Midwinter of the Spirit

I'm often asked what someone should watch. Well, if you're like me...you like a new world of wonder, a great story and being left with a "Wow"-feeling. I recommend this 3-episode miniseries to binge all at once.

I liked the first episode of Midwinter of the Spirit, and look forward to future episodes. The biggest complaint I have is one that is fairly constant for many series and mini-series - the background noises, whether music or other sound effects, often overpower the dialogue. Some actors easily overcome this problem because their voices carry well enough that they can be heard and understood. Other actors are, naturally I suppose, more soft spoken, and I have to strain to understand what they are saying. For me, this really takes away from my enjoyment of the show. I found this to be true of this show, as much as any other. Otherwise, my rating would have been higher. I wish those in charge of sound effects would be more cognizant of this. As for those soft-spoken actors, I would exhort them to SPEAK UP!

Bravo ITV, I cannot remember the last time I saw a new drama from ITV that was even remotely creepy or as dark as this.

Really well made, well written, it's just a shame that it only consisted of three parts, I'm not sure if there is mileage for further episodes, but let's hope it's revisited.

Of the three episodes, the first part was definitely the best, very dark obviously, but well structured, the second was excellent, and the third still good, but a little off the first two.

The series focuses primarily on Merilly, she focuses on actual demons and her own personal demons. Trying to bring up her 16 year old daughter single handedly after the death of her husband who'd been having an affair. The Police call in Merilly to help with a Satantic killing and a world of nasties is opened up.

Really well acted, I love Anna Maxwell Martin, a great actress, ITV need to find her a top notch role after disastrously axing The Bletchley Circle. David Threlfall is always a joy to watch, as is Siobhan Finneran. Leila Mimmack is wonderful as the creepy Rowenna.

Excellent production values, they looked really good, very slick, the music used was really good too, though I would agree with an earlier poster that it was a little invasive on times.

Creepy as hell 10/10

This was frustrating. I've read a few of Phil Rickman's books, including a couple of the Merrily Watkins stories so I was predisposed to like this ITV version.

There were lots of good things (creepy atmos,scary looking spirit, David Threlfall) but for me these were all outweighed by just how pathetic the lead character was. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for having a flawed lead character but there's a fine line between 'flawed' and 'utterly useless' and Anna Maxwell Martin's inappropriately named Merrily lands the wrong side of that line. Rubbish as a mother, evidently a poor wife, an unconvincing clergy, pill-popping, fag-smoking, heavy drinking car crash of a character, she blunders through each episode making a mess of every situation she finds herself in.

I'm not suggesting she should be an ecclesiastical Jack Reacher but I just can't stay interested in a character with so few redeeming features. Shame.