A TV query

[curtana]

People with more current TV knowledge than me - I hear good things about The Killing. I have no idea if the good things have mostly been about the original or the remake. If you have seen one or both, what's your advice? Is one superior, or are there a lot of differences between the two? Is it worth watching both? I am perfectly fine with

Comments

[oursin]

The Crimson Petal and the White was quite well-done but left out huge swathes of the book (possibly not to quite such dire effect as recent South Riding version, however) - inspired me to go off and reread the book, which remains aces.

[meallanmouse]

The Killing - the original. Without a single doubt.

The americanized version did its own pacing, changed some major things and didn't hesitate in going with the "well, she did X so she was ASKING for it" variances, etc. Le sigh. :(

I'm liking Maria Bello in Prime Suspect, if you haven't seen it yet. I'm being careful not to try to go anywhere near Helen Mirren comparisons however, because there's just no way anyone would match up to her. :)

Otherwise, Hawaii Five-O has actually made me very happy - I enjoy the dynamics, what they do with Kono (female character) and yes, it's crack. But it's fun crack that doesn't turn Kono into a moron. ;)

[likeadeuce]

Definitely give Downton Abbey a shot. I heard dire things about the American version of The Killing, honestly, and if the original is an option that sounds like much the better bet.

[petronelle]

My short, unimpressed review of The Crimson Petal and the White is here, for what good it will do you.

Downton Abbey is very soapy and delves deep into the territory of "Plots a conversation would resolve reasonably readily." If you want soap opera in costume, there you go.

The Devil's Whore is very, very, very pretty, and I don't mean just Mssrs. Simm and Fassbender. The lighting is pretty, the costuming is pretty, and the heroine is flat-out awesome as well as being pretty.

[cassandre]

I think the previous poster is being a bit harsh on Downton Abbey. I love it. True, there are elements of melodrama, and real life would have been much crueller and grimier, but it's a classy show - beautifully scripted, with compelling characters. Julian Fellowes wrote it (he also scripted the film Gosford Park) and he is no idiot. If it were too soapy, M would never watch it (he has far less tolerance for that sort of thing than I do) and he's nearly as hooked as I am.