Things I "Like"

Warming Winter Meals: Roast Chicken with Meyer Lemon and Herbs de Provance

What to watch now that Downton Abbey has ended

Well, that was a super depressing season, wasn't it? Even though I knew Dan Stevens was leaving the series to become a big Hollywood star, his exit last night could not have been more Dramatic with a capital D. But then again, it was pure Downton.  Anyone who thinks this show is a sophisticated highbrow drama needs to pay closer attention. It's a nighttime soap in period clothing. As for Lady Sybil, actress Jessica Findley left to spend more time on her first love, dance, and apparently has been busy making a movie with Colin Ferrell's weird haircut. 

They may look upper crust, but underneath beats the heart of a mainstream melodrama.

You may now be asking yourself "How can I fill the costume drama void in my life?" I am here to tell you that there is so much more out there. Ultra Masterpiece Theater Nerd has your back. That's me, by the way. I am the Ultra Masterpiece Theater Nerd.

If you want to bang Matthew Crawley:

Then check him out as nice boy (and brunette!) Edward Ferrars in the 2008 mini-series of Sense and Sensibility.

Bonus: Cutie Dominic Cooper pwns as Willoughby

"Hey, Eleanor. I'm thinking of going blonde. My stylist says it'll bring out my eyes."

If you tell people you want Matthew, but really want to bang the Earl of Grantham:

Check him out in Ms. Austen Regrets as the beloved author's former suitor (and maternal uncle??) Rev. Brooke Bridges

"Come on. We both know I'm the true inspiration for Mr. Darcy. Just admit it, Jane."

If you kind of think the Earl is an ASS:

Hugh Bonneville plays the villain in George Eliot's  Daniel Deronda, starring the adorable  and swoonworthy Hugh Dancy. 

"And you thought I was just an insufferable rich snob? Well get ready to HATE MY GUTS."

If you liked the 'Hate/Then Love/Then Hate Again/Then OMG They Really DO Love Each Other' Dynamic of Matthew and Mary:

Never has a Northern accent been so sexy

Last spring I stayed up til 3 am watching all four parts of

North and South, the 2004 BBC miniseries based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel. It also features Brendan Coyle, aka the lovable Mr. Bates. 

If you love the time period:

The Grand, set in the eponymous London hotel, begins in 1920 and spans the turbulent decade. 

If you liked the Upstairs/Downstairs dynamic:

Then watch the original 1970s series Upstairs Downstairs (now on Netflix Instant!), which takes place in a London townhouse at the turn of the century. Or, the remake shot last year, which takes place in 1936 and features Gillian Anderson as a deliciously crazy Wallis Simpson.

"Me? A Nazi sympathizer? Don't be gauche."

If you want to watch a family drama that spans generations:

Oh man, you just know Mr. Fantastic is totally gonna bang Brady's wife!

2002's The Forsyte Saga, based on the book of the same name, follows an upper-middle class British family from the 1870s til 1920, with lots of bodice-ripping in between. It stars Damian Lewis, from white people's favorite show Homeland, playing a utterly despicable character with absolutely no redeeming qualities. Really, Nick Brady, the almost-terrorist, is a more sympathetic character than Soames Forsyte.  

If you like your period dramas not-so-subtly adapted for today's audience:

Period costumes? Check. Grand historic homes? Check. Illicit romances? Double check.

The Buccaneers, based on an unfinished Edith Wharton novel, has a literary pedigree with some decidedly modern  plot points thrown in (like homosexuality and marital rape) and has been accused of getting the Hollywood happy ending treatment. However, it still hits all the right notes and features a touching performance by my favorite Willoughby (and Emma Thompson's husband), Greg Wise. 

Weekend To-Do List

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Happy Friday!

Happy League Of Women Voters Day!

TGIF

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