Vanity Fair Chapter 4 "In Which Becky Joins Her Regiment" Review

                                               
This ep sees Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) putting her feminine wiles to full use as she attempts to gather money for herself (more for herself than Rawdon) and in the process Amelia (Claudia Jessie) realizes her true colours.  Well, finally as George (Charlie Rowe) makes a move on Becky!  Of course she wouldn't go after a mere pauper since his father now disowns him and only provides him with £2,000 severance pay.  Severance as he disowns him as his son and heir and removes his name from the family bible!  As he tells the servants to set a plate for George everyday in the hopes of seeing him return and begging for more money and erm his forgiveness.  Which I doubt Osborne Senior (Robert Pugh) would even give.  As George's sister, Jane (Ellie Kendrick) tells their father he should forgive George but he doesn't see himself as being in the wrong.  He even says this to Dobbin (Johnny Flynn) as he too believes that since they are on the eve of leaving for Belgium and war, that he should at least consider communicating with his son.  However Osborne makes a remark about pistols at dawn prompting Dobbin to leave.  Well he did his best and it was more so for Amelia than George since she will have scarce now't to live on. 

Poor Amelia (literally and metaphorically) can't see anything wrong with George and how he consummately despises her.  Of course he does, she cost him his fortune and holds Dobbin to blame for this too.  Dobbin brings the letter to George whilst they are at port and he holds noting but contempt for Dobbin for allowing him this fool's folly.  However, Dobbin would have Amelia in a heartbeat!

Now to Miss Sharp and how she and Rawdon (Tom Bateman) sneak off in the morning without paying their rent or any of their bills.  Rawdon complaining of needing a valet to dress him.  But fear not as Becky has a plan.  Not only did Rawdon manage to get George into further debt after gambling but she is determined that he should pay that £2,000 towards his debt.  Amelia not being able to understand why George frets so over the money as she thinks it's adequate.  But this isn't the life of luxury that George is used to.  Becky adding that it is a mere foot soldier's salary.  George further vexed when Dobbin tells him that he will have to live on his soldier's pay!  Perish the thought!

As they arrive in Belgium, it's not long before Rawdon and Becky entice George into another card game and Amelia knows that Rawdon is a very good player.  As Becky further flirts with George by lighting his cigar for him and telling him how she loves the smell of it. That was a line she also used to ensnare Rawdon too in episode 2!  General Tufto (Richard Dixton) also is beguiled by Becky and her charms, or rather her developed bust, as they attend the opera.  George not having any money to buy Amelia a bouquet and then has the nerve to ask why everyone has one except for her.  Amelia having befriended the wife of Major O'Dowd (Patrick Fitzsymons) Peggy O'Dowd (Monica Dolan).  However, all eyes are upon Becky in her new red dress as she and Rawdon sit in the General's box.  George waves to her and she waves back which doesn't go unnoticed by Amelia.  During the interval it's all George can do to stumble over to the box, just as the General is getting overtly friendly with her.  She thanks George for rescuing her and Rawdon invites him to another card game.

George also trying to impress people he believes are worthy of his company, i.e the wealthy parents of Lady Bareacres (Elizabeth Berrington) who snobs as as they are turn their noses up at Amelia and George too.  Yet he doesn't see that they don't want anything to do with him.  George telling Amelia they are wealthy and their daughter will marry a Duke by blood.  However George is a tiresome cad as he refuses to defend his wife for every insult they throw at her.  Even asking Lady Bareacres to save dances for him on her dance card and ignoring Amelia when she asks him to save one for her.

George even buys a bouquet for Becky and smuggles a note in there.  As Jos Sedley (David Fyn) arrives having a fearful journey on the boat and isn't invited to the dance.  Becky introduces Rawdon as her husband.  As the General gives her an even bigger bouquet.  Rawdon tells Sedly to remove the moustache as it's only reserved for soldiers.  Amelia is out of place at the dance and George deserts her as usual, as he asks Becky to dance.  Becky having told Amelia she should put her foot down and tell George to stop gambling if that's the case.  As gone are the times where women had to be girls all the time.  Even telling Amelia to dance with George.  Becky dances with George and Dobbin turns up to 'comfort' Amelia. 

Napoleon is at the outskttrs of Brussels and the men must leave the next day as they get their marching orders.  Becky tells Rawdon to come home with medals so they can flaunt them in his aunt's face.  That's the only few words she has for him.  Before he leaves for the night, he tells her that marrying her was the one thing that ever made him happy and still does.  But she hasn't got any such words for him.  In fact she reads the note from George confessing his love for her and stores it in the letter box Amelia gave her like a fanciful trinket!  The nerve!  Amelia cries alone as George isn't there and Dobbin urges him to go and see her when he's sitting outside Becky's window getting drunk.  Becky doesn't even notice him!

Next day they leave and Becky's fast asleep when Amelia can barely stand.  Dobbin tasks Jos with looking after Amelia and Becky bursts in to see Jos and asks if he's going into battle too with his military coat.  She wants him to look after her too, with a nod towards the camera again.  As Amelia tells her to leave.  She was poor and she befriended Becky but she treats her with betrayal and flirting with George, regardless of whether anything happened or not, it was the intentions behind the flirting and forgetting Amelia that was the point.  As Becky ventures out, cannon fire is heard and she doesn't know what that is as the battle commences next episode.  With Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill playing at the end of this week's episode as the soldiers march into war...(Not sung by Kate though!)

Becky finds herself alone but that shouldn't last long.  But strange turn of events as George now covets Becky, more lust methinks, whereas he couldn't stand her before and how Amelia realizes what she is really like and sees her in her true light.  When Amelia also questions her over whether she really does love Rawdon and she can't answer that, not in the same way Amelia loves George, albeit foolishly, she is still devoted to him and her marriage.  Whereas we know, Becky is looking out for her next meal ticket and ways of getting money coming in, such as presents from the General and of course shamelessly accepting them.  Funny moment when Jane thinks Dobbin has come to propose to her and he realizes he's used the wrong choice of words.  I say everyone was after Dobbin in some way or another!  Ha. 

Paranormal Lockdown UK 1.3 "Royal Oak Pub, Swanage" Review

Royal Oak Pub was a series of cottages which were built in the seventeenth century and became a pub later on.  From the outset there was something a little off about this episode I have to say.  The fact that the current owner Rachel used to work here when little and before she became the 13th owner.  Her friend and psychic medium Terri, knew that Rachel would buy the pub one day and they hold paranormal investigations there.  However they also said that before Rachel became owner there was no reported activity there.  So they had circles and seances and bought in the entities and spirits, including something ark and negative.  However other reports indicate that there was a history of hauntings there.

One of the residents of the pub was the Stevens family and Jack Stevens bought in his sister-in-law Mary when his wife died.  Though it wasn't stated how she died here.  Lots of voices coming through on the Geoport mentioning "the baby" and "what happened to the baby..."  As well as some French too which Katrina believed could be the presence of a soldier.  She translated the words on an app which were said via Geoport to "roche" meaning rock.  I heard "ici" too meaning "here."  As well as other voices saying "he killed her."  Aggressive male voice almost tyring to prevent the timid female from coming through and speaking!
Other voices said: "let me out," I will never forget.."  Perhaps in reference to what happened to the baby.  The impression that she was forced to have a baby and then have it taken away from her, whoever she was.  Since "you lost your baby" came through.

Nick saw a dark mass earlier on and this wasn't captured on camera.  Now is the time to wear some GoPros or other portable cameras since we would like to see what's happening before the handheld is able to catch anything or is aimed in the general direction, cos come on guys, it is all about investigating!  Nick's name "Nick's here" also came through later on when they were in the upstairs bedroom known as the Vortex Room, as there appeared to be some sort of portal or gateway there.  Katrina saw a flickering light reflecting off the candle holder in the Vortex Room where she slept the first night and that's what I saw too when she said she was woken during the night, before she said it.  Nick slept in the second floor hallway and nothing was caught there.  Katrina slept there too the second night and still they got nothing!

Nick used the Paranormalagies box for the voices and the Pint sensor in the bar, a last minute light gadget made by Elizabeth Saint to light up when the pint glass was touched.  Which it was and the various bumps and noises were heard.  Knew that one was Elizabeth's - can tell these things!  Aside from the voices they caught, nothing else was actually captured on camera.  To me this one seemed like a bit of a waste of time, so much for the owner wanting to confirm what they were seeing.  But it didn't seem that interesting an investigation to me.  Perhaps one that could have been foregone in favour of somewhere else, or one where the owner genuinely needed help.

It appears the spirits were agitated and wanted to be left alone, especially when a female voice came through saying "let me rest."  It does appear that Rachel and Terri have stirred up activity there whereas the spirits just want to be left in peace and Nick saying they should let them decide what they want to do.  It appears they are happy for the activity to continue, no comment on that from me.  As for being labelled one of the most haunted pubs: I wouldn't quite agree!

Celebrity Ghost Hunt Haunted Holiday 1.2 "Loftus Hall"

Loftus Hall is a veritable haunted horse in Ireland and I love the legend behind it about the dark stranger who pays a call on the family, has his way with the young daughter and then she sees his cloven feet.  Thus the devil called that dismal night.  However not the part about the family murdering the baby she had and burying it in the walls!  This was also the investigation of a Ghost Adventures Hallowe'en Special in October 2014 where they also got some great evidence.

Plenty of activity here with Nadia and Sam both being burned and then Simon feeling the part about the man hanging himself even before Alex told them of this.  All suitably creepy.  As well as the cat's meow when Alex mentioned animals.  But that ticking from the meter actually sounded like a clock coming through.

Also in the card room you can see another orb shoot out from where the tail end of the arrow is to behind the man.

Sure there was a rapid movement of some orbs when they entered the room with the bed, the Tapestry room, that did not look like the movement of dust at all.

28.16 orb shoots into Simon's back, no wonder he was feeling so nauseous and having the most experiences with the activity.  Whether it was to do with his colours as he pointed out is anybody's guess, but did back this up with the activity he was getting and going through physically.

28.24 Another orb here but you have to see the actual footage since they zoom about very quickly.

Sam hearing the rattling of the handle when he was in the room alone upstairs tallies with Zak Bagans capturing a door closing there in the Ghost Adventures investigation, though it wasn't the same door.  And the experience of a girl who felt something brush across her face which frightened her and similar with Alex when she said she felt something brush across her hand.  They also caught an orb in the Tapestry room too.

Vanity Fair Chapter 3 "A Quarrel About An Heiress" Review

                                             
Things were hotting up this week as Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) wanted to be with Rawdon (Tom Bateman) and drove away in the carriage after kissing.  No guesses where they were headed, though in true TV drama fashion this wasn't shown until later.  No, until then Becky continued to be the friend for Matilda (Frances de la Tour) reading to her and at her beck'n'call.  Making friends with Matilda's own companion, Miss Arabella Briggs (Felicity Montagu) who was delighted to have another friend in Becky as she felt Matilda no longer wanted her company.  Of course Becky made her believe otherwise, the sharp (no pun) manipulator she is.  As Matilda couldn't eat another piece of meat and wanted some "sweetmeat" instead; thus retiring early leaving the coast clear for Becky to ply Arabella with wine and ensure they were on each other's side.  It was kind of charming for Arabella to find someone she thought was like her, but she was rather gullible.  More glancing at the camera from Becky this episode and her pulling faces when she's clearly disapproving of someone, such as Mr Raggles (Peter Wight) who grew up at Queens Crawley and will be becoming a landlord.  At least he made his fortune honestly!

Pitt (Martin Clunes) opens the paper to read that Napoleon has escaped Elba and thus war looms.  However, Lady Crawley (Madeleine Hyland) was away in her own little world and not interested.  George (Charlie Rowe) reads this too and they know they will be sent away any minute.  As Mr Osborne (Robert Pugh) tells him to find someone else and he should give up the Sedley girl once and for all.  Of course Mr Sedley (Simon Russel Beale) also tells this to Amelia (Claudia Jessie) that she should call of the engagement.  Becky visits with Amelia, taking Rawdon and Matilda with her, as George also turns up.  Matilda having a racist and snooty view of Sam (Richie Campbell) as she refuses to take any refreshment and asks Mrs Sedley (Claire Skinner) how she can leave him around with the silver.  Of course Sam is more put out by there not being any wine to serve as Becky wanted since Sedley sold the wine seller.  However it did not get him out of debt.  George advises Rawdon to be careful of the "wild flirt." 

Lady Crawley has an accident tripping over her dress and falling down the stairs and expiring.  Thus leaving the road clear for Pitt to remarry.  As he heads to London and a beeline for Becky.  That smirk on his face said it all and he couldn't wait to be free again.  He proposes to Becky as he fears he's in dire need of a wife, someone to sort out his finances too and she can be mistress of the manor or anything else she wishes.  Becky having to confess that she is already married but not to tell anyone of this.  Arabella rightly guesses that an affair of the heart may have led Becky to reject Pitt's proposal.

That proposal made Matilda get out of bed quick smart, putting on a turn whenever the fancy caught her but not now.  She would have approved of Becky marrying Pitt but not Rawdon.  As she finally reveals this to her and to us.  Showing that she was wearing white and they indeed rode in the carriage to church and to get married.  However there is no easy way to tell Matilda and she sends a letter to Arabella for her to break the news to her.  That her beloved Rawdon is now her Rawdon too.  Leaving Matilda in another tizzy!  Shrieks of "treasure hunter!  Vixen!" Vowing that she's nothing but a gold digger and she will leave him nothing or give him more money!  But then prithee tell who would've been a suitable match for Rawdon since he was clearly besotted and did the right thing in marrying her.  Though of course Becky would have the last word in that too since she thought she'd be set up for life!

Rawdon also tells Gorge and the other men of his nuptials since he asks if the men wouldn't marry someone they loved, money be damned.  Whereby George receives a letter from Amelia calling off their engagement.  There is a bankruptcy sale at the Sedley's and Becky meant to be nosey and spend Rawdon's money on the painting with the elephant and also the piano, as she never had one.  However Dobbin (Johnny Flynn) outbids her and walks out ignoring them.  The piano is delivered to Amelia and she thinks George bought it for her.  Yeah skinflint George who scarce sent a penny on her and yet claims he wants to do the right thing by her, with some prompting by Dobbin.

Osborne organizes a dinner and introduces George to a woman who has an allowance a month and is from Miss Pinkerton's school also.  A native of the Bahamas.  She's here to learn English and George rejects her claiming he's in love with Amelia and they are engaged.  Sedley is angry and George says he will marry Amelia. As he accompanies Dobbin to her house, he sees a sight he never thought he would, Amelia washing clothes.  Dobbin tells Sedley that Osborne was his friend and he should let them marry, but not the way Sedley sees it as Osborne treated him appallingly in calling in his debts.  Wonder if George got the notion she was just a gold digger too after learning she was also at the Pinkerton school.

Amelia spends the night at Becky's in preparation for the big day and she speaks of how she loves George.  That they are to be wives now and throughout it all, Becky never once says that she loves Rawdon.  Who has attempted to see Matilda but was prevented from doing so by Martha (Sian Clifford) who had been called to take over the house and Rawdon suggest she's been withholding their letters.  Shutting the door on Becky's face.  Pitt has a screaming fit when he finds out Becky married Rawdon and proceeds to break the frame with his picture in it.  More like he was angry she didn't marry him!

Becky attempts for Rawdon to write to Matilda and meet with her as she dictates a letter from him which doesn't sound like Rawdon at all, since he wouldn't use words such as "beseech" with two 'e's.  Obviously she has an extremely low opinion of Rawdon and he later tells her that.  Arabella meets with them in the hopes they may find a way to convince Matilda to see him.  She brings her to the park but she drives straight past them and Becky encourages him to run after and get into the carriage.  Matilda tells him to meet her lawyer the next day. 

The day of the wedding, which goes without a hitch and Becky remarks to Dobbin how he managed to do the right thing for Amelia even if he didn't want to.  Rawdon tells her he got £20 from Matilda and told to keep away.  Becky saying they couldn't even pay the rent, so she decides they should go to war with their husbands as other wives do!  A bad idea!

Yes Becky does think so poorly of Rawdon and he was just a rich meal ticket to be kept in luxury.  And boy did fortune backfire for her and become misfortune.  Especially when discovering that Matilda is just as stuck up and judgemental as Pitt and all the wealthy in society.  Just wanting another servant by her side, someone to keep her company and even if her mother was more than an opera girl or someone far worse as Martha tells Matilda before being sent packing.  Look at Matilda's treatment of Sam as well, who will be the one doing okay out of all the fiasco, much better than the so-called better off.  Becky also being snooty when she tells George that he could have done better if he married someone with a background like her.  Perhaps someone should've used Abba's Waterloo as a song in the end credits, a tad uncalled for in this episode, but with war looming around the corner, it'd be a bit apt when you think about it.  After all "...at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender..."  Perhaps also defeat lies awaiting for Becky too.

Paranormal Lockdown UK 1.2 "Drakelow Tunnels" Review

Drakelow Tunnels below Kingsford County Park, north of Kidderminster, is an oft visited site by many people, paranormal groups and others and is said to be one of Britain's actively haunted sites.  Having being built here in 1941 during the Second World War for building airplane parts etc, it housed a number of people.  There were numerous deaths and as Sid, the site manager told Nick and Katrina, there were about five known deaths but if there were more, then certainly no one would have recorded them and said anything about them, especially not during the war.  There were some who were killed when the tunnels collapsed and three men were reported to have been buried alive.  As well as reported hauntings from shadow figures, various apparitions and a lady seen with a child. 

Of course having worked there for twenty years, Sid had his own sightings too, with someone he calls "Oswald" aka Harry.  Sid was pushed off his ladder and broke his leg.  The tunnels are long and span at least three and a half miles, dark, dank and dusty and if you get lost in the dark, it will take forever to get out, well not literally but the only light source being a torch.  Which is what happened to Nick on the second night when he couldn't sleep, was awoken suddenly and tried to find Katrina, who was clearly away with the pixies.  Strangely, Katrina slept in Tunnel 1 on the first night and nothing happened to her.  Nick got lost and saw the figure of a man he said was following him.  His IR light went out and he only had his torch. leaving him panicky and calling out for Katrina, who obviously wouldn't hear him.  Though when Katrina did get up, she thought she was up before him and went to seek him out.  Nick crawling through a crawl space by this time, but managed to hear her calling that way.  Nust've been a tense time being so far apart from each other.

Their photo showing the dark figure is the top one, the bottom one I took.

As they treaded the tunnels, they got a few objects thrown at them, well twice, the first one being aimed at Katrina and hitting her jacket and the second one they said was a brick, so clearly the spirits were trying to get their attention, or were being more aggressive.  Nick used the Afterlife Box app using an analogue radio, which generates phonetic words and captured quite a few voices.

As Nick was sleeping with the lasers, there was an orb/light anomaly that passed through the light from the lasers and can be seen where the blue arrow is marked.   Will try and upload a video for this and for the solid figure that Nick saw.

A voice also said, "that man" in reference to Sid most likely.  Getting Sid's name mentioned twice: "Sid sick" and "Sid sorry."  For throwing his off his ladder most likely.  As Nick later told Sid, Oswald was not a violent or dangerous spirit, but more curious and was aggressive in that the renovations took place there, where they belonged.  Sid did say he was sick on the same day they caught that voice.  Lots of doors slamming too and what both Nick and Rob described as an army of fifty men marching through the tunnels.  Which Katrina said was probably as she asked if she felt safe there in the canteen area.  It did sound like shuffling to me, but not fifty men, guess you had to be there in the moment.  Again after seeing shadow figures, they weren't able to pick any up with their equipment.  Begging the question of how so much equipment just turns out to be useless or no good where such figures are concerned. 

Earlier on on the walk through, they did manage to get a voice in response to Sid's question of whether he's liked now and the voice distinctively replied, "no!"  Setting up infra red lights in the tunnels for their experiment where Nick saw the solid man, with the LED lights on the light panel. The path was crossed and that's when the brick-like object was also thrown.  Also a voice coming through and saying "into a trap."  When the light panel lit up.  Other voices were: "killed," "appear," "computer" all captured through the Afterlife app.

Other voices were heard during the early part of the investigation where Katrina was asking questions and a voice asked, "who's that?"  Katrina introducing herself, Nick and Rob.  A voice also says "hi."  That was strange since this greeting isn't traditionally associated with the UK.  Katrina asks what country they're from and the reply is "America."  So clearly they were getting intelligent responses.  Later when Katrina asks about Oswald or Harry, a woman's voice which is shown as Inaudible on screen, actually says "sit down."  Now that was a cockney/posh accent like they used to speak back then.  If you watch any British black and white film from the 1930's/40's, you will hear the typical accent I'm referring to.  Made me think if it could have been the woman who has been spotted with the child and whether that could have been residual. 

A troublesome ep spending 72 hours in the confines of darkness without light or sunlight and extremely cold, of course without sleep, especially for Nick, he would be frustrated and a little out of his mind when he saw that figure. But an awesome catch!  Right a visit to these tunnels is called for!

Next ep we're off to a pub!!   Definitely getting into the spirit of things then!

Vanity Fair Chapter 2 "Miss Sharp Begins to Make Friends" Review

                                        
Having left the doldrums of London far behind, Becky (Olivia Cooke) begins her tenure as a governess with much aplomb.  Firstly mastering the subtleties in winning Violet (Orli Goldstein) and Rose (Niamh Durkin) and helping them by speaking in French, but then meeting Rawdon (Tom Bateman) at every turn.  Rather he was the one doing the chasing, as his brother Bute (Mathew Baynton) and his prim and proper and utterly boring wife, Martha (Sian Clifford) watch her, the veritable hussy take over the household.  Not so but she begins to bring Pitt (Martin Clunes) around by wanting to become his secretary as she impresses him with her legal knowledge, everything she picked up from her father and his troubles.  Bute thinking she will get to be with Rawdon, as well as Pitt and take over.  Although Pitt is now married to his second wife, he is impressed with Becky's work and has developed a soft spot for her too..

Until the arrival of Aunt Matilda (Frances de la Tour) Pitt's sister has everyone in a tizzy as she has the money in the family too and has not made a will.  Alas she only has eyes for her beloved Rawdon as he accompanies her to Queens Crawley.  Becky even teaching the girls how to curtsy to impress Aunt.  As well as impressing Aunt herself, at singing and playing the piano.  She confesses she hopes someone will take Rawdon away, some rich woman as he hasn't a penny to his name and is in debt.  However Becky tells her it is more apt if he marries a poor miller's daughter which makes all the rich ladies envious.  Cos this life is all about money as Bute and Martha also want to inherit Aunt's thousands.  Completely greedy as the eldest he will also be getting Queens Crawley too.  Though he's rather a Mr Collins' character from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, not failing to throw in a sermon over and over.  Even when Aunt tells him she doesn't want any sermonizing from him.

She finds solace in Becky and as Becky tells her she is a friend to her now.  As Martha goes to Miss Pinkerton (Suranne Jones) to get the lowdown on Becky's father, whom she tells her was a drunk and her mother an opera dancer, thinking this will help in her plan to rid them of Becky.  A plan which Bute labels "brilliant;" not quite as they've not encountered the likes of Becky Sharp before.  Nor likely ever will again.  She thinks Rawdon will seduce Becky at the dance and she will be shamed and will have to leave.

As Rawdon gets Becky alone outside after a dance and says he's never met anyone like her, so full of life and that he would not take advantage of her.  As they are about to kiss they're interrupted as Becky hears the music has stopped and Aunt asks for her.  Pitt's feeding her mutton has made her ill.  However Becky looks after her, helping her remove her wig.  The next day she leaves for London with Aunt who has made Becky her nurse. 

In London, Amelia (Claudia Jessie) is not having much luck with George (Charlie Rowe) who hasn't written or replied to her countless letters and Dobbin (Johnny Flynn) berates him for this as he's playing billiards with Rawdon, on a winning streak.  George begs (yes begs) for money from Dobbin and he gives him some to enable him to buy a present for Amelia.  However he buys a cravat pin for himself!  Whilst waiting for Amelia, Mr Sedley (Simon Russell Beale) asks about his father and how they were good friends.  Yet George's (Robert Pugh) father doesn't carry that same opinion of him and is only looking for George to make a better match than a "lame duck."  He tells George to demand £10,000 otherwise he should find someone better, ie more wealthy.  Calling in all of the Sedley loans.  As Amelia comes to visit Osborne, Sedley accompanies her but isn't allowed into the house, whereby he has a turn and must be helped by Amelia and Sam (Richie Campbell).  Becky finally writes to Amelia about her adventures in darkest Hampshire. 

As Thackery (Michael Palin) says in the opening it's all about people being concerned about worthless things and everyone just wants to get money any way they can.  Of course George wouldn't fight for Amelia when he can do better and didn't even want her.  As Rawdon skulks after Becky.  Shall I say skulks after his funny line of "relatives skulking" around as he proceeded to do the same on the stairs and where he asked Becky if she's smoked a cigar before.  Which she does now in a replay of eating extra hot curry from part 1.  As for modern song inclusions, this episode ends with Madonna's Material Girl being played as she rides off in the carriage with Aunt and confesses who her parents really were which Aunt finds marvellous!  Roll on Chapter 3.  Finally Becky meets someone who doesn't judge her for who she is.

Vanity Fair Chapter 1: "Miss Sharp In The Presence of The Enemy" Review

                                            
ITV's new adaptation of Vanity Fair was much talked about and promoted with numerous interviews, articles etc and could even be said rather hyped up, gearing viewers for a must-see extravaganza for the month of September.  Though it really didn't disappoint at all!  If you haven't read the book or watched any of the adaptations in the past you were missing out.  Vanity Fair is not everyone's cup of tea but it is one that can be said is truly for this day and age.  What with an 'orphan' starting out in the world without means versus those who have everything.  It's no surprise heroine Becky Sharpe (Olivia Cooke) did not want to venture into "darkest Hampshire."  Her 'punishment' for acting out at Miss Pinkerton's  school for girls.  It was Miss Pinkerton's (Suranne Jones) revenge for having to put up with her, but Becky did manage to get one up on her.  Not only did she talk her way into staying with her friend, Amelia Sedley (Claudia Jessie) but she even proceeded to embarrass Pinkerton by speaking in French and telling the girls she didn't even know French for the amount she was getting paid for teaching it.
Olivia bears such a striking similarity in terms of looks to Jenna Coleman!

Even throwing out the coveted dictionaries passed onto the girls who were leaving.  Yes a dictionary will help the richer classes find their way into this world, when most of them would already have their lives mapped out for them through wealthy marriages and other pursuits.  So Becky got to spend a week with Amelia and her family, who didn't receive visitors well and for all their 'snobbery' they really weren't that enamoured to have as parents.  Snobbery aside, the real lowliness of their characters showed when they displayed their racism in front of  Sam (Richie Campbell) who could read Becky like a book.  For she was after money and thought she could do well with Amelia's portly brother, Jos (David Fynn) who was in India and returned home, to wow Becky with his adventures of Indian elephants.  Having a week to make this match and propose marriage, she found things wouldn't fall into her lap so neatly.

Cue George Osborn (Charlie Rowe) a preening peacock, always fixing his hair and having high opinions on how ladies should be and behave and betrothed to Amelia.  Jos proved to be a bounder, but if Becky could take him off  Mr and Mrs Sedley's (Claire Skinner) hands and married since Becky has a "white face" and he wouldn't be lumbered with a brown maharani, that was fine for Mr Sedley (Simon Russell Beale) since they wouldn't produce "mahogany children."  Uttered right in front of Sam, who managed to keep a straight face throughout.  Becky attempting to impress with eating hot curry and getting it down and demanding water.

Interrupted at every turn from getting her proposal from Jos.  Even though he was a buffoon and acted as such at their foray to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.  Where he got drunk and had to be taken home by Captain Dobbin (Johnny Flynn).  Good old Dobby, always seen as a friend, but more a lackey by George, since it appeared the only reason he accompanied him to the gardens was to pay for tickets and carry the shawls.  Then having to take Jos home and George talking him out of marrying Becky since he wanted a lady for a sister-in-law.  As if Jos could attract the attentions of a lady!  Dobby clearly showing feelings for Amelia.

Thus her week was up and she had to leave with Amelia practically giving her everything, including all her shawls, well three of them and the letter writing box which Becky gladly took, but not the carnelian necklace, lest she be accused of being a jewel thief and transported to Australia.  Thus she was on her way to Hampshire, which proved every bit as dark as her expectations and was driven there by Pitt Crawly (Martin Clunes) himself, a skinflint of massive proportions and thus began chapter two where she was to be governess.  Almost throwing the photoframe onto Rawdon Crawley's (Tom Bateman) head as he rides past the window.  Well that was Rawdon, arrogant as ever, in case no one knew yet.  Okay I jumped ahead!

A clever dramatization in places, especially the enjoyable parts where Becky looked at the camera twice, just to ensure we were paying attention to her, but more so it was a plot device to coincide with narration by WM Thackery (the author of the book) himself.  This one will definitely be a ratings winner for ITV and scoring a hit for the cast too.  Lots of mixed reviews on this one with the haters and those loving it to bits.  Some were harsh though.  Okay she's not the 'heroine' everyone wants to read about or watch, but who wants a perfect character everytime.  Becky is manipulative, doesn't suffer fools, wants to get ahead, challenge the norms of the time; but is that her fault, or that of the world she moves in, the society of her times.    No matter what, you can say she is engaging, has a sad life and sympathy on her might be wasted for some; though she's entertaining and a gripping character, never dull.  Always thinking of her next move, although it falls through.

The addition of Thackery (Michael Palin) in the opening with his narration as an introduction to Becky was different and welcome to those who had trouble keeping up with the book, I don't say that for offence (many at school were in this boat) but he adds an extra edge of anticipation, as the cast clamour aboard the carousel.  Life is one big fair after all, to many.  Vanity Fair: "a very vain, wicked foolish place.  Full of all sorts of humbug, falseness and pretensions."  Not very far removed from our  own, modern world at all!

Paranormal Lockdown UK 1.1 "Shepton Mallet Prison" Review

Paranormal Lockdown UK began with Nick and Katrina being locked down in Shepton Mallet Prison.  A prison with an imposing history until the day it closed its door in 2013.  Quite recently too. From the outset they found themselves seeing shadow figures.  Though blowed if we the viewers could get to see any!  They were also told of 'The Woman In White' seen by many but alas not them, which Katrina was a tad sceptical about since there have been so many mentions of women in white throughout many locations.

They met with historian, Paul who took them on a quick impromptu tour of the prison and the main areas where sightings have occurred, as well as providing them with a potted history of events.  Including his own scarring in the Hanging Room: Hanging Shed, at possibly the hands of an American soldier who was imprisoned there during World War II for murder of one and rape of another women.  Paul told of how he was telling the tour group of his final day before being hanged and how his legs buckled under him when he realized this was a reality and uttered, "oh my God I'm going to die."  Paul was then burned with a cigarette as soon as he repeated the soldier's final words.  Carrying the scar to this day.

Other cells were underground ranging from the 1600's where the poor were kept mainly and anyone was arrested and imprisoned for any crime no matter how minor, including children as young as four just for stealing an apple.  Their life expectancy was no more than three months, all huddled in cold, overcrowded cells and plagued with disease. 

As the investigation continued, Nick and Katrina saw shadow figures and in the courtyard they saw the shadow which Katrina described as being that of a cloaked woman.  Perhaps the one Paul told them about as she walked around looking for ferns.  Although Katrina took pictures with a stills camera, they said that nothing was being captured on any of the cameras. Wonder if they tried the kinetic, SLS, stick figure camera Nick used in the beginning, or a thermal camera.  The stick figure camera would have been a good idea right then perhaps.  Cos we didn't see a thing and I wanted to! 

Shepton Mallet is sometimes also known as 'Cornhill'  situated in Somerset.  It was first opened in 1625 but fell into disrepair very early one and was expanded in 1790.  Due to the decreased number of inmates, the prison was closed in 1930, but owing to the outbreak of World War II, it was reopened in 1939 used by the British Army for military purposes and also by the Americans to hold their criminal soldiers.  Hence there was an EVP heard on the Geobox which said "British Army."  The area known as the "Hanging Shed" was built by the Americans for the specific purposes of hanging.  18 Americans were executed here, 16 by hanging and two were shot in the prison yard.  Channel 4 made a film on the prison and how 10 of the18 men hanged here were Black soldiers, and 3 were Hispanic, citing a disproportionate number in contrast to their white contemporaries, which formed 90% of the US army. 
(NB rape was not punishable by hanging (a capital offence) in England since 1841.)

It was only recently opened as a visitor centre this year. 

In the cells where the infamous Kray twins spent six months, they caught the name, "Kray" on the Geobox, as well as other EVPs.  As Nick slept in A Wing he kept hearing doors banging and footsteps, even voices, again we didn't hear those.  As Katrina slept in the room where the condemned men were kept before being executed.  I just then asked whether Nick was going to sleep there, but turned out it was Katrina.  Although she slept soundly the entire night and woke Nick up on two occasions this time round.  As Rob left for the night.
Other voices caught included: "underground" quite a bit and I'm sure I heard, "you found me" when they spotted a shadow figure in the prison corridor.

A cool piece of equipment Nick used here was the Angelus device, which displayed images the spirits would have deemed familiar.  As Katrina pretended she was to be executed and Nick the executioner, they got intelligent responses to their questions by knocking.  These included being kept below and perhaps the amazing one was Cassandra which came through on the Angelus.  As well as Cassandra herself in a British accent saying "I don't want to die."  That was heartbreaking and how she was "killed" for being a thief.  Nick then realizing and piecing together that the knocks, footsteps he heard in A Wing in the night were probably coming from beneath him.  There are 89 cells underground, which have yet to be uncovered.

The Angelus and Light Projection device was used by them courtesy of  Nick's fellow investigator from Ghosts of Shepherdstown and @VIDIspace, Elizabeth Saint and invented by Martin of ExtremeSense.com, which really came through with some great evidence, not bad for a first time experiment on TV.

Nick also slept in one of the uncomfortable 1700's cells with the rubble and a distinct hissing was heard when he entered the cell for the first time.  Although they didn't get anything else when there later, as the energy seemed to dissipate there.  Katrina slept in the courtyard the entire night and didn't get disturbed at all.  Though she did say she didn't realize where she was when she woke up.  That night earlier there were some anomalies flying past her in the courtyard, but again nothing was caught.

The first pic is the one that passed her the first time and the second one is what they specifically highlighted on the ep.

Mind you doesn't this look like a face captured on one of Katrina's shots, facing sideways.  It resembles a suspended head.  Then again I always manage to find such faces quite a bit.

Nick and Katrina played back Cassandra's voice for Paul and this impressed him, as well as shocking, but giving him a new area of investigation in unearthing the remaining cells and finding out more on Cassandra. 

Next ep is Drakelow Tunnels, familiar to UK viewers and not just cos it was the location of an  episode of that awful Most Haunted back in 2014!

The Lieutenant of Inishmore - Noel Coward Theatre

An unusual play in some respects, but have to say the ending was predictable and didn't come as a surprise.  Definitely one for cat lovers and once you see this those never ending cat Gifs will be seen in a new light.  Very gory in places for those with easily turned stomachs, although the blood wasn't real.  Wee Thomas turned out to be such a scoundrel after all!  And appeared as a real black cat whose name was Lenny!

Lots of references to the INLA, IRA and splinter groups.  Padraic's (Aidan Turner) opinion of a splinter group: "that's two words".  Though he would've branched out with his own splinter group and called it !Wee Thomas" after his beloved cat.  He was classed as "mad" and losing the plot over the loss of his cat was hilarious at times, but not at others.  Don't call me a killjoy but I wasn't really lough out loud amused with the entirety of it, as was this particular audience!  Perhaps I'm picky!

Overall the cast did an apt job in their respective characters, but gotta say Aidan Turner for all the critic's views and reviews, didn't feature that much and was just his usual self.  For me he didn't really bring anything, much of anything to this role.  Fans of Poldark would've loved him, I'm not a fan of the show or of him, so maybe that left me wanting, who knows.  But this is the one and only time I haven't written a very favourable review about a play.  Generally I love them all, I breathe theatre and always come away with a feeling of satisfaction and much admiration for the production.  But to each their own.

Though I have to add many were disappointed at not getting to see Aidan close up and getting autographs.  That was a bit mean on his part calling, "that's all" when there were many waiting to see him.  If I was a fan I'd be disappointed!  AT least I get to meet my faves after their performances and they sign/speak'photo op at much length too.  That's always a bonus!  And as I tweeted, sometimes there's only two in a certain production and they take time out to meet each and every one waiting for them at Stage Door.  (I won't name drop here!) A shame then that Aidan didn't quite follow through on this.

No I won't award marks out of ten either!  Spoilt sport!

Constantine 1.14 "Final Girl" (Script)

                                             
1.14 Final Girl (Script)

I added this script summary for anyone who missed seeing the script or didn't read in protest.
Daniel Cerone said Constantine ep 1.14 Judith he wrote the script for this which was "Hack/slash' inspired and she reinvented herself after Newcastle."

As tweeted by Daniel: "Script posted for s.1.14 episode 2K Retweets" 29/10/2015

Constantine gets thrown about again.  Ooh and some fan hopping action too.
Judith another from the Newcastle Crew - all punk rock and goth in leathers.
Constantine: "Judith and I go way back.  Knocked about in the London club scene when debauchery was revered."  (Yeah how would Constantine go down in The Hellfire Club and battling those demons and spirits - would have been interesting to see in an ep!)
Constantine being "gobsmacked" for once at seeing her.  She's changed and doesn't revel in guilt.  Of course appearances can be deceptive.  As he makes a reference to her weapons when Zed comments on her outfit.  Yeah finally he doesn't come across all materialistic.  Ha!  I.e in short, Judith was the female Dean Winchester (well vice versa cos she came first) with her panel truck and stash of weapons.

So much for Constantine's jealously in 1.13 over Zed and Jim he tells Judith he and Zed "it's not like that with us."  [I hear Dark Angel ringing in my ears when Max and Logan used to say the same all the time, how "it's not like that with Logan and me."]
Judith: "since when?  You losing your touch!"  Perish the thought.

At the millhouse - Constantine burns his hand in his attempt to make eggs and yeah it was brekkie all over again.  "I know how to cook eggs anyway.  It's a limited repertoire, best served after a good shag."  No wonder!  This explains Constantine's eggs (fried) obsession.

Judith mentions Constantine and his checking into an asylum (would've been a foreshadowing to LOT which perhaps wouldn't have transpired if Constantine had continued!)  So he'd be right at home.  But also a surefire Constantine reference in 3.10 LOT.  Again reinforcing Matt saying how this was definitely a Constantine ep in retrospect.

Newcastle made Judith hunt psychos instead of suffering a breakdown or fallout.
Oh great - he burns the eggs!  Really!!

Okay so Constantine and Judith get it on!  So more "hot sex" here than anticipated in LOT!!

Constantine sings!!
"Love, adventure, death and glory
the short goodbye, the whispered story
That bit's brilliant."  You mean we missed out on Matt actually singing in the show!!!

Constantine has a scar on his head from a bottle thrown at him by a frat boy drunk.
Constantine demonstrates his hypnotic powers in much the same way he did with Zed.  (Wot you mean he didn't everyday??!!  His hypnotic powers over us and how we miss him still!)  He tells Zed to use the nails from St Padua's coffin if she needs to find him, well he can't whistle if he gets into trouble.  The nails again from 1.3?/ The Devil's Vinyl.

Judith says what I did about food and why he needs it; "protein bars in the cooler.  Make sure you eat so you're not fighting on an empty stomach."
As Daniel Cerone tweeted this for the Constantine series and used it again here:
"One should never battle demons on an empty stomach"

Judith's killing machine and isn't interested in the Brujeria or what's behind the 'Meat Cutter' unlike Constantine.
No Manny or Chas in this.

This ep dealt with necromancy too.  (See Supernatural and also LOT 3.15.
Judith: "I hate you.  You're everyone's best time...then you take it away.  Gary, Ritchie, Anne Marie, Frank; you brought us together then, John, then you tore us apart.  Destroyed everything we were."
Constantine: "I destroyed myself too."  {Truth is he was already a broken man since his teens so he was kinda already destroyed before he found the occult.  However in that instance of losing Astra he lost his soul and that's more valuable and important than any other action he's ever carried out or been a part of.}
In this moment she accuses him of not being able to handle people caring for him, not giving him the chance to explain it wasn't this way.
Judith is behind the necromagik - as she too couldn't get away from Astra without the use of magic and a spell.
Constantine; "the only spell I know that provides atonement requires human sacrifice.  The sacrifice of a damned soul."  But she didn't resort to murder.

Judith reiterates he's killed everyone and walks away with a gathering of cows flying over Constantine.  Of course that reminded me of 1.3?? where Imogen the damned angel took the life of a human to see what it would be like and Zachary was on his way to hell for taking a human life. Thus his soul too was damned.

Anyway, this script shows how much we missed out on not being able to see it filmed.  Another hark back to Constantine and Newcastle and this time Judith went and carried out a ritual to assuage her guilt.
Showing how each one of the Crew handled that night.  She doesn't care about why she kills or hunts.  She just does it.  Again showing the stark contrast between Constantine and the others. All with different motives for getting into this fight.  But Judith is indifferent to helping people.  Whereas Constantine isn't and does do it to save them and for the greater good.  A lesser man would've succumbed to his guilt.  Yet the past makes him stronger and he has a purpose in knowing about the Brujeria and stemming the foothold of the Rising Darkness it aims to get into this world.  Into Constantine's realm and he's having none of it.

Good in seeing the contrast between the Crew as stated: Gary was an addict and tried to prove himself to Constantine.  Ritchie was into his work and teaching, yet in some ways longed for a world where he could be alone with inner peace.  1.10?/
Anne Marie became a nun and found God after all that dark occult magic.  Appears Constantine was the only one who "rebelled" in wanting to continue with what he began.  The only one to stick this out come what may.

My Matt book available here: please take a look it's a fascinating read, even if I recommend it myself!

https://www.amazon.com/Matt-Ryan-Behind-Becoming-Constantine/dp/0244677557/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1535074870&sr=8-21&keywords=mila+hasan