Downton Abbey: Season 6 Downton Abbey #6

And so it ends.

Downton Abbey Season 6 is a strange beast. On one hand, we have what feels all the cast pairing off, sometimes with long known relationships and in the cast of the Family with guys we only met in the previous season.

For what it’s worth, I still do not really understand the relationship between Mary and Henry. I think it’s mostly Mary. She certainly ebbs and flows… but wow she’s a (sorry, but Edith says it too) bitch at times. On the other hand, Edith and Bertie? Delightful. If expected for the chaos.

On top of that, the world is moving on. Is Downton Abbey going to survive? With reductions in expected staff and families around the world failing, it’s

But with all those relationships wow do the last few episodes blitz through what feels like every plotline possible in only a few hours. I do wonder if they thought they’d have a 7th season. But so it goes. For the most part, everything is tied off neatly. And for everything else… apparently there are two movies?

As a final note, if you’ve been lamenting the torture the writers have put the Bates’ through over the year… well, they’re not quite done. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m glad for that.

Overall, I quite enjoyed it. Much more than I expected to, as I seem to say with all non-SF/F shows I end up watching. Still not something I would have chosen, still quite enjoyable.

Onward!

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Wednesday Wednesday #1

Oh that’s a delight of a show.

They’re creepy and they’re kooky
Mysterious and spooky
They’re all together ooky
The Addams family

An entire show with the dark worldbuilding and humor of the Addams family, focusing around Wednesday (my favorite)? Yes please.

The casting is great–especially Jenna Ortega as the lead and Emma Myers as Enid. A delightful pairing.

The mystery vibe is on point (and it’s right up to the end before you know for sure who the baddies are).

The setting is fun–even if the ‘outcasts’ of Nevermore seem curiously non-magical a lot of the times. And then in the big final numbers, we go full on magic–which also felt surprisingly weird for the Addams family. ut it works well enough.

Oh, I’m looking forward to season 2.

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Downton Abbey: Season 5 Downton Abbey #5

Oh goodness. Another season down and only one more to go (plus some movies?). I’m not ready!

This one has a few primarily focuses:

Mary and her men… weird. I kind of liked both of them, but so it goes. Hints at what’s to come.

Isobel and Violet (of all people) getting romantically entangled. That I did not expect, much less with who. It’s fun, if sad at times.

Rose, speedrunning the relationship thing, all with yet another new family for people to disapprove of. It’s interesting that her dating a black man went so poorly, yet this ends up much better?

And of course the Bates. Oh the Bates. I truly wish that Season 6 could be quiet and happy for them… but I’m not holding up too much hope for that one.

Overall, yet another solid season. Like I said, I’m not ready for the end! But all good things must. Onward!

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The Orville: New Horizons (Season 3) The Orville #2

3 year time jump!

Oh, there’s so much going on in this season.

Both large (Kaylon! Moclan! Krill! new friends and foes alike!) and small (so many relationships! new crew and old!).

It’s amazing to see how much this show has grown and changed. I just about bounced off the first few episodes, back when it was leaning hard into the humor and less into the sci-fi. But now… it’s amazing to see both the funny and the serious takes on all sorts of issues.

A delightful third season. If/when we get a Season 4, I’ll most certainly have to check it out.

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Downton Abbey: Season 4 Downton Abbey #4

Oy. After all the death and craziness of Season 3 (especially that finale…), the family is all off kilter now. It takes a bit to settle, and then of course we’re on for all the more trouble. Highlights: Rose brings a touch of chaos Sybil never could. I’m glad they didn’t clone her. Rose is fun. Man, Anna and Bates just don’t get an easy life, do they… Tom is in such a weird situation… I’m liking his role as a sort of inbetween, of both worlds and neither.

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Werewolf by Night Marvel Cinematic Universe #29.3 MCU Phase 4 #6.3 MCU TV #9

I managed to skip by this last fall, much to my now dismay. It’s–only sort of an MCU special; focused on the monster/‘horror’ side of Marvel comics rather than the super-hero business. They do open with a sillouette of the heroes we know and love… before all color drains out.

What comes next? An introduction to a monster hunting family/society and a competition to win the mysterious ‘Bloodstone’–which gives you a sort of power over/against monsters. And then–the HUNT/BATTLE ROYALE!

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The Orville: Season 2 The Orville #2

And another season! Got away from it for a while, but it’s finally done. I’m glad they’ve managed to stay away from pure comedy and stick to a scifi show that’s also funny. It’s much better that way in my opinion–even if we do get some pretty ridiculous bits. The Great Release. I rest my case.

Other than that, we get a lot more to shake up the status quo. The Moclans and their all male* society take a front seat, but we also have quite the story line for Isaac and his people, more Krill, digging into how real simulations can feel, and so much more. It’s a lot.

I’m looking forward to the third (and final?) season!

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Downton Abbey: Season 3 Downton Abbey #3

Oh, now that’s a season. It starts with a marriage, imprisonment, and money problems and only gets crazier from there. Death is a theme as well, not once but twice. I get that sometimes actors move on , but they really did Matthew dirty with that one… Overall another solid season and I’m looking forward to what happens now! Per episode reviews. Potential spoilers for the season as a whole.

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Downton Abbey: Season 2 Downton Abbey #2

The season with World War I. That’s a lot of changes, from war wounds to deaths to Downton becoming a temporary hospital. It’s fascinating getting to know all these stories. Oh I wish the best for them all. Such is life. Onward! Per episode reviews. Potential spoilers for the season as a whole. Episode 2.1 Episode 2.2 Episode 2.3 Episode 2.4 Episode 2.5 Episode 2.6 Episode 2.7 Episode 2.8 Christmas at Downton Abbey Episode 2.

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Downton Abbey: Season 1 Downton Abbey #1

Somehow I’m always surprised when a highly rated show is actually good. 😄

From a modern, American, middle-class point of view, the idea of the early 1900s British Aristocracy is just so strange. They do next nothing (useful) and have an entire staff to support it. The entire estate could go to a cousin they’d never met and there’s nothing they can do about it … is so strange.

And yet… it’s oddly charming?

The Grantham’s are fascinating. Sybil seems good people, Edith is certainly going to figure out how to come into her own, Mary is spoiled and needlessly cruel–but may be learning. Lord and Lady Grantham are fun, if somewhat alien–and I do love watching Lord Grantham try and completely fail to wrangle three young adult daughters. 😄

The shining jewel of the family Dame Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess of Grantham. Oh she’s just wonderful.

Among the staff, you have a whole ’nother level of politics. They’re all great and terrible (as they should be) and there are every bit as many problems and politics as there are among the ‘family’. Turns out people are people no matter how much money they have or do not.

Man that’s a crazy amount to fit into seven episodes.

Onward… to war!

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