Submitted by spectacleskeptic t3_zxj21h in television
Since The English is receiving so little attention from viewers and critics, I feel like it’s my obligation (lol) to keep talking about it so it’s not forgotten come awards time.
Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer, in particular, were phenomenal and deserve nominations for their performances. I doubt they would win, but at the very least a nomination is needed.
It's not something I typically gravitate towards, but it moved me so deeply and I can't stop thinking about it. So, I don't think you can predict who will like it or won't like it. I think it's just one of those things that will resonate with some people and not others. Just recommend it to everyone! Lol.
I'd recommend it to anyone who likes Dennis Kelly's Utopia and The Third Day, Paolo Sorrentino's The Young Pope/The New Pope, or possibly Tom Rob Smith's London Spy, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, or MotherFatherSon. The slightly surreal heightened stuff with kickass writing crowd. [grin].
All the Hugo Blick fans have mostly be waiting for The English ever since the first BBC press release on the series was issued, because we've all seen The Shadow Line (Roku, Hoopla, Pluto), The Honourable Woman, and Black Earth Rising (Netflix), and we know that if Hugo Blick's writing it, what it's going to be.
If you're into a rotating menagerie of cartoon villains, this show is for you
Epic western, that gave us new elements which haven't been explored fully.
Don't forget Rafe Spall, who was goddamn terrifying in it.
His acting grew on me upon rewatch, but the first time through, I found his performance distractingly similar to Tom Hardy's in Peaky Blinders.
Hugo Blick loves to use Spall to terrify the bejeezus out of you. He did the same damn thing in The Shadow Line.
This was a really good show and it was very different from what I expected it to be. This was not a typical western and it’s very hard to describe how different it’s from a typical western. The story was very moving, superb cinematography and I liked the songs. The chemistry between the leads was the best part for me.
Edit: grammar
Their chemistry was unreal. I hope they are able to do another project together in the future.
The writer is Hugo Blick who's British. This is, believe it or not, a BBC2 drama. And Blick has a very definite style all his own (see Black Earth Rising on Netflix). So, no, it's not a typical western.
Great show. The filmmaking was an intentional throwback to the westerns of directors like John Ford with beautiful cinematography and a swelling musical score (though the opening theme references Ennio Morricone.) Truly unique which might make it more inaccessible to audiences.
Weird show but definitely count me as a fan. Would love to see it get talked about more and agree that Blunt and Spencer should at least be in the award season mix for their performance on the show.
Interesting. Weird is not how I would describe it. Why did you find it weird?
I just saw that they were shut out of the Golden Globes, so my hopes aren't high for the Emmys :(
The story was relatively straight forward but I felt like it was a tonally weird show. It was a drama but it did verge on being absurdist and comedic at times with falling outright into those things. The dialogue was also pretty stylised. I’m not saying that was a bad thing as I thought the dialogue and some of the acting were both fun but they were definitely a noticeable stylistic choice.
Oh, I see what you mean. I agree with you on the absurdist and stylized elements. it's definitely not a typical drama.
>Weird show but definitely count me as a fan.
You may want to check out Hugo Blick's other BBC2 shows: The Shadow Line (Roku, Hoopla, Pluto), The Honourable Woman, and Black Earth Rising (Netflix). They're all equally weird. :D
Nice. I've been looking for something to watch. I think this is it.
Let us know how it goes!
It’s a good show. Gorgeous too.
I thought the marketing was bad. I would have never know it was a western if not for seeing it started Emily Blint and checking out the trailer.
Even then, it’s an odd western.
Still it’s definitely worth checking out.
Great cinematography. I loved it. Watched it over the Thanksgiving Weekend.
Only 2 episodes in and trying to find time to finish it because I love it so far.
It's definitely not for everyone, but if you are in the mood for or enjoy getting really wrapped up and lost into other worlds/times then this show works. So far it has done a really good job at imparting the feeling of bleakness, desolation, and lawlessness/danger in the Old West.
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One of the best shows of the year!
I've been pushing it in the Recommendation threads ever since the BBC issued its first press release on it about two years ago, because ZOMG! Hugo Blick made a Western?!!!
Just me, but right now in the wake of The English, the thing to be crying from the rooftops is the need for folks to go find the other shows in the Hugo Blick BBC2 oeuvre: The Shadow Line (Roku, Hoopla, Pluto), The Honourable Woman, and Black Earth Rising (Netflix).
Hugo Blick is a genuine television auteur. He does the hat trick of writing, directing, and producing every episode of his series.
Just started it after seeing someone I follow on Twitter say the finale was probably the best episode of TV he's seen all year.
So far I like it.
Let us know how it goes!
my__name__is t1_j20m6qu wrote
I loved the show but I don't even know who I'd recommend it to. It's very melodramatic and not everyone's cup of tea.