sticky fingers
Feb. 8th, 2010 03:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mockturle06I had a day off and I made marmalade. Which all sounds very Martha Stewart so I need to disabuse you of that notion immediately. I lean more towards the Lucille Ball school of domestic science. One hundred percent Lucy, in fact. Whaaah! Or in my case, ouch, 'cause you know that episode of White Collar where Neal informs us you can spot anyone who's tried to melt down gold by the burns on their arms? Much the same with my bubbling napalm, although not so much this time because I had two whole days to do it so it simmered along nicely instead of trying to boil it to buggery quickly.
It's champagne cumquat marmalade, which sounds much more posh than it is. For starters, it's not really champagne but cheap local bubbly and I had half a bottle left over from the opera in the park and even though it was going flat it was such a brilliant drop I wanted to save it for a cooking wine and there were my cumquats, always more than a touch on the acidic side on account of the poor clay soils they grow in, so I needed to do something, so I soaked them overnight in the bubbly with some sliced up ginger. That did the trick, and how. I am still stunned at how well it turned out. It really took up the flavour of the bubbly. My best batch ever, and yeah, I make a sweet mellow marmalade when I've got two days by myself to mull over it without being pestered, instead of the rushed and bitter batches I usually make. Makes sense, though don't know if I'll be able to arrange another mellow marmalade session because it really all depends on when the fruit ripens, and oftentimes that's not convenient, but, oh well, at the end of the day I had little jars lined up of a particularly good marmalade, which is more than I can say for most days, re tangibles.
Friday was also a case of Bryce! Noooo! as, somehow in my exhaustion, I'd forgotten it was the Chuck finale, but there he was, my beloved Bryce. There he goes, my beloved Bryce. Is it wrong to ogle an ex-Bryce when they dragged him off, because he was really workin' it, even when dead. Probably, yeah, but at least Bryce met all the criteria of live fast, die young and leave a really, really good looking corpse. I mean, my god, that shirt was so tight you could see the squibs they had taped on for his death scene. Ahem, not that I noticed. And as far as I'm concerned, there was no montage (though he might have featured in Chuck's man-up montage) and he was dragged off by the bad guys so who knows, eh? I mean, he's already been shot and killed once before, in the pilot. I know, Queen of Denial, but if Lost can regroup ex characters I don't see why Chuck couldn't. I miss my Bryce. Wibble.
More wibble on Carnivale because it was the finale, which means dearest Clayton also bit the old bullet (though the extras said if they'd gone to a third season Jones might have just been seriously wounded) so that was both my boys. Sigh. And Tim was really working the whole sweaty singlet thing, I gotta say. Oh my, yes. Is it wrong to...oh, never mind.
However all was not lost, as, thanks to a friend, I was treated to episodes eight and nine of White Collar. Whee!!! So we learn that Peter is probably not evil and the whole thing is all a terrible misunderstanding and everything he does is for Neal's own good. How very concerned Peter is. We also get to see how very passive agressive Neal can be - all that acting out when he thought Peter was evil, it was funny but, oh, Neal, you are so high maintenance, aren't you, precious? And yet Neal trusts him with his life, although probably an unwise choice as Peter doesn't know the first thing about first aid, if #8 is anything to go by. Sure, let Neal suffocate and hope for the best. I guess only Chuck is brave enough to go the tongue in life threatening situations (the dvds have an amusing morning after scene with Casey which was cut, but I digress). I dunno, it just seemed so coy considering the boys are now quite intimate with the whole personal space thing. But reminding myself, again, I'm not watching UK telly and moving on...
Second episode reveals that Peter did indeed meet the missus on a job, and there was lots of switch on a switch, but not as many or as good as Silent Witness re corrupt officials. Now I know why the Silent Witness review rambled onto White Collar, there were a lot of similarities only SW went deeper and darker than WC with nasty femme fatale sex and one of the heroes left for dead. Not that I want WC to go dark, or that dark, but it was an interesting compare and contrast exercise.
And who was writing that Silent Witness episode? We counted three "no worries" and one "she'll be right". Someone who's grown up on Neighbours? Brits can't use "she'll be right" or "no worries", it's ours, or I shall start saying everything has gone "pearshaped" (and note cultural differences, our relaxed "no worries" versus their nervous nelly we'll all be rooned "pearshaped"). Anyway, we liked the snappy dialogue - they were out Bonesing Bones, and why not?
Bones I watched, almost purefly because Stephen Fry was in it, always a joy. Then I was faced with Stephen's better half or Captain Hammer and chose a nana bed time instead - not that it did me any good, but I tried. Oh yeah, watched Dr Horrible. What can I say, it was a rainy Sunday afternoon and I was bored.
They've also replaced The Saint with The Prisoner and I used to be hugely into this show but it's been ages and ages since I've seen it and being on in the middle of the day, and with such a nice print, facillitates the viewing process. So if it's not meant to be Drake, why is it the photo of Drake that graces the back of my Danger Man box set that they use during the resignation sequence (and ironic, considering I've just elected to stay in the village)? I heard they couldn't use the name Drake because Pat up and quit, so is The Prisoner just an actor living out his contract blues? Heh.
So many things I didn't get then I get now, and my gosh, having stayed a week in Ballater, I can really say I've experienced village life (a village of retired senior civil servants). And why have I been to Pierrefonds but never Portmeirion (which looks very like)? Tsk. And these days, all those speakers and cameras are so common place, and the shop takes being a local shop for local people, with its local map and local taxi service to the extreme (though, like I said, I've been in a few places in Britain that are really Village-like in that creepy way they have).
All in all, I liked very much and as much as it was returning to an old friend, I'm also watching it with very different eyes. What was that quote in Silent Witness? No man goes to the same river twice?
Oh yeah, there was also the watching of Mary Queen of Scots, 1971, which featured Tim Dalton in a really bad blonde wig simpering in bed with Ian Holm, at which point we wondered which Queen of Scots the film referred to, exactly. Oh, it's a fairly dire film but we had great fun shredding it to pieces (additional dialogue: Blackadder). What can I say, it was a wet lunchtime too, and so sticky as to make any housework quite miserable. This is where the Peanut Gallery earns his board - ripping television to pieces.
Speaking of audience paticipation, I've often been known to exclaim during Carnivale: "Have they not heard of soap!" because while I'm aware life was hard in the dustbowl, I felt Carnivale was pushing it, just a bit. The PG always made excuses but a missive, just in, reports:
The Library of Congress's images taken from the Depression era photographs http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html includes images by Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange which I suspect were used as templates for Carnivale. A quick browse reveals that 'dirty Okies' imagery used by Carnivale was, as you suspected, a bit of a cheat: those photos were all taken on front porches (i.e. just as everyone came back from working the dusty fields) and even the most povery-stricken, rag clad urchin was scubbed up for the interior shots.
So there. Heh.
Oh, and even though I can't find that mag with Bomer in it, despite my best efforts, he is in TV Week (two pages). Dare I hope? But as I trust Channel Ten not at all, I won't believe it until I see the blue of his eyes, especialy as there's been no promotion. Oi, Ten, where's the love?
Fuck Yeah, Mr. Matt Bomer!
http://fuckyeahmrmattbomer.tumblr.com/post/369266159
http://twitpic.com/115480
http://brilliantinemortality.tumblr.com/post/369530407/fakemustache-saturnfirefly-elenitahb
The Nifty 50 | Matt Bomer, Actor
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/the-nifty-50-matt-bomer-actor/
"White Collar" Star Matthew Bomer Rocked The Tights As Superman For a Hot Minute
http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com/archive/2010/02/02/white_collar_star_matthew_bomer_rocked_the_tights_as_superman_for_a_hot_minute.php
Matthew Bomer is Superman!
http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=3903
Tuned In: CMU grad enjoys twists and turns in White collar role
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10031/1029364-67.stm
Exclusive Interview: Tim DeKay is a WHITE COLLAR Guy
http://www.iesb.net/extensions/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8241:exclusive-interview-tim-dekay-is-a-white-collar-guy&catid=43:exclusive-features&Itemid=73
TV Review: White Collar - "Bad Judgment"
http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-review-white-collar-bad-judgment1/
Where are Hollywood's gay men?
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article7015439.ece?&EMC-Bltn=AAKAP2F
iiNet slays Hollywood in landmark piracy case
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/iinet-slays-hollywood-in-landmark-piracy-case-20100204-ndwr.html
The Castle star Anthony Simcoe trains Queensland ministers
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26674208-952,00.html?referrer=email&source=CM_email_nl
Mac Banker busted ogling at naked woman during live TV cross
http://www.theage.com.au/national/mac-banker-busted-ogling-at-naked-woman-during-live-tv-cross-20100203-nbmp.html
Australia's Drug Wars, Seething and Savage
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/arts/television/03under.html?ref=television
Some kind of monster (Hugo Weaving)
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/some-kind-of-monster/2010/02/04/1265151937870.html
From little boy blue to 'the new Mel'
http://www.watoday.com.au/entertainment/from-little-boy-blue-to-the-new-mel-20100206-nj7f.html
MELONI TO QUIT LAW & ORDER IN 2012
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/156643/Meloni-to-quit-Law-Order-in-2012
US Life on Mars: not much cop?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2010/jan/29/stephen-garrett-life-on-mars
Let's talk 'Supernatural': 'The Song Remains the Same'
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/02/supernatural-song-remains-same-sam-dean-winchester.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+chicagotribune%2Fthewatcher+%28chicagotribune.com+-+The+Watcher+television+blog%29
'Lost' and 'Supernatural': Have they become the same show?
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/02/lost-supernatural.html
Let's talk 'Supernatural': 'Swap Meat'
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/01/lets-talk-supernatural-swap-meat.html
'Supernatural' is back! Let's talk about 'Sam, Interrupted'
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/01/supernatural-sam-interrupted-cw-winchesters.html
Sam Winchester has the Accidental Hots for his Mom?!
http://smallscreenscoop.com/sam-mary-winchester/34786/
‘Chuck’ creator shares exclusive clip, yearns for Chuck Norris
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2010/02/chuck-creator-shares-exclusive-clip-yearns-for-chuck-norris/
Tim DeKay talks ‘White Collar’ return tonight
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2010/01/tim-dekay-talks-white-collar-return-tonight/
Jeffrey Donovan on Thursday’s winter premiere of ‘Burn Notice’
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2010/01/jeffrey-donovan-on-thursdays-winter-premiere-of-burn-notice/
It's champagne cumquat marmalade, which sounds much more posh than it is. For starters, it's not really champagne but cheap local bubbly and I had half a bottle left over from the opera in the park and even though it was going flat it was such a brilliant drop I wanted to save it for a cooking wine and there were my cumquats, always more than a touch on the acidic side on account of the poor clay soils they grow in, so I needed to do something, so I soaked them overnight in the bubbly with some sliced up ginger. That did the trick, and how. I am still stunned at how well it turned out. It really took up the flavour of the bubbly. My best batch ever, and yeah, I make a sweet mellow marmalade when I've got two days by myself to mull over it without being pestered, instead of the rushed and bitter batches I usually make. Makes sense, though don't know if I'll be able to arrange another mellow marmalade session because it really all depends on when the fruit ripens, and oftentimes that's not convenient, but, oh well, at the end of the day I had little jars lined up of a particularly good marmalade, which is more than I can say for most days, re tangibles.
Friday was also a case of Bryce! Noooo! as, somehow in my exhaustion, I'd forgotten it was the Chuck finale, but there he was, my beloved Bryce. There he goes, my beloved Bryce. Is it wrong to ogle an ex-Bryce when they dragged him off, because he was really workin' it, even when dead. Probably, yeah, but at least Bryce met all the criteria of live fast, die young and leave a really, really good looking corpse. I mean, my god, that shirt was so tight you could see the squibs they had taped on for his death scene. Ahem, not that I noticed. And as far as I'm concerned, there was no montage (though he might have featured in Chuck's man-up montage) and he was dragged off by the bad guys so who knows, eh? I mean, he's already been shot and killed once before, in the pilot. I know, Queen of Denial, but if Lost can regroup ex characters I don't see why Chuck couldn't. I miss my Bryce. Wibble.
More wibble on Carnivale because it was the finale, which means dearest Clayton also bit the old bullet (though the extras said if they'd gone to a third season Jones might have just been seriously wounded) so that was both my boys. Sigh. And Tim was really working the whole sweaty singlet thing, I gotta say. Oh my, yes. Is it wrong to...oh, never mind.
However all was not lost, as, thanks to a friend, I was treated to episodes eight and nine of White Collar. Whee!!! So we learn that Peter is probably not evil and the whole thing is all a terrible misunderstanding and everything he does is for Neal's own good. How very concerned Peter is. We also get to see how very passive agressive Neal can be - all that acting out when he thought Peter was evil, it was funny but, oh, Neal, you are so high maintenance, aren't you, precious? And yet Neal trusts him with his life, although probably an unwise choice as Peter doesn't know the first thing about first aid, if #8 is anything to go by. Sure, let Neal suffocate and hope for the best. I guess only Chuck is brave enough to go the tongue in life threatening situations (the dvds have an amusing morning after scene with Casey which was cut, but I digress). I dunno, it just seemed so coy considering the boys are now quite intimate with the whole personal space thing. But reminding myself, again, I'm not watching UK telly and moving on...
Second episode reveals that Peter did indeed meet the missus on a job, and there was lots of switch on a switch, but not as many or as good as Silent Witness re corrupt officials. Now I know why the Silent Witness review rambled onto White Collar, there were a lot of similarities only SW went deeper and darker than WC with nasty femme fatale sex and one of the heroes left for dead. Not that I want WC to go dark, or that dark, but it was an interesting compare and contrast exercise.
And who was writing that Silent Witness episode? We counted three "no worries" and one "she'll be right". Someone who's grown up on Neighbours? Brits can't use "she'll be right" or "no worries", it's ours, or I shall start saying everything has gone "pearshaped" (and note cultural differences, our relaxed "no worries" versus their nervous nelly we'll all be rooned "pearshaped"). Anyway, we liked the snappy dialogue - they were out Bonesing Bones, and why not?
Bones I watched, almost purefly because Stephen Fry was in it, always a joy. Then I was faced with Stephen's better half or Captain Hammer and chose a nana bed time instead - not that it did me any good, but I tried. Oh yeah, watched Dr Horrible. What can I say, it was a rainy Sunday afternoon and I was bored.
They've also replaced The Saint with The Prisoner and I used to be hugely into this show but it's been ages and ages since I've seen it and being on in the middle of the day, and with such a nice print, facillitates the viewing process. So if it's not meant to be Drake, why is it the photo of Drake that graces the back of my Danger Man box set that they use during the resignation sequence (and ironic, considering I've just elected to stay in the village)? I heard they couldn't use the name Drake because Pat up and quit, so is The Prisoner just an actor living out his contract blues? Heh.
So many things I didn't get then I get now, and my gosh, having stayed a week in Ballater, I can really say I've experienced village life (a village of retired senior civil servants). And why have I been to Pierrefonds but never Portmeirion (which looks very like)? Tsk. And these days, all those speakers and cameras are so common place, and the shop takes being a local shop for local people, with its local map and local taxi service to the extreme (though, like I said, I've been in a few places in Britain that are really Village-like in that creepy way they have).
All in all, I liked very much and as much as it was returning to an old friend, I'm also watching it with very different eyes. What was that quote in Silent Witness? No man goes to the same river twice?
Oh yeah, there was also the watching of Mary Queen of Scots, 1971, which featured Tim Dalton in a really bad blonde wig simpering in bed with Ian Holm, at which point we wondered which Queen of Scots the film referred to, exactly. Oh, it's a fairly dire film but we had great fun shredding it to pieces (additional dialogue: Blackadder). What can I say, it was a wet lunchtime too, and so sticky as to make any housework quite miserable. This is where the Peanut Gallery earns his board - ripping television to pieces.
Speaking of audience paticipation, I've often been known to exclaim during Carnivale: "Have they not heard of soap!" because while I'm aware life was hard in the dustbowl, I felt Carnivale was pushing it, just a bit. The PG always made excuses but a missive, just in, reports:
The Library of Congress's images taken from the Depression era photographs http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fahome.html includes images by Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange which I suspect were used as templates for Carnivale. A quick browse reveals that 'dirty Okies' imagery used by Carnivale was, as you suspected, a bit of a cheat: those photos were all taken on front porches (i.e. just as everyone came back from working the dusty fields) and even the most povery-stricken, rag clad urchin was scubbed up for the interior shots.
So there. Heh.
Oh, and even though I can't find that mag with Bomer in it, despite my best efforts, he is in TV Week (two pages). Dare I hope? But as I trust Channel Ten not at all, I won't believe it until I see the blue of his eyes, especialy as there's been no promotion. Oi, Ten, where's the love?
Fuck Yeah, Mr. Matt Bomer!
http://fuckyeahmrmattbomer.tumblr.com/post/369266159
http://twitpic.com/115480
http://brilliantinemortality.tumblr.com/post/369530407/fakemustache-saturnfirefly-elenitahb
The Nifty 50 | Matt Bomer, Actor
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/the-nifty-50-matt-bomer-actor/
"White Collar" Star Matthew Bomer Rocked The Tights As Superman For a Hot Minute
http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com/archive/2010/02/02/white_collar_star_matthew_bomer_rocked_the_tights_as_superman_for_a_hot_minute.php
Matthew Bomer is Superman!
http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=3903
Tuned In: CMU grad enjoys twists and turns in White collar role
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10031/1029364-67.stm
Exclusive Interview: Tim DeKay is a WHITE COLLAR Guy
http://www.iesb.net/extensions/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8241:exclusive-interview-tim-dekay-is-a-white-collar-guy&catid=43:exclusive-features&Itemid=73
TV Review: White Collar - "Bad Judgment"
http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-review-white-collar-bad-judgment1/
Where are Hollywood's gay men?
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article7015439.ece?&EMC-Bltn=AAKAP2F
iiNet slays Hollywood in landmark piracy case
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/iinet-slays-hollywood-in-landmark-piracy-case-20100204-ndwr.html
The Castle star Anthony Simcoe trains Queensland ministers
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26674208-952,00.html?referrer=email&source=CM_email_nl
Mac Banker busted ogling at naked woman during live TV cross
http://www.theage.com.au/national/mac-banker-busted-ogling-at-naked-woman-during-live-tv-cross-20100203-nbmp.html
Australia's Drug Wars, Seething and Savage
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/arts/television/03under.html?ref=television
Some kind of monster (Hugo Weaving)
http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/film/some-kind-of-monster/2010/02/04/1265151937870.html
From little boy blue to 'the new Mel'
http://www.watoday.com.au/entertainment/from-little-boy-blue-to-the-new-mel-20100206-nj7f.html
MELONI TO QUIT LAW & ORDER IN 2012
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/156643/Meloni-to-quit-Law-Order-in-2012
US Life on Mars: not much cop?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2010/jan/29/stephen-garrett-life-on-mars
Let's talk 'Supernatural': 'The Song Remains the Same'
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/02/supernatural-song-remains-same-sam-dean-winchester.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+chicagotribune%2Fthewatcher+%28chicagotribune.com+-+The+Watcher+television+blog%29
'Lost' and 'Supernatural': Have they become the same show?
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/02/lost-supernatural.html
Let's talk 'Supernatural': 'Swap Meat'
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/01/lets-talk-supernatural-swap-meat.html
'Supernatural' is back! Let's talk about 'Sam, Interrupted'
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/01/supernatural-sam-interrupted-cw-winchesters.html
Sam Winchester has the Accidental Hots for his Mom?!
http://smallscreenscoop.com/sam-mary-winchester/34786/
‘Chuck’ creator shares exclusive clip, yearns for Chuck Norris
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2010/02/chuck-creator-shares-exclusive-clip-yearns-for-chuck-norris/
Tim DeKay talks ‘White Collar’ return tonight
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2010/01/tim-dekay-talks-white-collar-return-tonight/
Jeffrey Donovan on Thursday’s winter premiere of ‘Burn Notice’
http://whosnews.usaweekend.com/2010/01/jeffrey-donovan-on-thursdays-winter-premiere-of-burn-notice/