I think people who love the novel will have a harder time accepting how the series plays out.Originally Posted by Brian861
I think people who love the novel will have a harder time accepting how the series plays out.
Especially if they were going to do more than one season. It wouldn't have been hard to stay truer to the source material.
Thank you all for your input. I skipped last night's episode, and did not have any morning-after regrets, so....maybe I'm not meant to be watching it.
I am reserving final judgment until I hear back from my mother, who I recommended the show to based on my love of the book. She felt the first episode was "OK", and was going to keep watching. I'll see what she thought next time I talk to her. (This is the woman who let me watch THE EXORCIST when I was seven, so....she knows Horror, lol.)
I have been watching so far and will probably finish the season, but the show is nothing special. Good acting for the roles of Charlie, Vic and Bing, so all of these side stories...the parents of Vic and her friends...do nothing for me, or in my opinion, the story.
I am through 8 episodes and agree with your assessment. I am enjoying it but am not thrilled with it. My wife has not read the book and I think she is enjoying it more than I am.
I'll force myself to finish but they've gone away too far off the rails for my taste. Vic knowing Bing from HS, WTF and having a sit down with CharlieThis could have been a really good show.
It is not the book. My biggest concern is I am nearing the finish line and see no end in sight. I know they are hoping for more seasons but I want this season wrapped up. If it ends with a cliff hanger I will not be pleased.I'll force myself to finish but they've gone away too far off the rails for my taste. Vic knowing Bing from HS, WTF and having a sit down with Charlie
The article about the show in the current issue of RUE MORGUE makes it sound like they're going for multiple seasons, with hopes of going on and on and on. I don't think AMC can do justice to any shows that fit my interests. THE WALKING DEAD lost me after Rick left, NOS4A2 chased me away after 1 boring episode, and I loathed PREACHER, which is one of my all-time favorite comics. I think I've been spoiled by HBO and Netflix, and just can't deal with the constraints of commercial TV. I hope SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD fares better.....I always thought that the Matthew Corbett books would be perfect for HBO.
AMC did Breaking Bad so I will always be willing to give them a try.
Great show and to derail the thread further, I really enjoy Better Call Saul as well. I doubt I'll be down with another season of NOS4A2 if there is one. The new Terror season looks like it'll be excellent though!
I completed NOS4A2 season one the other day. Thought I would provide my perspective without going into plot details.
I think going in I was more open to an interpretation than many others. The reason being NOS4A2 is my least favorite Joe Hill novel while many rate it their favorite. I enjoy the novel but it is not a classic in my mind. That being said the series is not the story from the book. It is a modified retelling of a portion of the book. With that said I would have liked it more if they had told the story I was familiar with. The changes are not a matter with changes a few things for timing, flow and visual effect. This is a different story. I assume there are multiple reasons for this. The age changes in the books would have required multiple people playing the same roll at times was one. The main one in my mind is the desire to make this an ongoing series. The novel has a definitive beginning, middle and END. I see no way the end of the novel could allow for any more story to be told.
Overall I enjoyed the show but many elements of the series were simply not as good as the book. My wife has not read the book and enjoyed the series as well, maybe even a little more than me. By the end of episode seven I was very nervous about how they would end the season as time was running out. They not only found a decent conclusion, they brought characters and elements from the book back into the story. That was a pleasant surprise as they had veered so far from the book prior to that.
Do I want a season two? Yes, but I would not be heartbroken if it does not happen. I would definitely give it another try. I believe not being in love with the source material helped me here. Even with that some of the changes were off putting. If I thought about this story the way I think about Heart Shaped Box those changes would have been infuriating.
Overall I would give it a 3 out of 5.
This sums it up for me. Because I feel for the book the way you do for HSB. I was going to throw in the towel this weekend but the ending you speak of has me intrigued enough to maybe wade through.
The end brings a critical character from the book as well as some elements from the book but with significant differences. I Netflix does this with Locke & Key I will not be pleased!
I think Netflix will do a much better job. Hopefully.........
I am giving up on the NOS4A2 tv series. I loved the novel, but the show is just not holding my interest.
NOS4A2 isn't taking this well. She texted me, saying that you were losing interest and asking me what she needs to do to keep you. I didn't know what to tell her. I didn't want to say "Oh yeah, Brad is broadcasting his negative feelings about you all over the CD Forum. It looks like it's over!" But she keeps texting me and sending articles about "sexy and sensible hairstyles!" or "how to use your feet to curl his toes!" It's getting pathetic.
LOL!!!! It's too late! She's off my DVR and she's not getting back on!
I'm not sure I'm going to be able to push through as well. Even though I was intrigued by Martin's post.
I enjoyed the series. It's not perfect and it is definitely not a faithful translation. I think the fact I read this book several years back and have read well over 500 books since let it bother me less. I wasn't looking for specific details to be included. I would have liked the younger Vic though. But at the end I see some nice future for this in regards to places the book went.
Our assessments are similar. I did re-read the book prior to the series starting so the changes are more obvious. I feel the end showed a potential to merge the story back into a closer relationship with the book but do not really have faith that they will. Overall still glad I watched it.
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