"The Crow Road" (1996) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An adaption of Banks' dark novel, whose central character is Prentice McHoan, a young Scots history student...

Plot Keywords:

TV Mini-Series | Glass | Family Secret | Murder | Scotland

Awards:

4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Joe McFadden	...	Prentice McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Bill Paterson	...	Kenneth McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Peter Capaldi	...	Rory McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Valerie Edmond	...	Ashley Watt (4 episodes, 1996)
Stella Gonet	...	Fiona Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
David Robb	...	Fergus Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
Dougray Scott	...	Lewis McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Patricia Kerrigan	...	Janice (4 episodes, 1996)
Paul Young	...	Hamish McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Alex Norton	...	Lachlan Watt (4 episodes, 1996)
Elizabeth Sinclair	...	Mary McHoan (4 episodes, 1996)
Simone Bendix	...	Verity (4 episodes, 1996)
Claire Nielson	...	Aunt Antonia (4 episodes, 1996)
Jenny Ryan	...	Helen Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
Sarah Gudgeon	...	Dianna Urvill (4 episodes, 1996)
Irene Sunters	...	Mrs. McSpadden (4 episodes, 1996)
Stephen McCole	...	Dean Watt (4 episodes, 1996)
Ian Bustard	...	Droid (4 episodes, 1996)
Julie Austin	...	Lizzie (4 episodes, 1996)
Edward Casey	...	Young Prentice (aged 10) (3 episodes, 1996)
Robert James	...	Blawke (3 episodes, 1996)
John Harding	...	Paxton-Marr (3 episodes, 1996)
Mark Johnson	...	Young Lewis (3 episodes, 1996)
Kyle Calderwood	...	Young Kenneth (2 episodes, 1996)
Paul Young	...	Young Fergus (2 episodes, 1996)
Graeme Hill	...	Young Lachlan (2 episodes, 1996)
Alan McCafferty	...	Calum Watt (2 episodes, 1996)
Brian Alexander	...	Gavin (2 episodes, 1996)
Anne Myatt	...	Mrs. Watt (2 episodes, 1996)
Jody Robertson	...	Young Diana (2 episodes, 1996)
Deborah McLaren	...	Young Helen (2 episodes, 1996)
Maureen Lynch	...	Young Marion (2 episodes, 1996)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Filming Locations:

Ardkinglas House, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK

Company:

BBC Scotland

Trivia:

Although the last name of Prentice's flatmate Gavin is never mentioned in the book or the series, there is a label on the front door stating it to be Millar. "Gavin Millar" is also the director's name.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Prentice arrives into "Partick Cross" train station the train he is seen arriving on is different from that which we then see leaving the station (a class 303 arrives, a class 314 leaves)

Quotes:

Prentice: It all started the day my Grandmother exploded.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#11.1)" (1998)

A hugely impressive adaptation...

Brian Elsley's enormously commendable adaptation of Iain Banks' brilliant but seemingly unfilmable complex novel benefits from a witty, beautifully literate script and a strong cast, spearheaded by an immensely charismatic Joe McFadden as Prentice, the young Scot with the large, quirky circle of family and friends who gradually unravels a web of dark secrets. Bill Patterson is also worthy of note as the story-weaving, staunchly aetheist father, and the whole is a gripping, quietly stunning example of just how good BBC drama serials can be.