pasdetrois

I'm also struggling to stay interested in each episode and FF through much of each one. Quebec is such a beautiful place.

Yes! What an apt description. In the brief scene where he was trying to hug her, you could see that she hated the arrangement. He was trying to cling to her even as she was jumping out of her skin and she had to push him off of her. Guys like that are literally only after one thing. Her mother and sisters were so quiet and burned out. They've spent years watching the explosive dynamic between father and daughter and had given up. They did say that before he moved to FL, he and Sam were very close, so I can understand her profound sense of loss, combined with a gang rape by "friends." So glad to see a healthy, happy Sylvia! I think I spotted a wedding ring. ETA: one of Samantha's traits that made her hard to watch was the constant mumbling and stop-and-start sentences. "I know...I know...I need it for....you know, you know....money...." Aaaarrrgggh.

I have a mighty crush on Andre. And I love that Hewlett isn't slobbering and pawing over Anna.

Mica often channels her inner Carole Lombard (beautiful comedic actress from the 1930s). In fact, more than the other women, I can see Mica in an entertainment career. She's extremely comfortable with the camera and always "on." But she'd have to stay away from Demon Liquor.

I especially noticed all the painterly scenes in this episode. Just gorgeous. The execution scene with More was handled well - it could have been Very Hollywood. My takeaway was that the very young Cromwell, a friendless servant boy, wanted so much to connect with the young More, and to have what More had. At the end he admired More, but he also hated him. I'm just not digging Claire Foy's portrayal of Anne. It's so Mean Girl and there's not much depth there.

Me too. In fact his scenes with his wife are always so stilted and unnatural. There's something off about the acting. I love the lilting opening music. It manages to evoke a time gone by. In the little post-show presentation they mentioned the photographs in the weekly opening montage. I've always wondered if they were original to the time period and it appears they are. Nurse Jenny has popped up in Wolf Hall. She plays nasty Lady Rochford (whom I believe was beheaded). Fred's got game!

As a small business owner I bought my own health insurance for decades, and the premiums were my second highest monthly expense, after a mortgage payment (in an expensive city). Daisy is correct that the Affordable Care Act made premiums more affordable for many people like us. Thank goodness she was smart enough to invest in a policy. Geneva is completely deluded that she's fooling anyone, any time. She doesn't have a genuine or honest bone in her body. It's embarrassing. Melyssa is also embarrassing. I was shocked that she couldn't talk about her commission, because that's so fundamental to her business. And she's still joking and squirming while talking to her financial advisor - not a mature look. Same deal with the public bikini photos. I don't have much faith in her ability to support herself. Oh, and she called herself a broker again - she did this in season one. Is she a broker? Why is Mica wearing that unattractive short dark wig?

Gamble didn't need to get into it with PettiFleur because simply walking silently next to that ridiculous Las Vegas show girl get-up was revenge enough. I mean, that outfit was astoundingly bizarre and ugly. Everything I need to know about PettiFleur's "class" is from that outfit as well as the yachting outfit. Plus, PettiFleur is an a*hole. I loathe her and hope they yank her from the lineup next go-round. The nerve of her criticizing women who don't work when she essentially ordered her rich boyfriend to give her a custom Bentley. And I still believe her claims of being a "developer" are trumped up. Janet said she never heard of her. That entire scene made me uncomfortable. Why the hell didn't "Mama Lydia" bring along her "daughter" so she could visit her aging parents? Do they pay these women by the minute? Because Janet insists on inserting herself into every conflict.

Her attitude gives new meaning to "Blood, Sweat and Heels."

"It needs some bows or somethin'." TM Joan Cusack as Cyn in Working Girl.

I think Chantelle, in the agitated heat of the moment, floundered a bit and thought "Afghan hound" was a clever, insulting play on hound dog, or dog. In my neighborhood there's a very disagreeable neighbor, Scots by birth, whom some folks call The Scotch Terrorist. It's rude in the sense that it draws on someone's nationality, but I don't think it's racist in the sense of color. I was curious about Demetria's questions to Daisy about not wearing a dress. She said something like "Have you left the dress gang?" I've noticed how frequently these women wear lady-like dresses and wonder if there's some kind of understanding about what's acceptable for professional women on camera - if they are anti-pants.

She said it was for Italian Vogue. I don't read it and cannot check. Maybe a smallish blurb for something online?

I remember that! Also, I Claudius. And recently PBS re-ran Jewel in the Crown. Such great television. When Tom was making tea he looked kind of down, so I thought they were setting us up for some news about Chummy. I don't miss her, but I will be glad if she re-appears. When Trixie was drinking alone, the snippet of song was from Peter and Gordon's "True Love Ways." A flash from the past - Peter Asher was brother to Jane, who dated Paul McCartney. Sister Monica Joan's story took us out of the soap opera and into a sublime moment. Older women can relate to the experience of remembering one's power days, when one was strong and capable and could (and often did) take on the world. Whose photo was she holding - a real woman from history? I don't think the photo was of Parfitt in her youth but I could be wrong. It's hard for me to buy the Trixie/Tom romance because she's so self-absorbed. Yes I know she works hard and is a good friend to the other women, but I don't think she's ready for the sacrifices a curate's wife must make (and who can blame her). Speaking of women friends, I like the way the sisters and midwives support each other day in and out. It's refreshing to watch when so much of TV is about screeching housewives. I didn't experience any spoilers Beldasnoop; no need to apologize.

I was distracted by Orzo's boyfriend during the shout-down. He stood there trying to decide whether to wade in, I think calculating how he could get more TV time. When he was in Orzo's apartment I had the same impression. Very awkward and forced. Every time we see one of these Bravo melees, I ponder whether these people really behave this way in public or are they doing it solely for the paycheck. Mica indulged herself in a little freak-out when she should have immediately squared her shoulders and dealt with the impending disaster (the ill-prepared flash runway). She looked silly and ineffectual flailing about. Was there one designer behind the bikinis? We never saw the name. I wonder if Bravo dreamed the whole thing up and forced her into the scenario at the last minute. Geneva, was it worth the $5 in extra cab cost to get yourself arrested? (She said she was expecting a $10 fare and instead it was $15.) If she knows NYC drivers so well, surely she knew she couldn't waltz out of the cab without paying and not suffer consequences. Demetria and her fiance are the most unexcited bridal couple ever. They do an awful lot of verbal poking at each other. He's kind of sullen and she pokes to get a reaction.

Random thoughts here... Ragnar's crystal blue eyes ringed by black eyeliner, emerging from the darkness - what an effect! As Rollo climbed over the spiked wheel, one of the impaled Vikings grabbed his arm. That was the part that freaked me out the most. The Christian missionary's wig was notably awful. I was confused by two scenes of him carrying the hot metal. For Lagertha fans, the actress appears with other women in a naked photo shoot in Allure magazine.

This show should be re-titled "Sue and the Bears." It's all she talks about. C'mon, she's an intelligent, accomplished woman - show us something else. I like watching Andy figure stuff out. More doggies please! Long minutes of Glenn trying to hoist bloody meat - boring. Greedy Chip: "Every family member can shoot five caribou..."

I think Lydia does the "OH WOW" excited big-smile thing because it's a replacement for actually having a brain.

Here's an article with Patricia talking about this season, before it broadcast. http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/across-the-nationacross-the-world/2015/washington-social-diary-patricia-altschul-talks-the-new

So glad the show is back! And improved. Here in DC we are close to a lot of colonial history, but somehow I've never made it up to places like Valley Forge. It's thrilling to see these historical characters in the old houses and locations. I'm constantly distracted by the old-house porn. I adore the actors who are giving us Hewlett, Simcoe and Andre. And King George III! There's something quite fetching about men in tight britches and tall boots, striding about their business.

Tax lien.

That was a low-rent dog show, damn. I wonder if Tempest will regret being on the show. I guess we're going to see a before and after (the surgery and makeover). Lydia's casual "or I'll mail it if I don't see them" was breathtaking in its insensitivity. Plus, I kept wanting someone to invite the Filipino staff along for a free trip home. I'm assuming they can't get home often. I guess since they weren't flamboyant like the stylist, production wasn't interested in bringing them along. And the endless parade of expensive clothing and shoes and purses in front of the housekeepers who probably make peanuts...ouch. I don't see Gina being racist, but I sure do see her being rude and aggressive. She's incredibly defensive, which she offers up as aggression. I laugh at the gold lame dresses and outrageous baubles on the women, but Chyka is bandbox perfect in every scene. She looks young in her understated finery. Jackie increasingly is giving Lydia a run for the stupid. I guess the show didn't want to note that the first "bitch" book was by the infamous Omarosa from Celebrity Apprentice.

Virginia still allows people to "read for the law" instead of formal law school.

"Pippa's pendant" in a Scots accent - love hearing it. Claire's character, and the actress playing her, normally annoy me, but this week I was laughing. There's just something so loony and stupid about her that I can't take her seriously. The big googley eyes, open mouth, messy bun and staggering in the surf - hilarious. Maybe Jocelyn finally felt free to declare her love because her mother had died. It's odd to me that Beth is always in such casual clothing, even in court. I keep expecting the bereaved mother to show some dignity and gravitas to the jury by putting on a pant suit or a dress. She's usually slumped in a light cotton T and jeans.

There were a lot of pastors and priests like Tim floating around in the 70s and 80s. Quite a few of them were charlatans. And worse. The Paige-knows-and-goes-to-Russia story isn't working for me. We all wondered how her parents would handle their children's suspicions, but this story line seems forced and implausible. I also think we have too many story lines; the show's quality is threatened. I don't think Clark removed his wig as a show of respect for Martha. I think he's desperate to buy time until he can figure out how to kill her without raising suspicion. The wig scene was a sinister combination of scary threat and "trust me." My bet is on the fake suicide over the pen disclosure, with the idea that Stan's visit pushed her over the edge. DC shout-outs: "Whatever you want, think Belmont." C&P Telephone (on Elizabeth's disguise overalls). Maybe Claudia and Gabriel's Greek diner was the Amphora in Vienna, VA? Also, we heard the final episode of Mash on Henry's TV. Speaking of Claudia, love me some Margo Martindale. Watching the two grizzled old pros work the problem was magic because the acting was effortless. Which leads me to Oleg and Tatiana. I like their scenes together - they have great acting chemistry. Maurice is a dead man walking.

I knew she was a carpetbagger. Apparently she's also a thief. I am not surprised. I've lived in the DC area for decades and never heard of Patricia when she lived here. Suzanne Kent Cooke, however, who is quoted in the articles, is infamous locally. She married the owner of the Redskins and then shamelessly pushed for money for a very long time. Her criticizing Patricia is fundamentally the pot calling the kettle black.