?

x2mfRkD.gif
 
I just read your reply. Oh shit!

I want to ask more questions, but don't really want stuff spoiled for me. But...

Is the Raven King a real thing, or is it more theoretical?

I don't want too much spoiled for me as I forget a lot of details from the book. But you will certainly learn more about the Raven King later.
 
Question:

Are we talking a fantastical world with actual magic here? Because if so, yes, fix me a plate of some of that. Haven't had some of that in a while.

Or is this just more boring The Prestige/Now You See Me battle of smoke and mirrors crap?

This isn't Lost or Smoke and Mirrors. Think more midsummer's night dream.
 
Never even heard of this series, book or show. Looks interesting, though. The trailer makes it look slightly comedic, is that an accurate representation of the show's tone?

It is a funny book (and also thought-provoking and occasionally creepy). I'd definitely expect some humor.
 

cjp

Junior Member
Had never heard of it before but I caught the first episode after seeing the trailer for it earlier on TV. Quite enjoyed it, made a nice change to see something on that feels different.
 
I was expecting sherlock holmes/supernatural, but it has a Penny Dreadful vibe. Realistic with fantasy

really like it especially the tarot scene. Only thing bothered me was the clean street
 

Cyan

Banned
Question:

Are we talking a fantastical world with actual magic here? Because if so, yes, fix me a plate of some of that. Haven't had some of that in a while.

Or is this just more boring The Prestige/Now You See Me battle of smoke and mirrors crap?

You will like this. :)
 

Currygan

at last, for christ's sake
it was a great first episode. Eddie Marsan was absolutely exceptional among others. Can't wait for more
 
Read the book a few years ago and loved it, can't remember too much about it but this seems pretty faithful. Really enjoyed it.

I think you can watch this with kids
 

Switch Back 9

a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Just finished the book like, two days ago. Only reason I picked it up was because of this trailer. I'd heard about it before but assumed it was a Harry Potter style YA novel and never really bothered with it . How wrong I was. It was like Blackadder meets A Midsummer Night's Dream,
which is to say I loved it.
 
I really liked Eddie Marsan in this.

Found the first episode realy interesting !

....but the people who lives with me found it boring =(
It'll become more interesting as it goes on and the plot begins to unravel.

As a book reader I do wonder if non-readers knew who (or rather what) that weird looking guy was at the end.
 

berzeli

Banned
Just finished the book like, two days ago. Only reason I picked it up was because of this trailer. I'd heard about it before but assumed it was a Harry Potter style YA novel and never really bothered wuthering it . How wrong I was. It was like Blackadder meets,. A Midsummer Night's Dream,
whwhh is to say I loved it.

Gained a visceral hatred for *spoiler* by the end, I hope the latter's comeuppance is a bit more satisfying on screen though.

Is that a book spoiler? If so, please remove it. I thought it would have been obvious not to discuss the book in this thread, but now there is a note regarding spoilers in the second post.

I really liked Eddie Marsan in this.

That would be because Eddie Marsan can do no wrong.

As a book reader I do wonder if non-readers knew who (or rather what) that weird looking guy was at the end.

As I said above, please refrain from discussing the book here.
 

berzeli

Banned
Ugh.

God forbid I ask what people's perceptions are of the characters in the show.

If you have a need for discussing the book, then start a new thread. It is not that difficult, this thread is for the TV series and not the book. What may be an innocuous question to you may not be that to someone else. I mean you even state in your question that it is a what and not a who, that is going into spoiler territory.

It is really easy to end up saying something which you intended not to say when talking about the book, so don't.
 

Mumei

Member
Ugh.

God forbid I ask what people's perceptions are of the characters in the show.

If I had not gone in with foreknowledge, I might have been a bit confused, but I think you can tell from contextual clues who that character is supposed to be, and any confusion on that point will be cleared up sooner rather than later.

Anyway, I loved it. I had been keeping my expectations very low because of how much I loved the book and how recently I'd read it, but I think that even if I'd allowed myself to be unrealistically optimistic I'd still feel pleased at this juncture.
 

Switch Back 9

a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
Is that a book spoiler? If so, please remove it.


As I said above, please refrain from discussing the book here.

It's spoiler tagged, if you don't want to read it don't click on it. Also, gimme a break if you think people aren't going to discuss this in regards to how it compares to the book. That's what spoiler tags are for.

Ugh.

God forbid I ask what people's perceptions are of the characters in the show.

How dare you!
 
If you have a need for discussing the book, then start a new thread. It is not that difficult, this thread is for the TV series and not the book. What may be an innocuous question to you may not be that to someone else. I mean you even state in your question that it is a what and not a who, that is going into spoiler territory.

It is really easy to end up saying something which you intended not to say when talking about the book, so don't.

He's not discussing the book, though, he's specifically asking what people who haven't read the book thought of the appearance.

And dude, chill. There's gonna be some people with book spoilers. So long as they're properly tagged, it's all good.

BTW, stuck in Eagleland, so no show for me 'til the 13th of June D: Is the guy at the end (book spoiler!)
the Gentleman with the thistle-down hair?

(Like that.)
 

berzeli

Banned
It's spoiler tagged, if you don't want to read it don't click on it. Also, gimme a break if you think people aren't going to discuss this in regards to how it compares to the book. That's what spoiler tags are for.

I do realise that I didn't include a spoiler policy originally, so that is on me. Now there is one and I'm asking you to adhere to it. In that policy I didn't outright ban all comparisons to the book since I'm somewhat ok with that, but I do not want to see people discussing events that haven't occurred yet or characters who haven't been introduced (or introduced properly) yet.

If you want to discuss the book then do so in another thread. Please do not make me have to turn to the moderation staff to clean this thread.

He's not discussing the book, though, he's specifically asking what people who haven't read the book thought of the appearance.

And dude, chill. There's gonna be some people with book spoilers. So long as they're properly tagged, it's all good.

He didn't. The other poster did though, and I clarified the position on spoilers in the second post. It just comes across as quite smug and offers very little good discussion when book readers as non book readers questions like that, and as I've stated when I clarified as to why I dislike people discussing future events.

You don't have to like the rules I've set for this thread but I would ask you to adhere to them. So no, tagging book spoilers is not enough, and I would like people to stop posting about a character who haven't been fully introduced yet.
 
The first episode is pretty fantastic! I have yet to read the book but I liked what I saw via the adverts for it and I've been recommended by a friend. Looking forward to seeing more!

This guy especially makes it great. Dat voice.

final_8334281_8334271-1.jpg
 

Mumei

Member
The first episode is pretty fantastic! I have yet to read the book but I liked what I saw via the adverts for it and I've been recommended by a friend. Looking forward to seeing more!

This guy especially makes it great. Dat voice.

final_8334281_8334271-1.jpg

The review / recap in The Guardian made humorous mention of his accent:

Points of note ...

Childermass’s Yorkshireness. There are none more Yorkshire. Vowels flatter than a blind cobbler’s thumb. Perhaps the only man in the land to have the freedom to call Geoffrey Boycott a soft southern shite.

I asked a friend from the U.K. if he understood the reference to Geoffrey Boycott, and he said he didn't, but that it was probably a famous cricketer because apparently that's a Yorkshire thing? Anyway, he was right.
 

Kaladin

Member
Is there any way for us yanks to watch this legally yet?

Waiting on June for Amazon Instant Video or the blu-ray in August is going to suck.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom