Season 3 Discussion

[Mabel]

Would like to discuss season three here. Any thoughts? 

Overall, the season seems darker than the first two. Sidney having the crisis of faith, Geordie cheating on Cathy, Leonard trying (unsuccessfully) to go against his nature and marry - it's all rather gloomy. And the cases are really sombre, too. Also it seems that there are very close parallels between the case-of-the-week and protagonists' personal stories. Didn't notice it that much in the first seasons. 

It is curious where they are going with the introduction of Mrs M's estranged husband. 

And I'm not sure I like Amanda and her story - it's boring

[MissLucas]

Wow, I've been so unhappy with the changes that I completely missed that season 3 is underway. Not sure I'm going to catch up after reading that summary but since summer hiatus is lurking I might give it a try anyway.

[Misslindsey]

I am actually liking this season. I like all the current storylines (except Geordie cheating on Cathy) and interested into seeing where they lead. I figured at some point if this series went on long enough that Sidney would have a crisis of faith, so I was not shocked when it happened.

I love Leonard. I really want him to have some happiness.

I am at a table for one with liking Amanda, so I like her storyline. I cannot believe it took me until this season to realize that Guy is played by Tom Austen, who plays Jasper on The Royals. I am an idiot.

[Mabel]

14 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Wow, I've been so unhappy with the changes that I completely missed that season 3 is underway. Not sure I'm going to catch up after reading that summary but since summer hiatus is lurking I might give it a try anyway.

It'd be a pity if the summary put you off! It's still quality entertainment - nice way to pass an evening. James Norton is as delectable as ever. Robson Green is great too. In the last episode the actor who played Wickham in the classic Pride and Prejudice made am appearance. The guy has not aged well!

It will be interesting to see where they go with Sidney.

[zxy556575]

I'm also enjoying this season, although that doesn't seem like quite the right word because it's been sad as balls. Every main character's love life is mightily screwed because of societal norms and expectations.

I've never been a fan of Amanda's but even she hasn't been bothering me this go around -- maybe because she finally stopped being a tight ass, admitted to herself she didn't want the life her parents have, and left.

Poor Sidney, forced to choose between religion and love, but my heart broke the hardest for Leonard. I'm so glad he didn't go ahead with an unhappy, doomed marriage.

[Kirsty]

I'm enjoying the season. I think it's getting better with each episode. Season 3 has already featured the requisite Sidney sprinting-through-the-village-in-an-emergency scene. I'm still waiting for the requisite Sidney in the bath scene, preferably Sidney wallowing and/or drinking whiskey in the bath! With or without a jazz soundtrack.

Quote

I've never been a fan of Amanda's but even she hasn't been bothering me this go around -- maybe because she finally stopped being a tight ass, admitted to herself she didn't want the life her parents have, and left.

I've always liked Amanda and I still totally agree with you on this. She's easier to watch this season, now that she's out from under the yoke of the expectations of her family and class. She seems freer, less hemmed in, and happier.

That said, I'm surprised that Sidney/Amanda is still a thing. Sidney can't be with her and keep his job, so I'm very curious to know how it will end. I expect him to have some kind of epiphany about what he should do. My guess is that he will decide to leave the Church to be with Amanda, but then the decision will get taken out of his hands at the last minute, possibly by her.

Do other posters think the writers would ever kill off Amanda? Killing off the female love interest is a tasteless but common move on shows about angsty male protagonists, and this is a murder mystery show. But she could simply move away, in a less dramatic story development. Then again, maybe Amanda is an intrinsic element of Grantchester. I think I would like if she got a job at the university. Or better still, if she inherited a significant sum of money and she enrolled at Cambridge. And it would be interesting to see Amanda move beyond Sidney? Like, her feelings for and relationship with Sidney freed her from an unhappy marriage and from the unfulfilling role of bored, upper class wife. But what if over time she and Sidney grow up and find better matches elsewhere. They're both young; Sidney doesn't have to be the love of her life, nor she his.

Sidney's other love interests on the show have been a mixed bag. You know the way he clashes with Geordie sometimes? Often when Sidney is kind of railing against the unfairness of the world or the injustice of the institutions of power. Well, I would like if he clashed with a woman that way. So if it was up to me, I would introduce a female character to the village, one who represents Tradition, Duty, Conservatism and The Way Things Have Always Been Done. (Grantchester's version of Lemon Breeland, if anyone has seen Hart of Dixie!)  A female character who is introduced as his antagonist -- or even as his nemesis in the village -- who blocks his attempts at what he considers progress, but with whom he has excellent chemistry. And then I'd have them hook up a season later.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Kirsty

[spottedreptile]

6 hours ago, Kirsty said:

Do other posters think the writers would ever kill off Amanda?

Never. She seems to me to be the dreaded character that the writers have fallen in love with, like Lady Mary Crawley, and we will be stuck with her to the bitter end. I don't mind her in small doses, but she seems to overshadow everything Sidney is and does, and I would prefer others get a chance to shine in his life without everything being all about Her and What Will They Do? YMMV of course 

[zxy556575]

The show has gradually become 20% mystery and 80% interpersonal drama. It's not why I started watching and I'm probably more exasperated with everyone (but especially Sidney) because of that.

[Kirsty]

As regards the latest episode (Season 3 episode 5), I have never had less sympathy for Sidney! I haven't much for Geordie either but at least he doesn't seem to expect it. He knows he screwed up and deserves what he gets from Cathy.

I have never felt so totally on Mrs. Maguire's side as when she told Sidney first to wipe the smile off his face and then that she'd like to clip him round the ear. What a tool! But I guess the show is telling us through Sylvia that Sidney just needs to grow up. Still, I was fed up of indulging him and Geordie this week, when people around them have it worse.

No one likes an ultimatum but Amanda is right, it does come down to a choice between her and the Church; she's just admitting it aloud. And she's entitled to an answer. To be honest, we're all entitled to an answer after three seasons! Pick a side and stick to it, Sidney, so we can all move on with you one way or another.

I thought Ronnie was a good character played by a good actor. What a slippery character and a consummate liar. But probably because of that, he could sniff out when other people (Sidney, Abraham) were hiding things too. I liked the mystery in this one, even if the Romani party was a bit like Third Class in the Titanic movie, from back when Leonardo DiCaprio was a young man.

So I guess the point of Geordie's affair with Margaret was to kind of parallel Sidney cheating on Jesus with Amanda!

17 hours ago, spottedreptile said:

Never. She seems to me to be the dreaded character that the writers have fallen in love with, like Lady Mary Crawley, and we will be stuck with her to the bitter end.

Lolol. Yes, the writers do seem fond of her. Maybe Morven Christie would have to get hired by another show in order for Amanda to leave Grantchester.

I loved the Amanda/Sidney 'ship in the first season. But when that season ended I naturally thought they were done. She's married, he's a vicar, game over, bring me the new love interests etc. And I know I'm not the only one who's tired of their doomed romance dragging on. Judging by the reaction on Twitter, people really resent Amanda for it.

Amanda/Sidney has no future so let's find a pairing that does. I think that's what viewers dislike about them. It's not Amanda herself that's the problem; it's that we're forced to follow them down this romantic road to nowhere. It's a dead end. People want to know who Sidney will end up with, and unless he leaves the Church in the final episode, he won't end up with Amanda. But these two continue to torture each other every season, which prevents Sidney from ever finding someone he might actually have a future with.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Kirsty

[spottedreptile]

6 hours ago, Kirsty said:

it does come down to a choice between her and the Church; she's just admitting it aloud

Yes, thank you for saying that. There have been so many FB comments where people have dissed Amanda for telling Sidney he had to make this choice, but she's right, even though a lot don't want to hear her saying it. He can't have both Amanda and his job. One has to go. He needs to choose. The fact that Amanda is coming at him from her own viewpoint doesn't alter the reality. 

Just choose Sidney, and let us get back to what used to be a charming and interesting murdery mystery show. 

[ichbin]

On 5/22/2017 at 6:30 PM, spottedreptile said:

Just choose Sidney, and let us get back to what used to be a charming and interesting murdery mystery show. 

I don't mind character development in addition to the mystery of the week, but at this point I can't think of one regular character who isn't totally miserable.   

[Pyralis]

Please let that be the end of her.

Also, you go Leonard.

[zxy556575]

On 5/28/2017 at 8:43 PM, Pyralis said:

Please let that be the end of her.

Preach! but I doubt it. I mean ... we all knew Sidney wasn't going to move to damned London with damned Amanda, so I kind of resent wasting time on that storyline. I'm sure she'll stay in town so Sidney can awkwardly run into her on a regular basis and painfully suppress his feelings. It'll be season one all over again!

Poor Leonard swallowed his hurt in order to be a friend and wish Sidney the best in his move, but in the end he couldn't hold it together. Despite my sighs for Sidney's prettiness, I love Leonard more.

Is Sylvia going to leave the vicarage now that she's married? No reason she can't work regular daytime hours, but I'd miss her being there to slam down dinner plates and nag the boys around the clock.

I remain worried about this danged parish. Only about 15 in the entire congregation -- how can that support a full time priest and curate?

Regarding the very meager "crime/mystery" part of the episode -- what the hell, again? The missing boy's parents supposedly didn't care quite enough, so the teacher kidnapped not both, but only one. Sure, that makes sense.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Lord Donia

[Mabel]

Do all British series have such short seasons? 6 episodes roll by far too quickly. Will there be a Christmas special this year, I wonder. 

I do wish they'd focus more on crime-solving, like they did in season 1 (and even season two was better in this respect). Right now it is treated more like an afterthought -  something they want to wrap up quickly. The show dwells too much on relationships and other soap oper-y moments. Pity, really. 

I originally started watching for James Norton, but right now my favorite character is Leonard, by far))))). I would love to see this character develop further. And it would be great if Amanda relocated.

[statsgirl]

On 2017-05-21 at 6:52 PM, spottedreptile said:

Never. She seems to me to be the dreaded character that the writers have fallen in love with, like Lady Mary Crawley, and we will be stuck with her to the bitter end. I don't mind her in small doses, but she seems to overshadow everything Sidney is and does, and I would prefer others get a chance to shine in his life without everything being all about Her and What Will They Do? YMMV of course 

And the writing makes her life so, so sad (her father rejects her, her friends won't take her in, Sidney can't marry her and stay in the church) that it's like I'm being hit over the head with a stick to like her.  She is a character that the show's writer loves and thus Hildegard, who was a mature adult, goes and immature Amanda stays.

Amanda wouldn't bother me so much if A) she weren't so self-centred and B) she didn't make Sidney into his worst possible self.  Around Amanda he lies and sneaks around and puts her ahead of everyone and everything else.  And then just when it's the right time for them to step up and be adult, something happens and they're sucked into the bad drama again.

And the Sydney/Amanda soap opera is bad drama and takes over the show.

I really liked Morwen Christie on The A Word but I can't stand Amanda.

Edited June 19, 2017 by statsgirl

[Driad]

Is there a page with the names and photos of the characters? I looked on the PBS site but couldn't find one.  Thanks!

[JudyObscure]

Christmas episode last night on WOSU. I don't know where everyone else is, but Season 3 just started for me so I wont read this thread above this point. 

I loved it.  I thought the mystery, the stripper and her clients, was good and the toy story father tied in well with Amanda's problems with her father.  I guess it was saying sometimes we can get past our father- issues and sometimes we can't.

I loved seeing them all back.  I adore Mrs. Maguire.  I can understand her better now, and know when she's being mean just to protect Sidney.  I think her stint as midwife last night won her permanently over to Amanda's side.  In fact, I think when Amanda came to the door and Mrs. M said, "So they all turned you away, did they?" was the moment her heart gave way  in sympathy. 

Leonard as midwife assistant was priceless, he earned that drink at the end. 

I also loved Sidney outside the birthing room door, guarding  Amanda in her hour of need.

Hilarious moments:  The little boy with the very loud voice, the hat over Sidney's face in the strip club, Leonard the theater director.

[Kohola3]

Some good moments, I think.  I do love to laugh at poor Leonard - certainly a unique take on a Christmas pageant.  And maybe because it was the Christmas episode I didn't find it as dark as the end of Season 2.  Please no more shenanigans with Geordie having affairs. 

Not an Amanda fan but man, her dad is a cold fish.  Really cruel to threaten his sister that way.  Does he want his daughter living on the street?  It's not like the kid is Sidney's even though she left her husband.  He was an abusive man, doesn't that mean anything to dear old dad?

I'm glad the toy shop guy got back with his daughter but after all those years of hating him and looking so dour it seemed a bit quick for her to get over everything and  turn so jolly.

[dubbel zout]

4 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Leonard the theater director

I knew when he was explaining Brechtian theater that we'd get a cut to a bunch of befuddled children, but that didn't make the moment any less funny. And of course it all went wrong in the church. I also loved how he absolutely knew what was going on with Amanda when she was sitting on the bench. LOL that taking her back to the parish would take some of the shame off of him. 

It doesn't surprise me that Amanda's father basically disowned her. (I can't think of Pip Torrens as anyone but Tommy "the Hammer" Lascelles from The Crown; heh.) Her family isn't one of those eccentric upper-class aristos, to her detriment in this case.

[BlackberryJam]

I feel like Amanda pulls Sidney into her bad choices. Totally dislike that part of the story. Also, don't hit me over the head with, "poor Amanda, you must love her, also she BIRTHED A BABY." Sorry, but women have been giving birth for ...ever. Giving birth doesn't instantly make someone likable.

[magdalene]

I liked the mystery part of it.  The Amanda part remains as contrived as ever and really detracts from me otherwise enjoying the characters and the setting.  It is all designed to keep pushing Amanda at Sidney - the evil mustache twirling father, her having nowhere else to go, etc. etc..  So now she and the baby are going to live at the vicarage?  How would that ever realistically be accepted by the village?  He should be married already to some suitable woman. His superiors and the whole parish would have been pushing for that.  One, you know, who hadn't had a baby with another man and then left said man.  Sidney cannot marry her and keep being a vicar, and if he stops being a vicar there goes the whole premise of the show.

This series is quite realistic in its setting and depicting the mysteries and the time period - with the exception of the whole Sidney/Amanda thing which seems like some bizarre soap opera.  In which the writers boner for one character throws all realism out the window.

[dargosmydaddy]

Leonard and his "beach birth" and Esme complimenting Mrs. McGuire's "womb" made the episode for me. And Amanda-shenanigans aside, Sidney cuddling the baby and introducing her to jazz was all kinds of adorable. I've missed this show.

Anyone else briefly hoping for a Grantchester/ Call the Midwife crossover?

[saber5055]

Series 3 started here last night too, with the Christmas episode. I guess I was cranky because I found Amanda even more intolerable than before, and Sidney "spazzing out" during the birthing scene tells me he's not the least bit into that dad/husband stuff. So yeah, get thee to a nunnery, Amanda, and out of the vicarage. I continue to like Leonard more and more. But those children in his pageant, they all needed a good 1950s smack on the backside. What a bunch of brats that I did not find funny at all. Meanwhile, I was fascinated by looking at all the fake snow while no breath could be seen from anyone standing outside in the "freezing cold." I'm ready for Amanda/baby to be gone, or all of Sidney's parishioners will be if she stays. You are not so good looking as to make people forget their 1950s moral fiber, Sid.

[dubbel zout]

15 minutes ago, dargosmydaddy said:

Anyone else briefly hoping for a Grantchester/ Call the Midwife crossover?

I kind of hoped the midwife would be someone we knew! Well, it was—Mrs. Maguire—but you know what I mean.

11 minutes ago, saber5055 said:

Sidney "spazzing out" during the birthing scene tells me he's not the least bit into that dad/husband stuff.

I don't think this is quite fair. He's listening to the woman he loves scream in pain, and he knows he can't do anything about it. That's not easy for anyone. And Mrs. Maguire was the one who wouldn't let him help; it wasn't because Sidney was squeamish. And it's not as if Geordie—an actual dad and husband—was much help, either. Keeping Sidney's whiskey glass full was useful only up to a point.

If anything, it was a pretty clichéd childbirth sequence.

Edited June 19, 2017 by dubbel zout

[MissLucas]

14 minutes ago, dargosmydaddy said:

Anyone else briefly hoping for a Grantchester/ Call the Midwife crossover?

Dear Lord, what would I give for Sister Evangelina reading Sidney and Amanda and their little Thorn Birds shtick the riot act! Alas, not going to happen!

[magdalene]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

Sidney "spazzing out" during the birthing scene tells me he's not the least bit into that dad/husband stuff.

To be fair back then men were not expected or encouraged to participate in the child birth experience. But in his profession he might come across this eventually and he didn't exactly handle it well.

[dargosmydaddy]

13 minutes ago, magdalene said:

To be fair back then men were not expected or encouraged to participate in the child birth experience.

I thought it was hilarious that Leonard got to participate, so to speak. I guess Mrs. M needed some moral support (or figured Amanda did), and Leonard was considered a more appropriate choice than Sydney?

[IrishPirate]

"Call the Midwife" is almost a decade ahead of "Grantchester." No crossover, unless someone does some time travel!

[Kohola3]

Wasn't the first season of Midwifes set in the 50's?  I can really see Sr. E. whipping everyone into shape including the Vicar.  She'd have a Come to Jesus meeting with him and resolve the whole issue.

[HoodlumSheep]

I feel like they tried to reset things a bit. Or just flat-out decided go ignore some of the issues we were left with after season 2.

I found it hard to believe there would be no awkwardness between sidney and margaret remaining after their break up. Plus it was like the geordie/cathy drama never happened???

Leornard was as sweet as ever. Theatre doesn't seem to be your calling, sweetie. Leonard gets bonus points for that great casablanca reference.

At least they kept Sidney's to a relatively minimal level this week. His mind is still filled with amanda amanda amanda though. :(

While amanda was tolerable this week, the way the show was trying to push the "poor amanda" schtick was decidedly not. The bench scene of her sitting in the snow looking at her empty money purse was all-sorts of cliche, same with the previous awkward phone call to her friend Jen. Sorry writers, that stuff doesn't cut it. The more you push the poor amanda angle, the more i resist. I'm pretty sure my heart grows colder every time there's a "poor amanda" scene, and it's the writers' faults. >:(

MVP was the loud kid. 

Edited June 24, 2017 by HoodlumSheep

[Kohola3]

16 minutes ago, HoodlumSheep said:

The bench scene of her sitting in the snow looking at her empty money purse was all-sorts of cliche, same with the previous awkward phone call to her friend Jen.

Plus it was a bit unbelievable. While Aunt Cece couldn't keep her housed, I think it was a bit of a stretch that she sent Amanda out penniless.  It's not like Dear Old Dad would know if she gave Amanda a few bucks to tide her over.

[2727]

10 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

I feel like Amanda pulls Sidney into her bad choices.

Agreed, but he sure lets himself be pulled.

[statsgirl]

,,

14 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Plus it was a bit unbelievable. While Aunt Cece couldn't keep her housed, I think it was a bit of a stretch that she sent Amanda out penniless.  It's not like Dear Old Dad would know if she gave Amanda a few bucks to tide her over.

But then Leonard wouldn't have brought Amanda back to the vicarage for the drama to continue.

With Dear Old Dad's Snidley Whiplash interpretation, if I were Cece I would get my husband and son looking for new jobs.

10 hours ago, magdalene said:

I liked the mystery part of it.  The Amanda part remains as contrived as ever and really detracts from me otherwise enjoying the characters and the setting.  It is all designed to keep pushing Amanda at Sidney - the evil mustache twirling father, her having nowhere else to go, etc. etc..  So now she and the baby are going to live at the vicarage?  How would that ever realistically be accepted by the village?  He should be married already to some suitable woman. His superiors and the whole parish would have been pushing for that.  One, you know, who hadn't had a baby with another man and then left said man.  Sidney cannot marry her and keep being a vicar, and if he stops being a vicar there goes the whole premise of the show.

I am 100% certain they will find a way to get them together, either Amanda's husband dies or Sidney gets special dispensation.  Daisy isn't going to give up on Sidney/Amanda now.

[magdalene]

Yes, a vicar could marry a widow, in the books (which are much better dealing with Sidney's love life) Sidney 

Spoiler

marries Hildegard, who is of course a widow

Until 2002 I believe vicars could not marry divorced women. 

Quick! Lets have a mystery where Amanda's husband gets offed!  I am not spoiled and I sure don't want to conjure up a future plot here.

[Kohola3]

14 minutes ago, magdalene said:

Lets have a mystery where Amanda's husband gets offed!

Works for me.  He was a jerk.

[wonderwoman]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

Plus it was a bit unbelievable. While Aunt Cece couldn't keep her housed, I think it was a bit of a stretch that she sent Amanda out penniless.  It's not like Dear Old Dad would know if she gave Amanda a few bucks to tide her over.

I thought Amanda refused when her aunt tried to give her some money as she was leaving.

[BlackberryJam]

I was really sickened by the "turning away a pregnant woman at Christmas"/Mary parallels with Amanda. Amanda is not the chosen baby incubator. She's a married woman who got pregnant and decided to leave her husband without having a solid plan in place. And take the money, Amanda, you idiot.

[2727]

2 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

I was really sickened by the "turning away a pregnant woman at Christmas"/Mary parallels with Amanda. Amanda is not the chosen baby incubator.

That didn't even occur to me! Slapping my own self upside the head.

Edited June 20, 2017 by 2727

[dubbel zout]

11 hours ago, wonderwoman said:

I thought Amanda refused when her aunt tried to give her some money as she was leaving.

She did. She told Cece she'd done enough for her. I also think that after her father threatened to financially cut off Cece and her family, Amanda didn't want to cause more trouble if her father found out Cece had given her some cash.

Wouldn't Amanda have had some sort of allowance from Guy, at least? I can see him stopping that after she left, but couldn't she have taken at least some of it with her? She'd been unhappy with Guy for a while. Plan ahead, lady!

[BlackberryJam]

And you know what, you're pregnant and broke, put aside your pride and take the money. Pride is no reason to give birth alone in the snow. Pride is no reason not to have a roof over your child's head. 

[AllAboutMBTV]

While I'm certainly no Amanda apologist, she and her soapy plight(s) don't bother me much. I watch Grantchester from the shallow end of my sofa -- it's pretty, James "Shoulders" Norton is prettier and I enjoy his obvious camaraderie with Robson Green. The secondary and tertiary characters -- Mrs. Maguire, Leonard, Phil, Margaret, Aunt Cece ("Duckface!") and DIckens -- are all worth spending time with. Oh, and the mysteries are usually good, too. (Although I could have done without last season's season-long arc of that poor kid who accidentally killed his pregnant friend, never mind Geordie being a twat.) It's solid, largely well-made comfort food, a main course, perhaps, to the comfort-food dessert that is The Great British Baking Show.

Also, props to the Grantchester production and design teams. I love the look of the show, the costumes particularly. And the CGI for the Leonard and Amanda's bench scene was spectacular.

[wonderwoman]

13 minutes ago, AllAboutMBTV said:

Also, props to the Grantchester production and design teams. I love the look of the show, the costumes particularly. And the CGI for the Leonard and Amanda's bench scene was spectacular.

Agreed re the CGI, but the snow was so obviously fake. Snow would fall on characters, but they never got wet... Or cold! Sidney and Gordie standing outside while Amanda was giving birth: no coats or gloves -- not even a shiver between them.

[sinycalone]

I wish Daisy would give up on her mission to make the audience "love" Amanda.  All of the drama surrounding her is just having the opposite effect on me:  I want Amanda gone....with her baby...asap.  She left her husband (granted he is somewhat of a jerk) with no plan for herself or baby.  No amount of scenes in the snow, or her heartless father make her choices OK.

[Driad]

Near the end of this episode, Sidney is holding the baby and listening to music. He says that the musician was a genius at age 12. Did anyone catch the musician's name?

[Pallas]

12 minutes ago, Driad said:

Did anyone catch the musician's name?

Probably Sidney Bechet. 

[Jolie]

I really enjoyed Sunday's episode. Maybe due to it being the Christmas episode, but it didn't have that dark, depressing feel that most of last season had.

I do feel like the show is trying to hit us over the head with a sledgehammer in trying to make us like Amanda. I don't hate her as a character per se (even though she's the least interesting to me of all), but I really dislike her as Sidney's love interest. She has a child to think about now, and I'm not sure if running from one man to another is the right answer for her. Especially if the man she is running to will have to give up his vocation for her. I don't see that ending up well at all.

I did enjoy seeing Anna Chancellor as Aunt CeCe, but she will forever be Caroline Bingley to me. 

[mjc570]

4 hours ago, Jolie said:

I did enjoy seeing Anna Chancellor as Aunt CeCe, but she will forever be Caroline Bingley to me. 

To me, she's always Lix from the Hour, although I've seen her in other shows since (and she's always great).

I liked the episode more than I thought I would - especially Mrs. McGuire's kindness.  Maybe I'm not remembering this correctly, but I was under the impression that she was rigid and unsympathetic when the series started.  She's really had a lot of character development, with the boy friend etc. 

[JudyObscure]

2 hours ago, mjc570 said:

Maybe I'm not remembering this correctly, but I was under the impression that she was rigid and unsympathetic when the series started.  She's really had a lot of character development, with the boy friend etc. 

Oh yes, at first she was very judgmental and constantly worried about appearances.  How much lipstick a girl wore was very important as I recall. It  all came to a head when she was very rude to Sidney's German lady friend (the war and all that.)  Sidney came down hard on her and told her that if she ever treated a guest like that again -- something, something.  Leonard then found her crying into the roast in the kitchen, so the three of them had a heart to heart and she's been steadily improving ever since.  I think she was mainly just insecure and she has known very little love in her life.  I hope she keeps her old fashioned outlook on the little things though, it's part of what makes up her personality.  She's a very favorite TV character for me and she and Leonard together are more than the sum of their parts.

[dubbel zout]

Part of her hostility toward Hildegaard was worrying about being replaced, i.e., if Hildegaard (or anyone, really) married Sidney, Mrs. Maguire would be out of a job. 

[HoodlumSheep]

On 6/22/2017 at 1:32 PM, Jolie said:

I really enjoyed Sunday's episode. Maybe due to it being the Christmas episode, but it didn't have that dark, depressing feel that most of last season had.

I also appreciated the lighter tone despite the other issues i had with the episode. It was more like season 1, and that's why i feel like they tried to reset things in a way (the lighter tone, ignoring the geordie/cathy drama completely, sidney and geordie being the best of buds again now that they seem to be over their season 2 drama, etc.). It felt nice after having to sit through a very depressing season 2. Depressing plot, geordie spiralling out of control, sidney a disaster, amanda a disaster, the leonard love life drama. It was all too much. I was seriously questioning whether i'd stick with this show after all that. 

Hopefully season 3 continues to stay a lighter tone than season 2.

Edited June 24, 2017 by HoodlumSheep