for all those on my fl who worship BBC's '95 P&P....

[retro_eidas]

I highly recommend North and South. Richard Armitage





Ok, maybe a cross between a Victorian!Wolvie and Gerard Butler. And he's brilliant in the role. So much so I hope - if this miniseries ever hits Murka apart from BBC America & DVD (something widely seen a la Masterpiece Theater or A&E) and it explodes like P&P did - he doesn't get pigeon-holed into the rom-com male lead a la Colin Firth playing the same character over and over.

He brings me to mind strikingly of what Wolverine may look like in a cravat (Kate & Leopold? Never heard of it.)... and not just in physical appearance. Thornton is on the scary-side, but he's oh so tortured too (I don't remember my past = I'm a volatile Northern tradesman that lives for my work and has little else). You want to keep your distance, give him mass huggles and esconse him all at once.

Most definitely not to be confused in relation to greycoat Patrick Swayze. This has nothing to do with the 80s American miniseries about the Civil War. It's a BBC series that came out in 2004 based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell (who also did Wives and Daughters, also made into a BBC costume drama, but I admittedly didn't like nearly as much P&P or N&S).

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

Ha. A friend of mine was a bit player in that awful North and South American miniseries--a lot of it was shot here in Louisiana. The sideburns were my fave part of his get-up.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I actually heard about (this) "North & South" from a friend raving about it... initially, however, all I could think is why for all that's holy the Brits would remake such a craptastic American miniseries about the Civil War ...with Patrick Swayze in it... thinking the Brits probably have enough to hate about us as is. Suffice to say she schooled me right quick that she was talking about an entirely different N&S. This N&S is most worthy of raving, I assure you. ;)

And I didn't know you were in Louisiana.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_debbiechan_/]

May 2 for more Bleach manga and anime. It's friggin Golden Week in Japan or something that means lots of partying (but sadly, no manga!)
Yes, I'm in Louisiana. 70 miles away from what once was New Orleans in Baton Rouge. Our city is bloated with New Orleaners--it's a nice culture shock since BR is a pretty provincial blah town and N.O. is... well... not.

[eido.livejournal.com]

It's friggin Golden Week in Japan or something that means lots of partying (but sadly, no manga!)

Those lazy jerks! Quit partying and scan damn it!! I need a "Bleach" fix forthwith! heee Although seriously, is Ishida ever frickin' going to come back for god's sakes? The Vaizard/Arrancar arc is fine enough, but ... damn it. Where are those emo archers when you need them?

it's a nice culture shock since BR is a pretty provincial blah town and N.O. is... well... not.

I suppose some good has to come out of the catastrophe somewhere.

[empressov.livejournal.com]

Yes this was awesome though it was a bit of a P&P rip off.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Hell, if it ain't broke... which pretty much throws all my objectivity out the window, doesn't it? And/or just shows how so, so sadly I love P&P *sighs* It does have more violence and death then P&P did. Also profusely took use of that lovely Northern weather. P&P is so sunny most of the time... N&S is like a long holiday through the "Old Curiosity Shop" pretty much the whole series. Cheery. No wonder what happened to Thornton's father... happened. I'd probably do that too if I lived in Milton (aside from staring at the sex-incarnate Marlborough Mills owner all the day long).

oh my goodness

[crushw-eyeliner.livejournal.com]

he *does* look like an evil Hugh Jackman. Evil in a intriguing, hot! way,that is.

The funny thing about Wives and Daughters is that PBS just reran it and I saw it a few nights ago - I kept on wishing Keeley Hawes character to just DIE or something, and for Justine's Molly to grow a backbone and stop being trampled on all over the place.

But I did like Michael Gambon in it.

This is the second rec for North and South from my FL, so I'm definitely interested in it now. Plus, shades of P&P? What's not to love?

:D

Re: oh my goodness

[eido.livejournal.com]

he *does* look like an evil Hugh Jackman. Evil in a intriguing, hot! way,that is.

And! The man has skills. Which makes him more attractive than any pic can describe, if you can imagine. Even fug actors can turn around hot if they have the skills and this guy just happens to be hot *and* can act. He acted the hell out of this part! Not getting too spoily and rambly, but there's this one scene where his character is being all forlorn by his mother's side and it absolutely rips my heart out. It's probably up there amongst my favorite scenes in the whole series and it's one of those series that has many favorite scenes.

The funny thing about Wives and Daughters is that PBS just reran it and I saw it a few nights ago - I kept on wishing Keeley Hawes character to just DIE or something, and for Justine's Molly to grow a backbone and stop being trampled on all over the place.

But I did like Michael Gambon in it.

The acting was top notch per the higher end BBC productions (Gambon was of course good and I liked Francesca Annis too, although I admit she was probably my first girlcrush ever way back when I first watched Dune so I'm not so objective there) but the whole package ultimately just didn't do it for me. Also I suppose that was the point about Keeley Hawes character, but WORD on wanting to see some more comeuppance and it falling pretty short. Maybe not death, but it still seemed to me she got the cake despite everything. Meh. The ending also seemed a tad too abrupt and convenient to me. Which could be due to the novel being unfinished and I can understand the series writers ending it that way, but... abrupt, convenient.

This is the second rec for North and South from my FL, so I'm definitely interested in it now. Plus, shades of P&P? What's not to love?

Dude. You have to watch. It's like P&P by way of Thomas Hardy (but not losing the Austen in the process). P&P's broody, emo first cousin. It's a shame this isn't more popular in the US. I do understand why since it only, non-sensically hit BBC America as opposed to A&E, PBS or AMC... but this should be known by everyone. Particularly all those folks who want a new, really good period drama post-P&P. For some time nothing I'd see could ever really compare, but this comes damn near close imho.

[profshallowness.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! North and South and Richard Armitage love. Thanks for the pics. I read the books years and years ago, and loved the love story. I suppose there's an element of Austen (though I think it's more obvious in Wives and Daughters). Anyway, I was so glad that they did the book justice, I had one or two issuees, but less than I expected to have. So many striking visuals and good acting - like Sinead Cusack was unrecognisable to me as Mrs T, and I knew her from other stuff.

It would be great if N and S really were to explode in the UK and for armitage to have a Colin Firthesque career.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Sinead Cusack was amazing in this. I love how she totally sold a hatred mixed with a genuine concern for Margaret (hated her for being a rival in her son's affections, but still seemed to feel attached to her in that she was the person her beloved son loved so much). Her possessiveness and crowing over John was also a perfect blend of loving, domineering and slightly creepy. Almost like she treated him somewhere between a son and a husband (trying to see the success in him that hadn't come to her own husband). Awesome. Again, I'm gobsmacked this didn't get wide release in the US.