The Silver Screen Oasis

Alison, Cranford blends the plots of three of Gaskell's books: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow and Mr. Harrison's Confessions.

Now, onto watching "Return to Cranford" & then, "North and South"

For those of us who are hopelessly addicted to Downton Abbey and can hardly wait for season 2 to begin again this weekend here in the U.S., here's a BBC parody of the wonderfully layered drama--with a few irreverent quirks thrown in!

[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

There's a great show, The Hour that was on BBC America a few months ago and may available On Demand. It's only six episodes but it packs a lot in those 6 hours. A news show on the BBC in the mid-1950s, tries to cover the Suez Canal crisis while dealing with espionage and personal lives.

Dominic West, The Wire, stars.

I recommend it!

Hoo Boy! The wait is a killer!!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/love-war-rage-pbs ... 03183.html

AND a 3rd season has been announced. yippee!!!!!

Oh my gosh. I watched Downton Abbey's premiere. Then I watched it again.

So far, I am enjoying this new series more than the last. I like that the characters have relaxed into their roles, I wasn't sure I liked the last one, there was so much set-up and background gone over. This one feels more real to me, maybe because I now know the characters.

I still haven't figured out why almost everyone has accepted Thomas back into the fold. What a stinker! Lady Mary seems human at last, and her middle sister, Edith is pure pitiful. Love it!!!!! And wasn't Laura Linney's intro great?

Having seen some of the 2nd season, I was struck how the plots during the WW1 period are similiar to the original Upstairs Downstairs. I suppose that's understandable and I won't spoil it for anyone else by going into details

I won't spoil it for anyone else by going into details

I would threaten you, but I couldn't carry it thru ....THANKS for not spoiling it for us!!!!!

Yes, mum's the word!

I liked Edith's farmer man.

I thought Thomas was just getting interesting, but you're right he's such a baddie, I couldn't believe they all just nodded at him and took him back. What choice did they have, I guess.

Speaking of "Upstairs Downstairs," neither my bride or I could get into it. The first couple were okay but by episode 5 it just lost us.

She is very happy to have the new season, which being the dutiful husband, I taped it for her.

I finished watching "Return to Cranford" (2009) and all I can say is that these series (Cranford & Return to Cranford) are the best we've (my wife and I) seen during the last years. The attention to period detail is exhaustive and the performances supreme...It even tops Wives & Daughters and Downton Abbey (and I've watched both seasons); I can't recommend it enough.

The way the screenwriters captured the nuances of everyday life during the period 1842-1844 is amazing. These miniseries embody the complete opposite of what "Spartacus" and "The Tudors" were all about, because you feel that you have travelled in time back to the mid 1800s. Bravo BBC!

Upstairs, Downstairs started out really slowly and I didn't watch it until after the 1912 episodes when Hazel entered the scene. I've gone back to pick up the other episodes I had missed, and they are pretty low key, as if they were trying to find which direction to go. Once it hit it's stride upstairs, mainly with James, I think the show got better.

I only saw a few minutes last night, (why would anyone tell Hugh Bonneville he was merely wanted as a figurehead?!?), but will try to catch up soon. The first episode of season 2 is online here until March 2012 if anyone misses the broadcasts.

Oh good. I wanted to get another look at that farmer.

Yesterday I watched the 2nd episode of BBC's "North and South" (2004) and it captured me completely...The 1st episode kept me wondering a bit, because of the abrupt change of setting from the amiable "Cranford" (2007) and "Return to Cranford" (2009) to the harsh, tough reality of an industrial town in the North of England of "North and South" (2007); the latter is devoid of the charm of the former, notwithstanding its own merits.

I could succintly define N & S as similar to Pride and Prejudice (the main story of Darcy and Elizabeth, which parallels in some ways that of Mr. Thornton and Margaret) set against the background of the unpleasant industrial town of Milton. The portrayal of Sinead Cusack as Thornton's domineering mother is quite remarkable and Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe, make an appealing couple.

I'm looking forward to watching the 2 remaining episodes.