The Casual Vacancy - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run.

[ApathyMonger]

I wasn't really a fan of the series. At least they toned down how depressing the ending was?

 

In the original book, Krystal doesn't manage to get away from the guy who's trying to rape her. Also, Sukhvinder isn't successful at saving Robbie from the river, and he drowns. Then, Krystal feels so guilty about what happened that she commits suicide by overdosing on heroin.

Edited March 5, 2015 by ApathyMonger

[bybrandy]

Wow, I thought the end was terribly depressing in the series. Glad I missed the book. No real redeeming characters here. Wasn't a fan. But I did watch it to the end.

[Primetimer]

The HBO/BBC adaptation of J.K. Rowling's novel is hard to explain and incredible to watch.

Read the story

[Kat]

This is one of my favorite novels in the last decade and I'm very excited for this mini-series.

[John Potts]

I did watch all of this, but having done so, I'm starting to wonder why (well, OK, it's because I hate to start and not finish something - and there were only three episodes). The only even vaguely sympathetic character was the teeny mum (though she wasn't actually mother to the baby but her big sister, IIRC), and even she was annoying. I get the point was "All humans are (or can be) bastards, but it would be like writing Harry Potter with only the Slytherin characters - you want somebody to be inspired b, even if only in a "Wow - that guy may be a bastard, but you can't help admire his brains/balls/chutzpah!"

[pasdetrois]

I guess I'm watching it for the acting. For the fact that British productions often try to keep it natural - less boob jobs, less perfect figures, and so on. I think the actress who plays the struggling teenager is doing a good job. As are the two social climbers, who throw delicious shade. And my gosh that's a very pretty village.

[wanderingstar]

I really enjoyed the novel, but this adaptation was a disappointment.

 

They watered down all the characters to the point where it was hard to care about any of them. More importantly, there were no stakes. The main point of the screenwriter seemed to be, "yes, even people in cute English villages can be assholes." Ok, but that's not a story. 

 

Ugh, the whole thing just frustrated the hell out of me.

[SFoster21]

The point was that the "casual vacancy" had a huge impact on the community. One life was making a great deal of difference in that town.

[wanderingstar]

That point comes through in the book. In the mini-series, not so much.

[candall]

I've been saving this for a long lovely empty day when I could relax and enjoy the whole thing at once.

 

Wow, Pagford karma is just a fickle bitch.

 

I was disappointed to see POS Simon end up totally unscathed and the nasty Mrs. Mollison gathered gently to the forgiving bosom of her daughter-in-law.  I can imagine all kinds of guilt disorder endings for Fats, but it would have been satisfying to see him snort that first rail.  (He probably winds up with a scholarship and never gives any of it a second thought.)

 

So the only two with semi-upbeat conclusions are on their way out of the village--Barry's wife and Arf, metaphorically, on the schoolbus with his lady love?  Oh, and the Sweetloves are winners, of course, with the spa.

 

WTF?  Was J.K. Rowling frustrated from the pressure to end the Potter series with her three protagonists intact?

[alias1]

I had this on my DVR and finally watched it.  How depressing.  Did they explain what happened to the little boy?  He obviously didn't stay with the mother.  It seemed like they showed him playing with someone at the very end, but it was such a far away shot I couldn't be sure it was the same little boy.  I have no inclination to read the book.

[atomationage]

I'll watch any series with Michael Gambon in it.  He's a treasure, and he's not going to live forever.

[Mindthinkr]

On 5/25/2015 at 10:24 PM, SierraMist said:

I had this on my DVR and finally watched it.  How depressing.  Did they explain what happened to the little boy?  He obviously didn't stay with the mother.  It seemed like they showed him playing with someone at the very end, but it was such a far away shot I couldn't be sure it was the same little boy.  I have no inclination to read the book.

You probably have your answer by now but in case you haven't 

(sorry my spoiler alert button isn't showing up so don't read farther if you don't wish to know)

In the miniseries the boy was picked up by the cosmetic surgeon. He brought him home and they called social services. The lady who changed their (Krystal, her Mum and Robbie's) original caseworker came and put him in the backseat of the car and drove off. Presumably to a foster home as Krystal's Mum was using dope again and couldn't be trusted to care for the child. Seeing them frolicking on the playground was an image to invoke how the casual vacancy changed/ruined lives. 

Agreed, the series was depressing.