Cheezwiz

I do love me some Charles Dance, but for the most part I found this episode a major snoozefest. I had no idea Mountbatten ever toyed around with the idea of a coup, but it seemed like it should have been juicier somehow. Lovely scene between him and Princess Alice though - who has become my breakout favourite character of this season. Oh, and I loved his cuddly black labs! That scene with the dog staring up attentively at the servant as Mountbatten's car pulled in was kind of adorable.

I found this episode very interesting and touching. I didn't know much about Princess Alice until watching this episode. Googling filled me in a bit more. What a remarkable resilient woman Alice was. It was nice that she was able to reconcile with Phillip before her death. Good move on the Queen's part to bring her to the palace to live out her final days.

Seriously, I think Anne was the son the Duke of Edinburgh always wanted. The actress was well cast - looked and sounded very much like Anne.

That was so bizarre, that I actually wondered if they made an whopping error on the title screen - I wonder if it was meant to say 1933 instead of 1943? Anyone who knows anything about their timelines knows the princesses were almost grown up during WWII. Maybe this is the Crown's version of the accidental Starbuck's coffee cup visible in that GoT episode! I think at times Margaret was capable of being much meaner!

I had never heard of this disaster before (and part of my family is from Welsh mining stock). This episode was so moving and well done - everything from the atmosphere of dread at the beginning, to the landslide pouring down the mountainside, to the endless rows of tiny coffins, was so gut-wrenching. Simultaneously it explored the Queen's tendency towards stoicism and possible emotional repression. Of course we have no idea how the Queen really feels, but it was interesting that the show HRH viewed her lack of emotion as a massive flaw, when this may in fact have been necessary for her to carry out her duties for so many decades. Olivia Colman as well as all the other actors knocked it out of the park this episode.

Yep, that, in a nutshell is the problem with Margaret. It might be easier to sympathize with her if she actually attempted to do meaningful things with her money and time, or if she had displayed a kind nature, but she was basically a dissolute narcissist. Although she resembles her in no way, (other than height) I am supremely entertained by HBC's portrayal of her - she is certainly capturing her personality!

Oh he did much worse than that when he was in office! As people upthread have mentioned, he had no problem talking to his advisors while sitting on the toilet. He was as crude as could be when he wanted to be - he often used this as an intimidation tactic. But he was an interesting character - he was certainly a bullying SOB much of the time, but was also capable of thoughtfulness and sensitivity. And his observations on the domestic side of politics were often bang on. I'm okay with the actor portraying him, even though he does not resemble him much (save for the way he looks in silhouette).

I agree - the lack of time jump is abrupt - everyone looks like they've aged more than a decade even though Season 3 starts the same year that Season 2 left off! That shocked me more than anything else. I think the change in actors might have been more convincing had they started in the late 60's around the time of Charles' investiture as Prince. But I love all the actors even though they don't resemble their real-life counterparts very much, so I'm just going with it! He really does resemble him! And if you look away from the screen as he's speaking, he sounds exactly like Prince Charles! I had posted a long comment about this episode yesterday, but it seems the internet goblins ate it (it mysteriously vanished), so I will say again that this was an interesting little tidbit about the Royal Family that I knew nothing about. The Queen's double-meaning speech was delicious!

I feel the same - the Annie & Joy story is so compelling, that I don't care as much about the supernatural stuff (which is usually my favourite kind of thing), and I really don't care much at all about Pop Merrill, Abdi and Nadia and their not terribly interesting family drama. I will say that Tim Robbins does have an awesome Maine accent down pat, so I will miss that whenever he inevitably exits the show. I can't figure out what these vampire creatures are supposed to be. And why are they Francais?

After the tedium of Episode 4, I was starting to lose a bit of hope. This episode was amazing. Far more affecting than I ever would have expected. I guess I'm much more interested in Annie and Joy's back story than Pops, the rest of the Merrills and the growing Vampire clan. You really felt genuinely bad for Annie given her start in life - really no hope for any normalcy there. Totally did not see the twist that Joy is actually her half sibling coming at all. Teenage Annie did an incredible job - kudos to the young actress. I'm officially sucked back into the show! I too, wish more people were discussing it - this season has been surprisingly moving, and is certainly an improvement over Season 1 (although it did have its poignant moments too).

I don't really know anything about gaming, but I think as a nation, Japan is truly innovative, and they are able to create new products, and pull together to work on things collectively with stunning efficiency. I love their aesthetic sense as well - so much care and attention put toward visual presentation - from their cultivation of plants and gardens, the way food is plated, to simple every day things like the way gift boxes of cookies are wrapped. Total simplicity and elegance permeates everything they do. But I do find their culture a impenetrable and confusing. I took an Asian studies course in university and we spent a lot of time on Japanese literature and their contemporary cultural norms. I found the deeper I delved into Japan, the more baffled I became!

Oooh, great dirt @ChattyCathy! Somehow not surprising though. Actually trying to work for a living in that particular city and industry sounds like a nightmare! Especially if you don't look like an off-duty glamour model! Hoping for a Season 2, just for the sheer ridiculousness, and to lookyloo more homes.

I watched the final episode featuring the estranged couple. Interestingly I didn't cry this time, but I thought it was very sad, and tough to watch. Kudos to Makato for being so vulnerable on camera - that had to have been extremely hard in his culture. He clearly had so much pent up inside. I loved the talks that both Tan and Karamo had with him. I also liked the scenes with Anthony in the kitchen - he seemed to be more relaxed and having fun. I honestly thought their marriage was done, but both seemed willing to renew their efforts. Their outing at the end of the episode looked beautiful and romantic. Once again, Bobby worked wonders in a teeny tiny space. One thing that strikes me about Japan is how barren and drab the interiors of people's homes always look to me. Not just on this show, but on many others I've seen. I think traditional Japanese homes are beautiful and serene, but the modern architecture and surroundings have me scratching my head. I understand space is at a premium and people inhabit minuscule dwellings, but everything always looks bleak on camera. The exteriors of buildings always look haphazardly jammed together, and the interiors always look just...sad and strictly utilitarian - no colour, no artwork or decorative items etc. It's a bit puzzling coming from a culture that values orderliness and beauty so much. Do people get visual enjoyment from visiting parks and gardens perhaps? Maybe my impression would be different if I visited in person, but I'm not sure I'd be able to handle staying in a big city like Tokyo for a long stretch.

I found this episode painfully slow - I was intrigued by the first three eps, but I fear the same thing that happened in Season 1 is happening again - my interest is starting to falter and my attention is wandering. They've spent soooo much time building up to a reveal that seemed totally obvious from the very start of the series. What's keeping me watching is I'm rooting for Joy to escape and live a happier life. Clearly her absence is what will send Annie off the deep end - she's already started eating uncontrollably. I guess the rest of the series is going to be about the vampire clan vs. the normies. Poor Chris, what a way to go - shanked in the neck by a holy sceptre wielding Ken Cosgrove.

Just saw Kan and Kae's episodes and loved them both. Kan was adorable, and his boyfriend seemed sweet - his family seemed genuinely happy for them both which was nice to see (and as some of the five pointed out, Kan's brother was super-handsome too). I felt so bad for Kae - it looked like she was grappling with some serious depression due to isolation and bullying from peers, as well as having an overly critical Mom. I really liked Antoni's heart to heart with them while they were cooking. Kae looked fabulous at her exhibition - loved the top and the gold necklace she wore. I also loved Bobby's transformation of her room - the colours and the lighting fixtures were beautiful! One more episode to go. I keep telling myself I'm not going to cry, but every time I do!

Just watched the first episode with Yoko, and it was wonderful - what a kind and amazing lady, to be running her own hospice. The makeover of both Yoko and her community gathering house was incredible. Bobby as usual did an amazing job creating a welcoming space. They've done an amazing job making the translation seem seamless, and I love the beautiful traditional Japanese house they are using for their headquarters. Looking forward to the next three episodes, but I need time to work up to them because I cried so much watching this one!

This was really well done - very suspenseful. I almost skipped Season 2 because I got so frustrated with Season 1 (despite the good acting). As long as we don't slide into alternate universes, timelines and wormholes this season, I think we should be good. Same - I haven't seen him in anything for a few years, so I didn't even recognize him at first. Although I knew he was in this, it was a bit of a shocker when I finally realized which character he was playing. He now looks older than his former much older partner Susan Sarandon. I think she's 12 years older than him. She now looks 12 years younger! That ice cream scoop. Gah.

I like David Chang, so as soon as this showed up on the Netflix page I thought "Yay! another food show! I'm gonna watch this!." Imagine my surprise when the first episode I clicked on was actually him visiting my home-town of Vancouver with Seth Rogen in tow. The entire episode was surreal for me - not just because they were smoking doobies the whole time - but because probably around 75% of the episode was filmed RIGHT IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD. In fact, you can very clearly see my apartment as they're driving to Queen Elizabeth Park, which is just up the street from me. They hung around a lot of spots in the Main/Cambie/Oak Street area which for me, is my daily world and was bizarre to see on a TV show. I thought Seth did alright at hitting the highlights in the city - Granville Island (yes, Lee's Donuts is a wonderful and delicious), some Dim Sum at Sun Sui Wah which is walking distance from my apartment, some Indian samosas & sweets in Little India, along with the obligatory jaunt to Richmond for Chinese BBQ. Was not expecting an "enhanced" visit to the hedge maze in VanDusen Gardens - also a stone's throw from where I live. Thought it was cute when Seth got to meet his namesake octopus at the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park, and yes, the jellyfish tanks are trippy and hypnotic even if you're not stoned. Could have done with a bit more food exploration and a bit less of the giggly smoke-ups, but I guess if it's Seth Rogen, you're going to get major helpings of weed along with local cuisine. Was hoping for a visit to the Phnom Penh in Chinatown for their fried chicken wings, or perhaps a brunch drop-in to the legendary Tomahawk in North Van, but you can't have everything! P.S. for the curious, Vancouver is home to some very fine donut establishments. In addition to the wonderful Lee's, there is a relatively new chain in various locations called Cartem's, which has some fancier artisinal donuts. If you have a vehicle and time, there is a suburb just across the bridge Northeast of Downtown called Deep Cove, where you will find Honey's Donuts. I have not tried Honey's but I hear they are amazing old-school donut delectables! For a slightly bizarre but delightfully dodgy budget option, there is Duffin's donuts on East 41st. This particular Duffin's is a bit of an underground local legend. It was, I think, at one time part of a chain, but at some point the franchise owners just started to do whatever the hell they felt like, so in addition to donuts, you can get fried chicken, spring rolls, vietnamese subs, and tamales (?!). It's open 24/7, and if you go there later at night, you'll also be treated to the somewhat colourful clientele. PPS. I promise I'm not Homer Simpson. I just appreciate a good donut.

I actually really like Karamo, but his fear of any sort of critter is a bit odd. Maybe he wasn't exposed to animals at all during his growing up years. I think Tan is also a bit afraid of dogs - I recall him hanging back and jumping into someone's arms in one episode when an over-excited barking dog (or dogs?) ran up to greet the five. Neither of them appeared to have a problem with Bruley the Frenchie (RIP little Bruley) though, so maybe it's just with unfamiliar creatures? Karamo's role on the show is supposed to cover the mental-health/counselling aspect. I believe he has a background in social work.

Although entertaining and visually beautiful, the stakes were definitely not very high in this film AT ALL. The main suspense came from waiting to see what mortifying thing Moseley would say or do!

Saw this in the theatre this weekend and it was like putting on a pair of cozy slippers and sipping tea in front of a roaring manor house fire! It really was lovely to see the house and surrounding countryside on the big screen - the cinematography was absolutely beautiful, and I was completely transported from the get-go. The plot lines were fluffy and silly for the most part, but it was enjoyable to see all the familiar faces. I loved that Thomas Barrow (looking great in this) finally found himself a handsome fella, and Alan Leech as Branson continues to be the cutest cutie-pie Irishman. Clearly Matthew Goode had to have been tied up filming something else since all we saw was him bounding up a staircase at the end. Was immensely relieved that Bates barely factored in this instalment. I really like Joanna Frogget as Anna, but her and Bates as a couple were a major snore during the series run. I really wanted Daisy to dump her dishrag fiance and hook up with the hot plumber. The parade of dresses, hats and ballgowns, was as to be expected, totally fabulous! Was saddened by Lady Violet's reveal, but I guess it's inevitable, as her character has to be about 900 years old at this point. I really would prefer her to live eternally and dispense zingers and spar with Isobel forever more. Downton isn't Downton without her. They do seem to have left the door open for future films though. Only thing missing was more shots of happy waggly golden retrievers.

Am burning my way through Season 2, but not quite finished yet. Seth Rogan going to town on a bunch of whole chickens was funny. The sauces Roy made for the braised version were waaaaay to complicated (though probably delicious), but I would have died for some of that fried chicken. I'm too "chicken" to make fried chicken myself, because all that hot oil scares me. Probably best for my waistline and arteries anyway. Pizza! I thought the Italian pizza chef was very enjoyable and personable. I liked his own twists on the Margarita Pizza. Both the traditional and the version with beef looked delicious. Oh, and the meatball sandwiches made me drool like Homer Simpson. Tacos! Oh man, both the lamb & the sweet potato tacos looked delicious. I don't do raw fish, but the fish tostadas looked so pretty with the citrus fruit arranged on them. Almost like a ceviche on a taco shell. I am not a seafood person, but I found the whole Hog Island Oyster episode very interesting as well. I enjoyed watching them make up the dressings and the seaweed salad as accompaniment. And the oysters that were being grilled in the shell on an outdoor BBQ in that butter/chipotle/bourbon sauce or whatever mouthwatering thing that was, looked amazing. THOSE I would eat, no question! This is show is the TV equivalent of salted peanuts! Can't watch just one!

How is it "pandering" when it follows a real-life case? The story shows some bad investigative work by cops who happened to be men, but it also shows a number of male investigators who worked tirelessly to try to solve this case - including an FBI agent, as well as a detective in Kansas who was running a very thorough investigation that may or may not have been related. And if the story seems unbalanced, it's because LIFE is often grossly unbalanced for sexual assault victims. In this day and age it's still a total crapshoot as to how victims will be treated by law enforcement and medical professionals. Gender isn't always the dominant factor. I'm not commenting further, as it seems you're just here to troll, if people have to keep spelling out the obvious.

I wouldn't categorize it as a "chick cop show' - it's based on a real-life investigation, and the two main detectives happened to be female. The story is quite compelling, both in the the way it shows how callously people can sometimes be treated when attempting to report, as well as the twists and turns the actual investigation took. You're missing out on some very good television if you're dismissing it based on having two female leads.

Just finished the series, and am basically echoing what everyone has already said above. This was an exceptional piece of television - it's right up there with Chernobyl as one of my favourite series of this year. It was clear that a lot of women were involved in the making of this, and the care and attention really showed. Superb acting all around, and it wound up being a satisfying ending. I wish only good things for the real Marie and all the other women victims.