Moist von Lipwig is a con-man with a particular talent—he is utterly unremarkable. That is the joke Terry Pratchett built his 33rd Discworld novel around, and the Sky One television adaptation, Going Postal, mostly gets it. The series follows the man whose execution is stayed when he agrees to become the land’s head Postman, and the twist is that the job is far more dangerous than anyone expected. Two episodes, one night each, aired on Sky One on 2010-05-30 and 2010-05-31.
The Setup
Moist’s choice is simple: accept the job or walk out the door and fall to his death. He picks the job, and the rest of the story is about how quickly things stop being simple. Richard Coyle plays Moist with the right blend of charm and desperation, and Charles Dance as Lord Vetinari is the calm center of the whole operation. The supporting cast runs deep: Tamsin Greig as Miss Cripslock, Steve Pemberton as Drumknott, Timothy West as Ridcully, David Suchet as Reacher Gilt, Marnix Van Den Broeke as Mr. Pump, Claire Foy as Adora Belle Dearheart, Ian Bonar as Stanley Howler, Alex Price as Roger, and Ingrid Bolsø Berdal as Sergeant Angua.
The Plot
The story moves between two threads. One follows Moist as he tries to revive a broken-down postal service filled with undelivered mail and covered in pigeon dung. The other follows Vetinari’s dealings with the Grand Trunk Company, whose clacks towers have taken over communication across the land. The tension grows when it becomes clear that Reacher Gilt, the chairman of that company, may be planning to take Vetinari’s position as Patrician. Meanwhile, Moist discovers that several of his predecessors died in strange circumstances in the building before he took the job.
“Things are not always as they seem.”
That line sums up the whole series. Nothing is what it appears to be, and the mail itself turns out to be the real danger.
What Works
The pacing holds together across the two episodes. The humor stays sharp, and the show doesn’t let the fantasy elements drag it down. The casting is strong throughout, with Dance giving Vetinari a presence that feels truly imperial. Coyle carries the lighter moments without losing the weight of Moist’s situation.
Where It Falls Short
Two episodes is barely enough to do justice to the book, and the compression shows. Some subplots get short shrift, and the mystery surrounding the predecessors’ deaths feels rushed rather than resolved. The series also leans on exposition more than the book does, which slows the momentum in spots.
| Element | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptation | Faithful to the book’s core | Too short to fully explore |
| Comedy | Sharp and consistent | Some jokes land flat |
| Cast | Strong ensemble | Vetinari’s scenes feel rushed |
| Pacing | Keeps moving | Exposition drags in parts |
The Verdict
Going Postal is a solid adaptation that captures the spirit of Pratchett’s novel without matching its depth. The performances are strong, the humor lands, and the central mystery is compelling enough to keep viewers engaged. It’s not a perfect adaptation, but it’s a good one.
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