Virdee (BBC Drama)
Author
Discussion

cuprabob

Original Poster:

18,031 posts

237 months

Tuesday 11th February 2025
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Crime drama set in Bradford. I'm currently 3 episodes in and it's got me hooked.

MitchT

17,089 posts

232 months

Tuesday 11th February 2025
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cuprabob said:
Crime drama set in Bradford.
I guess they just sent a film crew.

bennno

14,888 posts

292 months

Wednesday 12th February 2025
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I’ve not seen this one, but every new police drama seems now to be an Asian detective, with a female dci boss, plus a smattering of older white males that are largely ineffective but slightly misogynistic and lightly racist.

How does this fit that profile?

RicksAlfas

14,294 posts

267 months

Wednesday 12th February 2025
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I read the books a few years ago and really enjoyed them. This is book three, but with a few bits from earlier books to set the scene, especially with his complicated family life. It has transferred to TV well. As a local it's interesting to see where they filmed it too.

ComStrike

480 posts

116 months

Wednesday 12th February 2025
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Any hire drive RS3's

Radec

5,377 posts

70 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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I'm enjoying it although some of it seems a bit far fetched especially when Bradford pound shop Jigsaw shows up

e600

1,522 posts

175 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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bennno said:
I’ve not seen this one, but every new police drama seems now to be an Asian detective, with a female dci boss, plus a smattering of older white males that are largely ineffective but slightly misogynistic and lightly racist.

How does this fit that profile?
You forgot the lesbian, don’t forget the lesbian.

bennno

14,888 posts

292 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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e600 said:
bennno said:
I’ve not seen this one, but every new police drama seems now to be an Asian detective, with a female dci boss, plus a smattering of older white males that are largely ineffective but slightly misogynistic and lightly racist.

How does this fit that profile?
You forgot the lesbian, don’t forget the lesbian.
Or a dwarf / midget.

Lotusgone

1,595 posts

150 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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I have read the books and thoroughly enjoyed them - glad to see the writer is involved with the TV production.

Saw the first episode, thought it pretty good. Looked up the reviews beforehand, Telegraph gave it two stars, Guardian four - the latter being par for the course for anything excluding white people (which is why the BBC jumped on it).

It's an interesting scenario with the Hindu husband and Muslim wife, and his father's feelings.

Notable change in the programme with the brother.


RicksAlfas

14,294 posts

267 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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Lotusgone said:
Notable change in the programme with the brother.
Riaz is his brother-in-law and I thought it was pretty true to the books?

Lotusgone

1,595 posts

150 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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RicksAlfas said:
Lotusgone said:
Notable change in the programme with the brother.
Riaz is his brother-in-law and I thought it was pretty true to the books?
No, it's his brother in the books. There's an interview with AAD on the BBC Media Centre where he explains this.

RicksAlfas

14,294 posts

267 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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Lotusgone said:
RicksAlfas said:
Lotusgone said:
Notable change in the programme with the brother.
Riaz is his brother-in-law and I thought it was pretty true to the books?
No, it's his brother in the books. There's an interview with AAD on the BBC Media Centre where he explains this.
Yes, of course. My tired brain has let me down! In the books it is his brother Ronnie.

Little Pete

1,829 posts

117 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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We got half an hour in last night and gave up. I thought the acting was terrible.

Speckle

3,554 posts

239 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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Little Pete said:
We got half an hour in last night and gave up. I thought the acting was terrible.
I did the same initially but, went back and finished the episode after seeing on this thread that folk had enjoyed it. It got better towards the end but, I'm still very much on the fence - I shall persevere with episode 2.

Little Pete

1,829 posts

117 months

Thursday 13th February 2025
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Speckle said:
Little Pete said:
We got half an hour in last night and gave up. I thought the acting was terrible.
I did the same initially but, went back and finished the episode after seeing on this thread that folk had enjoyed it. It got better towards the end but, I'm still very much on the fence - I shall persevere with episode 2.
We may give it another go in that case.

Paul Dishman

5,229 posts

260 months

Friday 14th February 2025
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Lotusgone said:
I have read the books and thoroughly enjoyed them - glad to see the writer is involved with the TV production.

Saw the first episode, thought it pretty good. Looked up the reviews beforehand, Telegraph gave it two stars, Guardian four - the latter being par for the course for anything excluding white people (which is why the BBC jumped on it).

It's an interesting scenario with the Hindu husband and Muslim wife, and his father's feelings.

Notable change in the programme with the brother.

Isn't the husband Sikh?

popeyewhite

23,008 posts

143 months

Friday 14th February 2025
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It's so far from what Bradford is actually like it's laughable. What exactly was going on in the idiot writer's head? Hallucinogens? Yes I accept it's fiction yadda yadda

Speckle

3,554 posts

239 months

Friday 14th February 2025
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Episode two was better and managed to hold my attention a bit more so, will carry on with this I think. It isn't perfect by any means but, it's better than my first impression suggested.

biggbn

30,042 posts

243 months

Monday 17th February 2025
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We are now on last episode. It's reminded me of Luther in many ways, though not as good. Really enjoyed it so far though, lots of plot holes but hey, it's not a documentary, is it...

Blue62

10,220 posts

175 months

Monday 17th February 2025
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biggbn said:
We are now on last episode. It's reminded me of Luther in many ways, though not as good. Really enjoyed it so far though, lots of plot holes but hey, it's not a documentary, is it...
Funny that I also felt the Luther parallel, but it’s sufficiently different to not compare in my view. Enjoyed it and got us through a few dark cold nights and thought the acting was good, it’s obviously got legs.