Having read all the books in this series I was so looking forward to this series, the Ragdoll book is one of the best I have read in the last 3 years. Unfortunately the writers and directors have messed up this adaptation. The actors I feel have done there best with what they have been given to work with. It's almost like they didn't read the book and just adapted it from a synopsis, the characters are wrong and the show has no fluidity. Extremely disappointed as the other books are just as good but this has probably scuppered any chance of them being adapted. Just hope someone sees the true potential of the books and develops them into films.
81 Reviews
Strayed from the novel --- but entertaining
rpalen20 December 2021
As usual, the film adaptation of the novel could have been great if they had stuck closer to the source material. Lucy Hale --- a Yank Detective with this team in London? Just would not happen and her character is a Male Brit in the novel. Killer is changed, ending is changed, but this version of Ragdoll can just be enjoyed on its' own as a decent mystery/thriller mini-series that chose to make major alteration from the far better novel.
It's worth seeing.
Sleepin_Dragon30 March 2022
A serial killer kills his victims in a particularly bleak and gruesome fashion, a team of Detectives have to battle against the clock to catch him, a list of victims offers a glimmer of hope.
Ok, it's not the easiest thing to follow, at times you will be scratching your head, wondering what on Earth is going on, episode three had me utterly baffled. It's one of those that is worth sticking with, as the whole thing is somehow better than the sum of its parts.
Some of the killings are outrageously over the top, but wonderfully macabre, enough here for fans of suspense and horror. It's well paced, gritty and does in fairness feel very unique, it's definitely not your run of the mill thriller. If you like a series that answers every question, feels black and white, you'll be frustrated.
The acting is generally good, one character is very annoying, perhaps intentionally so, Sam Troughton and Sam Spiro are just wonderful.
Don't expect to fully understand, but expect to be shocked and entertained. 7/10.
Ok, it's not the easiest thing to follow, at times you will be scratching your head, wondering what on Earth is going on, episode three had me utterly baffled. It's one of those that is worth sticking with, as the whole thing is somehow better than the sum of its parts.
Some of the killings are outrageously over the top, but wonderfully macabre, enough here for fans of suspense and horror. It's well paced, gritty and does in fairness feel very unique, it's definitely not your run of the mill thriller. If you like a series that answers every question, feels black and white, you'll be frustrated.
The acting is generally good, one character is very annoying, perhaps intentionally so, Sam Troughton and Sam Spiro are just wonderful.
Don't expect to fully understand, but expect to be shocked and entertained. 7/10.
Rube Goldberg machine for murderers
hafaball-127 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
After 3 episodes it's apparent Ragdoll is just going to get wackier and wackier and I'm on the fence if I enjoy that or not. The tonal shift from comedy and intense abyss blackness is almost as whiplashy as getting hit by a truck or set on fire: some ways characters get killed by the mysterious person on the phone that Rose, the main character, calls when he wants a serial arsonist, Mark Hooper, taken out. Unfortunately the killer leaves a Ragdoll of six people sewn together and pointing directly at Rose's apartment, what a beginning! Confused yet? The show's kinetic energy rarely lets up, which is fun but can be hard to follow at times.
However, what seemed like a serious Drama/Thriller watches more like an episode of Psych or Castle, then wants to be The Bridge or Se7en. It's a lot to take in, but I can do. What's taken me completely out however are the ridiculous ways the killer kills his/her victims.
They know when a PM is in the exact room where flowers are delivered and know the PM will have a smoke when there's no smoking allowed. This then triggers an accelerant from the flowers to be lit from the fire, causing the PM to burst into flames. Okay fine... The killer also knows exactly how Hooper's brother will be caught, found with planted drugs so his lawyer can slash his throat, the lawyer being blackmailed prior. Fine, that's still plausible.
This 3rd victim? No way! They know this Prison escort driver will go to work that day, that he'll take some kind of pill, which has been replaced with LSD or MDMA, will be coherent enough to drive to a planted bomb under a bridge, hit a fire hydrant making visibility tough, know a prisoner from said truck be able to fight off another guard and black police woman to somehow know American police woman will leave drugged truck driver alone to find his daughter's missing backpack with... yep, you guessed it, a poisonous snake (ala Kill Bill) inside! And no, none of that is made up. I'm sure there's more insane examples of a killer getting everything right and always being right, I just couldn't think of any.
The only question is how the hell do you top that? Maybe the show should have been called Nostradamus instead?
However, what seemed like a serious Drama/Thriller watches more like an episode of Psych or Castle, then wants to be The Bridge or Se7en. It's a lot to take in, but I can do. What's taken me completely out however are the ridiculous ways the killer kills his/her victims.
They know when a PM is in the exact room where flowers are delivered and know the PM will have a smoke when there's no smoking allowed. This then triggers an accelerant from the flowers to be lit from the fire, causing the PM to burst into flames. Okay fine... The killer also knows exactly how Hooper's brother will be caught, found with planted drugs so his lawyer can slash his throat, the lawyer being blackmailed prior. Fine, that's still plausible.
This 3rd victim? No way! They know this Prison escort driver will go to work that day, that he'll take some kind of pill, which has been replaced with LSD or MDMA, will be coherent enough to drive to a planted bomb under a bridge, hit a fire hydrant making visibility tough, know a prisoner from said truck be able to fight off another guard and black police woman to somehow know American police woman will leave drugged truck driver alone to find his daughter's missing backpack with... yep, you guessed it, a poisonous snake (ala Kill Bill) inside! And no, none of that is made up. I'm sure there's more insane examples of a killer getting everything right and always being right, I just couldn't think of any.
The only question is how the hell do you top that? Maybe the show should have been called Nostradamus instead?
Went downhill fast
iainmcleod_80028 December 2021
Really disappointed as I wanted to like this, but it was just ridiculous. I like most of the cast in other things, cant believe so many took part in this nonsense. Police were just ridiculously inept. Script was terrible and just got worse. Actions of the main characters were implausible. I could go on, but i wont...just disappointed.
Pretty sad
Xsplizzle11 November 2021
A frustrating mess !
Avidviewer-0284720 November 2021
From the Hollywood Reporter's review, "At the same time, impressionable devotees of the genre are the ones most likely to recognize that the show is, itself, a patchwork of far more than six familiar serial killer movies and TV shows. Its only original aspect is the often chaotic stitching together of the familiar elements."
Nothing really new here, a terrible script and a waste of good actors/actresses. Guess AMC must have been desperate when they funded this series. A simple old "Vera", "Grantchester" or "Endeavour" murder mystery is so much better and they are believable, this one is not.
Nothing really new here, a terrible script and a waste of good actors/actresses. Guess AMC must have been desperate when they funded this series. A simple old "Vera", "Grantchester" or "Endeavour" murder mystery is so much better and they are believable, this one is not.
Read the book
pixel-135-94734022 November 2021
If you haven't read the book you might struggle to follow this show.
I've watched 2 episodes and I'm enjoying it. It's a gritty as the book. Though I think they need to explain more in the show for people who haven't read the book. Otherwise it's hard to follow.
I've watched 2 episodes and I'm enjoying it. It's a gritty as the book. Though I think they need to explain more in the show for people who haven't read the book. Otherwise it's hard to follow.
Quite accurate
Adriaan6111 November 2021
Starts well then gradually goes downhill ending in utter stupidity
Good-Will20 December 2021
I liked episode 1 which was fun and also funny.
Episode 2 was good too, apart from the ending which was drivel.
Episode 3 continued to get worse with some of the most inept plotting I've ever seen.
From then on it continued in the same vein of utter idiocy, with any semblance of solid police work completely abandoned as poorly written characters did even more stupid things to drag this sorry piece of poorly written excrement to a shoddy and unbelievably poor conclusion.
Everyone involved should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
Episode 2 was good too, apart from the ending which was drivel.
Episode 3 continued to get worse with some of the most inept plotting I've ever seen.
From then on it continued in the same vein of utter idiocy, with any semblance of solid police work completely abandoned as poorly written characters did even more stupid things to drag this sorry piece of poorly written excrement to a shoddy and unbelievably poor conclusion.
Everyone involved should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
loved the show
tezzahols14 November 2021
The Brits do a much better crime show than the Americans, the story is interesting and the annoying typical LA vegan cop adds a bit of humour, seeing her with her hurt feelings, while everyone else gets on with the job, looking forward to the next episode.
Irony and detail
se17512 November 2021
Interesting UK show. Fast paced and confusing if you don't pay very careful attention. Love the ironic send-up of the super-woke lesbian vegan American cop from NJ. Loved the BoJo-like character. If you're looking for a cop show with traditional formula and pacing, or you struggle with irony then this might not be for you. Personally I enjoyed it to start with, but less as it went on.
Awful, trying to be American & it's not working
rosemaryandthyme20 November 2021
I like UK series but this one is a struggle to watch. One of the actresses is an American, however there is also an American feel to this series. Heck, even Natasha Little has some kind of an American accent. If I wanted to watch US cop series there are many I can choose from.... but I wanted British. You Brits are fine and unique as you are, stop trying to be something you're not. Time to watch some Midsomer reruns to erase this turkey from my memory.
Great who done it....
venessaduplessis20 January 2022
Crime and mystery is my favourite so this is hard to criticize. Wish it was rather an American director and producer. They could have done much more to enhance the suspense. Maybe more of a "Seven" spin off. But the story line was great with a good ending.
Intriguing story crumbles in under 20 minutes
Xavier_Stone27 November 2021
Constant flash backs and weird camera work, erratic scenes and the whole production just becomes characters arguing. Non stop arguing. It gets old fast, just solve a crime, or gather a few clues. Nope, just walk blindly into every episode, argue and then flashback. Ugh. Made it to Eps 3 and bailed.
Haledynamic
andreas-s-jakobsson27 November 2021
The whole thing is about avrage, then comes Lucy Hales amazing character. She is superwoke, annoying but funny and brings something new to the ordinary copdynamic. I really hope the intention was a woke stereotype and not att really misguided attempt att some wierd version of a strong woman.
Besides Lucy Hale the first 3 episodes is an avrage cop and super serialkiller show.
The dialog is also a bit strange and feels more adapted for a comicbook then TV.
Iam going to watch it all because of the Haledynamic och cool murders.
Besides Lucy Hale the first 3 episodes is an avrage cop and super serialkiller show.
The dialog is also a bit strange and feels more adapted for a comicbook then TV.
Iam going to watch it all because of the Haledynamic och cool murders.
Lucy Hale's character 👎
Levon-K13 November 2021
This show is odd and quirky but I'm hooked
cabinessence681 December 2021
Okay
getitartist30 June 2022
The young female character is just annoying from episode one. Ugh.
Main other two i like.
If more to come i hope blonde, is gone.
Seen much better, trying to be American. Ugh.
Concept and based on books this could be rescued.
Main other two i like.
If more to come i hope blonde, is gone.
Seen much better, trying to be American. Ugh.
Concept and based on books this could be rescued.
Most confusing show I have ever seen.
SteelyDan_STL11 November 2021
This show had an interesting premise about a serial killer collecting body parts ans sewing them together to make a gross doll. Instead it was an episode with several scenes sewn together without a cohesive theme. Several murders take place unrelated to the "doll" that are left unexplained: e.g. One spontaneously combusts, and a vegan dies after eating poisoned fish. So many tangents with few clues on how they connect.
The only consistency in the episode is Lucy Hale's character who is the most trigger-happy cop who doesn't carry a gun .. meaning if she isn't discussing the case she is criticizing everyone she comes in contact with for offending her fragile feelings. She seems to rationalize that criticizing and demeaning others makes her a strong woman -- but it just comes off as a woke Karen.
The only consistency in the episode is Lucy Hale's character who is the most trigger-happy cop who doesn't carry a gun .. meaning if she isn't discussing the case she is criticizing everyone she comes in contact with for offending her fragile feelings. She seems to rationalize that criticizing and demeaning others makes her a strong woman -- but it just comes off as a woke Karen.
Not bad if you like crime thriller...
slrussell190811 December 2021
I saw that Thalissa Teixeira was in this, so I decided to watch it. It's not bad, the three leads actors are really good. DI Baxter and DS Rose have good chemistry. There's a few scenes that will have you saying seriously.....
If you're looking for something to binge and you like serial killer crime shows give it a try. I binged the first 5 episodes and can't wait for the finale this week.
If you're looking for something to binge and you like serial killer crime shows give it a try. I binged the first 5 episodes and can't wait for the finale this week.
solid with a weak link
dancesnow-9998515 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Nathan rose is a ridiculous character, how he's still a cop at the start of the show is incompressible. Other than him the show is pretty good (with some plot holes). I enjoyed Edmunds and Baxter and the murderers were quite elaborate.
trying too hard
SnoopyStyle25 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A police squad investigates a serial killer who sewed body parts from six different victims into one body. The squad receives a letter with six additional names. The last name on the list is DS Nathan Rose (Henry Lloyd-Hughes), a member of the squad, who is haunted by his past. DI Emily Baxter is the leader. DC Lake Edmonds (Lucy Hale) is the American lesbian newbie.
This is a British-American police crime show. It's trying very hard to be edgy and dark. It comes off poorly and then the squad splits in two when Nathan lies to a suspect about something personal to him. It makes no sense. I know British justice is a little different but the argument makes no sense. Do criminals get released for something like that in Britain? There's also the suspect's partner. It makes no sense to release her. I would believe more in a deal for a shorter prison sentence. These characters are broadly drawn to the point of being just badly written. The worst is probably Lake who gets very annoying at times. She's basically not a cop as a character except for her investigating. This is problematic writing. Someone is trying too hard. I don't know if there will another season. It won't be on top of my to-do list.
This is a British-American police crime show. It's trying very hard to be edgy and dark. It comes off poorly and then the squad splits in two when Nathan lies to a suspect about something personal to him. It makes no sense. I know British justice is a little different but the argument makes no sense. Do criminals get released for something like that in Britain? There's also the suspect's partner. It makes no sense to release her. I would believe more in a deal for a shorter prison sentence. These characters are broadly drawn to the point of being just badly written. The worst is probably Lake who gets very annoying at times. She's basically not a cop as a character except for her investigating. This is problematic writing. Someone is trying too hard. I don't know if there will another season. It won't be on top of my to-do list.
Read the book
reading_browniec7 December 2021
I was really looking forward to watching this because of the book (which is superb btw) but it is a complete and utter disappointment!!
The lead character is William Oliver Layton-Fawkes (Wolf) in the book but is Rose or something in the show. They have played around with the integral characters of the book and called them the same names but the characteristics are completely off!! I don't understand why they have done this.
The show doesn't flow well. The editing is very poor and it jumps back and forth more than necessary. It is difficult to keep track of what is going on. I'm writing this whilst the first episode is on in the background as I have completely and utterly lost interest in it.
The lead character is William Oliver Layton-Fawkes (Wolf) in the book but is Rose or something in the show. They have played around with the integral characters of the book and called them the same names but the characteristics are completely off!! I don't understand why they have done this.
The show doesn't flow well. The editing is very poor and it jumps back and forth more than necessary. It is difficult to keep track of what is going on. I'm writing this whilst the first episode is on in the background as I have completely and utterly lost interest in it.
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