between the idea and the reality falls the shadow

BETWEEN THE IDEA AND THE REALITY FALLS THE SHADOW SERIES

You know from the start what the goal is: catch the bad guy. What I love about The Fall is that it is wholly unlike any crime drama I’ve seen. My path may have strayed since then, but watching beautifully made television like this always sparks the same interest in me.

BETWEEN THE IDEA AND THE REALITY FALLS THE SHADOW SERIES

Produced as a joint British and Irish project by the BBC, this series describes perfectly why, for a while, my dream was to work for the BBC producing film and television. The acting is superb, the cinematography phenomenal. I suppose I (mostly) unknowingly chose very creepy things to read and watch this week. A story of fortitude, protection, and interminable love, it was gripping from start to finish. It was a well-written novel that instead showed me just a little piece of the creative talent that emerges from this country. Room gave me no idea of Irish culture or tradition. Instead of experiencing an adult’s plans for escape and mental torture, we experience a little boy’s everyday thoughts as he grows up in his tiny universe, ignorant of anything outside of these familiar 11 cubed feet (in order to protect Jack, Ma describes what they see on the television as fantasy, not depictions of the rest of the world). The story is told from Jack’s point of view, which makes it all the more interesting of a read. Despite the terrible means by which he was conceived, Jack becomes Ma’s beacon of hope and a new reason to live and try to escape from Room. A horrifying, haunting, yet somehow heartwarming novel, it tells the story of a woman kidnapped, locked up, and abused by a stranger for seven years, during which time she gives birth to a son by her captor. This week, I decided to focus less on the tradition and history of Ireland and more on the culture and talent of its artists. Not to worry, though! I plan to continue posting regular updates, first concerning travel, then all about settling into my new home. Before then, I’ll be traveling with my sister to some amazing places, so I figured now would be a good time to wrap up this particular series. In just one month, I will be moving into my new room in Cork, Ireland. Today, I’ll summarize what will be the last week of the ICCC (Irish Culture Crash Course).

Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow