S01.E03: Doubt Thou The Stars

[jewel21]

Quote

Hoping to pay back their debt, the team takes on a job for an unexpectedly high-profile client. But the task proves more treacherous than they imagined.

Airdate: 01/27/2023

[krankydoodle]

I'm surprised they resolved the screaming staircase haunting so quickly since that was the centerpiece of the first book. The build-up to it in the book was well done and there were some genuinely scary moments.

After Lucy's insistence on Lockwood not keeping secrets from her, it did kind of bug me that she didn't tell him about Barnes's call or that she took the ring again even if I got why she did it. Although, as she pointed out, Lockwood didn't tell them about the bomb he was sneaking in so eh. I just hope that the skull in the jar talking to her isn't going to be something else she keeps from the others for more than an episode  (possible book spoiler:

Spoiler

which IIRC from book 1, is what happens and is one of the reasons I didn't keep reading the series.)

[Mabinogia]

3 minutes ago, krankydoodle said:

After Lucy's insistence on Lockwood not keeping secrets from her, it did kind of bug me that she didn't tell him about Barnes's call or that she took the ring again even if I got why she did it. Although, as she pointed out, Lockwood didn't tell them about the bomb he was sneaking in so eh

Yeah, they seriously need to work on building some trust, and constantly lying to each other isn't going to do it. 

I, too, thought the screaming staircase mystery was going to last longer. I actually thought it might run the length of the 8 eps and be the central mystery to solve.

I don't think I actually finished the first book to be honest. I just found Lockwood and Lucy insufferable. I might give it another go now that I have the actors' versions of the characters in my mind.

[bloodstar]

Well, that was a rather explosive end to the case! The first three episodes did go through the first book. I think they kept from getting bogged down too much into side details. Those details work in a book form but would tend to slow the pacing of a TV show way down. Personally I am really appreciative of the right pacing. The only quibble is that the episode could have used another 10 minutes to better flesh out the screaming staircase and the monks and how all of that connected together. It's one of the few moments where "Don't show, tell" would have made more sense. 

I mean I didn't read the bookuntil after I finished the season, so I didn't need the book to understand the basics of what was going on, the book just helped explain just how nasty that entire house was. 

So all in all I'd give the first 3 episodes a solid B+. Pacings being a little off at times is the big reason. The acting is enjoyable, the trauma is a little glossed over IMO, but not enough to break me out of immersion. 

The show is just plain enjoyable in a dark, moody, almost noir kind of way.

[Mabinogia]

16 hours ago, bloodstar said:

I mean I didn't read the bookuntil after I finished the season, so I didn't need the book to understand the basics of what was going on, the book just helped explain just how nasty that entire house was. 

I had read the book ages ago, and for some reason I can no longer fathom, I didn't like it at all. But Jonathan Stoud built up enough good faith with me through his Barteamaus series (though I will never be able to properly spell it) that I figured I'd give the show a shot. I ended up loving the show and went back and read the first Lockwood & Co book and found I actually really enjoyed it. 

I do agree about the book giving a better sense of just how terrifying that house was, but the show did well enough without getting too caught up in it, since it had other stuff to cover. I think the show did capture the action, horror and fun of the book well.