Possum

14.10 Everything Is Broken Pt 1 I really liked this episode with the remembrances of loves lost. I've always liked William with Anna and did not mind all of the flashbacks. Also, it was a treat to hear Emily Grace mentioned. She was the one I wanted for George. In my mind, she was only experimenting and would have eventually returned to George. Anyway, about William and Anna. A few years ago on some other message board I posted that they should have a child of theirs show up one day. I'm glad they went the route of the young lad seeming to be a miniature Murdoch and think they cast the part well. I'm curious to see how this plays out. There are so many emotions to explore. I've never been a fan of baddie Miss Hart, but now I'm finding her story interesting and rooting for her. It's something a little different, and it also has me curious to see what happens.

14.8 The Dominion of New South Mimico The most kind thing I can say about this episode is that it was in a pretty setting. I don't mind a silly episode now and then, but this is one episode I won't watch again.

I also just saw 14.7 Murdoch Escape Room. Hopefully Goldie will be going away for good now. Still, she's not as bad of a recurring character as Allan Clegg or even worse, James Gillies. Pendrick and Myers are my favorite recurring characters, and I always find them fun to watch. Their storylines are always absurd but in a good way. As for bad guys, I actually like Colin Mochrie as Ralph Fellows. He's such a loser that I strangely feel a little sorry for him. It's all in how Mochrie portrays the character. This episode was so unbelievable, sort of like something out of the old "Wild, Wild, West." There is no way that Goldie could have built anything like that even though she was only following directions. I liked watching George and Brackenreid taking out the hive and actually solving the riddle. Watts and Cherry were an interesting team, but now we have to wonder how Louise will handle the information about Watts that she seems to have put together. As for aesthetics, I wasn't a fan of having the main characters locked up in a dark and dingy place for most of the episode. Considering that they filmed this season around Covid, I am grateful for any episodes we get.

You're right, it is funny how we see things differently. It is good that they have different series to appeal to different tastes. Right now I'm trying to talk myself into finally seeing the episode from last night, but the lack of "energy" in the new show doesn't put it at the top of my viewing list.

Are you saying that everyone employed as a cook/housekeeper should sit down with their employer to eat? Should Mrs. Pumphrey's staff have sat down with her to eat every meal too? In the original series, Mrs. Hall was an older lady. They changed the character in the new series to make her a contemporary of Siegfried.

Mrs. Hall was always treated with respect in the original series. Everyone calling her Mrs. Hall rather than by her first name was a show of respect. Other characters never gave any indication that they considered her "less." I always had the impression they thought she was a jewel and treated her as such.

I believe that is a possibility for some. Not for me, though, because I can watch the original series over and over again without getting bored with it. If I really like any series, I enjoy re-watching it even though I know the story. I have no problem watching a good murder mystery again even while knowing who did it and why. A good story is essential, but great characters are what we bring me back time and time again.

I have mixed feelings about this new series, but I am a big fan of the original series and cannot help but compare the two. The filming is well done and the scenery breathtaking. New James was good casting, and I sort of like him better in the role than Christopher Timothy. Seeing him in Scotland at the beginning was a nice touch. I'm not enamored of Sam West as Siegfried, but I do like West as an actor and will see if he grows on me in the role. I'm not liking new Tristan, seeing him more as a jerk than the lazy but charming prankster that was old Tristan. I'm also not sure about the new direction they've taken Mrs. Hall, but she is likable enough. On the down side, the new series is sort of, well, dull. It doesn't have the energy of the original. Part of that can be put down to the absence of Robert Hardy who was this whirlwind of energy in the original. There's little humor and lightheartedness in the new series, and I miss that. While the outside scenery shots are lovely, I'm disappointed in the interior shots of Skeldale. It is dark and dingy whereas the original was cozy and a place where you would want to hang out. I agree with others who posted that Mrs. Pumphrey's house seems very grand. I'm happy to see Diana Rigg in one more role, but I really liked the original Mrs. Pumphrey. It's a small point, but it is jarring hearing so many being called by their first names. For instance, Mrs. Hall calling Siegfried by his first name rather than Mr. Farnon just feels off. It's a modern thing and takes me out of the time period when the stories took place. Overall the new series is a pleasant enough way to spend an hour. Although likely an unpopular viewpoint, I think that even with the superior filming, the new show lacks much of the charm and character of the original.

Babington and Esther were the saving grace of this show. Of all of the gentlemen, Babington was the only one I really liked. Esther became likable when she spilled the beans to a sick Lady Denham. Their story was the most interesting of this show, and at least we got one happy ending. Tom Parker was personable but rather stupid and somewhat selfish. To put buying jewelry for his wife ahead of paying the hard-working men he owed made him a bit of a jerk. Although he was nice to Charlotte and others, it really was all about him, him, him. Not to get insurance was just plain stupid. I was never enamoured of the Sidney/Charlotte pairing but still felt cheated when he said he would marry Eliza. It was an easy financial out for him. Most of all, it showed that he wasn't willing to do what it took to be with Charlotte. Marrying Eliza was the quickest and easiest option but there had to be other solutions. Although in initial anger Lady Denham said Tom should go to debtors' prison, most likely she could have been talked around. Speaking of Lady Denham, I found it interesting that she told Esther how she once fell for a charming man who dumped her to marry money. Maybe that was a warning of what was to come with Sidney and Charlotte. Charlotte returns to her family hurt but with experience of how love can hurt. Although I didn't like that ending because it is Austen, it makes sense that her first venture into romance might be one of pain, just like it is for many of us in the real world.

I see that the actress who plays Eliza is 5 years older than the one who plays Charlotte. Eliza looks more mature than Charlotte, as she should. Charlotte looks very young in a baby-ish way, one reason why I think she and Sidney look so ill-matched. Eliza is more of what for many years was considered classic beauty in film -- blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin. Charlotte is more representative of the new idea of beauty in film -- brown hair, brown eyes, large lips, darker skin. It's all according to the look each of us thinks is prettier. I've seen modern day pictures of Ruth Kearney (Eliza) and think she's a knock out. Sometimes the personality of a character can make the actor appear uglier. Charlotte is the heroine, the sweet girl, and that might make her seem prettier. Eliza is the gold digger who threw Sidney over once, an uglier personality, and that might make her appear less attractive.

I've been watching Sanditon but don't think it's all that good. It's just interesting enough to see it once. The show is jarringly modern making it seem completely unbelievable. It's difficult to care about any of the characters even those we are supposed to be rooting for to have a happy ending. I think this will go down as a mildly interesting but forgettable production. Davies' 1995 Pride and Prejudice was such a magnificent production so I had high hopes for this, but Sanditon doesn't even come close to touching it.

George is the man! Who would have thought he would even know how to fire one pistol let alone two at once? Often times throughout the series, I would get frustrated with George's only mission of "get Poldark". In this final season he has proved himself to be more than just the villain of the piece. I actually felt sorry for him this season because he was in such misery over losing Elizabeth. In a way his suffering has made him a better man. I loved it when he saw the shadow of Elizabeth once more this episode. Overall I thought it was a very enjoyable finale although I agree with those who said it was choppy. Happy endings and hope for the future is always a good way to leave a show. I also thought it was a nice touch seeing the two Poldarks face to face at the end. Thanks for the reminder. I had completely forgotten about that.

That's what I heard too. As others have said, I also think Cecily brushed off Geoffrey Charles because her less-than-dear daddy threatened to have GC killed if they stayed together. She gave him up so he could stay alive. I also agree with those who said that it was not believable that no one would be guarding Cecily closely when she boarded the boat. The best part of the show for me was George questioning why they should protect a local lunatic only to find out they were talking about him. We needed a little humor in another dark and dismal episode, and good old nasty George provided it. I'll be ready to see the end of the show. I don't care about what's going on with the French, the smuggling and the caves. I'm not even liking the characters that much anymore. It's just another day in Poldark land when someone is out to get the Poldarks and everything is life or death, and it's become old to me. I'm hoping next week ties up everything and in a good way.

I did not enjoy much about this episode and was happy when it ended. From the courtroom scene to the ending of Ned, it was way too dark for me. I'm tired of bad girl Tess and Demelza always giving her the benefit of the doubt. The only thing that I really liked was the chapel scene. Geoffrey Charles got some good zingers in on George, and Cecily showed herself to be a strong, intelligent woman. Poldark now knows who is his real enemy, so let the games begin.

I can see why some are getting these dark-haired guys mixed up. Although I've seen shows with Peter Sullivan, I don't remember him in any of the roles. But, he does have this smug little smirk that gives him away. I've seen Tim Dutton in many other shows and can easily pick him out. Anthony Calf, who plays William Wickham, has been in tons of things I've seen. One of his longest running roles was as DAC Strickland in "New Tricks".

The nasty Warleggans are back. I am sorry to see the end of vulnerable George. The character was much more interesting when going through his mental problems and I am missing ghostly Elizabeth. Now we're back to his only mission in life which is to "get Poldark." Dwight looked surprised when Cary turned on him. If Dwight thought that the Warleggans would feel gratitude toward him for curing George, he doesn't know those two. Loyalty and gratitude are not in the Warleggan dictionary. It was as if we saw two Carolines in this episode. The first one was jealous of Dwight's admiration for Kitty and the second one was the smart and self-confident woman we have known throughout the series. I hope the second one is back to stay. I'm happy they finally gave her something interesting to do this season. In previous episodes I thought that Merceron was likely the unknown enemy. When they kept showing only the back of his head, I figured it had to be someone we knew who they thought of as a friend. Now it's up to Ross to figure it out but first he needs to find the common sense he seems to have lost this season.

My favorite things about this episode were the Ross/George interactions and Tess getting tossed back into the street. Now I love Demelza, but it was a tiny bit hypocritical of her to gently lecture Ross about making rash decisions for their family when she did the same by hiring Tess without discussing it with him. Ross might have sent them into financial ruin but Demelza's decision to bring Tess into their home might have resulted in physical harm to the family. So I guess since Dwight cured George in one episode we'll no longer see Elizabeth. I never liked her all that much when she was alive but greatly enjoyed her appearances when dead. I was hoping she would stick around for the rest of the season. I'm glad we're getting to see more of Uncle Cary especially since he has been in an uncomfortable position because of George's illness. Some random stuff. Ned has outstayed his welcome with me. It's time for him to go. I agree with all here to not liking what they've done with Caroline this season. It looks like more trouble ahead for Morwenna and Drake with Rebecca Front playing the delightfully obnoxious ex mother-in-law. Hansen and Tess are the same -- two dastardly villains who are there for us to hate with a passion but give us that sense of satisfaction when they're brought down. Finally, I was hoping we'd get a visit from Verity once more before the show ends.

The movie was a lovely reunion. Catching up with most of the characters was a real treat. Not that it really matters, but I can't say there were any surprises. I thought everything was laid out so that you could guess what was going to happen next. My favorite things had to be the Violet/Isobel moments, Molesley playing the lovable fool, and seeing love in the air for our two Toms. After all of the nasty behavior of the past, I still can't believe I'm actually rooting for Thomas to find happiness. Tom had the best storyline of the bunch. I know I'm probably in a very small minority here, but I admit to liking the filming style of the TV series better than the movie. I'm still trying to figure out the differences but have come up with a couple of things. The TV series seemed brighter and I thought showed the surroundings to greater advantage. The lighting in the movie seemed dark at times. It also appeared as if the movie had many more close-ups than the TV series, and at times it seemed a little too "in your face." The movie was a very pleasant visit with "old friends." Fitting in so many characters in one movie had to be quite the challenge. Some I wanted to see more and some less. Overall, I think any fan of Downton will be thrilled to bits to be back in that world for a couple of hours.

The finale was the best episode of this season. My favorite part had to be seeing Mrs. C take on a different type of role. I'm glad they're bringing Kathy on more and loved their take down of the slime ball in the store. I'm glad that Mrs. C and Leonard are making up. Because this was in the late 1950's, I never expected her to welcome Leonard's boyfriend with open arms. She is handling the situation the only way she can. If she doesn't see the boyfriend, she isn't constantly reminded about their relationship. It may not be perfect, but it's progress. I'm still liking Will a lot. It's very difficult to deal with someone like his mother, but I hope we see more of this play out next season. I like how Will went after Leonard to bring him home where he belongs. Geordie is always going to be Geordie, but I do like that he respected Kathy's request not to confront the slime ball. He got angry, which is to be expected, but he didn't confront the guy. All in all, it was a very enjoyable finale with everything wrapped up neatly.

I wondered that too when I thought it looked as if Will guessed that Leonard was gay. Then I thought that while training for the church, Will likely would have been instructed on the various types of people he would encounter. Now that we know that he came from an upper class family, it seems likely that he might have gone to boarding school where he would learn even more. Plus, Leonard does come across as different compared to the other men in the show. While a man might pick it out, someone sheltered like Mrs. C would likely just consider Leonard a sweet, shy young man.

There was a scene between Georgie and Will when Leonard was mentioned. I can't remember much about it except that it led me to believe that Will suspected Leonard's secret. Nothing was said outright, but there was some type of implication. Wish I could remember more.

I agree that Will should have called the vicarage to let them know what was going on. However, I think Leonard overreacted trashing Will to the Archdeacon. It made him look like, "I didn't get the job, so I'm going to bring down the guy who did." That is not Leonard. The funny thing is his boyfriend said something to him before the meeting with the Archdeacon took place, something like stop being so petty.

I wonder if we have once again been subjected to the famous PBS scene cuts. Like others have said, it seemed strange that Will and Geordie would walk into Will's family dining room without any type of introduction. It was so strange seeing sweet, gentle "Inspector Lynley" being such a nasty bugger. I've seen Nat Parker in other roles where he has been the bad guy or light in morals, but this is the first time I have seen him bullying, downright mean, and lacking in charm. It only took 10 seconds to see that as Will's father he was no "Lynley." In other words, he did a great job convincing me that he was completely contemptible. Will's background explains a lot about why he ended up a vicar. Maybe that is his way of dealing with the concept of the Sins of the Father. Both Mrs. C and Leonard were a little mean. It's understandable because their lives have been turned upside down and they have lost something precious -- their friendship and mutual admiration. Mrs. C's identity is all tied up in the vicarage, and she probably got snarky with Leonard because she blames him for her having to leave. Leonard is at a boiling point feeling put upon and unappreciated and is striking out because of it. He went too far trash talking Will to the Archdeacon. I doubt if Will would have punched him, though, if as BlackberryJam pointed out, he hadn't said the same thing as his father about Will being a disappointment. To Will's credit, he did not out Leonard to the Archdeacon. Now that everyone is royally ticked at each other, the stage is set to see how they make nice. Underneath it all, they're all good people who need to apologize, forgive, and learn to live with their and others' faults.

Probably not a popular opinion, but I think Will is giving the series a much-needed boost. I liked Sidney well enough but I grew tired of all of his angst especially his constant pining after the married girl. Will is new and fresh, and although I'm sure we'll quickly find out many of his problems, I like having a new, likable character to discover. I'm looking forward to seeing Nat Parker again in tonight's episode.

I finally saw the first two episodes of this season and was not impressed. Others in this thread have pointed out the flaws better than I ever could. The best scenes were the chase at the beginning and Sidney and Georgie in the bar at the end. I've watched Grantchester from the beginning but admittedly, I'm not a big fan of the show. The first season was very good, but I thought it started going downhill after that. I've kept with it hoping it would get better. Instead, it seems to continually spiral downward. The mysteries have been interesting, but I struggle to like the characters. While some may say the characters are more human than on other mystery programs, , i.e. having tons of flaws, it doesn't make them very likable. If I don't find characters likable, it's hard to root for them. I will welcome a new vicar and hope the show improves with fresh blood. I have yet to see the third episode of this season with the new guy, but I'm hoping the show will pull itself out of the doldrums. If not, I think it's finally time for me to give up on Grantchester for good. I'm such a huge British mystery fan that it's just so hard for me to give up on new shows.