I'm getting so tired of this and I used to hold the BBC to a higher standard. I'm a huge Douglas Adams fan and I'm always interested in when they make live action adaptations. However, here we go, once again, of taking source material and destroying it.
Dirk Gently is not some 20 something pretty boy, he's an over the hill portly guy (and to be fair, they got it wrong in the other short lived series from 2010). Maybe this kid is a good actor, it's irrelevant as this is NOT what the character is (I can see the obvious U.S. influence here).
These books are not set in the U.S., they are set in the U.K. The whole reason why I love watching British shows is so that I can see a different perspective on the world, not so that I can watch British characters from British works wandering around the California coast or walking through New York (and yes, I understand that Adams may have been working on another novel where Dirk visits the U.S. which is fine).
I also love the fact that, if you read the various news stories about this that are currently available, the producers are so in love with the books and the character of Dirk Gently, that the first thing they decide to do is make significant changes to the character and other significant material for their production. If you are so in love with it and think the character and universe are so fantastic, why in the world change it?
They are doing the same thing to this book series that they did with Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes - make everyone younger and more attractive to appeal to a younger generation who cannot be bothered to read a book. Rest in peace Mr. Adams, rest in peace.
reply
share
bringonthelucie
8 years ago
Max Landis brought a good point I agree with about making changes in the series, and that is that the mistake of something like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie is that if you decide to adapt it, you really can't. Adaptation means cutting out fat, but if you cut out the so-called fat from Adams' work, you are cutting out the humor or the whole point of the text. So the best thing you can do is create something entirely new from using the barest basis of the text, and put your own spin on it. And a series gives you the opportunity to not only have a solid structure, but also have fun with the tangential humor.
I love the books but I completely welcome this adaptation. It sounds and looks like a lot of fun, and I hope it meets or even succeeds my highest expectations. If anything I'm slightly weary because Max Landis' produced work hasn't been all that great after Chronicle. The scripts are good to great, the movies not so much. I hope that's not the case with this series.
reply
share
tomkofof
8 years ago
Over the hill???? Lol...
I am certain the people in charge who are interested in $$$ meanin g ratings..believe a younger Dirk will play better ???
Not for or against it on this one as I am not familiar with the source material.
Many were unhappy with Preacher because It was changed for a new medium as well. But it is doing very well, I guess we'll see.
I talk that back ,.i just looked at the other one,,I've seen a couple. I haven't read the books.
reply
share
slkellygoo
8 years ago
Having just watched the first episode...
It's been too long since I've read the books to have quite tagged Dirk Gently as over-the-hill or portly. But watching it, I did feel like the portrayal didn't feel true to the original character. And now your description doesn't sound wrong.
In the end, I don't think the episode was bad at all. It shows promise. But it will come down to watching the show as it is, on it's own merits, not holding out for a strict interpretation. I'm not saying either is wrong, just have to pick one or the other and watch or not.
reply
share