MovieChat Forums > My Mother and Other Strangers (2017) Discussion > I wanted to like this a alot, I really d...

I wanted to like this a alot, I really did....

posted 8 years ago by CobblersAwls
2 replies | jump to latest

...but after five hours of basically watching the television version of paint drying....ummm....

Cannot put my finger on it. But it was as though they just did some kind of random hit and miss storyline that basically added up to nothing.

How could they take such an interesting time and place and cultural clash and turn it into such a snooze fest? What a missed opportunity. I tried, I really did, to care about the characters but it was so hit and miss and thinly written, that they just never resonated.

It was like tv haiku.

Vera the tarty sister who drinks? Who cares. I didn't. Then she buggered back off to London which, in itself, seemed rather odd considering traveling to and fro from London during the war over the Irish Sea was not as lackadaisical as they portrayed it during dangerous war time.

Kids scrounging junk piles like some "Land of Hope and Glory" wannabee that failed. Thought it was leading up to them finding something horrific or at least interesting. Am still waiting. That went no where.

Daughter with academic aspirations began with some interest, to see if she broke free of the parochial village, but ended up the tired old cliche of the middle class doctor's son romance--that tired old trope done a million times before and done better elsewhere.

And her early 10 minute romance with the flyboy almost was interesting, even if it had a creepy underage girl vibe. But that was okay, because they summarily killed him off with one sentence from Ciaran. That'll teach the sod to ask a girl to the cinema.

Then, hey, let's do an episode with some sick kids and call the Yanks in to nurse them and presto. Everybody gets better. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. People getting sick is an episode? Why oh why? The point was...?

Oh and that nail biter of a pub license buy back introduced at the last minute in episode 5 should really keep us on the edge of our seats.

As will the last scene clinche between the two inexplicable lovers--one who obviously is lonely far from home with an ill wife at home who's on the edge. Yeah, okay.

But the other an allegedly happily married woman who simply is a bit of fish out of water in Norn Oirland with her "Heathcliffe" who loves her so much he buys her an expensive late engagement prezzie for Crimbo. What a cad! How could he be such a nice husband! Into the arms of the first Yank, then, who shows you some friendliness Mrs. Coyne. Made no sense.

The whole thing was one huge dog's dinner hot mess with knobs on. Disjointed vignettes would be the kindest thing I could come up with....

What the hell happened?

[–] d-druce 8 years ago

Unfortunately I agree with everything you said. So anodyne, even for Sunday evening, especially when you compare it to the similar Home Fires.

Takings in the pub were catastrophically down as the US airmen were barred- and yet we had only ever seen three of them in there!

Because of its 'disjointed vignette' structure I took it to be from a genuine memoir like 'Cider With Rosie', but as far as I can see it is original, extra disappointing as this is a good writer.

Perhaps would have been better suited to the early afternoon slot.

[–] CobblersAwls 8 years ago

Yes, that is a good observation that the afternoon drama slot might have asked not so much of this show.

However, having said, that, we've had "Land Girls" which was pretty good. Sure, a bit soapy, but looking back, did not seem as hit and miss as this one.

And now we've had "Red Rock" kind of raising the stakes for the PM drama slot. And some roundly have attacked one of my comfy faves with afternoon cuppa, "The Coroner," ha. So perhaps my judgment isn't to be trusted on this. :-)))))