I Am A Swede

R.I.P. Connie Francis (1937-2025)

Another legend gone. When I think of female singers from the 50s and 60s Connie Francis is always the first that comes to mind. It's a disgrace that she hasn't been honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet. I know that Agnetha Fältskog from ABBA has named Connie as a great influence, and you can clearly hear that if you listen to her solo work, but also on ABBA songs like "Hasta Mañana" and "S.O.S".

They will probably drag this story out much longer than they should. They did it with Belle/Tom, and that was a stronger story to begin with.... But it's not only this story that sucks. Most of the stories, if not all of them, are just bad. I'm binging 1970s Emmerdale Farm right now and the difference in quality is mind-blowing. There is so much more going on in the new episodes, and yet the old ones are way more interesting.

It had to be either Mike or Sheila since they were the only ones who knew that the paternity test had been tampered with (albeit inadvertently).

Grandad Sam can be annoying some times, but then suddenly Toke Townley delivers really powerful performances, often very subtle ones. He did it when Peggy died, and now again in episode 250 when Reverend Ruskin gently told him that he was too old to become church warden, something he really wanted. You could see his disappointment, and then he suddenly saw himself in the mirror, and you could see in his face the dawning realization that Reverend Ruskin was right. So subtle, yet painfully obvious at the same time. Really great stuff.

I think she spoke for a large part of the audience as well....

I love the opening and theme music to the new "All Creatures Great and Small". It is different than the original one, yet also pays homage to it.

Wow, Swiatek - Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in just 57 minutes! 😲 I think this is the first double bagel in a GS Final since Steffi Graf annihiliated Natasha Zvereva in Paris 1988. That match took just 34 minutes though.

The new studios might be cheaper yet also bigger.

Their budget has probably shrunk.

Two words: better writing!