Plot: What’s it about?
The Casual Vacancy is a 3 episode miniseries based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. The series is set in Pagford, a small Englishvillage that seems simple enough, but has a lot going on beneath the surface. Think of a small town similar to those from the 1950’s. After Barry Fairbrother dies, the citizens fight for the spot on the parish council. For those expecting more of a fantasy vibe along the lines of Harry Potter will walk away disappointed as this is meant to be more of a dramedy.
I’ve never been a fan of British comedy, and while this isn’t a flat out comedy, it didn’t do much for me. There are far too many characters for the three episodes to handle. I don’t mind ensembles like this, but it helps if I care more about the characters. The list is simply too exhausting to note each individual character here. I also read that there were many changes made from the novel. Since I’ve never read the novel, much less heard of it before this review, I can’t comment on those changes. There’s a lot of focus here on a character by the name of Krystal and her junkie mother. Sure, there are several others, but a lot of attention is given to her. I enjoyed some of the issues dealing with class warfare as well as some other things, but ultimately, these 3 episodes didn’t work on me.
Video: How’s it look?
Presented in a 2.40:1 AVC HD image (the back of the box incorrectly lists this at 1.78:1), The Casual Vacancy pretty much gives us what we’d expect from a new to Blu-ray movie/TV series. Colors are bold and bright, the exterior shots (most of them) burst with vibrance and I was hard-pressed to find any errors in the transfer. That being said, I’m a bit perplexed by some of the shot choices and the intentional lens flare that, well, flared up from time to time. While it’s not a fault of the transfer, it did make watching the show a bit of an exercise. Contrast and black levels remain solid and detail, as we might expect, is razor sharp.
Audio: How’s it sound?
British comedies aren’t really ever going to be known for their robust soundtracks. This is the case here as well and this dialogue-driven miniseries sounds the part, but not much more. That’s not to say it sounds bad by any means, it just kind of goes through the motions. There are a few instances of some subtle surround effects, but if your system had only one channel – it’d be right at home here. No real complaints, this one just failed to impress – then again I wasn’t expecting it to.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- An Introduction to The Casual Vacancy – While a vast majority of the features on Blu-ray’s tend to give out unnecessary information, this one actually helps by introducing us to all the players in the series. It’s actually pretty informative and helpful.
- Adapting The Casual Vacancy – Essentially just that – how the Director and Writer adapted Rowling’s novel for the screen.
- Casting The Casual Vacancy – Again, pretty self-explanatory, this shows how the various parts were filled for this three hour long series.
The Bottom Line
Neither a total failure nor a sure hit, Vacancy works in spurts, with some characters being more interesting than others. A big issue here is with the tone, often taking itself a bit too seriously. Fans of the novel might get more enjoyment here, but the affair left me unchanged by the end.
