Loved it! This first episode definitely felt like Suspects, but an improved Suspects. The new cast flowed in seamlessly, and having those extra people to play off of worked really well for Damien and Clare-Hope. I'd been looking forward to Lenora on the show, and she was fantastic, but the little bromance between Jack and Roscoe were the highlight for me. I agree with fifi, not once did I think of Hal and Annie, but Damien and Perry's easy banter brought on warm fuzzy memories of Hal and Tom. It helps that Perry is young and has sad puppy eyes too. lol
I have to say, I did not see that ending coming. Even with the little spoilers in the recent articles, my jaw dropped at the reveal. In hindsight I should have seen it coming. There's no way he could have gotten a duplicate gun late at night that fast, and a twinge of suspicion did hit me when he said he would try to. But I dismissed that twinge and then... bam! This just got even more interesting.
A couple minor quips. The disappearing blood stain on Jack's neck while he was outside discussing things with the new detectives and hugging Daisy. Makeup obviously missed splotching some on him. And Charlie hitting that guy she was chasing. It was too out of character for her.
Will be having a second viewing with the hubby in a bit, looking forward to catching little things I likely missed the first time around. (dialog; always can't understand half the dialog)
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papillon... pamplemousse... bibliothèque... un baiser A lilt in his voice. Every sentence like music... #kisskisskiss A terrible beauty is born. Love me some #Jacksass
So....I've had a rewatch. It really is quite impressive how naturally the new cast members have slipped in.....and wasn't Daisy brilliant! I really feel that Suspects is coming of age with this series. As I said before - it still retains all of those good aspects which result from the ad lib dialogue and the way it is filmed...but it feels more solid somehow....less like an experiment.....
I hadn't thought about it yesterday, but it's also a massive change in format for us to know who dunnit right from the start. I thought I had figured it out - too much looking at cast lists on Imdb!! - and I had wondered if I would regret that. But it turns out that doesn't matter anyway..... Whereas previously we've watched the team finding the evidence to finally figure out the culprit, this time around we, the audience, have actually been given most of the pieces to the puzzle and will be watching them put them all together. It makes it feel a little bit more traditional tv crime drama - focussing more on the 'main' characters to provide the drama/intrigue...... Although I do think that is probably the most effective way to encourage people to watch an entire series. It was very easy to dip in and out with each episode being so completely stand alone.
I agree with whimsy that it seemed really out of character for charlie to lay into that guy - but maybe I can overlook that as people can behave in truly unpredictable ways when they're stressed....
But....Oh Jack!! He has dug himself a big gaping hole and then jumped right into it! I really wasn't sure what he was going to do after whatsisname had told him to get the gun for him....I did wonder if he would try to sort it all out on his own, and was kinda relieved when he decided to go and tell DCI Drummond how he'd fucked up! But I did see that twist at the end coming. I wasn't sure if it was just because, having read the previews and interviews, I was looking out for something dodgy... But why on earth would Jack need to sign out the real gun?! Did the thought not occur to him that they didn't need it if they were going to hand over a replica??!? Oh Jack!!!
I've actually decided to only give it 4 stars. Not because I don't think it was excellent tv.....but I'm anticipating that I will want to go up a star before the series is out - I feel this inevitably won't be the best ep of the series - and so I've left myself some head room
Wow... I need to melt this a bit. So much information hitting my brain. But I loved it and I was suspicious about the new cast and consept but I have to say this show has take brilliant turn.
It was intense, intresting and had many new elements innit. Not only we finally saw Charlie and Jack having a beer in pub, but their homes, there was more personal emotions showing more (not just anger but also fear and love).
I was still a bit sad about Martha and I found myself missing her more than I thought.
I'm quite worried about what is going to happen to Jack! At first I thought Jack wasn't going to tell anyone about Charlie being threatened and try and sort it out himself because that's typical Jack but now I wish he had! Drummond has completely set him up. I can't believe that it's not going to come back and seriously bite Jack on the bum. I'm really interested to find out more about Jack and Rose (I wondered about her daughter too, Ellie).
It really looks like Jack is going to be the major focus this series. It's definitely going to be intense!
Really enjoying reading all your comments and reactions
Such a textured storyline, as always with Suspects, grows with each re watch.
And interestingly for this episode, because of the twist at the end (GASP) the entire episode has a totally different slant to it on the second viewing - a different light is shed on every briefing and interaction involving DCI Dan (the snake!).
He has set Jack up, and it's not going to end there is it...
Drummond serves as a clever contrast to Jack, in that Jack bends the rules - he pulled some shady stuff with the suspects in the first half of the ep - but he is not corrupt. When things got too hot for Jack he dropped all attitude and that 'lone wolf' approach as Charlie called it (loved that) and went to his new boss. He looked very innocent and out of his depth in that scene. Whereas DCI Dan totally manipulated him.
Jack's rejection of Charlie was hard to watch under the circumstances of Martha's murder (so tragically sad.. I do miss her!). But when it counted he was looking out for her. Even though it was his actions that indirectly created that whole situation in the first place. Glad rooftop chats are back, but that may be the most fractured one there has ever been!
Absolutely loved this episode. Kept me gripped all the way through and I do like the new cast members very much. They slotted in easily, everything just flowed for me and it's lovely seeing Lenora back on our screen again though I keep expecting to hear her snap "Hal!" at Damien. I have to admit that I prefer Drummond to Bellamy, the actor who plays him seemed to adapt to the manner of filming much easier than Faye seemed to.
Anyhow, I won't be able to catch the second episode until I get back from holiday next weekend ( only one tv in the property we're staying in) but this first episode of series 5 was a strong one of a show that is improving series upon series for me.
-- Edited by rubyrosettared on Thursday 4th of August 2016 11:52:05 PM
I gave it 4 stars. I've always enjoyed the show but this season it feels like they have a better feel for their characters and the new characters fit in pretty seamlessly. I personally am not too keen on us knowing who done it right away. That was a lot of the fun of the show for me, wondering who it was, and never being quite sure until the end. That's why I gave it a 4. Damien and Clare-Hope came up with some great funny lines. I laughed out loud at her line in the pub in particular.
I was a bit worried that the old characters might be phased out. I'm glad this series appears to be Jack-centric, but my worries have not quite been assuaged, especially after that ending. What if Jack can't manage to save his butt?
-- Edited by Random Jane on Saturday 6th of August 2016 04:47:59 AM
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