ciprus

I agree with everything! Margaret was spoiled and rather stuck up but damn, Vanessa Kirby makes me sympathize with her. She is mesmerizing to watch just in a scene by herself. And that desperate unhappiness she exudes is impossible for me not to feel for. The dumping of Billy Wallace was glorious!

I know this is fictionalized, but the more I watch the stronger I feel that the Queen should be awarded some sort of medal for putting up with Philip's whiny ass for 70 years.

I've seen the whole season now and I think I'm even more confused as to Jean's motivations now than in the beginning. At first I thought there were some kind of weird sense of wanting to help her patients, now I'm not so sure. Why did she start to push Sam and Sidney towards each other again by the end? And the relationship with the patient who just got out of a long stretch of treatment seems downright sinister. The guy and the boxing club turned out to be her brother, so Jean has been Diane for a lot longer than the stretch of the show, it seems. I'm really going to need another season to make sense of this!

I had very high hopes for this show, and it didn't quite deliver on them until the last episode. I liked that we finally got to see some wrestling, even though I know virtually nothing about it, it was a lot of fun and a lot of food for thought with all the stereotyping and the audience's reactions to them. Debbie was the standout character for me, she really sold the torment and pain of being betrayed by both her husband and friend. Ruth was a little bleak, but I think it was the point? She did look awesome in her Zoya outfit, though. I'll probably watch a second season, and by I would like some more character development across the board. It was a solid show, but if it had been aired on a week to week basis, I would have lost interest after a few episodes.

Agreed. I think it's creepy that they're turning this into some grey area relationship. He raped her! She might like him because she is used to be treated like crap by men but I really dislike this storyline.

This season has been confusing and difficult to follow. How many people can die or disappear around the Underwoods before people actually start sniffing around properly? These last few episodes were ridiculous. Durant takes a tumble, LeAnn crashes her car and Tom disappears within a few days of each other. I hope they don't let this go next season. Claire killing Tom worked for me, but why in Usher's house? Now she has to make him her veep and that won't end well. I never really understood why Frank trusts Claire, she's been untrustworthy since season one and I have always gotten the vibe that she might turn on him one way or another (she has a few times IIRC). I hope next season is the last and that we get to see them destroy each other.

I can't pinpoint why, but I felt this finale was a bit anticlimactic. Things resolved too easily. I felt like it would have benefitted from a longer season, maybe even just 10 episodes to resolve everything. I didn't buy that no one is going down for the murder of Sir George. I'm so happy it seems like they're going for a second season, since I really love the vibe of this show. I love that everyone is morally grey in some way. Though I agree with everyone who said that the first half was decidedly better written. So glad Margaret didn't have Amelia killed. I didn't think she would, but I wasn't sure how desperate she was. Have anyone heard anything about the ratings for the show? Is it heading for renewal? It seems like it's been flying under the radar, I just happened to stumble over it myself.

Yes to all of this! I don't find Lucy to be the most interesting character, but her actions makes total sense to me. I suppose one could see Lucy as spoiled compared to the other girls in the house, but just because they're worse off, it doesn't mean her apparent trauma is something she can just get over. It's obvious she is sensitive, and that Margaret and Charlotte have sheltered from the uglier things that would be expected of her, which was probably a bad move because she seemed completely unprepared for it. After her experiences with Lord Repton, she has appeared nearly catatonic at times, and I was half expecting they'd find her dead somewhere. Stabbing Sir George was obviously not a smart move, she pretty much damned them all, but I also don't think it was a conscious decision but a result of her trauma.

I felt the same. I'm not sensitive but that was one of the most painful scenes ever. I couldn't sit still while watching. One thing that went trough my mind when I watched this show, as good as I thought it was most of the time, I kept thinking: How would I have reacted to this as a depressed 16 year old? As an adult with all that behind me, I can handle it, but I'm not sure it would have been good for me to see when being in a similar headspace as Hannah. The actual suicide was brutal to watch, but the whole premise of the show is Hannah getting to tell her story to all the people who treated her badly, she got to punish them after death in a way. I know a lot of kids thinking that "If I died everyone would be sorry", and this show depicts that. I don't know if it's a great thing to see for kids who are in that place on the verge? I don't know how to feel about it to be honest.

For the first time, Susan Sarandon truly looked like Bette Davis to me. After being annoyed with Joan in episode 7, I felt sorry for her here. Jessica Lange did a good job. All in all a decent series, I had just hoped for more. Not sure what it was missing. Sorry to hear they will go with Charles and Diana next, I wish they'd stick to old Hollywood!

I've rarely, if ever, seen a TV show with an impact so profound both intellectually and emotionally. The choice to include the flashbacks of before much more than in the book was a good choice, that also makes this so much scarier. It's just a revolution away, if that. As a gay woman this episode was especially gruesome to watch. The acting, writing and the cinematography is superb. I'm glad they didn't release it all at once though, I think this show deserves reflection between the episodes. I really hope it reaches it's audience because it's fantastic and important.

I won't pretend to be knowledgeable in law at all, but I just read a completely underrated article that said that you can get up to five years for lying to a federal agent. Don't know if they have enough proof to convict her, though. It seems a bit far fetched.

Thanks for all that info, I've never read B.D's book. I have very little sympathy for B.D. Hyman because she's a religious fanatic who is either crazy or a liar. She's been telling people Bette was a witch who cursed her family, among other things. There's an article about it upthread.

I feel like this show hasn't really settled for me. I had high hopes for it, but they haven't done a very good job at establishing the new characters. I want to like Maia but she is too much of a wet blanket. I agree that Barbara is tragically underused. Henry Rindell is such a self pitying asshole. I hope he isn't around next season. For the first time I felt some kind of genuine connection between Lucca and Paul Ryan. For the main romantic coupling on this show they have surprisingly little chemistry.

I agree with this. I have very mixed feelings about Joan. I thought Bette was annoying and it was just super bitchy to comment on Joan's performance and saying to Bob that her scenes were unnecessary and should be cut. Maybe I'm harsh but the longer the episode went on, the less sorry I felt sorry for Joan. I felt for her in the beginning but the faking illness and ignoring their warnings of suing her for breach of contract, and then being shocked when being served... Grow the hell up! It was satisfying to see her replaced. Good for Mamacita for getting out of there!

Bette Davis: Baby Jane, All About Eve, The Little Foxes, The Nanny, Death on the Nile, The Virgin Queen, Hush hush sweet Charlotte, Murder with Mirrors Joan Crawford: Baby Jane and Mildred Pierce I love Bette Davis but I just realized that I've never seen any of her early movies. The Little Foxes comes closest, and it's from '41! I should probably rectify that if I can actually find any. That said, she and a young Maggie Smith were wonderfully snarky in Death on the Nile. Pure delight, just because of that. The film itself is okay.

B.D. Hyman is a nut. I saw a video of her a few years ago, claiming Bette Davis practiced witchcraft and cast spells on people. I'm not inclined to believe anything she has to say after that.

What a great episode. This show has really landed with me, finally. I've enjoyed Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford from the start, but it was more of an uphill climb with Sarandon, simply because I know Bette's look and voice so well and Sarandon was just not quite there. (I did not like her work in character as "Baby Jane" at all.) Bette's shoes are very hard to fill, so I can't really blame SS, I doubt anyone else would be a better fit. Joan is pathetic but I can't help but feel for her. Bette is infinitely more likable but she's tough and you know she'll manage while it's just down hill for Joan from here. It's obvious why Bette will be able to revive her career somewhat, while Joan won't. Bette was a fighter. Seeing that clip of RL Bette Davis singing "Baby Jane" was great, thanks to you who posted it! It's a catchy tune!

I get that it might not have been that easy for Philip in those days, but he's being such an utter asshole about everything - all the time. His wounded male pride is agony to watch, what a whiner! I keep dreaming QE will kick him to the curb, but alas... He takes everything as an affront like a spoiled teenager. I didn't get the impression that QE wanted him to go to Australia to be rid of him - more like giving him a purpose and be the centre of attention but he is just never satisfied. I liked what the QM said to him, I wish she had been even harder on him although it wouldn't have done much good. His only good quality is that he seems to be an engaged father, at least for his time and class. This season was amazing, so well written and well cast, but I feel kind of bad that many of the people on the show are still alive and that it will move closer to our time, too. But who am I kidding, I'll be watching.

It's very eye-opening to me how little power QE2 had to make any decisions, even about her own family and private relationships. I so relished when she dressed down Salisbury and Churchill. Finally she got to actually speak her mind! Winston really did look like a little boy getting dressed down by Nanny. Loved. It. I feel a great deal of affection for QE now, that I certainly hadn't before. She's always been this constant figure, but seeing her as a young woman with everything she had to struggle with is really something.

The whole composition of the coronation was beautiful. I can't get over how well done this show is in therms of editing and framing the important scenes in the most effective way. Philip is annoying much of the time. The he is almost seething with bitterness at times. It makes me feel sorry for QE, she is stuck between Churchill and the crown pulling one way and Philip the other. I hope she works up some more authority towards both of them soon enough! The portrayal of David isn't exactly flattering either, he is shown to be extremely two-faced. And I do not get the feeling that he has the love story of all time with Wallis as he tells himself and everyone else. It's like he's telling himself he did it for love and it was worth it, but was it? I do think him abdicating from the throne was for the greater good though, Excellent acting, either way.

Fantastic start, I'm blown away by how beautiful everything looks. I was thrilled when I saw Stephen Daldry's name in the beginning. Not sure I want six seasons, though. It's easy to go tabloid tacky with the 80's and 90's. They did a great job showing the loneliness of the crown. I have a feeling I won't like Philip much, but then again, I never have cared for the real Philip, so not much surprise there. Perfect casting though!

I feel the same way. I've enjoyed this season so much, I didn't think it had any of those lows that I usually associate with AHS. Sadly, the finale was it for me. Felt like a real anti-climax. :(

Some thoughts off the cuff: Yet another great episode! So many things happened and moved forward. Usually one important thing, maybe two, happens an episode. This was a game changer for sure. Cercei really went all out and she got what she wanted, although it cost her. I couldn't help but celebrate a little when all those religious fanatics and the hypocrite High Sparrow was roasted alive, but I was bummed Margaery wasn't able to escape. I would have like to see her team up with the Queen of Thorns to exact revenge on everyone. Tommen jumping to his death was sad, but so understandable. What was Cercei expecting? I guess she's happy now, all alone on the Iron Throne. Jamie is so going to be able to title himself Queenslayer before this show ends. He was talking about Cercei's love for their children as a virtue of hers, not sure if he's gonna be fine with her actions causing Tommens suicide... Not that he ever cared for those children much, but whatever. I like Jon and Sansa together, but I'm afraid Littlefinger is worming his way between them. Since she's raised in a patriarchal tradition, Sansa didn't seem the least bit bothered that people were declaring for Jon instead of her. But maybe she will start to mind if Littlefinger keeps whispering in her ear. Arya needs to go back to Winterfell and reunite with her siblings. And Sansa needs Brienne by her side. I'm super bummed that Brienne lost out on all the action when it took Yara and Theon just an episode to get from the Iron Islands to Mereen. Glad Dany dumped Daario, he's been mostly waste of space so far. Pretty nice fleet you got there now too, Dany. And you're finally going to Westeros! It only took you six seasons. Jon sparing Melisandre gave me pause, what about those black and white Stark morals? Aaand, we finally see the origin of Jon. Such an anticlimax at this point. This show has really desensitized me when it comes to character death. I was very upset when they burned Shireen alive, but other than that, I haven't been that moved one way or another for a long time.

That's the way I saw it too. I don't know if I think she's more culpable than Bayley since he and the other CO's are supposed to be professionals, but if not for her, Poussey would not have died. Suzanne is dangerous and she's had a hand in two innocent people dying. She's harmed several more, stalked and harassed people and I just wanted her to STFU in the finale. Her jabbering is no longer cute. I thought Taystee would lose her shit on her in the finale, but by some miracle she kept her cool.