Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2026-01-05T09:50:12.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Lynley star argues why BBC drama's class dynamic makes it stand out from other detective shows
items: New Lynley stars on honouring the past – and making the series their own
items: Emma Thompson reveals why her Down Cemetery Road character was unlike any she had played before
items: Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road book changes revealed by Emma Thompson
items: 7 untapped features prove that Superman needs a video game
items: Andor season 2 review: Star Wars hit bows out in explosive style
items: Towards Zero ending explained: Who was the murderer?
items: Ayrton Senna's family helped Gabriel Leone capture his essence in Netflix series
items: How Senna star Gabriel Leone's role in Ferrari prepared him for series
items: Senna on Netflix true story: What happened to Ayrton Senna?
items: Moonflower Murders ending explained: Who were the killers?
items: Rebus star Richard Rankin: 'John realises he is a dying breed'
items: How the BBC Rebus reboot differs from the books
items: Rebus review: BBC series puts a fresh spin on the long-running franchise
items: Rebus author says reboot finally gives characters “freedom to breathe”
items: Rebus author Ian Rankin says reboot is "a tough watch at times"
items: Rebus’s Richard Rankin says reboot is written "so wonderfully"
items: Rebus star: 'Reboot is a response to books, not faithful adaptation'
items: The Bad Batch is Star Wars' unsung hero – it needs to end in style
items: Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials could learn from past milestones
items: Ahsoka composers on Easter eggs and foreshadowing Anakin Skywalker
items: The Continental expands the John Wick universe in a refreshing way
items: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 is the perfect blend of old and new
items: Don't underestimate Doctor Who's UNIT spin-off
items: Daisy Jones & The Six - how does it compare to the book?
items: The Mandalorian season 3 needs to learn some big lessons from Andor
items: Slow Horses season 2 differs from the book in a major way
items: Shetland season 7 finale is the perfect send-off for Jimmy Perez
items: Rings of Power composer says soundtrack creates "continuity" with movies
items: Shetland season 6 recap: Why was Jimmy arrested?

Lynley star argues why BBC drama's class dynamic makes it stand out from other detective shows
type: item
date: 2026-01-06T08:00:08.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: "This class dynamic between the detective and the sergeant is central."
encoded: Inspector Lynley has returned to screens with a new spin on Elizabeth George’s books, drawing from later novels in the series as it kicks off with A Place of Hiding. The reboot finds Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers at the very start of their working relationship, which the stars of the series, Leo Suter and Sofia Barclay, explaining why they believe the reboot stands out from other detective shows. “So, there are all those bits that we love about detective shows. We have the suave car, the tweed coat. We have the twisted, painted, tangled, complex family lives that surround these murders in the beautiful British countryside," Suter told RadioTimes.com. “What’s interesting about ours is that, yes, this class dynamic between the detective and the sergeant is central to our thing," he added. "What’s interesting about it is that class changes so much. I think that’s why doing it in 2025, with the knowledge of it previously existing 20 years ago, is interesting — because it’s a way to witness how class has changed, and how England and Norfolk have changed. “There’s that element that’s unique to us in our show, but also all those wonderful detective things we have and, in some respects, leaned into — because people like them. They’re good.” Read more: Lynley review: '00s detective series gets a subtle reimagining New Lynley stars on honouring the past – and making the series their own Barclay also highlighted how the varied landscapes and blend of urban and rural settings help keep the series feeling fresh. “I think also what’s amazing about the different episodes is that it allows you to dabble in different kinds of circumstances. There’s a kind of particularity in episode four — the realities of different parts of the country and different kinds of criminal setups that you can find. “You can find crooked people whether that’s on a private island or in the streets that you walk every day. I think that was quite fun to see across the four episodes.” "Tommy Lynley is a br…

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New Lynley stars on honouring the past – and making the series their own
type: item
date: 2026-01-04T08:00:43.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: "If you try to imitate what was so brilliant before, you’ll fail."
encoded: The latest small-screen iteration of Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series stars Leo Suter (Vikings: Valhalla) as the eponymous detective Thomas Lynley, ably assisted by Sofia Barclay’s DS Barbara Havers. Previously, the BBC’s earlier version ran for six seasons between 2001 and 2008, with Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small in the lead roles. Speaking to RadioTimes.com ahead of its premiere, Suter and Barclay (Ted Lasso) revealed that it was important for them to honour the literary roots and previous adaptations while also putting their own stamp on the Lynley universe. "When you’re doing a new version of something, it’s important to respect the previous version, but also to know that you’re doing your own thing and bringing your own stamp to it," Suter said of this new take on the long-running series. "If you try to imitate what was so brilliant before, you’ll fail. Inevitably, you have to do your own thing and trust your instincts, so I actually felt quite calm early on about doing that." For both actors, the previous adaptation and George’s source material were a starting point, but it was clear this was a radically new direction for the characters. On where this version fits in, Barclay said: "Both of us did the same first thing — we read and watched A Great Deliverance — but then very quickly realised that Steve’s world, the original world, and the Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small world are all so different that they’re completely separate timelines. In a multiverse, they’re all different versions of the Lynley and Havers duo." "I remember early on reading our script and thinking, ‘This is very different,’ and realising that ours is based on different books," Suter added. For Barclay, it was vital that the series brought something fresh. Read more: Lynley star Leo Suter clarifies how new series is "updated" and "fresh" – and not a remake of classic drama "If you try too hard to replicate something, 'A', what’s the point? Because it already exists so perfe…

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Emma Thompson reveals why her Down Cemetery Road character was unlike any she had played before
type: item
date: 2025-11-10T15:42:04.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Apple
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
subject: On demand
description: Thompson leads the latest Apple TV Mick Herron adaptation alongside Ruth Wilson.
encoded: The latest action-packed adaptation of Mick Herron’s works, Down Cemetery Road, follows Oxford-based private investigator Zoë Boehm as she helps art restorer Sarah Tucker investigate the disappearance of a young girl in her neighbourhood. Emma Thompson plays Zoë, who revealed that the PI was unlike any character she’d played on screen before, for several reasons. “I love Zoë, she’s this renegade punk, missile, rocket of a person. She’s probably got arrested development in various areas," she told RadioTimes.com. "She’s very effective, and I like her fascination with Sarah. I like that she looks at Sarah and thinks this woman is not equipped to do this stuff, but she’s doing it anyway. "That’s fascinating; she’s constantly being surprised by her road movie buddy. I thought that was something I hadn’t seen before. She’s a character I haven’t seen before on television." Read more: Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road book changes revealed by Emma Thompson Emma Thompson: I’d film action scenes on Down Cemetery Road, then have a half an ale between takes Ruth Wilson, meanwhile, was interested in the way the characters subverted the conventions of this type of show. "These are very unusual characters; Sarah doesn’t really fit into the genre," she explained. "She’s a person like you and me, so there's something really fascinating and relatable about her – a twist on what we usually see on TV. "They’re two amazing, eccentric female leads. It's really rare, unique and funny." Despite those deviations from what audiences might expect, the risk paid off. "If the scripts hadn’t worked, we wouldn’t have done it. They’re just really well written," Thompson said. "'If you don’t get the fucker who did this, I will,' [for example] is such a great line from a woman who's just discovered the slit wrists of her murdered husband." Down Cemetery Road will stream on Apple TV+ from Wednesday 29th October 2025 – sign up to Apple TV+ now. Add Down Cemetery Road to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b…

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Apple TV's Down Cemetery Road book changes revealed by Emma Thompson
type: item
date: 2025-10-29T10:12:46.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Apple TV
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
subject: On demand
description: Thompson stars as the spiky private investigator Zoë Boehm opposite Ruth Wilson's Sarah Tucker, an art conservationist searching for answers after disaster strikes in her close-knit neighbourhood.
encoded: One of the biggest challenges any adaptation faces when moving to the big or small screen is capturing the tone and feel of the source material while making the necessary changes to suit the medium. For the latest Mick Herron adaptation, Down Cemetery Road, Emma Thompson revealed that there were some natural changes along the way. “It’s changed a lot from the book; Sarah and Zoë are very different to how they are in the books, but that’s normal. That’s what happens in adaptations." Thompson stars alongside Ruth Wilson in the new series, which sees two women drawn together by circumstance after a mysterious explosion rocks their quiet neighbourhood. What begins as a seemingly straightforward investigation soon unravels into a tangled government conspiracy — one that only they seem determined to expose. Thompson added that she’s a huge admirer of author Mick Herron, which was a key factor in her decision to take on the project. “I’m a massive fan of Mick Herron’s, so as soon as they asked me to think about playing Zoë, I said yes. I don’t regret it at all.” She went on to describe Herron as a generous and trusting collaborator: “Mick was wonderful. He and Morwenna Banks get on very well. He did as any author should and had faith in the process and his writers.” “He’s incredibly generous and not remotely wanting to control anything. He’s just delighted that we’re all there doing it.” For Ruth Wilson, the contrasting dynamic between the two leads helped spark an on-screen chemistry that drives the story. “I think it works when they’re different, and that’s where you get the chemistry from – because they’re coming from different angles. We discussed that Zoë has intimacy issues, and Sarah is desperate for connection. So, it creates great dramatic tension from the get-go.” Read more: Emma Thompson: The spy thrillers I read as a teenager told me women should fall in love and get killed Emma Thompson: I’d film action scenes on Down Cemetery Road, then have a half an ale bet…

7 untapped features prove that Superman needs a video game
type: item
date: 2025-08-01T06:00:15.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Gaming
subject: Technology
description: Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a video game licence that deserves attention!
encoded: Thanks to James Gunn, Superman is currently flying high at the global box office, with over $400 million grossed to date. This writer would argue that a video game should be next on the docket for the big blue Boy Scout. Superman is no stranger to the big and small screen, of course: immortalised by Christopher Reeve in 1978 and with a string of successful shows like Smallville. It is surprising, given this success across film and television, that the Man of Steel has never had a video game to match his enduring popularity globally, with comics stretching back to 1938. We have seen in recent years that the superhero genre can cross over successfully into video games, with the phenomenally successful Arkham series for Batman offering a different side to Batman’s lore and removed from the big-screen depictions like Christopher Nolan’s. Since 2015’s Arkham Knight, the standard bearer for superhero video games has been Marvel’s Spider-Man, with three very commercially and critically successful games. Rather than the traditional movie tie-ins that a wealth of superhero films have previously received, both the Arkham and Spider-Man games reinvigorated their source material, sticking to it but also putting fresh spins on tried and tested storylines. This offers something new both for long-term fans and newcomers alike. It’d be remiss not to mention the success of 2021’s Guardians of the Galaxy; while it may not have reached the heights of the other two franchises mentioned, it again showed the range of superhero storylines and aesthetics that can be brought to life in video games. Fans are also excited about Insomniac’s latest game, focused on Wolverine/Logan. While Rocksteady, the studio behind the Arkham series, had discussed a Superman game, it never came to pass, but with renewed interest in the brand through Gunn’s DC Studios, now is the time to think again about a Superman game, and there are more than a few reasons why it is long overdue. 7 untapped features that pr…

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Andor season 2 review: Star Wars hit bows out in explosive style
type: item
date: 2025-04-21T16:00:41.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Disney Plus
subject: Review
description: The enthralling second instalment sets a blueprint for other franchises.
encoded: Amid a barrage of Star Wars releases in recent years, Andor's arrival in 2022 proved a surprise, delivering a far darker, more adult take on the universe, set during the birth of the rebellion and the heart of the reign of the Galactic Empire. The stakes felt tangible and arcs like the three episodes set on the island prison of Narkina 5 were thrilling, with real pay-off. The finale also brought moments from across the season to a head in exhilarating fashion. The question now, with the show returning for its second and final season, is whether it can match the anticipation and deliver a satisfactory finale. The answer is an emphatic yes. The second season is structured similarly to the first, but each three-arc story here picks up a year later, leading us directly into the timeframe preceding the events of Rogue One and the plans to steal the Death Star. This, of course, set in motion the events of A New Hope. Despite the grander timeframe, the series never feels rushed with slow build-up as we feel the escalating tension from the galaxy as it looks to finally fight back against The Empire - this comes both in small acts of defiance and larger planned attacks. At the start of the series, we are still far from the cohesive rebel alliance fans will be familiar with from Episodes IV-VI and Rogue One, but it is a real treat to see how certain characters end up in positions that we find them in later down the line. The beauty of telling this story over 12 episodes rather than a two-hour film is that each character feels defined, and while it is an ensemble, each is an important cog in the wider machine. While Cassian's original film appearance may have been slightly underdeveloped, the events across these two seasons give his actions far more weight and desperation. We see how he grows from someone reluctant who feels he’s in the wrong place to a true leader. He has never been better in the role than in this season, determined to bring the fight to The Empire and avenge…

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Towards Zero ending explained: Who was the murderer?
type: item
date: 2025-03-16T10:14:12.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
description: Let's break it down.
encoded: *Warning: Towards Zero spoilers ahead* The final episode of Towards Zero, the BBC's latest Agatha Christie adaptation, makes its way to BBC One tonight as the grisly events at Gull's Point reach its conclusion. The lavish South Coast estate of the formidable Lady Tressilian has been home to guests tennis player Nevile Strange, who is her nephew, his ex-wife Audrey and his current wife Kay. Other key characters include lawyer Mr Treves and his ward Sylvia, Lady Tressilian's companion Mary, Nevile's cousin Thomas Royde, the mysterious Louis Morel, Nevile's valet Mac and Inspector Leach, all of whom are harbouring secrets. It wouldn't be Agatha Christie without a mystery or two to solve, after all. However as to be expected when it comes to a murder mystery, the killings don't take place in the first episode. During a Q&A, director Sam Yates explained that the series becomes a "who's going to do it that becomes a whodunnit". "So before anyone's died, you're thinking, 'Who could murder?' and hopefully you're looking at everyone, feeling that everyone has a motive, and then later on in the series, it clicks into perhaps a more familiar whodunnit mode," he said. So, how did Lady Tressilian and Treves meet their respective ends? Read on for a full rundown of the Towards Zero ending. Towards Zero ending explained Inspector Leach reveals all in front of those staying at Gull's Point after a tennis match with Nevile. It was Audrey who had planted the evidence against Nevile to force a divorce. A compact mirror was hidden in her ex-husband's car, which was enough to put the heat on Nevile, who admitted his infidelity. And that, announced Leach, was the catalyst for the murders. Nevile, who was furious Audrey had left him after they promised never to be apart, sought revenge for her insolence. At first, he attempted to sow seeds of doubt among the rest of the group, turning on the waterworks in the aftermath of his aunt's death, and feigning innocence when accused, even pointin…

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Ayrton Senna's family helped Gabriel Leone capture his essence in Netflix series
type: item
date: 2024-11-30T08:00:57.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Exclusive
subject: Netflix
subject: News
subject: On demand
description: Iconic Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna is the focus of a major new Netflix drama.
encoded: Ayrton Senna remains an icon for Formula 1 fans the world over – and especially in his native Brazil – 30 years after his death. With his life now being dramatised in a major Netflix series, one of the challenges for lead star Gabriel Leone was channelling the essence of the McLaren legend, for which Leone had the help of Senna's family. "I did have contact with them, especially with his sister and nephew, the ones that take care of his institute," he said. "They were really supportive. They were really kind to me. "I remember one of the things really stuck with me in one of our conversations, they were talking about Senna's eyes and essence and how kind he was. "Of course, we know the driver; he was aggressive and passionate. But they were also telling me the other side of him, the human and man side of him." Read more: Senna review: The drama is by the numbers, but the racing is electric Senna on Netflix true story: What happened to Ayrton Senna? Leone went on to say that while it was vital he was able to physically resemble Senna, he had to capture what was beneath the surface. "I knew that more important than that would be to find his essence and to play both the sides during the show," he added. "So that was crucial for me." Leone also echoed the family's comment about Senna's eyes. "Every time I was watching videos and interviews, anything about him, I was trying not only to learn his moves and the way he spoke, but also to understand what was happening on the inside," he said. "I found it by paying attention to his eyes. It was really the key for me to find his essence." Senna is streaming on Netflix – sign up from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

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How Senna star Gabriel Leone's role in Ferrari prepared him for series
type: item
date: 2024-11-28T11:19:00.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Exclusive
subject: Netflix
subject: News
subject: On demand
description: Iconic Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna is the focus of a brand new Netflix series.
encoded: You might think playing one of Formula 1’s most iconic names would be enough, but Senna star Gabriel Leone now has two under his belt. Along with the Brazilian McLaren icon, he played '50s Spanish Ferrari driver Alfonso de Portago in Michael Mann’s 2023 biopic Ferrari. How did the role of De Portago shape how he approached playing another F1 driver in Senna? Leone spoke with RadioTimes.com about his role and how taking on the two F1 projects so close together focused his mindset for Senna. "I think the experience of feeling as close as possible to a racing driver was really interesting, and a year later I was playing one of the greatest of all time. "So, to be close to all the atmosphere and the universe of a racing driver and to be able to feel the adrenaline and to experiment with pushing my limits was really useful, not only for Ferrari but also for Senna." Read more: Senna review: The drama is by the numbers, but the racing is electric Senna on Netflix true story: What happened to Ayrton Senna? While Leone played two Formula 1 drivers in the projects, the style of drivers and state of the cars couldn’t be more different. While he did much of his own driving in Ferrari, this wasn’t the case for Senna. "Ferrari was set in 1957, so the cars used to be way smaller, and they rebuilt the cars, the Ferraris, with the Caterham chassis, the ones we were practising with. There are bits of the movie, I'm really driving the cars. "Thinking about Senna’s era, the '80s, they were more the F1 cars we know today. They were way bigger with those big wings. So it was way more dangerous for us to drive those. So I unfortunately didn't drive any Formula 1 cars." Senna also employed LED Studios, which was a first for Leone, and something he particularly enjoyed. "It was another experience for me as an actor to play all of the races in an LED studio," he said. "It's an interesting use of technology. It was fun because it was the first time I was in an LED studio to watch the series a…

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Senna on Netflix true story: What happened to Ayrton Senna?
type: item
date: 2024-11-27T12:36:20.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Netflix
subject: On demand
description: The Brazilian racing driver's life is dramatised in a new Netflix series.
encoded: New Netflix drama Senna stars Gabriel Leone as Ayrton Senna, the iconic Brazilian racing driver who was previously the subject of an acclaimed documentary film in 2010. His life's story is told across six episodes, charting his journey through the Formula Ford and Formula 1 circuits, up until his death in 1994. The series also stars the likes of Kaya Scodelario and Steven Mackintosh, but for those looking to learn more about Ayrton Senna's life, just who was he and what happened to him? Read on for everything you need to know about the true story behind Senna on Netflix. Senna true story: Who was Ayrton Senna? Ayrton Senna, originally da Silva, was a Brazilian racing driver, who was born in 1960 in São Paulo to wealthy parents Milton da Silva and Neide. He was sporty and athletic from a young age, and is said to have grown an interest in cars at the age of four. He went on to compete in and win Go-Karting competitions, before moving to England in 1981 to start single-seater racing. Senna won the Formula Ford championships that year, but subsequently announced his retirement and returned to Brazil with his wife. Soon after, however, he returned to England to take up another offer with a Formula Ford team, and started using his mother's maiden name, Senna, as his name, da Silva, was the most common Brazilian surname. He went on join the Toleman Formula One team, and later raced for Lotus, McLaren and Williams. He won three Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles across his career, and 41 Grands Prix across 11 seasons. At the time of his death, he held the record for most pole positions, at 65. What happened to Ayrton Senna? While competing in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Italy, Senna rounded a high-speed corner, but ran in a straight line off the track and hit a concrete retaining wall. He was extracted from his car within two minutes of the crash, and was treated at the scene, before being airlifted to hospital. Later that day, it was announced that he ha…

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Moonflower Murders ending explained: Who were the killers?
type: item
date: 2024-11-22T14:07:34.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
description: Let's break it down.
encoded: Moonflower Murders, the second adaptation of Anthony Horowitz's Susan Ryeland novels, places Lesley Manville's now officially retired book editor at the heart of an investigation linked to dead author Alan Conway. Drawn back to Suffolk from running a hotel in Crete with her partner Andreas, she is investigating both the murder of Frank Parris eight years earlier on the eve of Cecily Treherne and Aiden MacNeil's wedding, and Cecily's own mysterious disappearance. Somehow, the two were connected to Cecily seemingly finding a clue in Atticus Pünd Takes the Case, one of Conway's novels, which prompts Cecily's parents to hire Susan to investigate. As with Magpie Murders, the show follows both Susan's digging and and the plot of the Conway novel, which revolves around Pünd’s investigation into the death of Hollywood star Melissa James (based on Cecily's sister Lisa). Was it as simple as a jealous husband taking his revenge? Or was there more to it than that? Let's break it down. Moonflower Murders ending explained Initially, Melissa's husband John Spencer confessed to the murder, but he himself was later found dead, mysteriously stabbed when he was about to be taken into police custody. The real culprit was, in fact, Melissa's doctor Leonard Collins, who she had been having an affair with. She had called him and asked him to come over after a fight with John. A short time later, he killed her in an attempt to get his hands on her estate. As for John's killer, the reveal proved to be too close for comfort for Pünd, who was staggered to learn that his assistant Madeline Cain, a huge fan of Melissa's films, was responsible. Read more: Moonflower Murders star Lesley Manville explains key change from book Moonflower Murders star Lesley Manville says series is "quite unexpected" There were plenty of similarities between the novel and Frank's murder, with initial suspect Stefan confessing to the murder and being placed behind bars, which also mirrored the fake confession from Jo…

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Rebus star Richard Rankin: 'John realises he is a dying breed'
type: item
date: 2024-05-20T14:13:48.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: Rankin and his co-star Lucie Shorthouse spoke about their characters' dynamic in the series.
encoded: All six episodes of the BBC's Rebus reboot are available to stream now, with the series reimagining Ian Rankin's beloved detective as a younger officer working in Edinburgh's modern-day police force. This version of John Rebus, played by Richard Rankin, is seen being paired up for the first time with Siobhan Clarke, as played by Lucie Shorthouse – and the two stars have spoken about their characters' relationship dynamic in the series. Rankin told RadioTimes.com exclusively that the pair don't have a "mentor relationship", even if it is meant to be. He explained: "John is supposed to be mentoring Siobhan, I think he kind of reluctantly kind of takes her on board. I’m not going to say accepts, because he doesn't really. "Because Siobhan's from the fast track, I think he sees that as coming along with inexperience and no real street smarts. "He starts off being quite cold towards her, which gives us a lot of room and a long way to go with that relationship. It has its ups and downs, but you can tell that it certainly has the makings of what will become quite a close relationship." Meanwhile, Shorthouse added: "I think Siobhan learned to be by the book and to play the system and to abide by its rules, whereas Rebus is a lot more novel and original in terms of how he approaches the job, finds his resources, how he investigates. So I think they've got a lot to learn from each other. Read more: Rebus author says reboot finally gives characters "freedom to breathe" Rebus author Ian Rankin says reboot is "a tough watch at times" "I think she can help him toe the line a bit more, but he can also help her think further outside the box. I think it's just it's that sense of someone new and other coming into your world, and I think she represents a new wave of the police force. "It's not so much of a threat, but it's just that sense of 'this could potentially ruin my system and what I've got going'. So she's got to win his trust and prove herself to him for sure." Rankin explain…

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How the BBC Rebus reboot differs from the books
type: item
date: 2024-05-17T05:00:09.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
description: Let's break it down. ***CONTAINS REBUS SPOILERS***
encoded: ***CONTAINS REBUS SPOILERS*** The Inspector Rebus novel series has been a huge hit for author Ian Rankin following its first entry, Knots and Crosses, in 1987. The gritty depiction of Edinburgh and its world-weary, '60s rock-loving protagonist quickly earned a legion of fans, giving rise to several adaptations over the years, one of which was an ITV series with John Hannah and Ken Stott in the titular role between 2000 and 2007. And after a lengthy stint away, the Scottish detective has once again been given the small screen treatment, this time by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Gregory Burke, who has mined characters and ideas from the books to tell an original story for the BBC, Here, Rebus (Richard Rankin) is in his early 40s, and the action unfolds in a modern setting. "They are built on the Rebus novels, which is such an amazing foundation to work from," said star Brian Ferguson. "But then I think what's really exciting is that at the beginning of this, Ian Rankin did say to Gregory Burke, 'You take these and make them yours.' "So they do feel like a response to the original novels rather than a faithful adaptation." Read on to find out how the BBC reboot stands apart from the novels. How the BBC's Rebus differs from the book series One of the most notable details is the expansion of Michael's role. In the novels, Rebus's brother features early on, but his involvement becomes more peripheral as they progress. However here, army veteran Michael (Brian Ferguson) robs a local gangster in a bid to solve his financial woes, thrusting Rebus, who's working on a case with ties to his brother's lawlessness, into an intensely compromising position. Alongside Michael, Rebus's ex-wife Rhona (Amy Manson) and young daughter Sammy (Mia McKenzie), who feature sporadically in the books, have also been given larger roles, which juxtaposes with the solitary Rebus we often get in Rankins's writing. In the six-part series, DC Siobhan Clarke (Lucie Shorthouse) has recently jo…

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Rebus review: BBC series puts a fresh spin on the long-running franchise
type: item
date: 2024-05-16T23:01:16.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: Review
description: Screenwriter Gregory Burke has revived one of crime fiction's most iconic detectives – and new and old fans alike will enjoy what's on offer.
encoded: Ian Rankin's long-running novel series Inspector Rebus has garnered a legion of fans since its debut in the late '80s, and prompted multiple adaptations for stage and screen - the most recognisable of which is Ken Stott's ITV series in the 2000s. And, following a lengthy hiatus, the series has been revived by screenwriter Gregory Burke for the BBC, this time focusing on a younger version of detective sergeant John Rebus, played by Outlander's Richard Rankin, set in present-day Edinburgh. Unlike previous takes, this series isn't a direct adaptation of Rankin's source material. While packed with characters and nods fans will relish, Burke's Rebus is a longer-form story that wants to be judged on its own merits, and is accessible to both Rebus-heads and newcomers as a result. When we first meet our leading man, he's at a tricky juncture. His professional and personal lives have collided head on after his brother Michael (Brian Ferguson), not long out of the army, decides to blow up his own life by turning to crime to plug the black hole in his finances. Unlike in the books, Michael plays a significant role here, with Burke fleshing out the strained relationship between the two brothers. And by placing Rebus's family at the heart of the case, the emotional stakes are greater, helping this iteration of Rebus to stand apart from what we've seen previously. Read more: Rebus author Ian Rankin says reboot is "a tough watch at times" Rebus star: 'Reboot is a response to books, not faithful adaptation' Michael's reckless behaviour not only endangers his wife and teenage sons, it also puts Rebus in a compromising position, something he's all too capable of doing to himself, as we see in the opening scene during a brutal confrontation between the detective and his arch antagonist, Ger Cafferty (Stuart Bowman). Bowman is well cast as the notorious gangster, capturing the gravitas and swagger needed to play a man who rules Edinburgh's underworld. Throughout the six-parter, Rebus i…

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Rebus author says reboot finally gives characters “freedom to breathe”
type: item
date: 2024-05-16T21:00:30.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: Ian Rankin says that he's excited about the more long form approach for the new series.
encoded: Ian Rankin's iconic character John Rebus is no stranger to the small screen – with both John Hannah and Ken Stott having starred as the detective in a hit ITV drama that ran for four season between 2000 until 2007. But according to the author, the new BBC One reboot – which sees Outlander star Richard Rankin take over the role – includes one key change that sets it apart from previous versions: a more long-form approach to storytelling. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com ahead of the new show's debut on Friday 17th May, Rankin explained: "What I'm excited about is that Rebus has never been done long form – they tended to do maybe one hour 45 minutes was a whole storyline, which meant that characters never got a chance to breathe and develop the way I would have liked him to the way they do in the books." He added: "So the fact the producers of this program, and indeed the screenwriter Gregory Burke, have taken it on as a long format is one big arc of a story. Covering you know, many hours is great. "I mean, it's giving Rebus and the other characters and the City of Edinburgh and the themes they're trying to explore... it's given them some freedom to breathe, which I think the previous series was denied." The series follows the titular inspector as he's drawn into "a violent criminal conflict that turns personal when his brother Michael, a former soldier, crosses the line into criminality" – leaving him torn between protecting his brother and enforcing the law. And Rankin has also teased that the new show will include its fair share of grisly moments, describing it as "full-on" and "a tough watch at times". Read more: Rebus star: 'Reboot is a response to books, not faithful adaptation' Inside No. 9 duo reveal spin-off ideas but warn "don't hold your breath" He said: "At certain points, some viewers might even say it's slightly harrowing. There's an awful lot of visceral stuff happening. It's great. "I jumped up in my seat a couple of times when I was watching the…

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Rebus author Ian Rankin says reboot is "a tough watch at times"
type: item
date: 2024-05-13T18:00:56.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: "There's an awful lot of visceral stuff happening. It's great."
encoded: Ian Rankin has revealed that the upcoming BBC adaptation of his Inspector Rebus novels is "a tough watch at times". The new series sees Outlander star Richard Rankin (no relation to Ian) take on the role of the titular detective – who was previously played by Ken Stott in a popular ITV version – and according to the author, viewers can expect to see some pretty nasty scenes in the new series. "It's full-on," he said in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "At certain points, some viewers might even say it's slightly harrowing. There's an awful lot of visceral stuff happening. It's great." Rankin added that he had "jumped up in my seat a couple of times when I was watching the episodes that I've seen," before revealing that one thing he especially enjoyed about the new series was seeing a younger version of the character than the one who appeared in the more recent novels. "Now, of course, in the books Rebus is in his 70s. He's an old age pensioner with a bus pass and health issues," he explained. "[So] to see a young, vibrant, all-action Rebus and have that in the present day, in present day Edinburgh with present day issues and present day concerns... but to have him young and lithe and getting in everybody's face – not being afraid of a physical bout with somebody, I mean... my Rebus now in the books would shy away from getting into any physical conflict because he knows he would lose." <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/05/469877-f30c530-e1714554820171.jpg" width="4206" height="2806" alt="Richard Rankin as John Rebus. He is wearing dark coloured clothing and is concentrating on something next to him. His hair is combed back and he has a light beard forming. Blurred in the background is a man sat on the floor with his knees up and arms resting on them." title="Richard Rankin as John Rebus" /> Cast members Brian Ferguson and Lucie Shorthouse recently told RadioTimes.com that the new series wasn't necessarily a completel…

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Rebus’s Richard Rankin says reboot is written "so wonderfully"
type: item
date: 2024-05-08T18:00:35.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
subject: On demand
description: Rankin has heaped praise on the writing for the new BBC crime drama adapted from Ian Rankin's novels.
encoded: The latest adaptation of Ian Rankin's beloved Inspector Rebus novels, Rebus, is arriving on BBC One later this month, following John Rebus as a young detective sergeant, who finds himself drawn into a violent conflict, one which becomes personal when his brother crosses the line. The series arrives with lofty expectations, not only because of the popularity of the books, but also because of the inevitable comparison's with ITV's version which starred John Hannah and, later, Ken Stott. However, speaking ahead of the show's arrival, Outlander's Richard Rankin (no relation to Ian), who stars in the title role in the new show, has suggested fans have nothing to fear, as he has heaped praise on its "excellent" writing. Speaking with RadioTimes.com exclusively, Rankin said: "It’s a very popular genre anyway, isn't it, the Crime genre? There is such an appetite for it, there always has been in one form or another. The source material is so well-written, so wonderfully written by Ian Rankin. Rankin continued: "And then we've got the screenwriting and it is so, so good from Greg Burke, I think he's an excellent writer, and I think his take on it is exciting. I think that we have such a rich world to draw from, and Greg's from that world himself. Read more: Rebus confirms BBC air date and unveils new look at reboot Rebus star: 'Reboot is a response to books, not faithful adaptation' "He's coming to it with such experience, such honesty, such a story to tell, and he understands this world as a character, the political and social landscape of it all, he writes it, puts it in there, and gives it to us to take and put it on screen. "I feel very lucky to have had that. Those scripts and the source material that it came from, because it just really enriches it all and fills it with something substantial on screen." Brian Ferguson, who stars as Rebus's brother Michael, also emphasised that the reboot is "a response to the books, not a faithful adaptation". "They are built on the Reb…

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Rebus star: 'Reboot is a response to books, not faithful adaptation'
type: item
date: 2024-05-06T23:01:20.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: "I think there's something really exciting about looking at those characters and that kind of world but with the lens 20 years on."
encoded: With BBC's new TV adaptation of Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus novels, all eyes are on Rebus to see just how it will adapt the book series. Well, Rebus cast members Brian Ferguson and Lucie Shorthouse have revealed that the new TV drama isn't the most faithful adaptation but is a response to the novels that is more fitting for diving into that world decades after the novels were released. Chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Ferguson (who stars as Michael Rebus) said of the new series and how it's incorporated the original novels: "I mean, I think partly that they are built on the Rebus novels which is such an amazing kind of foundation and kind of source material to work from. "But then I think what's really exciting is that you know, essentially, at the beginning of this, Ian Rankin did, kind of essentially, say to Gregory Burke, yeah, I mean, you take these and, you know, make them yours." He continued: "Greg really has so I think that they do, in a way, feel like a response to the original novels rather than a faithful adaptation. And what that's given Greg licence to do is well, A - and in the most immediate sense - to take Rebus back kind of 20 odd years to when he's 40 and also set it right now, 2023 when we made it ... because I think things have changed so much, and those 20 years. "And I think there's something really exciting about looking at those characters and that kind of world but with the lens 20 years on. Yes, so I think that by blending those two together, it gives out a whole new life." Similarly, Shorthouse (who stars as Siobhan Clarke in the series) said: "It's definitely a reimagining and it's been adapted but when you read the books, the characters are so rich and fully rounded and descriptive, and you get to learn all their idiosyncrasies and their nuances. "And I think what's been lovely is that there's this lovely synergy that Ian has had with Greg in terms of how Greg's been able to reflect that in the in the screen on screen, in terms o…

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The Bad Batch is Star Wars' unsung hero – it needs to end in style
type: item
date: 2024-02-20T14:00:44.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Star Wars (franchise)
description: The batch will bow out in season 3.
encoded: The Bad Batch hasn’t had nearly as much attention as Star Wars’ other animated shows – but it’s actually essential viewing, especially when it’s about to bow out with season 3. The animated arm of the Star Wars franchise has helped to flesh out the universe significantly. The Clone Wars in particular proved a huge hit with fans and gave us the likes of Ahsoka Tano, Saw Gerrera and Bo-Katan, who have all gone on to feature prominently in live-action and expanded media. While Rebels also proved a big hit, bridging the gap between The Clone Wars and the original trilogy, The Bad Batch, which premiered in 2021 and continued the adventures of the titular crew of defective clones who first featured in season 7, has been slightly overlooked. The Bad Batch has certainly not had the levels of attention that the previous two shows have, but with ties to so many corners of the universe, it is key for fans, diving into the psyche of The Empire like few other projects. With so many components carried over and the involvement of the likes of Dave Filoni and Kevin Kiner, fans who haven’t given it a chance to date will find so much to appreciate. The series focuses on the batch’s efforts to survive in a constantly changing galaxy, looking to keep themselves out of Imperial surveillance and working for Cid, who provides them with mercenary work. The show being set so soon after the prequel films means this is a side of the universe that is starkly different to the likes of Andor, Solo or Rebels, where Imperial authority is dominant. Here, there are pockets out of the Empire’s reach and the visual style retains some of the Blade Runner, neon feel of Episodes I-III. The show does a fine job of connecting many of the threads from across the franchise in season 1. The Mandalorian’s Fennec Shand appears, hunting Omega who has a bounty placed on her. Ming-Na Wen reprises her role from The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett, fleshing out some of her backstory, set some 25 years before she f…

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Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials could learn from past milestones
type: item
date: 2023-11-04T08:00:10.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: 60 Days of Doctor Who
subject: Comment
description: A look back at how Doctor Who celebrated its big moments.
encoded: Doctor Who, remarkably, is now celebrating its 60th anniversary with a much-anticipated return for showrunner Russell T Davies, and David Tennant and Catherine Tate making a huge comeback to the show. Of course, this is not the first time the sci-fi has marked a milestone with special appearances. The 10th anniversary saw the Third Doctor Jon Pertwee cross paths with his two predecessors, Patrick Troughton and William Hartnell. The trio faced off with a cast-out Timelord Omega, who was residing within a black hole in an antimatter universe, looking to exact revenge on the Timelords. We also saw many Doctors and companions reunited in the 20th. anniversary serial The Five Doctors, which saw the Doctors trapped inside the Death Zone on Gallifrey, facing an array of threats. Most recently, Matt Smith and David Tennant united with War Doctor John Hurt to fight a threat from The Zygons involving Queen Elizabeth I and the 21st Century National Gallery and prevent Gallifrey’s destruction in the Time War. While much is being kept under wraps about the nature of Tennant’s return as the Fourteenth Doctor, and whether we are likely to see more friends and foes appearing, there are certain lessons these new specials learn from previous celebrations on how to honour the show's past and drive it forwards into a new era with Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. The Three Doctors being the first multi-Doctor storyline set a precedent for others to follow. The interplay between Troughton and Pertwee remains a particular delight, but it never cheapens the storyline being told, with the Time Lords breaking the first rule of time to get the Doctors to help prevent Omega’s return. Omega posed a formidable threat, and the Doctors combined were needed to keep him at bay. Omega would return to face the Fifth Doctor in the Arc of Infinity. The conclusion of the storyline sees the Doctor given a new time circuit for the TARDIS and restored memory of how to operate it fully, taken away at the end …

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Ahsoka composers on Easter eggs and foreshadowing Anakin Skywalker
type: item
date: 2023-10-03T11:00:56.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Disney Plus
subject: Exclusive
description: The team behind Ahsoka's sound chat to RadioTimes.com about the most iconic themes of the series.
encoded: Composer Kevin Kiner has been integral to the sound of Star Wars on TV, starting work on the animated Clone Wars series as far back as 2006 and working on the follow-up animated shows, Star Wars Rebels, The Bad Batch and Tales of The Jedi. Now, Kiner steps into the world of Star Wars live-action television with Ahsoka, continuing the journey of the character he has become so familiar with. To coincide with the finale of the latest Disney Plus Star Wars adventure, we sat down with series composers Kevin, Deana and Sean Kiner to discuss how the show’s sound fits into the wider sound of the Star Wars universe at this point in time and how it expands on the palette Kiner has been crafting since The Clone Wars. As well as scoring Ahsoka herself in live-action, Kiner talked scoring Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker and the much-anticipated return of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Kiner spilt the beans on how, collectively, they have learned to use John Williams’s iconic themes and motifs at the right points so as not to spoil their legacy. Kiner also discussed new themes for the show’s mysterious villains, Morgan Elspeth, Shin Hati and Baylan Skoll. Ahsoka is a later point in the Star Wars universe than you've been before. Were the original films a reference point at all? Kevin Kiner: I don't think so much. We did a lot with Rebels. Rebels was this really cool reboot. So, for a little history, going back to Clone Wars, when Dave Filoni and I were working with George Lucas, George was intent on not using too many of the original Star Wars themes. So, all through Clone Wars, we stayed away from any John Williams and then when Rebels started we had just straight-up used some of the music from the TIE Fighter attack in Empire Strikes Back. That was in the first episode of Rebels. So Dave said yeah, let's go back to the John Williams score. Sean: It's very much baked into the DNA of the Rebel sound. Deana: It really is just cooking and John Williams's themes are the strongest spice…

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The Continental expands the John Wick universe in a refreshing way
type: item
date: 2023-09-20T15:00:31.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: Comment
subject: On demand
description: The miniseries sees familiar favourites in uncharted territory for the action franchise.
encoded: When John Wick premiered in 2014, few could have foreseen the cultural impact it would have, with each instalment in the film series outgrossing the previous – culminating in a $400 million gross for 2023’s Chapter 4. The series is, of course, set to expand further with the Ana De Armas-led Ballerina, which will also feature the likes of Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane. Before then, we have the first small-screen project in the franchise, The Continental, which focuses on the early days of the hotel’s eventual manager Winston Scott (portrayed by McShane in the films and here by Colin Woodell), as he is drawn into a conflict with the hotel’s '70s proprietor, Cormac, played by Mel Gibson. The 1970s setting helps to significantly differentiate the series from its film predecessors, which are set in the present day, featuring an assortment of hitmen using various Continental sites to prepare for their missions. The New York depicted here is an unglamorous one, grimy and brimming with street-level crime, with The Continental itself a far cry from the classier establishment Winston and his trusted concierge, Charon, will come to run. We see many links and references to events that occurred in the '70s, with the Winter of Discontent in the UK and the rise of the Mafia to power in New York being influences on the show. Winston is initially based in the UK, and there are a number of references to pop culture icons of the era - including David Bowie and The Who. This extends to the soundtrack, which choreographs many of its action sequences to some of the best-known hits of the decade, from the likes of Harry Nilsson, James Brown and more, opening with Donna Summer’s I Feel Love. One of the most obvious references to the late '70s is the frequent mention of the Vietnam War and how it impacted several of the characters. This is an interesting shift from the films, which rarely mention real-world events or politics, and are often less grounded. The social issues of the day are bes…

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 is the perfect blend of old and new
type: item
date: 2023-06-12T07:00:47.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Review
description: Far from showing signs of fatigue, Strange New Worlds has breathed new life into a franchise close to its 60th anniversary.
encoded: Star Trek has been a mainstay in popular culture since 1966, when we first encountered the USS Enterprise and its crew comprising of James T Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Bones, Sulu et al. Since then, there have been a remarkable 12 series in total, across live-action and animation, and 13 feature-length films. It's safe to say diving into the franchise for the first time might prove a daunting task, and even casual fans might be put off by the sheer scale of the canon, which now spans several different centuries and timelines. Launching in 2022 on Paramount Plus, Strange New Worlds has united fans as few Star Trek shows have, earning praise for its sense of fun and capturing the spirit of Gene Roddenberry’s original show while forging its own distinct identity. Strange New Worlds takes place in the decade leading up to the events of the Original Series, before William Shatner’s Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock's time on the Enterprise. Here, she is helmed by Anson Mount’s Christopher Pike, assisted by a younger Spock in the shape of Ethan Peck and Rebecca Romijn’s Number One. The series has proved such a sensation its second season airs this month and a third is already in development. Read more Star Trek’s Leonard Nimoy nearly directed the Doctor Who TV movie Sir Patrick Stewart not ruling out return as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard While a spin-off from Discovery, Strange New Worlds is incredibly accessible for newcomers, focusing more on a new storyline each week, especially in its first season. The worlds and friends and foes the Enterprise encounters along the way, while including some species and names that will be familiar to Trek fans, for the most part avoid becoming too convoluted. There are few mentions of the events of Discovery, which no longer shares the same part of the Star Trek universe - instead jumping ahead to the 32nd Century at the end of its second season. If we compare this to something like Picard, for the uninitiated there is far more to consume to tru…

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Don't underestimate Doctor Who's UNIT spin-off
type: item
date: 2023-03-20T17:14:52.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Comment
description: The reported spin-off could live up to Torchwood's legacy. Here's how.
encoded: UNIT has been a mainstay in the world of Doctor Who since the days of Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor – but after 50 years, it appears it’s finally getting its moment in the spotlight. The reports that the BBC will launch a new spin-off focused on the organisation and starring Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart is incredibly welcome – and long overdue. After all, while UNIT featured prominently in Classic Who, its impact on New Who has faded somewhat. But that could all be about to change. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, played by Nicholas Courtney, first appeared in 1968's Web of Fear which saw the Doctor encountering the Yeti and Great Intelligence. UNIT would go on to become a regular fixture in the classic series, especially for Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor who spent much of his run in exile in 1970s Earth and working alongside UNIT and Lethbridge-Stewart. UNIT also featured prominently during the initial part of Tom Baker’s stint in the TARDIS and appeared in the 20th anniversary serial The Five Doctors. We last saw the Brigadier in one of the final episodes of the Classic Era, in 1989’s Battlefield, working with Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor. The Brigadier would grace our screens one final time in the first of the modern spin-offs, The Sarah Jane Adventures, in 2008. The organisation has featured less prominently in modern Who, making brief appearances for the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, perhaps most notably in the 50th Anniversary special The Day of The Doctor in 2013, facing off with the Zygons and returning for several story arcs for Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor in seasons 8 and 9. While Kate Lethbridge-Stewart has featured in the series since 2012’s The Power of Three and most recently appeared in the Thirteenth Doctor’s final episode, we have only scratched the surface of the character. A spin-off will provide an opportunity to dive deeper into her and her family legacy, and to develop the character beyond simply being the Brigadier’s daughter –…

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Daisy Jones & The Six - how does it compare to the book?
type: item
date: 2023-03-03T10:52:05.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: On demand
description: Riley Keough and Sam Claflin star in the Amazon adaptation of the smash-hit novel.
encoded: Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid's 2019 smash hit novel, depicts the rise and fall of a fictional 1970s rock band. The story, which is loosely based on Fleetwood Mac, catches up with the group three decades on from their sudden split after the mammoth success of their breakthrough album, with the various players reminiscing about that transformative period in their lives. It has since been turned into a drama, with Riley Keough cast as Daisy Jones and Sam Claflin in the role of The Six's guitarist and singer Billy Dunne. The Amazon Prime Video series stretches the story across 10 episodes, covering the breadth of the '70s and its changes in music and society while exploring how a small family-led group became a global sensational. But how does the show compare to the source material? The good news is it's a largely faithful adaptation, which is unsurprising given Reid's involvement. But as with any retelling, some details have been altered, with certain storylines expanded and character arcs fleshed out. View Green Video on the source website The most obvious difference is the framing of the narrative. In the book, the majority of The Six’s story is told through interviews that take place in 2012, with the group reflecting on events. In the show, however, the interviews, while still serving an important role, bookend the episodes, allowing the action to predominantly unfold in the '70s. Those conversations also take place in the late '90s, which allows the same cast to be used throughout – albeit slightly aged-up – rather than drafting in a new set of actors to play the different generations. Daisy and the group's early years, which are covered in the first section of the book, are glossed over in the show, with original member Chuck losing his life in the Vietnam War. It makes total sense for the show to skip to the events that the interviews are concerned with, namely the band's sudden collapse at the height of their success. While Daisy's unhappy childh…

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The Mandalorian season 3 needs to learn some big lessons from Andor
type: item
date: 2023-02-28T18:00:49.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Comment
subject: Disney Plus
subject: On demand
subject: Star Wars (franchise)
description: Fan service isn't enough on its own.
encoded: The Mandalorian has been one of the most successful entries in Disney’s era of Star Wars content to date, depicting the adventures of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu as they explore new and familiar worlds. But that doesn’t mean it’s without its flaws. From arbitrarily packing characters from every corner of the galaxy into episodes to squandering narrative opportunities, it’s got a lot to learn from another Star Wars series – the Diego Luna-led Andor. Perhaps one of the most surprising aspects of Andor was its lack of interaction with some of the players introduced in the original trilogy and Rogue One, making it a more self-contained entity. Yes, we got to explore more of Senator Mon Mothma’s backstory, but this felt earned. As she’s been kept to the sidelines, it was a welcome exploration of what made her want to get involved in the Rebel Alliance and also gave us something we haven’t seen before - the politics of the Star Wars universe between Episodes III and IV. It's to Andor’s credit that characters like Darth Vader, Galen Erso and Director Krennic weren’t used, giving us a largely new set of faces. The lack of existing characters allowed us to get a sense of who our new players are and their motivations, especially Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael and Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero, while helping to significantly expand the development of Cassian Andor himself. While Andor is set in a familiar time frame that has been explored in other projects like Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Rebels, it didn’t take away from the series. It still felt urgent and fresh, offering a deeper exploration of the fledgling Rebellion and Imperial rule than we’ve seen before. While the first season of The Mandalorian largely succeeded with this in its later time period, the second season felt like it was trying to link almost every episode to other recognisable aspects of the franchise, be it Bo-Katan from Clone Wars and Rebels, Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker or Ahsoka Tano. Although some of t…

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Slow Horses season 2 differs from the book in a major way
type: item
date: 2022-12-15T11:03:18.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: Apple TV
subject: On demand
description: Mick Herron's source material is expanded upon in the Apple TV+ series. **Warning: This article contains spoilers for Slow Horses season 2**
encoded: Slow Horses, based on the acclaimed espionage novels from Mick Herron, has been a considerable success for Apple TV+, with the drama now well into its second season. The series, as with its source material, is focused on a potential Russian sleeper cell, dormant since the Cold War, which is operating in the UK. Suspicions are aroused when washed up British agent Dickie Bow, a contemporary of Jackson Lamb and David Cartwright, is found dead. While the first season was largely faithful to the source material, there were some deviations as it rattled towards the end, one being the expansion on Lamb's involvement in the death of Charles Partner, colleague of fellow Slough House exile Catherine Standish. There were also hints that Olivia Cooke's Sid Baker may not have met her demise earlier in the series, which is alluded to much further down the line in the novels. Season 2, based on the second book in the collection Dead Lions, has also strayed from Herron's plotting in places, with the major divergences listed below. From Upshott with Love Season 2 follows the basic outline of the book but begins to deviate early on, with River Cartwright's undercover operation in the sleepy village of Upshott, where Dickie’s killer was last spotted, travelling in a different direction. River scopes out the village for clues about Dickie’s murder in both the series and the novel, but the manner in which the investigation unfolds varies drastically. In the series, the only locals we cross paths with are Kelly Tropper's parents Duncan (who owns the flying club) and Alex. In Dead Lions (the second novel), the investigation into events in Upshott is far grander in scope, with River encountering many of the locals in the pub and through his digging, whereas in the series it feels more intimate just focused on the Troppers, although this may have been in part due to COVID restrictions at the time of filming. The novel has a grander conspiracy at play including an MOD site and a larger porti…

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Shetland season 7 finale is the perfect send-off for Jimmy Perez
type: item
date: 2022-09-14T21:00:48.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: BBC One
subject: Comment
description: The latest episode marked Douglas Henshall’s last appearance in the hit BBC drama. **WARNING: Contains finale spoilers**
encoded: Led by Douglas Henshall’s Jimmy Perez and based on the acclaimed novels by Ann Cleeves, Shetland has been a huge success for the BBC since 2013. With the news Henshall was leaving after the show’s seventh season, fans may have worried that the series would struggle to wrap up Jimmy’s storyline and give him a satisfying ending. The finale of Shetland's seventh season wrapped up threads from across this series but also across the show as a whole, providing a lovely send-off for Perez and setting up the future of the show with several of its cast still on hand to lead the announced eighth run. The finale clears up who was responsible for the murders of Connor Cairns and his girlfriend Bryd, also tying up the environmental attacks planned on the island, but the storyline that most directly ties into Perez is that of Lloyd Anderson, a painter on the island who fled his past in the US and was to be deported for his suspected involvement in a murder in the '80s. When it became clear that Anderson might be innocent and that his partner was the real culprit, it provides a moral dilemma for Perez, who isn’t happy to send a man to his certain death in the US and so risks his career to help Lloyd live and escape the authorities. This ending is perfectly in keeping with Jimmy’s belief in right and wrong and sense of justice, and will be sure to please long-term fans of both Cleeves' novels and the show. This is a more impactful ending than Jimmy being killed off or simply resigning; it shows how his moral fibre and sense of conflict helped him continue to do good. The series had long been hinting at lingering doubts over remaining in the job through conversations with Lloyd, Tosh and Meg and ultimately it is his sense of guilt for those he hasn’t been able to save that helps Jimmy save Lloyd in his final role as a detective. The subtle hints at Perez’s departure had been deftly handled and let him to go out on his own terms with a well-timed departure, allowing his story to come…

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Rings of Power composer says soundtrack creates "continuity" with movies
type: item
date: 2022-09-03T07:48:51.000Z
creator: Abby Robinson
subject: Fantasy
subject: Sci-fi
subject: TV
subject: Amazon Prime Video
subject: Exclusive
subject: News
description: "I wanted to create a continuous experience."
encoded: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power made its long-awaited debut on 1st September, with many critics impressed with what's on offer in the opening two episodes of the series, which is set thousands of years before the events of the films. There's much that deserves praise, from astounding visuals to a cast who are pulling their weight to the sumptuous score, which RadioTimes.com spoke exclusively about with composer Bear McCreary. He said that while he's a "huge fan" of J R R Tolkien's books, it was "Peter Jackson's films in conjunction with Howard Shore's scores that brought Middle Earth to life" for him and subsequently "changed the trajectory" of his life. McCreary worked with Shore on the series, adding: "He was very supportive and just a delightful guy to get to know, and I'm so thrilled with the work that he's contributed. I feel like he created this fanfare that majestically takes us back to Middle Earth, takes us back to those Peter Jackson films." But he went on to emphasise that while there are parallels between the two scores, the music in The Rings of Power has its own identity: "I'm drawing from the colours and emotional tools that Howard Shore used in the films, but I'm using them in a different way. I think it sounds, technically, nothing like the [musical] cues Howard Shore wrote, but I think fans will hear the line that can be drawn from this, that will become the cues Howard Shore wrote for the film, so continuity is the word that I kept in my mind." McCreary cited the Dwarves to illustrate his point: "In the Peter Jackson films, the Dwarves are a people in diaspora. There is a sense of sadness and darkness to everything pertaining to the mines of Moria, to the Lonely Mountain. Yes, Gimli was a very comedic character, but at the end of the day we understood him almost to be like an orphan. I want to use those colours that Howard Shore used, in particular the deep male vocals. "But in contrast, in the Second Age [the films are set in the Third]…

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Shetland season 6 recap: Why was Jimmy arrested?
type: item
date: 2022-08-10T13:37:29.000Z
creator: Chris Connor
subject: Drama
subject: TV
subject: BBC iPlayer
subject: BBC One
description: Season 6 ended very badly for the detective.
encoded: BBC crime drama Shetland, based on Ann Cleeves's hit novel series, returns tonight (Wednesday 10th August) for season 7, with DI Jimmy Perez and his team tasked with solving a missing person case on the titular Scottish islands. But that investigation isn't the only focus of the upcoming instalment. Lead actor Douglas Henshall recently announced that he has exited the series with season 7 his final outing as the detective – news which was met with great sadness by fans and cast members. Jimmy was in quite the pickle at the end of season 6 when he was suspended from the force and placed under arrest, which spills over into the new episodes. But why did he find himself in that position? View oEmbed on the source website We've recapped what happened below ahead of season 7. Shetland season 6 recap: Why was Jimmy arrested? The last season ended with Jimmy suspended from the force. Both the detective and Duncan (Mark Bonnar) were in the frame for the murder of Donna Killick, the mother of Duncan's son who had previously appeared in season 4. After her release from prison, Donna returned to the islands where it emerged that she had cancer and was dying. READ MORE: Shetland season 6 ending explained: What will happen to Jimmy Perez and Duncan? It was later revealed that Donna was a murderer after Jimmy reopened the cold case into the death of teenager Lizzie Kilmuir, which another woman had served time for. Jimmy was deeply concerned about her influence over Duncan, which culminated in Bonnar's character assisting Donna in taking her own life. He was later arrested after turning himself in. Jimmy, who was present when Duncan confessed, was later arrested for his involvement in the death of Donna, leaving our leading man in his most precarious position yet. In the season 7 trailer, the detective is back in the job and not behind bars. But it remains to be seen how that is resolved – and what happens to Duncan. READ MORE: Shetland author reacts to Douglas Henshall exit: "He …

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