Previous posts: Introduction , Parts 1-2 , Parts 3-4 and Parts 5-6.
This post is later than usual since half of us had the flu this weekend, myself included. Thankfully I am better today, which is good because I am woefully behind on housework. Since today is laundry day I had tons of washing and folding to do and I was able to catch up on the laundry and my Dickens. What an ending to a fabulous mini-series! It was painful to watch the heartache of some scenes but splendid to relish in the joy of others.
A Four Hankie Episode – There were four times when tears were actually falling from my eyes. First was when Sergeant George was crying in the arms of his reunited mom. (Love that George! And his best bud Phil!) Second was when Esther was crying as she held her dead mother. (Give the poor girl a break, dear Lord.) Third was when Richard was apologizing to Ada just before his last breath left him. Fourth was when Mr. Jarndyce released Esther from her engagement so she could marry her true love. Although, those tears became happy tears as we saw Esther and Mr. Woodcourt finally share that kiss we knew they had been dying to have. (Swoon!)
Mystery Solved – I’ll admit Mr. Bucket grew on me over the last episodes. From his cheekiness to his tenacity to his occasional disguised tenderness. In the end he did get his man, or woman, in this case.
A Fave Scene – I love when Esther tells off Mr. Skimpole, like a lady, and he leaves town (at least temporarily.)
Hard Lesson to Learn – I find it timeless that Ada married Richard with the hope that once they were married his obsession with the Jarndyce and Jarndyce would come to an end, or at least be tempered, but instead it got worse. How many girls still do the same today? Marry a man with serious issues hoping that they’ll change once they are married. More often than not, it does not change and often it gets worse. Not that I blame Ada for marrying Richard in her situation. It’s just sad that he came to his senses too late. On the other hand, at least he was able to make peace before he died.

An Act of Honor or Selfishness? – I am torn in my feelings for Lady Dedlock. I suppose she thought she was doing the honorable thing by leaving Sir Leicester and sparing him the pain of seeing her but I can’t help thinking that she was chickening out. She should have humbled herself and pleaded with Sir Leicester to forgive her or at least faced her punishment and given him the opportunity to have it out with her. Had she stayed and faced the music, so to speak, she’d still be alive and she wouldn’t have caused him a stroke, literally. But that may simply be hindsight talking.
The “You’ve Got A Lot of Nerve” Award – Goes to Mr. Guppy, the Ladies Man, who proposed to Esther again after nearing becoming physically sick at the mere sight of her not too long ago. Yeah. Buh-Bye.
“Best Line of the Night” Award – Goes to Sir Leicester, “Poor Tulkinghorn. What an end. To be shot in the heart by a domestic servant.” A domestic servant? The horror.
Well, that was a lot of fun. I hope you enjoyed the mini-series too. I’m looking forward to next week when Masterpiece begins again. (My DVR is going to be working overtime that night – Great Expectations, Once Upon a Time, Amazing Race and the return of The Killing.) I’ll have a week’s worth of after hours TV recorded in one night. LOL. Have a great day!

Previous posts: Introduction , Parts 1-2 and Parts 3-4.
Time for A Good Cry – Maybe I was feeling a bit PMS…maybe I was missing my own mom… but the scene between Lady Dedlock and Esther had me nearly sobbing. (This can easily be done when all the house is asleep, lights are off and I allow myself to emotionally enter into the story.) When Esther begs to be a part of her mother’s life and concludes that she is the curse of the family and should never have been born it is almost too much to bear.
Weird Love Triangle – I don’t know what to feel about Mr. John Jardyce. Part of me sympathizes with his love for Esther and feels that it is genuine. However, I can’t get over the “ew” factor since he has always been portrayed in a fatherly light, not as an older but distinguished suitor. You can feel the awkwardness as he and Esther try to be romantic. (Even the notion of it makes me queasy.) Perhaps time would slowly have changed her (and my) mind but when Mr. Woodcourt comes back on the scene you know her heart still pines for him. When you see his looks and those puppy dog eyes, you know he couldn’t possibly be as cruel as his mother and he does not care if she was or was not of noble birth. Rather, he sees himself as the unsuitable suitor since he does not have enough money to make her a declaration of love.
Speaking of Cruel – Mr. Guppy was sort of growing on me with his unintentionally comedic ways and his Muppet-like mouth but the scene where he nearly loses his lunch at the sight of Esther’s scars makes me loath his behavior more than Mr. Skimpole. My only consolation is that he will be entrapped in the presence in the company of his bizarre interesting mother.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. – One good thing about Mr. Guppy’s behavior is that it was a turning point for Esther in dealing with her illness and scars. She was finally able to take off her veil and face the world without hiding. However, it has not hardened her tender heart as we see when she comforts and prayers for Joe on his deathbed.
Love is Blind – I haven’t spoken of Ada yet. I feel for her and her plight in watching the slow ruin of her beloved Richard. Who has not watched a loved one make wrong choices, bad decisions or influenced by bad company and has also been helpless to stop it. Unfortunately, the giving of Ada’s inheritance to Richard seems like it will not help him but push him further into his obsession.
Three Strikes, You’re Out – I was a bit surprised that Mr. Tulkinghorn (likened to “the Old Enemy himself” by Sergeant George – I love that guy) was actually shot. He seemed like the cockroach type – the ones you can’t get rid of. I guess it was only a matter of time until one of his victims struck back.
I am looking forward to the final episodes!

Previous posts: Introduction and Parts 1-2.
This week I watched Parts 3 and 4 of Bleak House but my comments will be short(er) since I am putting the baby to sleep and typing with one hand.
Development – The biggest development is the deepening mystery surrounding Nemo, Lady Dedlock, Esther and how they are all related. Mr. Guppy may be a creepy little character talking about his angel but the boy knows how to dig around and uncover hidden facts about the case.
Most Fickle – Richard continues to worry Mr. Jarndyce, as well as Esther and Ada, with his lack of commitment to his profession. First it was the medical profession, then the law, and then the army and now he wants to quit altogether in order to pursue his court case. You know things are going bad when he argues to his lawyer that he knows better since he has “studied the law” – for a whole month or two.
Most Annoying Character(s) – Mr. Tulkinghorn continues to spin his webs and catch his prey. Mr. Skimpole is even more irritating this week as he explains that although Esther would most likely die, even if she did live, she’d be so scarred that people will be sickened to look at her face. Yeah, that boy is a real charmer. Explain again why he is there, Mr. Jarndyce?? A close third would have to be Mrs. Woodcourt. How can a man so good and noble have such a pest for a mother?
Best catch-phrase – When Brian and I are tired and we can’t seem to hop to our feet fast enough, we’ll exclaim, “Shake me up, Judy!” Every time I see the actor that plays Mr. Smallweed in another movie, I can’t help but think of him as this character.
Best Snicker – Spontaneous combustion? Is that even possible? (Do I admit that I actually googled it to see if it was?) At least it made an interesting plotline.
Best Bring Your Own Hankie Scene – First, can I say that I looove little Charley! (And where can I find little Charley to be my lady’s maid/mother’s helper?) It is touching to see the love Charley has for Esther and it broke my heart to see her in tears as she handed Esther the mirror. But the clincher was when Ada did not care about the scars on Esther’s face and was only relieved to that she was alive and well. As they held each other and cried, I cried too.
And with that I must bid you a good morning. The little ones are calling and my sleeping babe has jumped off my lap and is running down the hallway looking for mischief. Have a great morn!

Welcome to the first installment of A Date with Dickens. As I mentioned in a previous post, since I am going through Downton Abbey withdrawl (but see the update below!) and the next Masterpiece Classic doesn’t start until April 1 with Great Expectations , I am rewatching Masterpiece Theater’s Bleak House by Charles Dickens. On the Monday mornings (Monday afternoons, if you are on the East Coast) of March I’ll share my thoughts on that week’s episode. Here we go.
The Setting – The whole feel of this Dicken’s story is reflected on the cinematography of the show. It is dark and somber. However, the scenes in the gardens and the countryside are beautiful and bright. They remind me that even within the dreariness there is always beauty and hope to be found.
Lady Dedlock – When I first saw this series it took me awhile to get used to seeing Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock and not Scully from the X-Files but once I put that out of my mind, she fit the role perfectly. Her subdued manner and boredom with her station is well played. You feel for her and the pain she is experiencing due to the death of the mysterious Mr. Nemo. You know that her quiet investigation will not go unnoticed now that the nasty Mr. Tulkinghorn is suspicious of her.
Mr. Tulkinghorn – Mr. Tulkinghorn reminds me of a cat chasing a mouse. He takes great pleasure in toying with his victim. He has the look of the devil when he is quietly scheming and plotting what he shall do next. There is certainly more mischief coming at the hands of this man.
Esther – Can I just say that I love Esther! The opening scene of Esther being belittled, humiliated, and told that it would have been better had she never been born was painful to watch. You can imagine what this kind of mantra had on Esther’s vision of self-worth. Although, living with that sort of humility has also allowed her to be so empathetic to the pain of others. You see it even in small ways such as her giving the handkerchief to the mother whose baby died and how she’ll turn a conversation in order to spare someone’s feelings. Then when she finally meets a man who turns her head and her heart, you can’t help but root for them!
Mr. Woodcourt – Mr. Woodcourt seems like a perfect match for Esther. He has the same understanding heart and he sees the inner beauty of people, just as she does. The looks Mr. Woodcourt gives Esther at the dinner table makes me swoon. These two were made for each other but love never comes easily, especially in a Dicken’s tale.
John Jarndyce – When I first saw this show I had a hard time figuring out Mr. Jarndyce. I wasn’t sure if he really was the benevolent philanthropist or if he had more sinister intentions. I don’t want to give anything away so we’ll leave it at that.
Richard Carstone – I want to love Rick. He seems like a good man and he is facing unusual circumstances but his restlessness and feeble attempt at pursuing the medical profession only make me worry for him.
Mr. Guppy – When Mr. Guppy first showed up I thought he was going to be a comedic character but he has turned into a creepy stalker. (And I don’t know why but whenever I see him I think of that creepy character Johnny Depp plays on Dark Shadows. )
Character That Will Most Likely Send Me to Confession – It is one thing when you see a character that is obviously evil, such as Mr. Tulkinghorn, but the characters that get most under my skin are the ones that pretend to be innocent such as Harold Skimpole, AKA “I am but a child.” Child my arse. His selfishness and his indifference to the welfare of not only innocents but his own wife and children burns me up. I still wonder why in the world Mr. Jarndyce keeps him in his company. At least he is not fooling one person. Esther is on to his tricks and I love her more for it.
The Scene That Actually Made me Cry – It wasn’t when the poor woman’s baby died in her arms or when Esther was being verbally abused. It was the scene with Mr. Neckett’s three orphans that had me in tears. I was touched not so much by the misery of their lives but by the strength of their characters to do whatever it takes to survive and to stay together as a family. When Charlie said her little brother was not afraid of the dark and his innocent little face, matured beyond it’s years, showed that he was not afraid and he conquered his fear for the sake of the baby, it broke me.
Well, that is all I have time for today but feel free to leave your own comments. I’d love to read them!
Next week, I’ll watch parts 3-4. See you back on Monday!
Oh, wait! I forgot to give you a bit of Downton Abbey news. Here is an article I saw the other day on Twitter: Exclusive: Most of Downton Abbey Cast Re-Signs Through Season 5! Who’s Holding Out? Season 5?! That means there’s plenty more Downton coming over the next three years! Yay!

(Sorry, this was supposed to be up in the morn but with all the flood fiasco I didn’t get to post it until late Monday.)
It was a little sad this morning not being able to share any Downton comments with you. Dawn over at By Sun and Candlelight was also feeling the void so she started Masterpiece Monday to discuss Sunday night’s Masterpiece show. I love the idea and I was eager to join in but last night they all watched Charles Dickens’ The Old Curiosity Shop but our local station was playing Upstairs, Downstairs. I guess it really didn’t matter since I tried to watch The Old Curiosity Shop when it first aired but I just couldn’t get into it. I thought it was a little boring. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood.
The next show they are watching is South Riding. I saw it last year and it was decent but I’d have to rewatch it to remember it well enough to discuss. The only problem is that my local PBS station is fundraising for the next couple of weeks so I’ll have to watch it online if I want to participate. Frankly, if I am going to watch Anna Maxwell Martin star in a show, I’d much rather watch her in Bleak House, which I looove. And now that I think about it…watching Gillian Anderson in Bleak House will get me prepped for watching Great Expectations on April 1, which also stars Gillian.
Yes, I think that’s what I’ll do. I looked at the calendar and I’ll divide the episodes into two hour blocks
Sunday, March 4: Parts 1-2
Sunday, March 11: Parts 3-4
Sunday, March 18: Parts 5-6
Sunday, March 25: Parts 7-8
The following Mondays I’ll post my thoughts and comments. If you’d like to join along and don’t already have the DVD, you can watch it streaming on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
Here is a trailer for Bleak House, although it mostly focuses on Lady Deadlock and not any of my other favorite characters.



I think this will be a great preparation for the next Dicken’s story from Masterpiece Theater, Great Expectations on April 1 & 8. Yay!

Watch Great Expectations Preview on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

Then…. when we are done with that we have the premiere of Julian Fellowes’ mini-series Titanic starting on Saturday, April 14 .



This blog’s TV Talk Mondays will be jumping this spring! I can’t wait!