Victoria 2.2 The Green-Eyed Monster Review

                                             
As the title suggests this episode, the ugly monster rears its head in Victoria's life, perhaps more as a result of her insecurities after having a baby and then finding out she's pregnant once again.  As she tries to determine and find a balance between her duties as a Sovereign and as a wife and mother. Sovereign was the word this episode as it was mentioned more than her being Queen! As she likes to use a lot.  This time Albert (Tom Hughes) finds his interests leaning more towards the Royal Society as his fascination with mathematics peaks and the new invention of "the engine."  Yes last series it was steam engines, this time round it's computers.  As he leaves Victoria (Jenna Coleman) to meet Charles Babbage (Jo Stone-Fewings) and Lady Ada Lovelace (Emerald Fennell) and is most suitably impressed with the engine, rather more so than the woman herself.  Though he'd be more interested in Lady Lovelace's mind more than anything else.

His father, the Duke of Coburg (Andrew Bicknell) asks him for money to repair the roof back in Coburg, didn't he ask for that last time round too, but he's been squandering the money on his "h-hobbies" as Albert puts it (hobbies in place of whores which is what he really wanted to say.)  The Duke emphasizing that people visit the court and want to see where the 'King of England' was born, with Albert adding he's not the King.  No he is a Prince and King Consort which of course no one would know the meaning of.  Victoria throws a party for the Royal Society and in particular wanting to meet Lady Lovelace as she fears Albert is enamoured with her.  With the dancer Marie Taglioni performing and there's a rendition of Othello too.  Which the Duchess of  Buccleuch (Diana Rigg) takes particular offence to even though Othello was written as a Moor by Shakespeare, as Peel (Nigel Lindsay) tells her.

Wilhelmina (Bebe Cave) continues to be enchanted by Earnest (David Oakes) and listens to him playing Chopin, with the Duchess catching her out saying she's all red like a strawberry.  Now how did we know the next scene would involve a mention of strawberries, well it could've been worse, they could've actually shown some!  As Skerrett (Nell Hudson) tells Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley) the Queen wants some of his strawberry tarts as she's particularly in the mood for them, as we know why, she has craving for tarts (oops!)  He isn't happy being back as he tells her he had no choice being ordered back here.  That's it's some small mercy being the Queen's favourite he supposes. Skerrett is sorry as she had no idea he was forced back.

On the occasion of the invite at the palace, Victoria also renews her acquaintance with Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell) and invites him as well.  To the chagrin of Leopold (Alex Jennings) and also Albert who tells Victoria she already has a Prime Minister and can't be involved in politics with him.  Melbourne tells her about Lady Lovelace and that she is Lord Byron's daughter.  Byron of course having a sore spot still with Melbourne as his wife ran away with him.  As Victoria wasn't aware of Ada being his daughter.  After she embarrasses herself when Albert explains to her what Pi is and that it's not used for cutting pies into pieces per se.  Wasn't Ada's addition of using it to calculate apple pies and the circumference of Victoria's skirts a bit snide under the circumstances, as if she was ridiculing her.

Leopold has words with Melbourne and he must leave to attend to his library.  Telling Leopold that he was called by his Sovereign and one does not refuse her.  Victoria arrives to see him going and he was leaving without saying goodbye.  He must attend to his orchids as it is orchid season and won't be staying in London.  Victoria also having trouble with her corset now and can't be pulled tightly in. As she realizes for sure now that she is having a baby.  She sends for Albert to come to the palace after he is at dinner at the Royal Society and is speaking on their behalf.  But he refuses and she sends Brodie (Tommy Knight) again with another message and Albert sends him back asking if she commands him tor return. When he comes home, she refuses to repy and invite him into her chamber.

Then rides off to see Melbourne the next day and tells Duchess Buccleuch, on purpose that if Albert asks where she is, that she's at Brockett Hall.  Albert however is not concerned and he doesn't ask where she is.  He's more interested in engines and machines.  However Leopold is, as she tells him where Victoria is.  She just felt compelled to tell him considering she wasn't taken with Victoria as it was a personal visit and not one of state or duty.  She asks Melbourne about marriage and he isn't an expert on that but he tells her Albert was made King Consort for a reason and not cos he was interested in taking over and becoming a King.  Adding, "a man who is intent on flirtation does not tend to resort to mathematics."  She is still the Sovereign and they are still her subjects.
Melbourne is unwell and has leeches applied to his right arm and is told they will help him with use of the left side of his body more, as Victoria sends him letter after letter.  Finally he sends a reply back to her telling her that Albert loves her.

As Victoria visits the Royal Society she finds that Ada is leaving as her boy has fallen out of a tree and she has three children.  Which surprises Victoria.  However she would've preferred to be a man and Victoria agrees, now easing her mind with having nothing to worry about.  Ernest tells Albert he should give their father the money and send him home, but he doesn't want to on principle.  Earnest can't mess around here anymore and Albert doesn't want him to leave, but Leopold tells Albert about Victoria having a baby before he leaves with the Duke of Coburg.  Also telling Victoria's mother (Catherine Flemming) the news.  Albert asks Victoria why she didn't tell him and she replies she was going to the other night, but he didn't return to the place.  As she sits by the gazebo where he kissed her and they make up.

Elsewhere there's an intruder in the place as he roams around freely stealing food and wine. Cleary (Tilly Steele) thinks it's a ghost and she has to keep her rosary away from Penge (Adrian Schiller) who doesn't like Papists.  Finally he's found in the wardrobe and makes a run for it. However he's cornered and particularly by Duchess Buccleuch, who else.  Also there's a hint of a possible relationship between Lord Alfred (Jordan Waller) and Drummond (Leo Suter) as he offers him a light for his cigar, saying he never goes anywhere without his tinderbox.  Well they did share longing looks.

Victoria doesn't want another baby so soon as that would mean more confinement and being slowly driven away from her duties as she fears Albert would take the reigns and desires nothing more than to have greater responsibility.  Shown by her outrage at being treated like an ignoramus and having her husband explain to her what mathematics involves.  As she led a sheltered life and didn't get to learn much.  Which she confides in Melbourne, whilst still harbouring feelings for him.  The highlight of this episode for most fans of course would have been the return of Melbourne and how he treats Victoria still with reverence and managing to hide his feelings as she is his Queen and he merely her subject.  That much was clear in the greenhouse, like Victoria's intrigue over why the Goddess of Love should have a plant named after her, the Venus Flytrap.  No prizes for guessing why that line was uttered.

Knives In Hens - Play- Review

                                               
Knives In Hens by David Harrower at the Donmar Warehouse, London

The title itself suggested no ordinary story and being set in pre-industrial society spoke to many traits that can still be seen today and demonstrated in many villages the world over even now.  Thus it was topical in many ways and easily understandable.  Women treated like chattels, belongings, for the satisfaction of men and also as labourers, tasked, ordered to do more work by their men folk, husbands.

The contrasts between the ploughman, William and the miller, Gilbert were abundantly worlds apart!! The ploughman was looked up to in his village and revered for the farming and work that he did. Able to take any woman and not only as his wife and more.  Seen as the 'bread winner' and most of all one to be obeyed.  The miller in contrast, more well read, hands-on in his work too and a tier above the ploughman.  Also highly intelligent.  Shown by many lines, but particularly the line when William comments on why he has so many books?  Miller: so he can read a new one.  That's reflected in the world, so he can get ahead with what's going on and strive to be better and most importantly to have dreams.  This he showed to the ploughman's wife and that meeting where he asks her to write her name.  That he writes his thoughts on paper so that he can look back on them whenever he wants. The pen is mesmerizing to her as all she's ever seen are tools and more importantly, knives, on display frequently in her hands for her work.  The pen is seen as an object of evil by her, as are words, but it's fascinating for her to know little by little there's more to her life than what William has made her believe.  In the age old expression: the pen is mightier than the sword!  Until this is turned around on itself in a way in the penulimate "act" as I call it.

Lots of taboos associated with the miller and that fateful meeting with the wife as she drags the bags to his mill, yeah it's her doing the heavy labouring whilst William looks after the pregnant mare.  It's the miller who plants thoughts in her head about what is out there, what can be done.  As she sits down to write her thoughts.  It is these same wily thoughts in her head which lead to lust and ultimately tragedy.  Knew that was coming!  Not giving anything away!  At first she refuses to accept any of what the miller tells her as real and there's a scene reminiscent in my mind, of Lady Macbeth from Macbeth, as she scrubs her hands from the ink in desperation.  Mirroring Lady Macbeth's "out, out damned spot after the King's murder.  Hiding her indiscretion from William in actually holding the pen and using it.
                                            
Excellent cast performances from Matt Ryan as the miller Gilbert (as I tweeted he would play that role).  In many ways for someone who writes a lot, he curiously appears as a man of very little words, but still intensely passionate in his beliefs, wanting more to this life of hardship, to explore. Judith Roddy as the put upon wife who discovers there's more to life than just work and discovers dreaming and the world around her.  Christian Cooke as William, I so want to write "Pony William" here!! Okay I did.  But yeah happy Matt did climb back down from that ladder as he seemed to vanish! Ha.

In some respects it shows how far society has progressed when the majority of us don't have to live in a world where there is only toil, where we're not allowed to think or most importantly, to do: do what we want, not what someone tells us to do: follow our dreams!
Was there some form of magical charm in the Miller's hold over her, my interpretation was that he could, according to the superstitions of the day have a magical hold on her.  But I think the magic behind his actions were to teach her, as I said to be independent, more an intellectual.  Which somehow bought out the carnal instincts in them.

As one Evening Standard review wrote of how Matt played "brooding".  He always was good at that, in my opinion, in Constantine and in much, much more.
Wonderful to have seen Matt again as always - and to have had a quick chat afterwards!!

Ghosts of Shepherdstown 2.8 "Excellent Day for an Exorcism" Review

Before I start writing, unbelievably my sis said the EVP was "Ca-hill" seconds before Dana said it!!
Well it is believable!!  She didn't hear it in the clip posted cos she doesn't like to watch those beforehand, but on the flip side, I can't believe I missed that!!

So this one led to the ultimate showdown with the demon as Sharon, the owner of the teahouse, found the place wrecked, as well as a knife being thrown at her and she couldn't stay there anymore.  Nick, Elizabeth and Bill came to check it out and felt a heavy presence, with Elizabeth sensing something was there.  With the EMf readings being extremely powerful and picking up on plenty of static electricity too with none of the electricals being faulty or impacting on this.  Elizabeth and Nick feeling drained and then the wire being yanked away from being plugged into the wall on camera, giving Nick goosebumps.

Back at HQ, Dana found more evidence of the 'ocurrences' historically telling of the "Wizardclip" story; where a man who owned land, Adam Livingston, was met by a stranger one night knocking on his door and he was ill and asked for last rites.  Adam wasn't able to do this and the man died. Thus he beginning of poltergeist activity and he buried him in some corner of his land fearing he may have been possessed.  He found the heads of his chickens ripped off and other happenings inside the house, hearing the sound of shears.  Finally he went to the priest, who happened to be Father Cahill and he finally performed an exorcism.  The same Father Cahill that we met in episode 2.5 Now You're In That Sunken Place.  I was going to add this was one reason why the Father's spirit was roaming as he wasn't able to administer last rites to the dying couple in the cave.  As Dana said the demon probably didn't know he returned to Ireland, but it was ironic that his spirit came back here.  Also the teahouse is in the same location where Adam asked for the Father's help.

Each of the cases led to the demon attempting to exact his revenge on Father Cahill, with the apparent possessions of John and Jen, almost, and the Watson farm which was next to the Priestfield, the land given to the church by Adam in return for his exorcism.  The Benson's experienced the mutilations, the shears, antique scissors they found in the cave and all of these being connected.  Bill says it's time they carried out an exorcism too and calls someone he knows, an ordained priest who has carried out exorcisms in the past, Jeff  Leeper.  He sensed the oppressiveness to and said they needed to deal with the demon right now.  Also that there's no time limit on these things, it could still return and Father Cahill's exorcism was so long ago.

Setting up their equipment, you could see some entity on the 3D camera, small and at one point, when it turned, it looked like it had a tail even.  Even looking a bit insect like.  But it was trying to attach onto someone and trying for Nick's back as he said.

As well as going after Jeff in the basement when he began the exorcism, after drawing the circle on the floor and giving them blessings and the Seal of Solomon on their palms for protection, as Lorie did the same.  As well as needing trigger objects, which were the scissors, which Nick had to go into the narrow opening to retrieve, I thought they would've taken them already; the bell, the bones, the rosary from Nina.
Lorie felt something was going to come out of the kitchen and go towards Nick and a glass is smashed behind the closed doors, having been flung from the shelf.

The demon also threw everything ti had at them, trying to scare them, like the spider walking in the circle and then tonnes of crickets.  The spider heading towards Sharon.  Later the entity is picked up again on the 3D as it was next to Sharon.  With the power going out at command too, gathering as much energy as possible.  Finally the entity goes and Jeff blesses everyone, then tests them with holy water, as does Lorie to see if they have no further attachments.

That was an eventful episode and with the demon gone Nick said hopefully it will be gone for another hundred years or so.  Elizabeth finding further evidence as to why Shepherdstown seems to be a hotspot and why the demon may have been awakened, since the last time they were here, there was flooding and storms.  Maybe Shepherdstown is just that sort of a hotspot attracting spirits and entities.  As Chief King hands Nick the box of trigger objects which they couldn't leave behind!

I know fans already want a season 3 and Nick said they have been in contact with the town and whilst that may be intriguing for us, as i tweeted Elizabeth after season 1 ended, many people, if not all of Shepherdstown especially and the surrounding areas wouldn't want to go through that again and keep on going through it.

Victoria 2.1 "A Soldier's Daughter" Review

                                           
Series 2 is upon us and there's not much changed since series 1.  Her family is still 'plotting' against her, Albert (Tom Hughes) doesn't want to burden her with the affairs of state and the country so soon after her confinement as Peel (Nigel Lindsay) put it.  Yet she has to strive on and do what she thinks is best for the country even if Albert et al disagree.  Such as the Army stranded in Afghanistan, as Peel said why were they over there to begin with.  Victoria (Jenna Coleman) not being told about the harsh conditions and the decision to withdraw them from Kabul (spelled Cabool.)  She even has trouble with baby Victoria, wondering when she will like her or not.  She can stomach sitting in that awful chair no longer, she's had a baby, not been ill.  But she can't even venture out without going to church and being removed from all sin.  As she said she's the one who had the baby.

But her, "I am the queen" she can do what she likes was begging to grate a bit.  We know you are, no need to rub it in constantly.  Even the food at the palace is substandard and they wouldn't even feed it to the dog.  As new chef Craddock (clearly no relation to Fanny!) holds a knife on one of the kitchen hands for taking a stale loaf of bread.  The royals disgust shown by the cockaleekie soup at dinner.  Yuk!

Victoria gets a new Mistress of the Robes in Lady Buccleuch (Diana Rigg) as she chose her from Peel's list and she's not much for doing anything, bringing along her niece, Wilhelmina (Bebe Cave). Ernest (David Oakes) finding that the Duchess of Sutherland (Margaret Clunie) has left and returned to her husband.  His first meeting with him and ours at Victoria's christening, where he refers to his wife as "an ornament."  Much to Ernest's chagrin.

As Albert's family arrive and her uncle Leopold (Alex Jennings) proceeds to suggest along with Albert's father, the Duke of Coburg (Andrew Bicknell) that she should have more children and spend more time in the nursery, wanting a future grandson.  Albert finding Ernest is the only one he can converse with besides Peel, but he can't confide in Peel about Victoria.  As Earnest tells him she should respect her more.  She attends Albert's inspection of his regiment and approves of their fashionable uniforms, whereas Albert finds them impractical for fighting and has designed his own, such as a more practical helmet.  She replies she'd feel brave wearing one of those feathers in her cap, more like.  She doesn't however, want to attend affairs of the state which have got to do with the sanitation commission.  Pooh is not in the order of her business, her baby's or her subjects either!

Her uncle plots to pour "oil over water" which he claims he's good at doing and once again suggests that she should be spending more time on the baby.   As she proceeds to tell him "what my country needs is a Queen not a brood mare."  She receives news that the soldiers crossing the Khyber Pass have been massacred and there's only one survivor, hence victory was not theirs.  She meets with Dr Brydon (Alexander Owen)  who tells her about his friend who was singing 'God Save the Queen' and her picture doesn't do her justice.  She feels she should address the people at the ceremony for the ship named Trafalgar, in honour of the victory at Trafalgar, but Peel and Albert decide against it.  However Wellington (Peter Bowles) suggests she should go and give the country a moral boost, since the victory came after a defeat.  Albert refuses to accompany her as he's got a sanitation meeting so she attends alone.  Until Lehzen (Daniela Holtz) tells Albert about Victoria as a child.  He turns up to hear her speech to rapturous applause.

Mrs Jenkin's has left and Mrs Skerrett (Nell Hudson) is now in charge and has been tasked with bringing back Francatelli (Ferdinand Kingsley).  But he refuses no matter how much he's paid and whether the Queen requested it or not.  But she gets Lord Alfred (Jordan Waller) who has a brother at the Reform club and he has to return, but he's not too happy about the sate of the kitchen and is abrupt towards Skerrett.  Who tells him she came after him but she was too late.  She gets a new dress maker when she's in tears.  Wilhelmina  has designs on Earnest it seems as he plays the piano.

Victoria and Albert finally make up and fall into bed again as if nothing has changed, cos yeah, there's babies to be made.  See nothing's changed from first series as I said.  Diana Rigg being more of a Dowager's presence from Downton Abbey to add some comic relief.  Apparently Lord Melbourne (ratings anyone??) returns next ep, should liven things up and there's a Christmas special for this year too.

Ghosts of Shepherdstown 2.7 Review

As soon as the episode began, had feelings of deja vu already, (yeah I have strong feelings in that sense) especially when they got the call from the Chief about the stalker in the house, at least the reports of a possible break-in.  Then when Kate described the events and how she had seen a woman in the park and also in their house and specifically the basement, with the noises and pleas for help, as well as the gunshot.  The single, solitary shot, that sealed it for me.  It was season 1 all over again.  As I told my sis, okay I blabbed and she got fed up of me cos I wouldn't shut up!  You just knew it had to have been a spirit.  Then the noise that Elizabeth and Nick heard outside, it wasn't a loud gunshot, but more like the remnants of one!  I thought they would have asked where Kate had gone, that she got the attachment from, but they didn't.  It would've been a place to seek out and investigate.  But why would you build around a limestone boulder with no attempt to remove it.  Again the limestone was the definitive factor in this and how it would be used as energy.

Have these deja vu-y feelings quite a bit and has nothing to do with my brain working on overtime and then Dana sealed it for me a second time, when she mentioned German Street.  That  was mentioned in 1.1 of the show, the bakery/sweet shop was on German Street/Queen street.  To top it all off, they get the call about the stalker at the tea shop.  The Chief said that Kyra has a stalker but she hadn't seen him until now, the beard, it had to be Harry, the only spirit stalker we had encountered in  the town.  Only for the place to be turned upside down in so short a space of time and this meant it couldn't have been human.  As well as my question of how the 'stalker' actually got in cos the door would've been locked and she would've heard the bell, which is what I said.

Then the Mel Meter readings around Kyra and the symbols in the table cloth, all paranormal, or as my eyes kept leading me to the crescent moon in the salt on the floor using the salt to do this, it all led back to King Street/German Street.  I had to think of Susie and Harry, her stalker and how he shot her at King Street in 1.4 Grave Stalker.  It was her cries for help and somehow they were back. Lorie feeling their presence.

Then Nick and the Chief found the cave opening in Shepherdstown, that was bloomin' narrow, but they managed to squeeze in there, hear noises and the Chief finding the upside down cross, two of them on the cave walls, was uncanny.  And not coincidental, as he said Shepherdstown was the only place where these were ever found, re the woods in 1.5 It's Behind You.  Which implied not witchcraft but a demonic presence.  The perversion of the symbol of Christianity.

As Elizabeth and Nick said the epicentre was Shepherdstown, it had to be.

Then narrowing it down at HQ with the five places they had been to, the five towns and five being a symbolic number with Elizabeth drawing that upside pentagram, which definitely confirmed demonic activity/presence.  Thus showing the entity was demonic.  Nick adding that it would need someone to attach itself to and hence the beginnings of the activity/possession with John in 2.2.  As well as the symbols on the wall in the basement.  Clearly the entity was using the spirits and attempting to influence and attach to the residents by causing the spirits to be active.  Said that last episode.  I also said that there's no pattern and here it was when Elizabeth drew the inverted pentagram; that Bill described is the devil's horns with the two points facing the top.

Lorie wanting to send Harry and Susie back to where they came from and Elizabeth setting up the device for the girls so that they would be protected within it and they would know if any spirits were present.   Harry attaching himself to Kyra and Susie to Kate.  Whilst Nick and Elizabeth conducted their investigation upstairs, again there was activity upstairs; until Harry and Susie were sent back and then it seized.  With Elizabeth hearing that creepy growl at around 36.30 and it was scary enough to get her swearing (she's not done that before!!) which could be heard on film, hey it sounded like nostrils flaring a little like a bull when it gets ready to charge; and Nick capturing that EVP, sure part of that said "go." At 36.57 does Nick's EVP say "...tea shop?"  I have to listen to it over again, not done that yet but will repost when I do.
But that growl was distinctive.  It wasn't on the recorder, but it was caught on the video, otherwise we wouldn't have heard it.

Not seen Elizabeth with this expression before!  Freaky!

What I noticed about this episode was that it contained most everything that happened in the 6 episodes of season 1.  We had the gunshot, the stalking, the EVPs, some dark presence which was put down to the witch in 1.6, the upside crosses and also the same streets, but it was also the EVP they got this time round which said "kill."  Doesn't it sound like there are two voices there, the 'K' sound is much more deeper and then the "kill" sound is more high pitched.  There was such an EVP captured in 1.2 Do You Know You're Dead, which is heard as "...trying to kill you" which I thought was a future warning back then for season 1, when they sensed the activity and the presence of Anne.  It was as if the entity was making certain events play out again in some form of manipulation and more particularly, as Nick said to attach onto someone.  Reinforced by the call that they get from the Chief back at the tea shop again.  With a butcher knife being thrown and the owner sounded distressed.
The final episode to come, but is there any way they will actually be able to rid the demon for good?  Appears some sort of exorcism will be required.

Not making anything of this so don't read into it, but was that "k-ill" EVP a residual of Harry and Susie, or something else, considering Susie was in the house and pleading.  Just a thought as I said.  Even the owner's voice sounded very high pitched over the phonecall with Chief Mike.

Ghosts Of Shepherdstown 2.6 "These Weren't A Few Birds" Review

This episode centred on the activity surrounding two neighbouring properties in Middleway.  The Brown farm and the Watson house.  The Brown's found their animals, specifically their cattle were being mutilated and killed and several dead carcasses were found scattered the land.  Including dead birds and some with their eyes removed.  There was also one cow that had completely vanished from near the river, which was too heavy to have been carried or dragged away.  Elizabeth and Bill went to both houses and found at the Watson house, the daughter, Tammy, had seem the figure of a young girl outside and which then walked into her TV.

Elizabeth and Bill were there when the TV came on by itself, hey our one switched off by itself!  Not the same thing obviously and Elizabeth explains how spirits sometimes come through using ITC Instrumental Trans Communication to show themselves.  But there's no way it could've come on by itself.

Back at HQ they meet up with Nick and Dana and if you were wondering why Nick wasn't there, well he was getting his hair done!!!  But seriously Dana couldn't find any family living in the area and especially without a name, so the girl was probably part of a slave family.  Elizabeth decides to go back with Lorie and she senses a middle aged woman looking for someone.  Once again the Mel Meter goes haywire.

Dana finds that there was a woman there named Suki who had a daughter, Daphne and worked for a slave owner.  Thus they could narrow this down and find a way of bringing them together.  Lorie said the mother is angry towards Tammy's father, no wonder he was slammed against the wall.  Nick finding the entrance to the cave with the help of tracker Gordy, the teeny, tiny entrance and managing to squeeze through it and the cameraman too!  Finding those bones in the cave and hearing further shuffling as in last episode.  Nick brings back some bones which Gordy tells them belonged to dogs.

They set up their equipment for a night investigation, as Elizabeth and Lorie return to the Watson house where Tammy's mother helps Suki and Daphne, reunite, confirming the strong mother/daughter bond between her and Tammy.  The activity on Elizabeth's device goes off after the two reunite.  Nick brings in Ben Hansen again, paranormal tracker and former FBI agent, (who was in Waverly Hills Sanatorium season 2.5 episode of Paranormal Lockdown) and they use a drone to find a herd of cattle running in the night.  You could hear their hooves nearby.  Bill finds no activity by the cave entrance as the Mel Meter leads Nick and Ben to the entrance of the cave.  Nick calls it a night at 1.43am and the time being important.  As in their later discussion, Elizabeth mentions the time and the activity stopped at both places roundabout the same time.

Silly theory on this dark entity, it's like gathering energy from the caves, gets to haunt spirits or ensure the spirits are there in its presence and then vanishes when the spirits are sent away, is it mocking the team into thinking after they do this they will leave and it can continue, cos it's not really genuinely wanting them to find these spirits and lay their souls to rest.  It's too dark and negative to even think that.

But another case where a child was involved, as in the earlier cases around the towns.  It was cruel the way in which Suki was separated from Daphne, just for greed.  And how Suki wondered the land in search for her, explaining the disembodied woman's voice and falling into the cave, as seen by Gordy.  We even got a glimpse into Dana's house.  Strange that the activity was put down to rabid coyotes, but again surely other coyotes would've finished off the animals and how their heads were just missing, as well as the disappearing cow.

As Tammy watched TV in the flashback, they showed a horse and carriage driving, reminded me of 1.3 She Didn't Have A Face with Ray Ray and her mother.  Coincidentally this case was also about a separated mother and daughter.  Good to see them getting closure and reuniting.

Thinking Bloomsburg or Falling Waters for more cave activity.  Well there are just 2 more eps left; but it's just been random activity, no pattern.

Hayley Atwell and Stanley Tucci Talk Heroes & Villains Fanfest London 28 May 2017

Just an open talk before and then a Q&A with fans.

Stanley found it difficult to adjust to languages and driving in England.  He's not used to conventions and this is his second, one and he didn't know anything about it.  But he attended one in in Philadelphia.  Exciting actor's dream for 8 hours.

Hayley says it helps with playing characters she likes, but do get some positive and rude comments playing the villains.

Stanley watches food shows, he's obsessed with them.  Hayley likes to watch Stan cooking and he likes it when she does tha.  What in  some macabre way!! ha.  He wants to do a  travelogue where can travel and talk of food.

Hayley worked with Chris and  Leander Deeny, who was so slight in composure compared to Chris, worked with him, lost weight.  Leander watched Chris and copied Chris's moves and then they superimposed his face onto Leander's body.  Chris's scene was funny, to get right the height for her, it was surreal as he was squatting.   Then he had a deep voice for a slight man.

Dr Epstein talked to Steve becoming father figure.  The chemistry between Stanley and Chris was great and Chris has a great sense of humour, excited to do it.   Stanley was insulted at first to be playing a 70 year old man.  It was funny and a great experience, stayed friends.   Chris is king of games especially, charades, but Stanley wouldn't tell kids about the games  as they were inappropriate.
There were no 'chemistry' auditions for Hayley, only eight pages of dialogue, hair, make up and last scene, a fight sequence, she also loaded and unloaded a gun.  That was intimidating, didn't think she'd hear from them again.  Then 3 weeks later she got the part of Peggy Carter.

She met Chris at Shepperton with Sebastian Stan and was in the film.  Stanley's didn't have to audition, they just asked if he wanted the part.  He had a German accent and studied it for 3 years in high school like 75 years ago.  Stanley's obsessed with the 70 numbers, me thinks!  ha.  He listened to a dialect coach and his accent was based on  Gunter Grass (German novelist and playwright) it was based on his accent, could understand him, his accent was thick, but not too thick.

Hayley's fighting ability took a lot of confidence and little skill, "quite a few stuntmen were hurt in the making of Peggy Carter".  She practised the first scene with the 'guy in the green suit' in season 1 when he comes out of the cupboard and she hits him "in the balls."   The fight scenes are all choreographed like a dance. so you feel safe when doing it.  Gave perks up in the morning with all that energy.

She was in Agents of Shield as well as other TV.   Saying there were a few other jobs where she just turned up and do the best you can and go home and do the next best thing, on being asked if she thought of her job and role.  No, it was just a job to her, no views/opinions on character and that's it.  Not  a very good attitude for an actor to have in my opinion, for a character/actor that's revered by so many (not me) that you have nothing to say about it, nor did any research on it or her character and have any views to share about it, like many others do when they play a character they love and for so long!  They have so much to say and bring forward about how must they enjoyed it, but that was boring of her!  Acting is more than just a job, there's a lot to think about to bring into a character to make it all round and real

Marvel Company president called and asked her if was interested in a spin-off and Peggy came from there.  She keeps on popping up.  Hayley got a text from Chris; sent her texts when filming her funeral scene and he was so asd she died and she told him to keep away from her niece and she was filming in London.
Stanley would like Dr Erskine being revived and cooking and return as the doctor and Hayley  in a show about chemistry and food!

Fan Q&A

Their fave roles in careers today. Hayley:  Howard's End based on Barbara?? Schaffer's work.  Emma Thompson called her up and her  character of Margaret was relatable and real.  Good experience to work with that sort of writing.

Stanley loved Devil Wears Prada, had a caustic sense of humour and  Nigel was fun and extreme.  Hayley said fashion Peggy has sense of it.  Stanley's pink hair etc not very comfortable.  Hayley saying filming is restrictive, she only wear clothes she can rough it in.  Her fave Peggy outfit were the loose pants.   She renewed licence at the DMV and had all the gear on, the spanx etc.  Her photo for her driving licence is Peggy Carter; which fits in well.

Hayley and Captain America weren't frozen, could they be together, so busy been amazing had little time for him.  She saw something in him, kindred spirit before he transformed.   They would've had adventures together.  Captain America introduced Peggy to her husband.  Filmed the Captain American Winter Soldier picture on her bedside table, originally it was Peggy's husband and kids.  Her husband was just an extra, an extra wouldve launched his career as Peggy's hubby, so had to be edited out cos they didn't know she was married then.  So still had possibility of who she ends up marrying.  would it have been such a bad thing for an extra to have gotten a career break.  God the movies, actors and the establishment are as greedy as ever, holding people back in such a mean way!  How did she and others get her start.  Sorry not a fan of hers, never was.  Just posting this talk for those who are!  The best thing about Agent Carter was James D'Arcy, now her's a super kind and down-to-earth actor and human being!!  Only reason worth watching!

Stanley which film was his fave Undercover Blues (1993).  An extreme film comically and was his wife's fave, she was 10 at the time.  It was shot in New Orleans for a few months??

Hayley if she'd like to be the first female Doctor Who.   She doesn't want to play her, but respects it.  She's a big fan of Phoebe Walle-Bridge, big fan of and was talk of her being the next one, but she didn't get it.  Actors gets to reinvent themselves and the part, which is brilliant.  Well she had an opinion on that.

Which period of time for fashion would they have lived in?   Hayley was an '80s kid and loved Madonna, the big hair, stonewashed jeans, leather jacket.  Stanley loved the '20s-40's, interesting out of the Victorian era and elegant and beautiful stuff.

Stanley said he always has input with the costume designer in Hunger Games, collaboration, it's good to have designer with clear vision of what they want.   The nicest, simplest costumes a long time ago were in Road to Perdition, costumes were beautiful, built from the fabric designer had chosen.  Tom Hanks fabric was made for his suits in Upstate New York.

She liked the scene Captain America when she was in the pub in her red dress, Joe wanted alternatives, so she was flirting with him, and with Bucky! Agent Carter the series was more physical, season 1 diner scene, gets to hit someone on the head with a tray.   A lot of fight and action sequences.  Shooting the shield in Captain America filmed with Dominic and Chris and she knew Dominic from years before, good to have laugh between scenes and trust each other.  A sense of responsibility, training for it, but Chris not so much into the .

Hayley and season 1 with the ghost of her brother, wanted to explore where she came from.   Support for her to live again in the future if there was some way to bring her back, she'd want to explore the relationship with  Edward Jarvis (yay James!!) fans liked him in season 1, so they brought him back in season 2. He and Peggy had a working relationship and knew each other, great wit and wordplay.  She wished to live until 96 and would would love to see Peggy through the years as in the '60s civil rights movement, shoulder pads in the '80s like Working Girl.

Ghosts of Shepherdstown 2.5 "Now You're In That Sunken Place" Review

Well that title sounds ominous!
The episode we were all waiting for: the caves but for me it was a little anti-climactic, sorry but investigation-wise it was interesting, but I don't know, there just seemed to be something missing. Perhaps it was the fact there was nothing captured in terms of EVPs.  Don't get me wrong I'm not putting the episode down, far from it, maybe it was just the rainy day, watching it probably felt a little down.

However it was great to see Bill actually locating Keith, the curator of the Adam Stephen's house who told him about the cave entrances still being open on this property.  Of course meaning they'd be able to investigate down there.  Apparently there were two openings and they led from one house to the other house, again all overflowing with limestone.  The discussion in the Beast was all about the limestone and the river not having much of an impact, thus far.  But again my question is why would the negative entity need such a cave system to move, aside from the fact that limestone is a great conductor of spiritual energy and so maybe this is one reason why the entity needs to get energy from its surroundings in order to to so powerful; and my question being answered in a roundabout way by Elizabeth when she said the spiritual conductor aspect of the limestone that is.  The cave openings being in Martinsburg.  (Another 'burg'.)

What was creepy was the growl which was clearly heard, though it sounded more like a breath and the scratching.  The scathing question being what was on the other side of the cave when Elizabeth and Nick finally managed to get down there.  Elizabeth using her 'X-Boss' device which along with the Mel Meter was going off the charts again, just like it was in Nina's house in episode 2.  Due to the presence of the Native American woman's spirit.  Wonder if the scratching could have been the 'two' that the Father referred to when Lorie was doing her 'psychic sweep' of the house and land.  The coupe who died down there due to illness with the Father being unable to administer last rights to them.

Who Dana found out was Father Dennis Cahill, the only Catholic priest in the area dating back centuries.  Who also appeared to Keith and Rose in the form of a green mist.  His spirit being more residual as he was following the same path, in an attempt to get closure for himself but also for the two unfortunate souls he couldn't save.  It was good that Elizabeth managed to talk Rose into telling her side of the story since it did vilify and reinforce what Keith saw, but also that she wasn't imagining it or going crazy.  As well as others allowing who don't feel they can share their experiences too to come forward.  As well as Chief King having the friend, Bob, who was able to take Nick and Elizabeth down to the caves [you know I wrote mines here with that tweet of mine to Nick about him looking like a miner in his helmet on Monday, guess still had that on my mind!] and finding that there are also caves in Shepherdstown.  That was a revelation.  Which means the river probably isn't the only means of 'spiritual' travel now.  But heck, thought Nick would just jump right on down into the cave opening, he was rearing to go!

This map's getting interesting!  The locations are next to the river, some of them, but also now the caves taking a prominent lead in this mystery!

That negative entity really doesn't want to have anyone coming into it's domain and territory as it tried to gas them out when Nick and Elizabeth were down there.  Maybe it contributed to that couple dying down there by releasing the gas.  Though that's just speculative on my part.  At least Dana also found records showing that there were skeletons discovered under the kitchen floorboards during renovations.  Confirming the Father's reason for being around.  As well sa the activity starting up with the excavations in the caves.

Lorie giving them last rites and using the black salt clearly only held the entity back for  awhile and we still need to know why it's there and why it's got such a strong hold on the land and attaches itself to people so forcefully?  What is its real intentions?  Also Elizabeth giving closure to the couple and the Father at the end to help them move on.  Then there were more train tracks here as they also featured in Shepherdstown season 1.  Though I don't really think there's any connection to that.

Ghosts Of Shepherdstown 2.4 "I'm You're Biggest Fan" Review

                                                   
Episode 4 and halfway through the second season, as the quest now leads to The Opera House in Charles Town with reports of activity in the basement (again) and how smoke was smelt by Ashley, the manager, but there wasn't any fire.  Also how the children rehearsing there have also heard noises and and footsteps but haven't seen anything.  When Nick went into the basement with Ashley, they heard more noises down there, as well as in the area above the stage.
That is until the teacher's assistant, Addison, tells Nick and Elizabeth how she saw a 'lady in grey' with a wreath around her neck and ringing a bell.  She also heard the bell.  Dana's research comes up with a Annie G Packette, who was the patron of the Opera House and single handedly gathered funds to build the Opera House.

Back at HQ, they collated their facts and put together everything they had found over the past 3 weeks of their investigations in the 3 different towns, which showed that 2 of them were nowhere near any water.  But the basement, limestone, caves, dark entity, attachments all featured highly on their list.  Not to mention I also added that activity also involved children too either directly or indirectly, as in the first and third cases as well as in this one.  Whether that's just a coincidence remains to be seen.  Dana also mentioned there was a fire at the opera House in 1951 and Annie's business partner died in the fire, Percy Synder.  As soon as she mentioned Synder, I couldn't help think of the Snyder's in 1.3 She Didn't Have A Face episode.  Synder was Ray Ray's family name as her father, Harry Synder was the newspaper owner.  However that's probably just a coincidence with the name.  Although Shepherdstown does still feature into this, as the activity is spread around the town as if it's emanating around or from there.

[Interesting article here: http://www.journal-news.net/opinion/local-columns/2016/07/there-s-always-a-snyder-in-shepherdstown/ ]

As for the fire was it accidental, deliberate, as Annie knew about it when she waved her fan to warn of the fire and how did Percy manage to get killed in it when it seems it was only in the basement area.  However  a news clipping from the Maryland Express 12 November 1951 states a Percy Synder was killed in a fire at his apartment, not sure if the same Percy but the year matches. A tad confusing.
However Elizabeth along with Lorie finds that Percy isn't the one they're dealing with but an even
darker entity who doesn't want them in the basement and is below ground, with the cavern system running throughout the town and the surrounding towns too.  An entity which Lorie says is 'ancient' thus reinforcing the EVP caught on the Geobox stating it's "2,000 years old" back in 2.2 We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes. Lorie adding it's neither male or female, so I had to question how it managed to communicate through the Geobox, with the laughter and the other responses.

A perfect investigation for Elizabeth to use her gadgets such as Pandora's box which rotates with sound and movement. (As she demonstrated on her blog as an intruder.)  As well as her GTS device, which apparently Nick kicked over and broke in half!  What were you doing Nick??

During their night investigation Lorie saw Annie and heard the bell too saying she was protecting the Opera House over the years and doesn't want to leave it as it's her home.  She carried out a ritual with the sage so the entity would be kept underground and not roam freely, drawing a cross on the floor with the sage and leaving the bell there, which appeared in front of her when she was in the basement.

At 33.13 there appears to be an anomaly which goes shooting across the stage from left to right again after Elizabeth finishes her narration about their questions not being influenced.

At 34.15 is that another anomaly.  Doesn't look like a bug. which is seen when Nick asks "Annie are you here with me?"  However it's seen at the stage just like the first one above, not on the balcony where Nick is.

That evil laughter though, so mocking, yeah it's 'in the caves and you can't get in!!'  The approach was a good idea to keep the questions and responses away from one another.

"Are you the one everyone's been seeing," Nick asks, it says "yes I am..." very faintly, at least it sounds like it.

Clearly the caves do warrant further investigation to drive out this entity once and for all and hopefully the caves will be in episode 5.  As well as determining what it is and where it came from, why it's there.  So many questions!

Richard Dean Anderson #LFCC 2017 Sunday Diamond Pass Talk

Another talk with RDA but somehow I preferred the one from 2 years ago as he spoke about his own stuff and didn't get into the Q&A with fans until much later on!  Since, sorry but my efficient memory which stores everything found these Qs to be repetitive and oh by the way they were things I've already written about in the book, for starters.  Such as Sea Shepherd and how he got started in it (cos he also answered that 2 years ago).  If you don't have the book see below.  Oh and I managed to get Rick to sign it!  Hopefully he was suitable impressed, well he was.  He just waned an audio version cos he falls asleep whilst reading books.  Thankfully he was also impressed by the sketch on the book cover!  That was a relief!!

Fan Q is he: 'Acting or semi-retired?': He took time to build his house in the Malibu area, 2 dogs "that love me to death, Wiley's on a break from college, I'm an insomniac so I'm still awake at night. Would  you go to work [with all this?]"  He's lazy and also too impressed about that the 'Vancouver lot' are doing something with him in mind which may or may not happen...Which we'll see if it's feasible."  Also can ride around on his motorbike.  The wonderful sea views from his Malibu home, so why would he want to leave that and work!!"  Yeah!

If he's doing much: "no one's approaching me with anything these days!"  Seriously he's out of whack and again with the demo of nodding off when reading a book like he did with me!!  Must be my book ha!
Rick says he has no other talent apart from acting, realized needed money to live when younger, wanted to be pro ski-ier, pro Formula 1 type of thing racing; dad introduced him to Sterling Moss so yeah."  Also wanted to be an Ice hockey player so luckily he had the talent for acting and not anything else he wanted to do. Wanted to be a forest ranger in high school.

Gonna post this pic again  Sooo hottt!

Here's an extract from my book on that racing aspect: from the season 4 ep Collision Course of MacGyver.

Q on Window of Opportunity ep of Stargate SG-1 in the scene with Daniel asking the same question Rick: "those who know me have no idea what is being asked...the mustard clip."
Fave Jack moment: all tech/scientific dialogue went to Amanda and what's his name, Shanks, Michael..."  Rick used to say 'ya think.' a lot.  As well as "for crying out loud;" a quote on his grandmother when she'd comment on behaviour."  She was from from Northern Minnesota.

Re Environmental stuff in MacGyer he was involved in other stuff outside of the show.  The show lasted long enough for them to do other stories.  Former LAPD deputy chief Stephen Downing came up with the Challengers Club storyline.  Added a lot of things he did off camera: like his real life.   The eps with the black rhinos, eagles, etc, "it worked."  [Again as I said in the book!]

Re the ant ep  season 1.6 Trumbo's World, asked by fan if he's afraid of anything?  Rick commented the ep was "a disgusting ep to shoot and he had to walk around in ants."  But hey they also used stock footage from the film with Charlton Heston: The Naked Jungle (1954) (again all this is in book) and yes I recall all the eps too!  Rick doesn't like ants, spiders and they have coyotes around too where he lives.

He then talked about Irwin Allen and they wrote themselves into the show and sea salt comes back to town to a fishing village and these killer whales in the harbour, he learned about them and how'd they'd splash around on you.  Then 16 feet off the water with a killer whale.  He had to hold the fish in his mouth and you're not supposed to move but he moved his head and the whale knew exactly where to aim for the fish and knocked him on his head like a boxing glove to the noggin!
See here for the pic with the killer whale, which I tweeted a few years back!  (NO mention of the Hoff though cos Rick's prob forgotten about him!)

As for being involved with Sea Shepherd, he was in Alaska, ski-ing and met Capt Paul Weston and heard him speak, "he was articulate and compassionate with his experience with humped back whales.  He was emotional about it."  Rick hasn't actually gone into action in the ships yet as he's not done it.  They've lost quite a few boats though colliding into others, especially with the Japanese ships/fishing boats.  Sea Shepherd is more hands-on than Greenpeace which Paul Watson was also a part of.

Fan Q: He and Sam Carter so would've been doing "the nasty"  With apologies the kiddies he said for speaking like that.  But they had Air Force Codes of conduct and all that!
He was her superior so they couldn't get into that.

Rick showing off a bit of keg there!! Ha.  yeah Rick the hair too!!  You still got it...!

The idea to be comedic as Jack O'Neill was all his of course.  "All the laughs were in the right place." He had a "freeflow to the scripts and it all worked out."

Word of advice for actors: if someone offers you a role just take it!  Don't hesitate.  It's a godsend in getting started especially, or even if you're established!

He loves Formula 1 and he would've wanted to race had his acting career not come along. "Hamilton's good you've gotta give it to him...congratulations Britain [sarcastically!] (Applause and laughter!)

Rick apologized for all the fans who have to queue in those lines waiting for pics/autogs, waiting for "an arrogant actor."  Why the queues were so long esp for the 9.30 am photoshoot on Saturday and the queue being too long.  But thanx for your patience and "my heart really goes out to you."

He was only one executive prouder on the show [SG-1] so he'd go through the script and make notes, writers found stories out of legends and the like.  "The art of movie making involves a process with momentum and then you move on".  Made his notes and "were legitimate ideas...but it's always a team effort...The guy in front of the camera has the last say...that's not true I take it back, it's the editor."

The moment when our eyes met again...!  Yeah it's Mi-la!! ha.

"Thanks to all for coming."  & you too cos I got to chat properly, get a front row seat for his talk and Rick will forever be one of the most friendliest down-to-earth actors/human beings out there ever!! Glad I've been a fan since 1989!!  God bless ya Rick!

http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-MacGyver-Unofficial-Unauthorized/dp/1326492756/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1449852654&sr=8-6&keywords=mila+hasan … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … #MacGyver

Ghosts of Shepherdstown 2.3 "Whatever You Do, Don't Fall Asleep" Review

Another episode of GOS which attempted to join the dots, but didn't quite manage to make that elusive connection just yet aside from some mysterious 'dark entity' which appeared to be in all three episodes thus far, but whether all three are related or not remains to be seen.  This time the team were in the town of Martinsburg as Chief King called in Nick to speak with Tricia who had a scary experience in a room she stayed in at the local Boydville Manor.  Her friend  wanted to hold a wedding there and how Tricia was held down in her bed and pushed into it by the entity, pushing her back down.  With Nick explaining this is how attachments begin and can lead to oppression and possession, by it getting hold of the spine of the person..

As they drove to investigate the Manor,  Elizabeth and Bill spoke about the town again and Elizabeth mentioning the Potomac River being close by again.  Elizabeth spots a figure in the window and it did look like someone was there and in the same room where Tricia stayed.

Jon, the owner, wants to build up this business and can't be doing that with a haunted reputation attached to the place.  They also mention the law office of the Boyd family home and how it appears to be haunted by the dark entity.  Also how the Boyd family lost a child, 4 year old Edward, to an 'unknown' disease.  Which Dana finds out about.  As she also talks of Jen the psychic who visited the law office with her husband and was possessed by the entity.  As another voice is heard on the recording when she speaks.

There definitely is a dark presence there as Jen senses it there, wanting them to get out and also how the Mel Meter was going off before they even entered the office.  With Elizabeth getting a stabbing pain in her eye on the second floor.  The entity going after Elizabeth like that was so out of order. Wonder what he used to cause that sharp pain just cos she refused to open herself up.  Didn't pick on any of the men though, coward!  So much for being the "King of death."
The entity telling Jen that Elizabeth's not opening herself up.  They decide they should investigate immediately and set up the 3D computer in the room where Edward died.  With Nick appearing in an elegant shade of pink mapped on the computer!  The producer notices a figure on the computer screen and it's a child.  Hey I said the same thing as Nick; "that it's a kid" two seconds before he did!!

Lorie senses the presence of children around the house and the tunnels beneath the ground before doing the same in the law office where she senses the negativity, not wanting Elizabeth and Nick to come in as she feared for them. Conducting a ritual using Indian sage she drove the entity away and salted the house outside.  It was pretty scary how the wind picked up moments before and was that dust flying around in the second floor room but the room was void of any dust before.  Lorie adding the entity was using the wind to blow the salt away as she salted around the house outside.

Nick and Elizabeth got communication from Edward before he was shown the light and appears to be captured on camera in one of the mirrors of the house as a figure.

Re the voices on the device:
31.06 a child's voice says "I'm dead."
31.59 the creepy voice sounds like it says "black ssheeeeep."?? Before Elizabeth says she doesn't know what that is. After this can you hear an old man's voice saying, "Edward" like his grandfather is looking for him. At 31.02.
31.14 does the man's voice answer "our door's not open" when Nick asks if they can speak to Edward.
31.41 "here."

Seems like Edward left when Lorie finished her ritual, as also seen by the shadow figure on the camera.  Leaving Edward at peace.  As well as Jen having undisturbed sleep.

Whether or not these entities could be related remains to be seen, as said, but they're all dark and as Elizabeth said they vanished when the rituals were carried out by Lorie and also Elizabeth last episode at Nina's house.  Whether they're actually gone or for how long, no one knows.  It was odd how in 2.1 and this episode the entity disappeared when the children were sent on their way to the light, with children being the connection of sorts, in two out of three cases.

Wonder when they're actually going to investigate the caves/tunnels running underneath the land as they definitely appear to crop up in their investigations.  (As said in their radio interview for Americas Most Haunted, when Nick and Elizabeth actually go into the cave.)  Another episode where so much was going on and intriguing how children seem to be involved, as I said.

Next episode looks exciting with the opera house! I'm Your Biggest Fan.  Yeah me too!

Hamlet with Andrew Scott My Short Review

This version of Hamlet some may call the definitive version of an oft-done play, was one production of our times and for our times.  The use of TV monitors and surveillance cameras in the castle itself to pick up the appearance of Hamlet's father's ghost was a neat touch.  Especially in the paranormal realm of finding evidence, the camera picks up what the eyes can't see, which I thought was a nice touch, even a glorious sense of irony in mirroring the murder of the King of Denmark, Hamlet's father by Claudius without anyone knowing or seeing him do this.  You'd think with such CCTV monitors he wouldn't have gotten away with it.  But alas as we know, it did take the appearance of his father to appear for Hamlet to speak with him whereupon he spills the "secret of his murder most foul."

Andrew Scott made the role his own with many funny scenes, including some 'akin to 'tantrum throwing' marking his slow spiral between being lost in his own soliloquies at times and the reality of what's happening around him, the plotting to bring down Claudius, his declaration of love for Ophelia which strikes him as an affliction as she also notices how he's changing.

The use of the cameras for news reports and filming the royals watching the 'play within a play' also adding a modern slant.  As well as Polonius wearing a listening device to hear the conversation and rely it to Hamlet's mother, Gertrude and uncle Claudius, show his actions.  Which at the end of the scene, Hamlet too pretends to speak into his jacket like Polonious does.  Again showing how everything is under scrutiny, but still Hamlet can get no justice for his father's murder and vengeance until he takes it upon himself to exact revenge via the play.  In which the cast were seated in front of the stage in front of the audience as they were watching the play too, another good touch.

The end scenes were poignant and indicative of reuniting everyone after their death, but at the same time showing the futility of the dastardly deed, whereupon all this heartache could've been avoided. With the protagonists giving up their wrist watches when they're dead.  As if to signify their time was up (as was the play's end) and to quote Shakespeare's MacBeth: "a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage...and then is heard no more!"

Andrew portraying Hamlet with suitcase in hand travelling like a vagabond prince, as his thoughts were travelling with him and were all over the place whilst trying to make sense of the madness and utter despair.  On and quite a bit of 'rolling around' by the characters on the stage!!  Re aiming to mimic 'bedroom' scenes.  Also on hand was Bob Dylan's music interspersed between scenes where words weren't needed but to see the action only as watching the character's thoughts unfolding.

There was a moment on the TV screens where several scenes are played simultaneously and you just wanted to say, "miss me!"  I did.  The modern version also using the TV screens to signal the intermission with 'PAUSE' coming up on the screen.

All in all it was an interesting production and yet different, as each production of Hamlet stands out for its own various reasons and each actor brings their own interpretation of the doomed, sweet prince to light...

Ghost Adventures 14.11 "Return to Asylum 49"

This episode of Ghost Adventures was a return to Asylum 49 and a chance to investigate the nursing home which they couldn't do back in 2011, before it's demolished.  A final chance to release any spirits roaming and still stuck there.  Thus Zak spoke to them and released them from their consciousness, conscious bodies and minds, especially those not able to understand or not realizing they had passed and perhaps to move on.

That part of the nursing home and in particular the part known as 'The Green Mile,' where the nurses saw the shadows and spirits turned out to be deftly?? creepy for them too and not cos of the clown dummy there, but since they captured quite a lot there.  Including Zak almost giving Aaron a heart attack and making him hurt his back as he walked down there, with Aaron thinking Zak's shadow was a dark shadow figure.

It was tough Marie getting fired after they filmed there, what did they want her to do stay silent.  She was taking about the spirits there and not exactly the other staff, patients or management, so she had every right to speak about her experiences there.

Billy volunteering to stay the night there in that room where they left patients to be collected and that bed no one touched with the powder on it, looked like two faces in there.

Was quite a bit of activity taking place there during the night, including the door banging shut and then that figure that's seen behind the glass doors at around 19.02.  It vanishes very quickly or appears to, the editing was a little rough there, so couldn't get a good look which direction all this happened in.  Appeared to be filmed by Billy's cam or the static cam?  But played that back several times to have a good look.  And Billy in a hospital gown too, going all out for the sake of investigating.

Coincidentally, rather not, the door that closed was the same one where Aaron looked into where he said he saw a man.  As well as being near where Zak said he heard the man's voice in his ear.  Zak running to turn his back against the wall, was kinda funny, I mean how's that gonna help.  Had to laugh at that.  As for the man's voice, it was validated when Aaron uses the SB spirit box and asks those questions of "are you here taking all those lives when this place is going on?" When the 'unexplained female voice' replies, "he did."  Referring to either the man they heard, or the evil figure that haunts the place, taking lives.  As well as the EVP Zak caught on the digital recorder which says, "noooo."  The same voice he said he heard in his ear.
New equipment developed by Billy and Bill Chappell, the Spirit Sweep, which they also used and actually caught a man's voices on it.

Ghosts of Shepherdstown 2.2 "We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes"

Leading on from last week, the team now head towards Sharpsburg, another town situated near the Potomac in a bid to help Nina who has been plagued by a negative entity and a Native American woman appearing to her, outside her window and in her dreams.  Chief Mike King catches up to the three as Nick asks if they've got a broken tail light.  Actually they've heard about the activity through the scanner and were heading there.  With Elizabeth asking if Nina's home is near the river.

Sharpsburg is another town severely affected by the Civil War where a bloody battle took place, where the river also turned red from the blood and the limbs were just thrown out of the window onto the street.  As well as every house being used as a hospital as the Union Army bombarded the Confederates with artillery fire.  Nina tells how her ex-husband, John, found a bullet in the ground of their yard and the paranormal team helping out took it in order to help ease the activity, which didn't work.

Nina tells of how she's been affected and how the activity eventually led to her relationship breaking down and to her divorce.  As well as anyone who entered the basement suffering from 'manic'-like episodes almost and have broken their lease with her.  Elizabeth is immediately affected by the basement and suffers from some form of "mania" as she describes it.  Nick and Bill run a baseline sweep of the basement using their equipment and don't find any activity on the Mel Meter.  With Bill adding how the toilet isn't haunted.  And Nick replying he'll use it later.  We all know Nick's track record with spirits and toilets!

Elizabeth sweeps the upstairs and finds the Mel Meter activates via the antenna in exactly the same spot where the Native American woman appeared to Nina.  In her bedroom, the Meter doesn't stop going off and goes crazy.  The same thing happens to the one that Bill places on her bed too.
Elizabeth leaves her ComSphere gadget in the basement so that if it activates they will return here. Nick and Elizabeth speak with John who confirms everything happening at the house and how their son doesn't want to inherit it.  Whilst Bill speaks with Dana and Ronnie who shows them the bullet. Bill swapping bullet samples for Ronnie to look at which had all been fired and mushroomed, showing that the bullet hasn't been fired thus there wouldn't be any residual energy associated with it causing the activity and the bite mark shows it was given to someone to bite on to ease their pain. Thus the term, "bite the bullet."  The EVP was haunted screams of the woman in such agony.  At the house in the basement there have also been symbols on the wall and Elizabeth notices the infinity symbols when she takes photos.

Lorie tells them about a Native American woman who was murdered here and she appears to be protecting Nina from the negative entity in the basement.  Where there's the presence of a portal.  The ComSphere goes off later and they return to t he house where Elizabeth finds that the wire from inside the ComShere has been pulled out, which is impossible to do without actually getting into it.

The light that Elizabeth mentions being on in the basement room with the laser is what I saw on the wall too, it's on and then it goes off when the producer enters the room.  You can see the light on the wall.

Was the shuffling coming from the same toilet area that displayed no activity earlier on.  Nick uses the Geoport and gets some amazing voices!
33.12 "...I hate it..." after it says it's in the basement.
33.18 the woman faintly says, "I'm here..."

Infinity symbols and crescent moon on the wall.  Was it just me or when the Geoport died, didn't that sound like an eerie gunshot!  IT was such a loud bang!
34.49 "no leave," sounds like the male voice says this or "no need." ??  When Nick asks where the female spirit is.

Bill using the dowsing rods finds the portal/vortex and Elizabeth tries to close it.  When the sage burns out the portal should've closed.  And that's when the laser went off.  Reed and Melody Oglala Sioux Spiritualists conduct a Native American ritual to enable the woman to find peace.  With Elizabeth giving her handmade moccasins so she can walk easier after having the soles of her feet removed after she was killed.

Whether the portal has been closed and the activity ceases remains to be seen, since it can start up again at any time, until as Nick says they work out how the portal opened up; but it was good seeing them try to help Nina and the Native American woman find some sort of peace and closure.  Once again stepping in to help the resident as much as possible.  Agree with Elizabeth about more activity taking place in the basement  as in 2.1 whether this is a coincidence or related remains to be seen. Also was great to see Elizabeth conducting the sage ritual in the basement too as we haven't seen her use her skills before in this way.  Again each of them bringing their own individual and unique talents to the investigation.

Read more about the ComSphere here:
https://www.sparkfun.com/news/2390

also more about Elizabeth's ghostly gadgets at:
https://elizabethsaint.com/tag/ghostly-gadgets/

The Musketeers 1.6 "Death of a Hero" Review

                                             
Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) finds a woman, Agnes (Amy Nuttal) whose baby has been kidnapped.  A priest is killed in the church nearby and another one hides out and makes his escape. He makes a remark about her being a loose woman and she says she's very respectable when wondering who would've taken her baby, she points to the grave and he apologizes, cos she's a respected, married woman.  As they walk in the road a crowd of people tell her to go away and Anne (Alexandra Dowling) calls her a witch.   D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) follows the man who took the baby to a house.

Athos (Tom Burke) and Porthos (Howard Charles) are at the King's (Ryan Gage) hunt, as a group of people ride out, getting Louis inside, they find it's his mother, Maria di Medici (Tara Fitzgerald).  He didn't want her to return to Paris after he banned her since she plotted to overthrow him and take the throne.  She tells him assassins are after her and there's already been a failed attempt on her life. Louis refuses to see her and Anne thinks she should hear her out.  The Cardinal (Peter Capaldi) tells her to leave and Athos and Porthos escort them away.  The cardinal telling him it wouldn't be good for the morale of France if Louis lets his mother be killed.  En route they are ambushed in the woods and her man kills one, whilst he slits the throat of another, when Athos tells him not to do it, as they can question him.  Of course it wasn't a real attempt on her life, but one orchestrated by her.  Just to get close to Louis and into the palace.

She ends up there and Constance (Tamla Kari) finds D'Artagnan watching the house, as they see a woman leave, she says she's a wet nurse, she feeds the baby.  That's a way for her to get into the house and she tells him she can't feed the baby.   He tells her to improvize.  The others arrive as Porthos and Athos followed Maria to the same house and spot Aramis and D'Artagnan there with Agnes.  She tells Aramis about her husband who was born deformed and everyone thought he was a devil and they hated him.  She was sent to care for him and fell in love.  (Beauty and the Beast??) They ended up being married by father DuVal and one day they went out walking together, but he was beaten.

Father Duval arrives in Paris and demands to see the Cardinal as he has vital information.  He tells him about the baby Henry and how he was the legitimate heir to the throne, as Philippe was Louis's brother.  Showing him the records, Maria is Henry's grandmother.  She leaves the house after speaking with Constance and seeing Henry, they move in and attack, Constance having signalled from the window that there are more men inside.  They manage to overpower them and Constance gives Aramis the baby to hold, as she sword fights one of them, as she's been learning from D'Artagnan.  Aramis left holding the baby, as she asked him if he has a family.  The Musketeers are his family.  That's a question they're all asked.

As they leave with the baby, the Cardinal tells Aramis he knows what she's doing here and plans to take over the throne as she's Henry's grandmother.  The Cardinal still wants Treville (Hugo Speer) to find the baby, but Aramis tells him they can't hand him over cos he'll be killed by the Cardinal or used by his grandmother.  Aramis plots to send her to Spain and as they hide out, soldiers arrive at the bridge.  He pays off a man to take her, but he gets an ever bigger payment from another man, as he points them out to him.  The other Musketeers turn up and Athos tells him they should've told them what he was doing, otherwise it was just suicidal.  That's a common thread that runs through this, not telling each other what's happening or what they're doing.  Maria telling him that her husband tried to make France a good place and she wants to do the same, it's not about money.

Athos tastes the brandy in the barrel which they can use to throw into the fire where it'll explode and cause a diversion.  (Which D'Artagnan did in series 3 when he threw out Porthos's wine barrel when they were under attack.)  She crosses the bridge and Aramis rides out with the baby where he's stopped and throws the baby into the river.  She's upset and tries to jump in.  Everyone now thinking the baby's dead (a ploy also used in the next episode!)

Treville conveys the news to the Cardinal who tells Maria that the baby died, as her man is arrested. She leaves.  It was the only way for Henry to be safe and she thinks she can return to her home and live a normal life.  Her life wouldn't ever be normal and Henry wouldn't be safe.  As they ride up with Henry, Aramis needed her to react normally otherwise they wouldn't believe her anguish.  He gives her money and tells her to find somewhere and find someone else, Phillipe would want her to.  She'd ask him to come with her, but she knows they're his family.

This episode was done again, well most of the events were similar, including the title in series 3. Louis had another brother called Phillipe Feron as we saw and he died saving Louis.  Here Louis' father had another son, Phillipe who was also deformed, like Henry's father and he was driven away.  Louis not knowing about him.  Here was the death of a hero then for Henry dying like that, supposedly, or was it a reference to his father.  Coincidence that both Phillipe's were deformed and how history repeated itself.  The Cardinal destroying any proof of Henry's birth and marriage and also getting Duval murdered so he couldn't talk.  He should've known that would happen, but he was trusting of a fellow man of the cloth.

Cardinal: "Bravo, I'm not unable to savour a strategem of elegant construction...let's not pretend, we both know what big teeth you have, grandmother."

This ep definitely needs to be watched in conjunction with 3.6 Death of A Hero.