From the Evening Post
Rebus show killed off by ITV bosses
EDINBURGH’S most famous fictional crime fighter, Inspector Rebus, has been axed by television bosses after just four episodes.
The show – starring Scottish actor John Hannah – has been dumped by ITV despite proving a hit with viewers. But producers hope the show will get a new lease of life in the United States after being snapped up by BBC America.
Four books about the fictional detective, who was created by award-winning city-based author Ian Rankin, were adapted for television by Clerkenwell Films, Hannah’s own production company, and Scottish TV.
Feature-length film Black and Blue pulled in nine million viewers when it was aired in 2000.
A spokeswoman for ITV said: “Four episodes were commissioned and they did very well. But we are not obliged to make any more.”
In other words, she’s saying the show sucked. I don’t disagree. I’m a huge rebus fan and I was really looking forward to the series. But John Hannah was miscast, the direction was flat and the scripts didn’t capture the feel of Ian Rankin’s wonderful books at all (it reminded me of the lousy Blood Work adaptation…it, too, sounded so good on paper and was so bad in execution). It wasn’t the Inspector Morse/Nero Wolfe sort of adaptation all of us rebus fans were waiting for. I hope they try again — with new writers and a new star .
Here’s hoping they try again. I started on theseries back at “Knots and Crosses” and have been keeping up with it ever since. Rankin’s a great writer and deserves a wider audience.