So what have I been watching to move the mood of wretchedness? Came across McDonald & Dodds, just two episodes on ITV, tucked away. Well an incompatible pair make a delicious foreground to the background of Bath. Jasper Watkins and Tala Gouveia play the leading roles. The second series is to start from the 28th February. It is a detective story, with the poor Dodds played beautifully by Jasper Watkins, he is not quite doddery just bumbling but always manages to work out the clues. His co-star, Tala Gouveia, sparkles with sharp energy down from London to sleepy old Bath.
Someone said of Bath it is neither North or South but a little national state of its own, and yes I liked the idea of it being 'middleish'. But I relished the images of Bath, there was even a brief visit to The Bell down Walcot Street, of Tom Stephenson fame. The only time I ever walked the long length of Walcot Street was either to go to Tridias the toy shop, now gone. Or, to the musty antique shops, that never made any money at the lower end. Not forgetting the Saturday market of miscellanea at the top end, I wonder if it still exists or hasn't been bought up by some one to make it either office/apartments/ or elegant shops that sold expensive clothes.
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| Looking down on Bath from Alexandra Park, where the boys, including my son, from Beechen Cliff school would tumble down the hill to the bus station below. |
Edit; Thank you Carruthers for introducing me to London in the 60s
I watched McDonald & Dodds first time around and loved it. Clever writing, especially for Dodds, but I'm not sure that everyone realised that it was meant to be funny! I'm glad they've managed to make some more episodes.
ReplyDeleteYes it was funny and the parts just made for the two actors fitted them exactly. For me of course it was about recognising the parts of Bath I often walked round.
DeleteHave marked it on the calendar
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy it Pat, it is light not heavy and dark as so many detective stories are.
DeleteThe Saturday Market has been moved around a lot over the years. It is - or should be - in the old cattle market - again. The stalls are now the lower end of the market and the dusty old antique shops that I used to love have moved into the upper end, for end-users only. The Tramshed is now a block of luxury apartments. No surprises there. When McDonald and Dodds took over The Bell for a day, all the regulars wanted to be extras and sit around being paid to drink beer. Sadly, they brought in a pubfull of professionals from London, causing such resentment that none of us ever watched the series.
ReplyDeleteWell the pub scene only took a minute or so, I wondered who was in charge of all the filming of Bath they seemed to have known its byways. Well stop sulking over free drinks and watch the first series it is enjoyable. Antiques was of course Bath's main attraction before it blossomed into the tourist trap it has become. Walking down the passageway past the two antique markets (Bartlett?) from the Costume Museum was always a delight.
ReplyDeleteBath has a dedicated locations manager on the council. Bartlett Street antiques are - or were - still going.
DeleteI hope the series is available on my Netflix here in the US. Detective series are my favorites and this sounds like a good one! Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteThere was only two episodes in the first series, the second might have three Ellen.
DeletePleased to see you watched Three Swings! What immediately reminded me of it regarding the Nicholson book was the old guy who when asked about the swinging 60s said it was nothing new as it was just like the 20s, I think. (It put me in mind of Bloomsbury and how they might have helped shape social history).
ReplyDeleteWas it not Osbert Lancaster the cartoonist who said that? There was a general feeling it would be short-lived, and don't forget, all the things hanging over people's heads such as nuclear bombs - and the four minute warning on the phone;) I never believed that...
ReplyDeleteMust look for it on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteWe are immersed in A Discovery of Witches, and still watching Shameless which takes us TOTALLY out of reality! I don't think I have watched much news since moving here - happy to get it 2nd hand.
ReplyDeleteMemories of coach trips to Bath many years ago, where I spent a couple of hours just going round various antique emporiums and wincing at the over-priced things on offer (silver caddy spoons spring to mind!)
I can remember Jennie when I moved to Bath, a very long time ago, was the huge foreign vans buying up the antiques in the markets. Bath was very antique orientated and expensive to boot.
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