Whoa, here we have the big news, I think.
Ok, girls. Time to get that Netflix subscription: Richard has graduated from Epix to Netflix. According to Deadline Hollywood, Richard is going to take the lead on the new Harlan Coben series The Stranger. Read it here on the Deadline page. Or click to enlarge below:
Highlighted is what Richard says:
“I could barely contain my excitement reading Harlan Coben’s The Stranger; a nail biting thriller with a huge beating heart and a dash of social commentary for extra bite. I’m thrilled to be returning to work with Nicola Schindler and the brilliant creative team she has assembled.”
Right, ok, so that means I can throw Six in the bin. 😂 Because that was the best bet that we had in terms of figuring out which Harlan ´Coben Rich was going to star in. Everything else was already a foregone conclusion – not that difficult when Richie Baby is quite easy to read in terms of his Twitter follows. Harlan Coben √ – Nicola Shindler √…
Am I excited? Yes! I haven’t really followed the other series that have been made of Harlan Coben thrillers, but if I am correct the last one (The Five) was a British production. Which leads me to *desperately* hope that this will be a British setting, too – which will allow Richard to use his delicious English accent again. No offense to you lovely American ladies, and no disrespect to the lovely man – but Richard isn’t Richard when he’s grappling with an American accent imo. Anyway, filming to start in March 2019. Honestly – I can’t wait!!!! Fabulous news.
And no, I am not going to order The Stranger on eBay. This one I want to be unspoilt for.
Hooray Richard – can’t wait for your new show 😘
ETA: Richard has reacted to the news, too:
Guylty Pleasure 
Happy happy dance here!!! Two big ticks for me – SERIES! Netflix!!! Make that possibly three – British thriller, just what I’ve been wanting for what seems like years. I wonder when we are likely to see it if filming starts in March. IIrc Spooks showed the same year it was filmed, although of course it didn’t screen until the following year down here.
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I can’t tell you how thrilled I am, Mezz. I really, really hope that the involvement of RED production means that it is a Brit production – made in UK, set in UK, played by UK actors. There are so many good actors over there – and the prospect of RA speaking BE again, is just heavenly. As is the fact that I can actually access it without any difficulties. Long time subscriber to Netflix, hooray! So yeah, let’s hope this thing will be out in the autumn. And let’s hope we’ll get lots of news from the set and Richie in UK!!!
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I love the premise – contained series, family life, the intrigue, even the mention of his character’s name makes me drool lol….. Adam Price…….. it suits him 😍
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Not a fan of the name – but then again, that’s just a name. (And it’s not John!) But yes, contained series, family man with wife and kids – well, we’ll get some happy clappy stuff by the sound of things – before the intrigue starts. (I am really, really curious now who is going to play his wife…)
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Not John. Nor Daniel thank goodness, not needing any reminders of the debacle that is BS3. 😠 I’m looking forward to seeing who plays Corinne Price. Extra squee from me – Corinne is a variation of my middle name, and one I don’t see or hear of all that often.
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Yes, I can’t wait to see who is going to play opposite him in The Stranger! I’ve been wondering about that already. Are they going to choose someone who has a film career, or will they choose a well-known TV actress? In any case, it’ll be someone who is stunning, yet has some sort of ambiguous mystery in her looks. An actress over 30? (probably not over 40 – we know how sexist the business is.) I kind of got stuck on Sienna Miller. Or Hayley Atwell? Gemma Arterton? Ah, it’s just a game 😉
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Squee!! I’m absolutely beside myself! I’m with you, G, that I’m not going to read the book first (and that I’ll be returning the other one to the library). If the big twists are that important, then I want them to be real surprises. I’m a longtime Netflix subscriber (I also worked for them as a freelancer for 3 or so years) so no added expense, yay! (I still haven’t subscribed to Epix yet 😬.) This sounds like such a fantastic role for him! Hopefully some hot scenes to bolster the idea of the “watertight marriage,” lots of action, plenty of furrowed brow, etc., etc. Personally, I fear that an Autumn release may be a bit soon if they don’t start shooting until March, but Christmas-ish is likely. I will also try to remember to look up the eligibility dates for the next Emmys, because if they see that they have a really strong prospect during filming, they will want to release it during the best position for awards love. Oh boy! This makes going into Monday so much more pleasant. It’s going to be a long, uncomfortable week so this is just the news I needed. Thank you, G!!
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I really really hope that this is the UK-made and set series that we have been praying for. Honestly, one more indie film or US spy and I will lose interest for good. (Ok, no. But nearly.) Anyway, this is just what everyone wants and needs. I just hope hope hope that it will be really good – and make RA refocus his attention to homegrown drama.
As for release – you could be right, autumn may be a bit tight. But then again, they can’t film all year because RA also has the Father Quart movie on his list.
Anyway, great start to the week.
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Oh, I just realized, weren’t we wondering why he was in Los Angeles recently? Or was there a reason and we were also hoping that he was in negotiations on something? (Sorry, 3am here and I’m not thinking quite straight.) It would make sense that he was here to be in on the auditions/negotiations for this show, given that Netflix is based here. Or, I dunno (get on with getting on, LoLo. No more daydReAming until you get back home). I’ve been working at home since the knee surgery on 14 December; today will be my first attempt at going into the office. Not looking forward to it. I still can’t drive myself that far (about 50 minutes each way) so I’ll be Ubering. Hopefully sitting at my desk for 9 hours will only be horrible rather than excruciating. (Don’t wanna go don’t wanna go don’t wanna go.)
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Yep – and he wasn’t only in LA, he was also in Manchester, if you remember. And at the same time, he also started following Nicola Shindler (RED Productions) and Harlan Coben on Twitter. Yep, the little hints he leaves. The girls on Twitter were on it immediately… (I am usually too late in thinking of checking his follow list…)
How did you fare with work today? Hope it was alright. (And I am surprised you are still Ubering after your accident!!!)
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Oooh! His tweet said “back to Manchester”! Does that mean it will be filmed there?! 🤞🤞🙏
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Here’s hoping! 🤞🏻🤞🏻
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I think so, LoLo. Which is why I have high hopes that he will speak in his own accent.
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the story sounds really good. I look forward to this one!
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Same here. I might read that other Coben thriller now, just to kind of get in the mood, without spoiling myself…
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Yes yes yes yes yes! Happy dance here too! And I already love Netflix!
Btw if you do already have Netflix, check out Sex Education (with Gillian Anderson). It’s brilliant, very very funny but poignant too.
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Sex Education has been recommended to me every time I open up Netflix *sigh* and so far I have resisted because I was worried it was all about teenage angst. But if you are recommending it, it must be good? Please only tell me that Gillian Anderson doesn’t put on that slooooooow Bedelia du Maurier accent, because that drove me nuts in Hannibal…
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No, she’s using her lovely Brit accent and she’s hilarious. Their is lots of teenage angst but it is brilliantly done and is both true to life (well I assume so, it’s a long while since I was that age!) and very funny at the same time. The teenagers are superb too, especially Otis, Gillian Anderson’s son, Maeve, the tough girl who isn’t really, and Otis’s best friend who is black, gay and just full of joy. You even feel for the school bully. The script is to die for. Give it a try and don’t be put off by the very graphic first scene!
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Okidoki, I trust your recommendation 🙂
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You can hate me if you hate it! 😂
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😀 I’ll let you know! xx
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This is the best news ever!
I loved Sparkhouse and thought it never got the recognition it deserved.
I had some desperately bad news over the weekend concerning my brother and this has stopped me from falling into despair .
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I’m sorry to hear you had bad news, Yve. *hugs*
But yes, news like these really have the potential to lift the mood. I liked Sparkhouse, too, and I think it is a great omen that he is working with the team behind Sparkhouse again. In a way he is coming full circle – iirc Sparkhouse was the first audition where he turned up in “method” mode – and it took off from there…
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Oooh, this sounds perfect. Can I join in the excited squees?
Have we any idea when shooting starts? Hope it’s in Manchester – always my favourite city in the world.
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Aaargh, sorry, I meant to send virtul hugs to Yve as well.
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Oh, please join away, Jenny.
I think they said shooting is going to start in March. And it sounds as if it is in Manchester. At least RA tweeted something like “returning to Manchester”…
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And I meant to spell ‘virtual’ properly too. Sigh – put it down to the excitement!
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🙂 understandable.
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This is really exciting! I’ve read some of Coben’s books and also watched “Safe” on Netflix. The latter was a Coben mini-series starring Michael C Hall (“Dexter”) using a British accent. Pretty good show. Exciting twists and turns.
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Ah, alright – I have just checked – I have got Safe on Netflix here, too. Might have a look at that then. THanks!
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I shall look for it on Netflix too
Thanks for your kind words. I shall plod on with The Seville Communion up to page 240
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Oh, are you reading the book?
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Yes, however now I wonder if the stuff on imdb is incorrect and RA wasn’t attached.
Nevertheless the book is well written and although it isn’t exciting I shall read to the end.
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I read the book also and agree it isn’t exciting. Not what I expected, but have you ever read a book where it was mentioned so many times, almost by every character who meets him and even by minor characters, passers-by, that the main character, Quart, is so handsome? Not sure what genre, other than murder mystery, to put this in.
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Oh gosh, I hate it when that kind of thing was driven home with a sledgehammer…
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Page 206 cracked me up ,’Like Richard Chamberlain in The Thorn Birds but more manly’ and ‘And what, he wondered, was the bloody point of looking so good?’ (these were his thoughts into celibacy)
It left me chortling and it is perfect escapism at present.
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Oh, those are quotes from the book? LOL – ok, they are definitely driving home the point.
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Hm, I have just googled it again, and you are right – the only place where it has been mentioned, is on imdb. No press release, no production company tweet, no confirmation. Weird. But wouldn’t RA deny if it was definitely not true?
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Perhaps someone should ask his agents, they are still alive (sorry snarky, but often I am left less than impressed by them) as they confirmed The Stranger.
I am not sure who submits information to imdb.
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Nice idea, Yve. Although I have no idea whether the agents stoop to actually grace us lowly fans with their recognition by answering a question… 😂
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Ich kann’s kaum glauben, das klingt wirklich richtig gut. Fast zu schön, um wahr zu sein. Das Universum hat unser Flehen erhört…
Muss mich erst mal beruhigen und das alles auf mich wirken lassen.
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*sachte aufs Haar klopf* – alles klar? Alles gut? Ja, solche Schocker ist man gar nicht mehr gewöhnt, oder? Überhaupt heute ein Hammertag, was Neuigkeiten angeht…
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Absolut, da setzt prompt Schappatmung ein, weil frau ÜBERHAUPT nichts mehr gewöhnt war.
Wir waren richtig gut darin und zu begnügen und du hast dir große Verdienste darin erworben uns alle bei Laune zu halten mit dem, was (meist schon länger) da war. Und jetzt… ich trau mich kaum aus dem Haus, aus Sorge Wichtiges zu verpassen. *augeregtkicher*
P.S.: Danke für dein Mitgefühl. Langsam geht’s wieder.
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Sogar das Komma ist verrutscht und außerdem sollte es *aufgeregt* heißen. Na ja, vielleicht verursacht die Aufregung halt auch ein *au*.
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Ich hab’s ja trotzdem verstanden 😉
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LOL – stimmt, dann kann ich ja eigentlich jetzt dichtmachen. Mission erfüllt – die Wartezeit ist überbrückt. Jetzt kann Richard wieder selber ran.
Ja, es läuft echt Schlag auf Schlag hier. Erst Der Sexy-Priester-Film. Dann Skilaufen in Sundance. The Lodge. Dann überlebt Daniel und dann wieder nicht und nun eine Topserie. Ach, und außerdem können wir uns ja wohl auch auf nächstes Wochenende freuen, wenn diese Con in London stattfindet. Echt, Richard verwöhnt uns gerade…
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Ach je, diese Con in London hatte ich in all der Hektik fast schon wieder vergessen. Er scheint ja in heiterer Stimmung zu sein und sich von der Düsterkeit der verfilmten Inhalte keineswegs den Spaß an der Freud verderben zu lassen. Hoffentlich kann er die gute Laune bis dahin retten. Bin mal gespannt, was wir hier in de Ferne von diesem Ereignis mitbekommen werden.
Meinst du der Sexy-Priester-Film wird tatsächlich Realität werden?
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Naja, das war ja einer seiner Neujahrsvorsätze – er wollte näher an die Fans ran. Das wird sich dann wohl am nächsten Wochenende in der Praxis beweisen. Und ja, bin auch gespannt, ob und wie darüber berichtet wird. Auf Twitter gibt es jedenfalls einige Fannibals, von denen dürfte man Berichterstattung erwarten!
Und ja, ich gehe dennoch immer noch vom Sexy-Priester-Film aus. #EwigerOptimist
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Oh my goodness this is such wonderful news. I’m so happy for him and and he will be closer to home. I wonder who will be in the cast with him? This is the most excited I’ve been for a project of his for a long time. One thing I’m not sure of yet, book synopsis says the setting is New Jersey. I hope they will switch that up and it’s definitely in Manchester so he can speak in his natural accent.
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just what the Doctor ordered. It’s really fabulous news tbh, something interesting, something different, something for Netflix and hopefully he’s not a giant arsehole in it! lol
Fingers crossed like Sex Education they’ll make it British-he’s a much better actor with his own voice-i’m sure like Sex Education they’ll make it palatable to the American market in design (Sex Education is weird in that sense-the school is so not British but they’re British)
I’m genuinely chuffed for Richard-i think it;s exactly the kind of thing he wants to do and should be doing -oh my heart!
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Oh, Sex Education is set in the UK? Oh, that changes things. I just assumed that it was set in the US. It had that kind of look. And I just am too far away from the life and reality of an American teenager. A Brit teenager – ok, doable. After all I have a teenager at home *eeeek*. Mind you – I basically have the whole premise of “Sex Education” in RL anyway – yesterday she came home to cheerfully lecture myself and her father on ‘vaginal discharge’. *chokes*
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It’s set in UK with British kids but it’s weirdly American in look and to a degree the way the kids act
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Ugh. Ok – that really puts me off. But well, I will give it a try.
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It’s a bit weird but certainly improved by the last third of the episode
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Squeeeee, everything everyone else has already said! The Sparkhouse people again? I LOOOOOOVED him in that role. A wife and a good marriage? Oh joy!!! Who will be cast opposite him? Who? Whoooooo? Shall we start speculating?
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Yes, let’s start playing the guessing game. I have already wheeled out the list of British actresses. It has to be someone over 30 but under 40, I guess. (Ageist film industry.) And a stunning beauty with a somewhat ambiguous look, I’d say. The certain twinkle that makes the rumour peddled by the stranger, believable… I was thinking of Sienna Miller. Definitely a blonde. Because they are the most devious *lol*. Looking like wholesome parlour maids with their blond-blue-eyed innocence – and then the shock of their betrayal is even worse when they are suddenly found out to be [insert whatever abysmal secrets ‘Corinne Price’ is harbouring]. What’s your guess?
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😁 yep I’m a totally devious blonde! (With grey eyes!)
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I suspected that. I mean, I could tell just from your avatar on Twitter. Those sunglasses hide some sins, don’t they????
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Well they hide the crows feet!
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There’s no such thing as crows feet. There are only laughter lines that show you are a happy person with a good life! x
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I hope there’s a book in my library so I can read it. Never read anything from him.
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I read a book by Coben last year. Um. Can’t remember what it’s called or what it really was about… But I do remember it was “readable” as such.
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For Corinne Price: Amanda Abington
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Definitely won’t be her. She was in last year’s Harlan Coben.
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Claire Foy.
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Interesting choice. I like her. (But find her too young for Richard. Sorry, Richie xx)
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It needs to be someone who can match his quick changes of facial inflections. Hair color: irrelevant.
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Completely agree. However, I don’t think Hollywood (and by extension the film industry) agrees. Clichés wherever we look.
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Rachael Stirling ! totally underused actor
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Oh, she looks great and would be a fantastic choice for such a role. I totally second you!
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Have you seen The Dectectorists? Utterly wonderful BBC comedy written by and starring mackenzie crook -she’s his wife in and and wonderful
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Fabulous, fabulous show, and I agree about her as a choice for this role. She was ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. Generous, understanding and believable.
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O – M – G! I just watched the trailer to the show. I had never heard of it but just from the trailer it is absolutely hilarious. And I love the little glimpse in there, right down to the nerdy quasi-archeology. I HAVE to see this. Where can I see it, I wonder…
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It’s beautiful. It’s funny and sweet and so so clever. It was on BBC originally.
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I definitely want to see that now.
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Diana Rigg’s daughter? She is good. Good choice.
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For your co-star guessing game I think any of these ladies have the looks, age and acting chops to make for an interesting pairing with RA :
Emily Blunt
Rebecca Ferguson
Natalie Dormer
Romola Garai
Hardly likely but fun to speculate until actual casting is announced.
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