A Glass Of Technology For All!
Hmmmn. I think that someone has used my email address to sign up to one of those match-making sites. This is just ... well, a little sad really. *shrugs* Oh well.
In other news, my fridge is better! I admit it, I have not mentioned the illness of my poor fridge here, but suffice it to say that with the slamming waves of heat we had a few weeks ago, the poor dear simply gave up. By which I mean I was able to use the freezer as a fridge, and the fridge as, well, nothing really. I suppose if I'd wanted I could have made it a cupboard.
But then a few days ago, to my utmost delight (tinged, I confess, with a slight edge of horror) I found that the left-over champignons I had left there for breakfast had frozen. So had my pasta. So had my milk. Did I mention that my boundless joy would have been replaced with a large chunk of irritation had I not been so overflowing with the joy that is boundless?
However, I have a freezer that freezes, a fridge that cools, and I have proved that once again sheer laziness positive thinking in not calling a tech will win the day! Why? Because it's maaaaaagic children. Maaaaaaaaaaaagic.
I have been watching more of my Granada Sherlock Holmes, and I really do believe we are getting up to the peak of the series. Edward Hardwicke's Watson plays perfectly off Brett's Holmes, and they both have that feel of actors with a common purpose who have grown comfortable with each other. We've also had a run of very good episodes, beginning with The Six Napoleans, which had one of the most effective introductions and endings I've yet seen in the Granada run. Having the first scene played entirely in Italian is amazingly powerful. The audience can see the emotions running high, but (unless they speak Italian; I don't) can only make half guesses at the cause. It left me second-guessing the relationship between the protagonists for half the episode. (Then Holmes came in and cleared it all up. Good old Holmes.) Also, the touch of sincerity from Lestrade towards the end was beautiful. I know it's not canon that Holmes be allowed to feel, but this was played softly and well, and made the greater impression for its sparse use throughout the series.
Next after that in the box set is The Sign of Four. This one (one of the four novels ACD published) was obviously designed to be a telemovie. It ran for two hours rather than one, but was done so smoothly that I would not have even noticed had I not a) known the significance of its place in canon and b) observed they devoted a little more time to the characterisation of the players. This is another one that benefited from excellent direction and photography. The lining up of the shots, the silhouetted skylines and the interspersed timing of the closeups were just some of the things I noticed that had an almost artistic aspect. And Mary Morstan! Oh, I had my heart in my mouth the whole time, for she is 'the other woman' who dares to take loyal Watson away! And they played that storyline very well, too, with obvious admiration on both parts, and it was terribly poignant. I'm not certain if it was merely a nod to the canon that they'll leave lie from now on, but I certainly hope so. After all, they have already done the Hiatus and it would be callous to have Watson marry her simply to have her die a few episodes later. (Which is essentially what ACD does do, but in his defence he at least gives them some years together first.)
And the last one that I realy enjoyed was The Devil's Foot, which, as cleolinda has noted, has one of the gayest scenes in the entire series. Also new haircut! And attractive manly (cornish!) villains! And really, really terrible special effects. But Watson taking control was very interesting. In fact, the only thing that irritated me in this episode is when Holmes makes a very important step in terms of his character development. Lets just say he kicks one of his many, many habits. However, the pivotal scene in which this occurs is placed near the very beginning of the episode, apropos of nothing. But there is a scene in the story which puts both Holmes and Watson in mortal peril, and it is absolutely in every way Holmes' fault. For him to make this evolution in character after his near-death experience would make complete sense, and would leave a very powerful impression upon the viewer. Instead, you're left going 'Wha..? I thought you already learnt that lesson. I'm sure I saw you learn that lesson. Have you the brain rot?' It is sad.
And after we that we have Silver Blaze, which was enjoyable and had much to recommend it, but did not stand out as the other three did. Still, I feel this is a particularly strong season, hair or no.
Three days til The All-American Rejects! And I should really write up what I thought about Wicked. And those book reviews. I have a hella backlog on those book reviews. (Oh, yes, I am still doing those. Delay of eight weeks you say? I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about.)
But now? I leave you with this. My absolute favourite song from Wicked. Well. Absolute favourite for now.
In other news, my fridge is better! I admit it, I have not mentioned the illness of my poor fridge here, but suffice it to say that with the slamming waves of heat we had a few weeks ago, the poor dear simply gave up. By which I mean I was able to use the freezer as a fridge, and the fridge as, well, nothing really. I suppose if I'd wanted I could have made it a cupboard.
But then a few days ago, to my utmost delight (tinged, I confess, with a slight edge of horror) I found that the left-over champignons I had left there for breakfast had frozen. So had my pasta. So had my milk. Did I mention that my boundless joy would have been replaced with a large chunk of irritation had I not been so overflowing with the joy that is boundless?
However, I have a freezer that freezes, a fridge that cools, and I have proved that once again sheer laziness positive thinking in not calling a tech will win the day! Why? Because it's maaaaaagic children. Maaaaaaaaaaaagic.
I have been watching more of my Granada Sherlock Holmes, and I really do believe we are getting up to the peak of the series. Edward Hardwicke's Watson plays perfectly off Brett's Holmes, and they both have that feel of actors with a common purpose who have grown comfortable with each other. We've also had a run of very good episodes, beginning with The Six Napoleans, which had one of the most effective introductions and endings I've yet seen in the Granada run. Having the first scene played entirely in Italian is amazingly powerful. The audience can see the emotions running high, but (unless they speak Italian; I don't) can only make half guesses at the cause. It left me second-guessing the relationship between the protagonists for half the episode. (Then Holmes came in and cleared it all up. Good old Holmes.) Also, the touch of sincerity from Lestrade towards the end was beautiful. I know it's not canon that Holmes be allowed to feel, but this was played softly and well, and made the greater impression for its sparse use throughout the series.
Next after that in the box set is The Sign of Four. This one (one of the four novels ACD published) was obviously designed to be a telemovie. It ran for two hours rather than one, but was done so smoothly that I would not have even noticed had I not a) known the significance of its place in canon and b) observed they devoted a little more time to the characterisation of the players. This is another one that benefited from excellent direction and photography. The lining up of the shots, the silhouetted skylines and the interspersed timing of the closeups were just some of the things I noticed that had an almost artistic aspect. And Mary Morstan! Oh, I had my heart in my mouth the whole time, for she is 'the other woman' who dares to take loyal Watson away! And they played that storyline very well, too, with obvious admiration on both parts, and it was terribly poignant. I'm not certain if it was merely a nod to the canon that they'll leave lie from now on, but I certainly hope so. After all, they have already done the Hiatus and it would be callous to have Watson marry her simply to have her die a few episodes later. (Which is essentially what ACD does do, but in his defence he at least gives them some years together first.)
And the last one that I realy enjoyed was The Devil's Foot, which, as cleolinda has noted, has one of the gayest scenes in the entire series. Also new haircut! And attractive manly (cornish!) villains! And really, really terrible special effects. But Watson taking control was very interesting. In fact, the only thing that irritated me in this episode is when Holmes makes a very important step in terms of his character development. Lets just say he kicks one of his many, many habits. However, the pivotal scene in which this occurs is placed near the very beginning of the episode, apropos of nothing. But there is a scene in the story which puts both Holmes and Watson in mortal peril, and it is absolutely in every way Holmes' fault. For him to make this evolution in character after his near-death experience would make complete sense, and would leave a very powerful impression upon the viewer. Instead, you're left going 'Wha..? I thought you already learnt that lesson. I'm sure I saw you learn that lesson. Have you the brain rot?' It is sad.
And after we that we have Silver Blaze, which was enjoyable and had much to recommend it, but did not stand out as the other three did. Still, I feel this is a particularly strong season, hair or no.
Three days til The All-American Rejects! And I should really write up what I thought about Wicked. And those book reviews. I have a hella backlog on those book reviews. (Oh, yes, I am still doing those. Delay of eight weeks you say? I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about.)
But now? I leave you with this. My absolute favourite song from Wicked. Well. Absolute favourite for now.