return to downton

best season two opener: downton abbey.  a long awaited return, but well worth the wait.  (warning: some spoliers if you haven't been keeping up) it's two years since we've left the granthams and their dedicated staff. last time world war one just broke and mary had refused matthew.  it's two years later and many of the men are overseas.  the women are finding new roles to fill.  my favorite part was the first meeting and the look from mary to matthew.  ahh the anticipation.  lavinia seems sweet enough, but really?  i love how edith and sybil have come into their own. o'brien and thomas are as devilish and conniving as ever. shar can't wait for the how season two develops (nudge, nudge yoon).  

p.s. that's my actual character rankings above.

masterpiece theatre: emma

best post-football viewing: masterpiece theatre's latest adaption of emma. after one watches the afc and nfc championships, what's better than some good ol' jane austen goodness? congrats colts and saints!

okay it took a bit for me to get into this latest adaptation. i miss the translation that andrew davies did. romola garai plays emma with especially annoying spirit, more so than previous actresses, gwyneth platrow and kate beckinsale. there's a bit more set up for emma, jane fairfax and frank churchill than other versions i've seen. all in all, i'm excited to see the remaining parts 2 and 3. also, anyone wanna check this out with me?

mad men - sesame street style

they had me at the opening sequence.

masterpiece is back!!!

best return of a fav series: masterpiece theater. shar is uber psyched for masterpiece goodness. i grew up on these costume dramas imported from overseas. this is prolly why i have anglophile sensibilites. the new season looks promising with tonight's tess of the d'ubervilles, a new adaptation of wuthering heights, and a dickens review.

doesn't tess look familar? she's the bond gal that sadly died soaked in oil from QOS. also familiar, if you are a masterpiece geek like myself, the gentleman who plays alec was dr. zhivago in the last adaption staring one ms. kiera knightley. hans matheson plays a devilish cad after the fair tess. poor tess! she had the best comeback line - "i feel nothing for you. you are just dust and ashes." that's eff you in victorian times. i'm nervous to watch part two next week. doesn't look like a happy ending.

a room with a view

welcomed new ending: a room with a view - screenplay by andrew davies. andrew davies is the man. i love him to pieces. he seems to translate classic literature onto screen in a beautifully romantic way. last night upon watching the closing of the film, jac and i were like what the?!?!?! not to spoil it for those who have it on DVR (you know who you are), but there is a different ending than the classic merchant ivory version based on e.m forester's post-scripts. here is the man talking about it. i do like a good ol' happy ending, but somehow a bittersweet one is even better.

masterpiece theatre: sense & sensibility

most acceptable remake: masterpiece theatre's sense and sensibility. i never thought another version of sense & sensibility needed to be produced after ang lee's exceptional take on the austen classic, but the latest version penned by the ab fab andrew davies (pride and prejudice, take girl like you, vanity fair, wives and daughters, and the new adaptation of a room with a view) is well worth viewing. the casting is much better for the elinor and edward roles, but i still only see kate winslet as marianne and greg wise as willoughby. this new version goes deeper into the book and fleshes out the marianne and willoughby storyline. of the complete austen series, sense and sensibility was the most welcome, second to miss austen regrets.

anticipated remake: a room with a view. dang, masterpiece theatre is really churning out goodness this season. i cannot wait for mr. davies's take on a room with a view. let's see if the new cast can top the merchant-ivory staples: helena bohnam carter, julian sands, maggie smith, daniel day lewis and rupert graves. can not wait! bring it!