3 Reasons to Watch ‘Arthur & George’ starring Martin Clunes. That’s one of them.

Three Reasons to Watch Arthur & George

I really and truly can’t keep up. Why didn’t you tell me that Julian Barnes’ Arthur & George, a finalist for the 2007 Man Booker Prize, was coming down the line as a television series on Masterpiece? You know I’m addicted to the whole page to screen scene. Not very nice! Especially as the Arthur in Arthur and George is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! And is being played by none other than Doc Martin’s Martin Clunes. 

Ironic, isn’t it? I hear they’re finally getting some new Doc Martin episodes —although right now they’re only on Acorn (Acorn?!)— and now we’ve got a whole new show to clock? 

What a pleasure to see Martin Clunes smiling for a change!

At 454 pages, the book is too long for this reader to finish by this Sunday’s air date but I will give my Nook sample a gander; the first 23 pages should give me a pretty good idea of whether to give the book a whirl. I already know I’ll love the show though, because 1) British telly 2) period drama 3) Martin Clunes. Will you be watching too?

Here’s how the publisher Penguin Random House pegs it

As boys, George, the son of a Midlands vicar, and Arthur, living in shabby genteel Edinburgh, find themselves in a vast and complex world at the heart of the British Empire. Years later—one struggling with his identity in a world hostile to his ancestry, the other creating the world’s most famous detective while in love with a woman who is not his wife–their fates become inextricably connected.

The blurb presented by Masterpiece is even more enticing

After suffering a personal tragedy, iconic author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle finds himself in a personal and professional slump. But that all changes when he is approached by George Edalji, an Anglo-Indian solicitor convicted of mystifying and brutally violent crimes. As Sir Arthur and his trusted secretary Woodie dig deeper into the case, it’s clear that all is not as it appears. But with his professional reputation inevitably linked to the investigation, will Sir Arthur be able to discover the truth?

Based on the acclaimed novel by Julian Barnes, Arthur & George tells the real-life story of the case that inspired the famed author of Sherlock Holmes to put down his pen and turn detective. Starring Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) and Charles Edwards (Downton Abbey), the series airs Sunday nights at 8/7c starting September 6, 2015, on MASTERPIECE Mystery! on PBS.

Trailer Talk

Watch the ABC trailer for Arthur & George below but my fellow Americans, ignore the dates and times and try not to be too distracted by the voice over. The A in this ABC stands not for American but for Australian which you should be able to suss out from the accent of the bloke doing the voice over. 

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I’m excited to share this with those of you following 

British Isles Friday hosted by Joy at Joy’s Book Blog. 

#BriFri

If you’re looking for one of my British-themed memoir pieces you might want to check out the State of Britain page at Sim Carter: Past Tense, Perfect/Imperfect. 

Or, I don’t know, maybe not. No pressure.