Call the Midwife: Stay of Execution
Ursula’s rules endanger a newborn, Trixie returns with strange news and Turner gets an ultimatum Continue reading Call the Midwife: Stay of Execution
Call the Midwife: A Little Hope
Hopeful mothers and rebellion against a petty tyrant rule this (very prescient) episode Continue reading Call the Midwife: A Little Hope
Call the Midwife: Pain and Terror
A battered wife tries to free herself, only to find that the 60s weren’t too kind to women seeking a divorce. There’s change afoot at Nonnatus as Julienne is unceremoniously demoted in favour of the hard line Sister Ursula, Cynthia battles trauma, and Shelagh gets some very unexpected news. Continue reading Call the Midwife: Pain and Terror
Call the Midwife: Step Right Up
Most of the cast heads off to a remote hospital in Africa, where they all deal with the heat and a heartless landowner and get to be completely awesome Continue reading Call the Midwife: Step Right Up
Golden Armchair Awards 2016: The Moments
It’s time to think back and relive the moments that shocked, saddened, baffled, and made us stand up and cheer. Continue reading Golden Armchair Awards 2016: The Moments
Golden Armchair Awards 2016: The People
The holidays are approaching, 2016 is (finally!) drawing to a close, and that means it’s time to look back and smile or shake our heads at all that happened this year in the world of costume dramas. First: let’s vote on the characters we loved, hated, and will miss.
The Craziest Christmas Nonsense at Lakeland
Christmas! A time of goodwill, gift-giving, copious buying, and baking. I especially love that last bit, and I’ve been known to wander through Lakeland (as close to Williams Sonoma as I’ve found over here), admiring cake pans and trying very hard to talk myself out of more foolish purchases. But every now and then, Lakeland offers up something so utterly stupid, even I can’t help but laugh and mock them. And because it’s Christmastime, they’ve got LOADS of bizarre things on offer. Behold: the craziest Christmas nonsense at Lakeland. Let’s have a look and a laugh, shall we?
Continue reading “The Craziest Christmas Nonsense at Lakeland”
The Crown: Gloriana
Why is it that so many biopics of famous queens end essentially the same way? With that queen, having struggled so long with the duty/personal life balance, fully embracing her own iconic image? Setting aside the personal stuff, putting the duty first and foremost, even to her own unhappiness and that of those closest to her, and becoming The Symbol? Watching the end of this last episode of The Crown, I was strongly reminded of the last scenes of Elizabeth.
The Crown: Assassins
You know what a biopic about Queen Elizabeth totally needs? An episode that’s almost entirely about Winston Churchill getting his portrait painted.
Seriously.
Elizabeth’s whole story here was relegated to the minutae of racehorse breeding and more Prince Philip being a douchebag fratboy asshole while we spent ages with Churchill, watching him give painting advice to a professional artist (dilletante-splaining?), and then throw a tantrum when he doesn’t like how the painting turns out. Because–OMG!–it actually portrays what he really looks like.
The Crown: Pride and Joy
Heavens, people. You have ONE job to do! Why is Elizabeth the only one who really seems to get it?
It’s sister vs sister again. And it’s duty vs family, Philip vs. being a likable human being, and the Queen Mum vs ennui.
We start off with the three women King George left behind, preparing to unveil a statue of him. QM realises she can’t bring herself to do it, because the grief is still too raw for her, so she turns to her daughters. Margaret immediately offers her services, because she likes public speaking, while Elizabeth hates it, and anyway, she was their dad’s favourite. This is clearly a sore spot with Elizabeth, who pulls rank, reminds everyone who the head of the family is, and gives the speech. Her mother barely holds it together, and as soon as it’s over, she rushes into her car for a good cry.