shobanchittuprolu Apple Tree Yard (2017): I have no idea about this series or the book it was adapted from prior watching this.I just picked up it randomly as it is just 4-episode long and labeled as thriller.This year I already got a surprise in the form of Cardinal (which I have no idea just like this one but Loved it after watching). SO does always random stuff turns out to be better surprises? Plot: Married with two grown-up children, Yvonne Carmichael (Emily Watson) lives a contented, conventional suburban life. But her world spirals into chaos, when a chance encounter leads to an impulsive and passionate affair with a charismatic stranger (Ben Chaplin). Despite all her careful plans to keep her home life and career safe and separate from her affair, fantasy and reality soon begin to overlap and everything she values is put at risk, as a life-changing act of violence leads to a Crown Court trial.My Review: To be frank Apple Tree Yard could easily fit into a 2hr+ feature film rather than 4-episode series.It doesn't mean that series is bad but it felt slow paced and with that content and some serious writing,this could become one of the best thrillers in film.Apple Tree Yard is thought provoking effective drama which is a must watch for everyone and it has lot of scenes with amazing sensibilities.Like the scene in which Yvonne bursts out during dinner and how Gary threatens adviser who insults rape victims,the dialogues are very good.And as for the stunning twist right at the end, did you still have Yvonne down as 'a victim' after that? Apple Tree Yard entirely belongs to Emily Watson's stunning performance.She is exceptional as illustrious scientist Yvonne Carmichael, mastering each scene as the action plummets from steamy mid-life trysts with the mysterious Mark Costley (Ben Chaplin) to "the first honest depiction of rape on television" – and on to a court case that threatens not just her reputation but her entire existence. Mark Bonnar and Ben Chaplin are also very effective in their roles.So,Apple Tree Yard is one of the rarest drama on TV which gives a sensible message which makes it worth watching.My Rating 7.25/10

fugufugu-36399 it makes sense from a female perspective.. she didn't report it because she didn't wanna be remembered as the one who got raped. and the rapist following her around is not so far fetched because we all do things that we don't understand and he couldn't help himself or something no matter how detrimental that could and did end up to be in the end. just think about the whole harvey weinstein situation ..hes smart, hes charming, creative, manipulative, abuses his power, couldn't help being himself despite the perpetual negative feedback he was getting from pretty much anyone around him ... and he got away with it for decades! women are too aware of how this works. Perjury ? thats nothing in the world we live.. She ends up believing in this mysterious guy because thats the kind of lie we are being fed by the happy go lucky movies... and whats behind a happy movie... anorexia, pain, "couch" casting, addictions. She wants to believe ... cause otherwise you're a negative loser... losing at life. For a short while life felt like a Nancy Meyers movie. And then life punches her over and over and she cannot punch back ... cause its not a Bruce Willis movie. The mysterious mess shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone because we all have ppl around us whos reality is different then everyone elses ... like totally different. And they love to be in the character and if you wanna call them out on it you end up feeling like you're abusing them or something... and it all turns into a massive tragedy. The series is great and thats that!:) I didn't even want to watch TV that night but it lured me in just from the whole vibe of it :) ...and her inner dialogue... the unspoken dialogue between Emily and her husband ... it melted my dark heart really. I hope she didn't get to live all the feelings shes expressing trough her face and demeanor on here! No supersmart ass lines needed, just life unfolding + the shock of having to accept what she cannot control + having to survive everything... And the humiliations we all go trough and our weakneses that bring us to our knees ...and we have to see each other like that and live with those images in our minds and souls and we don't even like to use the word soul cause we are not our moms but still... we have one that gets messed up over and over and we end up messing others up too and we have to hold in there cause what else can we do... other then the obvious.. or go on meds . And the cinematography is great and it makes me wanna live in London!

Spencer Compton Before "Apple Tree Yard" premiered, media coverage and promotional materials seemed to be selling it as a drama looking at the (supposedly) under-explored theme of extramarital affairs resulting from the sexual frustrations of middle-aged, middle-class married life.This topic is, thankfully, only the focus of the first episode of this four-parter; while the theme remains as an undercurrent in subsequent episodes, the main plot thread descends into standard thriller territory. Emily Watson is brilliantly understated as Dr. Yvonne Carmichael, the ordinary woman living a comfortable existence who is unexpectedly seduced by the mysterious Mark Costley. It is harder to evaluate Ben Chaplin's performance as the latter due to the mysterious nature of the character, but that nature is skillfully conveyed; one can understand why Yvonne would be curious about someone so enigmatic. The other actors are convincing in their roles, but the parts they are given are somewhat underwritten (even the vital character of rapist George Selway is denied any motivation other than Yvonne). This flaw is, however, not a major one; the focus of the series is Yvonne, with every scene taking place from her perspective. Yvonne is a character made fascinating by her normality and the questions her actions raise.The show's makers seem to be asking the viewer "What would you do in this situation?" Some reviewers have dismissed the plot as laughable because it depends on Yvonne doing things that no so-called "rational" person would do. As observers, we are invited to ponder whether we could remain rational in times of extreme stress, fear and uncertainty. While most viewers would probably disagree with at least one of Yvonne's decisions, few of us could state with confidence that we would always act as we would wish to, regardless of circumstances.In many ways, Yvonne (and, by extension, Watson) is the series saving grace. By focusing on her thoughts, desires, actions and reactions, the viewer is distracted from how generic and predictable the plot is, particularly in the later episodes. From the moment Costley neither affirms nor denies Yvonne's assumption that he is a spy, we know that he will be revealed as a fantasist. As soon as Yvonne decides not to tell the police about her affair with Costley, we know that it will be used as a bombshell revelation in the courtroom. The makers want us to be surprised as the twists and turns the story takes, but there is nothing truly unexpected in the series (with the exception of the rape, which I will come to shortly). Case in point: the final revelation that Costley only killed Selway because he believed Yvonne had told him to. Ending twists (as M. Night Shyamalan would agree) should impact the viewer and make them reassess everything they have just witnessed. This one is more of an "oh" moment; in no way does it subvert viewer expectations and assumptions. Instead, it merely reinforces what we know about Costley: he sees himself as a hero and his manslaughter as a heroic deed.What is surprising (and revealing) about this series is how little it has to say about adultery. Considering how the BBC chose to promote it as a mature look at the topic, it would be reasonable for one to expect some sort of message. Strangely enough, despite the serious tone and lack of comedy the series presents, that message never comes. One might argue that adultery is implicitly condemned through the consequences of Yvonne's affair, but those consequences also hinge on her being raped and her lover having a personality disorder, while the affair between Yvonne's husband and one of his colleagues is merely a plot device to blind him to the true cause of Yvonne's distress. On the other hand, the series in no way encourages adultery or polygamy, nor does it criticise the institution of marriage. This on-the-fence approach reveals the makers' true intentions: any serious themes are mere window-dressing for a thriller whose purpose is ultimately to provide some escapism for viewers.If this series will be remembered for anything, it will not be the generic plot, nor will it be Emily Watson's admittedly brilliant but far from unusual performance. What sticks in the mind the most (and prompted the most discussion after the first episode aired) is the depiction of rape. For this scene director Jessica Hobbs is to be commended; she strikes the perfect balance, avoiding the traps most rape scenes fall into. It is shocking without being needlessly explicit, it in no way feels romantic or erotic and it is treated as an earth-shattering event rather than a mere plot device. It feels perverse to talk about great rape scenes, but the one featured in "Apple Tree Yard" certainly falls into that category.Overall, this series is not an instant classic, nor is it even as original as it would have you believe. However, it is still recommended for viewers looking for an thought-provoking but entertaining thriller.P.S. On a frustrating note, we never do find out why Costley was rejected by MI5.P.P.S LEGAL INACCURACY: It is suggested that at one point the police deliberately lied to Yvonne. In the UK, that is illegal. Furthermore, all interviews are recorded, so a policeman who did lie during an interview would be opening themselves up to facing disciplinary action.

ianlouisiana Any series that starts with the main character handcuffed in a prison van on the way to court is cheating the viewers.Sure,flashback is a legitimate device,but in this case it's a cheap shot,hoping to grab the audience for what is in evidently going to end up as a courtroom drama albeit one preceded with a fair amount of knee - trembling in various alleyways and lascivious texting(see above). There is also a graphic and gratuitous rape scene to end episode one which can only have been included to make the obvious point that whilst a woman may enjoy rough sex with a lover it doesn't make her game for a drunken workmate. I wouldn't have thought that in 2017 it was necessary to make that statement but presumably the BBC hopes it will do wonders for the viewing figures. "Apple Tree Yard" - the location of one of the lovers' trysting places if grunting up against a brick wall can be called trysting - is made for the chattering classes about the chattering classes. It is a revealing look at how they regard marriage. Obviously it is no impediment against casual and brutal sex with complete strangers and the main characters are dismissive of middle class morality. "Having sex with you is like being eaten by a wolf" texts the 50 - odd year old Geneticist (Miss E.Watson) to her beau (Mr B.Chaplin). Well,I was once bitten by my aunt's Pekinese and I was unable to see the co - relation. Mr Chaplin is something at the Palace of Westminster and is proof it were needed that most of its denizens would be immeasurably improved by death. Apart from establishing his heroic libido,episode one tells us nothing about him. MIiss Watson is married to an apparently cheating husband just so we won't feel so bad. Hopefully episode two will go easier on the cast's knees and backs and give us something to get our teeth into.(Ooops!)