I wholeheartedly agree with your take on "Landscapers," which, if I might indirectly reference Chef Terry, Olivia Colman's character on "The Bear," is a fine meal nearly ruined by a tragic dessert.
My jaw was either literally or figuratively dropped, and I remember being really pissed off and then really sad. I recall a final conversation between her and her attorney that was so lousy and contrived I assumed it was going to be revealed to be a fantasy.
Feel free to meander any time, sir. "I'm broken--you can't hurt me." That's amazing. I gave up on television when it went digital, and have rarely regretted doing so; thus, I have missed all these cultural references, so I am thankful for this note.
Thank you for these lovely stories. And for the photo depicting Ernest's rather daunting honker. And the line spoken by Olivia Colman, which made me think of what Merricat might say if she faced such a sentence, if she were much older.
And here I was expecting Mother Dreyer's, chilled, sliced and drizzled with an herby vinaigrette for the Fourth picnic.
But you went to The Bear and some unbearable drama, so here's what I was going to send to my friend, but held back, because she adores the show and like all of us is fragile this week. I need to put it somewhere. Tag, you're it.
I think I've figured out my problem with The Bear and why I find this season nearly unwatchable: Dwell time.
Once the writers get a point across, it feels like drill, baby, drill. Then drill some more. And if I'm going to imitate them, keep up with the drilling. That metaphor got tiresome, didn't it? My point.
The boorish into-the-trash chef.
The shouting matches.
The buffoons' banter.
Tina's job search.
In the last case, I am 13 minutes into episode 5, AND I GOT THE MESSAGE 5 MINUTES AGO AT THE VERY LEAST that she is desperate, resourceful, persistent, skilled and charming.
Leave a course on the plate too long and the sauce congeals. Add too much garnish and the focus blurs. Where's the snap that didn't just earn Emmys, but commanded them?
And now an addendum, having resumed Tina: After having had bamboo shoved under my fingernails for the longest time, I exhaled and looked down to see that they had just been buffed into the most beautiful luster I've ever seen.
Heartbreakingly, breathtakingly lovely, in fact, but I'm not sure it was worth the other time in the chair.
AND EVERYONE WHO HASN'T WATCHED "NAPKINS" YET, DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED.
—I had certainly realized in season 2 that they had completely rethought Tina. The person she was becoming was not an evolved version of the woman we'd met in season 1; she was someone else entirely. And the "Napkins" episode drives that home: There's no way that this thoughtful, dutiful woman is going to pretend she doesn't speak English and sabotage Syd's cooking (no matter how devoted she was to the dead brother). I didn't mind the episode too much because I like to watch Liza Colón-Zayas act, but as a friend noted: They might just have kept their mouths shut and moved forward rather than devoting an entire episode to a person they just made up.
“To the manor born” began to make itself known in the early 19th century, and it’s been a steady companion to the Hamlet version ever since, mostly but not always in second place in the United States and distinctly in second place in the UK.
I can’t even see that Penelope’s series gave it any particular boost. It just toddles along.
Oh man, oh man! Carmy, Coleman, and Ernest all in one post. And, as if that weren’t cool enough, we even get Gladys Cooper en passant. And, a picture of Hepburn en travestie.
I’ve long loved the Thesiger war story. He was also meant to have been very courageous in battle. I guess having been both queer and having to deal Gladys muscling in on roles written for him stood him in good stead when it came to warfare.
I appreciate your comments on The Bear. I wonder if some of the frustration is because the Carmy/Claire relationship didn't get resolved. What did viewers want that they didn't get?
I also just finished Season 3 of Hacks and I can't help but compare the evolution of these series and characters. Maybe I'm too accepting, but I like to see where creators take a show.
Funnily enough, none of the dissenting comments I’ve seen about season 3 have mentioned Claire at all.
I’m thinking back to last season and how a number of people said that she seemed to exist as nothing more than an extension of Carmy—that is, she had no purpose other than to react to him, which one would not say about, say, Natalie. Which may be why her absence is not being much noticed or remarked upon.
I wholeheartedly agree with your take on "Landscapers," which, if I might indirectly reference Chef Terry, Olivia Colman's character on "The Bear," is a fine meal nearly ruined by a tragic dessert.
My jaw was either literally or figuratively dropped, and I remember being really pissed off and then really sad. I recall a final conversation between her and her attorney that was so lousy and contrived I assumed it was going to be revealed to be a fantasy.
Feel free to meander any time, sir. "I'm broken--you can't hurt me." That's amazing. I gave up on television when it went digital, and have rarely regretted doing so; thus, I have missed all these cultural references, so I am thankful for this note.
Thank you for meandering. It was a pleasant diversion from the YOU KNOW WHAT.
And you MUST have seen this, no? https://youtu.be/d4Ml9WpIeeM?si=bm8wQejldAJt2h11
I was hoping that little sketch would have a decent punchline, and I'm glad to see that it had a great punchline.
Didn't it?! I've always loved it. The way her voice gets smaller and smaller ... And then that punchline. So much fun.
❤️
Thank you for these lovely stories. And for the photo depicting Ernest's rather daunting honker. And the line spoken by Olivia Colman, which made me think of what Merricat might say if she faced such a sentence, if she were much older.
And here I was expecting Mother Dreyer's, chilled, sliced and drizzled with an herby vinaigrette for the Fourth picnic.
But you went to The Bear and some unbearable drama, so here's what I was going to send to my friend, but held back, because she adores the show and like all of us is fragile this week. I need to put it somewhere. Tag, you're it.
I think I've figured out my problem with The Bear and why I find this season nearly unwatchable: Dwell time.
Once the writers get a point across, it feels like drill, baby, drill. Then drill some more. And if I'm going to imitate them, keep up with the drilling. That metaphor got tiresome, didn't it? My point.
The boorish into-the-trash chef.
The shouting matches.
The buffoons' banter.
Tina's job search.
In the last case, I am 13 minutes into episode 5, AND I GOT THE MESSAGE 5 MINUTES AGO AT THE VERY LEAST that she is desperate, resourceful, persistent, skilled and charming.
Leave a course on the plate too long and the sauce congeals. Add too much garnish and the focus blurs. Where's the snap that didn't just earn Emmys, but commanded them?
And now an addendum, having resumed Tina: After having had bamboo shoved under my fingernails for the longest time, I exhaled and looked down to see that they had just been buffed into the most beautiful luster I've ever seen.
Heartbreakingly, breathtakingly lovely, in fact, but I'm not sure it was worth the other time in the chair.
Well, as long as you've opened the door—
AND EVERYONE WHO HASN'T WATCHED "NAPKINS" YET, DON'T SAY YOU WEREN'T WARNED.
—I had certainly realized in season 2 that they had completely rethought Tina. The person she was becoming was not an evolved version of the woman we'd met in season 1; she was someone else entirely. And the "Napkins" episode drives that home: There's no way that this thoughtful, dutiful woman is going to pretend she doesn't speak English and sabotage Syd's cooking (no matter how devoted she was to the dead brother). I didn't mind the episode too much because I like to watch Liza Colón-Zayas act, but as a friend noted: They might just have kept their mouths shut and moved forward rather than devoting an entire episode to a person they just made up.
Penelope Keith and comapny bear some blame for "to the manor born."
*company
Sigh
[Y'know, you should, I think, see three dots to the right of any comment you post that will let you edit after the fact. No?]
“To the manor born” began to make itself known in the early 19th century, and it’s been a steady companion to the Hamlet version ever since, mostly but not always in second place in the United States and distinctly in second place in the UK.
I can’t even see that Penelope’s series gave it any particular boost. It just toddles along.
“Have a potato” is among my favorite lines in any movie. As for the rest of it—*waves despairingly in all directions*—let’s call the whole thing off.
Oh man, oh man! Carmy, Coleman, and Ernest all in one post. And, as if that weren’t cool enough, we even get Gladys Cooper en passant. And, a picture of Hepburn en travestie.
I’ve long loved the Thesiger war story. He was also meant to have been very courageous in battle. I guess having been both queer and having to deal Gladys muscling in on roles written for him stood him in good stead when it came to warfare.
Can’t thank you enough, man.
I'm so delighted that this piece kept pinging and pinging for you. BTW I have a copy of Ernest's book Adventures in Embroidery around here somewhere.
I had thought I couldn’t thank you enough. And now you tell me this, man.
When I read you, I realize I know nothing. (Sigh)
But then you get to learn stuff! (I hope.)
I appreciate your comments on The Bear. I wonder if some of the frustration is because the Carmy/Claire relationship didn't get resolved. What did viewers want that they didn't get?
I also just finished Season 3 of Hacks and I can't help but compare the evolution of these series and characters. Maybe I'm too accepting, but I like to see where creators take a show.
Funnily enough, none of the dissenting comments I’ve seen about season 3 have mentioned Claire at all.
I’m thinking back to last season and how a number of people said that she seemed to exist as nothing more than an extension of Carmy—that is, she had no purpose other than to react to him, which one would not say about, say, Natalie. Which may be why her absence is not being much noticed or remarked upon.