TROUBLED BLOOD

UK, 2023, 4 x 60 minutes, Colour.

Tom Burke, Holliday Grainger, Sophie Ward, Ian Redford, Linda Bassett, Fionulla Flanagan, Anna Calder Marshall, Cherie Lunghi, Kenneth Cranham, Robin Asquith, Michael Byrne, Ruth Sheen.

Directed by Susan Tully.

This is the film television series based on Robert Galbraith’s novels (a.k.a. J.K.Rowling). They have been a star vehicle for Tom Burke who embodies the central Detective, Cormoran Strike, and made the character his own. As does Holliday Grainger with her portrayal of Robin, his assistant and then his Detective agency partner.

The Galbraith novels are very long and writer, Tom Edge, has been able to reduce the core mystery and detection to 4 episodes. This is the fourth novel adapted by Edge. Many of the characters in the novel do not appear in the series, Edge has the ability to make very short sequences which introduce quite a number of the minor characters very effectively.

There is also a difficulty in Burke’s interpretation of Strike, the writing cutting back on a lot of his background as well has his leg injury so that he is not as distinct from other detectives as he might be. However, it is always interesting to see how he operates, interviews, deductions, contrasting with the liveliness of Robin and her ability to take on different characters, different names, different appearances.

One of the values of this series is that so many veteran British actors have significant roles, including Sophie Ward, Linda Bassett, Fionulla Flanagan, Cherie Lunghi, Ruth Sheen as well as Robin Asquith and Kenneth Cranham. Most interesting is the appearance of Anna Calder Marshall, especially in a final telling sequence, because she is, in fact, Tom Burke’s mother.

The series is a treat for fans of Robert Galbraith (Rowling).

1. The popularity of the Cormoran Strike and novels, the work of JK Rowling? The adaptation of large novels, keeping the key detection line, personal aspects of the characters? Readers, the omission of characters?
2. The personality of Cormoran Strike, background, rock ‘n’ roll singer father, seeing his son as a mistake, the flighty mother, Joan and Ted looking after Cormoran and Lucy? His Detective agency, skills and reputation? Working with Robin? The use of collaboration, partners, the staff? Cormoran and his methods, interrogations, interviews, backup connections, the police?
3. The personality of Robin, her background, the family scenes of Christmas, relationship with Matthew, his deception, the scenes with the lawyers, her defiance, the divorce? Her love for her work, working with Cormoran, her skills of detection, her taking different personalities, identities, clothing, accents…?
4. The basic investigation here, Anna and her partner approaching Cormoran, 50 years since the disappearance of her mother, the background story? The use of flashbacks of the 1970s to dramatise various aspects of story from the witnesses? Intercut with the investigation? Margot, mother and wife, with Oona at the club, her marriage to the respectable doctor, Cynthia as the nanny for her daughter, her practice, the other doctors, the staff? Her disappearance? Various possibilities, the serial killer Dennis Creed, the witness seeing two people struggling in the rain and the phone box, the clients at the surgery, the London gangsters seen at the Christmas party, the film of the violent attack on the woman, the ring, the later identification with the gangster, in the aged care home, his vicious relative?
5. The personal story, Cormoran going to Cornwall, Joan and her dying, Ted and his grief, the effect on Cormoran? Sadness? His sister, her insistence, demands on him? His brother trying to reconciling with his father? Phone calls from his father? His refusal?
6. The lead with the mother and son, the house, the limitations, the talk about magic and the death of Margot, social worker? The investigation leading back to their house, the truth of what happened, the body dragged there, the cement, burying of Margot, the burial place covered, the drugging of the family, the killing of the father, keeping the mother and son at the house?
7. Robin going to the aged care home, the gangster senile, encountering the nephew, his threats, using her wits?
8. The story of the young man, going to the doctor for help, his illness, running away, changing his name, the dead women associated with him? Cormoran and Robin finding him, the interviews, his angry wife, suspicions, and the revelation that he was a victim?
9. Brian Tucker, the grieving father, 50 years against Dennis Creed, Creed in his van, abducting, killing, his presence in the mental institution? Tucker supplying clues? In the background of the inspector who retired, probed all the cult connections – and the later vindication? Cormoran going to visit Creed, the games, the investigation about Margot, Creed giving the information about Louise Tucker,, defying him?
10. The author of the book, the meeting in the pub, his arrogance? The lead for Cormoran to go to visit Janice?
11. The interview with the doctor, his supplying the film, some happy scenes of Margot with her daughter, part of the happy ending?
12. Searching down Gloria Conti, her return to England, the story of the gangsters, the violence, Margot helping her, the significance of her witness about the chocolates? Her being willing to testify against the gangsters?
13. Tracking down Irene and Janice, the discussions, revisiting Janice, her information and stories? Cormoran eventually realising the inconsistencies, the return of the confrontation, her attempt to poison him, the truth, her personality, her satisfaction, the killings, the long talk and her explanation of all that she had done, her motivations?
14. The ending, the preparation for June’s funeral?
15. And the audience anticipating the continuation of the series?