Good humor makes all things possible.
-Charles Schultz-

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.
-Shakespeare-The Merchant of Venice-

Monday, January 27, 2014

Why you gotta do me like that, PBS?

Better start another pot


Busy week.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I would tell you all the reasons I'm mad at PBS but you'll just have to trust me.

Here's the link:

http://www.anybodycandoanything.com/2014/01/downton-abbey-recap-if-at-first-you.html

Time to apply for jobs and start absorbing next week's episode.


Monday, January 20, 2014

Where are we, again?





Well, this one won't make you cry!  Here's the link to the PBS episode shown January 19--some say episode 4, some insist it's Episode 3.  As far as these recaps go, it's EPISODE FOUR. And I'm annoyed at the BBC (again) for ignoring pivotal scenes.  So pay attention when you watch PBS--if we buy the series what will we get?

Lillie is across town house-and-dog-sitting this week, so putting the NEXT recap together could prove challenging.  [For those of you following-- little Miss Lennon was born Saturday and is doing well.]  I'm going to start on the new one first thing in the morning!

http://www.anybodycandoanything.com/2014/01/downton-abbey-recap-regrets-ive-had-few.html

(There are a few issues with some of the photos--Lillie and I will work on that as soon as we're back in the same house.)  Enjoy!

********update, the pictures are fine.  And believe me, if we had seen the inside of the Minute Clinic (conveniently ignored by the BBC) we'd have taken a screen shot.  Don't they care that we do all this in advance so you can read these recaps in the morning?******




Sunday, January 12, 2014

An evening of light entertainment


It was painfully sad when Sybil died and terrible when Matthew was killed.  We felt bad when Edith's wedding fell apart.  Julian Fellowes isn't afraid to make us cry.  But THIS one? It was AWFUL.

We know that if all the characters were happy and all the loose ends got tied up at the end of each episode, Downton Abbey would be a movie and not a series.

The only thing that soothes is that we've seen the whole season and we know there are better days ahead.

PBS broadcasts the unabridged versions of each episode, so there are some great scenes we haven't seen before, but this time PBS totally left out the two final scenes--brief but important.  The first shows Edna slipping into Tom's bedroom on the last night of the house party, and the other quick but poignant clip shows Anna leaving the house, alone, to walk back to their cottage while Mr Bates calls after her.  

We've noticed this before and it makes us mad, but what can you do?  

These recaps take every minute we can spare to write--but I've got the first draft of Episode Four ready to start on this week.  I suspect that if we didn't feel like we HAD to hit "publish" we'd keep editing each one forever. (Or anyway, I would!)  Lillie and I have such different writing styles that it's really a labor of love to pull together long enough to set each one free into the Cybersphere.  It's a lesson in teamwork and love; fueled by your enthusiastic responses.  We write them for YOU, and that feels good to US.


http://www.anybodycandoanything.com/2014/01/downton-abbey-recap-lets-get-this-party.html

Links to all previous recaps are included with each one.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Late but not lost



I feel ya, Molesley.
So the second half of last Sunday's recap is ready, and here's the link:


http://www.anybodycandoanything.com/2014/01/downton-abbey-recap-where-theres-will.html

Lillie and I will continue to refer to this one as Episode 2, and next week as 3, and so on.  Those British can't just play fast and loose with the sequence of things!

Check back next Monday for the recap of Sunday's episode.  Hold on to your hat, that's all I'm saying.

Monday, January 6, 2014

On your mark, get set, go



So we no sooner get the recap sewn up, shut our laptops and turn on PBS to watch it the Premiere with everyone else who waited so patiently and DARNED IF THEY DIDN'T AIR TWO EPISODES.

We only finished ONE recap.

Here it is:


http://www.anybodycandoanything.com/2014/01/downton-abbey-recap-how-mary-got-her.html

It's midnight.  We won't be doing anything about it tonight.  But we'll get right on it tomorrow--because then we have to do one for Episode 3!  Please don't remind me that we had four months to write the recaps.  I was too busy hiding under my bed.

Enjoy!

Sunday, January 5, 2014

I know what you're looking for


Carson doing his impression of me.

…and this isn't it.  The Downton Abbey recap for tonight's episode is on the drawing board, but  we HOPE intend to have it ready to post  by tonight.  Lillie's new job has her driving around town starting super early, and our goal is to get the recaps written and polished BEFORE the last minute.  Fingers crossed.

I haven't posted at all this fall, I know.  No Puerto Rico trip, no Thanksgiving, no Christmas.  Zip.

I was here.  I'll try to tell you about it at some point.

Because I'm still unemployed, and doing anything that wasn't actual paid work, or looking for paid work, felt really shameful and wrong.  I've felt way too guilty to blog.  I still do, in fact, but that's a great big slimy can of worms.  Not funny, not creative, and not sustainable.  I know.

Nobody wants to hear about that.  This isn't that kind of blog.

So.  While I wade through the muddy part of the river, we'll write recaps about Mr Carson and Mary and Violet and Edith.  It's a good season, with only a few ridiculous story lines.  Can you remember last year when you said OMIGOD HOW CAN I WAIT  UNTIL IT STARTS AGAIN?  Well--you made it!

See you tomorrow!

Yes, really.