She's not their housekeeper. 

It's funny how this PE thread has developed into a cooking/chemistry lesson. 

Last edited by SusiGo (September 1, 2012 4:52 pm)

Not sure if this has already been posted but here goes anyway. This article includes an interview with Benedict about an incident whilst filming where a stunt went a little awry with painful results. (I don't think Jim Moriarty was to blame though).

www.nowmagazine.co.uk/tv-news/538433/benedict-cumberbatch-engulfed-in-flames-when-stunt-went-wrong-on-new-bbc-drama-parade-s-end

Last edited by Davina (September 2, 2012 6:22 pm)

That will be the 1 million who went out at the end of the month on payday. A Friday night is a funny evening to have it really. Last weekend was a Bank Holiday Weekend so maybe more people stayed in Friday night because they could go out on Saturday and Sunday without work on the Monday. I don't know really. Perhaps it required too much work from them!

Arggh! I think I know why! The UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea and Atletico Madrid  was on until 10.10 on ITV. Celebrity Big Brother was on with a live eviction on Channel 5. The Paralympic Games were on Channel 4. The comedy In With The Flynns was on BBC1. I think the sport has done for it last Friday guys.

Ah, Davina, that might be an explanation. I hope the next episodes will have some more viewers again. I heard that the production was really expensive, would be a shame if it didn't pay off.

Yes, I'm afraid so. It still surprised me a lot when he just resigned like this! Though I think he would be of more use if he didn't go to the front, he is such a clever man. (Which reminds me a lot of Sherlock)

No need to confess, that sounds so serious. We're not in the Catholic church, are we? But I'm sorry to hear about your unemployment. I hope things will look better soon. And it's not so long until Christmas, PE seems to be a present to look forward to. 

I was a Catholic until last year when I left church. But I remember how I hated confession as a child because I kept trying to find bad sins to confess but came up with nothing worse than quarrelling with by brother. 

Some random thoughts: I just watched the first half and liked it very much. I understood quite a lot but then I read the book so maybe else I would have problems with the intricate relationships between the characters. I loved Benedict's acting, as you said he can convey so much with the smallest gestures or movements of his face. The scene with the teacup shaking in his hand was very good. And I had this scary feeling that there's a net tightening around him when his own father and brother make Ruggles spy on him and spread evil rumours. Cute scene with Valentine in the outside toilet looking through the heart-shaped window.
It was the first time I watched one episode half an hour without interruption and I'm really happy with it. 

Now I finished the episode and loved it very much. The settings and costumes are so beautiful without drowning the characters and the story in sheer opulence. The scenes with Christopher were quite heart-wrenching.

The death of Christopher's father remains a bit ambiguous in the novels. The characters as well as the readers assume for a quite long time that he's killed himself as being an experienced hunter he wouldn't have left the safety catch off. Towards the end of the book Mark Tietjens is shown thinking about his father's death and coming up with another explanation, the one with the wounded rabbit we're shown in the third episode. It's a bit different in the film because Tom Stoppard has turned some events into scenes which are only narrated or hinted at in the book. It is quite typical for FMF's style that many things remain a bit vague and open to interpretation.

Can we just take a moment to reflect how awesome Benedict's acting was in this episode? Yes? 'Cause it was amazing.
It's crazy how he just completely transforms into Christopher, I don't even see Benedict anymore when I look at him...

I enjoyed this episode very much, I think it was the best one so far. I got kinda used to the style but... the time jumps still confuse me. :D
I'm looking forward to the war scenes we will see in the next episode, was surprised that we didn't actually see anything in this one.

The relationship between Chris and Valentine is a bit odd, though. It might be easier to understand if you've read the book... but to me it seems very weird that they're just kinda... "in love" for like 5 years even though they've just meet very few times.
Is it correct to understand the phrase "Will you be my mistress tonight?" as an invitation to sex, or does it also include emotional bonding or whatever? 

Also... did I mention that I love the blonde hair? Because I really do. 

I really loved this episode. It dealt in particular with hypocrisy. Also I feel to a certain extent the men who are being sent white feathers (I.e. being accused of cowardice) are pleased to have an opportunity to impugne Christopher because he is fighting for King and Country. One of the other themes is that of people not actually talking face-to-face with each other about issues. Christopher's father and brother are classic examples of this.

Regarding his father's death I think it makes it really quite clear that it was suicide. The conversation in which the end brother says regarding the inquest finding it to be an accident is a nod to those in charge of the inquest not to find it as suicide. His father had every motive for wishing to kill himself. As far as he was concerned his estate was going to be inherited by Celia's bastard (using the terminology of the time). All the accusations against Christopher and Celia (including her friendship with 'the enemy' and her priest being arrested for treason) are too much for his father to bear. The removal of the pipes from the old tree was very symbolic.

I liked the use of the true northern term 'brass' for money in the scene with Christopher and his brother. Ironic that his brother has a Catholic mistress who he will not (cannot) marry.

This episode shows a realisation by Christopher that the world has changed and changing and that living by outmoded rules (his words) can make a man look a fool. This change of attitude on his part is shown by his acceptance of his feelings for Valentine and his proposition to her. His proposition is not just sexual in meaning but also suggests a more formal 'arrangement'. He is about to go back to the front again, this time knowing all about the realities of what that means, and he is simply not prepaid to wait because they both know he might die. Clearly his brother approves of the relationship between the two.

As to their being in love for 5 years, despite barely having ever met, this is clarified in the scene between Valentine and Christopher where it is explained that from the very first instance they set eyes on each other they fell in love ( love at first sight). It was his 'parade' that up until this point had kept them apart. The way Valentine describes it as if the pair of them were in a vice forcing them together is a great metaphor. It also connects to all the machinations that have being going on, the rumours, his wife's warning ('keep of the grass') that have, ironically been driving them together rather than apart. I also loved the contrast of the outspoken loyalty of his friend compared with the betrayal by her friend- how this will work out in reality I am unsure (I deliberately haven't read the book yet).

The acting was of the highest quality throughout. All the characters are well portrayed. I felt so sad about the poor mad vicar and the hanged priest; churchmen seem to fare badly in this story. I still need to get to grips fully with the motivation behind Chrisopher suddenly saying that his 'son' can be brought up as a Roman Catholic; interesting also that he had absolutely not idea that the priest had been hanged.

The photography, sets and costumes are stunning capturing the atmosphere of the era wonderfully; very Pre-Raphaelite/ Arts and Crafts in places. Valentine's hair is more authentic long, rather than short, which was unlikely even in a suffragette.

Last edited by Davina (September 10, 2012 11:33 am)