|
Post by moonstruck-me on Nov 4, 2014 10:26:46 GMT -5
You're welcome. Glad you made me aware of the show - I really like it! Glad to be of service - I'm pleased to find a fellow fan and thank you for helping to bring this great little show (or at least James's storyline) to audiences outside the UK. I think we should delay discussion of the killer until after Nanii has posted the finale clip, in deference to those without 4oD who are following the storyline via her channel. I am absolutely bursting to discuss the final reveal (and the series as a whole) but I will hold my tongue a little longer! Sadly, a second series is very unlikely due to the low ratings. It's not the kind of series that could bring in revenue from overseas either. Financially, Channel 4 probably won't see the point in bringing it back for another series. Our only hope is if they recognize the rarity of the genre and the strength of (some of) the actors. Happy to help. The clip is almost 22 minutes long, so I hope I'll be able to upload it today but it's going to take awhile... I really tried to cut it without it being too long or ruining the story, so I guess we'll see how I did (hopefully soon!). It is sad to hear it probably won't get a second season. I really liked the acting and story and it was so beautifully made.
|
|
dmagiclight
Full Member
OPEN YOUR MIND AND ANY THING IS CAN HAPPEN
Posts: 1,658
|
Post by dmagiclight on Nov 4, 2014 15:26:38 GMT -5
watching it now
|
|
|
Post by moonstruck-me on Nov 4, 2014 16:30:10 GMT -5
Well, that took awhile.
|
|
|
Post by mycaro2009 on Nov 4, 2014 18:18:40 GMT -5
i just finished watching the full ep, i really enjoyed it. although it took me a couple of episodes to get into the series (probably why it didn't catch on for many people) by the fourth ep i was hooked.
|
|
|
Post by justinate on Nov 5, 2014 3:45:57 GMT -5
Thanks Nanii! So it's time for my dissection of the series. The Great- The acting by the male leads: Billy Howle (James) was the absolute star of the series, when you see the clips above you realize how little screentime he got but he did amazing things with it. Whether on drugs, in love, in fear, or in tears, Billy constantly delivered a nuanced performance. Jordan Stephens (Rob) was an unexpected revelation despite his origins (Rizzle Kicks) and drove his character's development to a successful and believable finish. Callum Turner (Eli) was eerily good at playing someone so psychologically damaged.
- The cinematography: No doubt they had some stunning scenery to work with but the people behind the camera and in the editing booth really deserve kudos for the consistently amazing visuals.
The Good- The killer's identity: It was very much a "I should've seen it coming" rather than a "I would never have seen that coming" conclusion (Hollyoaks, I'm looking at you!). It was horribly tragic but at the same time made a lot of sense. There was just the right amount of hints laid.
- The gay romance: There wasn't much time given over to them, which was a shame (would've loved flashbacks to how their relationship developed), but Billy Howle (James) and Tommy Knight (Cal) did a great job with what little screentime they had. Considering the relationship was kept under wraps until we were halfway through the series, Billy really made it believable that James loved Cal. Their kissing was some of the hottest seen on telly. And his tears when he discovers what Cal experienced in his final moments - being held facedown in the mud by his own brother ... utterly heart-breaking.
- The nudity: I couldn't leave this out. How many shows are this generous and serve up 4 instances of full-frontal? Probably none.
- The James/Rob friendship: Rob was very unlikable at the start and I absolutely despised him when he drugged James, but his character development was fantastic (and played with surprising panache by Jordan). His enduring friendship with Jim-Jams was the saving grace of the character.
The Bad- The acting by the female leads: Were they purposely trying to contrast against the guys? The actress playing Ruth was especially dire for the amount of screentime she got. And not at all believable as a policewoman.
- The length of the first series: They could have compressed the story with less side-plots which I suspect lost them their original audience. It took a while to get into the series and there weren't really any characters to root for at the start.
- Shoddy policework: They didn't notice the attempted CPR during the autopsy? Or Eli's DNA all over Cal's body and lips? It's not like they needed a sample from Eli, they could easily have identified it from the familial relationship to Cal's own DNA.
The Sad - The most tragic gay character ever? Caleb Bray. In his 14 years on earth, this kid had more misery than many who live into old age. He was constantly let down by the very people who were supposed to protect him. His mother abandoned him because he reminded her of his dad; he spent his life in the fostercare system, where he was abused by a policeman; and when he finally thought he was starting a new life with a boy who loved him enough to leave everything else behind, his own brother murders him by suffocating him in the mud. Then in death his body is run over by his boyfriend.
- James stays on the farm: So no love, no freedom, just more of the same drudgery on the farm? This is why we need a second series, or at least a TV movie to tie up loose ends.
Random trivia: Tommy Knight was supposed to be CBBC's first regular gay character on The Sarah Jane Adventures, the Doctor Who spinoff. Unfortunately the series was terminated by the death of the lead actress before the reveal. So I'm glad we finally got to see him play a gay character.
|
|
|
Post by moonstruck-me on Nov 5, 2014 14:03:30 GMT -5
As I mentioned before I really like the show, but somehow the ending felt kind of anti climatic? I thought the last episode was great up until everybody was on the hill and then it just... felt a bit flat imo. And I agree with you justinate, about James' "ending". We need more Glue!
|
|
|
Post by justinate on Aug 31, 2015 12:03:10 GMT -5
If you felt (like me) that you didn't get your fill of Tommy Knight playing gay Cal on Glue, make sure to check out his new short film Closets (which also stars Cucumber's Cel Spellman) where Tommy plays a 16-year-old gay kid in 1986 who finds himself transported 30 years into the future when his bedroom is occupied by another gay teen (Spellman) facing pretty similar issues in acceptance of his sexuality.
Trailer: vimeo.com/129434873
|
|
|
Post by alohaTHOR on Aug 31, 2015 17:37:54 GMT -5
If you felt (like me) that you didn't get your fill of Tommy Knight playing gay Cal on Glue, make sure to check out his new short film Closets (which also stars Cucumber's Cel Spellman) where Tommy plays a 16-year-old gay kid in 1986 who finds himself transported 30 years into the future when his bedroom is occupied by another gay teen (Spellman) facing pretty similar issues in acceptance of his sexuality. Trailer: vimeo.com/129434873 Seems interesting.
|
|
|
Post by kevvoi on Jan 13, 2016 7:18:20 GMT -5
|
|