The End Of The Morning
Kenna behaves disgracefully. One of Mary’s Guise uncles finally resurfaces. Mary has persistent negative commentary. Catherine spews out damning accusations. Henri had trusted first valets? Really? Where are all the servants? Catherine is courted. Greer is in an inn caring nothing for her husband and stepchildren. She’s not sanguine and becomes a madam. Francis starts attributing blame. I don’t care about Mary’s liaisons with Conde. Francis is awful and non-reassuring. There is ass pull plotting and bad blood. Bash spews semiotics. The King of Navarre and Narcisse plot. I feel a cessation of interest. Francis returns to Lola. Kenna bores. This was not enrapturing.
Best Lines:
“Find a hobby or a whore.”
“Managed to install themselves in your court.”
“Their line has been aiming for the throne for generations.”
“Why she hasn’t assassinated them when they’re here at court is a mystery to me.”
“My family, not yours.”
“Look what survived the plague.”
“Speak to the whore next door.”
“Told everyone I serviced a leper.”
“Serving strawberries and snow.”
“Stained by the crimes of the dead.”
“No cash, no bird.”
“Died betrayed.”
~
The Last Kingdom (2015 - 2022) 1x01
This BBC2 drama is set in AD866 and shows how the life of a Saxon boy is turned upside down by his father’s defeat in the Danish invasion of York. This has okay opening credits and is based on Bernard Cornwell’s novels. A priest (Ian Hart) risk assesses. The stupid son runs around. There is plotting and a Vikings v Saxons battle. The stupid son is captured by victorious Danes. His father is dead so the stupid son and a young girl are taken as slaves by a Dane. This was not of interest and I cared not for the stupid boy’s sorrowful back-story.
The dangerously unstable Danes have a great capacity for brutality. This was ill-conceived. Years pass and the stupid son is now a man and his uncle stole his inheritance. The priest lingers and King Alfred is mentioned. There is fire, fighting and big name stars die as the man’s Danish owner gets got. This was not real or relatable, even to cultural theorists. Any sense of order has collapsed and there is sporadic scowling, implausible group dynamics, terrible decisions, hair extensions and hideous self-interest. This series covers the first 2 novels but I’m done - there is no creepy dread just mud and underwear models trying to act.
Best Lines:
“They come as Vikings. We go.”
“There are pagans there.”
“Every man must be prepared to die.”
“Forests alive with meat.”
“He is king of nothing.”
“Drink it. Lots of it.”
“He has offended me.”
“A puppet king for his Danish masters.”
“I’ll have your ball bag for a purse.”
“I need to kill someone.”
“I shall take what is mine.”
~
Two Boats and a Helicopter
Matt (Christopher Eccleston doing a weird accent) has righteous anger. He gets beat up in his church in an eminently foreseeable fashion due to his belligerent newsletters. No dangerous pathos is invoked. Kevin and Matt were once friends. Matt does a surreptitious baptism and refuses to believe it was the Rapture. Some accept his intellectual arrogance and ill informed obfuscation. This has bad acting and is devoid of any distinctive character. Bizarre new businesses have sprung up in the wake of the event. Matt has a comatose wife. Laurie and the GR lurk and are awful. This ep was wholly valueless.
Best Lines:
“Stop pissing people off.”
“People need to punch you in the face.”
~
B.J. and the A.C.
It’s Christmas. How do the GR have so much money? What do they want? Why don’t they text? Jill and her sexed up friend annoy. The baby Jesus is stolen. Kevin is orange with huge eyebrows and enormous tattoos. Christine is pregnant. Tom isn’t Kevin’s son. Laurie wants a divorce. Dialogue is mumbled. Jill gives Laurie a lighter for Christmas which Laurie (who has nail polish on) throws down a drain. The GR do more nefarious crap.
Best Lines:
“You walk over the dead.”
“Stop copping me.”
~
Gladys
The GR are awful so no one has any great dismay or sadness when one of them is killed. What is the GR’s overarching point? There is no co-existence and dialogue just divisive acts. No understanding, acceptance or cultural engagement is possible due to the GR’s non-compliance with caring. This ep was unwieldy and this show is a criminal folly. Aimee the sexed up friend obviously fancies Kevin. This was not cohesive. The ATF has changed into the ATEC (explosives and cults have been added).
There is no deep sorrow for the GR due to their devastating betrayals of trust and unsatisfactory and substandard acts. It is impossible to be effusively positive about this show. It induces no tinges of melancholy or climates of fear. I’m tired of the GR and their agitation and lack of self-reflection. They are proud and unruly. Meg is deeply hostile. Unfulfilled vendettas and long held frustrations fester. The GR does more shameful and wretched behaviour.
This was not delicately handled. The GR head is peerlessly, unparalleled crazy and she is an extraordinary manipulator. This show is in a calamitous downward spiral. There is no determination, passion or commitment. Jill the over indulged spoilt brat needs a slap as she is so clumsy and bland. This is only occasionally coherent.
Best Lines:
“She wouldn’t have cried for me.”
“Don’t investigate too hard.”
“Doesn’t really do okay.”
“”They will retaliate.”
“Doubt is fire!”
“What happens is, they go away.”
~
Operation Mongoose 1&2
This season was a misfire with the total narrative irrelevance of Anna and Elsa. No to mention the Snow Queen, the author, Zelena and Cruella mattering little. This was all padding and Emma becoming the new Dark One. I’m done with this show, again.