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Ripper Street- a Spook and a Sellsword


Darth Visenya

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Really good new Period Drama from the BBC set a few months after Jack the Rippers killing spree in Whitechapel in 1889, it stars Matthew Macfadyen of Spooks and Pride & Prejudice fame in the lead role and his rough and ready Sergent sidekick, Jerome Flynn(Bronn from Got!!).

Great costumes and sets, good acting and good plots so far, although it is a bit gory but then a drama like this is going to be.

Well worth watching in my opinion, I'm not sure when the US gets it though, but it's an enjoyable series so far.

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I enjoyed the first two episodes quite a lot. Feels like it could be in an x-rated version of RDJR's Sherlock. The first episode had a great idea with the use of film as a new technology. I'll watch the new one tonight probably on iplayer.

Strong cast too although Jerome Flynn doesn't even need to change character from Bronn. The preview for episode 3 suggested they might flesh him out a bit more though.

The sets and costumes are great too and so far it's avoided the usual BBC trap with period pieces of making the ethnic and gender mix/equality mirror that of today's world rather than reflect that of the time. I liked how they were playing on the antisemitic themes in episode 2.

I also like the BBC's approach of short seasons for new dramas. It avoids filler and if well received they can always do more episodes with a second season.

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I enjoyed the first two episodes quite a lot. Feels like it could be in an x-rated version of RDJR's Sherlock. The first episode had a great idea with the use of film as a new technology. I'll watch the new one tonight probably on iplayer.

Strong cast too although Jerome Flynn doesn't even need to change character from Bronn. The preview for episode 3 suggested they might flesh him out a bit more though.

The sets and costumes are great too and so far it's avoided the usual BBC trap with period pieces of making the ethnic and gender mix/equality mirror that of today's world rather than reflect that of the time. I liked how they were playing on the antisemitic themes in episode 2.

I also like the BBC's approach of short seasons for new dramas. It avoids filler and if well received they can always do more episodes with a second season.

Episode 3 is quite good too, there is some rivalry between Police Forces and some nice new sets in the expensive part of the City too.

I can't believe I didn't realize it was Matthew Macfadyen at first either!!, I kept thinking, he looks really familiar then I felt like an idiot when it finally clicked.

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Loving Jerome Flynn, I like Matthew Macfadyen, but not too sure he fits the role, the character seems tougher than he can convey. I haven't seen the third episode yet but I'm hoping the villains stop dying before being brought to justice.

Enjoyed Joe Gilgun in episode 2 as well.

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I am loving Ripper Street. The first episode was pretty strong, the second I really enjoyed and last night's was really good too. I agree that Jerome Flynn's character isn't too different from Bronn, and it's clear that he fits that kind of role. Really enjoying seeing the woman playing Emily as well - she was in The Crimson Petal and The White as Agnes, a character not dissimilar to Emily.

As I'm studying policing, it's really interesting to see their techniques back then, especially their 'forensics' :laugh: The fact that the American guy opens up people without so much as a pair of gloves on makes me cringe slightly! Looking forward to seeing next week's episode.

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I am loving Ripper Street. The first episode was pretty strong, the second I really enjoyed and last night's was really good too. I agree that Jerome Flynn's character isn't too different from Bronn, and it's clear that he fits that kind of role. Really enjoying seeing the woman playing Emily as well - she was in The Crimson Petal and The White as Agnes, a character not dissimilar to Emily.

As I'm studying policing, it's really interesting to see their techniques back then, especially their 'forensics' :laugh: The fact that the American guy opens up people without so much as a pair of gloves on makes me cringe slightly! Looking forward to seeing next week's episode.

I laughed when Reid gave the 19th Century version of Quincy that hangover cure, what's in that?, herbs,rum,cocaine, everything to keep you going through the day :rofl:.

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I laughed when Reid gave the 19th Century version of Quincy that hangover cure, what's in that?, herbs,rum,cocaine, everything to keep you going through the day :rofl:.

That was brilliant. Drugs were so common in the 19th century though. In the 1860s they imported 60 tons of Opium a year into the UK. It was in loads of products and Coca-Wines were amazing. Even in the 1st world war you could buy Heroin Kits at Harrods to send to your loved ones at the front.

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That was brilliant. Drugs were so common in the 19th century though. In the 1860s they imported 60 tons of Opium a year into the UK. It was in loads of products and Coca-Wines were amazing. Even in the 1st world war you could buy Heroin Kits at Harrods to send to your loved ones at the front.

I know, it's amazing how views have changed so much, I remember seeing something about drug use in Victorian England which basically said the rich would get off their faces on Opium then when they were feeling awful and lethargic the next day they would take Cocaine to wake them up and give them energy.

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As I'm studying policing, it's really interesting to see their techniques back then, especially their 'forensics' :laugh: The fact that the American guy opens up people without so much as a pair of gloves on makes me cringe slightly! Looking forward to seeing next week's episode.

I love that attention to detail and I also cringe at their lack of regard for safety. I guess it was a complete unknown at the time. Like others are saying it's all these curious nods to what life may have been like at the time. I often think of the era as being a bit stuffy and even though Dickens showed us the darker side I think it's only nowadays we're allowed to discuss/show the more seedy things going on. London was a bit of a cesspit so there's plenty of opportunity for dark storylines and they seem to be doing that now.

I also like how the police have their own turf and are almost gang-like. As was seen in the latest episode's interrogation techniques they were still quite thuggish and Jerome Flynn's character is basically Reed's henchman or pitbull as they called him.

The show is really clicking into place and I'm hoping it's being well received in the UK so we can get another season.

Big question though is whether they will toy with a return of the Ripper at some point? It seems inevitable given the name and the fact he was never caught. I get the impression the show is already setting things up in a way that they'd possibly cover up a return of the Ripper to calm the streets. they'd have to handle it really well if they went there though. At least my initial suspicions of the american forensic guy being the Ripper has been put to rest.

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Big question though is whether they will toy with a return of the Ripper at some point? It seems inevitable given the name and the fact he was never caught. I get the impression the show is already setting things up in a way that they'd possibly cover up a return of the Ripper to calm the streets. they'd have to handle it really well if they went there though. At least my initial suspicions of the american forensic guy being the Ripper has been put to rest.

They don't have to bring the Ripper back, I'm not sure how I'd receive it if they did. It focuses on how traumatised London was by him/her/them, and how bad the Police feel about it. I like that it's about the aftermath, than the events.

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As The ConfusedBlackBear said, I read an interview with the creator, and in it he said that the show isn't, despite its name, focused on Jack the Ripper, but more the time in which he operated and how the police might have dealt with the investigation. There have been mentions of him, and I too presume he will come up a bit more in episodes to come, but I think the creator said that this isn't another 'Who is Jack the Ripper?' show. A few weeks ago I bought a book from Waterstones called The Autobiography of Jack the Ripper, so clearly this kinda thing is right up my street :laugh:

I think the show is being well-received, I know it's a 10-part drama, but a second season would be brilliant, if they can keep up the standard the first few episodes have been at. If you're interested in this darker side of the Victorian era, I strongly recommend the novel by Michel Faber and BBC drama of The Crimson Petal and The White, the novel The Pleasures of Men by Kate Williams, and The Whore's Asylum by Katy Darby.

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I just think the temptation is too great to note have the ripper potentially turn up. It'd be great if they left the aftermath of the murders hanging over the show though.

I was pretty sure iplayer listed the show as 1 of 6 so I don't think there's 10 episodes. Wikipedia goes for the compromise of 8 and they have titles so I'd be inclined to believe that.

I'll have to look into those recommendations as Ripper street has drawn my attention to the era.

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I just think the temptation is too great to note have the ripper potentially turn up. It'd be great if they left the aftermath of the murders hanging over the show though.

I think they covered that possibility enough in the 1st episode, when everyone is assuming that Jack's back. all 3 episodes have then referenced him in some way; in fact, I though they were going to make one of the*

ergotism/antimony poisoning victims

Jack, but they dismissed my guess as just "the pimp"

Spoilers for 3rd episode if you've not watched it yet.

Questions and speculations:

How did Reid get those scars? is the daughter alive and run off, or dead? did he get those scars investigating her "death" by fire?

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For the daughter? that was my first though, but I feel they're trying to build a little mystery about her (his refusal to "mourn" her, and his question to the lady running the orphanage) makes me think that she might be missing in action and presumed dead; or as my theory goes, died in a fire, but no body being found (Reid tries to rescue her, and gets the scars).

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Ah, sorry. I think they look much more like burns scars than pox scars; hence I assumed you meant the daughter.

And no, you can't get iPlayer outside the UK; but there are... other means.

If you're off somewhere though, iPlayer now keeps programmes available to 2 months, up from the 1 week that was always too short a time.

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It starts on bbc america soon so americans can watch it there.

The scars look like burns to me although I'm not an expert. There's bound to be a story behind them, whatever they are. Maybe he was close to catching the Ripper but he escaped via some arson? I'm thinking his daughter may have went missing (possibly kidnapped). His wife is assuming she's dead and he is hoping she's survived somehow.

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