Zen
Has anyone been watching Zen on BBC One? It’s a three-parter, based on some crime novels (the TV tie-in editions by Faber look very cheap, which is a shame) by someone I’ve never heard of (not a bad thing, it just means I’m coming to it cold, as it were).
Neil has found some affection for it. The oddness and ill fit of mainly British accents with a few Italian ones (plus some background Italian language) jars with me a little too much. It’s like watching a series from the 80s when no one knew enough about the Chinese language and those who ‘spoke’ it on-screen were basically talking complete gibberish.
But it stars Rufus Sewell, who I’ve had a healthy respect for since the breakthrough science fiction film Dark City. So I put myself in the mindset of watching some slightly tacky pulp noir and turn my brain off — the leaps and bounds Zen makes in solving mysteries is like Sherlock Holmes, i.e. there’s no way anyone could have known certain things since they were never mentioned. Nice suits, though.
Update: where are all these commenters coming from? Oh, right, the BBC has a Buzz section. My issue with the accents is they are quite incongruous with that seedy, corrupt, promiscuous Italy portrayed. It’s only a small issue. We did watch all three episodes in the end. I think one-offs every few months would be more entertaining. And I don’t care if the cast is beautiful — that to me says you care more about the way they look than how they performed.
I just want to say that I hope this last in the series of ‘Zen’ won’t be the last ever, as it is brilliant! What a change from the usual detective and he’s extremely handsome too of course :-)
I so dislike all the fast action packed, gun shooting ones that are the norm. This is so much better. Shall really miss it.
excellent program,very good actors..really looking forward to see the next episodes!!
I second what Anne said. Entertaining, intriguing and stylish.Let there be more Aurelio!
Excellent programme. As an ex detective from Manchester I liked his style reminds me of a few people I worked with. I dont usually watch TV tech programmes but this was excellent. Loved the character of Zen and the stories. Hope this is not the last. On the back of this programme Ive bought the books.
I’m so glad that something on Italy other than art, architecture, food and opera has made it into UK prime time viewing.
Interesting seeing from a British writer’s perspective, something that is a very hot topic in contemporary Italy, namely the relationship between politics and crime.
Despite the British accents, I loved the twists and turns of the plot in the second and third episodes, although I found the first episode unconvincing.
I hope we’ll be seeing a lot more adaptions and interpretations of contemporary Italian writing and cinema, and sometimes the opportunity to see the Italian originals – with subtitles of course!
Adele, I agree, the first episode wasn't so good, and that impression stuck, unfortunately.
An excellent Italian writer whose work SHOULD be adapted (I think a couple have) is Niccolo Ammaniti — check out I'm Not Scared and The Crossroads (or As God Commands, in the original Italian). He really goes deep into the lives of ordinary Italians.
Why so much endless turgid soap and US drama and so little Zen? Only 3 episodes- what were they thinking? A second series please and at least 10 episodes. this is way way too good for just 3 weeks.
Not sure you have realy worked out the difference between Zen and Sherlock Holmes. Zen is almost always hopelessly wrong from start to finish. There are leaps but they are usually intuitive (and wrong) so of course you cannot follow them.
Zen has a complex make up, mid life, selfish, selfless, cynical, commited but above all hapless.
Brilliant books but fantastic TV interpretation. More please. Back to the 80′s!
@Rob Pinkham, the first episode involved a real leap near the end. It irritated me a lot.
I really enjoyed the Zen series. Perhaps women do like it more than men, but that’s OK, they have their sport etc. let us have Rufus Sewell! He is a very good actor and the stories are interesting and different. Also, there is a lot of tongue in cheek humour which is very subtle. Hope there will be more made – please!
@valerie, I'm a woman and my husband liked it more than I did — although he liked it because it was cheesy.
I have really enjoyed this series. Rufus Sewell perfectly encapsulates an insouciance, humour and focus that provides a fulcrum for the style and pace of the programme.
It is difficult to understand the concern others have expressed over the accents. To me this is enriching; echoing the diversity of speech throughout Italy. Better this than everyone essaying RC, or even worse, cod-Italian. I liked the fact that Zen's boss was an unreconstructed northener; it didn't worry me that Ms Murino was actually Italian. It is so refreshing to see a new set of tropes in action rather than the hackneyed British (and American) ones being trundled out again.
Although I don't often comment on TV, the knee-jerk reaction to Zen is so infuriating that I wanted to post – and I really hope a new series is being commissioned.
Love this series – such a change drom the usual.
Please let us have more
More of Zen please BBC. It was so refreshing when compared to the norm for detective programmes which normally bore me to tears. The twist and turns of the plot were thought provoking and it was great to see a good looking chap romantically involved. Probably too good for the BBC to make more episodes
What a great stylish drama.
The setting and the people are all so beautiful.
Great plots and twists, not the usual predictable rubbish on our screens.
With the networks full of gameshows,lifestyle and other senseless programmes how splendid it is to see this classy drama emerge.
Well Done BBC and everyone associated with it.
This has been a treat for me this past 3 Sunday evenings.Hope to see a lot more BBC.
Zen – just a joy to watch!
Zen – please make more!
We're in a multi-lingual world; who worries about accents?
We’re in a multi-lingual world; who worries about accents?
That makes no sense.
The strong storylines,stylish settings and compelling, nuanced performance by Rufus Sewell seems to have obscured the fact that the supporting cast are either mediocre or risibly bad. The actors playing the Miletti clan is a case in point in the most recent episode: the most wooden performances I've seen on British TV for a very long time. All made the worse as Rufus Sewell is giving such a wonderfully fully rounded performance. What must he have been thinking when he was playing off actors phoning it in?
@Bill, I think they were meant to convey how horrifically dysfunctional the family was… did you not think they were implying that there was more to the siblings' relationship than met the eye?
Zen Zen Zen more please.
Like Wallander (Swedish versions} the story lines are believable they make you concentrate. The whole pace is normal what a refreshing change from all the usual Teflon coated superhero cops and robber crass.
Zen made for adults – really stylish beautiful locations great television. Can’t wait for the next series.
I loved it, and would love to see more please…