A Very English Scandal

[Aruntraveller]

This started on BBC1 last night and was very good.

It was pleasantly surprising for me in two ways.

Firstly, Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe. A revelation, well on his way to redeeming his reputation after years of drippy rom-coms. And secondly, Russell T Davies who has always been a very good writer, but who seemed on his last outing for TV to be somewhat erratic in the quality of his writing, is with this back on top form. It is perhaps the structure of an already existing story that is reigning in his temptation to go for the more sensational and sometimes ludicrous storylines that he occasionally resorts to.

Anyway, a very good watch.

More info here:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p065sk93

[Nearly Sane]

Haven't started watching it yet, read the book it is based on while on holiday. It seems almost unbelievable in some ways.

[Steve H]

I watched 'The Handmaid's Tale' instead. I must catch up with it on iplayer.

[wigginhall]

I found Hugh Grant mesmerizing, what a display of acting finesse.    The story is incredible, but I guess it is all vouched for.    I can understand them saying that Scott should be frightened off, but did Thorpe really say, let's kill him?   Anyway, a rattling good yarn. 

[Nearly Sane]

Odd tone throughout. Thought Whishaw was the stand out. Grant is brilliant but the oddity was the shift to killing

[Maeght]

I can understand them saying that Scott should be frightened off, but did Thorpe really say, let's kill him?

Allegedly.

[jeremyp]

I found Hugh Grant mesmerizing, what a display of acting finesse.    The story is incredible, but I guess it is all vouched for.    I can understand them saying that Scott should be frightened off, but did Thorpe really say, let's kill him?   Anyway, a rattling good yarn.

It was testified on oath in court that he did say that. On the other hand, everybody was acquitted.

[Nearly Sane]

It was testified on oath in court that he did say that. On the other hand, everybody was acquitted.

So everything testified in court is true? Or possibly false?

[jeremyp]

So everything testified in court is true? Or possibly false?

I just stated the facts. The closest you are going to get to the truth of whether Thorpe really said that is that a witness in court said he did whilst under oath. On the other hand, Thorpe was acquitted so the jury clearly didn’t believe the witness or believed that Thorpe didn’t mean it seriously, otherwise he would have gone down.

[Nearly Sane]

I just stated the facts. The closest you are going to get to the truth of whether Thorpe really said that is that a witness in court said he did whilst under oath. On the other hand, Thorpe was acquitted so the jury clearly didn’t believe the witness or believed that Thorpe didn’t mean it seriously, otherwise he would have gone down.

Which was covered in wigginhall's post so what did you think your post added?

[Maeght]

Bicker, bicker .........

[Nearly Sane]

Bicker, bicker .........

Did you hurt yourself patting yourself on the head about some disagreeneynt?

[Maeght]

Did you hurt yourself patting yourself on the head about some disagreeneynt?

Grow up.

[Nearly Sane]

Grow up.

Aw diddums!

[Maeght]

Aw diddums!

I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous answer.

[Nearly Sane]

I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous answer.

This is rather sterile! Do you want to talk about the issue rather than you commenting on those in the discussion?

[Maeght]

This is rather sterile! Do you want to talk about the issue rather than you commenting on those in the discussion?

I will if you will and you stop bickering.

[Nearly Sane]

I will if you will and you stop bickering.

I love the sound of breaking glass, do you actually have anything to say on the subject? I'll start you off with 'Do you think Thorpe suggested killing Scott?'

[Maeght]

I love the sound of breaking gladdr

What?

do you actually have anything to say on the subject? I'll start you off with 'Do you think Thorpe suggested killing Scott?'

He is alledged to have, as I said in response to Wigginhall's question. No idea if he did or not. Whatvdo you think and why?

[Nearly Sane]

What?

He is alledged to have, as I said in response to Wigginhall's question. No idea if he did or not. Whatvdo you think and why?

I have already said the jump to saying to kill him seems a bit odd. That doesn't mean he wasn't guilty of something serious. Do you have any opinion?

[Maeght]

I have already said the jump to kill him seems a bit odd. That doesn't mean he wasn't guilty of something serious. Do you have any opinion?

Where did you say that?

Like you I don't have anything to base an opinion on. I prefer not to speculate.

[Nearly Sane]

Like you I don't have anything to base an opinion on. I prefer not to speculate.

That's not true though, is it? You and I, have evidence about Thorpe and what people do - saying you have nothing to base an opinion on is incorrect.

[Maeght]

That's not true though, is it? You and I, have evidence about Thorpe and what people do - saying you have nothing to base an opinion on is incorrect.

I know nothing about Thorpe. I know what was alledged. To give an opinion on the veracity of thisxwould be speculation.

[Nearly Sane]

I know nothing about Thorpe. I know what was alledged. To give an opinion on the veracity of thisxwould be speculation.

Nothing? So anything he said before hand, anything on record is shut off to you? And further you think that no one listened to his statements no idea be on here has any personal evidence? Seems a bold claim. And given people were in the main wondering about what could be known makes your whole 'stop bickering' stuff just seem bizarre

[Robbie]

I will if you will and you stop bickering.

Agree with this and all your last few posts Maeght.Pointless & happens so often in so many threads. You're not the one derailing.

I watched it and was quite fascinated.I remember it all being discussed by practically everyone at school & my parents who had always been great fans of Jeremy Thorpe because of the Anti-apartheid movement & other things. We all hoped it was a great misunderstanding, that seems naive now.

Fact remains that no-one was convicted of attempting to murder Scott despite verbal evidence. IIrc the judge was pro-Thorpe & directed the jury to acquit. We'll find out at the end, the series is based on a book said to be a true account but who knows?. We weren't there.

Hugh Grant is so good in that part, he's said to be over the moon to be playing someone like Jeremy Thorpe for a change. They're all good, Ben Whishaw plays Norman J-later-Scott as someone so fragile and needy I want to mother him.

Interesting as the story is it's quite sinister; I felt uneasy at the end of last night's episode when Thorpe spoke so easily about murdering someone, it was disturbing. Good dramatisation.

Can't wait to see Thorpe's formidable second wife, Marion.