Longmire 5.5 "Pure Peckinpah" Review

                                            
Lots happening in this episode as the murder of Joey Takoda hots up, literally and otherwise.  Henry (Lou Diamond Phillips) tells Mathias (Zahn McClarnon) that he found Joey's DB outside the Red Pony and that's not such a coincidence considering how Joey was afraid when he burned his stash of heroin.  Obviously he would be scared since they weren't his drugs.  Also Henry tells him he wrote 'Hector Lives' on the wall, not so clever.  Why would he want to advertize Hector's presence in that way.  He must've had an inkling that Joey was panicking for a reason.

Walt (Robert Taylor) is asleep with a shot gun by his bed, nah, that gun needs to be much closer than that!  Bob Barnes (John Bishop) arrives and says he needs help with his son Billy (Arron Shiver) and he wants to get him into rehab for heroin, not drinking.  He mentions taking the wrap for Cady's accident again.  As Walt is later called into the Joey case. Vic (Katee Sackhoff) finds needle marks on his arm, as well as guns in the boot.  Walt looks at the baseball glove and sees Joey was right handed thus wouldn't shoot up using his left hand.  Thus it's a killing and Henry appears to be worried.  Particularly since he also called it in as Mathias told him too and he told Walt he may have seen Joey around but doesn't know where.  Seems that Walt and Henry's friendship is being tested to the limits with every lie and detail Henry keeps from him.

Mathias lets Walt search Joey's place but doesn't find any drug paraphernalia but Mathias lets on how he couldn't make any charges stick against Joey when he arrested him three times.  Vic moves out of Cady's place and buys Pyper's (Debra Christofferson) trailer, moving into the park, where she finds it's got hose problems.  As she asks if anyone knew Joey, she asks Travis (Derek Phillips) the same and he fixes her hose problem.  Billy also tells Walt about Joey and how he was with someone, not that recalls that he was, by the name of 'Jewel.'  Vic checks the yearbooks and finds she's at the trailerpark too with her grandmother.  As Jule (Melanie Green) tries to make a getaway, Travis arrests her.  She tells them about Joey and how she scored heroin after she slept with him.  Only she didn't get any and a red haired man turned up and threatened Joey if he got "emotional."  Joey was afraid.

Jamie (Bob Clendenin) makes a pizza delivery with his cannabis addition inside and is met by Hector, as Mathias gives Walt the files he promised, conveniently making Walt his alibi when this happened.  Hector burned his stash which makes Walt change his mind about Hector being a killer and that it's Mathias.  Jamie saw the red haired man as he approached him about dealing heroin.  Walt gets him to arrange a meeting and they'll record the conversation.  Obviously redhead throws the stash into the river and there's no viable sound on the recording being near the creek.

Red hair aka Eddie (Dan Donohue) talks about his father loving Westerns and how Walt is a cowboy too with the Bronco being his horse.  Ah think he should've called it his steed!  Ruby (Louanne Stephens) tells Walt about Donna finding a place for Billy and Walt wanted to transport Eddie to the FBI himself, only Ferg (Adam Bartley) volunteers.  But you know things will go awry since Eddie must be taken care of.  A truck pulls up in front of his car and he's also blocked from behind, as armed men come out of the truck.  Guessing that Eddie is the one who is shot and killed since he'd just be a loose end and he can't be trusted anymore, now that he's arrested.

Malachi (Graham Greene) sets up a bounty on Hector's head in order to get a greater percentage on the drugs sold in the casino and also taking care of Hector.

Oh no what a bloop in the story/plot line when Walt was at the Red Pony when he questioned Henry about Mathias and him possibly being Hector, well he thought the 'new' Hector wasn't so much into law and order and might even resort to killing.  Henry thinking it was a silly notion.  But when Henry said he's cooking fish for the tourists and their catch, Walt saw the 'red haired' man at the table with the other dealer, Muldoon (Dylan Walsh) but didn't pay any attention to him.  It still didn't click he may have someone else or an accomplice with him.  That was something that could've been made a lot from in terms of the drug ring being much bigger than a lowly dealer in Joey.  Especially also since Malachi would be involved.  It's a wonder Nighthorse hasn't cottoned on to Malachi and his drug dealing at the casino either.

When they mentioned Jewel/Jule, I thought of Shawna Crawford (Beau Garrett) the woman Walt spoke to in connection with the disappearance of the man, ie episode 5.3 Chrysalis.  Well she must be involved in the drug dealing ring too in some way.  It can't just be Malachi who has his hands in anything dirty and criminal.  All to make a quick buck.

The Halcyon Series 1 Episode 3 Review

                                               
June 1940

Another air rid siren sounds and another night is spent in the shelter, well the basement; as Garland (Steven Mackintosh) tells them it's not the ideal place but it's the best place they can be.  Also it's not a good place for Betsey (Kata Tointon) as she isn't able to perform to the best of her abilities due to lack of space.  However they're lucky this night as there's no bombing and the 'all-clear' sounds.  A new guest arrives in the form of the Comte De St Clair (Eric Godon) from France accompanied by Lucian D'Abberville (Charles Edwards) who is his 'lacky' of sorts and is also known by Priscilla Hamilton (Olivia Williams).  She of course would get friendly with him and finds his jokes extremely amusing.  Also blabbing to him how Toby's (Edward Bluemel) been assigned to the civil service and you can just see D'Abberville's eyes light up.  Though she tells him he's going to be just a civil servant but his clothes are suited for his job.  Not a moment ago she got hold of his hand and told him how they grew up too quickly.

Billy (Ewan Mitchell) turns 18 and is impressed with the Comte's gun, a family heirloom.  Billy's going to join the Royal Engineers and Lillian (Annabelle Apsion) doesn't really want that.  She recalls the last war and how they came back and if they did return, how they weren't in one piece.  Which gives Garland another idea to interfere, he asks Feldman (Mark Benton) if he knows anyone and he replies it wouldn't be "patriotic" but he does know a man.  Garland: "we look out for our own."  Garland also wants him to keep watch on the air raids since they can't rely on the sirens.

Joe (Matt Ryan) visits the airfield for a story and to see how well prepared the RAF is, or aren't, and they're on their way to Dunkirk to provide air cover for the ships and survivors.  As a Spitfire engine catches fire, showing how ill prepared they really were.  Joe calls them "foreigners" which Emma (Hermione Corfield) finds appalling since he's one too, but he's a clean living American, as opposed to the Jews and other Europeans, so he doesn't count.  "You check the temperature out there. People are increasingly suspicious about foreigners..."  Nothing changed there then!

As the gun is stolen, Garland conducts a search of the staff lockers, he doesn't find it, but does find Hamilton's cufflinks in Klein's (Nico Rogner) locker, calling in the police.  Klein is arrested, but he stole them as they were just lying around and he needs the money to find his family in France.  Emma checks his locker and finds the photo of his wife and daughter.  As well as the letters which have been returned to him.  She asks Joe for his help and he wants to read a letter, but she says it's not right.  It is after all the only way they'll get a lead.

Joe tells her about seeing Freddie (Jamie Blackley) at the airfield and how it's not really a fair fight.  He tells her about how they're "flyboys" and growing up in Farmsville, Illinois, he knew a boy, Danny and he went away to Nicaragua.  As the scene cuts away from the rest of the story....Kate (Lauren Coe) tells Billy she knows he took the gun and he needs to return it; telling him to put it back when the Comte's at lunch.  However when she takes towels to his room, the Comte looks the door and shows how much of a rat he really is.  Or should that be a French frog, oops sorry!  But you know those were the times of such insults!  She tries to comfort him, but he makes a move on her and kisses her.  She doesn't tell anyone, but next day. D'Abberville gives her money to keep her mouth shut.  She manages to tell Billy and he confronts the Comte with his own gun, even pulling the trigger, which wasn't loaded.

As Billy tells this to Garland, he also tells him about Kate and relaying this to Priscilla, he wants to do what's right.  She tells him he has full leeway since he shamed her and her hotel with his behaviour.  Any fleeing royalty should be welcomed here but they won't come if they have a reputation.  Garland tells D'Abberville that the Comte left two hotels, the Dorchester and the Savoy, so why was that.  Informing him of Joe and his radio broadcasts which are very popular, so he's always looking for a good story. D'Abberville will relay this to him on the basis he can have his room here as he's leaving his employ; yes and going into espionage; no doubt.

Emma is still angry at her father as he refuses to help with Klein and she joins Joe for a bourbon.  She tells him he only thinks of himself, however he thinks of Jim Beam! (Bourbon.) Saying they should go and see Klein.  Klein tells her he must get out since he needs to find his family, his daughter is only 7, even more so now that France has fallen and has asked for an Armistice with Germany.  Leaving Britain as the only one in arms and fighting.  Emma ask Priscilla to drop the charges and she refuses until she tells her that Garland is against it too and she'll have one up on him.  Garland is angry as a manager that Emma did this, but as his daughter he is surprised and proud.  Also leaving her to take control of the situation with the chef, whom she fires since he won't work with Klein, appointing Klein as sous chef.   Garland also being proud of her then too.  So wonder what he thought when he saw her kissing Freddie when he returns.  Freddie telling her thy didn't make a difference in the air since the German planes just came and rained down hellfire on the survivors in the water.  Which is what Joe said, when he spoke of Danny and how young he was, coming home with a flag over his body.

Dark days for everyone indeed.  Even for the show which contained a mish-mash of stories, which looking back should've been more interspersed and spread throughout the series instead of being put into one episode.  Several little things stood out like why Garland didn't fire chef himself and waited this long for Emma to do the dirty deed.  That wasn't really a challenge of her ability at all.  Anyone could've done it.  Then seeing Freddie when he turns up after fobbing him off, after Joe mentions he saw him and she just starts up an intimate relationship with him now.  Then there was D'Abberville who just was a plot point especially in this episode and coincidentally knowing Priscilla from before.  Of course his addition is to add more 'intrigue' to the proceedings.  Charles Edwards played Michael Gregson in Downton Abbey: Edith's love interest who vanished when he went to Germany in an        attempt to be able to marry Edith one day.  He was also a newspaper man.

The Comte was another despicable character who didn't last long and was dealt with quickly, D'Abberville deciding he didn't want to be in his employ only now, now he finds out about Toby and his employment.  But he didn't seek to leave his service at the other two hotels they'd stayed at. Billy and the gun incident didn't add much to the story either except finding out about Kate.  The cufflinks weren't very interesting either, Klein was desperate but would he really have stolen them.  When there were plenty other things he could've stolen at the hotel, not something so obvious.

Some of these reviews just seek to berate and demean Joe and his character but heck man, you don't say you couldn't see the point of him visiting the airfield in one line and then quote how Joe's doing an ace job with his reporting!!  Cos yeah he would visit an airfield that's what his job entails and particularly as Dunkirk is a pivotal turning point in the early stages of the War, as well as seeing what Freddie is doing.  Not out of any sense of any love rivalry, but human interest story.  As Joe says, "they might get scared, but they won’t let fear win the day.  That’s the thing I’m learning about the Brits... they know how to make the best of a bad situation."  This was also an education for Joe and learning how the people of his 'adopted' country behave during adversity. So yeah leave Joe alone!  ha.

Longmire 5.4 "Judas Wolf" Review

                                                 
Walt (Robert Taylor) has his check up at the hospital, as the hunters gather in the woods with Omar (Louis Herthum) and speak of Walt, as we flashback to what they say which corresponds with what Walt is doing.  Dan (David Burke) prominent CEO of a Nebraska drug company, who has been targeted by conservationists, is adamant the only way the pharmaceutical company will bring jobs to Absaroka County is if they get rid of Walt, which let's face it won't be too difficult they believe since he's got that civil suit brought by Barlow's estate.  Which is meant to be a secret but everyone knows about it.  That county is too small by far and Walt is too well known.

Walt takes his file to Cady (Cassidy Freeman) who's fixing up her office by herself and she tells him she can't be his lawyer cos she's his daughter and if she does represent him, then it will prove everything that lawsuit is stating: corruption and all the rest of it.  Walt is disappointed thinking she's taking sides cos she can work for Nighthorse but not defend her father.  She recommends a lawyer to him, David Milgrom (Patch Darragh) who's meant to be good.  Though Walt has left his response to the suit a little late.  He meets with Milgrom but looking at his file he doesn't have much to say aside from looking at the photos of the deceased Barlow and sees he was stabbed and shot.  Walt adding he shot him but Barlow stabbed himself.  However Walt is busy on the disappearance of Dan from the woods whilst hunting and a search finds Pinkie (Chris Connor) but not Dan.  Pinkie is tied to the tree with duct tape (MacGyver had a hand in it ha!) and a tracking collar round his neck after being tranquilized.  Dan's dog was also tranquilized.

Walt tells Ferg (Adam Bartley) to take him to hospital after he removes the collar from him and he doesn't know who did it or he was tied around the tree and Ferg should contact Dan's wife.  Obviously Ferg would be more than happy to take him to hospital since he can see beth?? or not, as he later leaves flowers for her. Walt talks with Pyper (Debra Christofferson) who's a conservationist and she's happy Dan is kidnapped but there's no ransom demands and she speaks of the collar and how it's used to track wolves.  Telling them of the Judas wolf and how it's tracked using the collar after its entire pack is killed and it finds another pack to join and the same thing is done again.  So take it that collar didn't have an forensics on it then.

Ferg checks out Dan's house and finds a package from Omaha where Walt later flies with Omar and it contains a guinea pig sent by Cara (Shannon Lucio).  Abel (Peter Jason) tells Walt that she took part in a clinical trial of their meds but signed a waiver.  She claimed of side effects ten years later but the judge threw the case out of court.  His son Jarrod (Brad Beyer) comes to pick him up.  And he was my suspect alert, otherwise why bother showing him.  Abel needing to use the loo before he leaves.  Ruby (Louanne Stephens) finds messages on the computer which are all awful she says and directed to Dan.  Which Vic (Katee Sackhoff) finds out were posted by Pyper.

In Omaha, Cara tells them how her kidney failed and her son was born with cerebral palsy but her husband wouldn't have gone after Dan, he's away on vacation and they can't go together.  Omar steals his photo from the wall which Walt berates him over.  Walt and Ferg search Dan's house again and find him in bed with his kidney surgically removed.  Thus concluding it had to be Abel cos he needed the loo.  His son did it for him and Dan signed a waiver after the fact so Walt can't arrest him.  As they find out that someone needed a kidney as the company had blood tests carried out on its 'family' of employees, but there was one match and that was Dan.  But he wouldn't help.  Kind of ironic and poetic justice in some ways that Abel got the kidney not by fair means but foul and that Cara suffered kidney failure and ended up in such a position with her baby.  It's always the way, no justice for the poor but the rich can steal a kidney and get away with it.

This in some ways may have contributed to Walt wanting to fight his lawsuit, he's not going to let his estate get away with it just cos they have money and that makes Milgrom happy cos he'll be making money as lawyers always do. 

Mathias (Zahn McClarnon) asks Henry (Lou Diamond Phillips) to be Hector again and bring in Takoda (Alex Livinalli) whose been dealing drugs on the Res, leading to one of the men overdosing leaving behind his son, Lincoln, who found him.  Mathias's hands are tied but Hector could do it.  Henry asks why they shouldn't blame the man himself, or Nighthorse for giving them the money.  Henry tells Cady he wants to adopt Lincoln, who says it will be easy cos under the Act indigenous children are more likely to be placed with indigenous families.   However Henry gives Lincoln a medicine bag telling him he must help himself as well as the medicines which will help.  Later this turns to tragedy as Mathias finds Lincoln has hanged himself.  Henry can't believe this and makes him determined to bring in Takoda and exact revenge.  As he asks Mathias for help, he tells him his hands are tied, he can only help with info and nothing else.  Then it's not conducive for Mathias to know what Henry's planned.  Knew he was going to destroy the heroin so that his bosses would take care of Takoda themselves.  It was one way to take care of him without having to do the dirty deed himself.

The Halcyon Series 1 Episode 2 Review

                                    
Episode 2 opens with Joe (Matt Ryan) writing about his next broadcast, dark days for the country and America wondering (more so than other countries) whether it will be dragged into war too, well being a world war there was little doubt that it wouldn't.  Also drawing parallels between the Hamilton's as they bury the deceased Hamilton.  So it wasn't a surprise that Charity (Charity Wakefield) would turn up" to pay my respects;" which isn't really what she was doing, more gloating, rubbing it in, as Garland (Steven Mackintosh) leads her away.

Plenty of legal London on view here for the location shots and boy do I know my legal London (well all of London of course) but Temple Church, Inner and Middle Temple, as well as Lincoln's Inn etc, so I'm wondering how I always manage to miss out on every show that films there, like Poirot, Downtown Abbey.  As for that courtyard, you may recall that from Downton too, when Garland visits Charity and advises her to leave.

Priscilla (Olivia Williams) let's not have formalities here, sacks Garland for helping her husband and it's more about her being hard done by and glaring revenge seeing as he did everything he could to accommodate his wishes and secrets.  So instigates Freddie to do the dirty deed.  Infuriating Emma (Hermione Corfield) when she finds out about his sacking at the club she and Betsy (Kara Tointon) went for the night.  Since Sonny (Sope Dirisu) was ill there'd be no show.  Then she finds him working there too.  As well as a guest appearance by Beverly Knight as Ruby.  Well everyone's got    to make ends meet, there's a war on you know.  Freddie (Jamie Blackley) turns up there too with his RAF pals and he and Emma manage to get a dance in until she finds out about her father's sacking.  Obviously she's none too pleased throwing a spanner in the works and leading to a triangle of course between her, Freddie and Joe (perhaps).  Though it doesn't look likely, knowing Freddie for so long she won't exactly alter her feelings for him so soon, especially as he's now doing his bit for the war and putting his life on the line.  But Joe is so intriguing.

Joe meanwhile meets with Charity who has an offer for him, which later transpires she's going to write her memoirs and expose her tawdry affair with Hamilton, thus putting their entire family name and reputation in potential flames.  Garland getting the idea to take Feldman (Mark Benton) and Billy  (Ewan Mitchell) and tell her that she'll be interned most likely for consorting with the Germans and Mosley is being interned for treason.  She's not one for jail, which makes her leave and get out of everyone's hair.  That's what you get for blabbing to  journo, ha, particularly one who is staying at that very same hotel and wants to keep on the good side of management.  As he's a stranger in a  strange town and it pays to have contacts and friends rather than making enemies in his line of work.  You catch more flies with rationed honey.

The staff are worried about Garland as he's only out of debt and has no nest egg saved away.  Lillian (Annabelle Apsion) offers him money but he doesn't want it.  She has feelings for him.  Instead he takes money from the safe and gambles. The actor can't arrive to make an appearance at the do for the military, so Emma is left in charge of proceedings and asks Joe to speak in an effort to redeem himself from the radio broadcast, from last ep.  Since he's stuck away in his room on a Friday night and no one wants to have anything to do with him.  Asking what's in it for him.  He tells them about his father fighting in Ypres (First World War) and how he saw the English as only taking breaks for tea in between fighting and their food stank, but he wouldn't wanna fight with anyone else.  To rapturous applause.  Freddie getting pangs of jealousy when he sees Emma with Joe, but won't talk to her.  That's another reason why Joe wanted to redeem himself by telling Garland about Charity.

Toby (Edward Bluemel) makes a nuisance of himself getting drunk and speaks of how Freddie didn't stick up for him when he used to get berated by their father and continue a scuffle in the kitchen, where Toby says he was the one who told Joe about Charity and her German connections.  Joe breaking up their brotherly fight.  Also Freddie says that he's glad their father's gone which is overheard by Priscilla.  Freddie and Toby apologize and Freddie says he should've spoken up for him more.  Toby's going to try at the War Office and do his bit now, telling Freddie he should do his too.  Which is reinstating Garland and not doing what their mother says, but what is right, Garland having worked with their father for ten years.  Garland comes clean about the gambling and taking the money and Freddie is only interested in whether he won or not.  Garland promotes Emma to assistant manager, nepotism hey, works wonders, even when such jobs weren't really open for women, though the war did change things like that in many ways.

As Priscilla takes Garland's reinstatement as a betrayal.  He tells her he understands what she's going though losing her husband, someone they love, as he lost his wife; but they can't be ashamed about how they're hurt by losing their loved ones.  Er, where's the shame come into it anyway.  Death is nothing to be ashamed off and anyway it may get easier overtime, but you don't really move on, just learn to live with it and never forget.  Well in the longrun, she would've led the hotel to rack and ruin especially if she continued with her mixed feelings of hate, revenge and grief.  But she says that she's been dictated to by men all her life, "why should my son be any different?"  Cos he's her son for starters.

The hotel gets a new kitchen hand from Austria, Klein (Nico Rogner) and chef is non too pleased at getting a German and makes his feelings known, by breaking crockery and getting him to clean it up.  It's a wonder Garland didn't fire him too.  Apparently he's worked with some of the best chefs in Austria and clearly being here he'll be rising up the ranks in no time.

So what are these secrets Hamilton had on Garland as Freddie says to his face, but merely hinted at for us.  Anything that will be revealed or was it just something said in passing.  As he does have a fiery temper, but he holds it in so well and appears to be so cool about everything. Reinforcing this with his 'do not test me line.'  Rarely getting emotional except when he tells Priscilla about his own grief and losing a loved one in general!

Another bit of a slow start to the series in this second ep, which really needed to find its feet early on otherwise as happened, there wasn't another series.  There's a war on but you wouldn't notice it much here, except for in passing and even some of the private lives of the staff isn't much to write home about, hey Joe!  Ha.  Since as he said, "before things gets better, they're going to get a lot worse..."  Well they always do!!

And no guardian.com do not describe Matty's character Joe as "cheesy American voiceover man!"  He's far more than that and certainly not cheesy.  He's a foreign correspondent and no one thought Huntley Haverstock in Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent was "cheesy".  Far from it, he was the one shining beacon of light to report to the masses as the lights dimmed around the world and in London.  There to provide moral support, and see firsthand the devastation the war led to, bringing it closer to home.  (See episode 4 which I invariably refer to as "a Joe episode.")  As Matt said in many interviews Joe was passed loosely on broadcast journalist, Edward R Murrow.

The period, the war, the fashions, this could've run for longer if it was done right.  But alas ITV decided against another season.  In the same way it 'spoiled' Foyle's War when it brought it out of the Second World War into the Cold War, it had the potential for far more episodes, just as The Halcyon did.

Victoria 2.7 "The King Over the Water" Review

                                               
The penultimate episode in series 2 sees Victoria (Jenna Coleman) heading for Scotland instead of hanging around the palace after two failed attempts on her life.  The perpetrator attempting to get a waxwork model of his into the waxworks as he sees those who have defied Victoria have been emblazoned as such.  Though makes you wonder if they could read the flyers/posters why they needed their five minutes of fame even back then.  She takes her staff and servants and once again Lehzen (Daniela Holtz) is left holding the babies much to her chagrin and the Duchess of Buccleuch (Diana Rigg) is relieved they're not going Continental this time round!  In fact it's her chance to have cock-a-leekie soup once again.  Don't know why Albert (Ton Hughes) asked what it was called again, as he did have this in another episode.  And no it's not "sock" soup either, though that could've been funny foreshadowing to Victoria darning a sock further into the ep as she and Albert go out and decide to return riding their own horses, away from the rest of the party.

Of course that was after listening to the dull rendition of The Heliotrope which Albert had to stop far from when it was even finished, much to everyone's relief.  Earnest (David Oakes) tries to engage in conversation with the Duchess Harriet (Margaret Clunie) but she doesn't want his "condolences" and she doesn't even like that word, let alone wanting to begin where they left off, preferring to remain aloof.  As Victoria and Albert go fishing, it seems everyone has eyes for everyone else, such as Earnest catching a whopper and watching Harriet, whilst Alfred (Jordan Waller) and Drummond (Leo Suter) do the same.  Don't know what Wilhelmina (Bebe Cave) was doing though, it appears she was over Earnest now as she didn't gaze at him longingly in the carriage and doesn't want to part company with Alfred or Drummond.

As Victoria and Albert get lost, which was bound to happen, everyone searches for them frantically and his Grace the Duke of Atholl (Denis Lawson) is berated  for 'losing' them to begin with.  With Alfred and Drummond going off together in search and chancing upon the cliff edge where they wouldn't be found for days if they went over.  Well if they survived the fall that is. Otherwise they'd enjoy being lost in the wilderness by their lonesome!  Albert and Victoria find a cottage where the old man invites them in cos they'll get lost if they leave tonight and won't make it back alive.  With Victoria rushing for the warmth of the fire.  Here they're fed fried trout, as well as a wee dram.  Victoria darns her first sock and Albert says he owns a factory.  Victoria adding she owns it and he does her paperwork.  As for the search, you'd think you were watching a scene from The 39 Steps.  Richard Hannay had no problems finding his way around the Highlands!

As they take over the couples' bed, they don't want to leave here.  Although they are found the next day, revealing that she is Victoria as the soldiers find them.  Returning back the others are glad to see them, but Earnest knows that Albert isn't happy to be back and it's obvious to him.  As they head in for dinner, Alfred and Drummond make their escape to be with the servants and their highland reel, as does Skerrett )Nell Hudson) with one of the guards.  However she says she has someone back in London.  Alfred and Drummond take the plunge as Drummond says he does care for his fiance but he won't grow to love her.  Finally sharing their kisses, they get spied upon by Wilhelmina.  Really she can't lave them alone.  Also forgiven for thinking they'd do a 'Mr Darcy' and jump into the wee pond, luckily they didn't!!

Harriet says it's her fault that the Duke was killed since the horse wasn't even broken in yet.  Earnest reassuring her it wasn't her fault.  But a tragic accident.  Finally she later takes hold of Earnest's hand.  Victoria tells the Duke that she loved reading about Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora and how she told her governess she wanted to be a Jacobite.  Which he says wouldn't be possible. he also tells her of James II and how when he left and knew the country wouldn't accept a Catholic King, he threw the seal into the River Thames.  But a monarch must govern every one of her subjects.

Back in London, Victoria prepares for the State opening of Parliament and also gives Skerrett a list for Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) for dinner.  As Skerret bursts into song, as does Francatelli.  Victoria returns and removes her robes and crown, again you'd think it was the J'Adore ad (well almost) since she kept all her clothes on!  Telling Albert she's got socks to darn and he should cook the fish on the open fire.  Obviously Victoria didn't really get lost in her travels to Scotland, though in reality she did enjoy the idvllic life of Scotland and to be a normal couple away from her duties.

The Halcyon Series 1 Episode 1 Review

                                               
The opening episode as all eps go, set up the characters and tried to add some dimension to them and their potential storylines.  The backdrop being the war and how it affects the staff and guests at the Halcyon, which being a hotel, will be business as usual.  The episode opens with the 50th celebration of the hotel and also the event is interpreted by an air raid siren.  Whereby Betsy (Kara Tointon) states they have 5 minutes before they need to get to the air raid shelter, thus giving her an opportunity to get one song in.  Which as everyone knows wasn't the case.  Cue bomb and an almighty explosion as it rocks the Halcyon.

Thus we get to May 1940 - seven months earlier as the show attempts to set up intriguing plots to drive the show and ratings forward.  Thereby we meet the cast/characters, as said and how they'll fit into their respective roles.  Such as the secret meeting Lord Hamilton (Alex Jennings) the owner is meant to have his own agenda regarding the war and hoping to appease Hitler, as Chamberlain wants peace whereas Churchill is of the opposite view.  They want to get Halifax as PM.  Hamilton also brings his mistress, Charity Lambert (Charity Wakefield) to the fore.  As she's been to Germany, but that doesn't mean much in the price of things.  Who orders drink upon drink and proceeds to embarrass herself.  Hamilton has no qualms about the staff knowing of his 'indiscretions' as they all willingly (possibly for the sake of keeping their jobs) have to tow the line and his sordid secret, shall I say.  Until his wife, Lady Priscilla Hamilton (Olivia Williams) arrives (no not quite Emma Lady Hamilton, she of Lord Nelson fame.)  Who is rather cynical and prim but she's not a fool, even though the staff appeared to treat her as such.  Particular Hamilton's manager, Garland (Steven Mackintosh) who tries to cut her off in her tracks as Hamilton is otherwise 'disposed.'  Of course she will know of the nefarious endless affairs of her husband, which wife wouldn't.  Garland also gets to show at an early stage his many facets, as he comes across as a little smarmy, caring about his daughter and willing to do anything for his boss.

Then there's the twin sons, Freddie (Jamie Blackley) and Toby (Edward Bluemel) being four minutes younger than Freddie who's the heir apparent and also part of the RAF, home on leave.  Timely to celebrate their party.  As Freddie is clearly the favourite for his choice of a career no doubt and Toby is just the lowly Oxford researcher.  As Joe (Matt Ryan) later tells him, his father shouldn't have treated him so abysmally in public.  Joe O'Hara, journalist, or I should say, foreign correspondent who's a recent guest at the hotel.  Immediately having an eye for Emma Garland (Hermione Goldfield) receptionist and daughter of Richard  Garland.  Of course it's not conducive to have a reporter around, especially when Hamilton chooses to have meetings there.  Naturally he's going to get the low down on what's happening and also report it.  Not like they were being particularly secretive about it or anything.  Coming in the back way means nothing and he reports the news of Hamilton and his meeting over the radio to the US, particularly after Toby blabs and tells him about Charity being, "blonde with blue eyes" and that's why the German's like her, as she's also been to Munich.  And as some would say, she should've just stayed there.

Garland hears about the story and the British press won't report it, aside from one paper and so Garland has words with Briggs, telling him about his meeting with a 'lady' with dates and times.  Adding that he likes him, thus having  a mutual understanding.  Garland is rather shifty, so you know there's more going on with him and yet more secrets to be revealed.  As well as Hamilton watching Betsy with a roving eye as he later finds her in the bath in one of the rooms and she wasn't shy over showing off her naked body to him either.  As Emma discovered her earlier in another room, earlier on.  Well if she was the resident singer seems like she should've just had some sort of room there.  But this isn't a hotel for the staff, or some halfway house as some would say.  As the housekeeper remarks: "you can still smell some tart" to the stench of Charity lingering.

It's more like an 'upstairs, downstairs' scenario again, as there's some glimpses of the staff too and how they also are privy to every going on here.  It's no surprise then that Hamilton carks it as soon as the couple are going their own way and will break the news later, thus leaving Freddie as the heir and Lady Hamilton with a contempt-filled look for Garland.  She' s going to call the shots now.  As seen in the second episode.

As the name suggests this intro ep was a harkback to days gone by as we return to seven months early on.  Some will watch for the story, the characters, nostalgia and how everything plays out whilst some will watch for Matt, whatever your reasons, there's plenty to keep you entertained.  Yeah fine, I'm watching for Matty!!  So it was only fitting that the episode began with Joe chancing upon the black car entourage at the back of the hotel and being fielded by Emma as he questioned what was happening.  Of course he's a journo so he won't be as gullible as she thinks.  He knows rightly there's more going on than meets the eye, there is a war on after all.  Emma is the 'poor' daughter who has set her sights on the heir apparent who becomes heir by episodes end and having a moment of reminiscence too as she and Freddie find their carvings in the basement.  But she's "just the girl behind reception."  Quickly moved up the ranks to assistant manager.

As for Kara, think she's more suited to The Sound of Music since she's not so good with the blues/jazzy/swing numbers, actually her voice is drowned out by the music.  Not meant in a bad way.
Alex Jennings playing Lord Hamilton, who went onto Victoria as Uncle Leopold, typecasting there then with the womanizing aspect.  Now if Downton Abbey had entered the war years...

The hotel exterior building shot is located at 32 Lincoln's Inn Fields. been there often and still do!

Reminded me of Walt Whitman's Halcyon Days: "...Then for the teeming quietest, happiest days of all!

The brooding and blissful halcyon days!

Victoria 2.6 "Faith, Hope and Charity" Review

                                              
This episode deals with the Irish famine and the millions who died since pestilence and plague hit their crops.  However also a testament, if that's the right word without sounding like a pun, to how not to judge people based on their religion or religious affiliation.  Clearly the Protestant clergy saying this was as a result of the Catholic religion.  Whereas Dr Traill (Martin Compson) believes this not to be the case and wants to help the people of his parish of Schull where he sees firsthand the devastation brought to the people.

Victoria (Jenna Coleman) wants to help her people, but Peel (Nigel Lindsay) is adamant the government's hands are tied due to the Tory outrage over taxes and how they will not get the right price for their crops.  Which Victoria fails to understand and tells him as such later, after she meets with Traill who tells her of his plans and how the people are suffering.  Peel tells the House the government is unable to help.

Cleary (Tilly Steele) wants an advance of her salary which Penge (Adrian Schiller) refuses, even mocking the handwriting of the letter she receives from home.  Whereas Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) gives her his gold pocketwatch, a gift from a lady who told him he'd become a gentlemen with it, whereas she calls him "a prince among men."  He would rather do a good deed than want to be thought of as a gentleman.

Albert (Tom Hughes) is concerned with the sewers and installing water closets in the palace, especially when he finds that the palace is built over sewers and even that the Roman sewers are in better condition than the ones now.  He wants the staff to have water closets too, which Lehzen (Daniela Holtz) tells Penge will be appreciated more by the female staff. 

Ernest (David Oakes) suffers from a rash which is diagnosed as a venereal disease and is prescribed mercury inhalation treatment, however he is warned that he cannot be with a woman or be able to have children.  Which comes at a time when Victoria receives news that the Duke of Sutherland has died leaving Harriet a widow and a free woman.  Ernest doesn't want to return to Coburg as he doesn't want to marry anyone Leopold finds for him which eh tells Albert before he receives the news from the doctor.  Seems Earnest won't be marrying anyone after his excesses in Paris.  The doctor only treats him after he finds he can afford his fees, nothing changed there then.

Traill opens a soup kitchen at his parish and tells his wife to to to Dublin with the children, as she says she won't return when she does, moot really since he dies of typhus anyway.  Victoria telling Peel that she's a mother and she can't bare the plight of other women in her position not being able to feed their babies.  Also reminding him how she thought he was very congenial when she met him for the first time.  But her opinion of him has changed now and first impressions can be deceiving.  Whereas Peel tells the House that the government will be sending food to the Irish.  Cleary finds out her family is immigrating to America, as was the case with millions back then, as she thanks Victoria for meeting with Traill.  Admitting that she too is a Catholic which doesn't bother Victoria.

An episode full of doom and gloom as it barely touches upon religion and indeed politics in Ireland in the nineteenth century, led on obviously by the sermon she and Albert listened to at the beginning setting up the events for the rest of the episode.  Reinforced by the views of Sir Charles Trevelyan (Edward Bennett) who had a cynical answer for everything in his meagre efforts of setting up relief for the famine, adding that inevitable over population was always going to result in starvation as a means of equalling out the numbers.  Rather bleakly and bigoted in his staunch Protestant views and outlook.  As we know the real Victoria gave not an ounce of concern over the fate of her subjects in Ireland. 

The same doom can be applied to Drummond (Leo Suter) and his 'failed romance' with Alfred (Jordan Waller) as he comments on women being emotional and Alfred asking if his fiance is the  same way too.  Drummond bemoaning how she wants to set a marriage date in the middle of the session of the House, adding Alfred doesn't want to hear that.  So tears and woes all round then!