There are so many things to appreciate about part II. I love how they’re keeping the story strongly character-driven. The book is entirely focused on interaction rather than action, and I’m glad that they found a way to adapt it compellingly for TV.
Once again, they’ve done an excellent job with the side characters.
John Bristow is PERFECT. The scene at his mother’s house is just brilliant.
And Charlotte! Charlotte looms over the story like a ghost, and it’s amazing how they’ve managed to convey this feeling in the show with her calls, her seductively eerie voice, and poor Cormoran’s reactions.
I also like that they’re keeping throwing in references to Leda Strike. It’s clear that it’s a sore point for Cormoran, and something that will play a huge role in the future.
Some sparse thoughts:
- Robin and Matt’s first fight is perfect.
- Strike totally knows right from the start how his night at the club with Ciara is going to end. And, well, he doesn’t look displeased at all. Not cool. Shame on you both.
- By the way, in my head I always pronounced Ciara “See-ara”. Oops.
- I want to see more of Guy Somé... but I guess that’s what episode III is for, right?
- When Strike mentioned Vashti I really hoped we’d see it in this episode... but it makes sense that they’re keeping it for the “grand finale”. It’s one of the most important scenes in the books for the relationship between Strike and Robin, because it’s not just about Strike noticing once again that Robin is attractive... it’s about him realizing just how definitely, totally, utterly brilliant she is.
- I loved the little bit of conversation between Strike and Tansy (another excellent scene overall) about children and how Strike doesn’t want any. Is this a subtle reference to Charlotte’s “lie” (or truth?!?) about Cormoran’s baby?
- But then, they’ve omitted the whole story about Charlotte, her baby and her relationship with Strike from the pub scene... and the only “serious” part of his conversation with Robin in the show revolves about Strike losing his leg in Afghanistan instead.
That’s odd, and as funny as the scene is, I think it’s kindof a missed opportunity. In the book, it is a huge thing for Strike to confide such personal information in Robin (even if of course he would never have done it in other circumstances), and I think it’s also the contents of his drunk ramblings - not just the fact that she sees him in a miserable state and helps him - that immediately transforms their relationship.
Then again, I suppose that Strike wondering aloud whether it was cruelty or mercy that left him alive is pretty “personal” too, but on an entirely different level.
Also, now I’m curious to see how we’re going to get the information about Charlotte and her baby. I doubt they can just leave it out altogether.
- “Why did you leave?” “Sorry?” poor Robin. Great acting on Holliday Grainger’s part, how she suddenly stops smiling and her face becomes hard for a split second.
- So now Tony Landry is obviously innocent and Evan Duffield is our new main suspect with his Guy Somé gloves. It’s curious because for me it was exactly the other way round in the book, with Tony Landry becoming more and more shady as I read on.
