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Downton Abbey (2019), clever capers and royal visits
Downton Abbey has spun off two movies from the popular TV series. This one, from 2019, is about a royal visit from King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) that set the residents of Downton Abbey atwitter. It featured a delightful minor rebellion from the servants quarters that made the story fun.
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The Secret of Roan Inish: a gem from the past
The Secret of Roan Inish, an Irish tale about magic and mythology, is a 1994 gem that resurfaced on Prime Video recently. I remember how thrilled I was by it in 1994 and watched it again. There are spoilers in this review.
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Unforgotten, season 4, keeps up the tradition of excellence
Unforgotten, the British police series about historical cases stays the course in season 4. The season aired in the UK, but no US streamer has it available yet. Both Prime Video and PBS will run this series eventually. I won’t reveal any big secrets here since it may be a bit of a wait for […]
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Review: Apple Tree Yard
Apple Tree Yard is a BBC mystery series in 4 episodes. It full of psychological and suspenseful secrets and surprises. Emily Watson stars in a role that’s unusual for her to play. She’s brilliant at it. There are some spoilers ahead.
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Review: The Secret of Crickley Hall
Ghosts get stirred up in The Secret of Crickley Hall, a 2012 BBC horror series on Hulu and several other streamers. Suranne Jones stars, which means it must be watched.
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Review: Killing Eve, season 1
Killing Eve is a spy thriller unlike anything you’ve seen before. The eight episode first season had not even aired when Killing Eve was renewed for a second season. If my feeling about season 1 is any indication of how I’m going to react to future seasons, I hope it goes on for many years! […]
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Review: The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister
A comment from a reader sent me on a hunt for The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, which I found on Amazon Video. This 2010 BBC film introduced me to “the first modern lesbian in British history,” and sent me searching through references on Wikipedia.
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Reflections on Series 2 of Happy Valley
Series 2 of Happy Valley is over on BBC One, and has been available on Netflix and iTunes for several days. I assume those interested in the show have taken the time needed to watch all 6 episodes either in the UK or in the US. I wanted to share some overall thoughts and things […]
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Happy Valley S2 E6: Kindness to Strangers
Happy Valley S2 E6 resolves all the crime stories in this series, but it leaves us with Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) in emotional tatters. This brief review will have spoilers. I’ve tried to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but my American readers will find the series on Netflix starting March 16, so the need […]
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Happy Valley S2 E5: Omnipotent and Ubiquitous
Happy Valley S2 E5 takes some major turns. A mystery gets solved. Other mysteries remain. Several of our favorite characters are still in trouble. I’ve tried to be cryptic about spoilers in these brief reviews, but there are some spoilers ahead.