The Durrels

[Suze65]

Is anyone watching this on Sunday's , just wondered what you might be thinking of it. I have to say I'm very disappointed . My family and other animals is my favourite book of all time and I read it many times. They seem to have gone off piste with one ! I don't like it much.

[emma_mcraf]

I don't like it either. Home Fires and Indian Summers are my Sunday evening watches.
Such a shame when something is disappointing.

[Suze65]

I'm reading the book again, it's so beautifully written, and they have missed out so much, in fact most of this particular TV adaptation is made up. Disappointing .

[CherryBrandy]

I wonder if back then it was quaint, with the nutty distracted but empathetic mother in an enchanting world of animals and creatures. this one seems a little dysfunctional and the children bolshy and rude. not quite the right sense of the book.
I think of it as the durrels rather than the book and actually do love it - so far.
Gerry is a fantastic little actor, so is the pelican and the tortoise.

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by CherryBrandy

I wonder if back then it was quaint, with the nutty distracted but empathetic mother in an enchanting world of animals and creatures. this one seems a little dysfunctional and the children bolshy and rude. not quite the right sense of the book.
I think of it as the durrels rather than the book and actually do love it - so far.
Gerry is a fantastic little actor, so is the pelican and the tortoise.

I suppose for many people who don't know the book , it's quite charming, but I'm afraid I am a purist, and I don't see the point in carving it up and making most of it up. Why change something that is perfect. They have completely ignored the best bits..... The rose beetle man for example Gerry is a great little actor and is just as I imagine Gerald as a child.....BUT we barely see him and his animals. The Durrels indeed !

[Jan W]

I have missed this but hoped to see it next time they show it. IHowever, sounds like more worthwhile reading the book again. I will put on my list.

[CherryBrandy]

It is one of my very favourite and oldest copy of books...and Zoo in my luggage !!!! omg how funny was that !!

Im not sure KH should have been the mother, she is very good but not sure any of the actors are the best recruited except Gerald. It would appeal more if it were Julie Walters and keep to the storyline definitely.

Gordon could play Spiro of course - nice charmer always helpful, a little wink in his eye... - now that actor is good too, I like him. not a ragnar mind but good as spiro as he is charming too!

[Suze65]

I also have a very old copy, given to me by my Auntie Bridget ( not a real auntie) she was my inspiration, and we shared a love of animals. And it was on many wonderful holidays at her cottage on the very southern tip of Greece ( below the peloponnese ) that I fell in love with Greece, in a village called Areopolis. No one spoke English , so we had to speak Greek, and it was full of characters, just like this book. We slept on the flat roof under the stars, and watched shooting stars, and bats fluttering about, and cats with their kittens would tiptoe past us in the night.

[Suze65]

I could Wright a book about it, the village was full of many characters, and lots of funny things often happened, we puddled about, and fitted in with the villagers, there were no tourists down there. We must have seemed a bit odd to them to begin with. We fed the cats, bees, chickens , donkeys. There was one ferrel cat that always had her kittens at the cottage, for many years, we just called her mum puss, she became quite tame, and we always gave her a good feed when we were there. Perhaps I will start to write it all down.

[herriotfan]

I have to agree that it's rather a let down.