One of the things about an audio project like this that feels sort of like cheating is when you have some actors playing multiple parts then you have a character disguising themselves as another character. How is the listener supposed to guess this turn of events? You really don't know which is the situation - a multiple part or a disguise.
Finally got round to listening to Shilling and Sixpence and have to agree that this aspect made it quite confusing. Overall it was okay, but not sure I'd buy a second volume if one was ever produced. That said, maybe it improves with a second listen.
One of the things about an audio project like this that feels sort of like cheating is when you have some actors playing multiple parts then you have a character disguising themselves as another character. How is the listener supposed to guess this turn of events? You really don't know which is the situation - a multiple part or a disguise.
Finally got round to listening to Shilling and Sixpence and have to agree that this aspect made it quite confusing. Overall it was okay, but not sure I'd buy a second volume if one was ever produced. That said, maybe it improves with a second listen.
I am in that hell with this audio, either that or my age is starting to tell or I am not able to comprehend and continiuity to the story telling it seems expansive to the point of becoming very ambigious. It is superb in every aspect, apart from I am finding I am losing the thread, of who is actually who, I don't get the concept of people not recalling people that they previously met and knew. I am on my fifth listen from the start, now with a notepad...
"A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting."
Finally got round to listening to Shilling and Sixpence and have to agree that this aspect made it quite confusing. Overall it was okay, but not sure I'd buy a second volume if one was ever produced. That said, maybe it improves with a second listen.
I am in that hell with this audio, either that or my age is starting to tell or I am not able to comprehend and continiuity to the story telling it seems expansive to the point of becoming very ambigious. It is superb in every aspect, apart from I am finding I am losing the thread, of who is actually who, I don't get the concept of people not recalling people that they previously met and knew. I am on my fifth listen from the start, now with a notepad...
I found that too if I'm honest. But I think that's a bit of a trait with Fairs, he does tend to write in a way that's not straightforward. The Lighthouse and The Abandoned are classic examples.
I love a cliffhanger too, BUT only if it's resolved.
All depends on wether the sales merit another series at the mercy once again of market forces
This is why cliffhangers should not happen unless there is a certainty that they can be concluded, it's not fair on the audience. The cliffhanger at the end of season 2 of TIMELESS was nothing short of amazing, then it was cancelled. Had it remained like that it would have been an outrage. Thankfully fan reaction and protest forced a special conclusion movie. It's the same with all media, don't do it unless it can be resolved.
All depends on wether the sales merit another series at the mercy once again of market forces
This is why cliffhangers should not happen unless there is a certainty that they can be concluded, it's not fair on the audience. The cliffhanger at the end of season 2 of TIMELESS was nothing short of amazing, then it was cancelled. Had it remained like that it would have been an outrage. Thankfully fan reaction and protest forced a special conclusion movie. It's the same with all media, don't do it unless it can be resolved.
Yes totally agree it was like the Sarah Connor Chronicles awesome cliffhanger and cancelled.Farscape too...but at least we ended up with Peacekeeper Wars.Yes unless there’s a second series they should not end on cliff hangers
This is why cliffhangers should not happen unless there is a certainty that they can be concluded, it's not fair on the audience. The cliffhanger at the end of season 2 of TIMELESS was nothing short of amazing, then it was cancelled. Had it remained like that it would have been an outrage. Thankfully fan reaction and protest forced a special conclusion movie. It's the same with all media, don't do it unless it can be resolved.
Yes totally agree it was like the Sarah Connor Chronicles awesome cliffhanger and cancelled.Farscape too...but at least we ended up with Peacekeeper Wars.Yes unless there’s a second series they should not end on cliff hangers
Personally l think there will be a second series. This sort of fills a gap of sorts. It’s got a sort of Jago and Litefoot as it’s got a pair of investigators and it’s got that classic tea time drama feel that also predominated the J&L stuff. But l will stand corrected.
"A straight line may be the shortest distance between two points, but it is by no means the most interesting."
The ending is only mean if they don’t do a 2nd lot...love a cliffhanger me
I love a cliffhanger too, BUT only if it's resolved.
I've just finished the series off myself and *that* cliffhanger was blooming marvelous! Was rather nice to see a certain actor take on a more sinister role as well...
I listened to this and enjoyed it overall. My main feeling, and this may be heresy on this forum, was that it didn't work especially well as audio drama and would have worked much better on stage or on TV. If it was a prestigious Sunday night period drama it would be getting BAFTA nominations.
what didn't work for me was the number of accents, which detracted from my enjoyment because it comes across as a device to unsuccessfully disguise the fact that there are only a small number of actors doubling or tripling up for all the parts. As has been pointed out above, it got confusing because it was unclear when we were listening to an actor doubling up or a character disguising themselves by adopting a different accent. This meant I was able to guess the final twist before it happened.
when a character disguises themselves as another character on TV there are lots of visual misdirections that can be employed to mislead the audience. On audio it is only the actor's voice and when it is a performer as ubiquitous in BF as Louise Jameson ... well, we've heard all the accents before (e.g. Belfast accent in the Time Vampire)and the twist just falls flat. BF would have been better employing an actor who had never appeared in a BF production before whose voice(s) we did not know.
this maybe comes across as a harsh review and it's not intended to be ... overall it was good an I will buy series 2 if it comes out, but this aspect of it just didn't work for me.
I listened to this and enjoyed it overall. My main feeling, and this may be heresy on this forum, was that it didn't work especially well as audio drama and would have worked much better on stage or on TV. If it was a prestigious Sunday night period drama it would be getting BAFTA nominations.
what didn't work for me was the number of accents, which detracted from my enjoyment because it comes across as a device to unsuccessfully disguise the fact that there are only a small number of actors doubling or tripling up for all the parts. As has been pointed out above, it got confusing because it was unclear when we were listening to an actor doubling up or a character disguising themselves by adopting a different accent. This meant I was able to guess the final twist before it happened.
when a character disguises themselves as another character on TV there are lots of visual misdirections that can be employed to mislead the audience. On audio it is only the actor's voice and when it is a performer as ubiquitous in BF as Louise Jameson ... well, we've heard all the accents before (e.g. Belfast accent in the Time Vampire)and the twist just falls flat. BF would have been better employing an actor who had never appeared in a BF production before whose voice(s) we did not know.
this maybe comes across as a harsh review and it's not intended to be ... overall it was good an I will buy series 2 if it comes out, but this aspect of it just didn't work for me.
I tend to agree that Louise and I do love her but it should have been a different actress playing that part...
I was going to point out earlier in the week, but it is on the BF website now, but Audible is offering this for one credit (£7.99). Seems a good way to get these download only releases. Still holding onto this months credit for the Second Target Alien Worlds Collection though (The Sensorites, The Space War, Planet of the Daleks, The Ribos Operation and The Androids of Tara).
I wasn't too taken by the preview sample of Shilling and Sixpence, though I do love the Joan Hickson Miss Marple productions. I don't know how it compares tonally to that once it gets going.
Finally got round to listening to Shilling and Sixpence and have to agree that this aspect made it quite confusing. Overall it was okay, but not sure I'd buy a second volume if one was ever produced. That said, maybe it improves with a second listen.
I am in that hell with this audio, either that or my age is starting to tell or I am not able to comprehend and continiuity to the story telling it seems expansive to the point of becoming very ambigious. It is superb in every aspect, apart from I am finding I am losing the thread, of who is actually who, I don't get the concept of people not recalling people that they previously met and knew. I am on my fifth listen from the start, now with a notepad...
It's not just you. I'm finally getting around to listening to this now (did episodes 1 & 2 yesterday, 3 & 4 this morning) and I am having an absolute hell of a time keeping track of what's going on.
For me, at least, the problem is twofold: it seems like there are just too many characters to keep track of, and a lot of them sound very similar to my ear.
It's a really well-produced set. I'll need to give this a relisten (or three) at some point and take notes as I go, but this first time through....
All depends on wether the sales merit another series at the mercy once again of market forces
This is why cliffhangers should not happen unless there is a certainty that they can be concluded, it's not fair on the audience. The cliffhanger at the end of season 2 of TIMELESS was nothing short of amazing, then it was cancelled. Had it remained like that it would have been an outrage. Thankfully fan reaction and protest forced a special conclusion movie. It's the same with all media, don't do it unless it can be resolved.
I've genuinely no objection to something I enjoy ending either on a cliff-hanger or open-ended.
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