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Neil Cross scriptwriter and author of Luther says TVs taken the place of novels. What do you think.

Neil Cross scriptwriter and author of Luther says TVs taken the place of novels. What do you think.

Steve #questionnaire

16
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84 Answers

Linda

Nooooo…..

1
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Jennifer

It’s his personal opinion but tv will never take the place of a good book for me .

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Claire

No rubbish. T.v. and films might have made subjects more accessible. But you can’t beat a good book xx

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Naomi

People are entitled to their own opinion, His opinion is incorrect.

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Julie

Not in our house – we don’t have a TV and read novels everynight.

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Will

It’s a very popular medium and there is some excellent work appearing on the small screens these days, but they fulfil different personal needs in the consumer. The feeling of curling up with a good book and getting lost in the world within its pages will never be replaced.

7
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Steven

You captured it perfectly @Will

1
Will

Thanks, @Steven ?

0
David

Not a chance

4
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Kat

I love both

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Steven

Don’t agree at all. Books are better. Although i do enjoy watching stuff like Luther, wire in the blood etc.

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Wendy

In his dreams.

1
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Catarina

Not at all. I much prefer reading to watching TV.

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Jean

Not for myself ? adaptations will never replace a ? ?

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Chrissy

Rubbish. The imagination is better than films sometimes. We all have a picture of the characters in a book in our mind. Jack Reacher comes to mind being played by a totally inappropriate shorta*se.

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David

Tell it has it is.

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Bryan

Not likely. If you want to immerse yourself in another world only a book will do. The reader’s imagination is the most powerful tool in a writer’s box.

2
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Val

No way

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Patricia

No way unless you have a mushy brain, books give you the imagination and places where TV tells and shows

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Janet

Room in my life for both x

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Megan

I agree! Both have a space in my life

1
Sue

I think there is room for both. Nowadays tv crime is very well made and often captures the book’s appeal. Vera and Shetland come to mind. Agatha Christie has translated to tv well with authentic 30s or 50s sets.

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Susan

Not at all. In fact my New Year’s resolution is to switch the TV off in the evenings to give me more time to read!

3
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Lisa

Tv show and film adaptations very rarely live up to the books. So while I do love a good show/film I much prefer books

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Pam

I like both but books are special – your own wee world.

3
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Maggie

He sounds a bit dogmatic – that may be his personal opinion, but he doesn’t speak for everyone. Both have their place – it’s not either/or.

3
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Dianne

I watch very little tv and read about 15 books a month. Doesn’t sound like he means me!

2
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Katherine

I personally disagree as I prefer novels. However I teach teenagers and find their obsession with tv and the number with a total lack of interest in reading quite depressing. I really hope reading is not a dying art!

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Kath

Not here it hasn’t. The scenery’s better in a book anyway,

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Janet

Possibly for some people but I suspect most of us here manage to enjoy both. What I do think is good quality TV series are replacing movies. So many programmes are now benefiting from the high production values, excellent casts and levels of creativity that were previously only lavished on movies.

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Will

@Janet, that is definitely true.

3
Aga

Yes, especially in drama/ thriller terms. TV gives you means to expand the story and cater to the characters in a way that movies don’t allow. Some big names in both actors and directors are getting involved too.

3
Jean

Don’t watch films.
Love my books

1
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Angela

Not for me !

1
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Kimberly

Never!

0
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Irene

Nooooo

1
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William

I think with the younger generation(s) he may well be correct, although these days many of them prefer videogames to TV and never pick up a book. Bear in mind for those of us of a certain age, video games weren’t yet invented when we used libraries and read for thrills in our teens. Now this: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/gaming/video-games-industry-worth-market-uk-fifa-19-red-dead-redemption-cod-era-a8708716.html

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Chris

Not for me it hasn’t.

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Chris

Never i agree with lisa Turner much better to use your own imagination

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Shaun

Absolutely, definitely, not the case for me.

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Linda

One of Chaz’s recent 6th grade projects was to read a book, then they watched the movie in class and talked about the differences. He like the movie, but thought the book was better as it went far deeper into the story and revealed more of the emotional background. I don’t think movies will ever replace books for those of us who love the full story.

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Glenys

Not for me

1
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Sheila

, would rather read a book

1
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Judy

No way!

1
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Cara

Absolute rubbish, can’t stand Luther either, give me a good book any day

1
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Michelle

I love books but TV it depends on the progamme.

1
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Jan

Not for me. I never fully immerse myself in tv programmes. With a book I happily lose myself, possibly because I can flesh out the characters in my mind without a visual prompt.

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Andrea

@Jan 100% agree

0
Bill

Nah, distant cousins.

1
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Andrea

Never

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Jo

No way. Certainly not with me. I could happily get rid of my TV. Books are my passion.

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Amanda

Never. Books are so much better

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Hazel

Definitely not!!!

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Tawny

It has for me, but I also want to write scripts for TV, so it’s like extra research to watch more.

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Fiona

I disagree. We hardly ever watch it unless my eldest daughter is here.

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Margaret

Love Luther & good tv dramas, but books are my first love.

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Denise

No like TV but you cannot beat a good read.

1
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Robert

From what I’ve seen on TV I don’t think books have anything to worry about

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Rona

I’m watching less and less TV. There’s the odd stand-out drama, but I prefer a book.

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Maggie

Books every time.

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Debbie

Definitely books, it puts me off when the books have been on TV, never read rebus, vera or Luther etc or watched them.

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Jeannie

@Debbie don’t reject Rebus because of the tv, truly great reading xx

0
Kath

I don’t watch a great deal of TV, what I do watch is old stuff that was on years ago, so books have nothing to worry about where I’m concerned.

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Joyce

I will be reading my book Snap by Belinda Bauer till Luther starts. I am very selective about what I watch on tv.

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Antoinette

i own a tv but don’t think it has been turned on in 2 or 3 years – i just cannot watch rather than pick up a book

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Vicki

No but some miniseries are falling between books and movies. For example True Detective, The Night Off.

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Kim

Wrong!

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Jo

I read or listen to books more than tv right now

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Mary

Rubbish!

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Janet

The only problem I have is I’m watching Luther,but the book I’m reading at the moment is very similar to the plot on Luther and I’m getting confused !!!! Should have read a VERA or something similar not a book featuring a Luther like detective who also likes to do his own thing x

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Seb

I don’t like ‘Luther’ but I do see that long form TV drama is emerging as a real alternative to the novel. That’s not saying it will replace it. But unlike 90 minute movies, long form TV drama has the scope and depth to rival the written form. “Breaking Bad’, for example, dealt with the character development of chemistry teacher Walter White in over 80 one hour episodes. “The Affair’ dealt with a complex series of relationships in over 30 hours. That’s just a couple from very many examples of new excellent drama…. 🙂

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Cara

That’s true, the new form of TV storytelling can mimic novel reading and the writing and acting in Breaking Bad was superb, it was almost Shakespearean. However I feel there is space for both novels and TV, the experience of both at different times I enjoy for different reasons at different times. Long live both the novel and good tv dramas

0
Jeannie

I enjoy Luther, well the 2 episodes I’ve seen, but I don’t relate these series to any books I read, tv shows are tv shows, books are books xx

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Susan

Nope. Both do very different things

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Sheila

For some people maybe, but not me.

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Jackie

i prefer novels. Dont watch tv unless i have to

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Lesley

No way !!

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Jackie

Definitely not!

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Gisela

Absolutely not. It is rare that a tv adopt action is as good as the original book.

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Anne

Never, ever in a million years – television is somebody else’s interpretation/writing regardless of how well they stick to the plot

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Astrid

I prefer reading to watching TV unless there is a very good program on.

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Sheila

What a load of rubbish, I enjoyed Luther, but I would prefer to read a book than watch tv adaptation of a book it is never the same or even near what the author wrote originally

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Will

I think he’s talking about tv originals, rather than adaptations. I agree that shows based on books will never quite cut it, but original tv series are getting very deep and dramatic these days. But they still can’t carry you away like a book does ??

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Catarina

I did enjoy the Shetland and Strike TV-adaptations though.

0
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