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Grace - anyone watched it?

(78 Posts)
Clawdy Mon 20-Mar-23 20:00:16

I like John Simm, and was quite looking forward to this, but yet another drama about murdered girls, abducted, tied up....just too much.

Kim19 Mon 20-Mar-23 20:04:43

Yes, I found it unnecessarily harrowing too. I'm for gentler stuff these days.

TillyTrotter Mon 20-Mar-23 20:07:43

I agree with you Clawdy .

lixy Mon 20-Mar-23 20:25:21

I like John Simm too and lived in Brighton when I was a child so hoped I'd enjoy this. However I have found this too violent for me, such a shame.

Calendargirl Mon 20-Mar-23 20:29:44

Adapted from the books. They are all quite brutal.

Hellogirl1 Mon 20-Mar-23 21:32:03

Well, I enjoyed it. I`ve read all the Grace books, I love them too.

Floradora9 Mon 20-Mar-23 21:41:34

I wish I did not remember the back story having read all the books it spoils it a bit . Sadly Peter James the author of the books died recently so no more Banks though there is one yet to be published.

Calendargirl Mon 20-Mar-23 21:50:12

Floradora9

I wish I did not remember the back story having read all the books it spoils it a bit . Sadly Peter James the author of the books died recently so no more Banks though there is one yet to be published.

The Grace books were written by Peter James.

The Alan Banks books were written by Peter Robinson, who has died.

Chestnut Tue 21-Mar-23 00:12:34

I tried to watch it some time ago but gave up. Like others I am sick of brutal murders, it seems as though everything on TV revolves around violence and murder. There is another thread about the Luther series. More brutality and murder.

nanna8 Tue 21-Mar-23 01:26:31

It is getting to be ridiculous. Nearly every new show seems to be about murders and violent crime. They must think that is what the public want these days. God help us.

Sparklefizz Tue 21-Mar-23 06:50:32

Too violent for me so I gave up after about 20 minutes. Was very surprised that an assault with a sex toy was mentioned before the 9pm watershed but then I thought the whole thing was too violent for an 8pm start.

Calendargirl Tue 21-Mar-23 06:56:15

I think in the books, he wasn’t ‘The Brighton Prowler’, he was ‘The Shoe Man’ as he was obsessed with women’s shoes, and stilettos 👠 became his weapon of choice., not a sex toy.Always took one of the shoes I think, but my memory of the book may not be great.

Georgesgran Tue 21-Mar-23 07:21:07

I liked the books, but didn’t watch the programme as I hadn’t warmed to John Simms as Grace. He just wasn’t what I’d pictured in my mind.
However, I do like Stephen Tompkinson as Alan Banks.

merlotgran Tue 21-Mar-23 07:27:57

Funny how we see things differently. Stephen Tompkinson ruined Alan Banks for me.

I enjoyed Grace. Haven’t read any of the books but agree about the violence before the watershed. I suspect ITV+1 came in handy for some.

Jaxjacky Tue 21-Mar-23 07:32:23

We enjoyed the programme as we did the books, police work can be involve violence sadly.

Froglady Tue 21-Mar-23 07:43:12

Calendargirl

Floradora9

I wish I did not remember the back story having read all the books it spoils it a bit . Sadly Peter James the author of the books died recently so no more Banks though there is one yet to be published.

The Grace books were written by Peter James.

The Alan Banks books were written by Peter Robinson, who has died.

Oh I missed the news that Peter Robinson had died.
I remember when he came to do a talk at my local library and he was really interesting; he lived in Canada but spent 6 months each year in Yorkshire writing his latest book.

eazybee Tue 21-Mar-23 07:46:41

I watched it.
Too many adverts, too many breaks and too convoluted a plot.

Iam64 Tue 21-Mar-23 08:55:36

I started watching the new series of Grace last night. I believe many tv shows could be as good without the sexual violence against women being so graphic. John Sim isn’t my Grace but he’s good enough. I like Dot Cotton as Norman, he makes less silly jokes, comes over as more intelligent than the book character, more believable as well

NanaDana Tue 21-Mar-23 09:01:17

An OK watch, but not up to the standard of some of the more iconic detective series. I also feel that to keep the story to a single episode rather limits the opportunities for plot and character development, although the "missing wife" thread does provide a degree of continuity. Although some here have complained about the degree of violence, I didn't find it particularly extreme or gratuitous. How you characterise rape and murder in a drama without some unpleasant depiction I'm not sure. Overly sanitised presentation detracts from the reality of what victims have suffered, and might even perhaps dilute our revulsion at such crimes. Surely that's the last thing we need with all that is in the press just now..

Harris27 Tue 21-Mar-23 09:09:30

Call me twee but a Sunday night viewing needs to be a little more uplifting. Get me in the mood for Monday and work!

Calendargirl Tue 21-Mar-23 09:20:40

I too felt that Stephen Tomkinson was not my idea of Alan Banks. Neither is John Simm as Roy Grace either.

But we all get pictures in our heads if we read the books first.

I am reading the Wire In The Blood books, and Robson Green is a good Tony Hill, but only because I saw him in it first.

BigBertha1 Tue 21-Mar-23 09:51:30

I do like the programme but on the whole the 9 o'clock police drams ae just getting so dark and there is little comedy apart from old re runs to balance the load. Unforgotten last night was a case in point.

Sar53 Tue 21-Mar-23 09:56:57

We started watching it last night on ITVX but at the first ad break the picture froze. We tried again and the same thing happened at the second ad break. We gave up, which was a shame as we were enjoying it. We are both fans of the books.

Charleygirl5 Tue 21-Mar-23 10:38:40

I am up to date with reading Peter James's books and I enjoyed the 2 hour episode. I agree, Norman comes over as a total fool in the book but has more brains on screen. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to this Sunday.

Boz Tue 21-Mar-23 11:43:30

Good review

Goodcomments.

Grace review — this queasy crime drama traded in female terror

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/78b2ddb6-c4cd-11ed-a840-1fe543b495e2?shareToken=83723ac1dfda02ccd013fcd139ba8014