As a big fan of the book I obviously hope that it won't get butchered by BBC.
The show from what I heard, is set to be released in May. I recognize only one actor from the cast - Eddie Marsan who is playing Mr. Norrell. BBC released only two videos so far, 40 seconds between the two of them, so not enough info or any indication.

 

Really looking forward to this, the book is amazing. The footage they have shown looks promising, and I read an interview where the director was fanboying hard over the book, so I'm optimistic. The guy playing Strange is a decent actor, too - Bertie Carvel, recently seen as Nick Clegg in a drama about the formation of the Coalition, and as a thoroughly sleazy PR man in Babylon. I think he'll do well. And Marsan is a quality actor anyway. Also, Marc Warren as the Gentleman with the Thistledown Hair - casting genius.

 

The guy playing the Gentleman with Thistledown Hair is also the guy who played Mr. Teatime in the adaptation of Hogfather by the BBC. He plays a slightly crazy characters very well, in my opinion, so I'm hopeful on that front too.

 

There is now a proper trailer. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iE1nsOoTJos

 

much better!
going to reread the book 'till then =)

 

So, anyone watch it? Thought it was rather good - Marsan isn't quite how I'd pictured Norrell, but he's very good, as is Carvel. I was impressed by Childermass and Vinculus as well. They got the scene in York Minster spot on, as well.

 

Just watched it. Pretty damn cool so far. Childermass and Vinculus are my favourite characters so far as well, which carries over from when I read the book.

 

Very good indeed, though I pictured Strange a bit differently. Shame it's only 7 episodes. Does anyone know if it will be just one season or they are using only some parts of the book and keep some for season two?

 

Actually, he fits my mental image of him fairly well. He was described basically as a country dandy at the start of the book, complete with terrible moustache, iirc. I expect once he heads to Spain he'll change a bit.

 

Even better episode, and genuinely impressive visually - Lost Hope looked superb, as did the big set piece on the beach. They're doing a really good job so far. My one real complaint is that it isn't always clear how much time is supposed to have passed in universe. That's a very mild niggle though.

 

The second episode won me over, especially one particular scene, I guess now we know who's the feared one and who's the arrogant.

 

Yeah, this was a very good episode. Childermass is still my favourite character, though he only turned up for five minutes. That eye roll made the scene for me.

I also loved the horse scene. I remember enjoying the scene in the book, but it's much more visceral and entertaining in tv format.

 

Wow, it was very impressive, I guess I should read the book. How closely the series follow the book so far?

 

Very. Most scenes could have been taken directly from it.

 

Two episodes in and almost everything is done as it should be in a perfect adaptation. Some things are changed to fit a different format (early events happen much quicker), but everything else stays close to the source material or even improves it in some ways (a horses scene was good in the book, but not as epic as it was in the show).

 

Hmm some of the transitions are rather abrupt and the character introductions were a bit poor. As someone who hasn't read the book I had trouble of fallowing along at first, but by the second episode I had caught up.

I haven't read the book, but the feeling I get from the show so far is that it's rushing to get to the good part. With how the blockade and the horses looked I'm looking forward to it.

 

I loved the Portuagal scenes. Absolutely loved them. The rest was good too, but Portugal...they nailed it. Especially the Neopolitan scene.

Spoiler

Unless I'm wildly mis-remembering, Jeremy doesn't die in the book. They've fiddled around a little bit for the sake of ease, but this is the first major change that I'm aware of. That said, I didn't remember Lady Pole trying to kill Norrell, or Childermass being shot, and I'm assured by a friend that at the very least she tries to kill Norrell in the book. It'll be interesting to see if there are further changes as the series goes on - for the moment though I'm assuming Childermass has just been wounded, given he teams up with Vinculus at the end of the book.

 

This is brilliant. I love that they're sticking so close to the book, though they have to rush through a lot to do everything justice in seven episodes. I imagine that might get a bit confusing at point for people who haven't read the book.

On the casting side, most of the actors are brilliant. Though Honeyfoot is the only one who looks exactly as I imagined. Strange is a pretty good fit, Norrell I imagined smaller. Lascelles (sp?) I thought to be taller and Drawlight to be have a more slighter figure. I imagined Pole as older and the Lady Pole as prettier.

But the only real disappointment was the man with the thistledown hair. Seriously, the show's version comes off as outright menacing and villainous. The book's version was more effusive, crazy as all shit and jumping from one extreme emotion to the other. They could have done better with him.

But overall, this is one of the best and most faithful book adaptions I've ever seen, so far.

Shinysavage:

Spoiler

Well, Lady Pole does attempt to kill Norrell, but ends up shooting Childermass. So, yeah, that happened in the book.

I don't remember, who was Jeremy again? I haven't yet seen the episode so I'll probably remember when I do, but if he was the scout, then yeah he gets rescued. A young soldier interested in magic gets assigned to Strange and he does get killed. But I think that was when the war picks up again.

 

The Darlm:

Spoiler

Jeremy is Strange's servant

 

Shit that was intense.
More people should know about this show (if they are too lazy already to read the book)