HyacinthBucket

Yes, it was the smugness that really kicked in my Alicia-hate right now. She sailed triumphantly into the office, accepted congratulations for a victory she didn't deserve (or honestly earn), delighted in all the gifts, and then pretended as if she didn't have any debts to pay. When she won the election in last week's episode, I didn't think I could possibly watch this show again, but then I realized that I really, REALLY needed to see Alicia get what she had coming to her. I loved Diane's speech to her about using the office to make her run for State's Attorney; I loved Eli telling her what an idiot she was, and I loved that Bishop and Lou Grant told her that they would deal with her. I still love Diane, Cary, and Kalinda, but Alicia better be taken down quickly before I am subjected to her smug face again. As others have said, she is no better than Peter, and at least HE didn't try to pretend he was taking the moral high ground. Are we supposed to hate the title character like this? Do the writers have a grand plan to redeem Alicia? I hope so.

I believe it was Danny's son watching them, which would set up Danny, Part 2, as next season's villain. On the other hand, if Danny was sending money to his own apartment with "More to come" written on the envelopes, why were all those envelopes piled up? If his son (or son's mother) didn't have access to that apartment to collect the money, why send it there? It's the "more to come" that is really confusing me, because it implies that he is sending it to someone in particular. He could have just written, "BWAaaaaaaaahahahaha! Mine! All MINE!" if he was just using his apartment as a cash depository.

I definitely agree with ending it 10 minutes earlier, because up until then, I thought the episode was outstanding. It had me on the edge of my seat, wondering how John was going to get away with it. (I'll eventually take further thoughts on Episode 13 to the appropriate thread.) The acting throughout the entire series was superb. There were some episodes where everything seemed to drag, but I'm glad I stayed with it. I was confused by that, too. I had this awful feeling they were going to try and pull off some kind of "Weekend at Bernie's" stunt with Danny in his suit on the pier!

"Weathered" is a nicer word than what I was thinking. I was going with "seedy," for most of the men, with the exception of Steven Pasquale, who looks as good here as he does on The Good Wife.

I started watching for one reason only - Kyle Chandler, but I'm not sure how long I will last. The first episode seemed to drag on forever, and I have to admit that I cringed every time Coach Taylor spewed the f-bomb, which was quite often. I'm only two episodes in, but I'm not feeling the same kind of suspenseful atmosphere that kept me binge-watching shows like Broadchurch, or The Killing.

I think that does it for me. I am sick to death of Lemond Bishop, and words can't express my disgust that Alicia won that election. She wasn't the better candidate, and she wasn't the better person.

I was concerned that I wouldn't enjoy the show's resurrection, but as soon as I heard the dean's voice over the PA system in the first scene, I started to smile. I liked both episodes. Let's hope we continue to have these lovely little surprises - like Nathan Fillion - pop up throughout the season. Is it too much to ask for John Oliver to make an appearance?

It is such a joy to find this vintage Poldark forum! I watched this series back in the 70s, and was delighted to find it on DVD. I've read all the books, and loved all of them except for the last one about Bella. I'm reading through everyone's comments on the episode threads for the new series, and look forward to watching it here in the States.

Cooper, I couldn't stop laughing through your comments! I enjoyed Season 1 so much, but then certain characters (and actors) began to irritate me to the point where I felt I had to fast-forward through their scenes or go crazy! Sarah was the character I could not tolerate, followed closely by Kristina. It's just as well you did a time jump to get to the ending. I'll have to admit that I loved the series finale, although part of it was because I never have to see Sarah again.

The only way Alicia is redeemed for me is if she withdraws from the election, and PLEASE let next week be the end of the whole stupid election story line. I barely struggled through the Cary-in-jail plot, and now THIS tedious election drags on and on and on. I didn't sign up for a show about Alicia as State's Attorney, and I'm not interested in watching a show with Alicia as State's Attorney. If she wins; I'm done. She was disgusting this episode. I want it to go back to the days of good legal stories and Diane, Cary, and Alicia as lawyers. I wish we could keep Kalinda and get rid of Lemond Bishop. He's a great actor, but I hate the way Bishop is controlling Kalinda. Where is Kick-Ass Kalinda and her Boots of Justice?

I'm not a religious person, but Frank spitting on the statue of Jesus was a revolting, upsetting moment to me, as I imagine it was meant to be. Perhaps I needed that jarring reminder that Frank is not redeemable in any way. BetyBee, I can only speak for myself, but I found myself watching to the end because I desperately wanted to see both Frank and Claire get what they deserved. Whether I got what I wanted or not is venturing deep into spoiler territory, so my lips are sealed.

This was my favorite element of Season 3. It has to be a huge blow to his ego to find that his fellow politicians are not only refusing to kowtow to him, but are often a step or two ahead of him.

I'm going to have to go along with the use of the word "vile" for Doug and his actions. I really hate watching that kind of cat-and-mouse game, and it seemed to drag on forever. He didn't seem to have any concerns about being seen around town, did he? Surely someone could identify him if they saw him on TV? There are quite a lot of characters joining Frank is his cesspool. So, Frank won the Iowa caucus, but he no longer has Claire by his side. Was he serious when he said he couldn't have won the Presidency without Claire? If so, can he win re-election without Claire? If the show doesn't come back for another season (and I don't know why it wouldn't), I'm going to reassure myself that Frank's reign of terror will be coming to an end.

I'd just about given up on this show, but this episode was fantastic! Now that our Favorite Fearless Four are reunited and Katrina is gone, I'd definitely be back for a Season 3.

While I don't see Edith as ever having the vibrancy of Sybil, I don't think we'll continue to see "grey mouse" Edith any longer. I loved that she was smiling and happy in this episode, and she was dressed beautifully. Laura Carmichael is actually a very pretty woman, and perhaps it is time for the show to let us see the beautiful woman Edith can be without the ever-present unhappiness. I think we've see the last of the Edith who lets life push her around. (fingers crossed) I was thrilled to see Tom confident in giving out a few orders to the family. When Robert was waffling about what to do with the cottages, Tom firmly told him that they would talk about it in London. When Rose received her envelope of pictures at the restaurant table, he not only told her exactly what to do, but he ordered Mary to go with her. LOVED it! I think Tom is the one loss I could not stand for this show. He's my favorite character by far.

There is an Audi commercial that I absolutely despise, in which a young boy is contemplating jumping into a swimming pool in front of a lifeguard. The boy has been eating, and the sign clearly says that swimmers have to wait an hour after eating before entering the pool. There is rather a funny interlude in which the boy imagines all kinds of extreme reactions for breaking the rules, but in the end, he ignores the lifeguard's warning and jumps into the pool. The commercial probably wouldn't bother me if the boy's mother hadn't visibly expressed her approval for the boy's actions. The commercial ends with "The world is full of rules. Be the exception." For me, this illustrates part of the reason why the Max Bravermans of the world think they can do whatever the hell they want to do, whenever they want to do it. We all know that some rules are stupid, and I'm not talking about those. I'm in education, and see so many kids in so many classrooms act as if the rules do not apply to them, including basic common courtesy rules, such as listening quietly while others are talking. Teachers have to bend over backwards in order to get them to turn in simple homework assignments; heaven forbid they might actually do any studying on their own! There are so many Adams and Kristinas out there who constantly make excuses for their lazy children, and blaming the teacher in the process. I always want to ask them how they expect their children to ever earn a living, or will they demand that their parents buy them new cars and sponge off them for the rest of their lives? Max may be able to earn a living in the future with his photography skills, but he has a long way to go before he can deal with the public without falling apart, and those skills are up to his parents to provide and MODEL. (I'm looking at you, Kristina.)

Kristina and Adam couldn't hear Sarah shouting over Max's shouting and their own shouting. That family does nothing but shout at each other. I can't believe I am actually on Sarah's side about something! (I'm going to have to mark this momentous occasion on my calendar.) She was right to escort Max home, rather than put up with that horrible behavior in the shop. Speaking of the shop, these last two episodes were another example of how special Sarah is supposed to be, with the latest being that she insisted on having the photo shoot at the beach. Wow, how innovative! I'm sure NOBODY but our special Sarah has ever thought about shooting beach pictures at an actual beach!

I understand that the Bravermans want what's best for Max, but I'm tired of them only seeing things from their point of view. What was the history teacher supposed to do with Max when he basically took over the class? After the first or second time it happened and Max was sent to the library, he (the teacher) certainly should have talked to Adam and Kristina about it so that they could have discussed behavior plans, but I would like to see Joel and Kristina stop making excuses for Max's behavior. Max has made great strides in the past few years, so why can't he be told - and accept - that he can't monopolize the class discussion? Opening a charter school seems like an extreme solution, but since they are the Bravermans, nothing is impossible, of course. I'm just shocked that Sarah didn't have to bat her eyelashes at the English teacher to get his cooperation in helping with the new school. Camille. As a woman and an empty-nester myself, I understand her desire to take on new challenges and adventures, but I dislike the way she has gone about doing it. She has earned the right to her wonderful month in Italy, but I hate how she shut Zeek out of the experience. She's back, but it's as if she is living in her own little Italian cocoon, and doesn't want to share it with him. My husband and I have lived in this house for more than 30 years, and I am very attached to it, bad windows and all. It's where we brought our babies home from the hospital, and where they grew up. If my husband made the decision that it was time to sell it without considering my feelings at all, I'd be more than pissed off. Crosby should not have called Camille"selfish," but it seemed as if she were implying that the past 40+ years had been a burden to her.

I've been binge-watching the show, and I'm glad to see episode threads appear for the remainder of the show's run. I apologize in advance for binge-posting. From the beginning, Joel has been my favorite male character. He seemed like the perfect family man, and I loved that Joel and Julia seemed to have a solid marriage, which is why this sudden turn of events is a huge WTH? moment for me. I don't understand why he has completely shut down when it comes to talking about their marriage. I loved how Drew gave Amy the push she needed. He is absolutely adorable. However,I'd choose Amy in a heartbeat over Natalie. Hank is a great addition to the show, IMO. If he makes Sarah even remotely more bearable, it will be a miracle.

I'm getting lost in the seasons and story lines, too, but she has definitely gotten worse since I posted my last rant. I feel sorry for her kids, who have to put up with her impulsiveness and her ever-present Boots of Righteous Indignation. I hated it when she made up some stupid excuse to follow Drew to his then-girlfriend's house and their family dinner, and proceded to plant herself in the midst of them. There must be something magical in her squinty-eyed smirk that make handsome men fall all over her, but I certainly can't see it. And how did she become a building superintendent, of ALL things? There must be a deleted scene somewhere in which she sleeps with the starry-eyed owner. I know I cut Christina a lot more slack than I do Sarah, but this campaign for mayor is ruining my love for Christina. What has bothered me the most has pretty much taken place in one or two episodes: She suddenly decided that she was going to run for mayor, and got angry at Adam (The World's Most Supportive Husband) when he didn't instantly support her, even though he raised a very valid concern about her health issues. Furthermore, she didn't stop to think about how such a campaign would affect her family. She didn't think how her house would literally be taken over with her campaign committee, and perfect strangers would be helping themselves to the contents of their fridge, cupboard, credit card numbers, every available space, etc. She didn't think it was crossing a line to INSIST that Adam hit up some of his clients for donations to her campaign. Ugh! What a dreadful story line, and I haven't seen the ending yet! There is still a lot that I love about this show, so I will definitely stick it out until the end. One of the things I have loved is Joel and Julia's strong marriage, so I am not too thrilled about where it appears to be heading. Is NOTHING sacred?? Oops! Another quick question. Does ANYONE in this family have locks on their bedroom doors? Sheesh!

Edith has been a mother since she gave birth to Marigold, and has loved and longed for Marigold since the child was born, even after she was done breastfeeding. She never stopped caring for her.

Wait until Season 5 and her mayoral campaign!

Get out of my head, Statsgirl! My sympathies are with Edith, who was desperate. She gave birth to the child of the man she loved and lost. She loved the baby, but tried to do the right thing and give her up. I can completely understand how torn she was, and why she tried to come up with a crazy scheme to somehow keep the baby in her life. I think the Drewe solution might have worked if only Mrs. Drewe hadn't made her feel so unwelcome EVERY TIME she tried to visit Marigold, and finally shut down the visits altogether. What else could Edith do? She was the one who was desperate, and when she was at her absolute lowest point, she did what she had to do to get Marigold back. I cannot imagine having my beloved child so close by and being denied access to her, especially in the cold, rude manner of Mrs. Drewe. I'd like to add that Marigold is all she has left of Gregson, but I haven't completely ruled out his return. I know they said his "remains" were found, but were they positively identified as Gregson's?

For some inexplicable reason, I waited until the last few minutes of the series finale to watch Parenthood. It caught my interest, and I was delighted to find that Netflix had the earlier seasons. I flew through Season 1 and loved it, but felt the first rumblings of irritation for Sarah, and now that I have completed Season 3, I can honestly say that I can't stand her. While nearly all the Braverman family members have trouble with boundaries, (except poor, adorable Drew), Sarah is the WORST! There is no bedroom, bathroom, or office that she hasn't barged into without an apology. She doesn't care if the boss is there, or if someone is in the middle of an important meeting or telephone call. Whatever stupid-ass problem she has, the whole world has to know about it, and it has to be NOW! It's all about HER. She has brothers; did she stop to think for a moment that whatever poor Drew was doing in the shower might be normal before she got Adam involved? Did she stop to think of the awkward situation she put Adam in when she started batting her eyes at his boss? People got laid off and she asked for a RAISE? It seems as if there has been no situation where she can't win over someone by invading their space and insisting on telling her sob story. Dating the teacher whom she knows her daughter is crushing on? Kissing him in front of the school? She constantly takes, takes, takes. Demands, demands, demands. Her children are allowed NO privacy from her spying and snooping, and she won't hesitate to read an entire embarrassing text out loud from someone else's phone. (Poor Joel. He sent a private, sexy text to Julia, but Miss Sara-I-Don't-Need-No-Stinkin'-Boundaries reads it to everyone.) I've come to the point where I can hardly stand her. As I begin watching Season 4, will someone please reassure me that it's possible for me to like Sara once again?

I was a bit disappointed in the cliffhanger ending, but only because it didn't fit in with my wish for the show to continue on in the Blackadder style of bringing the same characters back in different settings. Overall, I loved this show and would definitely watch a sequel, preferably during the summer when pickings are slim. The songs were terrific last night. Another hilarious song with Gwen and Chef! Many of you have mentioned Galavant and Richard tiptoeing past the guards, which I thought was made even more funny by the exaggerated sound of crickets chirping. I don't watch much TV, and I didn't recognize most of the actors, including Galavant, but they were all delightful. I also did NOT recognize that Syd was Magnitude until someone on this forum mentioned it. Pop, pop!