MovieChat Forums > Jonathan Creek (2014) Discussion > What the hell did I just watch?? *SPOILE...

What the hell did I just watch?? SPOILERS

posted 11 years ago by antiskum
15 replies | jump to latest

I was actually quite enjoying the new episode right up to the end when everything was revealed... then wtf, what the hell happened? I can't believe how unbelievably terrible the episode got.

*SPOILERS*
FIRSTLY: So Franklin dies in an horrific accident in a shed while working on a secretive magic project with his adopted daughters boyfriend/husband (is that even who he was?). instead of the appropriate reaction of calling the police/ambulence, the guy calls his girlfriend/Franklin's adopted daughter. He then sits in the shed next to the decapitated corpse, contemplating how upset Rosalind will be when she finds out her husband had left the house (??? really?) and fearing that he would be blamed for the death (??? again, really?). the daughter feels that this would be the perfect opportunity to convince her mother that magical/unexplainable things do occur. so naturally the two decide that it would be much kinder for Rosalind if they devise a scarecrow, dress it, place the decapitated head on it and pretend like he had died in his study before vanishing mysteriously.

does this make any sense to anyone? who would do this? is that really the explanation they gave and these people actually bought it? I just can't get my head around their motives at all.

SECONDLY: just when you think it couldn't get any stupider, part 2 gets revealed. turns out that the people who're running around cleaning computer keyboards and attempting to murder people are actually hired assassins sent by the government to cover-up some damning/incriminating footage that was actually the pilot episode for a satirical television program (how did no one recognise this wasn't real, also how did anyone think that making the most unfunny satire of all time would be a good idea?). the assassins hunt down the final copy of the dvd, cover everyone in petrol and attempt to burn them all. luckily the police inspector, suspicious of a tank of petrol being in the boot of their car, had the tank's contents replaced with APPLE JUICE, and saves the day. what?

seriously, what??? people get paid to write this?

I just have so many issues with this episode. what was the purpose of the circle/cult storyline? what even was the purpose of Franklin's death and cover up? those potentially interesting storyline's got overshadowed by probably the most ridiculous thing to ever grace my television. The most irritating thing is that it had the foundation to be a pretty good addition to the series - HOW the locked room murder/mystery was done was actually pretty good, if only the perpetrators motives behind WHY it was done had been framed in a believable way.

Sad that such a promising episode dissolved into trash.

[–] Wombstar 11 years ago

Pretty much sums it up.
It wasn't too bad but there was no reason behind any of it.

I just hope the poor reaction wont lead the bbc to cancel the new 3 part series, because there's no reason they can't improve.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MarkAnthony1990 11 years ago

It had fantastic potential, a great illusion and central mystery but was let down by the absurd story. lol

Jonathan Creek usually grounds the absurd mystery with a good/more believable backstory or motive for the murderer. This time all of that was more ridiculous than the head in the globe.

It felt like Renwick thought there wasn't enough happening in the episode and wanted it crammed with twists, turns and huge shifts in the narrative.

It didn't need it, they had a good story going and just spoiled it.

Babies kill TV shows!

[–] blade101167 11 years ago

This was a classic case of Renwick spouting the old "Well, it's MY ball..." cliche. This was an appalling mish mash of old Creek plots: Danse Macabre - the vanishing corpse: Mr Spearfish - secret government spies: Ghosts Forge - misunderstood writing: The Scented Room - mysterious happenings in a small room with a painting within...

There's still capacity for Creek to exist, maybe just not with Renwick. Rather than see him continuing to plagiarise his old stories, I'd rather see it all taken away from him and given to someone new with fresh ideas.

"The World Wide Web: where even the most stupid amongst us are equally entitled to their opinion"

[–] rubenvanbergen 11 years ago

I agree. It seems to me that the only way to save the new series is to bring in new writers. Someone like Steven Moffat and/or Mark Gatiss would be great, but then again we don't want it to turn into a Sherlock copy. It just seems like David Renwick used up all his ideas in the original series, and with each new special he's just reshuffling bits from old episodes. And then because he knows he has to somehow make it original, he adds a big dollup of absurd motivation and tries to crowbar in some deep comment on the human condition. While all we really need - all Creek fans really want - is just a good, fresh mystery to sink our teeth into.

[–] ph75006 10 years ago

I've only JUST become a fan of the show this week (a friend gave me all the dvds and I ploughed through all of them in just a handful of days) and even as a newcomer to JC, I too felt that Savant's Thumb was a total cop-out. For the decade-long followers of the show, it must be exponentially more infuriating to be served this kind of crap.

Also, there were lots of instances in the older episodes where the humour borderlined caricature but somehow it still managed to stay grounded in a way that prevented those moments from completely crossovering into farce (well...with the exception of the tranny secretary). Savant's Thumb was just plain ridiculous.

[–] Corybant 11 years ago

I had my doubts right from the get go when it was revealed that every character coincidentally knew one another, eg Joey just happening to be having an affair with Fariba's boyfriend and Jonathan just happening to meet Rosalind through his wife at the symphony.

[–] julie_robin2 11 years ago

A sort of writing misdirection, really. They were obviously hoping we'd be so impressed by the explanation as to how the body disappeared that we wouldn't focus on the explanation for why it was there in the first place!
I'm fairly new to Jonathan Creek -I started watching it after seeing The Grinning Man and being impressed. I wasn't that taken with the one after that and this latest was just pure ridiculous.
Even if you accept that a chainsaw bolt coming loose would lead to a neatly severed head, (bearing in mind that executioners apparently often weren't that neat even with an aimed axe and a neck ready on a block) there was remarkably little blood loss -shouldn't the barn have been awash after a severed artery?

And WHY cover up an industrial accident at all? Why bury the body but freeze the head? Why scare the wife half to death?

And as for the last bit? No one noticed that the apple juice 'petrol' didn't produce fumes? Didn't SMELL like petrol?

Just stupid, I'm afraid. I'm surprised the cast weren't embarrassed by it. They must all really need the money, unless they signed up before they read the script.

I prefer Imaginality to reality.

[–] blade101167 11 years ago

Sadly, even Alan Davies may need the money or at least the excitement of doing something 'different'... apart from QI, he's done practically bugger all since Creek (apart from supposedly being a stand up comic and infamously offensive on various social networks).

Have you seen many of the other episodes Julie? If not, they're all on Netflix and series one and two are well worth watching.

"The World Wide Web: where even the most stupid amongst us are equally entitled to their opinion"

[–] julie_robin2 11 years ago

I have only seen the last three episodes, including this one.
I don't have Netflix but I do have a Lovefilm subscription and I've checked and the first two series are livestreamed on there so I'll watch some.
Thanks.

I prefer Imaginality to reality.

[–] Craigix 11 years ago

To see a good episode, try 'Black Canary', which has Rik Mayall in it too.

It will give you a good sense of just how good it used to be.

[–] blade101167 11 years ago

'Mother Redcap' and 'Miracle in Crooked Lane' are especially worth watching.

"The World Wide Web: where even the most stupid amongst us are equally entitled to their opinion"

[–] julie_robin2 11 years ago

Will do, thanks. I have a Lovefilm subscription and they are livestreamed on there so will watch it.

I prefer Imaginality to reality.

[–] Corybant 11 years ago

Brad implies that Franklin was attracted to him, which was no secret, and that people would think he was responsible. Apparently Brad is sworn to such secrecy by the magic society that he would not be able to disclose the circumstances of the accident.

If we don't burn, how will the night be lit?

[–] benjamin-twist 11 years ago

Brad must be some kind of sociopath. He was so upset about the death of his friend that he put on another magic show in the barn two days later. As you do.

What the hell did I just watch?? *SPOILERS*

What the hell did I just watch?? SPOILERS