I am the ghost of Barry Fairbrother, and I am watching you. ... Clock's ticking, Pagford.
The Casual Vacancy is a BBC miniseries of three episodes based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling, starting on the 15th of February, 2015. Taking place in the sleepy little town of Pagford, it follows the turmoil of local politics and families after the death of Barry Fairbrother, a parish councillor, resulting in a grab for his seat which gains all the more imortance as the council is discussing getting rid of an addiction clinic that Barry was the chief defender of.
The Series Provides Examples Of (Tropes Shared With The Book Are On The Literature Page):
- Adaptational Attractiveness: Howard, played by Michael Gambon, is far from being overweight as in the book, Obbo is a muscled, tattoed man instead of instead of a hobo and Maureen looks more like a wax statue of Marilyn Monroe than anything.
- Adaptation Expansion: The first episode expands on Barry's life as well as his ties with the Fields and its people, especially with the Weedons. It also expands a line about Simon's mother also being a hardworking woman from the Fields, like Barry's was, into making them half-brothers, to give Simon an extra reason to want to stand.
- Decided by One Vote: Miles Mollison beats Colin Wall 198-197. Notably, the election inspired such disgust that 35 voters simply submitted vandalized ballots as a form of protest.
- Demoted to Extra: Sukhwinder, who despite being a Po V character in the books, and tries to save Krystal and Robbie from drowning is relegated to moody daughter in the series, with her role being given to Vikram.
- Faux Affably Evil: Simon Price, even more so than in the book. He may speak with a calm and quiet tone most of the time, but don't let that fool you. He even breaks the bike Andrew borrowed from him, just so he can punish him for it later.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Well, more "irresponsible jerkass twin and responsible Nice Guy twin", but Barry and Simon count.
- Happily Married: Barry and Mary as seen in the first episode.
- Hope Is Scary: While at Krystal Weedon's place, Barry asks her to come and stay at his and wife's house for the night. She rejects the offer, noting "I'd just have to come back here."
- Kirk Summation / Shut Up, Hannibal!: Barry delivers an awesome one to Howard and the parish council about the cause of the council and Pagford and the Fields in general being a True Companions sort-of community, and pointing out the hypocrisy behind wanting to keep the people of the Fields there.
- Race Lift: Gaia and Kay are black. Justified in Kay's case given she was dark-skinned to begin with.
- Related in the Adaptation: Barry Fairbrother and Simon Price go from "both had a hardworking mother and grew up in the Fields" to half-brothers (with different fathers).
- Sibling Rivalry: Simon and Barry.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Barry and Simon.
- Spared by the Adaptation: Robbie. And, in a small way, Krystal. Though she still dies, her death in the adaptation (accidental drowning while searching for a brother she feared had fallen into the water) will presumably keep her from being mistakenly remembered as just another worthless junkie, the way her death in the book (suicide by intentional OD) leaves her.
