Parade’s End: No More Parades

Previously on Parade’s End: Sylvia travelled to France, even though everyone told her to stay home. Her presence there was so disastrous it actually got Christopher sent back to the Front, so well done there, Sylvia.

So, to catch us up: Chris is on his way back to the trenches to become second-in-command of a battalion instead of serving with the horses as he wanted to; Cpt. Mckecknie, who hates Chris, is going to serve with the horses; and Potty’s being sent back to his battalion as a punishment after the dust-up with Sylvia last week. And they’re all being sent on the same train. Someone has a sick sense of humour.

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EditorBeeSeptember 22, 20127 Comments

20th Century, Edwardian History, Miniseries, Recap, World War I

Parade’s End: Over There

Previously on Parade’s End: Christopher was injured in the war and returned to London, where everyone—even those who should really know better—was gossiping about the affair he’s allegedly having with Valentine. When he attempted to make the gossip true, he was inadvertently thwarted by her brother. Back to the Front he went.

At a fancy house in London, posh people with big jewels are having a fancy dinner party and talking about the war. Sylvia’s there, of course, bored to tears by all the war talk. Someone mentions she wants to go to France to see her husband, which a general thinks is a lousy idea. Someone else spies a newspaper and notes a headline about how much bungling’s been going on at the Front. Sylvia finally asks everyone to stop talking about it, but then, of course, the war itself makes itself heard in the form of an air raid.

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EditorBeeSeptember 15, 20121 Comment

20th Century, Edwardian History

Parade’s End: Rumour Mill

Previously on Parade’s End: Sylvia came back, promising to be a good little girl, and she’s actually stuck to it, surprisingly. MacMaster and Mrs. D consummated their affair, with predictable results, thereby ruining Valentine’s vicarious enjoyment of their flirtation. World War I broke out and Chris joined up, to the annoyance of everyone.

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EditorBeeSeptember 9, 20122 Comments

20th Century, Edwardian History, Miniseries, Recap

Parade’s End: Something to Live For

Previously on Parade’s End: Christopher got trapped into marriage by the spoiled, childish, obnoxious Sylvia, who then makes his life miserable for a while before running off with some idiot. While she’s gone, Christopher falls for a suffragette. And then Sylvia gets bored with her lover and decides to come back.

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EditorBeeSeptember 1, 20122 Comments

20th Century, Edwardian History, Miniseries, Recap

Parade’s End: Misery Loves Company

We open in a fancy room strewn with white flowers and assorted pretty girly things. A maid’s fussing about with a suitcase while her mistress goes to answer a ringing telephone in the bedroom. The mistress answers the phone and, in French, tells the person on the other end to tell the gentleman he’s too late. With that, she hangs up. She’s played by Rebecca Hall, and I have to admit, I’ve never been a big fan of hers. I think that’s more because of the roles she tends to play than her acting ability, though. I spent all of Vicky Christina Barcelona wanting desperately to punch her in the face.

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