Tv drama Falling 1st episode

I understand that Paapa Essiedu learnt British sign language for his part so that he could interact with Sophie Leigh Stone a profoundly deaf actress who played his Sister Susan in the series. Well done to them both for their amazing acting skills. Keeley Hawes for me came across as to worldly for A Nun from an enclosed order. Nonetheless I still enjoyed watching Falling.

I’ve watched 2 episodes. Almost abandoned it after the first episode but stuck with it for 2. I won’t be bothering with a third.

I found it rather unconvincing. I spent 20 years of my nursing career working alongside an order of nuns . Nothing about Sister Anna rang true. The way she conducted herself, how she spoke bore no resemblance to the nuns I knew very well.

When asked by the priest if he could see her cabbages she replied “only if you get me very drunk”. 🙄

She mentioned she was part of an enclosed order. Yet she was wandering about in the community distributing veg boxes. Enclosed nuns live in seclusion from the outside world in prayer and silent contemplation. After 20 years of living in an enclosed order she wouldn’t have had the knowledge to just wander out and know where to hop on a bus and she wouldn’t have had any money for the bus fare.

How convenient that she had a full head of long healthy hair ready to be cut into a fashionable style. The nuns I worked alongside all had DIY short hair cuts to facilitate their cap and veil.

Oh dear, I sound rather grumpy and cynical. Maybe I should have followed my gut instinct and given up after episode one .

There was nothing wrong with the priest in ‘Falling’ MayBee, I found him very attractive.

It was Keeley Hawes who was the problem, she was so irritating!

I don’t know whether to start Falling. I watched the last episode of Half Man last night but (darn it) have to watch it again as I fell asleep. It’s a real case of I’ve started so I’ll finish but it’s been a miserable telly watching experience. Maybe I could be employed to finish the series that other people don’t want to…a sort of tv series sin eater? Maybe if Falling had used the dishy priest ( sigh) from Fleabag we would have all remained glued to it?

I watched it all and, as is often the case with me, I don't know why I continued watching when a drama was so obviously not working.

I thought both main actors were miscast and unconvincing in their roles. Although I usually like Keeley Hawes - she was very good in Line of Duty and The Durrells (two very different roles) - I didn't like her portrayal of the nun. I couldn't understand why the priest would have fallen for her - her prissy voice and apparent self-centredness.

I didn't realise it was based on a true story and feel that this drama didn't do it justice.

I’ve watched the first three episodes,

TBH, I found the Keeley Hawes character extremely irritating.

She seemed determined to ‘tempt’ the priest, even though he was trying not to get involved with her.

And I don’t think after many years of being cloistered away as a nun, she would be quite so willing to strip down to a swimsuit when on her trip to the seaside.

Her new landlady is being very generous, letting her live there rent free I assume, feeding her, lending her money for a stylish wardrobe….

I think she’s a bit of a floozy.

Don't fancy it after reading reviews. The Guardian gives it 2 stars.

Not seen it, but noticed yet again diversity strikes again. This is based on a true story of a Polish monk and he was white. The same actor (who I have seen in other dramas and liked very much) who is to play the part of Severus Snape which was previously played by Alan Rickman. He was not black. It would be very ill thought of if white people played the part of a black character. I don't agree with people "blacking up", they should use black actors.

I just watched the first episode. I think Keeley Hawes based her performance on Julie Andrews. At times I thought all the nuns were going to break into a song and dance routine a la Sister Act.

No convent in this country has that many nuns, but maybe it's an Anglican convent? The edges were certainly blurred.

The confessional scenes were truly cringe and the whole thing was totally unbelievable.

Sorry but I'm out.

It's based on a true story.

Cossy

keepingquiet

Catholics don't believe in celibacy- they believe in God and the teachings of His Church.

I'm not sure if I will watch this series or not.

Well, strictly speaking, this is true, but it doesn’t alter the fact that nuns and priests cannot ever have a sexual relationship (in theory)

My understanding is that’s it’s because they take a vow of celibacy and are “married” to God?

It does all seem very very “old fashioned” and I do not really understand, in this day and age, why Priests should not serve god AND have the option of having a wife and family.

I supposed nuns and monks, especially those in closed orders, are in a different situation BUT I do wonder how many of them fall away and have relationships with each other?

Orthodox priests do marry and have families, it just isn't Roman Catholic tradition.

The call to celibacy isn't for everyone, but it is a very full and fulfilling life for some. Fashion doesn't really have anything to do with it. For some sex isn't the big deal some people think it is.

I love Keely Hawes and all the Cusaks, so I’ll give it a go!

keepingquiet

Catholics don't believe in celibacy- they believe in God and the teachings of His Church.

I'm not sure if I will watch this series or not.

Well, strictly speaking, this is true, but it doesn’t alter the fact that nuns and priests cannot ever have a sexual relationship (in theory)

My understanding is that’s it’s because they take a vow of celibacy and are “married” to God?

It does all seem very very “old fashioned” and I do not really understand, in this day and age, why Priests should not serve god AND have the option of having a wife and family.

I supposed nuns and monks, especially those in closed orders, are in a different situation BUT I do wonder how many of them fall away and have relationships with each other?

Having binge watched ( twice) Babies I need to watch this as I like to watch actors in different roles just so I remember that they’re acting. I hadn’t realised that Paapa Essiedieu had been in so many things. It had a good’ish review on Must Watch, too.

I was really looking forward to this, but what a disappointment. The original couple on which this was based look far more interesting.
She is really not believable at all as a nun of 20 years standing. And a lot too much make-up!
Shame, could have been a really interesting study.

Allira Thank you so much for the link to the story behind the drama Falling. I have binge watched this moving story and enjoyed every minute. I found it particularly interesting because I knew a Roman Catholic priest who left the church to marry a wonderful woman. They were very happy.

Catholics don't believe in celibacy- they believe in God and the teachings of His Church.

I'm not sure if I will watch this series or not.

It is wonderful, beautiful and moving. I love it.

I like both Keeley Hawes and Paapa Essiedieu and think they are both good actors, however I felt they were miscast in this.
And yes, it seems ridiculous to me that the Catholic church still believes in celibacy, but much of that religion and all others are ridiculous to me.

I'm just constantly amazed that a priest still can't marry. It makes no sense to me at all. I am not religious, but I respect that some people are but why can't someone commit themselves to their god and still have normal feelings. Sorry I just don't get it.

Yes I feel that it is a slow burner but I am going to try and stay with it. When I was a child one of our priests left the church because he had met a Lady whom he fell in love with. I bumped into him some years later and automatically addressed him as Father. He said I am Mr X now, I have a beautiful wife and two gorgeous children, I could not be happier. I told him I was glad that he had found the happiness he was looking for and wished him well for the future. I never saw him again but always remember him with much affection.

I couldn't post the picture of the true-life couple this was based on, but she looked lovely too.

westendgirl apparently Lisa, the nun whose story inspired this, had been a nun for years before she met Robert, the monk and he proposed one week after meeting her!

She left everything behind and left the order and followed him. It sounded quite an unnatural life, far stricter than the one in this TV series.

SORES

or Deborah Kerr in Black Narcissus

A great film, and yes, another beautiful nun.

I suppose I meant she didn’t own the part. I just wasn’t convinced about either of the two of them!
I need to care about what will happen next but I didn’t.

or Deborah Kerr in Black Narcissus