Spiritual wholesale

This was so bad it almost defies belief . It has every trope and cliche in extremis, coupled with wooden acting , sloppy direction and the budget of a casualty episode . You feel it’s been written by college students /excitable Dr Who fans with almost zero concept of real life .

For such a wonderful book , so precise , emotive and utterly involving , the tv production is a pale misguided adaptation. To have Mishka played as a dreadlocked black man is simply ludicrous and o e of the most preposterous diversity hires I’ve ever come across . Sadly there’s other characters played by people of colour which equally make a mockery of 1920’s Moscow . Just why ?? Ewan Mcg looks good and plays Sasha well , the sets and outfits are first class and it has a decent period feel . Though what in holy hell were they doing with the violins ??. It feels a little like it’s made for Americans ( which of course it is ) . Such a disappointment.