The Queen.

[HerlockSholmes]

On 4/24/2021 at 5:00 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

Most of the one-star Amazon reviews are complaining about the binding and/or the illegible printing, rather than the story.  Which edition did you read?

I'm thinking better get it from the library first!

 

The copy that I have is the paperback will this design

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jonathan-Strange-Norrell-Susanna-Clarke/dp/0747579881

Except that mine is red instead of black. There was certainly no issue with the printing or binding with mine Carol.

[HerlockSholmes]

On 4/23/2021 at 7:47 PM, Hikari said:

Showrunner Russell Lewis has said that Series 8 will be the end of Endeavour but . . never say never!  In the world of the show, only six years have passed (1965 - 1971).  In reality it's been 10 years.  Roger Allam is incredibly in-demand as a stage actor, which is why there were only three episodes last time, not 4.  Roger was the lead in a play, so production had to either start late or finish early to accommodate him.  He sported a huge bushy beard in the play . . very unlike Fred Thursday.  I had rather hoped that they might make it to 1974 -'75, as these years were significant for Morse from the original series.  1974 was the murder of 8-year-old Mary Lapsley, the case which Morse has never really gotten over because he found the body. The case and his contentious relationship with 'Dawson' is covered in the 'Second Time Around' episode.  1975 was the year he finally made Detective Sergeant, according to what he tells someone in 'Absolute Conviction'.  I wondered if he wasn't pulling our legs there because someone of Morse's ability wouldn't languish at Det. Constable for a whole decade . . but maybe it was the Masons.

In 1971, our Robbie would be a 20-year-old police cadet up in Newcastle.  Poor sod doesn't know what's coming in his life!

"Lewis" is done and dusted, I'm afraid.  I'm still hopeful that the actors might be tempted back for a Christmas special.  I have an idea:  a Robbie - Laura wedding, with Hathaway as best man.  It is never explained what exactly Lewis and Hobson's status is.  Together, obviously but no peep about an actual marriage.  I always felt gypped on that score.  Neither Lewis nor Hobson is particularly religious but Robbie is the marrying type, not the 'shack up with my bird' type.  And I think Laura would want a tiny bit of wedding fuss after waiting so long to get married for the first time.  Maybe they'd even find a nice girl for H to settle down with.  They could call it a 'vow renewal', explaining that they just had a registry office 'do and never really told anyone but now that they are celebrating 7 years of togetherness, (yes, it's really been that long since Season 6) they decide to throw that big white party they never had.  Ma'am is the matron of honor and Haddix can be the bridesmaid.  So twee, you think . .but wait!  Of course there must be a dead body at the wedding.  Or a couple of them.

I would be perfectly fine to have a reboot of "Lewis" without Hathaway.  The genius of his character was that he was the perfect, snarky #2.  After he got promoted to Inspector, he completely lost his signature snarky spark.  Shades of Morse:  fell into police work and, despite real aptitude for it, hates it and always wants to be elsewhere.  Constantly whinges and threatens to quit, to go on pilgrimages in foreign countries.  Never does quit and just ends up getting promoted up the ladder until he's old, crabby and dies of a heart attack.  DS Haddix was a lovely person and had real potential.  Let Lewis mentor her instead.  They could even say that H has left the police force to run for Parliament, haha.  I don't foresee Lozza winning his bid for office but I wish him luck if he really wants to dive into that fray.  Apparently the Hollywood movie career went nowhere--probably because the niche of posh, super-tall, blond, slightly strange-looking English dude has been filled by Paul Bettany and we really can only have one of those at a time.  L. invoked a Victorian version of Hathaway in his portrayal of Lord Palmerston, P.M. and he was quite droll.

He had released a rock album and was touring and the music career looked pretty promising . .and then Covid hit.

I will watch his political aspirations with interest.

I’m wondering if they’ll find a way of having a young Lewis making a brief appearance in one of the new episodes? 

I wonder why Kevin Whately isn’t on our screens these days? He made a brief appearance here on stage at a recital that his daughter took part in (I didn’t know that she was a singer?)

https://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/19195501.recital-family-occasion/

He also did some Charity work. His mother died as a result of Alzheimer’s.

https://insidecroydon.com/2021/03/15/tv-star-calls-on-londoners-to-stride-out-for-mental-health/

I didn’t know until around a year ago that his wife actually appeared in Morse in the episode Masonic Mysteries. She managed to get murdered very early on though. I know that I’ve heard him doing voiceovers on tv fairly recently.

I can only assume that he’s in a position where he can be pretty selective on any roles he might be offered or that he’s focusing on other things. He’s a well regarded actor who, as far as I’m aware, appears to be well liked, so I’d have expected more appearances. Maybe he doesn’t get offered the kind of roles that he is interested in playing? Maybe a bit of ageism here? Significant roles rarely go to 70 year olds (even fit and healthy looking ones like Kevin Whately) 

To be honest I’ve always expected some kind of one-off follow up to Auf Wiedersehen Pet. Four of the main characters are still alive and kicking after all. It was a really popular series but I’m not sure if it was seen in The States and whether it would transfer well especially with the broad accents. You may have needed subtitles Hikari but years of watching Morse and Lewis would give you a head start.👍🙂
 

 

[Arcadia]

22 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

You mean what they call a trade paperback, basically the insides of a smallish hardback edition (roughly 6x8") but with a paper cover?

 

Dat's the one!

[Hikari]

On 4/25/2021 at 6:12 AM, HerlockSholmes said:

To be honest I’ve always expected some kind of one-off follow up to Auf Wiedersehen Pet. Four of the main characters are still alive and kicking after all. It was a really popular series but I’m not sure if it was seen in The States and whether it would transfer well especially with the broad accents. You may have needed subtitles Hikari but years of watching Morse and Lewis would give you a head start.

You'd be surprised . . Years of honing my ear on British television dramas and films have made me able to decipher most accents of the UK.  I do confess that Scots does still mystify me at times.  I hear that goes for British residents of 'down South' as well.

In the Morse episode "Who Killed Harry Field?", one of my personal favorites, at the top of the episode, Morse tells Lewis that  he will get to conduct the next interview.  Robbie is very pleased--until he finds out that 'conducting the interview' means translating Geordie (or Scots, maybe, I wasn't sure) from Morse's car mechanic into 'English' that Morse can understand.  LOL

My favorite Geordie joke of all time goes like this (paraphrasing a bit because I can't find it again, of course):

If Jesus Had Been a Geordie

Jesus was enduring Crucifixion and the disciples were standing around at the foot of the cross.  Jesus called out, "Oi, Peter . . ", then again, this time more loudly.  And a third time.  Finally Peter went over to see what He was on about.

"Aye, Master, what is it?"

The Lord replied, excitedly, "O'ee Peter, Ah ken see ma 'oose from 'ere!'

****

Peter wasn't actually at the Crucifixion but I had to chuckle because there's a scene in the third ever Morse episode that has Sgt. Lewis and his boss up on the rooftop of a church.  Morse is terrified of heights and he's white and sweating and clinging to the wall, having a panic attack.  Meanwhile his sergeant is gamboling around the steeply pitched roof in dress shoes like a spring lamb in a pasture.

Lewis:  Whoo, what a view!  Ye can nearly see Scotland!

*****

Unless Russell Lewis can contrive some reason for a young police recruit from Newcastle to come to Oxford in 1971--using Kev's own birthday for Lewis, Robbie is barely 20 at that point (perhaps an intra-jurisdictional police mentorship scheme or a cricket tournament) there is no interface between Robbie and Morse until 1987.  It is my fond wish that they would 'meet', accidentally--neither will remember it, so it can't be an official introduction.  I used to think it could happen, but then I'm still waiting for Endeavour to buy the red Jag (which I call 'Her').  He looked at Her in the pilot and I got all excited.  Thought maybe after he got promoted to DS he could afford the payments and Thursday might help him out with a downpayment by way of congratulations.  But Fred has his own money woes.  I hope E. gets that car before we have to leave him, or I will be Seriously Put Out.

[HerlockSholmes]

34 minutes ago, Hikari said:

You'd be surprised . . Years of honing my ear on British television dramas and films have made me able to decipher most accents of the UK.  I do confess that Scots does still mystify me at times.  I hear that goes for British residents of 'down South' as well.

In the Morse episode "Who Killed Harry Field?", one of my personal favorites, at the top of the episode, Morse tells Lewis that  he will get to conduct the next interview.  Robbie is very pleased--until he finds out that 'conducting the interview' means translating Geordie (or Scots, maybe, I wasn't sure) from Morse's car mechanic into 'English' that Morse can understand.  LOL

My favorite Geordie joke of all time goes like this (paraphrasing a bit because I can't find it again, of course):

If Jesus Had Been a Geordie

Jesus was enduring Crucifixion and the disciples were standing around at the foot of the cross.  Jesus called out, "Oi, Peter . . ", then again, this time more loudly.  And a third time.  Finally Peter went over to see what He was on about.

"Aye, Master, what is it?"

The Lord replied, excitedly, "O'ee Peter, Ah ken see ma 'oose from 'ere!'

****

Peter wasn't actually at the Crucifixion but I had to chuckle because there's a scene in the third ever Morse episode that has Sgt. Lewis and his boss up on the rooftop of a church.  Morse is terrified of heights and he's white and sweating and clinging to the wall, having a panic attack.  Meanwhile his sergeant is gamboling around the steeply pitched roof in dress shoes like a spring lamb in a pasture.

Lewis:  Whoo, what a view!  Ye can nearly see Scotland!

*****

Unless Russell Lewis can contrive some reason for a young police recruit from Newcastle to come to Oxford in 1971--using Kev's own birthday for Lewis, Robbie is barely 20 at that point (perhaps an intra-jurisdictional police mentorship scheme or a cricket tournament) there is no interface between Robbie and Morse until 1987.  It is my fond wish that they would 'meet', accidentally--neither will remember it, so it can't be an official introduction.  I used to think it could happen, but then I'm still waiting for Endeavour to buy the red Jag (which I call 'Her').  He looked at Her in the pilot and I got all excited.  Thought maybe after he got promoted to DS he could afford the payments and Thursday might help him out with a downpayment by way of congratulations.  But Fred has his own money woes.  I hope E. gets that car before we have to leave him, or I will be Seriously Put Out.

Some Scottish accents can be difficult especially the further north you go up into the highlands. My Gran was Scottish and although she never lost her accent I’m guessing that it mellowed after 60 years or so in England. Her mother, my Great Grandmother never left Scotland but even her accent was fairly mild (to my ears anyway.) 

I do like the Geordie accent but to me, it’s difficult to distinguish that accent from others from the North East (places like Sunderland, Gateshead and Durham.) To those from that area they’re completely different of course. My accent is from an area known as the Black Country (in the Midlands) which often gets mistaken for a Birmingham accent. To me they sound absolutely different o course. To give an example, a Birmingham accent is Ozzy Osbourne. A Black Country accent is Lenny Henry (or Timothy Spall in Auf Wiedersehen Pet)

I remember the scene in Who Killed Harry Field well. It was a brilliant episode with Freddie Jones as Harry’s father. The episode with Morse up high...was that the one about the stolen paintings by Alma Tadema? Was it called Ghost In The Machine or am I confusing the title with another episode?

[Carol the Dabbler]

50 minutes ago, HerlockSholmes said:

Some Scottish accents can be difficult especially the further north you go up into the highlands.

When I was seventeen. had barely been out of Indiana, and had never actually conversed with anyone from the UK before, I happened to meet a Scottish fellow.  I was somewhat embarrassed that I had to ask him to repeat himself so often, but he heartily assured me that he was having just as much trouble understanding me!  He told me what town he was from, and I wish I'd written it down.  My best guess is it was a small town, and probably pretty far north.

 

[besleybean]

Speaking as an Englander who settled in Scotland...

I don't generally find the accents too difficult.

Occasionally have to focus very hard!

Some Northern Ireland accents, on the other hand...

[Arcadia]

I'm finding accents are getting harder to decipher as I age. Whether it's because I'm losing hearing or brain cells, I don't know, but I live in a community where there's people from all over the world, and I used to navigate it just fine. Now I'm going "huh?" all the time. It's embarrassing to me, and must be frustrating for the people I'm interacting with. Most of them are nice about it, though.

[Hikari]

19 hours ago, HerlockSholmes said:

Some Scottish accents can be difficult especially the further north you go up into the highlands. My Gran was Scottish and although she never lost her accent I’m guessing that it mellowed after 60 years or so in England. Her mother, my Great Grandmother never left Scotland but even her accent was fairly mild (to my ears anyway.) 

I do like the Geordie accent but to me, it’s difficult to distinguish that accent from others from the North East (places like Sunderland, Gateshead and Durham.) To those from that area they’re completely different of course. My accent is from an area known as the Black Country (in the Midlands) which often gets mistaken for a Birmingham accent. To me they sound absolutely different o course. To give an example, a Birmingham accent is Ozzy Osbourne. A Black Country accent is Lenny Henry (or Timothy Spall in Auf Wiedersehen Pet)

I remember the scene in Who Killed Harry Field well. It was a brilliant episode with Freddie Jones as Harry’s father. The episode with Morse up high...was that the one about the stolen paintings by Alma Tadema? Was it called Ghost In The Machine or am I confusing the title with another episode?

Freddie Jones as Harry Field, Sr. wins my award for 'Top Guest Star' of the whole series.  I would have liked to see more of Harry, Jr. (Trevor Byfield).  Trev appeared in the "Counter Culture Blues" episode of Lewis and  . . the years have not been kind.  His appearance was pretty shocking.  

The episode with Morse and Lewis on the church roof was "Service of All the Dead" (Season 1:3).  That was the one with the dead kids in the coal shute.  Very tough episode apart from that bit of humor with Robbie.  

Ghosts in the Machine is a favorite of mine, too.  That was our boys at the aristocratic house with the French nanny.  I vaguely remember some stolen artwork there?

FYI, I have just discovered that all the episodes of "Lewis" are available on YouTube.  I own the DVDs but my remote decided to puke out of the blue and I can't get it to work.  A DVD is stuck in my player, too.  So I guess I need to get a new remote.  In the meantime I was in the mood to watch "Dark Matter" after "Jupiter" was featured at the DoE's funeral.  

[HerlockSholmes]

4 hours ago, Hikari said:

Freddie Jones as Harry Field, Sr. wins my award for 'Top Guest Star' of the whole series.  I would have liked to see more of Harry, Jr. (Trevor Byfield).  Trev appeared in the "Counter Culture Blues" episode of Lewis and  . . the years have not been kind.  His appearance was pretty shocking.  

The episode with Morse and Lewis on the church roof was "Service of All the Dead" (Season 1:3).  That was the one with the dead kids in the coal shute.  Very tough episode apart from that bit of humor with Robbie.  

Ghosts in the Machine is a favorite of mine, too.  That was our boys at the aristocratic house with the French nanny.  I vaguely remember some stolen artwork there?

FYI, I have just discovered that all the episodes of "Lewis" are available on YouTube.  I own the DVDs but my remote decided to puke out of the blue and I can't get it to work.  A DVD is stuck in my player, too.  So I guess I need to get a new remote.  In the meantime I was in the mood to watch "Dark Matter" after "Jupiter" was featured at the DoE's funeral.  

By the way, I’ve just taken delivery of Ratking by Michael Dibdin, my first Aurelio Zen novel. I don’t know when I’ll get around to reading it though as the book that I’ve just started is 960 pages long.

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 4/28/2021 at 9:58 AM, Arcadia said:

I'm finding accents are getting harder to decipher as I age. Whether it's because I'm losing hearing or brain cells, I don't know, but I live in a community where there's people from all over the world, and I used to navigate it just fine. Now I'm going "huh?" all the time. It's embarrassing to me, and must be frustrating for the people I'm interacting with. Most of them are nice about it, though.

You may actually be encountering stronger accents nowadays.

I find some accents and some individuals much easier to understand than others.  For example, I know several people from India, and oddly enough, I find some of the more recent immigrants much easier to understand than some who've been here for decades.  One fellow in the "recent" category told me that as soon as he was accepted by an American university, he began watching every American movie and TV show he could find, which I suppose could explain why I find him easy to understand, even though he does have a noticeable accent.