This week's telly
Nov. 12th, 2010 06:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightSome telly stuff.
This week saw the end of Downton Abbey, Mad Men hit a bum note for the first time (IMO) and the welcome return of Misfits.
Stuff about those behind cut, with spoilers.
I ought to be ashamed for enjoying Downton Abbey so much, I know I ought. I'm pretty certain it presented a very false picture of the relationships between masters and servants in the Edwardian period, with everything being way fluffier and more respectful on both sides than it really was, and the Duke of Wotsit (can't remember where he was duke of) being pretty much a candidate for sainthood. That all said, :shrug:. I enjoyed it enormously, even though part of my enjoyment is still derived from thinking, Hah! WW1 is about to start, you're all going to die horribly, you posh bastards!
Mind you, that doesn't really work, since the Duke of Wotsit doesn't have a son who's the right age to die horribly, just a surrogate son/third cousin he's sort of fond of, plus some footmen, one of whom is evil and gay - and also clever enough to see which way the wind's blowing and sign up for the army medical corps before the actual war had even kicked off. The Duke of Wotsit did nearly have a son, though, but he was foiled again by a horrible soap opera cliche (literal soap opera, in this instance, since O'Brien the grumpy ladies' maid, thinking she was going to be sacked, had left the soap just where the pregnant Duchess of Wotsit was bound to slip on it, cue instant miscarriage). Meanwhile, two of the the Duke of Wotsit's three dreadful daughters are causing him -and each other - grief. Lady Mary, the eldest (the Almost Too Old to be Marriageable One), discovers that her middle sister Edith (the Plain, Spiteful One) was the one who spread the rumours in Society (that's society with a capital 'S')about her being 'damaged goods' and promptly wrecks Edith's romance with Boring Lord Wossisface. Silly Lady Mary! She could have been rid of Edith for good, but no, she has to go and hint to Boring Lord Wossisface that Edith thinks he's boring too, and he walks out (not surprisingly). Meanwhile the youngest dreadful daughter, Lady Sybil (the Daring One) is getting a bit too friendly with the Irish socialist chauffeur. Fun, fun, fun! And that's only above stairs.
The final episode ended with the Duke of Wotsit announcing to the assembled guests at a garden party that Britain is at war with Germany. There's to be a second series. I wonder if it'll be set in the war years or skip them and jump straight to the 1920s, so Lady Mary and co can bob their hair and flounce around in flapper dresses? We'll see.
Then there was Mad Men, which was, as stated previously, utterly brilliant, except for the scenes involving Lane Pryce and his horrible dad. I'm so disappointed by this, though I don't really know why. Lane Pryce was quite cliched in season 3. Even his decision to stay in New York was a bit cliched (stuffy Englishman finds a new zest for life in the dynamic, go-getting new world), but I did hope Mad Men would avoid the worst of the cliche, and they haven't. :( I hope that episode was the last we'll see of Lane Pryce. I don't want him to come back. Otherwise, though, the episode was brill - Joan and Roger, Don's panic attack, Sally's screaming when Don told her he'd got her tickets for the Beatles. All utterly wonderful.
Finally, last night saw the return of Misfits, which I absolutely loved. It's dark, it's rude, it's grungy. The main characters are a bunch of foul-mouthed ne'er do wells, who keep killing people without meaning to, and yet I like them all so much. Especially Kelly. She's my favourite. They really don't need anyone with superstrength in the group, do they? Want anything hit? Just ask Kelly. I still think Alycia's power is rubbish, though.
This week saw the end of Downton Abbey, Mad Men hit a bum note for the first time (IMO) and the welcome return of Misfits.
Stuff about those behind cut, with spoilers.
I ought to be ashamed for enjoying Downton Abbey so much, I know I ought. I'm pretty certain it presented a very false picture of the relationships between masters and servants in the Edwardian period, with everything being way fluffier and more respectful on both sides than it really was, and the Duke of Wotsit (can't remember where he was duke of) being pretty much a candidate for sainthood. That all said, :shrug:. I enjoyed it enormously, even though part of my enjoyment is still derived from thinking, Hah! WW1 is about to start, you're all going to die horribly, you posh bastards!
Mind you, that doesn't really work, since the Duke of Wotsit doesn't have a son who's the right age to die horribly, just a surrogate son/third cousin he's sort of fond of, plus some footmen, one of whom is evil and gay - and also clever enough to see which way the wind's blowing and sign up for the army medical corps before the actual war had even kicked off. The Duke of Wotsit did nearly have a son, though, but he was foiled again by a horrible soap opera cliche (literal soap opera, in this instance, since O'Brien the grumpy ladies' maid, thinking she was going to be sacked, had left the soap just where the pregnant Duchess of Wotsit was bound to slip on it, cue instant miscarriage). Meanwhile, two of the the Duke of Wotsit's three dreadful daughters are causing him -and each other - grief. Lady Mary, the eldest (the Almost Too Old to be Marriageable One), discovers that her middle sister Edith (the Plain, Spiteful One) was the one who spread the rumours in Society (that's society with a capital 'S')about her being 'damaged goods' and promptly wrecks Edith's romance with Boring Lord Wossisface. Silly Lady Mary! She could have been rid of Edith for good, but no, she has to go and hint to Boring Lord Wossisface that Edith thinks he's boring too, and he walks out (not surprisingly). Meanwhile the youngest dreadful daughter, Lady Sybil (the Daring One) is getting a bit too friendly with the Irish socialist chauffeur. Fun, fun, fun! And that's only above stairs.
The final episode ended with the Duke of Wotsit announcing to the assembled guests at a garden party that Britain is at war with Germany. There's to be a second series. I wonder if it'll be set in the war years or skip them and jump straight to the 1920s, so Lady Mary and co can bob their hair and flounce around in flapper dresses? We'll see.
Then there was Mad Men, which was, as stated previously, utterly brilliant, except for the scenes involving Lane Pryce and his horrible dad. I'm so disappointed by this, though I don't really know why. Lane Pryce was quite cliched in season 3. Even his decision to stay in New York was a bit cliched (stuffy Englishman finds a new zest for life in the dynamic, go-getting new world), but I did hope Mad Men would avoid the worst of the cliche, and they haven't. :( I hope that episode was the last we'll see of Lane Pryce. I don't want him to come back. Otherwise, though, the episode was brill - Joan and Roger, Don's panic attack, Sally's screaming when Don told her he'd got her tickets for the Beatles. All utterly wonderful.
Finally, last night saw the return of Misfits, which I absolutely loved. It's dark, it's rude, it's grungy. The main characters are a bunch of foul-mouthed ne'er do wells, who keep killing people without meaning to, and yet I like them all so much. Especially Kelly. She's my favourite. They really don't need anyone with superstrength in the group, do they? Want anything hit? Just ask Kelly. I still think Alycia's power is rubbish, though.
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no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 07:07 pm (UTC)He already died horribly - on the Titanic.
I hope the next series is set in the war years. I was a little bit miffed (only a little bit mind) when the garden party at which war was announced was bathed in really long shadows. Either the garden party was held very late in the day, or at the wrong time of year. War broke out at the end of the long hot summer of 1914 so the shadows should have been very short. There, now I've gone all picky about the photography when there are lots more things I could have picked on to be picky about (The relationships between the nobs and the staff for one - way too fluffy. ) I also hope that the nasty, gay, footman is posted to the Front as soon as he's trained. That'll put paid to his ideas of having a 'safe' war.
I wonder what it is about this series that is so darned attractive (apart from the wonderfully talented cast?} Maggie Smith is wonderful and
Harriet Jones (PM)Mrs Crawley is great.no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 08:45 pm (UTC)That wasn't his son. That was another cousin, slightly less distant.
I hope the next series is set in the war years.
Me too. I have this notion that joining the nursing corps (or whatever it was called in WW1) would be the making of Lady Mary. As for the evil, gay footman, if the next series is set after the war, I fully expect him to be not only evil and gay but also mad (shell-shock, or whatever).
I wonder what it is about this series that is so darned attractive (apart from the wonderfully talented cast?} Maggie Smith is wonderful and Harriet Jones (PM) Mrs Crawley is great.
I don't know. I've read so many sneery things about it, and usually I despise cosy Sunday evening telly. I suppose on one level it's escapism, but it's reasonably written well acted escapism, so that makes all the difference.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 09:30 pm (UTC)One of the girls will become a VAD, like Vera Brittan, one will marry a war profiteer. Possibly Lady Daring will go to Ireland to help at the Post Office over Easter...
I expect both the nice and the nasty footmen will die, one of them possibly shot for cowardice. Do you think the Nice But Limping Valet will join up?
no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 09:38 pm (UTC)He probably won't be allowed, and if one of the footmen is shot for cowardice it'll probably be the nice not-gay one, because he has shellshock.
Not that I want Thomas to stay evil. Maybe the medical corps will be the making of him too?
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 04:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 11:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 09:23 pm (UTC)ConnorVincent Kartheiser) but I agree 100% over the other two - DA has been gorgeous, self-indulgent fluff, with some wonderful performances - Penelope Wilton and Maggie Smith striking sparks off each other was pure magic. And Misfits was superb - dark and rude, yes, but really well-written and spot-on performances. That creepy disturbed girl was really disturbing. And am I morally wrong to love Nathan? Kelly's amazing too.no subject
Date: 2010-11-12 09:35 pm (UTC)That's a shame. It's (mostly) so very good, and Kartheiser is excellent, like the rest of the cast.
I did enjoy the Maggie Smith/Penelope Wilton face-off, including the teeny bit of detente they enjoyed in the last episode. Maggie Smith had some absolutely killer lines too, all through the series. Her regretting that it wasn't possible to have the Turkish ambassador assassinated was particularly enjoyable.
And am I morally wrong to love Nathan?
Quite possibly. :)
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 12:22 am (UTC)I'm guessing you do. It looks like fun.
Misfits has yet to air in the US unfortunately, but I'm keeping an eye out for it.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 11:19 am (UTC)I do recommend, just as long as you don't take it as an accurate representation of the period, which I'm sure you wouldn't.
I've never been sure now Misfits would go down in the US. I love it, but it's very, very rude. I have the impression US programs are never quite that rude.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 02:52 pm (UTC)No, they can get pretty rude - particularly on cable. Also quite crude for that matter.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 08:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 10:30 pm (UTC)So glad to see Misfits again. I don't know why it works, though it's some combination of writing, acting and sheer balls. I rather think your rec was responsible for me watching in the first place.
Mad Men goes places other TV will not. I don't entirely forgive them for their clichéd bunch of Brits (though cutting off Guy's foot with a lawnmower remains one of my most treasured scenes of all - that long shot of the office full of people having no clue what to do, apart from Guy screaming and Joan being fabulous). Random bunny girl love? Hmm. Father a *salesman* but with a posher attitude than the Duke of Wotsit (sic)? Hah. But still, I adore the programme.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 10:59 pm (UTC)I know! It's ridiculous. I fell down a flight of stairs when I was expecting K, and contrary to what telly would have you believe, she's around to tell the tale (or she's around for me to tell her the tale, whichever).
I'm not quite sure why Misfits works either, though good writing and good acting must come into it somewhere. I can't wait to find out who the mysterious parcours practitioner in the black get up is, and to see if the new probation officer survives the series. I think the odds look quite good for him, if only because he's such a cynical bastard. I also love the way that everyone has developed stupid super powers since the storm and everyone just sort of shrugs and accepts it. Very British.
ut still, I adore the programme.
Me too. I think that's probably why I felt so thrown when they got it wrong. They never, ever have before. Here's hoping Lane Pryce never comes back.