h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm not sad at all about Charles Dance replacing Jeremy Irons. While Jeremy Irons is a fine actor in his own right, I could never understand why he gave Vetinari that lisp. He also just didn't quite portray the Machiavellian confidence of Vetinari like Dance does. Dance is much more intimidating and imposing than Jeremy Irons. The character is the embodiment of control, at all levels. That lisp eroded that aspect. It made him seem more vulnerable and flawed, aspects that are anathema to the Vetinari I expect to see.

Although I agree with you that Charles Dance's performance was definitely better and far more in character than Jeremy Irons', I would have liked to have seen more consistency to tie the adaptations together which having the same actor playing Ridcully would have provided. I would have been happy for Charles Dance to be in both. Having more recurring characters played by the same actors would have made the adaptations feel more like part of a larger whole in a connected universe, rather than three individual adaptations.

I still blame the director rather than Jeremy Irons for his portrayal of Vetinari, as surely it is up to the director to understand the characters and ensure the actors give the required performance? After all, it is the director's project whereas Irons was just guest-appearing in it.

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