Episode 2 (The Casual Vacancy)

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"Episode 2"
The Casual Vacancy episode
Episode no.Episode 2
Directed by Jonny Campbell
Written by Sarah Phelps
Featured musicSolomon Grey
Cinematography byTony Slater
Editing byTom Hemmings
Original air date22 February 2015 (2015-02-22)
Running time60 minutes
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Episode 1"
Next 
"Episode 3"

"Episode 2" is the second episode of the British miniseries The Casual Vacancy based on the novel of the same title by J. K. Rowling. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

The parish council election approaches and Pagford is on tenterhooks awaiting the next post from 'the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother'. Who is the Ghost, and what will they say? Is anyone in the village safe from humiliation? As tensions rise, the finger of suspicion points in many directions. [2]

Reception

The episode received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Cameron K McEwan of Digital Spy gave the episode a mixed review. Despite this, he praised the cast, in particular Abigail Lawrie, Rory Kinnear and Rufus Jones [3]

Ceri Radford of The Telegraph gave the episode 4 out of 5 stars, despite some reservations about the digressions, saying: [4]

The drama trod delicately between tragedy and comedy, while its direction gave an aesthetic consistency sometimes lacking in the original novel. In one of many clever tweaks, the action has shifted from Rowling’s winter of discontent to a ripe, rotten summer, with sun-soaked colours bleaching into sepia.

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References

  1. Munn, Patrick (28 January 2015). "BBC One Sets Premiere Date For 'The Casual Vacancy'". TV Wise. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  2. "The Casual Vacancy Episode 2". BBC. 22 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  3. McEwan, Cameron K (22 February 2015). "The Casual Vacancy episode 2 recap: JK Rowling adaptation stalls". Digital Spy. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  4. Radford, Ceri (22 February 2015). "The Casual Vacancy, episode two, review: 'magnificent'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 February 2015.