Lynley

I have not watched it yet but opinion seems divided. I loved the original series with Nathaniel and Sharon.

To slow? It's just right. But if DH likes the clash bang wallop and gore.....

Yes the accepting its different from the book. It depends how much you love the book I think, as generally I don't mind, but the Detective Gamache series by Louise Penny - excellent, thoughtful - from Canada, 'Three Pines" was wrecked and I gave up.

Wrong on every level.
So much new material to use , why re make what was a good series.

I much preferred the older version, the new Linley doesn’t fit my idea of upper crust. Havers seems OK, but of course Sharon Small was just perfection in the role.
I read recently that the old series was ended abruptly and that the actors always hoped it would be continued.

But Sharon Small was far too good looking to play Barbara Havers.

Really good and we can remember the old one. We both thought it very good.

I read the books years ago, so don't know if they'd seem dated now, but I wasn't keen on the original series'. They were ok for a rainy Sunday afternoon, but too slow and formulaic.

I was willing to give the new one a go, but thought it was worse. I am not a fan of 'cosy' murder - to me it just seems wrong, somehow - but I don't think it was that, so much as it just wasn't gripping. My mind kept wandering. Maybe the books just don't translate well to the screen?

Formulaic: toff tec and "common"/female side-kick

But I enjoyed it and will watch again (I don't binge). Leon Suter is very handsome and Sofia Barclay is really pretty. I haven't read the original books so I'm not bothered if this series departs from them.

But the guy on telly who absolutely floats my boat is Tom Hiddlestone in The Night Manager. The first series was terrific and I don't think there's been a better thriller on TV since. I hope this new series is half as good.

I thought the balance in the second one was well done between action/nasty bits without dwelling on things and the reasons why they had done what they did.

We really enjoyed it and will definitely watch the series. I haven't watched the original series or read the books .. yet. Linley was just so darn handsome and when he was changing out of his wet clothers - Phwoar.

Well that’s why he’s there isn’t it ?

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We very much loved it and have binge-watched three episodes.

(We liked the original series too)
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They usually change fundamental things from books to make 'good' TV! In the books, Barbara Havers is scruffy, unattractive, impetuous, argumentative, disliked by most of her colleagues because of that and always being bust back from sergeant to constable, plain clothes to uniform. I haven't watched either series but I can't help wondering if she's portrayed as she is in the books. Enlightenment welcome 😆

I watched the first episode and thought it was ok but it's always difficult when you've read all the books - I think there are 22 - as you see the characters very clearly in your mind's eye. I thought Lynley was ok but Havers way off the mark. The inference was that she has an Indian mother which I certainly don't remember. Barbara in the books was incredibly scruffy so she wouldn't have had her hair in a very fancy plait which, strangely, morphed into a bun on the way back from a call out. In fact, her hair seemed to be a different style in every other shot, it was off putting & I became quite obsessed by it! Barbara in the books was definitely not attractive & lived on Pop Tarts, I'm sure this one didn't! I think Sharon Small was better casting. Oh, and I was gutted that, like so many other things, Norfolk was actually Ireland. I'll probably watch the next one & try to forget about the excellent books.

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Nothing like "Endeavour.

And anyway - how can you make comparisons if, as you claim, you didn't even watch any of it???
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GrammaH I've read all of Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe books and I do watch and enjoy the old TV series on BBC iPlayer. I don't think they mess with male characters so much. I wonder if they'd find anyone willing to play Barbara Havers, alongside Lynley, if they had her portrayed as she is in Elizabeth George's books 😂

twinnytwin

We really enjoyed it and will definitely watch the series. I haven't watched the original series or read the books .. yet. Linley was just so darn handsome and when he was changing out of his wet clothers - Phwoar.

I’ve binged the episodes & agree ‘Lynley’ is handsome .
I’ve never read the books 📚 either but enjoying the series .
The balance between Barbara & Lynley is good . Though I was alp intrigued by the hair style changes

One of the great things about the original series was the huge gap in social status between the top characters. That for me was the USP

This new Linley has very little of that.

It's always hard to accept a new portrayal of a favourite character, I thought Lynley wasn't posh enough to highlight their differences. The worst remaking was of Adam Dalgleish, could hardly bear to watch, even when Martin Shaw did it!

I thought it was absolutely awful and won't be watching it again. The characterisations were nothing like the books, neither was the balance between Linley and Havers.

lizzypopbottle I've also read all the Dalziel & Pascoe books & I loved the tv series, I thought they'd got the characters just right - I could hear them talking as I read the stories. I agree that both incarnations of Linley are reasonably like the books but you're right, who'd want to poor scruffy, outspoken, plain old Barbara? 🤣 They are obviously a crack team as the 22nd book isn't long out. I'm waiting for it to get q bit cheaper before I add it to my collection!

Ditto! Old pairing was much better.

Well I watched it and was dreadfully disappointed, my own fault I expected it to be Nathanial and it wasn’t.☹️ well in for a penny etc so I will watch the next episode and hope for the best.

...who'd want to poor scruffy, outspoken, plain old Barbara?

They managed to find someone to play Vera, who was much loved. Slow Horses is full of such characters and is popular.

Franbern

It is even more confusing as one of the channels is currently showing episodes from the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries.

Gave the new version a go. Not a patch on Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small.