"You can't be Zorro *and* Lulu!"

[usuallyhats]

- Currently reading Little Dorrit (yes, inspired by the (v. good, I thought) tv version, but I would probably have got round to it eventually anyway, since I always feel vaguely unsettled when there is no Dickens in my 'to read' pile; leftover English student guilt, probably). It is v. enjoyable apart from the fact that Amy's relationship with Clennam is SO CREEPY and Amy herself is a bit too Perfectly Self-Sacrificing for me to entirely warm to her. But this is par for the course, I usually go in with the assumption that Dickens is going to write at least one of the female characters in a way that annoys me. There are exceptions - I really like all the women in Our Mutual Friend, for example, though the hero makes me go a bit CAPSLOCK OF RAGE from time to time. At least Little Dorrit has Flora, whom I love. She is a bit silly but her heart's in the right place, and I want to take her out for tea and cakes, and possibly buy her some punctuation.

- Inspired by lizbee's posts, I've started rewatching Babylon 5. This time I intend to watch it all in the right order, none of this starting halfway through season 2 and randomly bouncing back and forth nonsense. Have just watched "Midnight on the Firing Line" and become v. nostalgic for a) the characters, b) the sets, c) the music, d) the effects etc etc etc. Also I really love Ivanova. I remembered that I loved her, but not quite HOW MUCH. "I'm in the middle of fifteen things, all of them annoying." ♥ As pilots go, it's pretty dense - when Ivanova mentioned that she was new, I was rather expecting a sort of introduction through her eyes, but instead we get something much more in media res. No one's really introduced, as such, we just have to pick up who they are as we go along. (This isn't a criticism, I like it!) I suppose there was 'The Gathering', but since I haven't seen it I don't know how much it would help. What was that about watching in the right order this time?

- The Mother and I are going to Edinburgh in October! Does anyone have any recommendations of things to see, places to eat and so on? I want to go to the Camera Obscura (I do love a camera obscura), and Jess and Vanky have already recommended the Georgian House. Anywhere else?

Comments

[everlasting-day.livejournal.com]

It might be worth going back to The Gathering at some point if you've got the time. It's not 100% essential (Midnight is definitely superior as an introduction - although you're right about it being dense, I had no idea what was going on when I first watched it), but it does sort of get called back to a few times throughout the series and shows Kosh arriving on the station, the first appearance of Lyta and has some Sinclair character stuff. You can also lol mightily at some of the hugely cheesy moments and shudder at the regular cast that could've been. A series with Takashima instead of Ivanova is a genuinely diabolical prospect.

Ivanova is amazing, yes.

[usuallyhats]

Lyta and Kosh, plus cheesy lols - sounds good to me! I have a video of it floating around somewhere, I'll have to try and track it down.

[queenthesixth.livejournal.com]

I loved the tv version of Little Dorrit. My only quibble is that I thought it would have been better if the episodes had been for an hour. I didn't think that the half hour format suited it all that much. Also, I thought Amy & Clemman were a fantastic couple. I'm not a huge Matthew McFayden fan but I loved him as Arthur.
I like Dickens a lot actually. I think I'm one of the few people in my class who wasn't scarred by having to study Hard Times and can say his name without spitting. Yeah, some of his characterisations can lead to eye-rolling but I love his prose descriptions of stuff. He's one of the few writers who doesn't make me want to scream when he has reams of papers setting the scene.

[usuallyhats]

Amy and Clennam worked so much better in the TV version - Amy Foy and Matthew McFayden (who I was never that keen on in Spooks but loved here and in Pride and Prejudice, maybe he should stick to costume dramas?) were great and really sold it, and there weren't all those bits where he thinks of her as an adopted daughter.

I studied Hard Times too! My English teacher kept frantically telling us not to judge all of Dickens by it and that the rest were much better. :)

He's one of the few writers who doesn't make me want to scream when he has reams of papers setting the scene.
*nods* His prose is so readable and enjoyable!

[queenthesixth.livejournal.com]

I meant to say 'reams of pages' there instead of 'papers'. Though being the prolific writer he was, I'm sure Dickens had reams of papers around the place as well.

I really enjoyed Great Expectations and Bleak House, but I think one of my favourites is Nicholas Nickleby.

[usuallyhats]

It's been a few years since I've read it, but I remember really enjoying Nicholas Nickleby. I think either Bleak House or Our Mutual Friend are probably my favourite though!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ivanova rocks!

I don't think you need to see "The Gathering" either. It does introduce Kosh, but also Lyta who then doesn't turn up for ages, being replaced by Talia, and the tech device used in the plot never gets referred to again.

I got really behind on the rewatch. I should catch up.

[usuallyhats]

She does!

I might give it a try, since I own it and I do like Kosh and Lyta, but I won't be in any hurry.

The rewatch looks fun! I'm a long way behind, but if I catch up I'll join in.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I started my own rewatch last year and was ahead of them but now they've caught me up and passed me. I just don't seem to find the time to watch what is now one ep from each of three series a week, when Greg's not interested in seeing them too. He might be in B5 but he'd have to catch me up.

[vandonovan.livejournal.com]

I am jealous of everyone who got into Babylon 5. Whyyyyyy don't I get iiiiit. Sob.

[usuallyhats]

*sends sympathy* It must be so frustrating! How far did you get, in the end?

[vandonovan.livejournal.com]

I think about mid-way through season 4. As I recall two of the guys had just gone to Mars, or something.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I suppose there was 'The Gathering', but since I haven't seen it I don't know how much it would help. What was that about watching in the right order this time?

"The Gathering" is pretty dire, though possibly worth it for the headspin of male!Delenn. But you'll pick up everything you need to know from the regular episodes anyway. The only thing I can think of, that wasn't picked up again for ages and ages, was that G'Kar wanted to buy Lyta's DNA, as the Narn don't have telepaths of their own. At one point he suggests a traditional mating. Lyta's reaction is ... underwhelmed.

[usuallyhats]

...I sort of want to watch it just for that scene.

[whywastewords.livejournal.com]

That's so funny because I feel bad too when there's no Dickens in my to read pile which is probably why there is currently TOO MUCH Dickens. I'm currently reading David Copperfield, Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. I hope to add Our Mutual Friend to that soon! I loved the Little Dorrit adaptation, and I loved Amy/Clennam, probably due to Matthew MacFayden's earnest portrayal. Can't say I know too much about its differences with the book, but I liked what I saw in the series anyway!

[usuallyhats]

I LOVE Our Mutual Friend! And I really need to reread A Tale of Two Cities, it's been years.

I thought Amy/Clennam worked far better in the TV series - the adaptation managed to take the creepiness out and Matthew MacFayden was great, as was Claire Foy.