Members Vee Posted February 21, 2017 Members Share Posted February 21, 2017 (edited) I completely agree re: Michelle. I was baffled when they said she was applying for teaching jobs - a simple google search would find her out at any school. They don't seem to get how it is over here. Edited February 21, 2017 by Vee 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 21, 2017 Members Share Posted February 21, 2017 The Michelle story does seem unrealistic but it's the only story on the show that I'm enjoying at the moment. Everything else is boring. As for Preston's accent, I'm glad he's at least attempting an American accent. I'd have preferred an American actor but this is better than the whole Mark debacle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimWil Posted February 21, 2017 Members Share Posted February 21, 2017 I take your points, Carl. I'm not exactly a fan of this storyline, either, but I just don't think it's all that surprising knowing who Michelle was before. She was easily bored. She was miserable in Walford. She needed some form of "excitement" even if it meant conjuring up a fake Italian boyfriend-remember Dario? Hah, watching Preston again it struck me that he's doing more of a Newsies accent than Bugsy Malone! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 22, 2017 Members Share Posted February 22, 2017 (edited) The thing is just because Preston lives in Florida, doesn't mean he's not from another part of America and just moved there? From what I know of Michelle it's not that much of a jump. Edited February 22, 2017 by Edward Skylover 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted February 22, 2017 Members Share Posted February 22, 2017 Unless he's from Russia, I'm not sure... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimWil Posted February 23, 2017 Members Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) It finally dawned on me who Preston reminds me of physically: a cross between Matt Borlenghi (he used to be on AMC) and the boy who played the delinquent in the Jude Law movie Breaking and Entering. His accent really isn't all that bad but of course he tripped up on the word "talk," saying it like "tahk." That usually trips them Brits up. Talk. Office. Coffee. Dog. Heh. "Pauline Fower" tweeted this today: Think what'll be on that telly. @BumBoyMitchell streaming 'ard-core Bel Ami & little Jay fillin' it with kiddie porn. Ai yi yi. Speaking of Pauline on Ch. 21/WLIW last night we got to see the official beginning of her pathetic final act before getting whacked by you-know-who. In a scene in the Vic she got snotty with Sonia and Martin responded with "Sometimes mum has the charm of cold rice pudding." It was Karaoke Night in the Vic and Peggy sang "My Way," which she claimed was her favorite. How ironic considering how her life ended. Was it played at her funeral? Edited February 23, 2017 by TimWil 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vee Posted February 23, 2017 Members Share Posted February 23, 2017 What they did to Pauline was when I started really detaching from EE for years. I just thought it was too far, I still do. Shock and agony for its own sake, no matter how well-produced. If you salt the earth that much you don't have a lot left. They've begun rebuilding the Fowlers but given the state of NuMichelle it's far from perfect, and I don't trust them to not have Stacey leaving Martin hanging (though I love them together). The kid playing Preston is fine though you can tell the American accent is a little too polished, like most British attempts. But I'm used to that and he's alright. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimWil Posted February 23, 2017 Members Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Interesting response to criticism of Tuesday's "This is the Britain we live in" episode from writer Leo Richardson: http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/14954556 He does neglect to mention that he moved to LA last spring, though. Edited February 23, 2017 by TimWil 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vee Posted February 23, 2017 Members Share Posted February 23, 2017 I mean, is he wrong? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted February 23, 2017 Members Share Posted February 23, 2017 No, although the writing really undercut the power of the scenes by comparing racism to the stupid "bins" and "rats" stories that Sean O'Connor throws into every episode as faux-community. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skylover Posted February 24, 2017 Members Share Posted February 24, 2017 He's definitely not wrong, though I haven't seen the episode yet. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted February 24, 2017 Members Share Posted February 24, 2017 The writing is just plain odd at this point and seems to be happy to leave any continuity or characterization in the dust for yuks or to move the plot along. - Dot has been using the Internet for years. She wouldn't just helplessly look for nothing. She's used satnav before. She wouldn't just helplessly wander around for the sake of a comedy crash with green screen out of 1983. - Sharon has never been the type of woman to walk around picking up after all the men at all hours, and Jay has never been the type of guy who was so confident in the Mitchell house (a home that was not his, which he was all too aware of) that he left dirty cups and dishes around everywhere for her to pick up. - Why was Kim back in total comedy mode after being so serious over Denise's problems for months? - What exactly IS Denise's story at present? Diane Parish is doing a wonderful job, but I have no idea where they are going with the character, between the paternity reveal, the "Denise is disgusted with the community" saga, the adoption, and the rarely seen relationship with Kush that is still hinted at. - Why were Ian and Mick in comedy friend scenes when just a few weeks ago Ian was gleefully trying to destroy Mick's reputation and business while he was in prison? Are we just supposed to go "oh that Ian" and forget we ever saw it? - Does the show really think Martin is such a moron that he doesn't know what "impetuous" means? Are we supposed to indulgently laugh at him like he's a complete idiot, or are we supposed to see this as evidence Michelle is out of place because of all her book learnin'? Why do I get the feeling many at the show now see viewers as complete idiots? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted February 24, 2017 Members Share Posted February 24, 2017 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vee Posted February 25, 2017 Members Share Posted February 25, 2017 (edited) Catching up a bit but still behind - I was actually impressed with how they mopped up a lot of the mixed messaging EE so usually gives about mental illness and male weakness/depression in Lee's exit. It doesn't forgive a longstanding systemic issue the show has with conventional masculinity, but I did appreciate how they had Mick come to understand Lee's issues and be loving towards him. It was a lot more than I'd come to hope for at this point. I thought all the actors did very well, especially Danny-Boy(?) Hatchard and Danny Dyer. EE's various attempts at art and metaphor don't always work these days, but at least they give artistry a go unlike the American soaps, and the whole bit with the fox in the bins vis a vis Mick and Lee actually worked for me. There seemed to be a lot of story/character clean-up going on, actually. For one of the first times I felt a bit of the old Michelle in Jenna Russell when she told Preston in no uncertain terms that she'd made a terrible mistake and he had to go. She was forthright, she wasn't wibbling or weeping or moaning, and it worked. The guy playing him is quite cute, but I don't have too much interest in anything with him and Bex that is going to drag Michelle further through the mud. If they want to make a go of it with this recast the best thing to do is put as many miles between this and her as possible, and keep pushing Michelle forward with more confidence. Also cleaned up: I was pleased with Kim telling Denise straight-out that she supported and loved her. It was a bit too tossed-off before. There are so many little comedy vignette bits in EE that can sometimes reduces characters to sketches (Ian, etc. as mentioned above) and some work and some are cheap, but I was pleased with what they did there. I also quite like sour old Shirley with the Polish fellow. But I wish Kathy had a big story. Edited February 25, 2017 by Vee 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted February 25, 2017 Members Share Posted February 25, 2017 I couldn't get past the idea that the only thing you need to do to help depression is to "find your people" and that struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts is more about the burden you put on other people than it is about what you're actually going through. His family let him go to a new place with no job, no friends (Beanbag is not his friend), no family, no money, and in Mick's case, knowing he tried to kill himself not long ago. To me it was a dangerous fantasy. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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