Post by ben on Jun 2, 2006 17:39:31 GMT
I'm new to this forum, and indeed quite new to Cracker, but I thought I'd use this thread as an oppertunity to ask a couple of questions about the series, and explain why 'Cracker' has become my new favourite show.
I suppose I decided to buy Cracker as a result of being incredibly impressed by Christopher Eccleston's sublime performance in 'Doctor Who' last year, and so I brought 'The Mad Woman in the Attic' and 'To Say I Love You' on second-hand VHS from eBay. I watched the first episode and really enjoyed it, especially the scenes between kelly and Fitz, but it wasn't until I watched the three-part masterpiece that is 'To Say I Love You' that I realised that this show was something special, and definitely better than any other contemporary television drama. I loved the scene in which Fitz brings Penhalagon to the same restaurant as Judith, the gamblers annonymous scene, the scenes where Fitz 'cracks' Tina's background, poor stuttering Sean and the scene where Tina confronts her parents. After this I was hooked, and brought a second-hand DVD boxset of the whole collection (its in bad condition, but the content is what matters). I was hugely impressed by the bravery of the conclusion to 'One Day a Lemming Will Fly' and 'To Be A Somebody' had to be one of the most profoundly moving, memorable two-and-a-half-hours of television I'd ever seen. Robert Carlyle, Robbie Coltrane and Christopher Eccleston complimented each other perfectly, and this episod had me up all night thinking about it. 'The Big Crunch' was next, and whilst it was still enjoyable (I loved the scene where Fitz confesses his love for Penhalagon) but it wasn't as good as previous episodes, the constant to-and-froing to interview the Trants went on a bit. 'Men Should Weep' however was right back up there ranking alongside 'To Be a Somebody', and whilst it was uncomfortable, disturbing and emotionally harrowing, it was gripping, exciting, tense drama all the same. 'Brotherly Love' confirmed to me that even after 13 years, 'Cracker' stands up brilliantly, and it was just so well written. I lobved the scene between Mrs Harvey and the prostitute, Beck's final 'statement', Fitz's confession and accusations of the priest and his mother's funeral. The writing is incredible! I've still got 'Best Boys', 'True Romance' and 'White Ghost' to watch, but i hear there not as good as McGovern's efforts. Other television shows now pale in comparison, and seems unadventurous and banal, with cliched and cardboard characters. The characterisation in 'Cracker' is superb - the insecurity and guilt-ridden DS Jimmy Beck, Penhalagan, long-suffering Judith, and I won't even try to summarise Fitz, but he stands as being one of the greatest characters ever created for the small screen.
But I have a few questions:
1) What is everyone's favourite episode of Cracker? I'm torn between To Say I Love You, To Be A Somebody, Men Should Weep and Brotherly Love
2) What kind of viewing figures did Cracker get when it was first broadcast?
3) When is the new episode of 'Cracker' due to air? I can't wait.
4) Is the Region 2 DVD version of Brotherly Love edited? I heard the first episode was extended by an extra 15 minutes (hence it was shown on a Sunday). I ask this because the DVD seems to run for a similar running time of other three-part stories (two-and-a-half hours)
5) Did Cracker ever end on cliffhangers when first shown, because i know the episodes were broken down into parts? Can anyone give any examples?
6) Are the Region 1 DVD's split into their originally broadcast episodic format?
7) Is it worth buying 'The Lakes' on DVD? I know its written by Jimmy McGovern, but is it anywhere near as good as Cracker?
Thank you.
I suppose I decided to buy Cracker as a result of being incredibly impressed by Christopher Eccleston's sublime performance in 'Doctor Who' last year, and so I brought 'The Mad Woman in the Attic' and 'To Say I Love You' on second-hand VHS from eBay. I watched the first episode and really enjoyed it, especially the scenes between kelly and Fitz, but it wasn't until I watched the three-part masterpiece that is 'To Say I Love You' that I realised that this show was something special, and definitely better than any other contemporary television drama. I loved the scene in which Fitz brings Penhalagon to the same restaurant as Judith, the gamblers annonymous scene, the scenes where Fitz 'cracks' Tina's background, poor stuttering Sean and the scene where Tina confronts her parents. After this I was hooked, and brought a second-hand DVD boxset of the whole collection (its in bad condition, but the content is what matters). I was hugely impressed by the bravery of the conclusion to 'One Day a Lemming Will Fly' and 'To Be A Somebody' had to be one of the most profoundly moving, memorable two-and-a-half-hours of television I'd ever seen. Robert Carlyle, Robbie Coltrane and Christopher Eccleston complimented each other perfectly, and this episod had me up all night thinking about it. 'The Big Crunch' was next, and whilst it was still enjoyable (I loved the scene where Fitz confesses his love for Penhalagon) but it wasn't as good as previous episodes, the constant to-and-froing to interview the Trants went on a bit. 'Men Should Weep' however was right back up there ranking alongside 'To Be a Somebody', and whilst it was uncomfortable, disturbing and emotionally harrowing, it was gripping, exciting, tense drama all the same. 'Brotherly Love' confirmed to me that even after 13 years, 'Cracker' stands up brilliantly, and it was just so well written. I lobved the scene between Mrs Harvey and the prostitute, Beck's final 'statement', Fitz's confession and accusations of the priest and his mother's funeral. The writing is incredible! I've still got 'Best Boys', 'True Romance' and 'White Ghost' to watch, but i hear there not as good as McGovern's efforts. Other television shows now pale in comparison, and seems unadventurous and banal, with cliched and cardboard characters. The characterisation in 'Cracker' is superb - the insecurity and guilt-ridden DS Jimmy Beck, Penhalagan, long-suffering Judith, and I won't even try to summarise Fitz, but he stands as being one of the greatest characters ever created for the small screen.
But I have a few questions:
1) What is everyone's favourite episode of Cracker? I'm torn between To Say I Love You, To Be A Somebody, Men Should Weep and Brotherly Love
2) What kind of viewing figures did Cracker get when it was first broadcast?
3) When is the new episode of 'Cracker' due to air? I can't wait.
4) Is the Region 2 DVD version of Brotherly Love edited? I heard the first episode was extended by an extra 15 minutes (hence it was shown on a Sunday). I ask this because the DVD seems to run for a similar running time of other three-part stories (two-and-a-half hours)
5) Did Cracker ever end on cliffhangers when first shown, because i know the episodes were broken down into parts? Can anyone give any examples?
6) Are the Region 1 DVD's split into their originally broadcast episodic format?
7) Is it worth buying 'The Lakes' on DVD? I know its written by Jimmy McGovern, but is it anywhere near as good as Cracker?
Thank you.