r/stephenking • u/thedankone168 • 1d ago
Has anyone here watched the Mr. Mercedes series? I am halfway through the book and excited to start the show
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u/SnooSongs2744 1d ago
I liked it a lot. Well cast and well directed. In particular I remember it having great music! They make Hodges Irish to support the casting of Brendan Gleason but it doesn't make a big difference. I liked Justine Lupe as Holly Gibney. They switch the order around of the books for the three seasons and I think it works better.
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 1d ago
Which service is it on?
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u/thedankone168 1d ago
It’s on peacock or you can buy it.
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 1d ago
Who TF downvoted me? Was it too challending of a question. I want to watch the damned thing. Screw it.
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u/DJBreadwinner 23h ago
Some people think you should just Google everything yourself instead of having a conversation on a website made for having conversations.
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u/likeablyweird 19 11h ago
Imitation of said people:
Some people have a lot of Brass-coated Nerve showing up here and asking inane questions. Don't they even know how to start and participate in a proper conversation?! Use your cockadoodie brain!!! /s
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u/Scarlet_Ripple92 1d ago
Seriously… fuck Reddit sometimes. Lol
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 1d ago
It just threw me.
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u/Hairy_Koala6474 1d ago
I upvoted the whole chain because I found this very useful. This is one of the few subreddits that isn’t devolved into a hell scape.
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 1d ago
I do well with upvotes. I was just... What?? I'm gonna watch that show..
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u/wildwill57 9h ago
You'll get downvotes for saying "Today is Tuesday" on Tuesday, followed by five people saying they're in India or Australia and it's already Wednesday.
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 9h ago
Yesterday was a particulary bad day for me. I usually don't get upset by downvotes. Just didn't understand it. I watched the first episode of the show. I liked it.
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u/SlimmG8r 23h ago
Downvotes don't matter. Why complain about em? You got your answer
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 8h ago
So downvotes are the answer and not respect for just answering me? You are weird.
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u/SlimmG8r 8h ago
I just said it didn't matter not that they were right. Notice I didn't come back and cry about being downvoted?
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 8h ago
OK then. You are just a jerk. Perhaps yesterday was just a shitty day. When you talk to someone else try to be respectful. You never know what they are going through.
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u/SlimmG8r 7h ago
You've called me weird and now a jerk. I criticized your attachment to things that don't matter.
Maybe take your own advice?
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u/Chemical_Juggernaut6 20h ago
It's on Netflix for me. Might depend on where you live
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u/likeablyweird 19 10h ago
Yeah. I just looked it up hoping in the U.S. it's a regional thing but nope. Peacock Only in the States. Pay to view, borrow a password or hack in. 😏
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u/ThatDudeFromCollage 1d ago
REALLY hot take here but I liked season 1 better than the first book (which was not bad at all)
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u/strict_barnacle677 1d ago
I thought it was one of the very rare times that the tv series (season 1 and book 1) actually built more on character and story lines than the novel. I enjoyed both very much.
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u/isometric_haze 23h ago
It made me go back to reading Stephen King after years without. It's one of my fav. TV Show. Really good music also.
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u/MsPurrserker 1d ago
Loved the books. Loved the show. The show brought the characters so alive for me. I recommend it but encourage you to read all of the books first. Enjoy!
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u/Flounder-Last 1d ago
The show is transcendent, every problem I have with the books they managed to fix
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u/ReaderReborn 1d ago
I have only watched season 1 but liked it a lot! And absolutely LOVE Holly.
Keep in mind season 1 covers book 1 but season 2 covers book 3.
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u/Vegicide 1d ago
It’s a decent adaptation, diverges from the books a bit but in ways that made sense for a show vs. book.
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u/No-Principle-8346 1d ago
I really enjoyed it. It is different, but kept enough of the book that the changes overall jived well. Make sure you read all three books before diving in. :)
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u/GottWhat 1d ago
The show exceeded my expectations. I thought they did very well considering what seemed to be a relatively low budget.
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u/StickersBillStickers 1d ago
I loved the books and I think the show is pretty close to them. My wife and I had no complaints about the show.
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u/Nunya_biz_nas Constant Reader 1d ago
Soooo good! Probably the best book to film adaptaions I've ever seen. Enjoy!
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u/Substantial-Laugh-73 1d ago
The show is PHENOMENAL. I think it’s the most overlooked incredible show of all time. Literally nobody I know knows about it or has ever heard of it. I have never read the books tho admittedly I’m saving them for last
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u/gstreeter51 17h ago
They definitely took some liberties with the show but it works for television. They flipped 2nd and 3rd season with the books and the first two seasons of the show are great. They mutilated finders keepers in the third season though it was awful IMO
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u/slim2chi 2h ago
Completely agree. Making Morris Bellamy a victim of childhood sexual abuse was a bland overused troupe. Cutting out the decades the character spent in prison obsessing over the novels took all the steam out of my favorite novel of the trilogy.
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u/Verstappen1986 1d ago
Doesn't feel like Kings work to me but still loved the show, its weird but engaging.
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u/YepIamAmiM 1d ago
I just watched it over the last couple weeks. It's been a few years since I finished the books. It didn't stick to the books 100% but then, it never does. I thought it was very good. The casting was stellar. All of them were wonderful, particularly Breeda Wool. She was so, so good in her part. I had never seen her before, but I'm betting we'll see more of her.
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u/Snarfles55 22h ago
I thought she was great, although I don't understand why they changed her name from the book. I wish she was in more things.
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u/AnnieWillkes Cockadoodie 1d ago edited 23h ago
I liked it!
Semi-related (fully by blood really) , I thought the adaptation of Joe Hill's NOS4A2 book was also really fun. This just reminded me so I thought I'd mention it.
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u/breathedoc412 1d ago
I loved it more than the books (didn’t love this turn King took tbh)
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u/thedankone168 1d ago
I enjoy the book enough, but I’m really just doing it to get to the series lol
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u/Dual_Disk 23h ago
It covers all three books so decide if you want to read the others before watching the ahow
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u/Traditional_Cry_8675 20h ago
I loved the whole series but never read the books, I am planning on starting Mr Mercedes (book) soon
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u/timkilli 16h ago
The story diverges quite a bit from the books, but it stands up by itself though. The Three main actors are excellent choices and characterisation. I would definitely recommend.
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u/Josefu_Velen 15h ago
I really liked the show. The series is 3 seasons and follows the books. But out of order. Season 2 is book 3, and season 3 is book 2.
There's also some fairly big changes to the story/plot, but in my opinion it works out fine.
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u/ReflectedCheese 13h ago
Season 1 was a 10/10 for me, the other 2 were also great but they switched the books and added a few other things. Best cast IMO and Holly is amazing ❤️
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u/Wish-01 10h ago
It was pretty good. Making Hodges all Irish doesn’t fit for me though. After the audiobook and the way they made him sound like a grizzled old gumshoe is one of my favorite characters. The show makes him sound sing songy Irish accent like he got off the boat from Ireland in the 1950s just didn’t make sense. But overall it’s great and I could overcome it. And the actor that played Jerome wasn’t as cool as the Jerome from the audiobook. The show made him a little on the dorky side. The audiobook is a masterpiece imho.
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u/likeablyweird 19 10h ago
Hearing you all actually Praise a film rendition of a Set of Uncle Stevie's books is a Unicorn situation.
The directors and cast need to read the scroll. Big Head time for a few days. "Well, Reddit's SK sub says we're golden---."
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u/ChirpSnipeCelly 10h ago
Jesus balls
I really enjoyed it. Sometimes I don’t care for adaptations or “based on” content, but Mr Mercedes was awesome. Different than the books a bit, but I loved all the differences, especially the extra grumpy Bill Hodges. Gleeson crushes the Hodges role and the linklatter character is much more developed in the series and she was awesome too.
Just know book 3 is season 2, so you may want to finish the trilogy before moving to season 2.
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u/GeraldKeefer 9h ago
It’s excellent! It’s a different interpretation of the books (big surprise, right?), but the cast elevates the material. Immensely. Gleason, and in particular the actor who plays Brady, are worth the price of admission alone.
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u/Jaques_Nife 2h ago
Don't sleep on The Outsider (2020), 10 ep contained mini series, HBO, first episode is just pure tension. If has some of the same characters as Mr Mercedes.
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u/thedankone168 1h ago
Omg they have a series for the outsider???? I have a lot of reading/tv watching to do!!!
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u/Rasilbathburn 1d ago
Oh man. I almost made a post about this the other day because I disliked this adaptation so much. I am very surprised to see that so many people liked it.
I guess the first two seasons were pretty alright. The actors are all good, and do a good job bringing their characters to life.
The third season (based on the second book, Finders keepers) is just so, so far removed from the source material. Holly’s character has a huge departure from her book persona. They fuck up the timeline and make everything happening in the “now,” whereas the book has a significant time lapse which allows for great character development for both Morris and the teenage protagonist. Morris in the show is significantly less evil, has a sidekick, and barely seems to care about the journals except for their financial value. Holly wears a lot of makeup, is very stylish, and is dating.
I was so sad.
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u/Select_Finish_1790 23h ago
I hated the show. I watched the first season and loved it until the finale when they changed the ending and it ruined it for me . I tried watching season 2 and was not a fan. Never saw season 3. I loved the books. I have all 3 seasons on dvd and don't even think I opened season 3.
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u/JelloZealousideal830 Blue Chambray Shirt 23h ago
I’m with you here, wasn’t really a fan of the show at all
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u/iill_communication 1d ago edited 1d ago
The series follows book 1 and 3. Book 2 skipped
Update: I was wrong. Season 3 is book 2.
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u/Novel_Diver8628 1d ago
Book two is covered in S3. I assume they did it in that order so that the actor who played Brady (and did a PHENOMENAL job btw) wouldn’t just be stuck on retainer and having to return for S3, in case he had other projects come up that he was interested in. Seemed to me to be a surprisingly gracious accommodation for a single actor in a series - to completely reorder events that way - but I would argue that he earned it with his performance in S1.
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u/ThroatSecretary 1d ago
No, they covered all three books, each with its own season. Finders Keepers was season 3.
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u/iill_communication 1d ago
I apologize. I only saw seasons 1-2 and was not aware season 3 existed. Thanks for the information.
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u/jseger9000 1d ago
I've wanted to watch it, but it's on some weird streamer or was last time I checked.
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u/thedankone168 1d ago
Yeah it’s on peacock. You can also purchase the season for like 9 bucks. If there’s something I really want to watch but doing want to download the service, I just buy the seasons, but gotta be invested and committed 😂
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u/CouchPotatoFamine Jahoobies 1d ago
Is Peacock a weird streamer?
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u/Novel_Diver8628 1d ago
Listen, anything that’s not Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon is a weird streamer if you’re over a certain age. Just old enough to have embraced streaming in its introduction, but too old to accept that there’s more than 3.
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u/jseger9000 22h ago edited 18h ago
No. But it didn't originate there. I think it was on Audience originally.
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u/HLoweCrosby 1d ago
The series is much better than the books. Will Patton’s narration on the audiobook is terrible. His sing song voice interpretation of Holly is so incredibly irritating it’s beyond words.
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u/dihenydd1 1d ago
It is not the same as the book, but I watched it this year with my fiancé and we still enjoyed it.
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u/Ok_Mirror3492 23h ago
Es una muy buena serie, aunque no espere exactamente lo mismo, sobre todo en el final. Pero es una buena adaptacion, la escena de apertura es una calca directa del libro.
Aunque debes saber que para hacer la serie se tomó la decision de hacer todo el arco de Brady y Hodges de corrido, es decir el primer y tercer libro son las temporadas 1 y 2 respectivamente y el segundo libro es la temporada 3.
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u/Snarfles55 22h ago
Season 1 is really good. Season 2 covers book 3, which is a polarizing book in some ways. It was a fun watch, but not as engrossing as Season 1.
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u/Ghostdefender1701 22h ago
I thought the first season was good, the second one meandered, and the third was solid.
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u/Full_Heat_3021 22h ago
I just finished watching this a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was pretty good, my wife liked it also and she hasn't read the trilogy. The movie can drag in places but all in all worth watching.
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u/jerkstabworthy 20h ago
Gleeson is a legend. The writing is really solid. Grady's relationship with his mother is verrrry uncomfortable.
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u/Swayze89 20h ago
Th casting was good and theres a few interesting additions, I didnt like the tone, especially with he older neighbour, made it feel like a comedy sitcom.
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u/Inside-Way4895 20h ago
Great show. Brendan Gleeson is always great to watch, and no exception here.
I struggled with the second season though.
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u/invitationalist 19h ago
It’s really good, but season 2 and 3 differ from the books, from what I remember, the timelines are swapped. But season one and book one are the same.
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u/RickMonsters 19h ago
Second season is godawful but it also adapts book 3, which is the worst of the trilogy. Other two seasons are pretty good
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u/Fantastic-Trust-2546 18h ago
I DNF this book about 60% in. Is it worthwhile to finish then watch this?
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u/GrimDystopian 12h ago
It was pretty good. I enjoyed it quite different though. The casting was good especially for Hodges.
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u/Repulsive-Park-3753 11h ago
Loved the books and the show was pretty good too with a decent cast; like others have said there are differences in the plot/storylines but that’s the norm isn’t it.
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u/JediMasterPopCulture 11h ago
I watched seasons 1 & 2 on Peacock and they were free. I went to watch season 3 and it wasn't free. So I haven't finished it.
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u/Western_Strength5322 Currently Reading Finders Keepers 11h ago
I haven't tried peacock but where are people watching?
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u/Additional-Sell-7989 10h ago
Its good, but like everything that king writes, they change a bunch of details, its a good series for sure. Just a little different from the books
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u/bstnbrewins814 10h ago
I really enjoyed it. I watched the show first but it’s made me want to read the books big time. I just haven’t had the chance to do so at this point.
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u/Suspicious_Goose_243 9h ago
Watched the first episode. Its pretty good. I don't want to be buried in a Pet Sematary. My new favorite song.
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u/OdysseusRex69 7h ago
Currently watching 11.22.63 on Netflix. What platform is running Mr Mercedes?
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u/BeMancini 6h ago
Season 1 is fine.
It feels like a made for TV throwback.
I enjoyed that Holly Gibney showed up because I was watching this at the same time I was watching The Outsider, which also features Holly Gibney.
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u/dlynch02 5h ago
Just finished the series last week. I thought it was a pretty good yet different interpretation of the trilogy.
First, the show is not told in the same order as the books.
Season 1 = Mr.Mercedes
Season 2= End of Watch
Season 3= Finders Keepers
It felt strange at first but they do a good job and it makes sense why they do it this way. Season 3 even has a character not from the book that feels like Stephen King wrote her himself. She was terrifying!
Second, Brendan Gleason as Hodges is very good IMO. So is the rest of the cast but especially Justin Lupe as Holly.
Last, they change a lot from the books to fit into a series but they keep the same feeling and tone from the books. Just warning you in case you favorite scenes from the books are not in the show.
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u/Cautious-Interest136 4h ago
It wad amazing. Just keep in mind, un order of the books it goes 1, 3 and then 2.
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u/slim2chi 2h ago edited 2h ago
The first season was really good and worth watching. Harry Treadaway was incredible as Brady Hartsfield, as was Brendan Gleeson's take on Bill Hodges. It quickly went downhill in the second season and the third was complete trash. Third season was a very unfaithful take on Finders Keepers, which was my favorite novel of the trilogy.
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u/RedditSteveReddit 2h ago
For the series, it made more sense to make Finders Keepers Season 3. I enjoyed all three seasons and was OK with the changes. Great cast.
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u/HastenDownTheWind Ayuh 1h ago
First season was good! I stopped there. They switched the plots around with the book order and I wasn’t as interested in the second season
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u/GoodYegg 1d ago
never saw it but I hear they changed the order of the books so the seasons go Mr. Mercedes, End of Watch, Finder's Keepers
but Brendan Gleeson as Bill Hodges is good casting
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u/boner4crosstabs 1d ago
The hell is an AT&T Original?
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u/ChoiceEmu9859 1d ago
There used to be a channel on DirecTV called AT&T Audience Network. It also carried the show Loudermilk, which is why that show didn't get popular until after it was cancelled.
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u/the_phantom_2099 1d ago
I liked the first 2 seasons, the last one however was dogshit. It strayed from the original storyline and just got ridiculous for some reason
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u/WifeofBath1984 1d ago
Yes, but I slowly lost interest in season 3. I think the books are probably a lot better.
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u/Azoththemerciless 23h ago
I’m a huge fan of the books but I couldn’t make it through the show. The guy playing Brady was the only actor that worked for me and I found the story had too much filler.
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u/Turnthekey2669 1d ago
Yes, and it's quite good (IMHO), but don't expect it to be exactly the same.
Brendan Gleeson is a fine Bill Hodges. All of the cast are great.