The TV version of China Mieville's THE CITY AND THE CITY

[A wilding]

We have just binge watched it too.

The book is my favourite Mieville and I think they have managed an excellent adaptation, even if the last episode seemed a bit weaker than the first three.

Obviously they had to simplify it and make changes, the chief of which is that the indoctrination and surveillance is much more obvious and in your face than in the book (in which we are told that it is everyone in both cities that keeps them apart every day and that Breach is merely the last ditch defence). But the basic set up of the two cities is put across very well, using an impressive range of techniques.

There seem to be a fair few people out there who hadn't read the book and who were confused and didn't understand what was going on, but to me that just proves the BBC is not afraid to put out something a little challenging. (And it was on BBC2!)

 

[Werthead]

Weirdly, apparently during production a second season was discussed, and China was up for it, although whether he'd write a novel first and then they'd adapt it or they'd just plow into it was unclear.

Based on the bafflement the show's been greeted by by some people and the fact that most people seem unaware it exists, it seems a bit of a moot issue.

[A wilding]

Well I listened to a an interview of David Morrissey on Front Row which the presenter introduced with the words "Beszel somehow occupies overlapping space with a gleaming metropolis in another dimension".

If they can't be bothered to understand what is going on it is perhaps understandable that other people are confused.

 

[Pecan]

Nothing yet on US release date?