The TV adaptation of C.B. Strike delivers an entertaining detective series that faithfully and effectively adheres to genre tropes. Read critic reviews
C.B. Strike (2017)
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Episodes
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1. The Cuckoo's Calling
Air date: Aug 27, 2017
Cormoran Strike, an injured war veteran turned P.I., and secretary Robin Ellacott seek the truth surrounding the mysterious death of supermodel Lula Landry.
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2. The Cuckoo's Calling
Air date: Aug 28, 2017
Strike discovers that Lula was murdered and makes a breakthrough about how it was done; Robin is offered a permanent job in HR but is reluctant to take it.
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3. The Cuckoo's Calling
Air date: Sep 3, 2017
Long-buried secrets are revealed, putting Strike and Robin in danger as they close in on the killer.
C.B. Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling Photos
Tv Season Info
Cast & Crew
Critic Reviews for C.B. Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling
Audience Reviews for C.B. Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling
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Loved the character interaction between Cormorant and Robin. Story is a bit cliche but still fun to watch.
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Excellent adaptations of the detective novels. The characters are better looking than expected and have plenty of depth on screen. As with any novel to screen adaptation much of the plot must be trimmed, and in this case Season one of Strike is a great and thrilling show. Wonder if it was inspired by the old Cracker mini-series with Robbie Coltrane.
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Well written, well cast, and well acted. All in all, very enjoyable.
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Expertly cast, set, shot, acted. Kudos to directing and editing. A small minority of critics gripe that things move "too slowly"--which is just because, eschewing slam-bang fantasy thrills, the series adheres to realism.
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A good cinematic depiction of J.K. Rowiing's (under the penname Robert Galbraith) series. The lead actors inhabit the roles quite well. I look forward to more seasons.
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There is something very comforting, even nostalgic, in the ordinariness and the straightforwardness of this show, which means the stories are driven by plot and character and not cheap manipulations. Channeling a Raymond Chandler style brooding detective, Strike lives a spartan lifestyle, sleeping on a cot in his office. He doesn't have a gun or a car, so there are no obligatory shoot outs or car chase scenes. He doesn't even have one of his legs, which makes running after the bad guys with his prosthetic leg a challenge, which he often loses. But assisted by his lovely and devoted fearless partner, Strike solves his cases through his spot-on instincts and solid sense of self. Reticent and not especially witty, it is all the more moving when he does have moments of showing his deeper emotions. His very ordinary face and rumpled coat start to grow on you with each episode. A side benefit: a glimpse of lots of London pubs and restaurants.
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Great story but the character of Strike is what makes this series so good. I think Tom Burke is excellent in playing a roughed up complex hero. Bravo, Mr. Burke. Great upcoming big talent.
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Low-key and totally compelling.
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Like the novel its based on, BBCs adaptation of The Cuckoos Calling isnt anything revolutionary, but it sure is a lot of fun. When it comes to this adaptation, the biggest thing worth talking about is Tom Burkes portrayal of Cormoran Strike, because its really the best aspect of the show. Thats not to say the show is bad or anything, on the contrary, its rather good, but Tom Burke is just the brightest part of the show. He is perfectly cast as Strike and his performance is just captivating to witness. He commands the screen with such utter ease, its honestly incredible. The really nice thing about his portrayal of Strike is that it feels a lot warmer than the Strike of the novels, but at the same time he still very much feels like hes playing the same character thats in the novels. Its just the way Burke delivers the lines and the way his charisma shines through the screen that makes him so enthralling in this show. Holliday Grainger is similarly good as Robin Ellacott. Shes not given nearly as much to do in these three episodes as Burkes Strike is given, but she still manages to shine fairly brightly, too. Her chemistry with Strike is spot on, and she does wonders with giving Robin a third dimension that shes really not written with in this adaptation. (The novel spends a lot more time with Robin than the show does, and as such, the shows depiction of Robin is lacking. But Grainger does make up for that somewhat with her performance.) Unfortunately, her fiance, Matthew (Kerr Logan), is given even less to do, barely appearing in the three episodes that comprise this adaptation at all. Its a shame since their home life does play some importance in the subsequent books in the series, and Matthew has had a total of about one minute of screen time thus far. But, such is life. As for the show itself, its really good. Like the book, it doesnt do anything particularly new or revolutionary with the genre, but its a very enjoyable and well put together mystery. If I had one complaint about the show, its that it doesnt really do anything interesting visually. It does nothing to differentiate itself visually from every other detective show currently being made, and its a shame since most detective shows right now arent about a one-legged ex-soldier whos now a private detective. The premise is at least unique and interesting, but the visuals dont offer anything that matches the uniqueness of the writing. That being said, its still very competently shot and directed, and often times very beautiful. Just nothing particularly unique. The mystery itself is well put together, and its executed just as well as it is in the novel. Its not so easily solvable that everyone will have it figured out by the end of the first episode, but its not so ridiculous that nobody will have been able to figure it out by the end of the third episode. So, it definitely does its job. The visuals, and especially the soundtrack and sound effects, really do a good job of leading the audience through the mystery. Im particularly thinking of the climax of the story, about 2/3 of the way through the third episode, where the soundtrack really hammers home the tension thats been building throughout the episodes, all leading up to the moment where the murderer confesses, in true whodunnit style. I dont have much to say about Strike: The Cuckoos Calling, good or bad, because, like the novel, theres just not a whole lot to say. Its an enjoyable mystery, filled with fairly well-written characters, that feels like a homage to old detective stories while also being distinctly modern. Its lots of fun, well written, well acted, and well directed. Theres nothing particularly challenging about it, but thats okay. Theres nothing particularly unique about how it looks, but thats okay, too. I do like that Strike is representative of the disabled community, thats nice, and I feel like hes a good representation for the community as his disability doesnt define his character at all. Hes a really good detective who just happens to be missing a leg. Overall, I really enjoyed Strike: The Cuckoos Calling, and Im looking forward to BBCs adaptation of The Silkworm (the second novel in the Cormoran Strike series), which starts airing next week.
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very decent and enjoyable book's adaptation. Perfect casting and locations.
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