Nessie

The headscratching casting continues...although I don't mind Tom Hughes as Kit Marlowe. They might have actually got that one right. I am very disappointed in the casting of Philippe and Gallowglass, though. I love Steven Cree on Outlander, but can't see him as Gallowglass. He's just not physically intimidating enough. I'm torn on if I think this is good news or not (moving everything to London). I didn't love the Prague story line with the King - I actually think it went on too long and was kind of icky - but I would love to see it in the early 17th century (and I hope we still get Mop).

Agreed. I'm still very disappointed the next season is not going to be Mary Shelley. I was really looking forward to that, after suffering through Picasso.

I'm with you. I adore Josh, and as as much as I used to ship them hard, and think they still have tons of chemistry, I don't want them together, either. Josh is too good for Liza. He needs to extinguish his torch for her and move on to someone who will love him the way he deserves to be loved.

Sorry to quote myself, but just realized that yesterday was Henry VIII's 528th birthday, which means today is the 510th anniversary of Margaret Beaufort's death. Rest in peace, Our Lady, the King's Mother Grandmother. Phillipa Gregory has done you NO favors...

This line actually really bothered me. How did Claire know about this? Did her mother tell her? If so, ewww. My sex life is strictly off limits with my kids, who are about the same age of the younger people in the cast. Granted, my kids are male, and maybe it's different with girls and their mothers? I know my sons easily discuss their sex life with their father, and he with them (we've been divorced for years), but I am off limits...I remember a couple of years ago, my ex started telling our oldest a story about me, and said oldest cut him off quickly with a "Dude, that's my MOM!"... Anyway, I digress...so how did Claire know? I can't imagine Maggie, Liza, or Kelsey would have told her, which leaves Josh (who doesn't like secrets) or Lauren (who can't keep a secret), but it still bugs me. I really wish Maggie would have asked her in the car, maybe a "how did you...never mind". Obviously, I'm thinking about this WAY too much...

Let's hope so. I mean, I know this show has played pretty fast and loose with the timeline, but Henry and Katherine were married for before Henry even noticed Anne, more or less I loved how Margaret Beaufort so dramatically died on Katherine and Henry's wedding day (no doubt equally from a broken heart and to punish Henry). That's not so far off, historically speaking. She actually did die about two weeks later, the day after Henry's 18th birthday.

My DVR recorded episodes 5 and 6, as well.

I really wish I loved Matthew Good as much as some of you. It would make the series so much more enjoyable for me. I do enjoy him more when his shirt is off #yesI'mshallowsowhat Not sure if this counts as a spoiler, but just in case: I'm steeling myself to be disappointed...

Ty is not David's biological son, he is Georgia's (David's wife). David adopted him after they got married.

It just makes sense, really. I mean, not to be ageist, but why would you turn an old, or even middle-aged person? If I was a young-looking, beautiful vampire, I would only turn young, beautiful people. The book does say ALL the vampires are exceptionally beautiful. Thanks! I remember the Greek God description, but not what age he looked.

From your fingers to the producers ears... I don't think the books ever specified how old Philippe looked, but he is supposed to be incredibly handsome and charismatic (but then again, so is Matthew and they missed the mark with him, IMO).

I agree with everything you've said @Umbelina. The writing could have been better, but the casting really let me down. Let's set aside Matthew and Diana for the moment and all the problems I have with them. I can get over Miriam being almost as tall as Matthew, or Nathaniel being a black Englishman instead of a blond Australian, or even Marcus being Hugo from Killing Eve (and it took me a really long time to figure that out, despite the shows being back to back) instead of a blond, surfer-looking American, but Lindsay Duncan (as lovely as she is) is simply too old at 68 to be Ysabeau. She is supposed to look younger than Matthew. I don't get it..did TPTB think the viewers wouldn't understand how Matthew's "mother" could be younger than him? I really hope you're wrong about the character you put in the spoiler bar, because he's one of my favorites and that will piss me off, but I fear you are correct. I almost can't wait to see how they screw up The less said about Baldwin the better. After initially being very let down by the casting of Matthew and Diana, I guess I'm getting used to them, although I still don't see much chemistry between them (and I still don't think Matthew Good is physically imposing enough). The only characters I think they got spot-on were Juliette and Dominico. They look pretty much exactly like I thought they should (the girl who played Juliette is gorgeous, and she actually showed some spunk!) First point - as a vertically challenged person myself, AMEN! Second point - that makes no sense at all. We are seeing the events from the first book, in which we are explicitly told by Diana that Ysabeau looks like she is in her early 30's. How "recent trauma" might have affected her doesn't mean squat. Sounds like they wanted to use Lindsey Duncan and they're trying to justify it. I snipped most of your post for length, but I agreed with all of it, too. I wish there was a book thread as well, because I would love to have a place to discuss them without bothering the non-book readers. Despite my complaints, I'm glad to read above that the show has been renewed for a 2nd & 3rd season. The 2nd book was my favorite and I'm really looking forward to seeing it on screen (praying they don't mess it up too badly).

I saw it as more equal parts Dirty Dancing/Willard learns to dance in Footloose...especially Clive's reaction at the end. Such a great episode!

I won't admit how I know this, but Jess was one of the judges on the finale of Worst Cooks in America last season. Apparently that's the one and only time she's been allowed out in public.

Pffft. Of course I exist. Silly internet...

Six weddings. (Sorry, I'm sure you know that, but it's such an easy mistake to make.)

I'm glad this show is back as well. I credit her with basically teaching me how to cook when I was a young mother just realizing I had these two small people I would be responsible for feeding for the next 18 years (at least). She taught me that cooking was nothing to be intimidated by. As to the your question (bolded), on the behind the scenes episode of her daily talk show on Monday, they said they record 4 episodes a day. Agreed on both points. A lot of her recipes have been in regular rotation in my home through the years, like her Florentine meatballs that both my turkey-hating father and spinach-hating son love.

OMG @Steph J I wish I could like your post 100 times! I'm glad I didn't have anything in my mouth when I read it.

No, you're correct, shellfish is not kosher. As far as I know, they've never said anything about it. The Goldberg's have never eaten kosher. They regularly eat meat and cheese together, and shellfish. But honestly, as someone who works in a synagogue and so knows literally hundreds of Jewish families with varying degrees of observance, a lot of our members don't keep kosher at all (except during Passover). I think I did see Pops eat Hamantashen in one episode last year (or maybe before), but that's about it.

I can't imagine people not recognizing Gladys' voice is a racial thing. I'm so white I practically glow in the dark and I knew it was her immediately. I don't know...maybe I was just raised right. :-) Now T-Pain on the other hand...yeah, I had no idea who he was.

Eric is a doctor, too. So, lots of higher education.

Unless that Indian/Pakistani male character is of a certain age, and then you cast Brian George (including this show). I'm sure there are other older Indian/Pakistani actors in America, but he has literally played every Indian father and grandfather I've seen on American TV in the last 10+ years.

:-) You're welcome. Admittedly I do rewind the DVR a lot because I'm laughing too hard to catch everything that's said. I just figured whoever was last to the table had to sit off to the side. In the first dinner scene it was Joey, but later in that last scene with Mike's work "friend", it was Pat who was over there.

God I love this show and I think it's really finding it's groove. So much good stuff this episode. I loved how the three oldest boys appeared at the arch to the dining room with looks of awe, confusion, and amusement when Duncan's parents were apologizing to him. Frank's head whipping back and forth at the dinner table between whoever was talking, and then nodding furiously in agreement with Mike. Joey, Timmy, and William blowing things up (even in their church clothes before breakfast) and eventually "succeeding" with Frank's rocket - that in particular reminded me of my two sons who tried to blow all kinds of things up as kids. Joey busting baby Andy down to 12 on the love list for draining all of them and bringing nothing to the table. Lawrence continually trying to be the voice of sanity. Joey putting his D+ to good use on Peg's beautiful table she bought at that store on the same block as the Ethan Allen. Pat giving William his jell-o because he may have power over life and death. Timmy feeling at home at the hospital because all they served was heated up frozen food. Eddie's disbelief that Mike might have friends and relief in realizing it's just a "work" friend. Joey admitting he broke the table trying to help William and WILL NEVER MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN! But luckily he has a table guy who works off the books (of course he does). Ok yeah, that's just about the whole show, but I really did love this episode. and I just realized I have finally learned everyone's names, so go me! I also recommended the show to a friend of mine who had never heard of it and she loved it. I don't know what the ratings are like, but I'm trying to do my part to spread the word.

The Great Books! I literally have those books in a bookshelf in my hallway. I think I have the entire set. My mother gave them to me when I first moved out after she collected them in the 60s and 70s! LOL