Sherlock: The Empty Hearse

:::I totally called that they used the kidnapper double in some way!
:::Oh John...mustache.
:::Mary is the lady cop in Case Histories!
:::I really like Mary, I hope she's not a bad guy.
:::Were those Benny's real parents? I think so...lemme check. Yep.
:::Was just flipping the switch off the bomb brilliant or stupid?
:::I think I need to watch these with other people...I have more violent reactions with other people around, but only if they're totally quite and only react to the same things I do.
:::Lastrad's looking good...and hugging Sherlock was the best.
:::Mrs. Hudson's lookin' good.
:::I thought Sherlock's being gone for two years seemed like a huge gap...then I realized I had a literal puddle of tears on my computer after the last episode of series 2 in 2012. That did take awhile!
:::I still want to know why his shirts are always so tight. I'm not complaining, but they're beyond a simple European cut.
:::Sherlock can kiss me on the cheek.
:::I need to watch this episode again, about three more time.
:::Martin Freeman is perfect, perfect.

I saw him first!

Just so you all remember, I saw them first!

David Tennant
He Knew He Was Right
2004

Daniel Craig
A Kid In King Arthur's Court
1995

Hugh Dancy
Daniel Deronda
2002

Richard Armitage
North and South
2004

Gerard Butler
Lara Croft
2003

Tom Hardy
The Virgin Queen
2005

Benedict Cumberbatch
To the Ends of the Earth
2005

JJ Feild
Nicholas Nickleby
2001

Tom Hiddleston
Nicholas Nickleby
2001

Hugh Bonneville
Mansfield Park
1999

Jonny Lee Miller
Mansfield Park
1999

Dan Stevens
Sense and Sensibility
2009

That's David Tennant before Harry Potter, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller before Sherlocks, Hugh Bonneville and Dan Stevens before Downton, Tom Hardy before Baine and Tom Hiddleston before Loki. I concede that most of you probably know Richard Armitage from North and South, but how many of you knew of this film 18 months before its BBC release and had your sister record it on VHS then send it to you in California where you were living for the summer and upon receiving it you watched it straight through even though you'd just gotten back from a week of girls' camp in the wilderness and hadn't showered? I didn't think so.

Yes, I am aware of my obsessive and competitive tendencies. 

British words...

that are just too weird to prounounce/use like they do...
...yogurt
...the past tense of eat
...urinal
...aluminum
...zed
...h

word I will gladly use...
...the past tense of shit
...fancy
...get it sorted
...hiya

British TV Recommendation: The Big Fat Quiz

I was going to do an entry on all the wonderful British game and chat shows, but that's a lot and I don't have it in me, so I'll do one at a time as part of a "British TV Recommendations" series. I've already told you to watch QI and The Graham Norton Show, so do it!

The BBC loves to showcase funny people. I can't really think of an equivalent type of show here in the US (but now that Who's Line is coming back (which was originally British...)) . They have numerous and sundry programmes where their wittiest and driest comedians answer informative questions for hours. It's great. 

Today I recommend The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. You may guess that it's annual, and you'd be right! (The British are also big on Christmas/end of the year specials). It's been around since 2004 and has  three other specials focusing on the 80s, 90s, and 00s.

2012: These two ordered a pizza, no joke. 

Hosted by Jimmy Carr, the show is essentially a 90 minute pub quiz with three teams of two. I've watched three, or four? so far and it's just a riot. David Mitchell, Jonathan Ross, David Walliams, Noel Fielding, Jamie Oliver, Alan Carr, and Richard Ayoade among many other tried and true TV comedians participate. It's rather a boys' club (as they all are) but includes one girl a show. The whole thing is usually just mayhem. It professes to be a family show, but there can be quite a bit of language and adult subject matter discussed. Read this article if you want more info ab its content. 

Rikki Sixx has the episodes on YouTube. 

Start here:

Downton Abbey 3:7

:::Violet's travel suit in all that velvet with that hat was killer.
:::All of the bagpipes!
:::Dear Isobel, no one wants your advice, and your dinners with just Branson are awkward.
:::I hate all new maids. It should have just stayed as Anna and the ginger whom I can't even remember the name of now...
:::Bates got some Altoids for the smoker breath.
:::"My basic fact is that I love you". MUCH better line than any of Matthew's in this episode about seeing someone naked meaning you know how golden their soul is.
:::They are wearing deerstalkers to deer stalk.
:::I want a fancy man. Taking applications.
:::Deerstalker Trail: "You have shot 1400 lbs of meat, but the pack horses can only carry 200 lbs."
:::Lighthearted picnic Bates was nice. Am I the only one that thought Anna dancing was not enough of a payoff for all of that surprising? I mean, I thought she was pregnant, or at least going to get Bates drunk to get her pregnant.
:::There are so many guns and swords in Scotland...
:::Ivy and Daisy being friends, how nice.
:::Carson and a baby. DEAD.
:::Bates watching Anna dance, he's finally got the twinkle back he hasn't had since like episode 3 of season one.
:::I can't tell you how many proposals I've had to turn down because they just wanted me for my cooking.
:::Oh Branson, I will cradle you when you cry...But not in an awful Edna way...and not while I look at you, bc you one ugly crier son!
:::Cora's coat when she's leaving the castle. got to be kidding me.
:::Oh Thomas.
:::As Alicia says, MEN HOLDING BABIES IS POSITIVELY PORNOGRAPHIC! Yes.

So...I knew that Dan Stevens didn't sign on for a 4th season...so I knew he was going to die, and so the entire episode I was waiting for it. So, yes, I am in shock, but not that bad. Sorrynotsorry.

Downton Abbey 3:6

:::I haven't been able to watch the opening without imagining a Swiffer since the BBC's very first spoof of Upstairs Downton Abbey.
:::If my husband had just gotten out of jail we'd make out HARD CORE in the backseat. No doubt. If I had a husband we'd just make out all the time, never mind jail time.
:::I feel like Robert never gets to finish his breakfast. He's always outraged enough to leave in a huff, caring his letters.
:::Way to tell Alfred, Daisy! I also love that tallness is such an asset to footmen.
:::Whenever I put lotion on my hands I always try to ring them like the fine ladies do on Downton. It's always a good filler action for the end of a conversation with Anna or the beginning of one with Matthew.
:::There was definitely a sexy saxophone going into the Thomas/James scene.
:::What was Thomas' thought process with the peace offering toast the next morning at breakfast?
:::I recognize the newspaper man...
:::Tom's brother looks like a mix of Tom and Toby Jones.
:::Pffft...Matthew, you can make me as untidy as it pleases you.
:::Also, Matthew does not look like a good kisser.
:::I was confused by the mourning dress in this one. Is there a different code for evening dress? They went into half mourning quite nicely, but I feel like in general things got a little muddled.
:::Violet to Isobel "I know how you hate facing facts". THANK YOU! This sums up my beef with Cousin Isobel. She lives in her own little self righteous world. And however much Violet wanted Ethel away for the sake of the neighborhood, it really was a good move for her, sparked by Violet's seeing Ethel's misery.
:::Cora's black embroidered day dress was to die for.
:::Family outing to the dodgey nightclub! Shotgun!
:::Get it done, Matthew! You sort out Rose.
:::Also, I zoned out during Violet's explanation of who the heck Rose is, so I'm still a little fuzzy.
:::Rose's wig=not great.
:::Edith's emerald and ivory ensemble is pretty fabulous. She looked down right pretty in that scene.
:::And by "that scene" I mean the Mr. Rochester/Bertha defense. Old hat, Mr. Fellowes.
:::The village team had rather the handsome ginger bowler.
:::Only the British would play their national sport in sweater vests and white shoes.

Gregson is Yates in Mansfield Park!

Benedict Cumberbatch on The Simpsons

Here you go. An article ab my boy Ben (did I tell you about the time I dreamt he was my boyfriend and it was awesome?) voicing two characters on The Simpsons this Sunday. Really if you watch the included clip you've seen his bit.

http://tellyspotting.org/2013/02/09/benedict-cumberbatch-as-both-alan-rickman-and-the-prime-minister-tomorrow-on-the-simpsons/

Downton Abbey 3:5

Is it me or did NOTHING happen this week?

:::Robert is being kind of obnoxious, which is nothing new since the maid last season.
:::Cora is just wanting someone to blame and so Dr. Clarkson's chat at the end was good.
:::I feel like Robert would be much more open to Matthew's help if all of the things weren't happening at once. Remember he was very keen on getting Matthew involved at one point. I think he's too used to his own way and is upset that the end of the War hasn't restored it to him.
:::Violet talking about hearts was amazing.
:::Mr. Carson telling Mrs. Hughes he knows she'll never desert him was nice.
:::Yay Ethel, you can cook.
:::Ivy, oh Ivy...
:::Alfred, oh Alfred...
:::Daisy needs to work the farm and get a better life. Mr. Mason was really right about everything he said, as long as he realizes farming will change as well.
:::Mary and Matthew say they need to work on their relationship, but I doubt their actions will agree.
:::Was it just my TV, or did the lighting during Mary and Matthew's pillow talk make them look dead? Like straight up Sybil post seizures blue? Oh! Too soon?
:::My mom doesn't know the whole Thomas and O'Brien story and was very upset O'Brien told Thomas that Jimmy has a crush on him. The evil never ends.
:::Can you really employ Thomas for however long Bates has been in jail and then just kick him out? I don't know what to do about it, but I feel like it's a really bum deal.
:::Yeah...there was a lot of talking this episode. Next week should have some ACTION!

Case Histories Series 2

I think just Martha and I ever watched this show. It's awesome. I've blogged about it before (here and here). Well, Martha, this one's for you.

I finally got around to checking on the filming of series two. Seems like it filmed last October and is going to air on BBC1 this year. I'd guess we're looking at a fall PBS premiere.

Since Sherlock hasn't started filming series three yet, and we're most likely looking at a 2014 release, I'd say ya'll that didn't watch Case Histories the first time around might want to get on board to keep some amazingly written and acted British mystery solving in your life.



The trailer's got Johnny Cash. You know this is good. 

Downton Abbey 3:3

:::Bates doesn't need his cane anymore! Watson.
:::Whenever Isobel says "Sorry to push in" she's sorry she's not sorry.
:::OMG, Matthew, you can't just ask someone why they're not breakfasting in bed!
:::I breakfast in bed when I get married?
:::Seriously, Thomas is giving off the thickest serial killer vibe recently...
:::New footman, not handsome. Weird looking. Baby face with cheekbones makes for some weird old/young weird weird weirdo face. I guess he's 1920s handsome? I'd take Douglas Fairbanks any day.
:::NO touching, Thomas! You'd think he'd know by know that his gaydar is broken.
:::Lots of weird pauses and glances with the Isobel/Ethel interactions. My money's on Isobel having been a prostitute, got preggers with Matthew, married his dad then BAM! then somehow her life turned out fine? BUT Matthew's not a Crawley and can't inherit! Oh no! But yeah...that whole thing was filmed very strange. I hate Isobel. She's such a Harriet Jones recently.
:::Oh LOOK! Now everyone knows Branson is a giant douchebag, even Sybil (Please Sybil, tell me you've figured it out by now).
:::I realized that letter writing will never completely die out bc prisoners only write letters right? Or do they even have email these days?
:::Dear Alfred, Idk how I feel about you still. Idk how I feel about Daisy liking you. Idk how I feel about you hitting on Ivy from the get go. You are a puzzle to me. I do know I love your ginger hair and your height, but you really do look like a kicked puppy.
:::I vote Matthew and Mary are going to divorce or something catastrophic is going to happen. They make very little effort to see each other's points of view and/or work together in any way. Why did they get married? Why do they love each other? Why did they ever like each other? I seem to remember some amount of unadulterated jealousy turning into an inexplicable dining room make-out. I'm not knocking the choice of make-out local, but I'm really starting to wonder if the wool's been pulled over our eyes for two and a half seasons and these two are actually a terrible terrible couple.
:::Mrs. Hughs can make me all the toast. 

Downton Abbey 3:2

Great article about the girls' wedding dresses, and $200,000 tiara!

:::Mary is SUCH a pill! I think she's forgotten lame, barfy Matthew on his deathbed too quickly.
:::Oh Thomas. What a life you have lead/are leading. Of the all the characters over these 8/9 years I think he and O'Brien are the only ones that actually look like they've aged it. Maybe Mrs. Hughes, but she just up and got sick so it looks like it now.
:::Those hairs are shellacked.
:::Sneaky sneaky Carson. He's had his sneaky footman days I'm sure.
:::I think the gentlemen's makeup is a bit heavy handed lately. Sir Antony looks rather a doll.
:::And why can't Sir Antony keep his hand in his pocket or something? It's so bizarre all strung up that high and in a black sling. He didn't use to have it that way right after the war did he?
:::Dear Isobel, the prostitutes don't care.
:::All prostitutes have frizzy hair. Even Ethel after her client left had the frizzy hair, like they do it up special.
:::Matthew in his grey suit with blue shirt and tie. Perhaps the best ensemble he's every worn? Besides the uniforms?
:::Oh Season 3, you keep tempting us with Robert's slow unbuttoning and losing his shirts. Just release a steamy Lord Grantham calendar and be done with it!
:::The Swires have been ever so helpful and convenient through all of this!
:::All of the hats!
:::I will be Edith. I will find some very old man to devote my life to.
:::When I have all of the wedding things on I will run up and down stairs to billow so nicely.
:::Dear Edith: If your heart really did break that badly there should be less noise and more drooling. Try some hyperventilating, reducing yourself to a crumpled mass on the floor, and when you do start being able to make noise, ensure it's gaspy and/or dragon-like. Just me?
:::I loved the manshake between Matthew and Lord Grantham after they struck their deal. Oh no, hands were not enough, shoulders must be clasped as well.
:::I just think O'Brien or Thomas will just stab the other with a pen knife one of these days.
:::Why does Daisy like Alfred? Sure, he's ginger, whatever, but they seem to have no interaction other than she asking him about being "modern" and "outspoken". You missed the boat with William, Daisy, time to look outside the kitchen for love. Footmen won't do you any good.
:::All of the amazing 20s fashions. woof.
:::FYI: Alfred is 6'4". I know you were wondering.

Downton Abbey Series 3 Trailer!!!

THIS.IS.HAPPENING!!!!

Uh uh uh....I can't take it! Buuuuh!!!!

September 16th is the UK premiere which means September 17th is the day I start cutting people's fingers off if they spoil things for me, seriously. SERIOUSLY.

Anyway, new characters, maid/footman romance? Another boy for Thomas? Edith and the one armed man will get together, duh. Matthew and Mary WILL get married! Bates is still in jail. Ethel's boy is bigger which means, I don't know what it means, I'm just beside myself!

favorite picture: Duchess of Kent's wedding dress

I haven't done one of these in awhile. This is my way of copping out on a real entry. I have some in the works, don't you fret.

I just found this randomly, I was going to post a picture of the Duchess of Devonshire when I found this blog entry with this picture of the Duke and Duchess of Kent on their wedding day in 1961. I would wear her dress tomorrow...if you know, I was getting married, which I'm not.

Reichenbach postulating

We know that Molly probably helped with the body identification/autopsy.

We know Sherlock probably picked the roof of St. Bart's bc that's where Molly could help and he knew that it would come down to his death.

We know something probably went down when John got hit by the biker.

We know whomever fell from St. Barts was alive, or at least animate bc he was moving in the air, obvs not a dummy.

We know Sherlock was very adamant that John stay far away from Sherlock, exactly at a certain point.

We know the little girl screamed when Sherlock came in.

My guess...A Sherlock look alike was used to kidnap the girl, hence the screaming. Sherlock figured this out, and that Moriarty wanted him to kill himself so he used the look alike in some way (killed him? harsh for Sherlock) in conjunction with the bike collision and John's shock to  confuse and convince John that it was his body, which was of course quickly whisked away to be processed by Molly.

Filming for series 3 won't even start until 2013 when all the Hobbit business has blown over. I guess The Hobbit will have to fill my Cumberbatch/Freeman need.

Reichenbach Fall

There is litchrally a puddle of tears on my desk, litchrally.

Duh Sherlock didn't die, if you know Sherlock Holmes you know he doesn't actually die at Reichenbach Falls, but it's still so so sad! And John's so loyal.

Really Sherlock? Irene Adler told you she wasn't dead when John asked her to, you can't tell John you're not dead when he asks you to?

But if Moriarty killed himself who can the next great villain be? I should probs read some Sherlock Holmes.

Mycroft had to have helped.

NO! Molly helped! She does matter!...but how did she help? She can give him blood and fake the autopsy and...she had to have done it. Good ol' Molly.

However it went down, stuff happened when John got knocked over by the biker.

Sherlocked: Scandal in Bulgravia

UG. just ug. really? REALLY?!!!! ug. and woof also. and just ug.


BEST EPISODE EVER!

Remember when Mycroft yelled at Mrs. Hudson and they all yelled at him? I rewound immediately to watch it again.

Remember when I knew it was her measurements? 32x24x34, she's a very slight woman.

Remember when EVERYTHING?!!!

Remember how Stephen Moffat is my hero?

Remember how my heart broke for Sherlock like every 2 minutes, esp when she said she was gay even though I knew she was lying or bi?

Remember how it's been far far too long since I've heard 90 minutes of Benedict Cumberbatch's inappropriately terrific voice (and that's putting it politely). 

Seriously, THE BEST time for British television ever.

I am Sherlocked. I am Sherlocked!!!

I have to make I am Sherlocked t-shirts.

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding

Have you seen this show? Bc it's the BEST. My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is on TLC and follows Irish travellers and Romany gypsies throughout ceremonial times of their lives, confirmation, weddings, and festivals. It's GREAT. Things you should know:

Modern gypsies are like old-timey gypsies only they live in trailers (caravans).
Some modern gypsies still rock a huge barrel wagon.
Some gypsies ride their wagons but have their wives drive their cars to them so they can make them dinner.
Some gypsies are loaded. Paddy that's on the show buys a new car every year.
Some gypsies live in houses, I'm still not sure how that works.
Gypsy men make their living by traveling around and doing roofing and pavement work and the like.
Gypsy women stay home and clean, all day long.
Gypsy couples meet at wedding receptions and are strictly chaperoned until they get married.
Gypsy girls don't drink until they're married.
Gypsies tend to marry very young.
Gypsy women have THE BEST style, which is really why you watch the show. Wedding dresses, confirmation dresses, party outfits for toddlers, it's all great!

palm tree bride and friend for bachelorette party

the "royal wedding" episode

confirmation

"Spanish" inspired dress

bride and her best friend/maid of honor/cousin

receptionwear

a limo is always the wrong choice

gypsy beauty pageant

aaaaaaand the cat dress.

  Season 2 has been running on TLC on Friday nights. My Big Fat AMERICAN Gypsy Wedding starts this Friday. I don't think it'll be as great as the UK version, but you know I'm still going to devour it!

Titanic: Ep 1&2

Some very quick notes about the first two episodes of Julian Fellowes' Titanic:
SPOILERS

how are anyone's hips that narrow?

-I know that's Linus Roache's real accent, but it just seems strange...
-Lady Georgiana is nowhere near as likable as Sybil, and somehow has narrower hips than Mary!
-I think Lady G is just plain annoying.
-Also, Lady G kissing Philadelphia boy is going on the worst kiss list: There was literal sucking happening, like she was sucking at his lower lip, ack.
-The lighting for the first episode sure makes all the wigs and lips look strange.
-I like the way Titanic 1997 handles J.J. Astor and Gugenheim better, somehow this one just seems like it's cramming people in.
-Low budget or design choice to have first class in terrible browns and drabness?
-White Star china, nice touch.
-Stephen Campbell Moore or Victor Garber as Mr. Andrews the ships designer? I like them both.
-Ismay is not the bad guy in this one. Captain Smith is the one making all the demands for speed? Interesting Mr. Fellowes. From interviews I've been listening to this week survivors say neither were to blame.
-This version does mention the Californian which was visible (some say they could see the men aboard her) and less than 10 miles away from Titanic when she hit and started sinking, which is absolutely heartbreaking.
-Don't worry, Officer Lightoller survives, I listened to his interviews.
-Who's the large Italian man that found the Irish engineer's son?
-The nice stewardess w/ the bad hair is Doctor Who's new companion.
-I want the wenchy lady's maid (the lady is wenchy, not the lady's maid) and the valet to get together, but they won't because he's going to die.
-Is there some thievery with the lady's maid?
-They're all going to die, except the ladies, Lightoller, Ismay, and Officer Boxhall (who you don't really know, but he was mentioned, and I listened to his interviews, so he survived).
-There are too many people to follow and I'm not getting attached to many.
-The Mrs. Bates/Toby Jones scenario is such a whirlwind of frustration and not enough back story for me to really care to follow.
-Can Mrs. Bates play anything but the horrible wife?
-You like how I call her Mrs. Bates even though this isn't Downton Abbey?
-Where's Molly Brown?
-The whole "starts sinking at the end of every episode but from a different point of view" is nice in theory, but really rather strange. The first episode seemed to jump straight to Sunday, the second one not so much.
-I still feel like there are 500 people we've been introduced to that we'll have to see the stories off, but there are only two more episodes.

That's it for now. I'll watch the last two episodes tomorrow. Don't you fret! You can watch them too!
http://abc.go.com/shows/titanic/?cid=abccomsearch_results 

Fantastic BBC archive of Titanic interviews. Officers Lightoller and Boxhall and fashion writer Edith Russell are esp interesting.

Downton Abbey 3 Info!

Thank you Tellyspotting!

Downton 3 is 9 months away! I can do it, I can do it!
SPOILERS (but good ones)
Rebecca Eaton, Exec Prod of Masterpieces says...

“It’s the 1920s now. Somebody will be born, and somebody will die — somebody pretty key in the cast, unfortunately, is not going to make it”.
Sybil's going to have her baby, duh. Granny will die, that's my guess, I already called that way back when. If they're stopping at 3, which I hope they do (Maggie Smith and Dan Stevens haven't signed on for 4), it'd make sense to kill Granny as a heart wrenching turn of events. She's old and if they're not worried about surviving through a 4th w/o her, why not?

“There are some wonderful scenes between Maggie and Shirley MacLaine,” Eaton says. “Shirley MacLaine being as ditzy as ever…and Maggie barely restraining her sneer in having to deal with this ‘American’,” she says.
I can't wait for this!!!

“Matthew and Mary do get married.”
That's all I needed to know.

SO EXCITED EEEEEEEEEEEEE
Going through withdrawals like me? reminisce a bit

Also, I've hit 40,000 page views! Yipee! Now, would you do me a solid and help me get to 50,000 by recommending me to a friend, rereading some of your favorites, or posting something to Pinterest? My "Favorite Pictures" are rather nice. Find something you like and pin that sucker. Everything on Pinterest from here was mostly pinned by me...

Doctor Who RPG- College Humor review

Here's a fun little animation by College Humor reviewing the 11th Doctor's series in anticipation for series 7 and the 50th anniversary on 11/23/13. Found it on Tellyspotting, which I've mentioned before and is frankly an invaluable British TV blog written by the VP of TV Programming at Dallas' PBS. He's behind the PBS station that was the first to air Monty Python in the US! He's got some great insight.

Anydoctorwho, check out his blog, but don't stop reading mine!

Animation has SPOILERS!