Supernatural Predators Can Be Fun!

I often think I'm too old to be a 'Fan-girl' - but that hasn't stopped my desire to seek out anything and everything that Aidan Turner has been in!  Oh yeah... I'm talking about him again.  You know who of whom I speak (imagine you are hearing this in my best Galadriel imitation).

 My first encounter with a character that was not Ross, was Mitchell on the BBC show, Being Human.  I'm not sure I can tell you how much I love this show and especially love John Mitchell, vampire extraordinaire. (This would be a good time to run to the bathroom and get your second cup of coffee.  I have much to say about season 1 - 3 of this show.)

I believe it would be appropriate to shout SPOILER ALERT right about now - if you haven't been able to watch it and don't want to know what happens- stop now!

Being Human centers around a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire who become roommates and consequently try to live as normal humans in a world where they are decidedly not normal.  This is a well written show with a masterful blend of drama, humor, pathos, and vengeance.  Our main players, Annie, George, and Mitchell are well-defined with their own distinct personalities that will eventually become like personal friends to you.  The more you watch, the more you want each of them to find the happiness they are so desperately searching for.  A gigantic Kudos goes out to the writers, producers, directors and especially the cast of this captivating show.

Lenora Crichlow plays Annie, a young woman who was killed by her boyfriend, leaving her a ghost with unresolved issues that keeps her from crossing to the other side.  Annie is a bright light, sweet, and very caring about everyone.  She represents the goodness in human nature and her flatmates become protective of her and look to her to lighten some of the darkness that surrounds them.  She and Mitchell have an epic love story that spans the first three seasons, building slowly from a glance here and there to hugs, kisses, and attempts to have sex. Annie also is very naive and though she knows of the danger of vampires and werewolves, I don't believe she ever truly understands their nature and what drives them to do what they do. She never really grasps the power of the hunger for blood or the mindless outrage of the transformed wolf.  Annie died young, before she had the time to experience the kind of life lessons that widen one's perspective of what's good and what's evil; everything is black or white to her with no shades of grey. At the end of season three, she tells Mitchell that if he loves her, he will turn himself in for the boxcar 20 killings. She doesn't understand that Mitchell really wants to be punished for all the people he's killed over the years, but that exposing to the world that vampires exist could, and most likely would, bring about the genocide of all the inhumans, good or bad, (i.e. George and Nina).  At one point she even tells Lia that he is not the man she fell in love with, when he actually is, she just can't see that the man and the beast are one and the same. Lenora gives the viewers a good insight into Annie with a believable and solid performance.

Russell Tovey plays George, a young man who's world is irrevocably changed when he becomes the victim of a werewolf attack.  At the beginning of season one, he has only been a wolf for about 2 years and is still in denial about it.  Mitchell saves George from a trio of vampires who attack him and subsequently becomes best friends with him.  They work together at a local hospital and decide to rent the flat where they meet Annie.  George and Mitchell's friendship is historic.  The depth of their care for each other is so evident in every scene they have together.  George truly understands the beast within and they bond in a way that most friends only dream of.   George is the voice of reason in the group - the one who is the closest to being human. He only has to face the beast one day a month.  He so desperately wants to go back to his old life, to get rid of this burden forced on him.  He eventually meets and falls in love with a nurse named Nina who works where he does and to his horror, accidentally makes her a werewolf too.  Nina loves George but is unwilling to accept his relationship with Mitchell.  She doesn't understand that bond, perhaps because she is new to the inhuman condition.  She doesn't trust Mitchell and consequently, George finds himself, on more than one occasion, having to chose between his love for her and his best friend.  Some of the most delightful scenes on the show are between George and Mitchell as are some of the most heart-rending.  I have no doubt that George knows from the get-go that Michell is involved in the boxcar 20 murders. He tells Mitchell  "I can’t be your confessor, Mitchell, I can’t. Not now. I need you too much." when Mitchell tries to tell him the truth. In the end, it is George who has the courage to save Mitchell from his life in hell on earth.  Russell is so good in this role, words can't adequately express it.
 

 

Last but not even close to least -  Aidan Turner is our tortured yet vulnerable vampire, haunted by his dark past and struggling to stop his lust for blood.  Mitchell, turned during the first world war, is around 100 years old.  He wants so badly to stop the killing however, the need for feed is a powerful influence over him - indeed it is the blood that keeps his kind alive, so trying to stop is nearly impossible.  He keeps trying anyway.  Mitchell doesn't always give enough thought to what he is about to do, quite likely due to his inherent knowledge of the power deep within him that can, and sometimes does, keep himself out of harm's way.  His makes rash decisions and then rushes to try and fix things.  He is constantly at war with himself, fighting the desire for blood and the love of killing to get it - yes he loves it and at the same time, hates himself for loving it.  Poor Mitchell!!  He is so tired of the struggle.  His relationship with George and Annie help him to stay the course, however, even they can't stop the blood rage he feels when a doctor named Lucy betrays his blossoming love for her, resulting in the loss of Annie to the other side.  The scenes of him with Kemp at the end of season two where he has a total melt down after losing Annie is something to behold. George gets him through it.  

One of my favorite episodes in season one is a brilliant story line where he meets his great love from 40 years ago, Josie.  Those scenes where he finds her in the hospital lunch room are so fabulous and her sacrifice for him is so sad, but beautiful. (We learn more about her in flashbacks in season two - It's the one time you will see Aidan with bad hair - lol) 

In season two, he meets Lucy and feels very attracted to her, they make love, he tells her he is a vampire - he pours his heart out to her telling her he needs " Someone to help me! Someone to change my life for. That’s what I’ve been missing all this time, is just someone to— someone like you. I can do this. One more chance is all I need. I want this so much but I can’t do it alone. Please. Please, I’m begging you. Save me."   Instead, she blows up the funeral parlor where he and his fellow vamps hang out.  He has really strong feelings for Lucy and when she betrays him, he goes on a killing spree of biblical proportions.

When Annie is forced over to the other side, it becomes apparent he has strong feelings for her too. He goes to other side to rescue her from purgatory!  He doesn't admit his feelings for awhile but he can't hold out forever. There are several cute scenes with Mitchell and Annie. One of my favorites is when she talks dirty to him and the look on his face when he says 'sweet Jesus'.  And then there are those passionate scenes, with ardent visual and verbal affirmations about he feels about her.  (Speaking for myself, I just want to reach into the screen and hold him and assure him everything will be alright, as if Annie's not doing a good enough job doing that. LOL)  At one point, he tells Annie  "For nearly a hundred years I’ve been a slave to hunger. But with you, you give me a reason to take control back over my life. You give me a reason to start again."  It's a lovely, poignant scene with the two of them sitting on the stairs.  He is terrified of her finding out the truth about the boxcar 20 murders, and yet at the same time he wants to tell her.  In one episode he tries but she won't let him, thinking he's referring to the past.  I think Mitchell is afraid to tell Annie the truth because he knows she has an innocence about her love, that it is not strong enough to hear the truth and in the end, his instinct is right.   

The end of season three is heart-breaking but I felt inevitable.  Aidan was leaving the show and anyone with an ounce of brains would know they could never re-cast.  When the truth comes out and the proverbial sh*t hits the fan, Mitchell loses everything that is important to him.  He knows in his silent heart that true death is the only thing that will stop him from killing again, so he goes to George for his help one last time.  George needs some convincing and it comes in the form of a new Vampire leader who tells Mitchell he's gonna make him his bitch (well not exactly in those words, but you get my drift).   George then does the unthinkable and kills Mitchell knowing in doing so, he was actually saving him.

The show ran for five seasons and was a huge hit in the UK.  I have watched one episode from season four and think I might watch the rest, but maybe not.  As is often done, a version of the show was produced here in the states.  I have watched one episode of that too.  It's quite different, yet eerily the same in some ways. lol  I don't care for the casting of Mitchell and Annie all that much so I don't know if I will watch more.

Judas! I thought the Poldark post was long!  I might be to old to be a 'Fan-girl', but I think I can get away with "Fan-Gran" 

p.s.  There are dozens of YouTube videos about Being Human - here is one of my favorites:

Just Give Me a Reason - Mitchell & Annie

As usual, your thoughts are welcome.  Enter them below.

SALE! My two cents worth - 50% off

As a lover of TV and a lunatic for lists, I have decided to share some of my favorite shows that you might not have heard of or maybe you have, but you never watched!  I gravitate to sci-fi and fantasy, but I also love a good drama, a laugh-out-loud comedy, and a well-done musical. (Oh, and westerns - love those cowboys, the scruffier the better - maybe one day they will be back in style).  Another long one, but here we go!

Sci-Fi - I got the bug from Star Trek back in the '60s.  Because of it, I started reading Sci-fi and later Fantasy, which in turn made me want to see it on the big and small screen. I'm always on the look-out for it.  Here's my picks, starting with the most recently seen:

1.  Dark Matter - I just started watching it recently and really like it. Brought to us by the creators of Stargate and Stargate Atlantis, it has a 'firefly' vibe to it with diverse characters who, while they don't aim to misbehave, they find themselves in the middle of it anyway.  Basically 6 people come out of stasis on a spaceship with no memory of who they are or what their past is.  They decide to use numbers instead of names. Naturally, I'm most attracted to the smart ass bad boy of the group, #3.  They have an android who they call 'android' lol.  I really hate the android's hairdo, other than that, I think it's shaping up to be a good show and it has been renewed for a second season.  I'm watching it via Netflix. If you like character-driven science fiction, give it a try!

2. Orphan Black - I was able to watch the first two seasons on Amazon Prime and really wanted to see the next one, but since I have to pay for it, I can't. I have to wait until it's free for prime members.  It's a fascinating show about clones and how they come to find each other and what happens when they try to figure out what the hell is going on.  The lead actress, Tatiana Maslany is excellent, playing each of the clones who look alike, but do not have the same personalities.  You want to keep watching!

3. Being Human, UK version - ok, so I'm late to the party!!  It's not in production anymore and quite frankly, after season 3 I couldn't watch anymore.  I keep thinking I should, but so far haven't been able to. Why? (hint: Aidan Turner) No spoilers, you have to watch!  Basically, a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost become roomies and try to live like normal human beings.  It proves to be a challenge! I promise you, you will become so invested in the lives of Mitchell, George, and Annie, you will want to watch it again and again.  Fine acting, good story, believable characters, blurred lines between good and evil, well-place humor makes this a hard show to not love.

4. Game of Thrones - I don't think I was ever more invested in a story when I was introduced to the books.  When I saw it was coming to TV and that SEAN BEAN was going to be in it, I couldn't wait.  Now I can't afford HBO, so I've had to wait to see each season, but I'm OK with that.  GoT is not for the faint of heart!  I watch it with my eyes closed a LOT - lol  I just don't like seeing body parts destroyed, but beyond that, I have to admit they are doing a fine job of bringing a complicated and intriguing story to life, though there are several changes from the books.  Solid performances from a huge cast, fantastic costuming and sets.  Be prepared for nudity, graphic sex, and blood.

5. True Blood - another cable show that I had to watch via Amazon.  What is there about vampires that fascinates so many of us?  True Blood ran for 7 seasons.  Synopsis from IMDB reads:"The series follows Sookie Stackhouse, a barmaid living in Louisiana who can read people's minds, and how her life is turned upside down when the Vampire Bill, walks into her place of employment two years after vampires 'came out of the coffin' on national television."  Each season expands the realm of fantasy by eventually introducing werewolves, fairys, witches, and demons into the show. LOTS of blood, eye-closing grossness, graphic sex, etc and yet a fascinating story with characters you care about and want to see survive and live happily ever after.  Also, I love the theme song.

6. Thanks to all the choices for viewing we now have (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, to name a few), we can almost always find access to the shows no longer on:

First and forever my all-time favorite is Firefly. Seriously, if you like sci-fi and haven't watched it, what are you waiting for??  The motley crew of the Serenity will become like family to you. Good stories, lovable characters, well-placed humor, visually perfect. It's been 15 years since it premiered and I'm still mourning the loss of it, along with thousands of other browncoats (fans).

Stargate SG-1- What's not to love?  It was on for eleven years, so they did something right. The movie that spawned the show is fabulous, one of my favorites. Once again, the main players will become family to you.

Battlestar Gallactica - 2004 version over the earlier one, though I never missed the Richard Hatch version back in the '70's.  I feel like the earlier versions was more campy than serious science fiction.

Star Trek - every incarnation, even Deep Space Nine - it started it all for me!!

Clearly, this posting is way too long!!  I will have to break it up into more than one post.  You don't mind, do you?  :-)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on what Sci-Fi you've watched and loved.  Enter a comment below.

Ned Stark

  

If I have to have an addiction, it might as well be a Poldark one!

Those who know me know I've been Poldarked big time.  I'm not alone in this - there's hundreds of others out there. I know because I'm in their Facebook group!  I've watched it about six times now, maybe seven and I'm still not tired of it.  What I really need is to talk about it but I'm pretty sure my friends and family would only hear blah blah Poldark blah blah blah Ross blah blah Demelza blah blah blah and quickly find a way to extricate themselves.  So I'm gonna talk about it here.  Go get your coffee and put your feet up. lol

This would be a good time to say SPOILER ALERT !!  If you haven't seen it yet and really want to, stop now unless you don't care, then read on. :-)

First of all, I think it's one of the best small screen productions I have ever seen.  Yes I love Downton and Call the Midwife and still love, love, love Lonesome Dove.  So what makes Poldark stand out?  Is it the great story...the fantastic performances by everyone... the fantastic costuming...the outstanding cinematography...the gorgeous sound track?  Ok, so you already know I say it's all those things and more!

Let's start with the story.  Winston Graham wrote several books set in Cornwall featuring the Poldarks.  I have only read the first one, mostly because I can't really afford to buy them and the libraries around here are only starting to get them.  However, I did enjoy reading the first in the series.  Basically our hero, Ross Poldark, comes home from the war in America to find his father is dead, his home in ruins, and his lady love is engaged to his cousin.  Gives new meaning to a run of bad luck, eh?  The story focuses on him rebuilding his life and learning to live without Elizabeth, the girl he was supposed to marry.  Debbie Horsfield did a fine job in creating a script that keeps the heart of the story, though, as usual, has changes from the book.  There are many memorable scenes due not only to her script, but also to the incredible performances of the cast.

Speaking of the cast.... wowzers!  Clearly a home run.  Here's my thoughts on the cast and the characters they play:

Aidan Tuner is our hero Ross Poldark - he breathes life into this character in a way that has made thousands of viewers all over the world fall in love with him!  He is so good at what he does, so believable, we all want a Ross in our lives.  His smouldering good looks are the icing on the cake, to say the least.

Ross is honest, kindhearted, concerned about friends and family, and over-all a good guy.  He has a temper to be sure, but only towards that which deserves it.  He makes mistakes, sometimes misjudges, but will admit it if he's wrong.  He's in love with two women - Elizabeth, who marries his cousin, and Demelza, a common girl who he hires to work for him and eventually marries.  I love every scene that he has with Demelza. I love how even a simple hold of her hand speaks volumes of how he feels about her, even though it took awhile to realize it.  I think his biggest mistake was in not telling the George the truth of about his uncle drowning and him not being able to do anything to save him.  Instead he says 'why would I want to' and that doesn't sit well with George at all, who then proceeds to get back at him.

Favorite Ross scenes - when Demelza sings at the Christmas party, when baby Julia dies in his arms, when he and Dr. Ennis take baby Julia to be buried, when he tells Elizabeth that Delmelza is the love of his life, (I actually cheered the first time I watched it), and especially when he has to tell Demelza their little girl has died - he can't even say the words!  It is the most moving scene and is so authentic. I know that feeling too well.  It's been 15 years since I lost my dear daughter and I still can't say the 'd' word.  Aidan is so unbelievably good in that scene, as is his co-star, Eleanor. It's truly heartbreaking to watch.

Eleanor Tomlinson is our heroine Demelza.  Eleanor is so pretty and does an awesome job portraying a spunky teenager who runs away, with her dog Garrick, from a miserable home life.  Ross saves her and Garrick from a dog fight and decides to hire her as a kitchen maid.  She's a hard worker and over time, falls wholeheartedly in love with Ross. She goes through quite a transformation from a gawky, dirty urchin to a lovely young woman,  however, Ross is still in love with Elizabeth and she doesn't quite know what to do until one night an opportunity comes along to seduce him and she does.  It's a great scene that I never get tired of watching! 

Favorite Demelza scenes - when she's in the meadow, playing with Garrick, dancing at Jim and Jinny's wedding, her first kiss, I love that she keeps her eyes open!, when she needs help unlacing the gown and what follows ;-), taking lessons from Verity, singing at the Christmas party, learning her baby has died, riding out to the sea with Ross to say goodbye to Julia.  Eleanor has a lovely, clear voice and I'm hoping she does more singing in season 2.

Heida Reed is Elizabeth - prim and proper and so well-played you can't imagine anyone else doing it.  Elizabeth is Ross' first love.  She feels the same and hopes they can marry when he returns from America - things don't go as planned and when Ross is believed dead, she agrees to marry his cousin Francis.  I found myself wondering 'what if' with Elizabeth.  What if she had married Ross?  Would she have been happy living in his little house, would she have rolled up her sleeves and helped with the yard work, the cooking, the washing? or would Ross make sure she had servants to help her, someone other than Prudy and Judd?  What if she had challenged Francis over his affair with Margaret instead of ignoring it?  Maybe she was happy he wasn't bugging her for sex?

Favorite Elizabeth scenes - when she's walking around smiling and cooing to baby Geoffry Charles, when she goes to the mine closing and says Francis feels sorry for himself, and when she is grateful for Demelza coming over to help them when they are sick.

Kyle Soller is Francis - Kyle plays a wonderful Francis easily going from smiling sweet cousin to jealous vindictive cousin in a heartbeat.  Francis is such a wimp.  It's hard to like him.  I play 'what if' with him too.  What if Elizabeth didn't spurn him in the bedroom, would he have turned to Margaret? Francis is basically a spoiled boy in a man's body.  I was surprised he actually called out Capt. Blamey the way he did.  He allows George to manipulate him and is too stupid to realize he's trying to get Elizabeth away from him.  Poor Francis.  It will be interesting to see what happens to him.

Favorite Francis scenes -  when he chides Elizabeth at the Christmas party and at the Christening too (he's such a prick about it lol), when he stares out to sea after his father dies, when he offers a comforting hand to Ross at Julia's burial, showing he's not always an ass.

Ruby Bentall is Verity - Ruby is so wonderful in this role.  I loved her in Lark Rise to Candleford and so pleased to see her versatility in portraying Ross' cousin Verity.  Poor Verity is treated more like a house slave than a daughter/sister.  I was happy when she found the courage to follow her heart and hope to see she's still happy with Captain Blamey in season 2.

Favorite Verity scenes - when Ross takes off and leaves her alone with Demelza when she visits them after their wedding, when she teaches Demelza how to be a lady, the look on her face when Demelza tells her she pleases Ross in bed, the look on her face when Ross admits he might like to have both Elizabeth and Demelza as his wife, the shot of her watching Blamey ride off after shooting Francis, back to camera, you could still feel her devastation.

I'm already in the running for the longest post ever so I'll just add a quick thought or two about our antagonists, Cary and George Warleggon.

Pip Torrens plays the horrible, heartless, son-of-a-sea-serpent, Cary Warleggon to perfection, else why would I hate him so?  I have only four words regarding him:  someone PLEASE kill him!!!!  lol

Jack Farthing plays George Warleggon - like the rest of the players, he does a fine job playing Ross' chief adversary.  I find George to be a complex character.  He's not entirely evil like his Uncle Cary, but he certainly is his protégé - a sort of dick-in-training.  He is from humble beginnings and has made his way in the world, not without stepping on a lot of lives along the way.  He is deliberately trying to ruin Francis in hopes of winning Elizabeth from him.  He is truly horrified at the death of Julia and can't bring himself to drink the congratulatory drink Uncle Evil pours for him at the news.  I think he would have been less likely to go after Ross, if he hadn't been so rude about the death of his cousin, but then perhaps he would anyway.  I think, like Scrooge, George has the possibility of redeeming himself in some way.  Let's see if that happens!

One last thing - the shots of the wildflowers, the sea, and my favorite, the ladies looking out to sea for the pilchards are so amazing I wish I could kiss the camera person!  That and the heart-achingly beautiful sound track make this production one to be proud of by all who made it happen and one to treasure for a long time to come.

As always, your comments are welcomed, encouraged, even if you don't agree, only PLEASE no spoilers for next season!!!

October

Everyone has a favorite month... or a least a favorite time of year.  My favorite time of year is fall and my favorite month is October.  In my neck of the woods, October is usually stunning!  Colorful Maples, Oaks, Birch, and Aspens peppered here and there with evergreens create a feast for the eyes.  There's something different about the air - it seems cleaner and the sky is so blue, it hurts to look at it (except on those rainy days, where the clouds hover in a lovely shade of Payne's gray.)
 

The three things I like best about October are, in no particular order, Pumpkins, Cider Mills, and Halloween!  What is it about those giant orange squash that are so fascinating?  Maybe because they make me feel like a kid again.  Even seeing them in the alien atmosphere of the grocery store makes me smile and want to buy them....but out on a country road is better!

 Nothing much can compare to the sweet deliciousness of the juice of freshly milled apples - add donuts, made right there at the mill along with the cider and you have a truly Michigan treat.  Oh, you can get these things at the store through out the year, but it's just not the same as sitting in the autumn sun, dodging the bees, and listening to the happy chatter of the people around you.  

Yates Cider Mill

And then there's the granddaddy of all Holidays - Halloween !  I have always LOVED Halloween - even more than Christmas.  I loved and still love dressing up in costume.  I loved trekking all those blocks and blocks of houses begging for candy.  This would be back in the '50's way before parents felt the need to check the haul or walk with you.  

We went out in groups, the bigger kids looking after the little ones.  We used a pillow case - trick or treat bags were too small and flimsy. LOL  We had noisemakers and yelled 'Help the poor' as well as 'Trick or Treat', though we never did any tricks.  We were good little imps who just wanted to get as much candy as we could carry.  Back then, you only went out if you were under the age of 12.  Once you reached that magic age, you were considered to old to go begging.  

My mother was a fashion designer, artist, and seamstress and we always had home made costumes - in fact most kids did not have store bought ones, but ours were especially nice.  I'm so grateful I learned to sew from her and I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but over the years I have made some pretty good costumes for family and friends.  Here are just a few of my favorites:

I dream of Jeanie

Anna

Elsa

Garden Gnome

Little Witch

Marilyn Monroe & Joe DiMaggio

George & Martha Washington

There have been a whole lot more and perhaps I'll put them all in an album one day and post it here.  In closing, I ask... what are your favorite Halloween memories?

Save a Horse...ride a cowboy - YeeeeHaww!

The other day, traveling in the car somewhere, I started thinking about how I would love to do a remake of The Magnificent Seven and naturally, who would I cast as my cowboys?  Don't ask why.... the mind moves in mysterious ways as usual.  You wouldn't believe the kind of sh*t that keeps me awake at night.  Anyway, I digress...  who would I cast as my cowboys?   Anyone who knows me well, can probably guess. LOL

Here's my cast and now you have to imagine them in a cowboy hat !

Aidan Turner

Colin Firth

Sean Bean

Gerard Butler

Hugh Jackman

Nathan Filion

Jason Momoa

Now it has to get filmed in a hurry before they all get to old - or it could be The Geriatric Seven  LOL   In reviewing this list, I see I have spanned the globe - Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, and America.  How diverse of me!

SO...... who would YOU cast as your cowboys?