Movies & Books Into Movies

[ginny]

How many of you have read a book, then watched a movie that was based on that same book? Were you disappointed? Or elated that they hadn't made any significant changes? Or even surprised to discover the movie was even better than the book? We've expanded this discussion as we're all restricted to our homes with this coronavirus pandemic.  If you've found good movies to watch or shows on TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime or wherever, please come share with us.

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Books Into Movies Now on DVD
Recent Movies Based on Books
Books in a Series by Their Authors
Movies Based on the Book

Join us in an ongoing discussion of this very popular subject right now.
Pull up a chair, take off your shoes, pour yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, and join in!

[ginny]

I love the range of interests here!  So many new ideas!

Frybabe and Pat H: I've got the Thirty Nine Steps here somewhere (the book) and reread it not too long ago, good book. I like Buchan too.  Don't remember the movie well, James Mason at the top of stairs? There do seem to be a lot of takes on that story.

Rosemary: Theater wise, the last great thing I saw was in 2018, the production of  Farinelli and the King with Mark Rylance on Broadway, and the night after a very  uninspired Hamilton. Farinelli was like nothing I have ever seen or will again, and my friend with me thought the same. We were shocked that Hamilton (the Hamilton performance that night was roundly criticized in the press) did not hold a candle (that's a  pun considering the production of Farinelli) to the Rylance...magic, never saw anything like it.

Dana: I have never seen Line of Duty, I'll add it to the wonderfully exciting list that this discussion has brought BECAUSE...

Yes! IT came in the mail, the All Regions DVD player, plug and play, and  for for some reason the entire TV screen is now clearer, razor sharp, actually,  and the sound is crisp and clear. I thought to inaugurate it with Wolf Hall, couldn't find it, so settled for Mr. Tulkinghorn himself, Charles Dance,  followed by Porterhouse Blue whose sound is now so crisp  and clear the Latin is perfectly heard for the first time: it's not "Yum Yum" David Jason is saying!! hahahaa   All these years I have thought he was making fun of it and he wasn't, that's just how he pronounces iubeo, presumably in the Imperatve. hahahaaaaaaaa And they took SUCH pains to articulate their Latin...but it's lost on a bad transmission. I am totally entranced with my new toy! I can SEE DVD's again! (I thought I wouldn't need to, what with Netflix and Prime and  Britbox and the DVR on the TV, but I am SO glad I did). My screen on this TV previously had the unfortunate habit of making everyone look like Humpty Dumpty in the middle. I think it's because I had enlarged the picture? And somewhere in the middle the people got squashed, so they all looked like sort of...bowling pins,  really, but that's gone, too!

AND tracking reveals that the Portillo Great British Railway Journeys, which cost me a whopping 8 dollars,  is now in North Carolina, and will arrive shortly! 

AND if all that weren't enough,  I am very much enjoying the  Tracy Borman  Thomas Cromwell, mentioned here earlier, another person I had never heard of. Her approach is quite different from Hilary Mantel's and Diarmaid MacCulloch. She's an historian, but writes in a sort of novelistic style, which I am enjoying,  starts with maps which I never usually look at,  but these make sense. They have all of Cromwell's houses on them, and they are drawings of  little houses sort of like what we used to do as children, actually, and  so you can see them scattered over the countryside. (I had no idea he had so many). There is   a map of London in Henry VIII's time, and wonder of wonders, a map of Henry's Summer Progress of 1535. It's as if she knows what the reader was wondering about and decided to illustrate it. There's also Cromwell's last letter from the Tower of London to Henry VIII, which is quite moving and new to me.

I like her style of writing, it's quite different, and readable,  and would never have heard of her without this discussion.

So we're in the 2nd day of pouring rain which is to continue now till possibly clearing they now say Saturday, and I don't care, because  I'm in hog heaven with my new toy and new authors, and new lists of things to watch, all because of this discussion!

[bellamarie]

Oh my heavens, I wondered where everyone went, and here you all are!  I hadn't seen a post in The Library section in almost a week, and wondered if something had gone wrong with the site.  I mean with this pandemic, everything seems a bit off kilter.  Then I opened my email and saw tons of posts, but had no clue where they were until I browsed in here.  Is this the new place for posting instead of The Library?

Ginny that picture of your rose tree is fabulous!  I can just imagine you sitting there in the morning with a cup of coffee and your favorite newspaper or book.

Gosh so many posts, I'll never catch up. 

As far as books to movies, I hurried and finished reading the book The Help, the night before my two friends and I were to go see the movie that was just coming out to the theaters.  The book was amazing, it dealt with so many serious issues, racism, inequality, domestic abuse, elitism, secret meeting of blacks, etc., etc.  I was very impressed with the writing.  The next day we went to the theater and I was so disappointed in the movie, I wanted to walk out.  I said to my friend who had not yet read the book, how they avoided all the major serious issues in the book, and turned the story into more of a southern comedy, and focused on the white families, rather than "the help."  I found this article and it seems Viola Davis shared my feelings as well.

Viola Davis Regrets Making The Help: “It Wasn’t the Voices of the Maids That Were Heard”

Why, then does Davis regret the project? “I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard. I know Aibileen. I know Minny [played by Octavia Spencer, who won a best-supporting-actress Oscar]. They’re my grandma. They’re my mom. And I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it. I never heard that in the course of the movie.”

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/09/viola-davis-the-help-regret

[bellamarie]

Just a quick question... our regular members who like to drop in and read our daily discussion posts in The Library section, are not going to know the discussion has moved to this section.  Could it be possible to post a message in The Library section to make them aware it has moved to Movies & Books Into Movies? 

I saw a member asking where everyone was, and like myself, I thought there was something wrong with the site. I was concerned not seeing any posts since May 13th in the usual discussion room, The Library, and just happened to find everyone here.  Other members who come in to read our daily posts, but rarely comment, may not be able to find it has moved here.

[rosemarykaye]

Well I have just posted back in The Library, I thought we would continue there except when our posts were about films and TV?

We have been watching David Stratton's Stories of Australian Cinema - it is brilliant, I knew so little about it.  For years they had almost no funding, but still managed to make some very interesting-looking films. Picnic at Hanging Rock, which came out in 1975, was a turning point - I recall seeing that film at the time, I loved it. Of course at first we all thought it was a true story, but even when we found out it wasn't, it still had a special, magical quality. Unlike many people, I also loved the more recent TV adaptation with Natalie Dorman.

Bellamarie, that is very good to know about The Help. I have seen the film but not read the book, though I do have a copy on my tottering TBR piles. I really want to read it now.

Ginny - Line of Duty is exceptional, so good - but I at least really had to concentrate to follow it, it is so complex, and what you think is happening often turns out to be something quite different. I hope you enjoy it Ginny. And Dana, I agree, Adrian Dunbar is what one might call 'Hot Totty' - for me he ranks along with men like Gary Oldman, Larry Lamb and Ray Winstone.  That new DVD player sounds fantastic Ginny, I didn't even know they existed. Why couldn't they have made them all like that from the outset?

Rosemary

[ginny]

 So difficult, isn't it, for one to stick rigidly  to one particular theme, when a movie opens a veritable Pandora's Box? I think we can feel free to ramble on whatever flies out of a particular movie or film.

Like today, I got caught up in  the old  Jersey Boys movie last night  for some reason, it was on  TV, and I watched it again and then went to a site something about Real Hollywood versus Reel or something, very clever, and they showed the real people and the actors playing them, and answered all my questions on the film, the cast, the characters, etc. So interesting that  Vincent Piazza was the one actor who was not part of  the stage cast of the musical and had to learn to play guitar, sing, and dance to play the part. He did a good job.  I liked that movie, particularly the ending, when they all dance down the street.

And in the process discovered that Vincent Piazza, who  played Tommy De Vito,  also starred as Lucky  Luciano in something called Boardwalk Empire which I don't think I ever saw, apparently it ran for years. Have any of you seen it?  I like my gangsters singing, dancing,  and being kind, not so sure about the more realistic portrayals except The Irishman which was/ is extraordinary. It's from a book, too.

Rosemary, I think you'll be blown away by The Help. Now I must see Line of Duty....I didn't see the movie, Bellamarie, so I can't comment on it.

I don't know why they didn't make DVD players like this, or why I have all those huge...what did they call them  VHS tapes from the early machines, I guess they didn't have the technology.  I watched an old Keeping Up Appearances last night just to test it, and it, too, was so clear. Maybe it's the new HDMI cord.

That, I have noticed, tends to make a huge difference in the quality of what you're looking at. I'm watching the Windsors again from the beginning, and I agree this time on Prince Charles, brilliant. Still can't get over the Puppa stuff.

I am like a child at Christmas over this  8 dollar British Railroad DVD, and I love tracking numbers, because the movie this morning  is HERE, it's left the PO and is out on the truck for delivery!  Can't WAIT!

[Dana]

I just started series 5 of Line of Duty which I have never seen before....my heartthrob seems to be being lined up as a possible baddy in this one....I really could hardly watch....I REALLY don't want him to have feet of clay.....I know (!) he can't possibly be...... but I can't bear to watch....
.....there's a good series of articles in the Guardian that goes along with the series....fun to read....I only discovered it the other day unfortunately

Talking of gangster movies, my all time favorite series in the entire world is the Sopranos.  I have watched it endless times. Lost count.   It is my go to series when I need to just get into something and away from my real world for a while.  Tony and Carmella are  brilliant.  Dr Melfi is perfect ( I used to do exactly what she does and so I know her portrayal is totally legit.)

[Frybabe]

Yesterday I watched a Timeline program about Septimius Severus. My knowledge of the later Roman Emperors and Empire is still sketchy. I can't say that I liked the dramatization much, but the information was interesting. Other than that I have not watched much TV the last two days.

[rosemarykaye]

Dana - I am not yet up to Series 5 of Line of Duty (though it first aired here years ago now), bt I had heard about the plot you mention. I have no idea how it pans out, but I too hope Adrian Dunbar stays with us! I think I have seen those articles from The Guardian but I'm going to check, thanks for reminding me.

I have never seen The Sopranos, it's a series I've always meant to watch. Maybe now is the time!

Last night we watched the final instalment of David Stratton's Story of Australian Cinema, and he talked about a film called The Castle, which looked very good (he had to admit that he had orginally given it one star, but - as it is so popular - he has now rewatched it and given it 4.)  I would love to see it, but the cheapest copy on Amazon is almost £30. There are, however, two copies in the Edinburgh library system - I will have to get myself to Portobello Library when we are finally allowed to do so.

[bellamarie]

Dana, I too loved the Sopranos.  Did you know that Edie Falco was in a CBS TV series called Tommy? 

A former high-ranking NYPD officer becomes the first female police chief of Los Angeles. A true blue New Yorker, Abigail "Tommy" Thomas uses her unflinching honesty and hardball tactics to keep social, political and national security issues from hindering effective law enforcement in the Southland. With an equal distribution of political, procedural and family drama, "Tommy" comes from Paul Attanasio, the creator of the acclaimed series "Bull," "House" and "Homicide: Life on the Street."
First episode date: February 6, 2020
Final episode date: May 7, 2020

Sad to see it's been cancelled after just one season.

[Tomereader1]

I had not seen that "Tommy" had already been cancelled.  I really liked that program.  What I am even more upset about is the cancellation of "God Friended Me".  Even the TV Guide guy that writes the "Cheers & Jeers column, wrote:  "Jeers to CBS for a God-awful decision.  Pray tell, why would you cancel an uplifting escape like "God Friended Me" starring the charming Brandon Micheal Hall as a man guided by a seemingly omnipotent online adviser, after only two seasons?  With everything going on in the world, a show like this is needed more than ever."  My neighbor and good friend never missed an episode.  But it seemed that for most of a season, sports were on, and that tends to decimate any show falling in their time period.

[rosemarykaye]

Good afternoon everyone,

Last night we managed to find The Castle in YouTube, and even worked out how to play it on our new TV!  It was one of the films mentioned in Stories of Australian Cinema, and it is absolutely wonderful, a true feel-good film.

It is about a white working class family who live in a fairly run down house right next to an airport runway, underneath an electricity pylon. They and their neighbours (an elderly man and a Lebanese family), however, think of their homes as their castles, and the Dad in particular sees only good in his surroundings, his family and his home. The two sons who still live at home idolise their parents, while the one daughter, who has surpassed her father’s  wildest dreams by becoming a hairdresser, has now married and lives nearby. Her honeymoon in Thailand s the first time that any family member has ever left Australia, or indeed been on a plane. The oldest son is in prison for his part in an armed robbery, but the family is convinced he was just led astray, and judging by the trusting nature of all of the other family members, this may well have been true. They live happily together, the Dad running a towing business, and with the son buying/selling all sorts of things nobody wants, the Mum making terrible crafts that the family think are perfect - until they are served with a compulsory purchase and eviction order as a group of rich men want to bulldoze the houses to make way for a larger airport.

The Dad’s attempts to fight the order are both funny and sad - having been defeated when he appears for himself at the tribunal, he employs a local small time lawyer despite the latter’s reluctance to take the case - as he freely admits, he knows nothing about constitutional law. During their day in court, the Dad goes outside for a break and meets an older man, who is there to see his barrister son in his first case. They start to chat about the family’s problems.

The Dad is shocked (we of course are not) and devastated when they lose the case, but as they are preparing to pack up their possessions, the older man turns up and explains that he is a retired constitutional lawyer who would like to take on their case.

There is a lovely happy ending, some very funny scenes, and all in all this is such a gentle, touching, life affirming film that I would recommended it to everyone. It also touches very obliquely on the treatment of Aboriginal people in Australia, with the Dad sayIngrid at one point ‘This country is going to have to learn to stop taking other people’s land.’  But fundamentally it is about family, home, and caring for one another, on appreciating what you have, and that money can’t buy everything.

[ginny]

Rosemary, good for you finding Castle on Youtube. I will tell my oldest son, he wanted a copy for Christmas a year or so ago, and we couldn't get it here. (In edit: wrong Castle movie)    But it  sounds wonderful. Kind of like A House for  Mr Biswas.  Loved that book. Love that topic too. That type of thing is so heartening now.

I did try to watch Line of Duty,  Dana, the first episode but the baby and the break-in got to me, especially on the heels of the real life break in mistaken identity again  shooting which just happened, life imitating art. I can see it's a great show and I am drawn to it, but will try it again when the subject  is not so fresh.

Was so disappointed  in the last two episodes of Father Brown. The Sid episode was totally unbelievable, just...formulaic...badly acted.....did not even finish it, all the characters seemed strange... the one before it with Flambeau, normally very fun. It  was  good but kind of pushing the trope a little and of course the one before that was completely obliterated by the Tornado constant warnings,  but started promisingly, so that's three disappointments in a row. Maybe it's me. The Mrs. McCarthy and the Fortune Teller was super, though, and it may have been the third back, actually, and the tornado one in front of that.

The content with all the different writers and directors seems uneven.  The first episode  of the year is always gangbusters, they should take THAT writer and THAT director and make the entire series.

I fear for its renewal. In Edit: I need not fear!  Another 10 new episodes will air on BBC One in 2021.I still like the way they have to film because of the budget in all weather, it does give it a real feel.

Frybabe, what channel or venue did you see the Timeline program on Severus?

Tomereader, sometimes I wonder what audience the TV programmers are seeking.

Dana,  and Bellamarie, I used to hang on every word of the Sopranos.   ("I'm in awr of you.")   hahaha  James Gandolfini was such a good actor, and the cast was perfect as well.  Still can't get over Little Stevie  Van Zandt from the Springsteen E Street  band in it. If I remember correctly the director said he was the face of Jersey at the time he was looking for. Absolutely did not recognize him as Jerry Vale in The Irishman.

[BarbStAubrey]

Glad to hear there will be more Father Brown - Ginny did you see the one with the Bell Ringers? And that last one where Flambeau fakes his death ending with him looking like a rag-a-muffin leaning against the church - I could not help notice in a couple of scenes he is really no longer the dapper cat burglar like character - he shows a decidedly middle age paunch - never took to Bunty but love Mrs. McCarthy.

Interesting how the Hollyhocks become established - does it help if instead of seeds you start out with a young plant from the nursery - would that reduce the number of growing seasons before the plant is established?

Frybabe, watching this reminded me again of the Irish myths we came across while reading Mabinogion - interesting to learn there was infant sacrifice before Christianity and her description of the the festival goings-on fits better with the Pieter Bruegel paintings then anything we read about festivals around Holy Wells. Looks like truth about why the Church stopped these festivals had nothing to do with debunking the holiness of an ancient well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRL9iIN3R8s

Rosemary your description of the movie sounds a bit like Cold Comfort Farm that I think was made into a movie.

They are finishing up all the British series here on our PBS station and starting tomorrow after the Memorial Day concert (with no live audience), we will have another 3 week stint with the begging cup specials - I am about to agree with a couple of friends who post regularly on facebook - with all the closings, no baseball or football, the constant bickering on TV and web news sites and continuous disagreement over the virus we've decided it won't end till after the election and so, we are thinking to just go right to Christmas - in this part of the country there are no live trees to put up but some are putting up their decorations, lights, and even dragging out their artificial trees along with the Christmas books and CDs - we are all looking at how to make Christmas and have decided to do Tuesday night dinners with Christmas china or our best, candles and Christmas music and after dinner with nothing on TV we will watch Christmas stories on CDs or netflix. I've already pulled out my stash of wool to knit socks for the grands and this year I may just actually finish the Hardanger runners for my children's Holiday tables.

[Frybabe]

Thanks, Barb. Most interesting. My mom pronounced some word endings the same way, like in own (oh-en, or oh-when). 

[ginny]

I did see the bellringers, Barbara, that's a year or so ago and a good one. I am going to start taking note of the "good" ones and see who wrote and directed them, if they were all like that...what's your favorite one of all time? Mine is the  really old one about Uncle Mirth.

And thank you for the name of the PBS show, Spying on The  Royals,  not available here but free on Amazon Prime, both episodes. I watched part of it last night.  I love the archival films, most of which I have not seen, so it's quite interesting, if a bit padded out about how unusual it was to have been done, but I'm not through the first part yet. In answer to your question in the Library,   I've always thought she was odd.  She apparently kept up a correspondence with many loving statements with her ex  Earnest well into her marriage with the Duke of Windsor.  I've pretty much read everything I could on them, but the new book on her correspondence is a real shock. And quite frankly I always thought her unattractive to the point of ugliness,  but that photo of her in her youth showed at one time she was pretty. Apparently he had a mother fixation or something.

Still she had a sad ending.

How interesting about the Christmas celebrations, Barbara!  With the political climate we've got now, I say as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else, enjoy. TOO much, too much negativity.

Yes, a hollyhock plant will allow blooming this year, it will effectively cut a year off. IF they have them.

[Tomereader1]

Ginny, I think the networks skew their programming to be watched by the 18-25 age group.  At least one channel should broadcast some programs that are of interest and entertaining to age groups  60 + up, since TV is our age group's main form of entertainment.  (And, yes, I know, some of us oldsters are above TV viewing).  I'll just continue to be de classe.

[ginny]

Tomereader, it appears that you are right:

The key demographic or target demographic is a term in commercial broadcasting that refers to the most desirable demographic group to a given advertiser. Key demographics vary by outlet, time of day, and programming type, but they are generally composed of individuals who are younger and more affluent than the general public: "Young adult viewers have been TV's target demographic for decades, because they're thought to have less brand loyalty and more disposable income."In the case of television, most key demographic groups consist of adults who are somewhere in age between 18 and 54.For example, the key demographic for reality television is women with disposable income aged 18 to 34 whereas for the WB Television Network it is "eighteen- to thirty-four-year-old viewers."Television programming is tailored to members of its key demographics: "Despite the increase in time-shifting to watch recorded television and shows on the Internet, the use of television as an advertising vehicle is still determined by demographic characteristics or who is watching at what time." The subset of ratings that only includes the key demographic of 18- to 49-year-olds is often referred to as the "key demo".[12] Certain radio formats (especially those dubbed "classic") and television outlets may target persons 35 to 64, who generally have more disposable income than millennials, in part due to the late 2000s recession, which impeded career opportunities for younger generations.


That's from Wikiwackia so I'd take it with a grain of salt. The  key word there is "disposable," to me, because we oldsters are about to be the most populous block of population and none of the stuff on network programming (which seems to me to be aimed at 'tweens) appeals to me ...I just don't know enough people in that 18-25 age bracket to say what they like. I get the impression they are not watching at all, but on other social media, but who knows.


I'm not sure what people mean when they say they "never watch television." I do know people who don't have a TV in the house or have one hidden away in a back room.   Here are the top programs of the year. I have put in blue what I actually have seen:

THE 100 TOP-RATED SERIES OF 2019-2020 (ADULTS 18-49)

Rank    PROGRAM (NETWORK)    RATING /SHARE    18-49 VIEWER (000)

1.    NFL Sunday Night Football (NBC)    6.0/26    7,819
2.    NFL Thursday Night Football (Fox/NFL)    4.5/22    5,799
3.    NFL Monday Night Football (ESPN)    4.1/21    5,370
4.    The Masked Singer (Fox)    3.2/16    4,138
5.    The Last Dance (ESPN)    2.9/15    3,811
   This Is Us (NBC)    2.9/13    3,713
7.    The Bachelor (ABC)    2.4/12    3,120
8.    Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)    2.3/12    3,028
   9-1-1 (Fox)    2.3/11    2,983
10.    Chicago PD (NBC)    2.0/11    2,605
11.    The Walking Dead (AMC)    1.9/8    2,499
   Survivor (CBS)    1.9/10    2,495
   Chicago Fire (NBC)    1.9/9    2,480
   Modern Family (ABC)    1.9/9    2,473
   Lego Masters (Fox)    1.9/9    2,416
16.    The Good Doctor (ABC)    1.8/9    2,386
   9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox)    1.8/9    2,325
   The Voice (NBC)    1.8/8    2,308
19.    Chicago Med (NBC)    1.7/8    2,240
   NCIS (CBS)    1.7/8    2,207
   American Idol-Monday (ABC)    1.7/8    2,183
   New Amsterdam (NBC)    1.7/9    2,147
23.    Young Sheldon (CBS)    1.6/9    2,100
   American Horror Story (FX)    1.6/8    2,090
   The Conners (ABC)    1.6/8    2,086
   The Voice-Tuesday (NBC)    1.6/8    2,082
   A Million Little Things (ABC)    1.6/8    2,020
28.    Station 19 (ABC)    1.5/8    2,002
   American Idol (ABC)    1.5/7    1,974
   Manifest (NBC)    1.5/8    1,938
31.    The Masked Singer: After the Mask (Fox)    1.4/7    1,870
   Law & Order: SVU (NBC)    1.4/7    1,866

So. It appears if I say I don't watch TV what I really mean is I  haven't seen the most popular shows? I have seen Young Sheldon because my grandson was watching something that came on before it, and I liked it. I liked the little precocious guy and the entire family but I've not watched it again.



Last night's Father Brown was OK, it was strange, but OK. But after it came on something called Shakespeare and Hathaway which I  think I've heard mentioned here? Love  it!! My goodness, fancy masked ball at the grand house,  murder, and such a fun couple of detectives!!! What's not to like?  And it's three whole seasons available, too, on Prime. Whoopeee!   Who KNEW?

My  British Railways DVDs are STILL in North Carolina! This is the Pandemic speaking. I could drive there in an hour and pick them up, but it will now be next Wednesday before they get here. Supposedly.  At this point I could have walked, like  The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

However tonight is also back to back Great American Railroad Journeys with guess who? Michael Portillo. I don't know why I have absolutely no interest in that, I guess it's because we spent a lot of time when the kids were children, doing just that, all across the country, not  sure he's going anywhere I haven't been; at least not tonight, according to the program listings.   I thought to travel the US first when the children were small because it was something affordable back then, and it's a great big grand country:  just get in your car or get on the cross country train and go. ("See the USA in  your Chevrolet, America is asking you to call.") Anybody remember that? I think we all pretty much did it. I think there are two continental US states I have not been in: the Dakotas.

And everybody says oh you MUST go to the Dakotas, they are incredible. I believe them but for me the day of the long car trip or any car sightseeing trip  is long over.

[ginny]

On Tommy this statement is made on the Variety website listing  the Nielsen ratings:

“Tommy”: With several renewals and cancellations still pending, CBS’ “Tommy,” starring Edie Falco, earns the distinction of being the most-watched show (7.7 million) to be canceled so far from this past season.

Here's another list: 

TOP 100 SHOWS OF 2019-2020, TOTAL VIEWERS:

America’s most-watched series of the 2019-2020 season are …
Rank    Title (Network)    VIEWERS (000)
1.    NFL Sunday Night Football (NBC)    19,993
2.    NCIS (CBS)    15,336
3.    NFL Thursday Night Football (Fox/NFL Network)    15,048
4.    NFL Monday Night Football (ESPN)    12,750
5.    FBI (CBS)    12,552
6.    Blue Bloods (CBS)    11,962
7.    Chicago Fire (NBC)    11,699
8.    This Is Us (NBC)    11,549
9.    Young Sheldon (CBS)    11,449
10.    Chicago PD (NBC)    11,228
11.    Chicago Med (NBC)    11,220
12.    The Good Doctor (ABC)    10,824
13.    The Masked Singer (Fox)    10,783
14.    Bull (CBS)    10,607
15.    60 Minutes (CBS)    10,459
16.    9-1-1 (Fox)    10,416
17.    The Voice (NBC)    10,367
18.    FBI: Most Wanted (CBS)    10,204
19.    The Voice-Tuesday (NBC)    9,728
20.    New Amsterdam (NBC)    9,700
21.    Hawai’i Five-0 (CBS)    9,684
22.    NCIS: New Orleans (CBS)    9,583
23.    Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)    9,386
24.    Survivor (CBS)    9,229
25.    9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox)    9,085
26.    America’s Got Talent Champions (NBC)    8,922
27.    Magnum P.I. (CBS)    8,914
28.    NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)    8,913
29.    Station 19 (ABC)    8,550
30.    American Idol — Monday (CBS)    8,536
31.    Mom (CBS)    8,524
32.    American Idol (ABC)    8,336
33.    The Rookie (ABC)    8,185
34.    Seal Team  (CBS)    8,020
35.    Criminal Minds (CBS)    8,006
36.    Dancing with the Stars (ABC)    7,998
37.    The Bachelor (ABC)    7,934
38.    The Conners (ABC)    7,729
39.    Manifest (NBC)    7,698
40.    The Neighborhood (CBS)    7,694
41.    Tommy (CBS)    7,685
42.    All Rise (CBS)    7,643
43.    God Friended Me (CBS)    7,616
44.    Bob Hearts Abishola (CBS)    7,538
45.    MacGyver (CBS)    7,500
46.    Man with a Plan (CBS)    7,468
47.    A Million Little Things (ABC)    7,262
48.    S.W.A.T. (CBS)    7,255
49.    Modern Family (ABC)    7,099
50.    The Unicorn (CBS)    7,095
51.    Broke (CBS)    6,916
52.    The Blacklist (NBC)    6,913
53.    Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Thu. (ABC)    6,879
54.    Madam Secretary (CBS)    6,737
55.    The Last Dance (ESPN)    6,709
56.    The Resident (Fox)    6,704
57.    Carol’s Second Act (CBS)    6,594
58.    Law & Order: SVU (NBC)    6,455
59.    Last Man Standing (Fox)    6,403
60.    Deputy (Fox)    6,340
61.    Evil (CBS)    6,287
62.    Bluff City Law (NBC)    6,239
63.    Stumptown (ABC)    5,963
64.    Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (ABC)    5,849
65.    Prodigal Son (Fox)    5,830
66.    America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)    5,702
67.    Emergence (ABC)    5,669
68.    Lego Masters (Fox)    5,598
69.    Lincoln Rhyme (NBC)    5,574
70.    The Masked Singer: After the Mask (Fox)    5,559
71.    The Walking Dead (AMC)    5,373
72.    Ellen’s Game of Games (NBC)    5,314
73.    The Goldbergs (ABC)    5,311
74.    Saturday Night Football (ABC)    5,191
75.    Shark Tank (ABC)    4,928
76.    Songland (NBC)    4,918
77.    Undercover Boss (CBS)    4,915
78.    Dateline Friday (NBC)    4,866
79.    Bless This Mess (ABC)    4,722
80.    Curse of Oak Island (History)    4,650
81.    American Housewife (ABC)    4,500
82.    For Life (ABC)    4,360
83.    20/20 (ABC)    4,350
84.    How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)    4,225
85.    90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days (TLC)    4,047
86.    Empire (Fox)    4,043
87.    Fox College Football: Big 12 Prime (Fox)    4,030
88.    48 Hours (CBS)    4,022
89.    Will & Grace (NBC)    4,010
90.    Council of Dads (NBC)    4,008
91.    Kids Say the Darndest Things (ABC)    3,966
92.    Schooled (ABC)    3,929
93.    The Baker and the Beauty (ABC)    3,887
94.    Mixed-ish (ABC)    3,820
95.    Superstore (NBC)    3,816
96.    Black-ish (ABC)    3,719
97.    Dateline Mystery (NBC)    3,715
98.    Dr. Pimple Popper (TLC)    3,658
99.    Single Parents (ABC)    3,646
100.    The Good Place (NBC)    3,563
Source: Nielsen, Preliminary Live+7 Days, Prime, Original telecasts only. Season through 5/10/2020. Programs with 2 or more telecasts.

[BarbStAubrey]

whew you really had a foray into TV programing Ginny - goodness - so many I had not even heard of - nothing from the first list but on the second list there were shows I've watched - not faithfully - from time to time - Last Man Standing, Blue Bloods, College Football, Will and Grace Most of the shows I had not even heard of. Except for College Football I would be fine if the only station I could get was KLRU which is our PBS stations - and even at that I only turn on the TV on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights and here of late Wednesday nights since one of the 4 stations from KLRU broadcasts only Detective type shows like Miss Fisher and the Bletchley Circle. I have never watched TV during the day except if there is some national emergency or the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I think you are so right about the younger crowd not watching TV at all - my grands have all turned 30 or are close to 30 with Cade the youngest at 26 and they either watch a movie or anything they can pickup on their many technical devises. I think Netflix or similar platform has taken over the free time of this age group. And from what I see this age group is not the settled down married with baby on the way as they traditionally had been - if they are not still going to school, or back to school, they are the ones attending big name outdoor concerts or races like Formula One or they are climbing some mountain or wind surfing - they no longer settle down till they are at least in their mid 30s - we saw that in RE - they wanted downtown condo life not the 3 Bedroom single family till they were in their mid to late 30s or even later. Those without a college education were not able to afford owning although, they still live closer to the traditional family lifestyle.

All to say think the TV marketing arms have overlooked the growing senior market - I hear more and more folks are not retiring, not just for economic reasons but because in retirement many loose their identity and purpose. Result this age group may have more 'disposable' income for things other than walk-in tubs, life Alert and burial insurance and their program interest all but ignored.

One thing for sure our local PBS station figured out is Downton Abbey never looses its appeal - it has been shown over and over - seems to be a right of passage initiating a closer bond between grandparent and grandchild who are watching it together and I've heard of many that as a result they together take a trip to England and visit some of the country houses. Where I did not watch it with my grandboys, the 3 in Lubbock all watched the series and have now an interest in history that gives us something in common to chat about. Amazing to me is how that one show sparked an interest in many different subjects and time frames in history - one is interested in anything about WWI, another in the earlier history of how we separated from England on to the role England played during our Civil War and the other is into all the stories involving the Irish Rebellion. They are boys

Today is Monday and it is when we have back to back two episodes of Shakespeare and Hathaway - I read somewhere it is a long running daytime Show in the UK - but yes, fun - the gay guy really pulls off his role doesn't he - and there were several in the series where she wears wonderful shawls as ponchos that I want to copy a few. On Monday we also have a repeat of Vienna Blood - the sets on that show are spectacular along with filming on the streets of Vienna that capture the look of the turn of the 20th century - and Modus - this is the second series we have seen and I find the show riveting. Both series have a Swedish/American connection although the entire show takes place in Sweden.

[Dana]

One of the new things I've been doing since this isolation time is listening to music I haven't paid much attention to before.  So I started listening to Bob Dylan along with his lyrics.  Found a list of his supposed 50 best songs.  Now up to no 7. (1 was Like a Rolling Stone, 7 is Desolation Row.)
His songs are very powerful and I quite like listening to them but I can't make head or tail of the lyrics, yet everyone who comments on them says how great they are.  I wonder what I am missing, or are they just mysterious nonsense which is how they come across to me,  For sure they are all sad, angry hateful.  I wonder if he ever wrote a happy song.  I guess I will find out! (I only do 1 a night)
So are there any Bob Dylan fans out there.....I actually think I am a fan.... I do like the total effect of his voice, harmonica, guitar, band and those strange lyrics.

[BarbStAubrey]

I like the songs that he and Joan Baez sung together - but then I really like Joan Baez now and in the past.

[Dana]

Oh yes me too, I've always liked Joan Baez a lot,
I am thinking maybe you're not supposed to understand the actual lyrics, maybe he just uses words and fragmented images to create an atmosphere.

[ginny]

Dana, and Barbara, I've never understood a word Dylan sang, I thought like Dana that was kind of the idea, you sort of substitute your own thoughts there and sing right along with what you think he's saying. A lot of the songs were like that then, remember the infamous Louie Louie? Supposed to be so "dirty?"  I don't think we cared what the lyrics were, just the joy of the thing passionately expressed.   Would be a surprise to find out what the lyrics actually were.

But on Joan Baez?   Absolutely hated Joan Baez! Can't remember why now. Ridiculous.

 I still like Upstairs Downstairs better than Downton and I have been to Highclere before it was famous, also like the Jeremy Irons Brideshead Revisited  much better than the new one.

Rosemary, you mentioned the Miranda Richardson Lucia, and  I finally got to see the "new" Lucia,  and I like Miranda Richardson in that,  very much,  as Lucia. In fact I think I like her better than Geraldine McEwan, she's more to the book Lucia. And I like the new Georgie, what a  thing to take on Nigel Hawthorne's performance, but the new actor does it very well. Not as camp. And when you compare the two you suddenly  see that the original is more camp than you realized and that makes me love it all the more. I like the new Miss Mapp as well, she's quite good, but of course Prunella Scales, I mean really, what an iconic cast that was.

I miss the theme song,  but the new scenes of Rye outweigh that. They aren't strictly going by the books, which I think is a shame, but it's OK because a lot of people today haven't read the books, and I expect very few people have them sort of "memorized," as some fans do. So they don't know the difference, and I expect the changes in dialogue are necessary to explain what's going on.

I do miss Dennis Lill as Major Benjy. I didn't realize what a stamp he put on the character for me, he was perfect. I miss the Padre, and also Mr. Wyse, Geoffrey Chater. The new Mr. Wyse is good, very good, but he's not Chater.  Chater and Lill are still alive,  the original "Mr Wyse" is 99 years old! Lill is younger than I am which is a very sobering thought.

I dislike the new Diva and Mrs. Wyse, I think the latter is particularly poorly cast. Can't get over Grosvenor, but I like the way the new actress plays her.

So I think I'll watch all of these as they are light and fun, and I appreciate your mentioning them, it gives the books a  new life.

PS: OMG! That's Mark Gatiss,  absolutely LOVE him otherwise, but not  as Major Benjy, would never have recognized him, still don't think he's as good as  Dennis Lill, AND the actor playing Georgie wrote the script!

ttps://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/mapp-and-lucia-bbc1-tv-review-memo-to-the-male-tv-executive-middle-aged-women-can-be-interesting-9948679.html

Steve Pemberton (Georgie in the new series) E F Benson’s cult Mapp and Lucia novels compare with the sublime 1985 series?

The BBC's new version is written by The League of Gentlemen's Steve Pemberton, who says we should expect "a genteel version of Royston Vasey"

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/christmas-2014-can-a-new-tv-take-on-e-f-benson-s-cult-mapp-and-lucia-novels-compare-with-the-sublime-9905930.html

[ginny]

Barbara, here's one for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I02fZDd-BBc&t=1020s  an interview with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor in their later years. Note the comments from viewers below  about how miserable he is and how she never loved him and character appraisals following. I'm not sure I agree with those remarks,  but body language does show some interesting things.

[BarbStAubrey]

Interesting - thanks - he sure is a jittery fribbity - you have to wonder if he was on something - the next film about Wallis did show some studio shots of a good looking typical 30s looking women - his big mistake was getting married - with all his independence against the establishment you would think he could have kept her as his mistress - well history again never lets us in on all the bacchanalia festivals of the mind... However, I do think he was the first or maybe it is better said, his father was the last king to have dominion over all including the establishment as defined by Edward. In the past Kings created the establishment, whose power ascended in the twentieth century. I think that is the constant battle in the US with many versions of new thinking clashing with the establishment's thinking - although in the US I would no longer include most universities among the establishment.

[ginny]

Barbara, I  did watch the show afterwards, too, on Wallis, which you mentioned,  with the attractive photo of her younger self, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-BEKxPxghs and it was excellent.

All I can think is that she is one of those women (like me) who photograph so badly they are not recognizable to themselves.  In one photo she is attractive while young, in her first wedding photo as a young woman she looks like the Bride of Frankenstein and I'm not kidding, it's in the show.

And let's be honest, that HAIRDO. I would look like Baby Hughey in that extreme unattractive hairdo, and who would not? Supposedly it was her lively personality which made her attractive. If so, I don't see it in the first show.  She says herself in the film, "I was no beauty," no, she wasn't,  but she  might have been attractive with some attention to that 30's, is it called marcelled?  HAIR style but there it is.

A very nice clip of Queen Elizabeth greeting the couple and talking to them at somebody's funeral, very nicely, all smiles all around (he was her favorite uncle, after all) and the note that 60,000 people attended his funeral.

She's like a sort of Pandora's Box, I wonder if we even know who she is at all, the entire situation is so clouded in mystery.  That was a good recommendation, I'm glad I watched it.

Dana has me reading the Guardian which today talks about the 15th year anniversary of  Come Dine With Me which I am addicted to on youtube and how it exposes class and race in Britain, which kind of surprises me. Love Dave Lamb, the narrator,  and the article says he exposes the difference in who people think they are and who they are. That's a lot of serious stuff when you have 5 people coming to eat dinner at each person's houses for a week for a prize.  I more or less watch it for the entertainment factor and Dave Lamb's quips, and missed the sociological ramifications, which I didn't catch actually. Certainly the circumstances of the people involved are different, and there is some awe expressed over the couples or individuals who are the "haves," as opposed to the "have nots," but there's a lot of hugging and what appears to be...mutual appreciation?  I dunno.   There  are also some unpleasant people but I didn't notice that connected to  class or race, the people themselves are miserable human beings, but....obviously I've missed something.

I have NEVER watched so much TV in my life but today AGAIN it is raining....and all week, rain rain rain  RAIN. The poor roses, you can't treat them for black spot, you don't have a sunny day; they will be absolutely leafless.

Finished the new Lucia and Mapp, only 3 episodes then? Shame, it's cute.

OH and news on that front, it seems that Tom Holt has a new e book with 2 new Mapp and Lucia stories which came out in 2018!! I hope that means he's going to get back and continue the series. The reviews are not good but I am looking forward to reading it. He's got another "short story" out also which has been published before, and I've read that one but am looking forward to the two new adventures.

[BarbStAubrey]

You've got me into Mapp and Lucia again - pulled out my old tapes that I did save an old TV that takes the tapes and also the big fat book with all the stories - haven't started either but they are next.

Yes, the rain - on Sunday we had a repeat of my experience the week before when I fell - this time as soon as the lights went out I got myself into bed - no fooling around - couldn't sleep but after a few hours in the dark I did fall off and then voila the fan moved the air and I could really sleep - now we are being told another similar storm with high winds and hail this afternoon or this evening. Some of the bushes have so much new green growth they are bending over - I would not be surprised if some of the weaker trees start loosing limbs - the Live Oak are just too sturdy and slow growing so the wind would have to be more, like over 100 miles an hour and they are saying 60 - interesting our loosing power - we seldom if ever loose power so what is going on I wonder - I do know the squirrels are prolific and they do eat the electric lines or at least the tape around the electric lines.

When it is only raining there are books and music and as noted movies but loosing power there is nothing - at least at night there is sleep - oh well more for these challenging times.

[Dana]

Well today I've been wallowing in 80s Julio Iglesias....just upwhatevered to amazon music unlimited....
who remembers this....(NOT Begin the Beguin!)

https://youtu.be/1xGWnUt9E2o

[BarbStAubrey]

Dana wasn't his son popular for a time - do not hear anything about him anylonger.

My daughter called all excited that the original Broadway show Hamilton will be available on Disney July 4. She does not have a Disney account but says she can get one that only lasts a few months and that is her plan. 

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - so glad you liked the 'new' Mapp & Lucia'.

I thought I would get back to my numerous recorded episodes of Monarch of the Glen last night. I started watching one and thought 'This is weird, time seems to have moved on two years' - only this morning, when setting the recorder up for something else, did I realise that I had taped the recent re-runs in 3 batches. The first batch was further up in the list, and I've only seen 3 or 4 of those - the ones I started with last night were indeed 2 years later! No wonder Archie had disappeared, Richard Briers' character had been killed off, and Lexie appears to be married to the absent Archie, when last time I looked he was torn between his smart London girlfriend and the local woman who is trying to save the ospreys!   What an idiot. Tonight I will go back in time and try to forget what I have now seen.

Tonight is the last one of this year's The Real Marigold Hotel. I think this has been one of the best series, the people have gelled really well. If only Britt Ekland hadn't been invited it would be perfect. This week they are moving to the foot of the Himalayas for the final part of their stay in India. Ostensibly these shows are supposed to be about people considering if they would like to retire to India. The first series took this quite seriously - they looked at retirement complexes, seniors' activities and so on. The next 2 series seemed to forget about that and just send the people to see/experience things. They were still fun, but this one has gone back to its original purpose, which I think makes it more interesting. I don't think I would ever be brave enough to live anywhere but here, but of course life is much cheaper there, and the people are lovely. Henry Blofield (cricket commentator) has visited India many times in the past for his job, and knows many friends there already, so I can see why he might like it. Not sure how his new Italian wife (back in the UK) would see it though? Some of the others are much less keen and really miss home, though they have all thrown themselves into trying things.

Rosemary

[ginny]

Rosemary, honestly, where DO you come up with these shows? Never heard of The Real Marigold Hotel, have watched 4 minutes of it on youtube (it appears it's all on youtube, but I could be wrong) and am totally hooked. Never heard of any of the celebrities, but anything about adventurous seniors is fabulous, so far (the first 4 minutes) it's perfect.

Somewhat frightening to discover they are all younger than I am.... I would not have thought so, actually, but they are. I've gotten to where I can't gauge anybody's age by looking at them. They either look like teenagers (doctors and surgeons) or older than God and those turn out to be younger than I am.  They carry a LOT more baggage than I do, too. (Literally, not figuratively). I've never heard of any of them (they are all celebrities apparently) but they seem modest enough and not overbearing. An interesting mix.

I've heard from people who have lived and/or traveled in India extensively that once you go to India you never want to return. I am very interested (have not been to India) to see how this plays out. Thank you for that recommendation!!

[BarbStAubrey]

Fabulous two part series on PBS tonight - The Stuarts - Charles Spencer is one of the contributors - really brought alive the entire period in English History - the story is through the eyes of the Wynn's (spell) an aristocratic family in Wales

wow found it on youtube here is part I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQFmWStPHPo

I wonder, we really do not study when the news of all these events are known in the colonies - I wonder when the colonists learn of  for instance the fire in London or if any escape any of the 3 times the plague hit Britain by sailing to the Americas. The show does mention William Penn - may be in part II - but that is the only reference to the colonies - we certainly in school learned these side by side histories separately. And we are taught the kings of England were the bad guys for various reasons other than just taxing the colonies.

[Frybabe]

Rosemary my eyes got big when you mentioned there is a series called The Real Marigold Hotel, and got even bigger when Ginny discovered it on YouTube. You can bet I will be looking for it this evening.

Barb, I remember well our school studies which segmented and isolated world events from what else was going on in the world.  Nor did we follow the connections that spread language, inventions, knowledge, and trade around the world. It wasn't until years later that I began to notice these things, and even later that I began paying attention to how these things got passed along and when.

I'll also look into The Stuarts since there is a Welsh connection. I am still focusing on the period between 400AD and 1000AD at the moment, which is mostly Warlords fighting each other and the Saxons and the Vikings and some Pictish involvement, but not much. Most of the action is in Mercia, Northumbria, Exxex and Wessex. A friend living on the Isle of Mann has got me a little more interested in that island's history and the early migrations and interactions between Ireland and Scotland. The pre-history of the Stuart line and how they came to be named Stuart or Stewart is interesting. That split had to do with distinguishing the followers of Bonny Prince Charles and those who did not according to a book I used to have about Robert the Bruce. "Used to have" because I leant it to George's mon, and when she passed away we could not find it. She must have given it to her sister or another of the family interested in family history. I have had occasion to miss that book, but never got around to replacing it.

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - The Real Marigold Hotel is a major series on prime time TV here, so I haven’t had to work very hard to find it!

Which series were you watching?  The current one (ended last night but I didn’t get time to watch it, so will try tonight) has Henry Blofield, Barbara Dickson, ghastly Britt Ekland, Duncan Bannatyne, Paul Elliott, Zandra Rhodes, John Altman and Susie Blake.

Zandra Rhodes is a very famous fashion designer, Dickson is a Scottish singer, Bannatyne is apparently from The Dragon’s Den and not my favourite person (I had to laugh when he admitted that his latest wife is about 40 years younger than him - made me think of the famous quote on the Mrs Merton Show many years ago, when the late lamented Caroline Aherne used to interview minor celebs who were foolish enough to let her - she was a brilliant, clever, comedian. To the magician Paul Daniels’ much, much younger wife Debbie - ‘So Debbie, what was it that first attracted you to multi-millionaire Paul Daniels?’).

Paul Elliott is the surviving one of the Chuckle Brothers - a children’s comedy show that ran and ran. It was massively popular, and the two guys really were brothers. The other one died a couple of years ago, sadly. Paul Elliott seems like a nice guy.

Susie Blake is an actress, she was in Victoria Wood’s wonderful TV shows from time to time, and I see she is now in Mrs Brown’s Boys, which I don’t watch but many people love it.  She seems great, very quiet and thoughtful. John Altman is also an actor, for years he played Bad Boy Nick Cotton in our very long ruining soap, Eastenders. I’ve already mentioned lovely Henry Blofield I think.

Previous series, of course, featured other ‘celebrities’, some better than others!

I also have not been to India. I’d like to see it in some ways, but I don’t know that I could bear the heat and the sheer numbers of people. Maybe better just to see it ‘remotely’!

Rosemary

[ginny]

Rosemary, I've started with the very first episode in the series, and I have, I think,  seen the one older actress who had a part in Harry Potter, but never any of the other  celebrities, but that is not a surprise, I don't know many of the "stars" who are featured in US Magazines or TV ether. Dancing with the "Stars," who are they? Where is a "Star?" There's one  magazine in the US which features a series called "Stars: They're just like us!"

They shop! They pay for parking! They are just like US!

uh...no, they aren't? This is what happens when (1) one is so desperate for reading material over lunch in the car (coronavirus) one buys one of these rags in the supermarket,  and (2) magazines who buy invasive photos of "stars," trying to live normal lives, try to justify same.

It looks as if there have been 4 series of The Real Marigold Hotel. HOORAY!   Obviously I need to spend the time I have in Britain watching TV, and I mean that,  it's absolutely fascinating.  I appreciate also knowing who the celebrities in season 4 are, thank you.

Already though in the first episode of the first series, we are seeing the personalities emerge, and for my part since I don't know any of them really from Adam's house cat, a man on the street doing the same thing would be interesting, too. To me. Maybe more interesting, actually.

[nlhome]

Have not really done a lot of TV, especially now that we finally have Spring/Summer. Yesterday was rain. All day. We still had errands like grocery shopping, which for some reason now exhausts me, and I did lots of little chores and spent time reading, etc. By evening I was done with thinking, and waiting for Midsommer Murders to come on our PBS station. I ran across a movie, At Home in Mitford, which was (very loosely) based on the Mitford series. So I watched the last 45 minutes of it. It certainly was not faithful to the book, and the characters were too clean and perfect. I read the Mitford series in bits and pieces, and I think I have a few left to read. Sometimes after seeing a movie and then reading the book, I picture the characters as they are in the movie. I doubt that will happen if I read any more in that series, they were too far off and the plot was too "nice." I believe it was a Hallmark movie. So I moved on happily to the murders in Midsommer, which were particularly vivid.

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - I looked it up, and the people in the first series of The Real Marigold Hotel were Miriam Margolyes, Sylvester McCoy, Wayne Sleep, Roy Walker, Rosemary Shrager, Bobby George, Patti Boulaye & Jan Leeming.

Miriam Margolyes is a famous actress here, though I believe she now lives in Australia with her Australian partner.  If you have ever seen Blackadder, she was Queen Elizabeth’s ‘nursie’, but she has been in a lot of classical theatre and other TV too.

Wayne Sleep was famous as a dancer for many years, and still seems pretty fit!

Rosemary Shrager is a TV cook - she reminds me so much of a former work colleague, Sarah, who was equally posh and loud but would do anything for anybody, and is still a great friend of mine.

Jan Leeming was one of the first ‘serious’ female newsreaders on British TV.

I’m afraid I know nothing about the rest of them.

From looking at twitter now that our fourth series has just ended, everyone thinks that this latest one was the best so far.

Nlhome: I too find shopping really exhausting these days. I think we are just not so used to it any more, and also the numerous rules about direction of travel, keeping away from people, etc are stressful. Yesterday I found that the hardest people to social distance from were the staff, who were being sent to restock shelves while we were all trying to shop.  The supermarkets are no doubt too concerned about their profits to pay people to do the restocking before and after opening hours.

I have one of those Mitford books at home but I haven’t read it - are they good?  Your Hallmark channel sounds interesting to me, sometimes I just want ‘nice’ stuff - unfortunately I don’t think we get that channel here, at least not on the channels or apps I can access without paying for them!

Rosemary

[ginny]

Thank you for that, Rosemary.  We had a similar series here (not to see if they could manage to live elsewhere but just 4 celebrities out for trips abroad), led by Henry Winkler (the Fonz), William Shatner (Captain Kirk Star Trek) George Foreman the boxer and  Terry Bradshaw the former football player and a  young man who provided comedic  commentary.

They are ALL "characters," and I think that people tuned in to see the reactions of people whose work they  had previously  enjoyed.  The result was actually surprising as the personalities emerged from the perceived persona and I think maybe that's the draw.  But if you don't know any of them or their work you can only go by what you see, like Come Dine With Me, I find the celebrity dinners sort of forced (but again I don't know the "celebrities" then, either).

I haven't gotten far enough  in it to comment because I am so HOOKED on Shakespeare and Hathwaway, now in the 7th episode of year 1, and it's.....there's been one weak one in the 7, and one dear one...they are great.  I love the thing and everything about it. Such clever mysteries, I haven't figured out one,  yet,  and such an engaging cast. LOVE it.

I was just thinking yesterday this is ONE good thing about the coronavirus, because it's made possible such great and enjoyable  TV viewing thanks in large part to suggestions in  this discussion, which,  quite frankly,  I would never have seen. So much fun.

[ginny]

 Frybabe, what did you think of The Real Marigold Hotel? I love the...I don't know what you call it, the production values? I love the presentation of it, graphically, it's so cute, but am not far enough into it to say.

What is your impression so far? Did you know the cast?

Nlhome, I like Midsomer Murders, too, the new one. I haven't really gotten into the old one. The first one I saw was the great mansion and the ghost horse and that sold me on the series, that was excellent,  but it's been a while back. 

I read about 7 pages of the new Tom Holt   Lucia & Mapp, Two Stories: "Lucia and the Eighth Commandment” and “Humble Soup” e book, and he's baaaack, and the initial 5 reviews are not many stars.  People, apparently not realizing it's an ebook with  two short stories,  are saying do you realize there are only 30 pages in this and they are charging  $6.95 for it? (It's FREE with the Kindle  APP, folks!)  Not all short stories are 200 pages each.....And somebody said it's nothing like Benson!!!!!!!!! Good heavens. Benson himself could  have written the first 7 pages. I need to write one and try to even the score a bit. I will when I finish them, if they continue as well as they started.

 I am such a fan of his Mapp  and Lucia books, his mother the author Hazel Holt,  wanted him to write the two sequels originally. Perhaps these two stories indicate his interest in continuing. I hope so. 

Barbara, I've got that huge all in one tome of Mapp and Lucia,  but have you read the Tom Holt sequels?  They are priceless, they are SO good. Lucia in Wartime,  and  Lucia Triumphant? I'll never forget the oranges of the first one.