The Watch: Ook
January 11, 2021 2:38 PM - Season 1, Episode 2 - Subscribe

Using the policing of Constable Carrot, the Watch connects Carcer's evil plan to strange goings-on at the Unseen University.

The Watch loses a member to Carcer. After a harrowing experience at the Unseen University, Vimes decides he done "watching."
posted by miss-lapin (7 comments total)
 
Not sure why they called it Ook without making the librarian an orangutan instead of some weird mutant creature. Plus the weird insight-field in the reading room seems out of nowhere.

At least ep 3 is better, despite no Nobby or Sgt Colon.
posted by Marticus at 6:46 PM on January 11, 2021 [1 favorite]


I was OK with him being just generically primate-ish, but no actual "ook"? *sigh*

Anywho, the Archchancellor of UU has a definite A'tuin-ish motif on his staff, and a bit of a nod towards roundworld when they first meet him in his office.

Drunken street-thug Vimes is a bit to reconcile with middle era private eye detective dick Vimes with latter era near gentry Vimes, but he's been all three.

I think the reading room was vaguely magical but mostly vaguely in the service of getting the plot to move forward between Carrot and Angua in a way that television struggles with in literary conversions.

Detritus! I gotta figure that was budgetary. Do we want to mark these as Books Included? Otherwise there's some discussion that would feel spoilery.
posted by Kyol at 7:20 PM on January 11, 2021 [1 favorite]


Yeah, fridging Detritus must certainly be a budgetary thing. But since they weren't ever going to examine his leadership qualities anyway, well, <shrug>.

But it pisses me the F off. He's a troll. A few crossbow bolts ain't anything. I was hoping to see Detritus with the Piecemaker.

The "slab" storyline is bollocks and under-explained (and becomes a bit more prominent in e03?). In the source material, slab is an exclusively troll drug.

Very disappointed with the Librarian.

Continue to be disappointed with the lack of Nobby, especially given that the source material ('Night Watch' 2002) paints a nuanced (albeit trainwreck) background for Nobby, and he and Colon are major characters that shows the dysfunction of The Night Watch in the other source material ('Guards! Guards! 1989).

If I may vent my spleen; the time travel aspect of 'Night Watch' also establishes even-moreso how supremely badass the Patrician (the self-described tyrant of Ankh-Morpork, Lord Vetinari, is - and their relationship with Assassin's Guild (iirc, and Dr. Crucis, the current head of the Assassin's Guild) which is played out in 'Men at Arms' (#15, 2nd The Watch-centric novel, 1993).

Show hasn't done any justice to Vetinari nor DEATH.

Very much not happy that they're mashing the 1st The Watch-centric plot with a much later The Watch-centric plot. Guess it's another case of investors calling shots rather than a team that loves the source material.
posted by porpoise at 11:05 PM on January 11, 2021 [2 favorites]


I genuinely thought they were going for the comic beat of Vimes being panicked that Detritus was taking the crossbow bolts meant for him, and then Detritus shrugging them off - because *of course* he would, he's a golem. I guess it's less cliched that he actually died, maybe? But it actually breaks the world a bit - just *looking* at this giant stone creature, he seems like he should be impervious to crossbows.
posted by Mr. Excellent at 3:11 AM on January 12, 2021 [1 favorite]


Kyol-I forgot to label these as books included. Argh. I'll remember from here on out.
posted by miss-lapin at 5:47 AM on January 12, 2021


I was much more disappointed in this episode for the various reasons included: a golem felled by arrows, Ook not being Ook, and Death continuing to be disappointing. I haven't watched ep 3, but I'll be doing that shortly.
posted by miss-lapin at 5:50 AM on January 12, 2021


Detritus shrugging them off - because *of course* he would, he's a golem

I couldn't say about the programme that's the subject of conversation, but... Detritus is a troll. There is a golem in the Watch - he's called Dorfl.

That's the books, though. It appears anything goes in the show.
posted by Grangousier at 11:34 AM on January 12, 2021 [3 favorites]


« Older Movie: Another Round...   |  Jeopardy!: #8311... Newer »

You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments