Flesh And Blood - General Discussion

[dubbel zout]

24 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

The other real surprise was that Marks daughter in Spain does apparently exist.

Yes! And supposedly they were very close, which makes his dodginess about her all the stranger. And the no photos, as well. He doesn't have a picture of her in his wallet? This whole part of his story seemed really odd.

[zoey1996]

5 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

He's had an interesting life, no doubt about it. That book is heartbreaking and so, so good.

Just now put a hold on it with my library. Thanks for the recommendation!

[freddi]

On 10/26/2020 at 10:35 AM, dubbel zout said:

 Super disappointing—even the "twist" at the end of Mark opening his eyes wasn't as shocking as we were supposed to think.

This entire 4-episode series was just a gimmick to set up a second series.  The "gimmick" was "who was the victim?"  And because they caught us up in that, and answered it in the final episode, it kind of felt like a resolution.  But it was just the resolution to the one question.  It left everything else up in the air:  Will Mark accuse Mary?  Will Mary stand trial?  Will the marriage continue?  How will each adult child's dilemma resolve?  (They each had major crises happening at that moment.)  Will Sophie appear and change the dynamic of the show?  All of these were cliffhangers, and not a single person's story had a resolution, only more question marks.  It was a cheap, mean way to treat viewers.  

But apparently the house is off the market, so the house had a resolution.  

[dubbel zout]

33 minutes ago, zoey1996 said:

6 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

He's had an interesting life, no doubt about it. That book is heartbreaking and so, so good.

Just now put a hold on it with my library. Thanks for the recommendation!

Rea is a minor-ish supporting player in the book, so don't expect too much about him.

[Crashcourse]

30 minutes ago, freddi said:

This entire 4-episode series was just a gimmick to set up a second series.  The "gimmick" was "who was the victim?"  And because they caught us up in that, and answered it in the final episode, it kind of felt like a resolution.  But it was just the resolution to the one question.  It left everything else up in the air:  Will Mark accuse Mary?  Will Mary stand trial?  Will the marriage continue?  How will each adult child's dilemma resolve?  (They each had major crises happening at that moment.)  Will Sophie appear and change the dynamic of the show?  All of these were cliffhangers, and not a single person's story had a resolution, only more question marks.  It was a cheap, mean way to treat viewers.  

But apparently the house is off the market, so the house had a resolution.  

I wholeheartedly agree with everything, especially the bolded.

[tinderbox]

8 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

In season 2 (or series 2) I'd love to see Mark's daughter lead an investigation into what really happened that night.

Me, too!

[Driad]

People on the Masterpiece Mystery Facebook page are not happey about the ending either.

[dargosmydaddy]

That was just... weird.

I don't get the point of not saying it was Mark in the hospital from episode one. It was a hugely anticlimactic revelation, so what was the point? The whodunnit and how/ why were the bigger mysteries, and those could have been played up more.

Mary's behavior in the final act was also odd. She seemed downright manic when she arrived at the party, and all the time they spent showing her preparing... I kind of wondered if she put something in the pastries and/ or if she was the one causing Vivian's fainting spells all along. (She was always over at the house; she had access to all sorts of food/ medication...) And the nurse mentioned some kind of drug in Mark's system as well as alcohol when she was talking to the detective (who didn't seem alarmed by this, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree?). I'm not sure if I'm reading too much into things or if the creator meant to present all these ambiguous plot points so she'd have a lot to play with if there was a season two, but... that's not really how you should plan out a TV show, IMO. Especially if you're less than certain you'll get a second season!

On 10/26/2020 at 1:15 AM, anniebird said:

This was my least favorite Masterpiece in a long time

Did you watch Beecham House? I think that was even worse... Press also rivals this in terms of fizzling out by the end. There have been a lot of strange/ subpar offerings on PBS this year!

[freddi]

10 minutes ago, dargosmydaddy said:

That was just... weird.

I don't get the point of not saying it was Mark in the hospital from episode one. It was a hugely anticlimactic revelation, so what was the point? The whodunnit and how/ why were the bigger mysteries, and those could have been played up more.

 And the nurse mentioned some kind of drug in Mark's system as well as alcohol when she was talking to the detective (who didn't seem alarmed by this, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree?). I'm not sure if I'm reading too much into things or if the creator meant to present all these ambiguous plot points so she'd have a lot to play with if there was a season two, but... that's not really how you should plan out a TV show, IMO. Especially if you're less than certain you'll get a second season!

 Press also rivals this in terms of fizzling out by the end. There have been a lot of strange/ subpar offerings on PBS this year!

I believe the nurse said he had taken diazepam (Valium), so that is a very common relaxant.  (Seriously, wouldn't you want a Valium tablet before that party?)  Agree about Press being very, very disappointing at the end!  

They did not tell us it was Mark from the start, because that was the *only* suspense they actually planned to resolve!  

31 minutes ago, Driad said:

People on the Masterpiece Mystery Facebook page are not happey about the ending either.

Thanks for this -- the FB posters there said exactly what I had said two messages ago -- cliffhangers everywhere, and not the fun kind.  

[anniebird]

3 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

 

Did you watch Beecham House? I think that was even worse... Press also rivals this in terms of fizzling out by the end. There have been a lot of strange/ subpar offerings on PBS this year!

You're right - I started watching Beecham House and gave up - at least I watched this one to the end.

[Rickster]

Although I thought the structure of the series was manipulative (flashback where the identity of the victim was hidden) and fell flat at the final, I enjoyed the rest of the ride. I liked watching a MT that for a change was not a historical period piece, an out and out murder mystery or a political thriller. I thought the acting was good, although maybe Stephen Rea not quite right for his role.

I lasted through one episode of Beecham House.

[sinycalone]

I really don't care if there is a season two.  Not really interested in the kids' lives -- nor how Mark and Viv's relationship turns out.  The acting was fine, the scenery amazing....the writing was poor.  Creating four episodes just to provide cliffhangers -- and hope for another season -- is shoddy writing.

[dubbel zout]

Same. The kids' problems weren't interesting (way too clichéd), Vivian turned out to be something of a doormat, and it was obvious to me from the beginning that Mark was the victim. He didn't die, but so what? The kids aren't magically going to like him, and if Vivian continues to go to bat for him after he was physical with her son—both of them being drunk is no excuse—then she's a total lost cause for me. The only interesting story with the kids is the woman the daughter fired who's fighting back. 

The only thing I'd want to see is Mary continuing to passive-aggressively derail Mark, and even that would get old after too long.

Tl; dr: Let this series die after one season.

[Driad]

If I were writing the second season (and really needed the job) I would have Viv sell the house, and we would never mention her family again.  A new family would move into the house, and be delighted by their "helpful" neighbor Mary.

Better ideas?

[chitowngirl]

I understand the need for a fresh start and all...but I would never leave that house on the sea!

[chick binewski]

On 10/21/2020 at 2:27 PM, 12catcrazy said:

Mark is supposed to be a surgeon, so you'd  THINK he'd have an on-line presence, but if he's of a certain age, maybe not.   I still wonder if Mark is really who he claims to be.   When "the kids" looked him up, I wonder if there were any photos of him.  

 

On 10/21/2020 at 2:29 PM, cinsays said:

I don't think anything he has claimed about himself is true.  I don't think there is a daughter.  He's just kind of creepy.

 

On 10/22/2020 at 11:25 AM, sugarbaker design said:

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, I don't blame parents for their adult childrens' character defects.  I've known people who were essentially raised by wolves who've turned out to be amazing people, and conversely, I've known people who were raised by saints who've turned to be the biggest dipshits alive.

 

On 10/22/2020 at 3:25 PM, anniebird said:

That's not how parenting works - you don't tell them to do those things - you just raise them to think those things are ok. If she had only one rotten apple, I'd agree it's bad luck, but all three? 

These things tie in together for me bc Vivien just made no sense to me and I'm not sure whose fault that is. I was a big fan of Rea for years but watching him with Annis was torture - she played Viv as engaged and alive and he played Mark like he couldn't stay awake long enough to make the early bird special. There wasn't enough revealed to make me care about their pairing. Same thing with the kids - they didn't seem like a group of people that that had any familiarity with their mom or each other so I had trouble figuring out where their mediocre unpleasantness came from.

That being said I think Mary rocks (in a psycho kind of way) so I may have issues.

[dubbel zout]

40 minutes ago, chick binewski said:

she played Viv as engaged and alive

And rather stupid.

[chick binewski]

13 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

And rather stupid.

Yes! I left out that part.

[voiceover]

Obviously my choice of "nap" over "watching part 4" was a sound one, and after reading the reax here I shall cease to berate myself.

[dubbel zout]

My mom called me and asked, "Where's the next episode?" and I broke it to her that there was no next episode. She was not amused.

[seacliffsal]

The only character in which I was invested/interested was Mary.  I like the idea of an above poster-have Vivian sell the house and watch as Mary works her way into another family's life.  I was fascinated with how Mary would ask an "innocent" question and it would redirect the other person's thinking and inquiries.  Her influence over the children was huge as it was mentioned numerous times that she watched the children when Vivian worked.  I wondered throughout the series if Mary killed the husband/father as his death was mentioned throughout the series.  Perhaps she felt she would have more influence over the family without the father.  Many plot possibilities when focused on Mary-did her own husband really "leave" or did he mysteriously disappear?

[12catcrazy]

On 11/4/2020 at 5:54 PM, Alistaire said:

Wow, very well-written, and I agree: Mary was the only interesting character. You know what was heartbreaking about her? Our general suspicion from her first scene that she was guilty simply because she was alone and kindhearted. Yes, she snapped and did what she did. She saw what the idiot Viv didn't, that that preposterously repulsive "doctor" was a killer. Very bad casting in regard to Stephen Rea. No chemistry with Francesca Annis, and totally unbelievable. 

Do you think that Mary tried to kill Mark because she felt he was possibly a killer or because Viv was selling the house and going off with him, thus "leaving" Mary?    That was more my take on it.  

[Rickster]

5 hours ago, 12catcrazy said:

Do you think that Mary tried to kill Mark because she felt he was possibly a killer or because Viv was selling the house and going off with him, thus "leaving" Mary?    That was more my take on it.  

This is my take too. Mary’s life revolved around Viv and her family. Mark was destroying it.

[peacheslatour]

The End. Or is it? That scene at the end of Mark opening his eyes....