Small Talk: Chewing The Haggis

[kieyra]

Meanwhile, for those interested in the history aspect but not so much the romance of this kind of show, I am super excited for Wolf Hall (BBC mini) coming next year:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Hall_(TV_series)

Meanwhile, the London stage adaptation of the same material is moving to Broadway:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/25/wolf-hall-stars-will-join-transfer-to-broadway-next-year/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

[Tif]

My son checked "The Hobbit" out from the library today. He was reading it and wanted me to look up characters from the movie as he was reading so he could picture them.

He asked me to look up Dwalin, so I did. His first words were, "Oh heeey, Mommy, that's the guy that is Dougal."

I shed a tear. Lol

[MedievalGirl]

I have curly hair. Today it has been raining. For once I didn't think "damn frizz" when I looked in the mirror. Instead I thought "I have Claire hair. I'm ready for adventure. No redcoats!"

[Tif]

I have curly hair. Today it has been raining. For once I didn't think "damn frizz" when I looked in the mirror. Instead I thought "I have Claire hair. I'm ready for adventure. No redcoats!"

Listen to the stones

[peacefrog]

My husband has watched and enjoyed the show with me. I did not realize how much until he came home from work today and said "We really have to get Outlander this weekend, I'm going crazy thinking about it."

He's going to read the books!

Edited October 3, 2014 by peacefrog

[magdalene]

I will miss the show tomorrow. I had gotten used to having Outlander Saturdays.

[Nidratime]

Me too. I miss any good programming on Saturday's but we live in a world dominated by teen/20's males and what they prefer.

[justmehere]

I haven't canceled Starz yet (likely next week), and I just looked at the On Demand listing. For whatever reason, Outlander is only available until 10/30. Not sure if Starz determines that or the cable company. If it's Starz, it's another incomprehensible move. Why not entice people to remain by allowing them to watch episodes during the long hiatus? Oh well. I currently have the episodes on my DVR, but it doesn't have great capacity so I won't be able to keep them all. -- I'd love to know how many new subscriptions they gained because of the show and how many they lost (or will lose) this month.

 

I also wonder what they're going to do about DVD/Blu Ray releases. Part of me hopes they release the half season before the show comes back (Christmas time would be fantastic -- unrealistic, I know), and part just wants the whole season together. If they wait until March to release the half season, they might as well wait and do the whole season together. At that point, I can wait for a full season release because they'll surely do a marathon or have it On Demand again by late March.

[Pestilentia]

I don't see a half season DVD release making any sense- just keep them in your DVR.

Toss everything else but keep this! They make for a lovely rainy afternoon.

[Nidratime]

I haven't canceled Starz yet (likely next week), and I just looked at the On Demand listing. For whatever reason, Outlander is only available until 10/30.

 

 

Really? Too bad. I was hoping to have a friend who does not have cable over to watch them periodically. She couldn't do them all by October 30. I don't have a DVR, but I do have a combo VCR/DVD recorder and have them recorded on tape. The tape recording just doesn't look as good as they do on demand.

[peacefrog]

I would like to know the numbers also as this is what we do. Every year we get HBO for Game of Thrones and cancel the next day after the last episode. Those numbers must be crazy also.

GoT does not entice me to watch over and over again. The only other show that does is The Walking Dead.

[WatchrTina]

 

I just looked at the On Demand listing. For whatever reason, Outlander is only available until 10/30

How can you tell?  I just looked and didn't see anything that suggested an end date but we may have different cable carriers and maybe that makes a difference. I have Time Warner Cable.  

 

Anyway, I may have a solution.  I just love HBO GO because I can watch every single episode of every HBO original series whenever I want, regardless of whether or not it is available OnDemand through my cable carrier.  I have to watch on my computer or on my iPad but that's fine with me (the sound is better with good headphones anyway so I actually prefer the iPad sometimes.)  Starz has the StarzPLAY ap  for your tablet or StarzPLAY.com for your computer.  You have to log in via your cable subscriber info but once that is set up you should have all the episodes of Outlander available whenever you want (assuming Starz follows the HBO GO model.)

 

Warning:  When I first got HBO GO I didn't leave the house for entire weekends re-watching the entirety of Deadwood and binge-watching The Wire for the first time.

 

Hope this helps.

[Tif]

I keep Starz all year thru, but I have to. I like some of the other shows on Starz.

[WatchrTina]

I only got Starz for Outlander but they have successfully enticed me into being interested in Black Sails, which has its first 8 episodes OnDemand now and which comes back in January .  So I may substitute Black Sails for the Outlander time-slot in my life during the Outlander hiatus.  I suspect that's exactly what Starz hopes we will do but in this case I'm fine with being mildly manipulated.

Edited October 4, 2014 by WatchrTina

[Tif]

I watched the first season of Black Sails. For the most part I enjoyed it. I did not care about Elenore or her plot line at all. The character that intrigued me the most is Anne Bonney.

[Petunia846]

Anyway, I may have a solution.  I just love HBO GO because I can watch every single episode of every HBO original series whenever I want, regardless of whether or not it is available OnDemand through my cable carrier.  I have to watch on my computer or on my iPad but that's fine with me (the sound is better with good headphones anyway so I actually prefer the iPad sometimes.)  Starz has the StarzPLAY ap  for your tablet or StarzPLAY.com for your computer.  You have to log in via your cable subscriber info but once that is set up you should have all the episodes of Outlander available whenever you want (assuming Starz follows the HBO GO model.)

 

Unfortunately my cable provider doesn't do the StarzPLAY thing, so that doesn't help me.

 

Did you guys see how Sam accidentally tweeted a link to a porn site in his birthday tweet to Cait? Their reactions cracked me up.

[Tif]

No! I did not see that. How funny!

[justmehere]

How can you tell?  I just looked and didn't see anything that suggested an end date but we may have different cable carriers and maybe that makes a difference. I have Time Warner Cable.  

 

Anyway, I may have a solution.  I just love HBO GO because I can watch every single episode of every HBO original series whenever I want, regardless of whether or not it is available OnDemand through my cable carrier.  I have to watch on my computer or on my iPad but that's fine with me (the sound is better with good headphones anyway so I actually prefer the iPad sometimes.)  Starz has the StarzPLAY ap  for your tablet or StarzPLAY.com for your computer.  You have to log in via your cable subscriber info but once that is set up you should have all the episodes of Outlander available whenever you want (assuming Starz follows the HBO GO model.)

 

Warning:  When I first got HBO GO I didn't leave the house for entire weekends re-watching the entirety of Deadwood and binge-watching The Wire for the first time.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I'm on Cox cable, so yeah, the set up may be different. When I look at the On Demand listings and choose more info on a particular episode, it shows the "expiration" date. If your system doesn't have that, it may be my cable company making the decision.

 

I completely forgot about STARZ Play. Of course, there's a big difference between my laptop screen and my television! But it's something to think about. It does look like they've got everything up there along with the extra bits. I haven't been enticed to Black Sails, which is a case of prejudging, I'll admit. I'm imagining lots of gratuitous violence and use of women. --It's a money matter as well.

 

I don't see a half season DVD release making any sense- just keep them in your DVR.

Toss everything else but keep this! They make for a lovely rainy afternoon.

 

 

I guess I just expect companies to try to get as much money as possible - charging more for each half than they could get away with doubled for the full season, if that makes any sense. For example, they might charge $25.00 for each half but $50 might not fly for the full season. (Although $25 for 8 episodes seems too high to me anyway -- just an example.)

 

As for space on my DVR, it's about ongoing recording. I usually delete everything right after I watch it, but sometimes there's not much room before I get a chance to view things. And then, Justified's final season is coming in January. Last season was probably the weakest, but I expect this one to be good (hope!), and it's a keeper for a while. Few months till then, though, so who knows; if I rewatch enough maybe I'll be glad of a break! Deletion will only occur if absolutely necessary.

[Nidratime]

Okay, I just checked my On Demand channel and it says the Outlander episodes are available until 6/15/2016. Yea! That's Comcast/Xfiniity.

[justmehere]

Ouch! I may need to call and complain to my cable co.!

[Glaze Crazy]

My DirectTV doesn't have an end of availability date for Outlander.  The only one that shows an end date is the free showing of Sassanach and that's a 2015 date.  I'm still planning to cut Starz eventually.  I just got a Roku (so I can watch my Amazon Prime on my TV) and I'm debating a Netflix account for it too, so I can direct the cost of Starz towards that for the next 6 months.

 

I have both a DVD recorder and a video transfer thingy (I don't think they are on the shelf anymore, but I got it at Best Buy about 5 years ago) so I can move the series off my DVR if I need the room. 

[ohhellsyeah]

Petunia, I saw those tweets. It was so funny!

I still haven't finished the last season of Justified. It was a disapppointing season. Since next season will be the last, I really hope they can step it up. I'm still holding out hope that they can get Ian McShane for the last season.

[justmehere]

I still haven't finished the last season of Justified. It was a disapppointing season. Since next season will be the last, I really hope they can step it up. I'm still holding out hope that they can get Ian McShane for the last season.

 

Yeah, it was far from their best. Ian McShane would be great, even in a cameo appearance, to round out all the Deadwood visitors.

 

Something definitely feels wrong tonight, not having an Outlander episode to watch! The Highlander movie is on (flashback scenery), and I read The Exile (from the library), but they haven't begun to fill the gap.

[ohhellsyeah]

I'm Canadian and I've spent almost every Saturday of my life from October to June watching Hockey Night in Canada. Once next week rolls around I think I'll be alright.

[Athena]

What TV shows are you all watching until April? Which books?

[Bort]

What TV shows are you all watching until April? Which books?

TV is my usual array of network shows: Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Big Bang Theory, Blacklist, Person of Interest, Nashville, Vampire Diaries, Grey's Anatomy. Then Pretty Little Liars in the winter.

For books, I'm working my way through the Outlander series -- listening mostly. I checked out the audiobooks at the library and listen at my desk at work. It really helps make it look like I'm actually doing something (I'm in a bit of a lull at the moment). Currently on the third book.

With all that crap, April will be here before I know it.

[Tif]

I don't have any TV shows that I watch regularly.  I wish I did but I just can't get into a lot of the more popular shows.  I will watch Black Sails.

As far as books, I think I'm going to start The Lymond Chronicles.  

[peacefrog]

I started Black Sails. I think Outlander spoiled me regarding this type of show. Reading MOBY again and waiting for Fiery Cross from library.

[Tif]

I started Black Sails. I think Outlander spoiled me regarding this type of show. Reading MOBY again and waiting for Fiery Cross from library.

If you are having problems getting into Black Sails, I totally understand.  I absolutely LOVED some episodes and some episodes seemed interminably long.  Personally, I couldn't get into Elenore's story at all.  I really don't care all that much about Max either.  

[Bort]

Yeah, I tried Black Sails last year when it debuted but I just couldn't get into it. I don't know why, it just didn't click for me.

[peacefrog]

I can't get over all their different shaved beards when I would think maintaining it would be rather hard! Also it appears more "modern" to me than Outlander even though it is set about 25 years earlier. Spoiled by details!

It does make me want to swim though.

[NoNeinNyet]

I'm watching more TV than could possibly be healthy. I've wholly bought into the abundance of comic book shows that we now have on the air and the CW line up seems particularly strong this fall. I am a 30 year-old woman who watches a lot of the CW and ABC Family and I'm not afraid to admit it.

[Petunia846]

The only other show I'll stay up and watch is Once Upon a Time, but even that I just turned off halfway though this week and went to bed (I get up early). I like that, Sleepy Hollow, Parenthood, and Reign.

 

I'm reading the Lord John books at the moment. The first one was pretty dull, just started the second, so we'll see.

 

All the TV and reading is going to get cut back soon when November starts, because I'm going to do NanoWriMo for the second year. All writing, all the time.

[Nidratime]

I'm not really invested in any shows other than Outlander at the moment. I do watch Nashville, The Amazing Race, Project Runway, and Modern Family. When the new seasons begin, I will probably watch American Idol and Downton Abbey -- although I'm not as interested in either as I once was.

 

I have a huge reading pile and am involved in a reading challenge in order to make my way through all these books. So, I can't necessarily recommend anything I'm reading at the moment, until I'm done each book and can decide whether I liked it or not. ;-) However, I recently read Maria Semple's Where'd You Go, Bernadette and really enjoyed it. If anyone is looking for Time Travel type books that are really good, I'd suggest Susanna Kearsley's Mariana ... for starters. She has a couple of others that I haven't gotten to yet. If anyone's looking for an historical series to read -- no Time Travel -- I'd suggest Winston Graham's Poldark Saga, starting with the book, Ross Poldark.

 

I've never listened to the Outlander audiobooks, so I'm starting those so I can refresh my memory about the events of the series. The Scot, from the Scot and the Sassenach podcast will be doing a series of podcasts or videos delving into Outlander (the book) and its story structure over this hiatus, so I thought I'd follow along with him. I don't know when the first one will be "broadcast," but it should be in the next few weeks, I'm guessing.

 

ETA: Some other books I've enjoyed lately:

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Elizabeth, the First Wife by Lian Dolan

And this is favorite of mine from years ago:
The Second Coming of Lucy Hatch by Marsha Moyer

Edited October 8, 2014 by Nidratime

[MedievalGirl]

I saw my 8 year old daughter opened my copy of Written in My Own Heart's Blood. Turns out she just wanted to see if the text was printed in red.   :D

Edited October 9, 2014 by MedievalGirl

[WatchrTina]

I've just started Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson as a sort of Outlander counter-point. According to the blurb I read it is set in two time frames as well -- England during WWII (!) and the present (or an alternative version of the present.) If I love it, there is a prequel out there that is set in . . . wait for it . . . the 17th/18th century! So I'll be experiencing a completely different sort of historical fiction / fantasy / SciFi universe that just happens to touch on the same time frames as Outlander. The author is male and his books read very male to me so that will also be an interesting counter-point. I picked it because I absolutely LOVED the first book by Neal Stephenson that I read several years ago -- the SciFi/Fantasy/CyberPunk "Snow Crash," which I highly recommend.

I'm watching lots of things on TV but none of them are appointment TV for me right now. The only thing I'm commenting on is Sons of Anarchy, which I'm hate-watching during it's final season. I have to see how this train wreck ends.

Edited October 9, 2014 by WatchrTina

[Nidratime]

I've always loved the book by Annemarie Selinko, "Desiree," which is the story of the daughter of a wealthy merchant who was once engaged to Napoleon but who ultimately married one of his generals and then became the Queen of Sweden. It was made into a movie in the 1950's starring Jean Simmons, Marlon Brando and Michael Rennie. That was definitely a Hollywood production. I would love for it to become a miniseries. Something more realistic. It's a fabulous story.

 

1950's movie:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046903/?ref_=nv_sr_2

 

Desiree, the book:

http://www.amazon.com/D%C3%A9sir%C3%A9e-Bestselling-Story-Napoleons-First/dp/1402244029/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412902561&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Desireee

[WatchrTina]

I did not lament my Outlander-less Saturday this weekend because I went to the Austin City Limits Music Festival.  There, I was lucky enough to hear a Scottish singer named Paolo Nutini (obviously he's of Italian descent but he's a Scot!)

 

Since I know this board like hot Scots, here ya go.  Enjoy!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eullRZSuJbw

Edited October 12, 2014 by WatchrTina

[Door]

Oh wow. Hot Scot, indeed. Thank you, WatchrTina!

[mishy]

here, I was lucky enough to hear a Scottish singer named Paolo Nutini

 

 Paolo Nutini is amazing. I saw him here 8 years ago when his first CD came out and while his second CD was only sort of good, his new CD is amazing. I've heard Paolo talk many times and he loves to mumble and his accent his thick so a lot of time you're like, what the hell are saying Paolo? But his voice is amazing.

[Nidratime]

I think I have a new show to get me through this hiatus: Jane the Virgin on the CW. Smart. Funny. Tongue-in-Cheek.... A telenovela?! Love it.

[Cliomuse]

Attended a wedding this weekend and several of us muttered to one another about needing a sharp knife and a strip of linen so we could make it official. The bride had even joked at her bachelorette party that she was hoping for more Outlander and less Game of Thrones on her special day.

[Petunia846]

Just wanted to say thanks to whoever recommended the podcast, The Scot and the Sassenach. (Sorry I can't remember who that was!) I've only listened to one of their Outlander podcast episodes, but I'm loving their other stuff on writing! Thanks, thanks, thanks!

[Nidratime]

I see that Hallmark is airing Sam Heughan's pre-Outlander holiday movie, "A Princess of Christmas," today at 4:00 p.m. I'm assuming they'll air it a few more times this holiday season, considering how often they rerun things ... if any of you want to catch it.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Nidratime

[SilverShadow]

I've seen this more times than I care to admit-largely because I love Katie McGrath, who plays the titular Princess. It's shameless cheese and you'll be able to tell where the plot is going after 10 minutes, but I love it.

[auntlada]

I saw the end of that the other day and thought he looked familiar, but I couldn't place him.

[Bort]

I've seen [A Princess for Christmas] more times than I care to admit-largely because I love Katie McGrath, who plays the titular Princess. It's shameless cheese and you'll be able to tell where the plot is going after 10 minutes, but I love it.

I set the DVR for it and am now about to watch it but when I saw that Katie McGrath was also in it, I was all, "Score!" I also ridiculously love her. She was my favorite part of Merlin. And Dracula.

Edited November 2, 2014 by kariyaki

[justmehere]

Sigh. My cable box/DVR died and I had to exchange it. Of course, that meant losing my saved recordings of the series. My cable co. doesn't have Outlander available right now anyway, so it doesn't matter that I stopped my subscription. Hopefully they'll offer it on demand during the upcoming free preview so I can at least catch it again before spring.

[WatchrTina]

Well, I just got home from seeing Emulsion, starring Sam Heughan. I won't talk about the plot because, spoilers.  Let's just say it's noir, it's confusing, I did NOT figure it out in advance so the pay-off at the end was satisfying, and Sam had some great moments, that I also won't talk about because, spoilers.  But he did a really good job in a tricky role.

 

Sam looks nothing like Jamie in this movie (as you can tell from the poster).  In fact, in a couple of shots near the end of the film he could totally pass for a teenager.  It was a little disturbing.  

[peacefrog]

Where does the movie take place?