Dalziel and Pascoe (TV Series) Dialogues of the Dead: Part 1 (2002) User Reviews

Decent installment

[Wirefan122 · 8/10 · 28 May 2015]

A series of what appear to be dissimilar murders occur: a automobile repairman pushed off a bridge (made to initially look like a suicide), a TV reporter/personality killed in her apartment and others. I have not read the book, unlike the other two reviewers, but found it to be pretty much standard Dalziel & Pascoe fare: Cringing/laughing when Dalziel talks and just an enjoyable crime drama as usual...if not as good as some previous episodes.

As an aside: particularly enjoyable to me was when Pascoe, Wieldy and Dalziel consult with a author/literary expert and a psychologist about some the "Dialogues of the Dead" that show up whenever a new body is found. The psychologist lights up a joint (I believe it must be that!) and Dalziel is initially quite upset but lets her do it for the sake of the investigation (I may be missing exactly why he allowed it). Dalziel is seen through the haze of smoke and starts to get a bit stoned, I believe. His facial expressions and comments are priceless!

A good installment even if not faithful to the book.

Slight changes made from the book

[Sulla-2 · 31 August 2005]

I read the book well before I saw the television adaption. I thought that it was very well cast. Interesting that Jack Dee was caste as Dick Dee. In the book George Headingly was an Inspector, not a Constable and Pascoe had been promoted to Chief Inspector. The murderer commits a series of seemingly unrelated crimes. After each death the murderer sends a short entry to a short story competition, describing the crime. The list of suspects narrows as some of them get killed off as the programme progresses, a bit like Midsomer murders. Dalziel is his obnoxious best and the identity of the murderer comes right at the end. There are no real clues as to the identity until very near the end.

Bears little relation to the book.

[morningside-417-186904 · 1/10 · 8 July 2012]

This episode is the second of only two which were based on books by Reginald Hill. Some main characters have been omitted, others changed completely; the plot has been distorted, and the ending changed. None of the changes added anything to the drama; what a horror! Hill created complex characters, and (admittedly) convoluted plots, with twists and clues which were vital to the resolution of the stories. What a pity his marvellous books fell into the hands of a bunch of illiterate pillagers, who should return to their obvious home ground: producing cheap thrillers for the undemanding viewers of such rubbish. No fault to be found with the actors, however - marvellous casting, especially the leads. Warren Clarke, Colin Buchanan David Royle et Al are superb in their roles; I cannot imagine any other actors inhabiting the parts. My beef is with (chiefly) the writers, but the producers and directors must share the blame.

No Christmas cheer here

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 4/10 · 6 August 2021]

Oh dear!.

I have been binge-watching the show from the start but this differently formatted Christmas special is oh so poor.

There are some big comedic names here but no sign of any laughs, characters you don't care for and even eye candy like Lucy Davis and Dervla Kirwan can't save the show.

Thankfully, this only an hour long but the second half needs to improve greatly.