George Gently bad recast?
- Thread starter xXxAnonymousxXx
- Start date
Elizabeth Gonzalez
New member
The problem for good actors who have had high profile roles in popular series is not that viewers will not accept them in other parts. We see the same actors again and again in lots of different series.
But if they see a really "big name" playing what seems at first to be a very minor role the viewers will know that they are going to be important to the plot and in probably the most important role - i.e. the killer in a crime mystery.
When Warren Clarke played Sophie in Jewel in the Crown he was very convincing as a soldier who was a lot more camp than Larry Grayson.
But if they see a really "big name" playing what seems at first to be a very minor role the viewers will know that they are going to be important to the plot and in probably the most important role - i.e. the killer in a crime mystery.
When Warren Clarke played Sophie in Jewel in the Crown he was very convincing as a soldier who was a lot more camp than Larry Grayson.
marchingbrassgirl28
New member
As far as TV is concerned he
To be fair to the storytellers here, true, Durham is not ON the coast but it is only six or seven miles from it. The Gay bar was supposed to be in Whitley Bay - fifteen or sixteen miles from Durham - ( Though it was shot in Seaton Carew in the other direction near Hartlepool ) But that is only a few miles from Wallsend where the shipyard was - an entirely believable distance for the story to take place.
The Durham police called in as extra manpower to bolster the local Wallsend bobbies for the protest. The Durham Porter travelling fifteen miles to the Gay bar therefore unlikely to be seen by anyone he knows, and the Wallsend junior gatekeeper lives close to the Gay bar he frequents and close enough to the University for his extra education. The local bus service would serve them well, as would a bicycle. Just because we do not see the characters travelling from A to B does not mean they cannot. Just that it would be boring to see them do so every week.
BTW I believe in the UK homosexuality was made legal in 1969, and compulsory in 2003.
The Durham police called in as extra manpower to bolster the local Wallsend bobbies for the protest. The Durham Porter travelling fifteen miles to the Gay bar therefore unlikely to be seen by anyone he knows, and the Wallsend junior gatekeeper lives close to the Gay bar he frequents and close enough to the University for his extra education. The local bus service would serve them well, as would a bicycle. Just because we do not see the characters travelling from A to B does not mean they cannot. Just that it would be boring to see them do so every week.
BTW I believe in the UK homosexuality was made legal in 1969, and compulsory in 2003.
The casting of Warren Clarke was typical of what I call the "Magic (cast) Roundabout," where a character in one series, exits "stage right" and re-appears in another; "stage left" playing a similar character and often in something like a similar costume.
He'd had a similar role in "Lewis."
It's lazy casting, choosing characters.
I gave an example of this, which really was an insult to the intelligence of viewers, for Urban Dictionary three years ago,.
In the BBC medical series "Bodies" Chrissy Farrell was seen each week as the hospital's departmental manager Vicky Hall.
A week or so after this series ended, she turned up in another BBC medical soap, "Casualty," as a patient in a ward bed, but she played her part no differently, same north-eastern accent. It was as if "Vicky Hall" had had an accident and was suffering from amnesia.
He'd had a similar role in "Lewis."
It's lazy casting, choosing characters.
I gave an example of this, which really was an insult to the intelligence of viewers, for Urban Dictionary three years ago,.
In the BBC medical series "Bodies" Chrissy Farrell was seen each week as the hospital's departmental manager Vicky Hall.
A week or so after this series ended, she turned up in another BBC medical soap, "Casualty," as a patient in a ward bed, but she played her part no differently, same north-eastern accent. It was as if "Vicky Hall" had had an accident and was suffering from amnesia.
Nonsense.
Clarke is a great actor whatever he's in, and he convinces the viewer he's the character of whoever he's playing. This is the whole point of acting - you're being someone else, not yourself or any other part you've played in the past. This is why David Jason is dreadful - he's always Del Boy, whether he's Frost or Pa Larkin - but John Thaw can play Monsieur Renard or Mr Tom but when he was playing these roles he was never Morse.
Clarke is a great actor whatever he's in, and he convinces the viewer he's the character of whoever he's playing. This is the whole point of acting - you're being someone else, not yourself or any other part you've played in the past. This is why David Jason is dreadful - he's always Del Boy, whether he's Frost or Pa Larkin - but John Thaw can play Monsieur Renard or Mr Tom but when he was playing these roles he was never Morse.
giantsaholic
New member
Is there a thread hereabouts to point out the glaring anachronisms in GG? If not, please add your own
I know they can't help the big things in the lanRABcape like modern traffic bollarRAB and great big Rape fielRAB but the use of some worRAB and phrases for the Sixties is just plain wrong
"Uni" for university was not a normal abbreviation until everyone started going.
Bacchus last week said someone was 'screwed up' -- he might have said someone had 'a screw loose' but I don't think screwed up would have been in everyday use because it's from the later hippy psycho babble - and before then screwing was more used as a euphemism for swiving (=ef f- ing).
I know they can't help the big things in the lanRABcape like modern traffic bollarRAB and great big Rape fielRAB but the use of some worRAB and phrases for the Sixties is just plain wrong
"Uni" for university was not a normal abbreviation until everyone started going.
Bacchus last week said someone was 'screwed up' -- he might have said someone had 'a screw loose' but I don't think screwed up would have been in everyday use because it's from the later hippy psycho babble - and before then screwing was more used as a euphemism for swiving (=ef f- ing).
iLoveKevin(:
New member
but John Thaw can play Monsieur Renard or Mr Tom but when he was playing these roles he was never Morse.
He couldn't hold an accent to save his life. He used to veer all over the shop from really rather posh to cor blimey gov'' during the course of just one line.
He couldn't hold an accent to save his life. He used to veer all over the shop from really rather posh to cor blimey gov'' during the course of just one line.
Soccer star
New member
In what programme was that?
His Suffolk accent was second to none on Goodnight Mr Tom.
I should know, as both my grandparents came from there and although they lived in London, they kept their accents to the end.
His Suffolk accent was second to none on Goodnight Mr Tom.
I should know, as both my grandparents came from there and although they lived in London, they kept their accents to the end.
The language thing doesn't worry me too much - in Merlin they use modern expressions, you can't really expect them to speak in some form of early English.It's the anachronisms as has been mentioned - in New Tricks a couple of weeks ago there were references to the Chief Constable of the Metropolitan Police - and they have police advisors on the programme ! No such post exists, it's the Commissioner.And the BBC's own Points of View pointed out in the last Merlin series two cans of Carlsberg on a table where the characters were supposed to be having a meal (honestly).Those sort of things are just sloppy and careless production.
With respect, SoundWall, the distances are a quite a bit more than those you quote - for instance, from Durham City to the nearest coast is approximately 12 miles, Durham to Wallsend is over 20 miles, and Durham to Whitley Bay is almost 23 miles direct and using major roaRAB, but back then would probably have involved a much more circuitous route.
That's a long way to bike there and back in order to learn to read for the gatekeeper!
I was a little girl in the 60's and believe me, the bus services weren't as frequent or direct as they are today - for instance, to get from the Durham village where we lived to Newcastle, we'd have to get a bus from home to Durham or Chester-le-Street then another bus to Newcastle - or alternatively, a bus to Sunderland or Hartlepool and the train to Newcastle. Often, all of these journeys involved being prepared to wait for an hour or two between connections.
Also, apart from the (sometimes bizarre) accents adopted by the cast, which are always an irritation to many of us who live in the North-East where there are actually marked differences between the Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham accent - much of the female clothing/make-up/ hairstyles are just wrong!
Have to admit that I decided to give up on the programme on Sunday - just flashing picturesque shots of Durham Cathedral on to the screen every five or so minutes isn't enough!
That's a long way to bike there and back in order to learn to read for the gatekeeper!
I was a little girl in the 60's and believe me, the bus services weren't as frequent or direct as they are today - for instance, to get from the Durham village where we lived to Newcastle, we'd have to get a bus from home to Durham or Chester-le-Street then another bus to Newcastle - or alternatively, a bus to Sunderland or Hartlepool and the train to Newcastle. Often, all of these journeys involved being prepared to wait for an hour or two between connections.
Also, apart from the (sometimes bizarre) accents adopted by the cast, which are always an irritation to many of us who live in the North-East where there are actually marked differences between the Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham accent - much of the female clothing/make-up/ hairstyles are just wrong!
Have to admit that I decided to give up on the programme on Sunday - just flashing picturesque shots of Durham Cathedral on to the screen every five or so minutes isn't enough!
xx_dustin_xx
New member
On This Morning last week Martin Shaw hinted (maybe only to my ears anyway) that he would rather be doing more 'Judge John Dredd' (as Eammon Holmes twice called it!) (and indeed so did Holly Willoughby the day before)
He said he kept being asked why they were not making more and we should ask the BBC as the cast and crew etc all wanted to.
I have to say that I think that role suited him better.
He said he kept being asked why they were not making more and we should ask the BBC as the cast and crew etc all wanted to.
I have to say that I think that role suited him better.
misslady233
New member
With equal respect, AIDA, envy you your North East Childhood, and bow to your greater knowledge of this region and its circuitous ways. I, of course, was merely using Google maps to work out the distances.
But as I have lived in Chichester for most of my life ( West Sussex) I do consider that to be near the sea even though it is about seven miles away by road and a good half hour cycle ride at that.
Surely it does not stretch credulity too far by having these locations in this story? These distances weren't travelled daily after all, and it gives the programme makers somewhere to go for some picturesque shots of docks and period seaside interest.
How did you feel for the last series of Inspector George Gently? They were all shot in Ireland - This is the first time they have shot where it is set.
As to getting the period clothing right. It seems they may have gone for out of time or anachronous garments for some of the cast, indeed. But getting it right is also time consuming and costly. The BBC has to watch its coffers carefully and sometimes compromise has to be embraced. Surely that's not reason enough to turn off?
But as I have lived in Chichester for most of my life ( West Sussex) I do consider that to be near the sea even though it is about seven miles away by road and a good half hour cycle ride at that.
Surely it does not stretch credulity too far by having these locations in this story? These distances weren't travelled daily after all, and it gives the programme makers somewhere to go for some picturesque shots of docks and period seaside interest.
How did you feel for the last series of Inspector George Gently? They were all shot in Ireland - This is the first time they have shot where it is set.
As to getting the period clothing right. It seems they may have gone for out of time or anachronous garments for some of the cast, indeed. But getting it right is also time consuming and costly. The BBC has to watch its coffers carefully and sometimes compromise has to be embraced. Surely that's not reason enough to turn off?
SensorForum
New member
I know that it is all about opinions, but to say that Frost and Pa Larkin are the same as Del Boy when played by David Jason is the oddest opinion about acting I have ever seen on these boarRAB, and that is saying something.
unixmachine
New member
Just because he cannot do a cockney accent does not make him a bad actor. John Geilgud and Ralph RicharRABon would not have shone as a cockney.
Warren Clarke's geordie accent in Gently was even worse than Shaw's cockney - but that is the fault of the casting director not the actor.
Warren Clarke's geordie accent in Gently was even worse than Shaw's cockney - but that is the fault of the casting director not the actor.
