The Village.

during WWI

1914/15

It is a poor mans version of the German series Heimat.

Thought it was about that era, just wondered as Queen Elizabeths head was on some of those tanners!

hang on a minute

Isnt it meant to be the next poor mans Downtown Abbey? Will quickly say at this point, never watched but heard lots about it.

It's very grim

The village, that is, not Downton.

saw bits of this tonight

first thing a guy was chewing a broom handle , then a mad woman was digging up a dead dog , even the vicar was a loony

Still not sure why the young boy was given the money, obviously something to do with the old woman dying, then cutting her arm to get the blood !

"first thing a guy was chewing a broom handle , then a mad woman was digging up a dead dog , even the vicar was a loony"

I don't feel so bad about it now.

It really was gloomy tho'. The dad nearly hanging himself at the end was quite distressing to watch.

And the poor burnt dog in the bed was just horrible

A happier ending to last night's episode.

Well done to the dad for saving Molly

Was that Molly ?
It looked like a smaller horse to me as though the Father took the £75 & bought a cheaper beas and pocketed the rest, but I could be wrong though.

Nah. Was clearly supposed to be the same horse. Extremely difficult working with horses for television if you want them to look like a specific horse. Quite possible that the set was too small for the original one, or could be that the one from outside wouldn't play ball about going inside. Some Irish racing effort a few years ago was using two geldings and a mare to represent the same nag in different scenes. Think the title had Diamond in it.

It's quite a good program overall imo. I don't mind it being slow, and the fact that it's so damned miserable is just really an antidote to the cheeriness of Downton.

I suspect it'll be a ratings stinker, but it doesn't deserve to be. Funnily enough, someone else I spoke to called it a poor man's Heimat.

Actually, thinking about it Pumpy, you could be right. I've got it on t' Sky+ box. I'll have a look later.

Guys, I'm distraught.

Don't tell me that wasn't Molly!

It certainly looked like a different horse but I'm sure it was supposed to be Molly.

This series has come in for a bit of criticism about being sloppily made. Inattention to period detail, that sort of thing.

I'm thinking HM is right and that they couldn't get the original Molly into the pub.

Looking at it again the horse in the pub is no bigger than a pony

Yes, it looked darker too. Even tho' it was dark in the pub. If you see what I mean.

it conveyed the point that he has got over his demons so I am not too worried, I am enjoying it and it shows us how lucky we are because of those that went before.

Enjoying it so far - John SIMM usually guarantee of quality - but, given it is meant to be tale of a village over a century, bit puzzled how, half way through the six episodes, they are still in WWI. How are they going to fast forward to give any significance to the other 90 odd years? Very much hope this isn't just the first series & I have to commit to watching it for years to come!

erm. You are committing.

And that is why it just might be brilliant. Even though I began the sentence with a conjunction.

The acting has been wonderful so far. So good that you only just notice that they're acting.

It's up there with the best Meadows, Loach and Poliakoff stuff that I've seen. The best British melodrama I've seen is Poliakoff's Shooting the Past. Beautiful.

"The best British melodrama I've seen is Poliakoff's Shooting the Past. Beautiful."

Yes, it was beautiful. I remember watching it.

I was completely captivated by Lindsay Duncan, Timothy Spall, and all those old photographs.

Brilliant, wasn't it Makybe?

Brings just a twinkiling, inkling of a tear to my eye.

Yes, HM, it was brilliant. I think I might order the DVD. I would love to watch it again.

Done!

.http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000AISIF/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Village had favourable previews promising massive scope as it tells the story of the 20th C .Apparently the writer didn't want a cliched drama like Downton so he opted for the Hovis commercial approach instead. It is cut out  and paste characters (note the absurd family in t'big ouse and their ridiculous relationship with various oiks). The overblown angst of the John Simms character is simply not believable.The kid on the bathouse roof in broad daylight...oh please!The happyclappy march to war....the sparky suffragette methodist ..its cliche cliche all the way lads.nearly as bad as Broadchurch if thats possible.

I think the happclappy march to war in the Autumn of 1914 probably happened in hundreds of towns & villages throughout the country.

Of course it did. The aim was to raise an army of 1 million men and I think they did it  within a few weeks but in The Village it was just a stuck on badge of period authenticity.

saw a bit more of it , it's no so bad IMO

the characters do have some individuality tbf

Rockmonkey the bad news is this really is only 1 series set in WWI , and (presuming this one does ok ratings wise) there will then be a series in the 1920s/30s , one for WWII etc , so you may have to watch it for years

re the Heimat comparison, the writer has specifically said he is intending a English version of that

Which is fair enough.

I'm delighted that any British production should show such grand ambition.

British efforts tend to be 6 efforts, 12 at a push. In the States, 24 is standard. It's a shame that we can't do that here.

ttt ready for later

ttt again.

it says disturbing scenes

What did he do to Martha?!

They must have been the disturbing scenes.

I really shouldn't watch this.

wtf is going on

she's got to learn that men are the gaffers

I think he has just back scuttled her

Whoa! What's happening

This is too much!

Was that a cow he shot?

Have to admit I've not been giving this my full attention tonight. Been on here at the same time.

Someone may have to fill me in.

yes don't look

I don't understand this.

Why have the cows been shot?

Would help if my computer was facing towards the TV.

No animals were hurt during filming?

Thar cow didn't look very well

Or get a tv card for your computer.

I dont have a clue what is going on.

the old boy was a fruitcake I am sure they will expand next week

"the old boy was a fruitcake I am sure they will expand next week"

Hope so BB, coz I'm completely lost at the moment.

Seeing as no one has come along to help me make sense of tonight's episode I am retiring for the evening.

Makybe_Diva
21 Apr 13 21:54

This is too much!

Was that a cow he shot?


"Oh George...not the livestock."

Well how depressing was that?!!

After my weekly dose of misery I'm now watching Father Ted to cheer myself up.

that was life, god knows how they came through it all.

The last episode next week. Hope they give us a happier ending.

This surely ranks as the worst drama the BBC have ever screened. Truly miserable viewing.

Pre-Fat-Low-Fat-Foods     29 Apr 13 22:03 
Truly miserable viewing.


Indeed, its portraying what a low level of existence people lived in back then,you obviously hate it & that's fair enough but  that surely does not make it the worst drama the BBC have ever screened.

It'll all be over at 10pm tonight. Can't wait.

Good stuff but have missed 2 episodes....now I've got 3 to catch up...

Well that's the end of that.

It's been hard watching this for 6 weeks and I'm glad it's over.

I cannot begin to imagine how hard it was for those people who lived through it for real

Thought tonight's episode was an improvement.

Still dire overall.

I think it's been excellent.

Yes, it has been very good.

I'll be interested to know what's planned for the next series.

Pre-Fat-Low-Fat-Foods     05 May 13 22:38 
Thought tonight's episode was an improvement.

Still dire overall



Have to laugh Pre - Fat
You are a TV masochist

ttt

The Village is back.

I've just watched last night's first episode of series 2.

Not impressed.

I might give I another go next week.

I will say that the little calf is ok

So anyone who is yet to watch it needn't worry about it for the entire hour as I did

it* another go.

I quite enjoyed it

I really enjoyed the second episode. I watched it this afternoon

Has lost a bit of the darkness of the first series but it might be a slow burner.
Although I might go to hell, I thought the Nun was a bit horny!

I don't think you'll go to hell for thinking that mmm.

Tho' I thought she was a nurse

Have to catch up with last night, once the workmates tell me there were no **** scenes