whoknowswho

I was torn on this episode. I've grown to love Capaldi, especially this season--he made a change in his personality this year I think, or maybe it was the combo of Pearl and Matt Lucas--but I enjoyed him so much this season, I don't want to see him go. I ADORED Bill and Nardole, and wish both could stay. That said--we've had heavy handed pro-female stories with the Master being Missy, one of the Time Lords (whose name I forget) turned into a woman--I really DO NOT want a female Doctor. The Doctor is the Doctor, male or female--but for me personally if they can't handle a woman companion not wanting to hump The Doctor (think Amy, who I loved, but really--on her night before her wedding--she feels the urge to muck it up with the Doctor? Comeon...)--how will they handle a woman? Not for me--I will stop watching if that happens.

On that you are absolutely correct. Without question. My poor choice of words, because I thought of exactly what you just said, just after I had written it. I meant to edit it and then got busy doing something else.

Me too. Canada is not America. Canada is still part of the British Commonwealth--we take our parliamentary procedure from Britain, not the USA. I believe we fought the war of 1812 so we wouldn't be assimilated into the USA. We are closer to Britain in more ways than we are the US. The Queen is our Queen, we are still part of the Commonwealth. Despite what the US may think--we also "own" part of NORTH America. Edited to add--which we stole from the native peoples. I write with British grammar--colour, honour, flavour, etc. It is how we were taught here in Canada, at least when I went to school. If you said I was American and not Canadian--and were not astute enough to know the difference, I think you'd get a back hand from me. Sorry, off topic, but it is MY pet peeve. The US stole our Timmies, our best hockey players, and poutine. :) We'd like to keep the crazy at our borders and not inside them. Carry on, my apologies for going off. See--we apologize for everything! lol...

I don't remember where we crossed back into Ontario except that we went from NY state to Ont and back to Quebec--there would have been a bridge somewhere, but I remember we went through Cornwall, because Mom used to live there. I'm aware of the water--the locks, etc. We lived in Hawkesbury and the Carillon dam/bridge wasn't terribly far from us. (I was a kid, I don't remember a whole lot of driving into Quebec) All I'm telling you is the amount of provinces and states we went through in an easy afternoon of driving. It's possible she could have done it as long as she could have crossed a bridge somehow.

I liked the first 4 episodes a great deal. I did not care for the extra story lines of Luke and Nick--and the Commander and Serena's episode particularly either. I guess I'm sort of a purist...this show was so hard hitting for the first 4, and then it got too gooey in the middle. I don't want a love story--this should not be a love story. Moira I loved, and would if anything, have preferred a full episode dedicated to her. Maybe next year it will happen, but I'm not sure I'll be there for another season. To me--it should have ended this season where the book ended. I did like the last 2 episodes, but many things left me asking why--like why didn't the Waterfords tell whoever was taking June away that she was pregnant. I actually liked the musical scores, I think I understood why they used the music they did, because in the book music was important to the last part of the story, so I have no trouble with it.

Correct. My boyfriend and I left St. Jean Sur Richelieu Quebec to go skiing at Jay Peak Vermont--we went through New Hampshire, Vermont (didn't go to Jay Peak, too high) and New York state, then back up into Ontario around Cornwall and back to Quebec--hitting no huge bodies of water, no border stops either. (This was almost 30 years ago, maybe it has changed) We were on back roads meandering, only knew we were in the USA when the signs said so. I don't find it impossible at all that she would have made it to Ontario. We did this in an afternoon, and landed back at St. Jean before supper.

It's funny you would mention what I at least take for granted. Margaret Atwood is Canadian--(in fact her "partici-cution" is a play on the old annoying Canadian ads for "Partici-paction", a school sports participation program and constant TV ad. back in the 70s and maybe early 80s, which annoyed us all including apparently, her). Here in Canada----different milk companies have different colours of cartons for different percentages of milk. Our brand (Farmers)--I use 2% which is a black carton, my husband uses regular (3%) which is red, and 1%, is green. For those who like one company but not the other--you send your husband for "Blue" milk (Scotsburn, as we only have 2 province wide milk companies in my province). I think it's Canada wide, while we don't all have the same milk companies---we do all have coloured cartons. I still say--"Get black milk" for me--aka--get Farmers 2%. Now of course, Gilead would likely only have 1 country wide milk company, so that may blow holes in my theory, but I kind of think that's what she was going for. Oh--I didn't see the numbers by the milk--and someone upthread has coloured cartons but not the same colours as we have on the east coast. It isn't standardized, each company sets their own colours for which percentage milk it is.

Maybe Serena Joy is hoping she'll kill herself with the mirror, maybe she's part of Mayday( wouldn't that be a twist?) and she's hoping Offred will kill Commander Waterford. Of course that would not work because without her husband, she has no security...but I can hope. I know how the book plays it, and how the movie plays it, but I doubt the series will do the same.

Heh, I still have all my childhood and young adult cassette tapes, can still fix a wonky tape, splice it, and yes, I still play them. They had a simple beauty in their ease of use...I grew up on reel to reel as our main way of saving stuff in the 60s I also still have my records, and they get played too. CDS, mostly turned into coasters... ;)

I found it last week either on Vimeo or Daily Motion, I tend to think it was Vimeo. It was cut up into 15 mins chunks per, and numbered 1, 2, 3 etc. I think one part, part 5 was missing but I'm not sure, having never seen the movie before. Except to say it was pretty terrible, but considering it was the 90's with big bad hair and Robert Duval as Commander, it was ok. Well, I guess it was pretty bad...but watchable.

I wondered that as well. This is an incredible series, dark and horrible, but it's also beautifully done most of the time, darkness notwithstanding. It's odd, I feel I must watch this series, if only to be a witness. What is happening in Gilead, while fantastic--is possible. It does happen in places like the Middle East, where women as a species are about as important as goats, maybe less so. I think that was Atwood's whole point--that it isn't all that impossible, it only requires zealots and good people who do nothing when the change is taking place. I couldn't make out what Serena Joy was making, or what she put in that box--were there baby booties there? I know it was supposed to be impactful, but I simply could not see it, not on the rewatch, either.

I sense Rita may have loyalties that don't rest with Gilead either, it's just been a thought since she came into the story. This series always leaves me with so many things to process and think about. Spot on what I bolded here, and that is what I meant, only not nearly as eloquently. Nick didn't seem upset that WATERFORD was taking Offred out to the brothel--knowing she would be forced into sex yet again not of her volition--he acted like a petulant child-- all pouty lips and cow eyes that SHE had forsaken HIM for the Commander. Just...no. Memo to Nick-- if you are in love with her--punch Waterford in the mouth, Nick--man up and take your place on the Wall. I'll respect you for that. Either that, or do something else to help the poor woman--but don't act like she's cheating on you! Up till last week, I was sort of hoping for a fairy tale happy ever-after--for June/Offred and the man of her choosing, whoever he might be. But let's face it--Gilead could crumble tomorrow, but I'll bet most Handmaid's aren't going to be jumping back into the old heterosexual love stories of pre-Gilead days. Those women are ruined, and Janine's crying "No" during the ceremony, slammed home how horrible their lives are. All those days waiting and being consumed with dread for that upcoming Ceremony day--you may as a Handmaid (or any rape victim) try to detach your mind from your body during that part, but it's really, really hard to do so.

She said "Not from now", and that her son was 19 I think when he died. So, if she's in her 40s she's likely too old in the new regime. Just a guess on my part.

That would make me so happy! I'm not a mother but even I know you don't calm a baby like that. I have loathed her the entire show since her ridiculous fake birth and saying she was in pain...I just hated her. Her pinched face, she brings new meaning to the word "tight ass". I hope he ends up on the Wall and she ends up, oh think of it--maybe at Jezebel's? Wouldn't that be a kick? Seriously, I love this show, it horrifies me and makes me think so hard that my brain hurts...

Ok, I've watched every episode except the Luke one (I really dislike him and his story thus far) three times, and never have I been as horrified as last night's episode. Usually I can just shudder and 'take it" like the handmaid's have to. But Jezebel's last week, and a repeat this week, dropped me to my knees. Waterford and the actor who plays him, is incredible in his cruelty, his skeevyness, and his absolute power over June. The bed scene at Jezebel's devastated me. I can so relate to it, to the horror of unwilling sex and having to pretend you like it, god...it killed me. Moira killed me. Janine broke me into little pieces after I thought I could not grieve for them anymore. And the worst--was her lying in the hospital. Just thought I'd point out--they haven't totally eschewed medical intervention because she was laying there with a central line in her, and a heart monitor, very slow, but there. Because even if she never wakes up--she is a uterus. Being in a coma may just be the best thing for this broken, tormented girl. I noticed not for the first time, that Aunt Lydia seems to really care for her girls. She was horrified when Janine jumped, and I don't think it's all because she is a living uterus. I think Aunt Lydia loves this broken little handmaid, and that makes it all the sadder. She is killing this role and while I know she's a zealot, I love that she is not always 100% evil, 100% of the time. Makes her even more interesting. I agree with the above statement that the Marthas may just be the most interesting people in the series. Maybe because of my age--I would never be a handmaid, I might be a Martha or go straight to the colonies. That little reality bite, bit me. I really like the chef at Jezebel's, I wish we could see her more and know her name. And Rita isn't the machine that she usually pretends to be. I also do not care for Nick's angst. Not for one moment, noto one iota. I do not care for any male's perspective in this series, because no matter how bad it might be for some of them, it's 10000X worse to be a woman. Through this series, the book, even the old movie, I discovered that I am a feminist after all. That Serena Joy is probably going to catch Waterford and Offred, makes me terrified for her. (June, not SJ) We've seen how she's treated Offred in the past, I cannot imagine what she would do to her now. I will watch this episode again, but only after I've tried to assure myself that it "couldn't happen here". Well, I'm in Canada, so it wouldn't happen here. .

It's funny--I had no idea the actor playing Nick isn't Caucasian. To me he looks Italian--big brown eyes, olive skin, swarthy, lovely lips. I would never think of him as bi-racial at all, I just went back and looked at him again, and I still see a "white" man with dark hair and eyes. It doesn't jump out to me at all. So if it doesn't jump out to me, perhaps it doesn't jump out to others, either? The Commander is dark haired, has dark eyes I think (haven't looked, he squicks me out too badly!) so I think a baby could pass as whatever. Also, I hate to say it--but I hate Luke and I hate the flashbacks with him. He's boring. They have no chemistry, and that part of the story really does nothing for me, except when it showed how things changed, the police state, the loss of women's rights, etc. He really factors little into the story IMO. I have watched all the episodes twice now except last nights, and listened to the audio book because I just can't see the printed word well enough. Truly a horrific story line, made worse by the fact there is so much truth in it, in America and of course in all other countries where women are considered chattel. It's also the best series I've seen for a long, long time.

I played this song over and over for Dad when he was in the process of dying. I made a special tape for him in the hospital, unfortunately he died alone, after we had gone home to rest--I'm a nurse, I was trying to be there till the absolute end, but that end was a slow 11 days. I can't listen to it, either.

From this first moment of this show, I loved it. My husband doesn't like TV, except for Vikings--but he does not get to turn the channel to news when This is Us is on. I characterize it as this--a "SWEET" show. Sweet as in lovely, beautiful, poignant. Not full of unneeded sex, not full of hate--it's a positive and upbeat show if there ever was one. Are there problems with it? Sure, lots of them--but most of all, this show is about family, and how important it is to have family. As one who has lost all her family, it always makes me a bit wistful because I would give so much to have another minute with my father or mother. I absolutely thought it was probably the best episode of any show that I can remember in a long, long time. I have teared up a few times--but I was sobbing, full on bawling at 2:00 am when I knew it was William's exit. When Randall took his face and told him to breathe, just breathe. And then, the ducks--turning to the car, God--I just cried my guts out. If my husband had woke, he'd have been very worried because the last time I cried that much was when I lost my own father. It's a beautiful hour of TV, and this episode--was the best. I'm going to have to watch it again.

This. So. correct. I raise chickens, geese, and ducks. Birds and death are often close together--he sent Randall the ducks--they turned and looked at the car and it absolutely destroyed me. In my life--I learned of my father's death from a bird, so...this scene lambasted me.

This episode--It frigging GUTTED me. Period. I bawled like a baby, and I don't generally bawl, or sob, or tear up. Although--someone said above--when Mark Green died on ER--that was probably the last time I cried. Having lost both my parents and not getting that deathbed scene, hokey as it was--well...it just killed me. I absolutely adored William's character. I LOVED that Randall get's some real blood family--second or third cousins--close or far it doesn't matter. It simply was a great episode for me.

I'm from Newfoundland--my sisters were both born there. Where the first Viking settlement L'Anse aux Meadows was discovered by Helga Ingstad in 1960. Now it's exciting to see another settlerment. The Vikings thought they had reached "Vinland"--at L'Anse Aux Meadows. It's thought the Vikings only stayed 20 years in Newfoundland before moving on--what we loving call "The Rock", can be a inhospitable place, even now.

Oh, crud I was really liking the idea--when I saw the sword I thought of Albert's pilgrimage and the sword he received, and got the two kids mixed up. I couldn't guess Heahmund's age...I wasn't watching at that point...

OMG--That totally works for me! Him being Magnus, and son of "Kwazie Kween Quenthrithithith"... :) makes it all right. Actually, I really like the idea... Sigurd--I liked when he wasn't sulking. He was one of the more notable brothers (I thought?), but being sagas and legends are just stories and maybe not always right, I guess Hirst is allowed to play fast and loose. But I'm still sad for him. I spent an evening reading genetics--based on the blueness of Ivars sclera, and Sigurd's snake eye--I can't remember which syndrome or congenital disease it may have been, but they may have both suffered a defect, which is interesting. The end of this season, is like the end of innocence. I'm with you there Auntie. Really, there's no one left I like.

You know what? I'm pretty much unhappy with this series now! In one episode, they have managed to kill off almost all my favorite characters. Helga, and Ecbert, and to some degree, Sigurd. He was probably my favorite son, because he was introspective. I just don't like the others--it might be a good parting spot for me as well. Helga, losing her just broke my heart. From the very first show she was in, I've loved her. She was the healer, the one who burnt, and wiped and cauterized and fixed booboos--She was always nurturing, and I will miss her for her greatly. Floki's tribute was so primal and wonderful--he has not always been the best guy, but I'm glad I didn't have to watch him die tonight. Ecbert--you magnificent bastard, I'm gonna miss you. Sneaky--but clean in the end. Having renounced his kingdom, I don't believe his deed of sale to East Anglia will hold up in court. The bishop--I've hated since the first time I saw him--he was the one who crucified Athelstan, had Judith's ear removed, he was never a good guy except maybe tonight. Tonight for a second I felt bad for him. Then I didn't care anymore. The thing about Ragnar--he was the first couple seasons such a neat, complex character. Travis Fimmel is awesome, and because of that no one will ever be Ragnar for me personally. HE brought Vikings to the masses. I parted company with his whole drug addiction thing with Yidu, but in the end, I'm team Ragnar. He wasn't cruel for cruelty's sake--if you think about it. He usually had a purpose, and while as king he felt he needed to behave in such ways--but his new generation--they just are mean! I do recognize Ivar as being supremely evil sociopath. Now he's just pissing me off. Now I don't know who to root for--except this--Aethelwulf gained a friend tonight. I never would have guessed it would be me. Sigh.

Well that explains a few things! I'm in Canada, but the feed we get is probably from the US, we've had no kindness from Ecbert to Aethelwulf, nor have I ever seen any kind of niceness from Bjorn to his kids--so it must be the edited edition. Which is kind of funny because Vikings is an Irish/Canadian film production... Editing out those seemingly small details takes a lot away from the characters, and the storyline.