QVC Beauty Bash January 2016

QVC's dates to remember kicked off in the freezing London weather with the annual Beauty Bash 2016.  Once again at Billingsgate 19-21 January. A bit like seeing old friends and familiar faces again, as well as some new ones! And plenty of must see items coming up too!

OPI birthday this year as they celebrate 20 years with QVC and many new fashion trending colours to look forward to, especially in the upcoming TSV. Am looking forward to the first TSV which launches 8 March: the New Orleans Collection.  Not only for the fashionable shades but also as it's a favourite city of mine.  Can't wait to revisit!

Photo courtesy of the OPI Celebrating 20 Years With QVC brochure.

I don't have a particular fave brand when it comes to nail polish I use them all, as long as they have my favourite purple colour at some point in their collection!  NailsInc, Leighton Denny, love them all and they were all there.  Some great collections coming up there too, including more Kale from NailsInc.  21st April  for a must-see/smell Leighton Denny Temple Blossoms.

A new range of nail polish for this day and age of always on-the-go are from Little Ondine, less time consuming as they are simply peeled off when you want them removed.  Innovative too as the range is not only non-toxic but cruelty-free, can be used by vegans, as well as children and mothers to be.

Another well loved brand celebrating 20 years with QVC is Gatineau Paris. How time flies when you have access to such excellent products, no one can tell you're twenty years older, or should I say younger! Two special TSVs to look foreword to, one on 30th January : the five piece Daily SkinCare Collection which includes a new Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover  containing Aloe Vera, cucumber and green tea.
The next TSV is 24th April the Perfection Ultimate also launching the new Perfection Ultimate Anti-Aging Complexion Cream.
Loving the sketch on the back of the Gatineau 20th Anniversary brochure.

Oh and finally got a pic of Andrew!  Don't shy away from the camera!! ha.

Always on hand are the wonderful presenters and always great to chat with them, as well as the people tirelessly and continually bringing their range of products for us to use and enjoy.  The wonderful resident QVC beauty expert Alison was so in demand and the queue was never-ending for her helpful advice and tips!

Oh Miceal we must stop meeting like this!! ha. Our on-going running joke! ha

Ali, Jackie and Debbie were on hand too.

 

Oh Will!!

Mr Selfridge Series 4 Episode 2 Review

                                             
Harry (Jeremy Piven) dreams and finds himself in a graveyard where he sees Rose's gravestone and then his own next to hers.  He awakens in a hospital and says he's still alive.  A reporter accosts Gordon (Greg Austin) as he leaves home and asks him about Harry and the store.  He says everything is in good hands.  Harry rests at the country home and he loses at cards to his grand daughter, Tatiana (Abigail Eames).  He misses the store and the others have to get along without him as best they can. Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) and Crab (Ron Cook) take over the running and Mae (Katherine Kelly) has requests for the new fashion line which fall outside of the approved budget.  She then says she wants her own machinists and carte blanche to hire whoever she wants and will design her own line. Obviously within budget.

Gordon turns up for dinner at the home with Grace (Amy Morgan) and troublemaker Violette (Hannah Tointon) also arrives on her own plane.  She shows Harry the newspaper headlines where it states that Gordon is managing the store now and Harry is practically retired after being at the helm for 20 years.  He's done no such thing and is upset, heading back to work.  Not believing that Gordon didn't say anything to the press.  He's going to have words with Wynnstay (Robert Pugh).  

He has new ideas and announces to the press the opening of a new technology department, next to cosmetics and Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) was't pleased with that and also the launch of Mae's new fashion line.  He wants the Dolly sisters to model it but she's after an English rose, he doesn't listen to her though.  Meryl (Lottie Tolhurst) is rude to a customer as Connie (Sacha Parkinson) refuses to train her and Meryl tells a customer the colour yellow won't suit her and the line isn't correct for her figure, implying she's old and fat.  Connie must apologize and sends her to work in the storeroom. You'd think Meryl would have some common sense about how to be tactful and actually flatter to get a sale.

A black woman is shown getting ready and leaving for the store, she's there for an interview as a new machinist, as she arrives through the front door everyone stares.  Clearly she's seen as an outcast and treated as such, even by Meryl who seems to have her own airs about her.  Telling her she should use the service entrance at the side.  She gets the same look when she arrives at the line for the interview. Grove asks for references, character references that is and Mae likes her dress.  She copied it from a magazine, a Chanel design and changed some of the design.  Mae hires her much to the chagrin and disgust of the other workers there.  Tilly (Mimi Ndiweni) also has an idea of how they can make the dresses fit any sized women and once again the other workers don't like her getting ahead.  The supervisor says if they can get their work done she'll take then for tea at Lyon's teahouse.  Obviously that doesn't include Tilly, as she sends her for beads and they make a run for it when she's not there. She talks with Meryl after she hears the other girls referring to her as "Mr Grove's daughter" and that's the only reason she got the job, but she's in the right place now.  Tilly and Meryl get to be on first name terms with each other.

Harry's mother, Lois (Kika Markham) tells him he should make it up with Gordon as he didn't tell the newspapers anything and Harry tells him he knows he wants to be his own man and not stand by his side, as that's the impression Gordon gives him after he tells him about marrying Grace and it's up to him who he marries.  Clearly that's not sorted out.  Harry also gets five pages of advertizing from Wynnstay and tells him he's not going to threaten him with a story like that again.  The Dolly's are late for the show and when they do arrive they've been out all night and drinking.  They manage to pull off the show with much gusto and some women are disgusted and leave when they see how long it takes to remove the clothes, even if they did behind the screens.  Mae isn't happy at all and later tells Harry that they're her designs, she's grateful for what he's done but she'll make her own decisions, or she's out.  He also brings in Alberta Hunter (Cynthia Erivo) to sing again over the wireless, surprised they listened to her singing over the radio or didn't they know she was also black.

Rosie (Emma Hamilton) invites Harry to an overnight party on a ship where they'll be playing baccarat and kisses him.  Seems Harry was just waiting for that, here he's with Rosie, when it was actually Jenny (Zoe Richards) he wanted.  He asks her about death and how he was almost there a few weeks ago after she remarks on resting when they're dead.  He arrives home late and finds his mother has died.  Adding more woes for him and taking him further into that downward spiral.  Mae thanks Jimmy (Sacha Dhawan) for the flowers, telling him she's not Harry's plus one and she can look after herself.  As they also kiss.

Grove wanted to ask for some time off but he sees how Harry hasn't recovered yet and doesn't ask. Miss Blenkinsop (Deborah Cornelius) and Miss Plunkett (Sadie Shimmin) ask Kitty about having children of her own and how she's not fulfilled as a woman until she does so.  She takes it the wrong way and leaves saying she doesn't want children and that's what she asks Frank (Samuel West) later. They both decide they're "not that sort of couple" and she enjoys her work and wants to keep working, which he says just makes her ambitious.  Miss Plunkett tells her about having a fiance who died in South Africa.  She didn't find anyone else and she apologizes for saying what she did cos people just assume and it's no one's business.

Not much happening here as you can just guess, even if you don't know the real story.  As Harry and Gordon are further alienated from each other over the store since Harry doesn't want to relinquish any part of it and that was what led to his downfall in part and being removed by the board.  He's not willing to see the real picture and how he can't still do things his own way.  Even after the story Jimmy tells him about coming to the store with his mother, thinking it was a palace and asking who lived here.  She told him it was a store and it was Selfridge.  She bought him a clockwork train set, which Harry tells him is still their best seller today.  Always doing market research.  Jimmy mentioning how Harry invited him to the store and not his club, cos they wouldn't let Jimmy in, unless he was accompanied by Harry.  But it doesn't make any difference cos it's not about who accompanies him, rather his skin colour, just like with Tilly, discrimination knows no bounds, even if you've got money, you're still treated in that way, though it may be less subtle and not so apparent. Either that or they'll just stick by him cos he's got money.  They each ask the other how they made it big.  Even if Harry was discriminated against, it was cos he was an American and nothing else.
It appears Harry's dream about dying was more of a foreboding about Lois.

Jekyll and Hyde Series 1 Episode 10 Review

                                                
Everything was going to come to ahead in this and was expected, even if things were going to be left on a cliffhanger just so there's another series.  However ITV chose to cancel the series, so we'll never know if the ending was as planned, obviously not, but this means effectively the incubus was so powerful, it wiped everyone out and then some, including this show!  Obviously it was all about ratings.  Though plenty of bruhaha was made about it being too violent, violence is out as usual, but sex and gratuity is a big yes as far as certain executives are concerned!  However the comparison with Doctor Who weren't warranted, that's an established show and not something viewers really wanted, but critics just couldn't leave well enough aloe!  Maybe it would've fared better on a channel other than ITV!  I will miss the eyeliner!!

Robert (Tom Bateman) et al are stopped on the road as the Incubus tries to get into this world, that's why he can't turn into Hyde to fight it cos it's not their realm yet.  However Fedora (Natasha O'Keeffe) arrives to take it with her and is stopped from shooting anyone by Garson, (Donald Sumpter) Bella (Natalie Gumede) and Hils (Ruby Bentiall).  Olalla (Wallis Day) isn't around but she comes back to the house since she tries to work out what the Jezequiel book really is, a book within another book and she finds this out as she reads and the pages change. Should've known it wasn't what it seems as there are two of them as well, thus the book would also have two sides to it.  Renata (Melia Bullmore) tells her what it really is and Olalla wants to take on hr role as the guardian of the gate.  As Renata explains everything to her, she tells her why Robert has to be the one to kill Dance (Enzo Cilenti) cos she's too 'involved' with him.  But she does help Robert by calling him to tell about the calyx, even though she is too late.  Saying he's the only one who can open it and must smash the heart inside before it beats too much, otherwise it'll get stronger with each beat and hurt everyone around him.

But before all that we have a flashback to the Carpathian Mountains where Dance found the twins and Robert is rescued by their father, leaving behind Olalla.

Bella tells him he needs to tell Lily who he really is before she finds out, of course she already knows.  Lots of dubiousness going on here.  As he gets to her house he finds Hannigan (Phil McKee) there and walking through the house he find sit leads to MOI HQ.  Mother being Belstrode (Richard E Grant) (which I said weeks ago, you know like Mother in The Avengers.) Though he finds this out as Robert, as Hyde he jokes about the name and yes you should've known.  "MIO, MI Other mother" But it's strange Robert went to pieces over Lily (Stephanie Hyam) and hearing who she really is. Okay he truly loved her, but he was a tad wimpish about it.  Thus needing to change into Hyde to handle the betrayal.  As for everyone saying Robert lied to Lily it's really not the same thing cos he wasn't sure how she'd take something like this and it's not exactly something you blurt out in your first meeting and first date or anything.  They didn't even date in that sense of the word.

Lily knows about Bella of course, even if that was Hyde having his way with her.  Lily being the grand daughter of Sir Danvers Carew who was killed by Robert's grandfather after he found out he was being used.  So she wasn't as vulnerable as she made herself out to be.  Also knew her being attacked in the first ep was all a set up and a way to rope him in.  Hyde fancying the wicked Lilly. Er, she was just the same to me!  ha.

Dance didn't want to have an incubus inside of him but accepts it especially as he tries to open the calyx. Ravi (Michael Karim) was a bit slow too in telling that Dance is close by but not exactly how close, as he arrives at the house and everyone's attacked.  Grandmother Maggie (Sinead Cusack) and Garson declaring their love for each other at this point in time.  So Dance opens the calyx after having it stolen from MOI HQ and time stands still for everyone as Hyde tries to stop it.  Leading everyone to be knocked out with some deadly powerful force being unleashed... and so it ends! Typical no conclusion!

It had to be dark and that's a given from the outset since the story itself was always dark.  Though it would've been better if it was aired a little later.  Maybe they thought this 'jumped' the shark after Hyde got a sister in the vein of the Hammer film Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde.  Though it was actually Jekyll who used to turn into the female Hyde in this.

Saying Goodbye to Michael Weatherly

                                              
Having heard about Michael Weatherly's departure from NCIS left me a little sad.  Oh who am I kidding, it left me "gloomy and bitter and blue...!" He's been the driving force behind many an episode and not to take anything away from the rest of the cast, who are all suberb in their respective roles, Tony was the joker, the vulnerable serious guy who was always there through it all and for everyone too.  So it falls on me to put two words together or maybe a few more and bid a fond farewell to everyone's "Very Special" Agent Anthony DiNozzo, without whom we'd have had a very dull 13 seasons!

Tony started out as a fresh faced agent and I don't mean that in any nasty way, obviously, but looking back he (Michael) was soo young and that hair too!  Which I guess he got cut shorter to go for a more sophisticated mature look.  From all the jokes Kate (Sasha Alexander) used to make about him, the womanizing ways and all that.  Kind of grated.  She wasn't perfect, anyway this isn't about her.  He did finally develop a soft spot for her, even naming a goldfish after her.  I liked Tony with a cat too in 12.7 The Searchers, the one that ran away.  It was very Breakfast At Tiffany's.  Speaking of, everyone remarked on his resemblance to Robert Wagner, who played his father, Senior, on the show.  I thought he's more closer in looks to George Peppard.

Somehow think that maturity was shown by Tony's lack of film references.  There haven't been that many recently, not how they used to come thick and fast in previous years.  But that was a highlight and something to look forward too.  Guess he had plenty of time on his hands to watch those movies over the years. But I could relate to that, not out of loneliness or anything, but have watched my fair share of films and stuff. I also loved the way he'd always suspect the spouse first, cos that's officially how the job is done and I used to do that too.

Tony even got the offer of his own team in Spain which he turned down and was needed by his colleagues, they were more friends, when Gibbs (Mark Harmon) was in hospital.  Showing his leadership skills and no he wasn't trying to be Gibbs' replacement, though he did learn plenty from him. " On your six boss." One of my fave lines, among many!
Jenny: "So you're turning down a promotion because of a moustache?"
Tony: "His memory is still screwed up.  He called Ziva Kate yesterday."  Always putting others first, he knew the team needed him at this time.
Also got less of the McGee (Sean Murray) 'nicknames' over the seasons too, probably exhausted the possibilities, 'ey, McNerdy.  McScout, McRomeo, McProbious.

Three NCIS Directors during his time too, Tom Morrow (Alan Dale) his name was more like Tomorrow, ha!  Jenny Shepherd (Lauren Holly) and Vance (Rocky Carroll).  Jenny being the one he had the closest ties with in terms of keeping secrets from Gibbs, especially when she sent him undercover as Tony DiNardo to 'seduce' le Frog's daughter, Jeanne (Scottie Thompson) sorry, la grenouille.  Leading to many repercussions overtime and tensions.  Turned out to be pretty dangerous for Tony and he survived his car being blown up, but more so as he fell in love with Jeanne.  That came back to bite.  She just wasn't right for him.  So it was a shock when Jenny was killed when she was under his and Ziva's (Cote di Pablo) protection in LA.

Michael said in an interview how he recalled Jenny dying and how he was shocked and, "I didn't see that coming at all." To when the same scene was reproduced again in season 12.11 Check and as soon as I saw that diner that's exactly what I blurted out, that it was a "rehash" of the episode when Jenny was killed.  It was good to revisit that but in a completely different way.  This time the re-staged scene being related to Gibbs.  Michael also recalled Mike Franks (Muse Watson) being killed in season 8 by the Port to Port killer and said how, "those were major changes."  And in his own way he stated, "and somehow it's [NCIS] so sturdy that it withstands all of these changes."  And he was right it did and it will surely survive now with Michael's departure, but he will be sorely missed!!

In her own way, Ziva did help Tony and the rest of the team get over Kate's death.  She wasn't a conventional agent, but she wasn't an NCIS agent either, until much later.  He also had much to say about her idioms, she should 'assimilate already!'  But as we know Tony, or got to know him by now, he would inevitably end up falling for her.  Yes inevitable, but we all saw it coming.  She surely must've been his true soul mate cos saying goodbye was so painful for both of them.  And I'm not saying that just to appease the Tiva shippers (am not one of them.)

Then Tony's bed being too small, always thought that strange but loved his apartment, it was cool! No more scenes in that lift, or coming out of the lift and that bull pen...at least with Tony...oh can't think about all that now!
                                                       
Some outstanding Tony eps: Bounce, where he helped to prove the man he put away was innocent. Even if it meant having to deal with his mistakes and putting his reputation as an agent on the line. Obsession, was very Laura the 1944 film noir with Gene Tierney and once more Tony let his emotions get in the way.  I guess the one that endeared Tony to us all was SWAK in season 2.
Jet Lag on the flight from Paris was memorable too.  Well that sounded like a pun there, wasn't meant to be!

There was some controversy when Cote de Pablo announced her decision to leave and Michael's comments in an article which many fans didn't like and resented.  Which I won't go into here, of course it was understandable and everyone had an opinion, you can't hold it against remaining cast members for what was entirely her decision to leave.  Link below.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/arianelange/wonderfully-weird-michael-weatherly-thinks-his-onscreen-rela#.gwj0zGjQd

Will have to listen to some of his great songs now, like Under the Sun: "...you can't control it no way to hold it, life just keeps going on..last thing I'd do is send a message to you, if  I, had the time..." All the time in the world now!!

As Michael tweeted "diNozza is a wonderful, quixotic character and I couldn't have had more fun playing him over the past 13 seasons...I will miss the amazing cast and crew, who are like family to me, and to all the fans all over the world - THANK YOU it's been a fantastic ride!"
Gonna miss you Michael.  Thank you for an amazing 13 seasons!

What am I going to do without the Gibbs' slaps?? *sobs uncontrollably*


Quite a few fave fan eps in this NCIS book, I was lucky enough to send Michael a copy, I hope he received it! Aww should've done one just for the best Tony eps!

http://www.amazon.com/My-Ncis-Unofficial-Unauthorized-Guide/dp/1291032177/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452391899&sr=8-2&keywords=mila+hasan

Was also lucky enough to get an RT from Michael for the following piece I wrote:
http://mila255.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=confessions+of+an+ncis+addict

Mr Selfridge Series 4 Episode 1 Review

Biaritz, France 1928 finds Harry (Jeremy Piven) gambling again and living the high life and  he tells everyone he has under his gambling control.
Back in London, Harry heads to the Colleano club which is doing better than ever and listens to a nightclub singer sing about no one wanting to know you when you're down and out.  Some early foreshadowing here of events to come.

A new unveiling of the statue "The Queen of Time" outside the store, which is still here today is about to take place.  Harry calls it 'the best of times' and there's no better way of marketing the store than this.  Grove (Tom Goodman-Hill) says it'll be here even after they're gone.  Everyone's flouting around, "the Earl of Oxford Street" title now.  It's Grove's birthday and he's been at the store 20 years. As Mr Crabb (Ron Cook) says but Harry says they started the store in 1909 which strictly speaking is 19 years.  Anyhoo, being pedantic.

Frank (Samuel West) mentions the black boxer, Joe Langford (Bentley Kalu) who can't fight cos of the colour bar and Victor's (Trystan Gravalle) hosting the match at the club.  Lady May (Katherine Kelly) returns to London with more woes for Harry.  Seems her husband, Renard is cheating on her and his latest conquest doesn't want to remain a mistress, so he's divorcing her and she doesn't get a penny.  Nor can she go to court since she can't have a scandal.  Thus she must sell her shares to live. Harry wants to help her but she won't let him.  And lets her stay at Violette's flat.  She's got a fashion boutique but it's only small.  Of course that marks the beginning of the end for Harry, since the store will eventually get taken over and he still can't stop splurging.  He asks May to stay, at least for the unveiling of the clock.

Rosalie (Kara Tointon) talks of how Harry needs to find a proper woman for himself and she has a daughter now.  But Serge is in Paris and up to no good.  He's also been having an affair with a Countess, probably with mother's approval.  Which Lord Wynnstay (Robert Pugh) has gotten wind of as the Countess is willing to tell her story.  He tells Frank that Harry wants advertizing but he has a personal story for him.  Later telling him of this, as he also meets Rosalie and makes small talk. Frank and Wynnstay also discuss the emancipation of women and he comments on how he'll get their votes cos they'll vote the way his paper wants them to.

Grove's eldest daughter, Meryl (Lottie Tolhurst) has found a teaching job but just wants to work at the store like her mother, Doris, did.  But Grove doesn't like what "shop girls" get to see.  Though she doesn't give up.  The nanny leaves and he misses Ms Mardle who's in New York.  He tells Crabb they had a mutual parting, a clean break, since she couldn't be mother to five children.  Meryl later asks Harry for a job and he says she could work in fashion with her father's approval and he finally relents. Harry saying Violette asked him for a job and he didn't let her have it, which was a mistake.

Kitty (Amy Beth Hayes) and Frank have moved into a new extravagant house and she invites George (Calum Callaghan) and Connie (Sacha Parkinson) for dinner.  Where she tells Kitty she's having a baby, leaving Kitty jealous as she's feeling clucky too.  Frank however is at the boxing match organized by Jimmy Dillon (Sacha Dhawan) a man with a scandalous past himself, apparently his mother had an affair with a Maharajah in India and he's self made.  That match looked so fixed, as Harry bets on the American, Joe and obviously the Englishman would win.  Who says Britain wasn't racist?  Jimmy saying he won cos Harry made all the punters bet on Joe after he did.  All the while Jimmy watches May.  He wants to get 'cosy' with her, but she doesn't and Harry feels he had to defend her which she doesn't like.  Especially cos of his reputation with the women and those Dolly sisters, but she's capable of speaking for herself.  All out for a good time and Harry saying he knows some movie producers as the sisters want to get into talkies!  Ha.  Yeah with their voices!  Think Singin' In the Rain is all I can say, Lina Lamont.

Connie gives May the idea of making affordable ready to wear clothes which the French already have, knowing it'd so well and Harry wants her to design them.  They didn't have pret a porter for nothing you know.  Gordon (Greg Austin) returns after being sent to the provincial stores and Harry has no time for him.  He and Grace (Amy Morgan) have two sons now and she hopes he doesn't fall out with them.  Harry is also approached by the London Civic group, Keen (Oliver Dimsdale) who wants to meet him as they're shareholders, but he ends up meeting Gordon instead.  See Harry's so flippant and not concerned about the store so much as he is with the people and his friends.

At the unveiling he reveals the "Queen of Time" Harry steps back and has a fall.  See yet more foreshadowing.  This final series 4 opener was a bit slow to get off the ground (no pun) setting up storylines for future episodes like Kitty wanting a baby, Gordon and Harry's relationship not boding well for the store.  But particularly as the Dolly sisters make their presence known.

Jenny(Zoe Richards) and Rosie (Emma Hamilton) who were actually Hungarian, Jancsi and Roszica. They were showgirls, as they said and Harry became enamoured with Jenny, lavishing expensive gifts on her, buying her a chateau and furnishing it with antiques.  But she never married him.  She had her own affairs and in 1933, she suffered a car crash along with a French mobster/gangster named Max. She was terribly disfigured and in 1941, Jenny hanged herself, after suffering from depression and loneliness.  Harry paid all their gambling debts and "squandered" his fortune on them.
What happened to Frank's book he was writing about the soldiers and also no mention of Harry's housing project.

Sherlock Special: "The Abominable Bride" Review

                                            
Some spoilers sweetie, if you'd call them that!

All the rigmarole of the Sherlock Special and all the hype, yes I use hype even if I am a fan myself, cos at the end of the day and the year, I was saying that it wouldn't really be set in the Victorian era, per se. Sherlock and this version of Sherlock at any rate is firmly set in the modern age.  Thus it would be hard pressed for it to be transported back to a bygone age.  Bygone since other versions were set in the past but not this one.  This Sherlock is definitively and decisively set in today's world. Thus as soon as we got the Previously it was evident (can I say elementary) that the Special would contain references to everything that had gone before.  Back taken to the past.

With Watson (Martin Freeman) serving in the military, the Second Afghan War and having a narrative now to explain how he got to where he is and to meeting Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch). Again through a mutual friend, used loosely.  Sherlock beating up a corpse just like he did earlier in the opener A Study in Pink ep.  To test how long bruising takes before it appears on a DB (dead body,)  To having Watson (I've taken to calling John 'Watson' now) as a house mate and having to give out his address of 221B Baker Street.  All points were leading to the Moriarty (Andrew Scott) question and 'Miss Me.'  Offset from 3.3 His Last Vow.  Even having Lastrade(Rupert Graves) around and (can I say arriving back at Baker Street to be greeted by Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) cos she doesn't do that by the front door and of course the stories Watson used to write as they appeared in The Strand magazine.   With reference to The Blue Carbuncle in this one.

So on with the case, The Abominable Bride here, which Watson doesn't name until the end of the episode for his story.  A bride, Emelia Ricoletti (Natasha O'Keefee) who apparently committed suicide by shooting herself on her balcony for a crowd to witness.  Then mysteriously turning up to kill her husband, Ricoletti (Gerald Kyd) after her DB having been identified by both her husband and a cabbie.  Lastrade says Scotland Yard's put it down to suicide, but then there were reports of the bride turning up, as a ghost, or spectre as Homes preferred, though "there's no such thing as ghosts;" in other murders.  Sherlock putting that down to people needing to describe something like her in their own cases and crimes, cos she's in the papers.  Kind of like a suggestion, a thought implanted that this ghost of the this bride is real.  But then why would she be murdering complete strangers and turning up in their homes or wherever the 'events' took place.

Sherlock asks who will be working at the morgue and if that idiot is there and sure enough it's Anderson, or who we know to be Anderson (Jonathan Aris) in modern era.  However he's not the coroner, which is Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) disguised as a man.  Here was an amusing part where Watson knows she's a woman, but Sherlock hasn't figured that out, so much for being more intelligent than everyone in that room.  Okay let's not say Watson knew cos he's a doctor.  It was evident as Watson tells her near the end, she had to disguise herself to get ahead in a man's world. Much like Mary (Amanda Abbington) had to disguise herself as a woman who wants to hire Sherlock just to see h r husband.   Apparently Watson has/had moved into the flat with Sherlock.  She also seems to be away a lot, as he says.  She tells Lastrade she's part of the campaign for women's votes.

They pay a visit to Mycroft (Mark Gatiss) who tells them about a woman who will be needing his help on a case.  Sure enough Lady Carmichael turns up, who says her husband will be murdered as he has received five orange pipes in an unmarked envelope.  Sherlock keen to know if he's been to America cos that's where the idea of the pips emerges from and Eustace (Tim McInnerny) must've been there without her knowing.  He must prevent his murder and promises to do so.  Later explaining he hoped he could do this cos he didn't think there'd be a murder to solve anyway.  Still at least we did get a conclusion to this case, of sorts.  The spouse did it, always suspect the spouse first, as we know, helped by a bunch of females!  Should I say 'klan' of women in purple!

Sherlock and Watson together waiting for the bride to appear at Eustace's house and having their little tete a tete, or as Watson referred to it, their talk on a man to man basis.  Where he quizzes him on why Sherlock isn't married and why he hasn't found a wife.  Especially since well, in the Victorian era, it was the 'done' thing.  Even questioning him on his needs of the flesh and implying that Sherlock is still a virgin.  How did he manage to keep a straight face there?  That he saw Irene Adler's photo in his pocketwatch.  There would be reference to her, short of her actually appearing in the show.  It was Sherlock's mind palace we were were dealing with after all.  Sherlock thoroughly "bored" with Watson's conversation and implications, asking for the gun now to put himself out of his misery of having to listen to him.  Then Watson spots the bride.  Who in mordern parlance would be nothing more than a hologram, if the technology was there.  But as it isn't we'll call it smoke and mirrors.  Seeing as how Sherlock deduces it was a piece of glass that was involved in the deception, but all that's later.

As they run toward the house, they hear a window smashing and that's odd since the doors are locked as are the windows and there's no way for them to get in either, without breaking a window themselves.  Sherlock leaves Watson on guard and heads upstairs where he meets Lady Carmichael who raves on about how he was meant to protect Eustace.  Sherlock follows the blood trail and finds him in the attic, stabbed with a rather female looking dagger.  Watson sees the bride behind him and runs away.  Letting the bride get away.  Otherwise the case would've been solved then ad there cos she wasn't a ghost.  Would've thought it more conducive for them to be hiding inside the house, instead of outside, but there you go.

Strange that in this episode Sherlock was surrounded by women; when they get to the church and the mention of the campaign for votes by Mary was a huge piece of foreshadowing.  Since the figures in the hooded robes were women.  Not only Watson's maid, Jane (Stephanie Hyam, Lily from Jekyll and Hyde) but also Janine (Yasmine Akram) as we get a flashback to Sherlock kissing her in 3.3.  But also Molly as herself and a conversation again about how Watson knew that she was a woman and Sherlock didn't.  As the bride creeps up behind him, revealing herself to be Moriarty.  All the while Sherlock trying to deduce how he died and could've come back.  Of course what started this conversation and plot going was Sherlock telling Eustace that he found his wife to be rather intelligent for a woman and far superior to her husband in his thinking.  A subtle reference to Irene. Sherlock wouldn't really say that about any woman, except Irene.

So Sherlock got on that plane and was high in four minutes or less, for him to 'dream' about this entire case in an effort to figure out Moriarty's game.  I didn't know whether to call that a cop out, or just something to be expected from Moffat and Gattis by mow.  Something that we're meant to get ourselves involved in completely and unconditionally, surrendering ourselves to the storylines and the directions they want to take fans in, since by now we know not to get too immersed or to expect any answers.  Again shown by reference to how Sherlock possibly survived the fall from St Bart's in The Empty Hearse.  Again demonstrated here by the need for Sherlock to dig up the grave of Emelia and see what they did with the 'other' body they used.

It was a reflection of how he jumped and how he got Molly to substitute the DB for his own.  But here when they dug up the grave, there was no other body in the coffin and nothing in the grave itself. So if we didn't get an explanation of how Sherlock survived his fall, how would we get one about Moriarty, he shot himself, lost half his head and yet Sherlock et al were expected to believe he was alive.  This episode seeking to reaffirm he was and remains dead.

Some clever tactics involved here once again with a repeat of Moriarty turning up at his flat over six times, as Sherlock tells him and he knew he'd turn up.  As well as the references to his flat having a smell of being so "manly."  Obviously with Watson there, or he used to live there, but that once again reminding us Sherlock has no woman in his life, nor will he.  This time Sherlock, in the past had taken a 7% solution of cocaine.  Oh and he has a list which is what Mycroft provides him with.  As you notice he was quick to pick up the pieces when Sherlock tore it up and threw it down.  As Mycroft says he was always there to help him.  Flashback to Sherlock passed out from his addiction and taking his list.  Hmm, had a silly thought here, thinking out loud, what if Mycroft 'feeds' Sherlock's 'habit'?  It's helpful to him on occasions.  Guilt for leaving him in that prison for over a year, or cos of Redbeard??

From having a rather overweight Mycroft and having a bet with Sherlock as to how long he has to live until his eating gets the better of him, and Mycroft asking for his list, to Mary working for Mycroft as she receives a note in the beginning from 'M', that was Mycroft naturally, not Moriarty as some thought.  So it wasn't any surprise she was sent to keep an eye on Sherlock.  Since Watson wouldn't be doing that.  But it was the 'other' Watson who did.

Then there was the two references to Redbeard (possibly a foreshadowing for the next series, when it comes about.)  But Redbeard was also written in the notebook next to some calculations and Vermeer.  (from The Reichenbach Fall ep)  As well as Moriarty coining the phrase, "dead is the new sexy."  Oh but is it?  Sherlock was meant to be dead, he survived, Irene was meant to be dead, she was still alive and what of Moriarty?  Sorry this must sound like some rantings instead of a review. Then again it was that sort of an episode, leaving more questions again than providing answers.  Or conversely just a fun ep in getting away from all the thinking and questioning and just seeing it as a piece of entertainment.  I know that's what it is at the end of the day, but I can't help thinking about it in greater detail.

Interspersed with scenes on the plane, showing us that clearly Sherlock was not 'set' in the Victorian era, except in the mind and eyes of Sherlock himself.  As well as the end scene with Moriarty where he's 'thrown' off the Reichenbach Falls, not by Sherlock and their fight, but Watson!  As if it's a final good riddance to Moriarty, is it, we can't really tell with the deviousness of Moffat and Gatiss as I said.  Perhaps my note to self or New Year's resolution should be 'don't overthink Sherlock.  Easier said than done!  Also you somehow knew you weren't in Victorian times with overweight Mycroft's reference to "the virus in the data."  Really who would have spoken like that back then and Moriarty's reference to data gain.  As he said, Moriarty will always live on in Sherlock's mind.

Forget about The Abominable Bride, did you think this was an abominable episode.  Sure I thought, the Abominable Snowman somewhere whilst watching.  Ha.  On the existent scenes in places that were all in Sherlock's mind palace and nothing more.  So did we get anything new in this episode? I'd say not.  Besides Moriarty licking the dust from Sherlock's mantelpiece and telling Sherlock and Watson to 'elope'  A shoutout no doubt to all the John/Sherlock shippers out there, of which I am not!  Speedy being re-named 'Speedwell's.'
Guess the suffragette's could be summed by:
John: "I'm taking Mary Home."
Mary: "What?"
John: "Mary's taking me home!"
Oh and the five orange pips, don't forget the pips, like the leftovers of a Christmas tangerine!! ha.

The title being from a line, "Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable wife..." in The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual, mentioned by Sherlock in one of the original stories, but isn't an actual case that was written about, casting a more mysterious picture to this episode.  Maybe also a red herring in that this episode wasn't really about the bride at all.

So it was a mixed bag of reviews, some liked, some didn't, some were on the 221B door knocker! Acting and cast: superb as always.  The story: could've done it a bit better! (My opinion and I care not if you disagree! ha.)

For Benedict fans, check this out:
http://www.amazon.com/Continuing-Letter-Benedict-Cumberbatch-Author/dp/B00Y34Q918/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1451754519&sr=8-8&keywords=mila+hasan