girlofprey

I was writing a post earlier, but then I started looking some stuff up, and then I got a call from my mum saying my sister had no money and was in tears because her partner hadn't gotten paid, and needed some money, and could I help out. So I ended up going round to the cash machine and waiting for my sister to come round. Then she decided to stay for a cup of tea. So you're getting this while I'm watching the (rewound) soaps.

The announcer just said before Eastenders that "Now, it's a tough day for the women on the Square". So much worse than EVERY OTHER DAY I'm guessing.

Anyway. In the past few days I have:

• Finished George Gently Series 2. Now I have no more George Gently to watch. But on the plus side, I am all caught up for when they apparently show more George Gently later this year.
  According to gently_fans, a BBC press release says 4 episodes, and Lee Ingleby on Twitter says 2. But either way, there'll apparently be some. Hurrah.
  
  I love George Gently, by the way. And Gently, and Bacchus, and Gently/Bacchus. People bang on a lot about how it's like a father/son relationship, and it kind of is, but it's also PLENTY SLASHY as well.



• Saw the last two episodes of season 1 of Strike Back. jekesta was talking about it, and then I was looking through the Sky schedule and noticed they were repeating it. I watched one story over two episodes a year or two ago, and I seemed to remember enjoying it but thinking it was a little bit blah. But last night's episodes were really good. Richard Armitage is a bit great. I still need to see the first two episodes though. That's probably not the right order to watch them in. Oh well.



• I saw the rest of Starkid's Starship. I do like Starkid. That's probably not a new sentiment. But I do.



• On Eastenders Michael went off on one about how he is jealous of his dad, actually, because his dad and his two brothers have funny little inside jokes and he's not in on it, with his own family. He wants to destroy his dad, and it's unclear whether it's so he can finally forgive him and get back in with his family, or so he can get his dad out of the way and take over as the head of the family, or just so he can have his revenge and then get lost.
  
  The storyline is probably not going to go the fucked-up way I want it to, but I am happy to watch for a little while longer just in case it does.



• And on Emmerdale, the new Cain storyline doesn't even make any sense, because he was devastated when Jasmine got pregnant and had an abortion behind his back, and wanted to kill Sadie for paying for it. So it's awful, and doesn't even fit in with his characterisation. So hurrah.

I'd best go get my tea now. It's the season finale of Single-Handed tonight. Jack Driscoll, yay!

( Tonight's Coronation Street )

Anyway. Other things I have been doing lately: I went to see the Horrid Henry film last week with my mum and nephew, and it turned out to be actually quite good. It started out seeming like it was going to be all about how school is rubbish and you should never do homework, kids, and really irritating, but it turned out not to be. And loads of the actors/characters were really good. Especially Anjelica Huston. And Dick and Dom were in it, wearing eyeliner. Which was kind of a suprise.

Single-Handed continues apace, although I loved Jack slightly less in last week's episode. ( Sort of spoilers )

Also, I have been catching up on Inspector George Gently. I got Series 1 last week, and I finally saw the pilot. ( Spoilers for the pilot )

And sort of because of that, I've ended up watching more of the second series of Luther today. I was watching it when it was on, but I think the second episode of it was on the week we went to Prague, and my parents watched it while I was doing something else, and then I never caught up with it. But I remembered after finishing Series 1 of George Gently that Lee Ingleby played the psychopath in the first two-parter. And in some ways I didn't want to watch it, because I thought the switch from lovely detective to crazy murderer and then back to lovely detective might be a bit jarring. But then I remembered that I've seen Series 3 of George Gently, so after I watch Series 2 I won't have any left, and if I watch Luther after that, the last thing I'll see of him will probably be the crazy murderer. And I'd rather not have that. So basically, I did watch it.

( Luther spoilers up to 2.03 )

Oh yes, and Sugartown finished last night. Sadly, without any slightly abusive incest, as I might have hoped. Or [incest spoilers], I guess. But quite lovely-ly all the same. And it seemed to me to be setting itself up for a possible second series, which the BBC might go for, although I can't imagine what the story would be in another series. We'll see. But I enjoyed it, anyway. Between Sugartown and Eastenders, I'm feeling slightly let down on the slightly abusive incest front. TV is such a tease, sometimes. Also, after three episodes and the full mini-series, I still don't really know if Max is meant to be the older brother or Jason. Which seems like a failing of the show's somehow. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention properly. I might try looking it up.

Anyway. So they're my TV adventures lately. Also, there's been Hollyoaks. Hurrah!

I just watched the Apprentice final.

( Cut for spoilers, and also in case people hate the Apprentice )

I actually ended up really enjoying The Apprentice this year, although I was going to say I still didn't like it as much as Dragon's Den, which I hadn't seen much about this year. And then after the aftershow thing they put on an advert for Dragon's Den! Which James Caan seems not to be doing this series, so they've got another woman in to replace him. So there'll be two female dragons on it this year. That's quite nice (and will hopefully actually turn out to be quite nice).

Other shows I am watching: Single-Handed came back, and Jack Driscoll is kind of a prat but I love him, and it turns out his evil father can always ruin his and other lives NO MATTER WHAT. That's quite special. Other than that, I still don't really love anything at the moment as much as I love A Very Potter Musical and Sequel. Or the Labyrinth AU of X-Men: First Class I've been dreaming up. It's gotten to the point where I actually get quite confused by some of the things I see on the kink memes at the moment. "That isn't canon"/"Jareth Shaw would never do that", etc. Ho hum.

And I've gotten into Texts From Last Night stuff as well lately. And the fandom tumblrs that are inspired by it. Here, have the X-Men: First Class one and Harry Potter one, on me.

So. I had a 'courtesy call' from the Department for Work and Pensions this morning. I have been decided to be capable of some forms of work. ( How I feel about that )

Anyway. Some happier things include: ( Slight spoilers for Coronation Street from Friday ). I really liked Scott and Bailey last night, even though ( sort of spoilers ). And a comedy email newsletter I have been getting for a bit basically justified all the months I have been getting it today, by informing me that the Psychoville finale is on tonight, not on Thursday. I'm really enjoying Psychoville at the moment, especially last week's episode, so I'm glad to have heard about that (although it was on series record anyway, it turned out).

Also, is it my imagination, or did Horrible Histories repeat a sketch they'd already done in Friday's episode? The one with Queen Elizabeth? I'm really sure I'd seen that before, down to being able to predict what happened up to the end of the sketch. Either they've repeated it, I saw some sort of preview somewhere, or I HAVE THE POWER TO SEE THE FUTURE. That's all I can think of.

Also, is it my imagination, or are there tons and tons of new dramas, and detective dramas, coming out at the moment? Maybe I've just not been very into the genre before, and this happens every spring, but my god. There are tons on, and I'm having trouble watching all the ones I like the look of. I watched Vera all the way through, and I would have liked to watch the Shadow Line, but I just don't have the mental room for it alongside everything else I watch. I was sort of interested in Case Sensitive, but again not enough to remember to watch it alongside everything else I was watching. I missed Exile with John Simm as well. I'm watching Scott and Bailey at the moment, have started watching Case Histories, I think new Luther is starting this week, and according to the itv drama preview, they have a couple of new shows on the way, including a new series of Single-Handed. Now, I'm pretty happy about there being a new series of Single-Handed, but I hope at least some of the other series' finish before I start watching that. Seriously. Is it just me, or is this a thing this spring?

I did quite enjoy Case Histories, though. ( Spoilers )

I have a question - has anyone ever been to the London Coliseum (I think you know what city it's in)? There's a couple of things on there that I want to see in January and April next year, and I got my parents to put up half the money for decent-priced tickets. I went to my first opera - I don't think I mentioned, it was brill - and sat in one of the cheapest seats, and it wasn't actually that bad. But looking at these other things now, there are still some of the most expensive, stalls seats left for only a bit more, and I'll be up on the second balcony otherwise. And it strikes me that if the London Coliseum is bigger than the Nottingham Theatre Royal, and chances are that it is, it might make a big difference. Anyone actually know what it's like in there?

Well, anyway. I'm still working. I got let go from the job I had at the beginning of the month because the work dried up, but the Monday after that the agency that had got me that job, had another one for me. Which I wasn't expecting. And it was a reception job, so they were all "Can you go in this morning? Can you go right now?", and hadn't had a shower or washed me hair or in fact had more than about five hours sleep, as I recall, and I was all "WHAT??", but we managed to negotiate for about half past twelve, and I had a semi-quick cold shower, and everything was fine. It's not too bad actually, it's a reception post at a little civil engineering company, and last week most of the staff were on holiday or at various sites, so apart from a bit of typing I mostly didn't have much to do all day. Which is fair enough. They want me for this week as well, so I'll have worked a full month, yay! I have a feeling I should be saving at least some of my wages in case I don't have anymore work for a bit. But on the other hand, almost every band I like seems to be playing somewhere this autumn, so - we shall see. The odds don't appear to be in saving up's favour though, honestly.

I've been watching TV, I have things to say, I generally have so many things to say about it that by the time I get round to posting anything I have FAR TOO MUCH TO FIT IN A POST. The main things were though, about why lots of people - mostly men - think it's alright to make fun of Deborah Meaden on Dragon's Den? Particularly since she's the BEST ONE, and BEAUTIFUL. She has the BEST LAUGH I HAVE EVER HEARD. I LOVE HER. And people are very strange about her. Also, Strictly Come Dancing. I only just found out because I was looking up when it was coming back on. BUT WHAT THE FUCK? They've fired Arlene? They've fired ARLENE? And replaced her with a younger woman? What the fuck, BBC? And the younger woman is Alesha Dixon, because she used to be a contestant. What? I vaguely get their point about her knowing what it's like to be a contestant and being able to offer advice the dancers can possibly understand better - but isn't the point that it's a dancing show, and they have the judges for technical criticism and the public for sympathy, and their partners for actual specific help? Wasn't that how it all worked. And do the BBC actually not see a problem with making the only female voice on the judging panel no longer an informed, technical one, but a basically emotional one? What the hell? Also, they have fired Hayley and hired another female dancer, for no apparent reason. What is that?

Hmph. Anyway. There's been TV I like. Single-Handed was brilliant, and it's now over. I love Jack Driscoll, in all his self-righteous, furious-about-corruption-but-willing-to-use-it-for-his-own-ends glory. You can still watch it on the itvPlayer, if anyone is interested. I highly recommend it. I'd say I don't think I've slashed anyone with their evil father quite so much before, but that would mean ignoring Logan/Aaron, so never mind. Gary's coming back into Coronation Street this week. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. Check out his look of UTTER HATRED for David on his return. You can see the hatred right? That certainly couldn't be confused with any other emotion. I love Coronation Street. Also I'm loving Ugly Betty at the moment. Every episode is a bit pointlessly upbeat, but I HONESTLY DON'T CARE. OH GOD BETTY AND AMANDA AND MARK. I LOVE THEM. ALL I WANT IS THE THREE OF THEM, AND OFTEN THE SHOW DELIVERS. 2 ASSISTANTS AND A RECEPTIONIST DREAM TEAM FOR THE WIN. And Daniel is quite good, and Wilhelmina. BUT THEY'RE NO BETTY AND AMANDA AND MARK. OH. Also in NCIS this week they made Ziva and McGee go out on a case together. I don't understand why they can't be partners all the time. They could keep DiNozzo with Gibbs, or send him away somewhere, and I everyone would be happy. I should be running television. Honestly.

So from this post you can probably tell what I've mostly been doing lately. TV and work. Hurrah. I'm hoping that the agency I'm using at the moment might find me some work after this job finishes too. Although I do need some time off in September. But even so, some wages would be nice. Who knows?