A First Look at the Strike TV Series

Aug 15, 2017

Posted by: Kim McChesney

Actor Interviews, Burke, Cormoran Strike series/Robert Galbraith, Cormoran Strike TV Series, Cuckoo's Calling, Grainger, J.K. Rowling, News, Television Programmes

Last week the long-awaited unveiling of the BBC One Cormoran Strike television series took place at a media preview event at the British Film Institute as covered here by Leaky. The detective series is based on the Cormoran Strike novels by J.K. Rowling penned under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith with the first installment of the series, The Cuckoo’s Calling, set to premiere on BBC One Sunday, August 27 at 9pm. The series stars English actor Tom Burke as private investigator Cormoran Strike and British screen and stage actress Holliday Grainger as his assistant Robin Ellacott.

Robin Ellacot (Holliday Grainger) and Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke)

Robin Ellacot (Holliday Grainger) and Cormoran Strike (Tom Burke)

After previewing the first episode, the Radio Times had this to say about the chemistry between the two characters,

And there are plenty of twists and turns in the tale to keep viewers guessing as Strike and Robin make their enquiries, discovering more about each other in the process and hinting more overtly at the romantic tension between them that the novels only softly touched upon (here, Burke’s casting only helps the plausibility of this storyline).”

According to the Guardian, screenwriter Ben Richards who adapted the first book in the series for TV, has this to say about how Strike differs from other recent crime dramas,

“It does feel very different tonally and visually from other crime dramas,”[…]“There’s something interestingly retro about it while also remaining contemporary – it does have a bit of a Morse-like quality. Even the humour is similar – I was watching an old Morse the other day, and the great thing about that series was that it was funny but the humour wasn’t arch or crazy – it just came out of everyday scenarios.”[…]“There is a gentleness to it which I think has been missing for a long time in crime dramas where we’re often a bit too obsessed with having crazy twist after crazy twist.”

For U.S. fans not in the know “Morse” refers to a British detective show from the late 80’s-early 90’s called Inspector Morse based on the novels by Colin Dexter.

Ruth Kenley-Letts, the TV show’s executive producer, also spoke to the Guardian about the character Strike and what sets him apart,

“What makes Strike an exceptional investigator is that he just works very hard. He’s not like Sherlock–blessed with the ability to see everything. He’s a former soldier who lost a leg in Afghanistan and who had a difficult upbringing. He’s not magical. There’s something appealing about that. It makes a nice change to have a show where the crimes aren’t solved in a clever-dick way but because they put the effort in.”

In the interview with the Burke and Grainger below, they reflect on filming the series and comment on J.K. Rowling’s location scouting and her feelings on the finished product. Listen to what they have to say in this video that also includes clips from two upcoming scenes:

 

Another interview with Holliday Grainger and Tom Burke was released yesterday, in which the actors speak about their connections to their characters. Tom Burke emphasises the collaborative atmosphere behind-the-scenes, and speaks more about J.K. Rowling as a writer and her work helping with screenwriting on the show:

Are you a fan of the Strike novels? Let us know what you think of the preview and if you plan to tune in to BBC One August 27 for the first episode!

Featured image credit: BBC One/Strikefans.com





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.