# River (BBC and Netfix): Outstanding **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966 "2015-11-29T22:04:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/1 "2015-11-29T22:04:22Z")
If people are going to start threads (plural) about retarded entertainment about some guy in a high castle, I’m going to talk about probably the best UK drama since Broadchurch. It’s not Broadchurch in any sense at all except it’s totally pitch perfect. [This guy nailed it](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/john-doyle-watch-river-a-masterpiece-of-melancholy-crime-drama/article27463176/): > [@](#): > > It is simply astonishing to find the police procedural as cleverly reinvented as it is in River, and with such wry, poignant force. It is brilliantly done, a little masterpiece of entertainment raised to the level of grave, heartbreaking storytelling. This is adult tv - not teasing tits waving, wiggle your arse _adult_, but grown up, mature, thinking tv. In a way River is the opposite of a binge. A week was almost about right to digest the emotional journeys. But hey, it’s 2015. The only other thing I want to say is absolutely NOT a spoiler - they are not ghosts. Please understand that. I hope you get around to seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/2 "2015-11-30T02:01:50Z")
I’ll add it to my list on Netflix. Won’t get , to it until I finish Jessica Jones, Fargo(season 2), and Man in the High Castle, but it is on my list now. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/3 "2015-11-30T02:20:35Z")
We’re liking it as well. Skaarsgard is excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/4 "2015-11-30T03:44:47Z")
The first episode was excellent. So much so that I watched it twice. I’m looking forward to watching the rest. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/5 "2015-11-30T04:09:03Z")
I watched the first episode and just couldn’t get into it. Which sucks, since it seems like the kind of show that I’d enjoy. And for the record, I also disliked The Man in the High Castle. I’m down to just Fargo and now Bosch for shows I’m currently watching. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/6 "2015-11-30T05:15:00Z")
I was watching the fourth episode when I opened Straight Dope just now. I wasn’t sure after the first episode, but I’m happy I stuck with it. It’s refreshing to watch a show that doesn’t think everything has to be a comedy. And the musical selections - great. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/7 "2015-11-30T12:46:34Z")
Yep, it takes a while to get your head around what’s going on. I remember thinking it’s a bit gimmicky but then I twigged the not ghosties. The most immediate and obv point is … it is in part a study of loss and grieving, by a man not used to dealing with this emotional intensity. And, of course, his own sub-conscious triggers manifestations of Chrissie to help him work through that process ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/8 "2015-12-01T02:15:09Z")
I knew nothing about it when I selected it fairly at random the other day and I got sucked right in. Reminded me a lot of Sherlock and House… which obviously remind me of each other too. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/9 "2015-12-01T06:12:06Z")
Saw it in Netflix suggestions but didn’t initially get a sense of it being something I’d want to watch. But now I will check it out. Netflix is really pumping out the original content these days at a stellar pace. And most of it is at least pretty decent. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/10 "2015-12-01T07:41:02Z")
Well, it’s not a straight forward watch but, to quote David Simon, ‘fuck the casual viewer’ - it’s more that kind of deal. I can’t recall who else Netflix is partnering with but maybe this is a little like how PBS used to throw some money in the hat for the UK content on Masterpiece Theater. btw, Luther is back soon - mention that as it is literally filmed on the same streets (and market). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/11 "2016-10-28T00:17:23Z")
:bump: OK, so it took me about 11 months to get to it, but Mrs. Mahaloth and I just finished River last night. Brace yourselves. We thought it was a total disappointment. Stunningly so, since we were pretty much on board. We did like the first episode, but we honestly found that even 6 episodes was too much. It was even less story than that and it felt spread out too far, with too little advances in the plot. It’s right up our alley and we did admire Skaarsgard’s job in the role. Still, we just found ourselves wishing he was in a better written and developed show. Still, this is probably just one of those things where for some unknown reason, it did not click for us. We did watch the whole thing, though, mostly because we had convinced ourselves it would improve and lead to a satisfying conclusion. It didn’t. Sorry, I don’t mean for this to feel like any kind of threadshit. I just thought I’d pop back in now we’ve seen it. We were really surprised at our disappointment. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/12 "2016-10-28T00:20:07Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > The only other thing I want to say is absolutely NOT a spoiler - they are not ghosts. Please understand that. OK, so it was just a mental illness, right? Or did we watch so poorly that we missed some great reveal of what the dead people really were? Spoil us if that is the case, please. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/13 "2016-10-28T16:24:42Z")
‘mental illness’ is a very broad term. The spoiler in post #7 is more my view; he was/is a very buttoned down man. ‘ghosts’ is like how kids or Hollywood might see it. Adults are more sophisticated, the emotions are so deep. Sorry it didn’t work for you. Fwiw I was on the edge of tears at the last dance. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/14 "2016-10-28T17:28:02Z")
I’m another who thought it was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/river-bbc-and-netfix-outstanding/738966/15 "2016-10-28T18:09:31Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > ‘mental illness’ is a very broad term. The spoiler in post #7 is more my view; he was/is a very buttoned down man. > > ‘ghosts’ is like how kids or Hollywood might see it. Adults are more sophisticated, the emotions are so deep. > > Sorry it didn’t work for you. Fwiw I was on the edge of tears at the last dance. It’s cool and thanks for pointing me back to post #7. Yeah, I guess that is pretty much it, but he’s taking it so far, he really is pretty much mentally ill. I do think he did a great job in the role; I just wish the show was built up better around him. I was clearly an anomaly, though. Sounds like a lot of folks liked it.