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Mar. 18th, 2013
Neverwhere
Mar. 18th, 2013 03:33 pmIt came, I listened, it went exactly as I expected ...
Many people of my acquaintance have been vocally looking forward to the BBC's new radio dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, so I link it for you, like the benevolent enabler that I am.
I just finished it and I can't say it did much for me. Years ago, the audiobook did so little for me that I forgot most of it, and had the rest overwritten by Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which has a very similar main character having similar problems with his significant other at the beginning of it. The latter at least had the entertainment factor of the sofa simulator ... but I digress. As much as I love everything Neil Gaiman says about writing and creativity and all that, I think I'm just incompatible with his creative output – we operate on different frequencies, I suppose. A pity, but there you go. This production is an excellent production; I've generally enjoyed Dirk Maggs' radio 'movies' (see above re: Dirk Gently) and all the same qualities are here; it's more a matter of the focus being so much on world-building and not on presenting engaging characters or compelling situations. The premise is interesting but it's not giving me a reason to care what happens. I am really rather pedestrian when it comes to these things, I'm afraid.
Oh, and be aware: Benedict Cumberbatch (who, I suspect, is the reason so many people are excited about this radio series) isn't in this episode. I wouldn't want anyone to come away disappointed, so this is your fair warning. You probably want to listen to it anyway, though, because you will be horribly lost if you don't ...
By the way, would it not be so much more appropriate for it to be titled Netherwhere? I can't get this thought out of my head. It might be obstructing some enjoyment of the thing itself.
Many people of my acquaintance have been vocally looking forward to the BBC's new radio dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, so I link it for you, like the benevolent enabler that I am.
I just finished it and I can't say it did much for me. Years ago, the audiobook did so little for me that I forgot most of it, and had the rest overwritten by Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which has a very similar main character having similar problems with his significant other at the beginning of it. The latter at least had the entertainment factor of the sofa simulator ... but I digress. As much as I love everything Neil Gaiman says about writing and creativity and all that, I think I'm just incompatible with his creative output – we operate on different frequencies, I suppose. A pity, but there you go. This production is an excellent production; I've generally enjoyed Dirk Maggs' radio 'movies' (see above re: Dirk Gently) and all the same qualities are here; it's more a matter of the focus being so much on world-building and not on presenting engaging characters or compelling situations. The premise is interesting but it's not giving me a reason to care what happens. I am really rather pedestrian when it comes to these things, I'm afraid.
Oh, and be aware: Benedict Cumberbatch (who, I suspect, is the reason so many people are excited about this radio series) isn't in this episode. I wouldn't want anyone to come away disappointed, so this is your fair warning. You probably want to listen to it anyway, though, because you will be horribly lost if you don't ...
By the way, would it not be so much more appropriate for it to be titled Netherwhere? I can't get this thought out of my head. It might be obstructing some enjoyment of the thing itself.