grown-up drama time
Wolf Hall 2 Entirely Beloved
I was quite tired when watching this, so the most important thing about this episode for me wasclearly the tiny black kitten. Wolsey saw it as a portent of one thing, Cromwell argued it was another, and I was just going ‘Aww! Kitten!’
Having admitted that, what else happened? We met Cromwell’s son, the one who wasn’t as bright as his dead sister. Apparently Cromwell spoiled him, giving him what he (or his wife) couldn’t have in his youth. Pale greyhounds were big at those all-boy universities in those days.
Everyone was at Cromwell to remarry. Now, I’d thought that Joan(?) was Cromwell’s sister - looking back I don’t know why - but it turns out she was Liz’s sister. Was he just singing the next morning because he’d influenced Henry? Anyway, he kissed her. As if nobody’d learned anything from the Arthur/Catherine/Henry mis-steps. (Just Saying.)
In his attempt to win back Wolsey’s position, Cromwell insinuated himself more with Henry and Anne. Henry as played by Lewis is intriguing, and Anne is hoity-toity, determined steel. Elizabeth I makes a lot of sense. Having said that, I may have been exaggerating last week when I talked about ‘half-remembered history’. The actual fraction is much lower than that. (Was John Seymour’s weepy daughter Jane?)
Wolsey died, Cromwell failed in that regard. I do know that the dissolution of the monasteries is coming.
What I said about the use of light and Mark Rylance being excellent last time still applies.
But when I saw Screen Wipe’s parodic take on it, I cackled.
Last night, The Good Wife came back (in Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s slot, and though that’s always amusing, it can wait) and I was excited.
6.1
But not excited enough.
So good.
Picking up where it had left off - I might feel differently about the flow with Cary if I’d rewatched the last episode - there was huge pressure on Alicia and Diane, but isn’t there always? And Cary was trying to make up to all and sundry and the second we followed him to his car, I was expecting him to get mugged or attacked again. But it was an arrest - and just following him through the experience, tired, confused, out of his element - added a freshness to all that happened. It’s another sign of confidence that the show’s willing to do that along with familiar ground.
Plus I love that it’s the link to Bishop that’s caused this trouble for them. And Alicia, if not Diane, suspects the injury was a message from Bishop. Finn was entirely right to question the source of the money (and talking about money, how perfect were Cary’s dad being tight-fisted, where Alicia and Robin weren’t, and ROBIN’S FACE.)
And Kalinda!!! Straight in there. I didn’t know how much I wanted her encounter with Bishop until it happened. But her vulnerability that something like this couldn’t happen to Cary again said it all. Plus it was her advice to make a friend that led Cary to his attacker, although if he wasn’t sleep deprived, shocked to his core and fighting institutionalism, he might have been a bit more suspicious. The the choice of bringing back Kalinda’s cop ex was interesting, because the second she called, I did wonder if that was too much coincidence. Loved that ex whatshername could well believe that Kalinda would carry out her blackmail threat. Because she would, even if I’m not convinced Kalinda was really phoning anyone. We’re left wondering what’s on the recording and whether Cary’s claim that nothing he said could be reasonably construed as encouraging illegality will stand.
The other interesting figure they’ve brought from way back when is Eli’s daughter. She’s great, even if I clearly don’t remember her name. I loved that she was willing and able to prick Eli’s bubble (and make useful, valid contributions) when he thought he was, and was, being very clever. I think that heading the biggest female-majority-led law firm is going to appeal to Alicia more (plus they’re going to owe Diane, so I think that’s a lock) than State’s Attorney. However, Castro has annoyed her just enough.
There was Samantha Mathis playing a total grown up! Because she is one!
Also Nora got a really good moment telling Eli she wasn’t going to talk to the intern. Heh, Eli can do only manipulate politicians.
And of course Jackie overheard/eavesdropped and blabbed to Peter.
Although Alicia was at the heart of everything, and we neatly got reminded of/shown the state of her relationship with nearly everyone (are they going to go for Alicia/Finn???) I don’t have so much to say about her.
Diane could have sold her retirement line a little better, but I love that Kalinda is a package deal for her and she’s not underselling herself, no fear. I hope we see her and her new husband together at some point, because Diane and Kurt are a delight.
David Lee and Louis Canning’s FACES when Alicia came to Diane to ask her to represent Cary!!!
Basically, this episode was gripping, as ever, everything was high stakes, and, when I think about it, adroitly set things up for the rest of the season.
Tonight, I saw a tantalising advert for the return of The Mentalist on five, but it’s going to be on Thursday at nine. Of course it is. I’m still watching The Good Wife live, though.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/153866.html.
I was quite tired when watching this, so the most important thing about this episode for me wasclearly the tiny black kitten. Wolsey saw it as a portent of one thing, Cromwell argued it was another, and I was just going ‘Aww! Kitten!’
Having admitted that, what else happened? We met Cromwell’s son, the one who wasn’t as bright as his dead sister. Apparently Cromwell spoiled him, giving him what he (or his wife) couldn’t have in his youth. Pale greyhounds were big at those all-boy universities in those days.
Everyone was at Cromwell to remarry. Now, I’d thought that Joan(?) was Cromwell’s sister - looking back I don’t know why - but it turns out she was Liz’s sister. Was he just singing the next morning because he’d influenced Henry? Anyway, he kissed her. As if nobody’d learned anything from the Arthur/Catherine/Henry mis-steps. (Just Saying.)
In his attempt to win back Wolsey’s position, Cromwell insinuated himself more with Henry and Anne. Henry as played by Lewis is intriguing, and Anne is hoity-toity, determined steel. Elizabeth I makes a lot of sense. Having said that, I may have been exaggerating last week when I talked about ‘half-remembered history’. The actual fraction is much lower than that. (Was John Seymour’s weepy daughter Jane?)
Wolsey died, Cromwell failed in that regard. I do know that the dissolution of the monasteries is coming.
What I said about the use of light and Mark Rylance being excellent last time still applies.
But when I saw Screen Wipe’s parodic take on it, I cackled.
Last night, The Good Wife came back (in Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s slot, and though that’s always amusing, it can wait) and I was excited.
6.1
But not excited enough.
So good.
Picking up where it had left off - I might feel differently about the flow with Cary if I’d rewatched the last episode - there was huge pressure on Alicia and Diane, but isn’t there always? And Cary was trying to make up to all and sundry and the second we followed him to his car, I was expecting him to get mugged or attacked again. But it was an arrest - and just following him through the experience, tired, confused, out of his element - added a freshness to all that happened. It’s another sign of confidence that the show’s willing to do that along with familiar ground.
Plus I love that it’s the link to Bishop that’s caused this trouble for them. And Alicia, if not Diane, suspects the injury was a message from Bishop. Finn was entirely right to question the source of the money (and talking about money, how perfect were Cary’s dad being tight-fisted, where Alicia and Robin weren’t, and ROBIN’S FACE.)
And Kalinda!!! Straight in there. I didn’t know how much I wanted her encounter with Bishop until it happened. But her vulnerability that something like this couldn’t happen to Cary again said it all. Plus it was her advice to make a friend that led Cary to his attacker, although if he wasn’t sleep deprived, shocked to his core and fighting institutionalism, he might have been a bit more suspicious. The the choice of bringing back Kalinda’s cop ex was interesting, because the second she called, I did wonder if that was too much coincidence. Loved that ex whatshername could well believe that Kalinda would carry out her blackmail threat. Because she would, even if I’m not convinced Kalinda was really phoning anyone. We’re left wondering what’s on the recording and whether Cary’s claim that nothing he said could be reasonably construed as encouraging illegality will stand.
The other interesting figure they’ve brought from way back when is Eli’s daughter. She’s great, even if I clearly don’t remember her name. I loved that she was willing and able to prick Eli’s bubble (and make useful, valid contributions) when he thought he was, and was, being very clever. I think that heading the biggest female-majority-led law firm is going to appeal to Alicia more (plus they’re going to owe Diane, so I think that’s a lock) than State’s Attorney. However, Castro has annoyed her just enough.
There was Samantha Mathis playing a total grown up! Because she is one!
Also Nora got a really good moment telling Eli she wasn’t going to talk to the intern. Heh, Eli can do only manipulate politicians.
And of course Jackie overheard/eavesdropped and blabbed to Peter.
Although Alicia was at the heart of everything, and we neatly got reminded of/shown the state of her relationship with nearly everyone (are they going to go for Alicia/Finn???) I don’t have so much to say about her.
Diane could have sold her retirement line a little better, but I love that Kalinda is a package deal for her and she’s not underselling herself, no fear. I hope we see her and her new husband together at some point, because Diane and Kurt are a delight.
David Lee and Louis Canning’s FACES when Alicia came to Diane to ask her to represent Cary!!!
Basically, this episode was gripping, as ever, everything was high stakes, and, when I think about it, adroitly set things up for the rest of the season.
Tonight, I saw a tantalising advert for the return of The Mentalist on five, but it’s going to be on Thursday at nine. Of course it is. I’m still watching The Good Wife live, though.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/153866.html.