Jerusalem: 1940s-set espionage drama for Channel 4

Channel 4's not one I usually pay much attention to, Agents of Shield aside (and they've just taken on Gotham too, comics-to-telly fans) so I was intrigued by Double O Section's news that the channel is making a six-episode series set in the 1940s, about a British civil servant spying for the Americans. I'm guessing the series' name, Jerusalem, has more to do with the William Blake poem/popular hymn than the city, and notions of Englishness*, but with spies involved, the city could come into it, though everything I've been able to dig up on filming suggests it's being shot in England and Wales. 

I'm very excited to see Keeley Hawes is in this. She's fantastic in Ashes to Ashes and Line of Duty; I've yet to catch up with The Durrells but I know that's a programme loads of people really love. I'm not familiar with most of the rest of the cast, as far as I can tell - one of the quirks of my mild prosopagnosia (diagnosis: 'functional but impaired') is that I don't often remember actors from one show or film to another, unless they play a really major part in something I really enjoy. (I spent the whole of Donnie Brasco wondering why the old mobster looked familiar; it was Al Pacino.)

As it's a period piece, of course I looked up the costume designer. Barbara Kidd's recent credits include The Secret Agent and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, so I've high hopes there. She also worked on Blake's 7 and classic era-Doctor Who, including my fave Jon Pertwee, which makes for one mighty cool career, though those are possibly less relevant to costume drama.

Anyway, Jerusalem will be out next year, so it's one to look forward to. In the meantime, I really should get round to The Durrells, shouldn't I?


*So many people always overlook the fact that Blake was massively radical. Fascinating artist.

Comments

  1. Oooo...sounds all backstabbing & nefarious!
    On prosopagnosia: I can recognize voices better than faces.

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    1. It's almost embarrassing how easily I lose people. It's as though without an 'appearance' to attach facts to, the facts vanish too. Online avatars help immensely!

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  2. I'd love to see The Durrells, if it ever makes it to Belgium. Jerusalem looks quite promising too ... I have to admit, though, that lately watching television seems to fall by the wayside, even if I do record things... I still have to watch most of Back in Time for Tea ... xxx

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    1. Yeah, I've cut back my viewing too. I probably still watch too much, and I admit I've only really swapped watching telly for playing on my PlayStation.

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  3. Spying? Now you're talking!
    I loved Keeley Hawes in Spooks (one of my most favourite TV series ever!) and she was phenomenal in Line Of Duty. I know The Durrells looks pretty but I can't bring myself to watch it, it looks too cosy and safe - I like my drama with more edge. xxx

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