MissLucas

I live in continental Europe but I remember visiting an aunt and one of my cousins had a black baby doll which I found so fascinating I talked her into gifting the doll to me. That was in the early 70s, pretty close to the time frame the show is now in. And it was a regular black baby with curly hair (I don't even know what a golliwog is but I've seen the term enough times to not want to google it).

No, I saw the UK version and I can't recall such a scene. By chance I came across an article of Spina Bifida the other day. A surgeon who oversaw (and performed most of) 230 surgeries gave the following numbers: 84% of patients were able to walk, a third have bladder and bowel control and 40% require a shunt for cerebrospinal fluid. (Two children did not survive.) He said that before prenatal surgery was an option almost all children required a wheelchair and a shunt and were without bladder control. There are also plenty of other complications - depending on the severity - that can't be fixed by surgery and physiological and neurological problems remain. From the short look we got June was probably a severe case. That's a lot to pack into a short scene and I'm not sure that back in those days such consultations were even advised. It's not that long ago in show-time that cancer patients were not being told the true nature of their illness.

It's a big nope from me from here on out. I'll check out episodes dealing with the Shaw family mystery but that's it.

I'm also a bit concerned about the comedy approach but the set design is fantastic, Mensah looks just like I had envisioned her and THE RISE AND FALL OF SANCTUARY MOON!!!

I saw an interview with her and she said that she did a deep dive and realized that the character was polarizing which she found exciting. But then she refrained from looking too hard because she wanted to keep her take on Faile. I took that to mean that she did some googling but then decided to let her instinct and the script guide her. And it seems to me that the writing so far has been very good for Faile. I did not dislike the character when reading the books but found her occasionally exasperating - like many other female characters but that's another story.

I'm still hoping for Loial pulling a Gandalf but since it was mentioned in a couple of reviews that the actor might be busy with other projects I checked his IMDB. Hammed Animashaun is one of the leads in the BBC crime comedy 'Black Ops' - he also received a BAFTA nomination for this part. Season 2 is currently in production, season 1 is on Hulu now. I'll miss Loial but I'm glad the actor has a steady gig, for which he gains recognition (without having to sit for long hours in make-up and wardrobe).

This was great. I'm so glad Olympia went ballistic over Matty's worst offence and that flashback of her tearing up her rooms was devastating. Skye Marshall was mesmerizing throughout this whole episode - no mean feat when you share the screen with Kathy Bates. This episode could be her Emmy submission. I liked Sara awkwardly trying to make pregnant Amy comfortable. And her and Billy's little Scoobie adventure. This episode was such high octane that a bit of comic relief was really needed. This show flies high on the overall plot and treats legal issues with the same amount of accuracy shows like Supernatural or Tracker spare for geography. I do hope Edwin made enough pancakes!

The Way of the Leaf just works (barely) because there are people willing to fight for them - as shown in the flashback in episode four. Also, for people opposed to violence they sure are not hesitant when it comes to emotional violence. Forgot to add to my list of things I loved: The Women's Circle.

Loial just pulled a Gandalf - not hearing otherwise *Ladidi, Ladida* How refreshing to see first a battle scene in daylight without disorientating edits and then a battle in nighttime where it was still possible to see what's going on! Things I loved: Chiad and Bain's whole plot, their not so silent disdain for the 'Lost Ones', their annoyed coughs when their speed was being ignored, their scheming against Loials scheme, the little music grace note before they took their final stand at the Waygate. Perrin showing Mat's sisters the painting and their response. That was a moment of desperately needed light heartedness. Alanna and Maksim. 'She will be insufferable from now on.' Faile following Perrin through the battle like the Waif and being just as deadly. Valda getting his fiery and well-deserved comeuppance. Less enthused about: I still think the build-up to Perrin Lord of the Two Rivers was lacklustre. Especially the Wolfbrother aspect needed more substance to make the moment the banner was shown really work. The deal with Padan Faine was too easy. Child Bornhald's manpain.

There are some theories out there on the web claiming that Rand might be playing a long and obviously dangerous game with Lanfear. The whole 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' spiel. So far we haven't seen much of his scheming abilities so I remain skeptical. In my books what he's doing is probably a milder version of that. He thinks Lanfear is the only one who really understands him - she told him that just a gazillion of times - and so he remains in her thralls in order to better navigate his destiny. Just as dangerous and also a bit naive.

I can deal with Sister Catherine being unsure about what was going on - at least at the beginning. She's still young and depending on where she grew up and worked before she might not have witnessed something like that and had no idea how to handle the situation. Sister Julienne should have been quicker on the uptake though. And I'm glad Joyce said her part about Cyrlil and Rosalind. She might have been harsh about it but Rosalind seems to be completely oblivious and comes across as incredibly naive.

I didn't see any promos but I got so annoyed with Matty's self-righteousness throughout the episode that I'm quite happy the cat's finally out of the bag. Kidnapping a dog was a new low. But the worst offense in my book is still driving a wedge between Julian and Olympia without any thought about their kids.

No, it could not. Keep watching.

Well, show just dropped its version of 'Toss a Coin to the Witcher' LOL! As epic as episode four was this is going to be my favorite episode. That did feel like two hours and was packed with so many great moments. We already knew Liandrin had a horrible past but that really brought it home. And damn, Tanchico is a cold place. A blood spattered child with a baby in her arms - and what looked like bloodstains from giving birth on her rags - begging for help and nobody cares. Well, nobody except Ishy who apparently was out for much longer than we had assumed. And another great get-up for Lanfear. That grey cape was chef's kiss. And Liandrin has to deal with a new boss. Hmm, Moraine maybe give Lan a heads-up that something nasty this way comes? And how many chats did you and Lanfear have in your dreams? This does not sound like the first one. Have we seen this before and I just can't remember? Min and Nynaeve was a pairing I did not expect and they have a great chemistry together. We and Nynaeve also got a reminder that Min's power might be helpful but also sucks. No wonder she was willing to make a deal to get rid of it. The scene between Rand and Moraine was fantastic. So intense and well acted. I wonder if Rand's advice to Moraine to not submit to the Sa'angreal but to dominate it means that for its counterpart to work a male channeler would have to submit to it instead of trying to control it. That sort of reversal would work with the whole yin and yang thing the show/books have going on. Everybody's favorite gleeman returns and gets Elayne out of trouble. I loved how Elayne had studied Tanchico enough to get the accent right and learned the fabled song yet did only grasp the innuendo when the patrons started to pantomime to the lyrics. That little moment when she realized and the look to Thom and his smile that conveyed 'Ah, now the penny has dropped' was fantastic. Also: great voice. Ha, I was right about the Cathorn twins and how Alanna would survive! Were they just channeling or also linking? Something they learned doing by instinct? And of course Alanna has horrible timing for her healing appointment with Perrin. Speaking of Perrin - that was a cute scene between him and Faile. And good for Perrin to go in for the kiss after the horn reveal before he ended up with another blade wound. Moghedien is all kinds of twisted and awful and creepy. No wonder the other Forsaken want nothing to do with her. Well, except Rhavin who apparently wants Elayne killed. And good for Nynaeve to fight the compulsion. Moghedien was impressed. Egwene and Rand was painful to watch. I could actually see where they both were coming from. And just when they arrive at a crucial point - not one that would mend their relationship but at least bring some clarity to both of them but especially Rand - all hell breaks loose. Aviendha channeling spears was so badass! And what followed was truly shocking and heartbreaking. Show's not pulling any punches.

Yeah, also not willing to handwave the kiln for the sake of comic relief. They better reimburse that lady. And printing out crime scene photos in a restaurant is also stretching things. I realize they wanted a plot with an outsider being part of the investigation but this was really clumsily written. Also: of course Delila would be understanding of McGee's job, she worked for the DoD. At least she did before this show's writers decided to assassinate her character. The piano scene and Glitter Lord saved this episode.

When one of my catholic uncles wanted to marry a protestant woman my grandmother called my mother in tears. She was upset because another uncle - her youngest son - had told her that as a good catholic she was not allowed to attend the wedding ceremony. My mother had some choice words to say about her youngest brother's authority on religious matters and that settled it and my grandmother attended the wedding. This happened around the time period we're talking about here and I live in a country that is (in the eyes of hardliners) notorious for being over-zealous when it comes to ecumenical issues. No surprise that someone born and raised in Northern Ireland was not immediately taken in by Nancy. Her being accepting of the marriage in the end is actually the bigger surprise.

I appreciate the spina bifida plot not having a 'happy end'. A touch of harsh realism is needed from time to time. As @Badger's post shows, even within medical circles spina bifida babies were not given much chances. And back then it was often thought it better for the parents to just move on. We saw that very mindset a couple of seasons earlier when Sister Julienne found that baby that was left to die in a maintenance room. I'm also not judging the parents. Not everybody is cut out for taking care of a disabled child - that's what happens when we see horrible stories of abuse and neglect of special needs kids in the news. Yes, they had the material resources for this which makes it harder to accept their decision. I admire people who shoulder that burden but the harsh reality is that not everyone can and there are many reasons why. That said it's possible that the parents will have a change of heart further down the road. Speaking of harsh realities - Trixie handling that misogynistic committee was great. They came prepared for 'typically' female appeals to emotions and got slapped down with facts, numbers, and the might of the power suit!

Heartbreak for Rosalind as expected. This was never going to end well, girl. But it was a harsh episode for her - not just because of Cyril but also because she wasn't able to help the former window dresser. The lithium plot was also heartbreaking. For me it was less about the individual plot but more about how the approach to mental health in that period was handled. Pills will make everything better (greetings from mother's little helpers) and in the enthusiasm about finally finding the supposed holy grail the poor woman was more test subject for lithium than patient. I hope Trixie does write that letter so that at least midwives will be better prepared for such cases. The gonorrhea cases were depressing for all sorts of reasons. I did appreciate the wife reading her husband the riot act. Overall a quite a downer episode even the Buckles - normally purveyors comic relief or at least something uplifting - were riddled with a bleak plot.

Mrs Higgins is the best! I get what they were going for with Nancy's future MIL. The 'Troubles' had just started and decades or rather centuries of sectarian segregation are hard to overcome. Also: the actress looked so familiar but despite doing an IMDB deep dive I can't place her. Yeah, nurse Crane losing it to that degree was an unusual choice. I mean trauma can affect anyone but this came a bit too much out of the blue for my taste. The only reason I can think of for this plot is that they wanted to give Linda Bassett an occasion to show her acting chops - which she did. And to prop up Rosalind which didn't quite work for me - nor did Rosalind's other plot. Speaking of trauma - I hope the little girl does get some therapy (not likely though). As if the whole experience of getting pregnant and not knowing why isn't bad enough - she also has to deal with the memories of that creepy pseudo exorcism and her mother's complete abandonment. Oh no! Nonnatus House in peril! Again...

Savior characters are often criticized for being bland. As for the actor I'd say stick with it until episode four at least where he gets more to do than just staring enigmatic at the horizon.

There were more than five arrows - and at least two of them went through sticking out on the other side - one in her shoulder and the other one in her left arm. She was an Aes Sedai version of St. Sebastian. I wonder if the reason for that overkill is that they want to follow-up on the theme of channelers within the Two Rivers - someone will have to heal her.

Cold Rocks Hold looks absolutely perfect! I loved Rand having a somewhat lighthearted moment with the little girl - later it becomes clear how much it all weighs on him, i.e. after Egwene left. This was really an episode with wonderful subtle character moments. Moraine and Lan getting sloshed in the desert was not on my bingo card but it was a wonderful exploration of their relationship. I loved Elayne, Nynaeve and Matt together. And that Windfinder channeling looked gorgeous. I also loved how intrigued Nynaeve was by the Shipmistress and her words. Maybe there's wisdom outside the Tower that could help her break through her block. I just wish we had had a bit of better lighting during those ship scenes. Okay, I really tried hard but after 5 episodes in I have to say it: I hate Perrin's haircut!!! Speaking of hate: I can't wait for Eamon Valda to find something sharp and pointy embedded deep into one or preferably several vital organs. At this rate my loathing for the character starts to bleed into the actor and I won't have 'Love Actually' ruined like that! I guess Mat's mother was not the one channeling but sacrificed herself like Katara's mother in ATLA. The Two Rivers scenes were also pretty dark - both literally and figuratively - but I loved the bits of levity thrown in: Chiad and Bain's smirk when Faile showed her blade-work to Perrin, Loial's line about stealth not being his forte and Maksim getting the Bat signal just five arrows ago (damn, Alanna is hardcore). Is Elaida ruining my love for rose perfume? I'm just going to handwave that that bit was added because Shoreh loves rose perfume (given her persian legacy not a stretch) and I'll be okay. She's not a Black Ajah but is ruthless and definitely harboring her own ideological agenda - just like Umbridge was not a Death-Eater yet still a horrible character. At least Elaida has the better fashion sense. I'm not sure she will be grateful to Siuan for healing her - to be fair why should she? She got stabbed because the trap Siuan set for her. Also: White Tower security sucks. Moraine and Siuan were really heartbreaking. I do wonder if Moraine's initial refusal to kiss was really caused by her not being able to forgive Siuan or if it had more to do with her not wanting to give in to those feelings because they could become a problem for what she presumes must be her ultimate sacrifice. She also did not Siuan tell about that part of the prophecy despite announcing that she had learned 'two things' in Rhuidean. Yes, Egwene's progress in dreamwalking was handled a tad hasty. However I expect there will be repercussions for what she did. I don't mean the obvious fallout from catching Rand with the Forsaken who haunted her dreams. She was clearly overstepping and going against the orders of her teachers. I expect an epic dressing down by the Wise Ones. And she won't be allowed to do something so rash for quite a while. Even though her walking through her friends dreams was sweet - well, until it wasn't. I loved the subtitles at the beginning reading 'optimistic music' because it was clear where this was going.

I think focussing on Rand (and to a lesser extent Moraine) was the right decision - the reveal about the Aiel and their history is so explosive that Mat showing up in all that would have been a massive distraction. Truth be told that's exactly how I felt reading the books when Rand was not given much time to digest what he just experienced because he had to do CPR on his friend. As @quarks has pointed out that particular part of Mat's journey does not necessarily have to take place in Rhuidean and Min's vision makes it clear that it will happen.

Well that's not surprising - everybody knows that villains have great fashion sense - so creating those get ups is a costume designer's dream come true! That said I'm not sure about Mat's mullet and Egwene's kneesock. But Nynaeve looks fantastic! Thanks for the link!

I think calling them 'Aiel' in Rand's oldest 'flashback' really brought the point home that they were the ancestors of the Aiel (and the Tinkers/Tuatha'an) even if it is strictly speaking an anachronism. Given the amount of lore they had to pack into this episode I understand that they used this shortcut.