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OK. I'm 1.51 minutes into #TheWatch and I had to pause it after Vimes' line "Do I have to watch all of this again". After what is already painfully bad acting from the guy playing Carcer, I'm sad that I'm going to have to watch this once, let alone 'again'.
I'm going to put some washing out and do some chores. Then, I shall persevere.
I should add, I am trying as hard as possible to be open-minded while I watch this, so I can give a balanced opinion on #TheWatch.
I should add, I am trying as hard as possible to be open-minded while I watch this, so I can give a balanced opinion on #TheWatch.
Dear Christ it's so bad. Vimes tries (and fails) to piss on a dog (not clear yet if that dog is actually Gaspode). Apparently he has a reputation for pissing on dogs.
I need another break before I come back to #TheWatch.
Open-minded. Must. Be. Open-minded.
I need another break before I come back to #TheWatch.
Open-minded. Must. Be. Open-minded.
From first impression, it looks like #TheWatch has leant into the 'Vetinari is a vampire' thing. She (though it also seems Anna Chancellor is playing Vetinari as a man?) very conspicuously doesn't step into the light.
In theory, I'd find a running gag of drunkard Vimes trying and failing to arrest the same dog quite funny.
In theory.
In execution, however... #TheWatch
In theory.
In execution, however... #TheWatch
I should add, I hadn't initially intended to create watch-along tweet thread, so when I revisit the show later today, I'll make sure to avoid any spoilers #TheWatch
The scene where Vimes becomes Captain of #TheWatch reminded me of this, but not in a good way.
And the casting of 'young' Sam Vimes in #TheWatch is so bad. Bears absolutely no resemblance to Richard Dormer - just the accent is the same.
In fact, the casting across the board is almost the worst thing about #TheWatch. The less said about Sybil and Cheery the better, but IMO Corlett as Angua simply does not have the necessary physicality, and Hugill as Carrot does not have the charisma.
I mean, does this look like Angua taking out two thugs, or does it look like a miscast actor and two bored stuntmen? #TheWatch
I'm also troubled by how often the characters keep brandishing hip-hosltered crossbows as if they are guns #TheWatch
The scene with Cheery giving Vimes the Klatchian coffee is so cringe. Eaton-Kent is painfully miscast as Cheery, and gives Cheery this weird self-confident, self assured vibe. Not the anxious bullet head I was hoping to see in #TheWatch
The CCTV imp is pretty much like in the books. Except it has moving pictures #TheWatch
Despite the huge amount of angst, there is no reason so far to care about the reappearance of Carcer, or his relationship with Vimes. #TheWatch Obvs they're parsing out the flashbacks but we've just seen Carcer do something very bad so as yet, there's no
obvious reason that Vimes should feel so guilty and turn to drink #TheWatch
This cynical version of Carrot in #TheWatch is... Well, I just described Carrot as cynical, so take from that what you want.
His dwarf father wanted rid of him apparently, and was scared of him.
His dwarf father wanted rid of him apparently, and was scared of him.
They explained it btw. Well, they acknowledged it and told him to put on boots. I'm not sure what the story point of including the sandals was #TheWatch https://twitter.com/EsmeWeatherwax4/status/1344419491883716610?s=20
This #TheWatch scene where they all describe why they became cops is so cringe, on the nose, and angsty. And again, Eaton-Kent is so smug and bad as Cheery. That delivery of "we come in all sizes round 'ere". Awful.
Why are we hearing them simply tell us their back stories? Why are they even back stories? Oh yes, it's because they're already members of #TheWatch, so we don't get to see their stories play out in the present. This is just bad story-telling.
OK, taking another break. Apparently, even though we've seen Vimes prominently wearing his #TheWatch badge round his neck through-out, Lady Sybil is stupid enough to mistake him for a common criminal (even though he was doing nothing criminal at the time)
Sorry if I'm spamming everyone's feeds with this. Feel free to mute, block or unfollow me. I'm happy to go on watching #TheWatch so you don't have to 
OK. Diving back into #TheWatch. It's good that we hear Vimes disapprove of Sybil's vigilantism - though for me that still doesn't excuse making her one.
On the whole, I like Rossi's demeanour as Sybil in #TheWatch - quite matronly and self-confident, though she does over-do it a tad. On occasion coming across more like Rust than the Sybil we know and love. I'm obvs not repeating all the justified criticism about her appearance...
Throat bears zero resemblance to CMOT Dibbler. Ruth Madeley does a fine job for what has been asked of her, but this is def an example of character-in-name-only. She calls her henchmen 'her bitches'. Witty #TheWatch
There is a bizarre scene where Sybil sets two people on fire then inadvertently causes their gruesome deaths. It is played for laughs. I like dark humour but, for me, it falls flat here. #TheWatch
Lara Rossi and Richard Dormer have good chemistry at least. Adam Hugill and Marama Corlett have minimal chemistry so far. Eaton-Kent blew a sassy kinda kiss at Detritus. Sassy Cheery. It smacks of wish-fulfilment, rather than actually wanting to portray STP's character #TheWatch
I've just realised that not much has actually happened so far. Carrot is desperate to solve crimes for #TheWatch but has decided that solving the theft of a library book is beneath him. He doesn't seem too fussed about doing anything about it, at least.
Slab seems to have been legalised through the Alchemy Guild in #TheWatch. On that note, so many of the decisions so far seem to actively deprive this show of using material from future books.
Eaton-Kent is so bad as Cheery #TheWatch
I'm not sure how I feel about the new back story for Vimes and Detritus. #TheWatch
I should add that there is more to the goblins in #TheWatch than has been seen so far, inspired by Snuff, and they aren't just henchmen. But it definitely lacks the subtlety and under-dog nature that STP imbued them with.
#TheWatch are able to find and compare fingerprints.
Dormer's performance isn't as grating as it is in the trailers. The rest of #TheWatch use the fingerprint to prove that Carcer is... Carcer. A waste of screen time, given that Vimes already knew it was Carcer, we know it is Carcer and Carcer then confronts Sam in the next scene
OK. I'm finished watching #TheWatch. I will collect my thoughts, try to account for any confirmation bias, then figure out if I think it's any good or not - on its own merits, if I'd never read the novels...
(It's definitely not good in comparison to the books. Not at all)
(It's definitely not good in comparison to the books. Not at all)
Here is what I think of #TheWatch:
The framing device with Death, and the flashbacks with Vimes and Carcer, do not work. They fail to make us care about either character and set up narrative questions that, to be frank, don't feel very interesting.
The framing device with Death, and the flashbacks with Vimes and Carcer, do not work. They fail to make us care about either character and set up narrative questions that, to be frank, don't feel very interesting.
This version of Carrot is a perfectly fine, adequate co-protagonist to Vimes, and who is the audience's way into the world of #TheWatch. This Carrot has a Tragic Back Story (TM) (as do all of the main cast). He is not the idealistic, optimistic character from the books.
All the cast of #TheWatch have the aforementioned Tragic Back Stories (TM), which at least give them some kind of depth. I guess. However, there is literally a scene where they sit in a circle and tell each other those back stories. I think this is bad storytelling.
Between themselves, the cast of #TheWatch seem to gel well enough. No huge complaints about their dynamic so far (so long as you haven't read the books, that is).
It's not funny. Lots of people *will* find #TheWatch funny. I didn't. This being said by someone who, if I were adapting STP, would never *try* to be funny. I'd get the story right first then let the humour come. Here, I feel you can see the desperation to make the audience laugh
Not a lot actually seems to happen. I'm all for character-led stories (even the ones where the characters literally tell you what their characterisation is...), but episode one of #TheWatch was more about angsty navel-gazing than any kind of narrative drive.
Overall, none of the changes made seem to actually improve upon the books in any way. In fact, #TheWatch seems to actively deprive itself of being able to draw on much of what Sir Terry wrote, because of the choices it has made.
The most interesting 'new' thing in #TheWatch is the back story (more back story, I know 
) between Vimes and Detritus they have hinted at. I don't think there's much more to reveal than what we can infer, and I don't know if I like it, but at least I didn't hate it. Shrug.
) between Vimes and Detritus they have hinted at. I don't think there's much more to reveal than what we can infer, and I don't know if I like it, but at least I didn't hate it. Shrug.
OK, I'm done for the evening now. I'll stop spamming the hashtag and your timelines, and thank you for any comments or likes I've had tonight! You really are a wonderful bunch with great insights! #TheWatch
Sorry, sorry. One final thought. I think visually (not casting-wise), #TheWatch looks good. It's not perfect and not what I imagined, but if a Watch adaptation would ever work in the mainstream, I think it needs to have a fast pace and contemporary feel. Controversial, I know...
