Martina Cole’s The Take comes to Sky One
June 8, 2009 by Staff · 24 Comments
The Take is a new four-part serial, adapted from the best-selling novel by Martina Cole, airing on SKy One later this month and starring Tom Hardy (Bronson, Stuart A Life Backwards) as Freddie Jackson.
Just out of jail, he’s done his time, made the right connections and now he’s ready to use them. With his faithful cousin Jimmy (Shaun Evans) by his side, Freddie is ready to take on the world. His wife Jackie (Kierston Wareing) dreams of having her husband home but she’s forgotten the rows and the girls Freddie can’t leave alone.
At first Freddie gets everything he ever wanted and Jimmy is taken along for the ride, the two creating a growing crime empire that gives them all the respect and money they’ve hungered for. But behind it all sits Ozzy (Brian Cox) – a legendary criminal godfather who manipulates Freddie and Jimmy’s fates from behind the bars of his prison cell.
Bitter, resentful and increasingly unstable, Jackie sees her life crumble while her little sister Maggie’s (Charlotte Riley) star rises. In love with Jimmy, Maggie is determined not to end up like her sister. Freddie and Jackie watch Jimmy and Maggie achieve all the dreams that they themselves failed to realise: love, family, stability and respect. Freddie soon proves himself to be unpredictably violent and extremely dangerous.
A jealous resentment and an inability to control himself force Freddie to put both the business and family at risk. Torn between being loyal to a cousin he loves and being true to his own destiny, Jimmy is forced to decide between protecting Freddie or the life he has built with Maggie…
Cole, one of the UK’s most prolific crime writers and the author of fifteen novels set in London’s gangland, comments: “The Take was my era – I wanted to capture that. The times changed then – the family dynamics changed. Every now and then I like to go back and take people back to another era and show them how something began.”
The Take starts Wednesday 17th June at 9pm on Sky1 and Sky1 HD
Hey, this sounds good, a big fan of the book!
Was wondering if this is going to be quite violent? I’m not a big fan of violence, even though i read books my imagination is pretty good at what it looks like…
Any idea what certificate this will be?
- Rosie
Can’t wait for this! It looks brilliant. It’s on Sky1 next Wednesday (17th June).
Great interviews with the stars and Martina Cole and more trailers on the official site here: http://www.sky.com/thetake
Aido
Really looking forward to watching the take, its been getting some great advertising on terrestrial and sky tv. Big fan of crime drama and an even bigger fan of Martina Cole. I’ve seen Tom Hardy in quite a few things now and think he’s destined for a great career playing hardmen.
I am a extremley big fan of Martina Cole, i have read nearly all her books and i am so over the moon that one of my favs will be on tv!!!
just got this book imported from the UK. I really like it although it is very gritty and does have violence but that is to be expected. Her characters are well-defined the only thing I had trouble with is some of the slang words used since I don’t know what some of them mean. I am learning most of it though by looking things up on the internet in order to understand them properly. I am very impressed with the video clips. Do not know when I’ll actually see this though..As far as Tom Hardy well he can play any role he wants badder the better but he can also be a “good guy with flaws”. Truly gifted..
~USA
Bit of a let down really, the characters are nothing like those in the book, and as for east end cockneys, I don’t think so !
Does Martina Cole have a say in who plays her characters, or does she just sell the rights and let the tv company choose?
Was her story ‘Ladykiller’ ever televised, this was one of my favourite stories Martina Cole has wriitten.
Rating is 18. It has sex in it, drugs and lots of violence. But it is good.
ENJOY!
I enjoyed watching it however it was not a patch on the book. Was initially not convinced of Tom Hardys placement but he comes across most assuredly as a psycho with a short fused temper!
Jane – not sure about Ladykiller but many years ago Dangerous Lady was televised – and it was brilliant.
The problem with The Take is that they have tried to cram too much into too little time – it should have been given at least 4-5 hours, and when you consider the ridiculous amount of advertising time on Sky One it only gives about 40 minutes of each hour to the programme – NOT LONG ENOUGH SKY ONE!
I thought it was brilliant
- sorry.
However i think it is quite different from the book, but different good.
I love this, I’m not normally into fiction as I’m a true crime fan, but I really enjoyed this. It was on last night (two episodes) and I can’t wait for the third. Tom Hardy plays this part brilliantly, he really comes across as menacing and unstable. Loved it.
Well, I have never read the book, but if the first two episodes are to go by this will not be missed next week. This is British film making at it’s best. Hardy was the perfect actor for the roll as the “Un-Hinged” Freddy. The rest cast are also just as good. Please don’t run this down with “It’s was not like the book” comments, watch it for what it is, great British TV.
can someone tell me when the 4th part is on.
If anyone’s missed the news story, THE TAKE is coming to DVD next month and can be pre-ordered via http://www.seenit.co.uk/store/2-573406-B001W9EUCW-The_Take_DVD_2009.html
The first two episodes of the take were brilliant the best TV i have seen for ages. The actors were all brilliant.I cant wait to see the next 2 episodes.
I recorded the first 2 episodes to DVD-RW format last night. I set the disk to a 3 hour format and each episode is just on 45 minutes, minus the adverts, so hope to get the entire series nicely. I don’t really like gangster shite, but this series is superb. When are the remaining episodes due for broadcast?
Watched the first 2 episodes and wasn’t disappointed. I did find that Tom Hardy played the role of Freddy similar to how he plated Bronson, was surpirsed by that but they aren’t too a dissimilar character by all accounts. Looking forward to tonights episode, lets see how far they take the story.
This series is absolutely brilliant – hats off to Tom Hardy, what a fantastic and convincing actor – he should get an award for this performance for sure. Having read all of the Martina Cole books (to date – long may she continue to write!), this adaptation of The Take is extremely good in my view.
i am totally absorbedby this program. I love it!!!! Just started to read the book which is different but also amazing. Watching it though has the added bonus of watching Tom Hardy……now thats well worth watching!!! Fantastic television.
Not really into gangster movies but this is truely brilliant best thing ive see in along long time,never heard of Tom Hardy before but he was absolutley brilliant and also bloody gorgeous,cant wait till the last episode just cant think how its going to end!
I am not into this sort of programme at all. I stumbled on the 2nd episode last week and watched the repeat last night.
I am completely engrossed by Freddie. In fact, I have a crush on him….which is strange as Tom Hardy does nothing for me….
Can’t wait for Ep 3!
i have been completly engrossed in this on sky one, it is and has to be one of the best mini series i have ever seen, the characters, the story, the violence the way in which it compels you to watch the next episode is truly genius
tom hardy is amazing along with the supporting cast, absolutely brilliant….. i am hoping this hits dvd soon as i want to own this, i dont generally read books but this has defo made me wanna go out and start reading again. im hoping more of these are made into mini series as i was engrossed from the opening second right through to the final episode which is being aired tomorrow
WOW, just watched this and its the first time in ages i,ve really enjoyed british television. The story was gripping the actors were perfect for the roles they played and freddie( tom hardy) gorgeous….well every girl likes a bad boy!! can,t wait to buy the dvd.
Rubbish – really hated it. The books was so much better. I think too much info key to the characters & their relationships was left out of the TV show which really ruined it!