MovieChat Forums > Partners in Crime (2015) Discussion > Partners in Crime facing the axe

Partners in Crime facing the axe

posted 9 years ago by debbieblackman17
26 replies | jump to latest

It looks like it's going to be axed due to poor ratings. Started off with eight millions and lost half by it's end. BBC bosses are "unhappy" about the slump and are on the verge of ditching plans for a second season

David Walliams blames the schedule. Instead of an Autumn slot for Christie's birthday it was given a July slot when ratings are generally much lower. Walliams is convinced that's why ratings slipped and thought it could run for years, but, now it seems "unlikely"

I'm torn. It's disappointing as I was looking forward to it and really wanted a Beresford series, but, I'm just not sure this was it. It's a shame as it could been so good. Don't know if it would have picked up next season

[–] caviar1234 9 years ago

Shame since there are only four full-length Beresford novels. I'd love to see "Postern of Fate" adapted.

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

I do think it's a shame as it could have improved and I've really wanted a Beresford series, but, it just wasn't working as it was. I do think they should give it another chance and try to alter it abit

[–] caviar1234 9 years ago

The format is a big problem. Each story should be told in 2 episodes instead of 3.

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

Yes, with that I agree. Three parts were just too padded out and on some occasions the same material seemed to be repeated. Poirot and Marple worked because they were two hours / one hour. And the original Partners in Crime were only an hour

[–] caviar1234 9 years ago

I'd love to see "By the Pricking of My Thumbs" and "Postern of Fate" adapted into two 90-min TV movies.

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

Yes, I enjoyed the Miss Marple version of By The Pricking of My Thumbs and I liked their Tommy and Tuppence, but, I would have liked to have seen it done properly with just Tommy and Tuppence

[–] caviar1234 9 years ago

Hope we still get the chance to see a second series.

[–] Dreamsincolour 9 years ago

Hope we still get the chance to see a second series.

I actually really hope it doesn't survive to a second series. While I didn't like it, and I particularly thought that producing it as a vanity project for David Walliams was just gobsmackingly foolish, I don't actually have any ill will towards anyone associated with it. But with very limited resources, this series will have already been made at the expense of other projects. And to throw more money at it (and it wasn't a cheap production either) would be at the expense of others again. So no, it absolutely shouldn't be re-commissioned.

It makes the Walliams vanity project even more daft when there were two Agatha Christie projects being produced at the same time. But if anyone wants a different dose of Christie (and I suspect a much better one), it might be worth checking out the upcoming 3 part adaptation of the classic "And Then There Were None" (modern alternative title to the politically incorrect original), due to start on the 27th December (according to IMDB).

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

Really looking forward to And Then There was None. But I read in a magazine last week that it was due for brosdcast in Oct / Nov (same with War and Peace). I don't know if that's true as it seems more suited for a Christmas broadcast

I'm surprised to find myself actually disappointed that Partners in Crime won't return for a second season. They could have given it another chance and altered it abit

[–] Prismark10 9 years ago

The problem was Walliams was star and producer via his production company.

If his casting was an issue, there is no way he was going to be replaced by another actor.

However the biggest problem was that the series was all wrong tonally and the way it was set up with the three part structure.

It came across as dull and padded. It was meant to be high action, Indiana Jones style and it was plain boring instead. It looked like television from another era.

Compare this to Sherlock and new Doctor Who where a lot of thought went into how the programme will look and connect with the audience. Very few people know about the unaired pilot of Sherlock which was re-tooled and re-shot with an experienced cinema director who gave it that visual style and flair.

Its that man again!!

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

If that's the unaired Sherlock pilot that was on the DVD, I'm afraid I have to admit that I loved the unaired version and preferred it in some ways to the one that was aired

[–] caviar1234 9 years ago

I also prefer the unaired pilot to the current version.

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

Not that the aired version was bad, but, the unaired version had better scenes, plot points and chemistry I feel and it was that version that made me fall in love with the series and characters

[–] LlllPppp 8 years ago

+1

...

[–] dan.adams 9 years ago

Watched episode one which was pretty awful. The principal actors did not give good performances. Also,I don't think Agatha was at the top of her game when she developed these characters.So,doomed,doomed!

[–] sweetislandbabe 9 years ago

I agree whole heartedly!

[–] foxy6715 9 years ago

I hope it's cancelled, David Walliams was a major problem with this show. He wants to be Simon Cowell's right hand man and a serious actor,you can't have everything. Don't rate him as an actor.

[–] caviar1234 9 years ago

I don't want it cancelled. Like I said there're only four full-length Beresford novels, and they've already filmed two of them, so the other two shouldn't be left. I don't care much for the short stories since they were all done in the 1980s, but this time I really want the four full-length ones all filmed.
And if you really think about the first series, at least N or M isn't that bad. If they change the format a bit, it might even work out fine.

[–] Prismark10 9 years ago

It has been axed.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-09-29/no-second-series-for-david-walliams-and-jessica-raine-agatha-christie-drama-partners-in-crime

Not surprised. It was a poor production and Walliam's casting was not the only issue.

Its that man again!!

[–] louiseculmer 9 years ago

i hope it s axed. It was dreadful. walliams s delsional if he thinks it's due to the scheduling.

[–] debbieblackman17 9 years ago

That's what he thinks or claims. Because they put it on in the Summer instead of Autumn / Winter or around Christie's birthday that's why it didn't get the viewers he expected

[–] andre73 9 years ago

well, i really liked it. I thought Walliams was great, loved the atmosphere, the costumes, and of course, the stories.

i agree with Walliams, it's not a summer show. it should be aired in winter, 8.30pm time slot. in fact, i don't remember watching crime shows in summer (free to air)

Good work Walliams, sad if the show is axed. soldier on mate.

[–] LlllPppp 8 years ago

+1

...

[–] brzeczyk 9 years ago

Walliams was terrible but I can watch anything with Jessica Raine 24/7 :)

[–] SrEditor 9 years ago

I first saw her in Call the Midwife and found her perfect for that part. I was not as impressed by her characterization in this series or in Fortitude.

[–] cwin13 8 years ago

Agree. She's awesome.