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What I have been watching
If you think I watch more shows than usual right now, you are right. Partly because I was laid low with tummy troubles last week and partly because I spend a lot of time hand-sewing right now as I’m making a 1916 outfit for an event next week.
As usual there are spoilers under the cut.
I have been catching up on Outlander and I still enjoy the show. They managed to not have any rape threats in the first episode, but a little too frisky hands in epsiode 2 and a fulll on rap in episode 4. I knew it was coming as I’ve read the books, but I still could have been without it. I realise it has a dramaturgical meaning as Mary needs to be rid of her boring fiance in order to marry Black Jack, but there are other ways to make that happen rather than hape. If you aren’t Diana Gabaldon, that is. So far this season is rather lacking when it comes from antagonists. Uncle Dougal is still in Scotland and Black Jack recuperating so instead we get a French Count. He’s rather handsome but there isn’t much action in him, he says little and mostly look daggers at Claire. Kind of boring after being spoiled with Tobias Menzie and Graham McTavish the last season.
I like the costumes even if fashion and hair is firmly set in the 1760’s. But I suppose that only fashion nerdy people like me who realises that the costumes are off with about 15 years. They are good anyway. The promotion pictures have showed off some of Claire’s costumes that looks decidedly off, but it works in the context of the show. Claire’s clothes have clear 194’s influences which makes her look a bit apart from the rest of the characters, underlining her otherness. Clever touch, I think. But I need to keep away from any interviews of the costume maker! She really rubs me the wrong way personality wise and often comes out with some very strange ideas about the 18th century which she probably know less about than she makes it sound like.
I’ve also seen the first seven episodes of Versailles. It’s a French-Canadian production about Louis XVI and takes place in the late 1660’s when he decides to make Versailles his main palace. On the whole it’s gripping. The 17th century is one of my favourite periods so most of the actual historical events are things I already know. Like not being the least worried when Philippe d'Orléans goes to war because I know he re-married later. There are also quite a bit of rumours made into hard facts, like the Queen having a child out of wedlock. Maria Theresa of Spain was a very pious woman, devoted to her husband and very aware of her dynastical function- the likelihood of her having a lover is extremely slim. (Also, in the series she is a beauty while contemporary sources dubbed her quite plain.) And Henrietta of England died after several years of stomach troubles- she probably wasn’t poisoned.
The costumes are pretty good and again, only the costume nerd will notice if there is an element of fantasy or if a hairstyle are a decade or two out of place. I did giggle when a painting is given a certain prominence in a storyline as the painting wouldn’t be painted in at least 20 years.
As most of the actors are French or Canadian there are a lot of unknown faces, which I like. In fact, I only recognise from Lizzie Brocheré American Horror story and Pip Torrens who has been in everything, even if he will always be Bingo Little for me. The acting is good and I feel invested in the characters. I especially enjoy Philippe d'Orléans who is struggling to become a person more than just “the King’s brother” and his complicated relationship to his wife Henrietta and his lover Chevalier. There are also storylines of made-up, or at least lesser known, characters which I like as I don’t know what will happen to them. The Kings security chief, a Huguenot spy posing as a noblewoman and her daughter whom she tries to make the King notice and a female doctor are all interesting characters.
Of course this tiny, tiny fandom made me want to write fanfic, which is nice. But typical- who want to read it, I wonder. I checked AO3 and they have a whopping 29 English fics. And, predictable most of them are Philippe d'Orléans/Chevalier which I don’t feel interested in at all. Not because of the slash- Philippe d'Orléans vastly preferred men, but because I find Chevalier utterly repulsive. Oh well, a girl’s got to write what a girl’s got to write.
As usual there are spoilers under the cut.
I have been catching up on Outlander and I still enjoy the show. They managed to not have any rape threats in the first episode, but a little too frisky hands in epsiode 2 and a fulll on rap in episode 4. I knew it was coming as I’ve read the books, but I still could have been without it. I realise it has a dramaturgical meaning as Mary needs to be rid of her boring fiance in order to marry Black Jack, but there are other ways to make that happen rather than hape. If you aren’t Diana Gabaldon, that is. So far this season is rather lacking when it comes from antagonists. Uncle Dougal is still in Scotland and Black Jack recuperating so instead we get a French Count. He’s rather handsome but there isn’t much action in him, he says little and mostly look daggers at Claire. Kind of boring after being spoiled with Tobias Menzie and Graham McTavish the last season.
I like the costumes even if fashion and hair is firmly set in the 1760’s. But I suppose that only fashion nerdy people like me who realises that the costumes are off with about 15 years. They are good anyway. The promotion pictures have showed off some of Claire’s costumes that looks decidedly off, but it works in the context of the show. Claire’s clothes have clear 194’s influences which makes her look a bit apart from the rest of the characters, underlining her otherness. Clever touch, I think. But I need to keep away from any interviews of the costume maker! She really rubs me the wrong way personality wise and often comes out with some very strange ideas about the 18th century which she probably know less about than she makes it sound like.
I’ve also seen the first seven episodes of Versailles. It’s a French-Canadian production about Louis XVI and takes place in the late 1660’s when he decides to make Versailles his main palace. On the whole it’s gripping. The 17th century is one of my favourite periods so most of the actual historical events are things I already know. Like not being the least worried when Philippe d'Orléans goes to war because I know he re-married later. There are also quite a bit of rumours made into hard facts, like the Queen having a child out of wedlock. Maria Theresa of Spain was a very pious woman, devoted to her husband and very aware of her dynastical function- the likelihood of her having a lover is extremely slim. (Also, in the series she is a beauty while contemporary sources dubbed her quite plain.) And Henrietta of England died after several years of stomach troubles- she probably wasn’t poisoned.
The costumes are pretty good and again, only the costume nerd will notice if there is an element of fantasy or if a hairstyle are a decade or two out of place. I did giggle when a painting is given a certain prominence in a storyline as the painting wouldn’t be painted in at least 20 years.
As most of the actors are French or Canadian there are a lot of unknown faces, which I like. In fact, I only recognise from Lizzie Brocheré American Horror story and Pip Torrens who has been in everything, even if he will always be Bingo Little for me. The acting is good and I feel invested in the characters. I especially enjoy Philippe d'Orléans who is struggling to become a person more than just “the King’s brother” and his complicated relationship to his wife Henrietta and his lover Chevalier. There are also storylines of made-up, or at least lesser known, characters which I like as I don’t know what will happen to them. The Kings security chief, a Huguenot spy posing as a noblewoman and her daughter whom she tries to make the King notice and a female doctor are all interesting characters.
Of course this tiny, tiny fandom made me want to write fanfic, which is nice. But typical- who want to read it, I wonder. I checked AO3 and they have a whopping 29 English fics. And, predictable most of them are Philippe d'Orléans/Chevalier which I don’t feel interested in at all. Not because of the slash- Philippe d'Orléans vastly preferred men, but because I find Chevalier utterly repulsive. Oh well, a girl’s got to write what a girl’s got to write.
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Versailles sounds very interesting. I don't know that much about French history, so that would be very cool to watch. I like that they aren't shying away from showing a gay relationship, and I have to lol at the fic being all slash. But it annoys me when they make plain women beautiful, sigh. Why is that needed? I loved Lizzie Brocheré in American Horror Story. Thanks for telling us about this show, I'm looking for it now, lol.
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But there are, of course, things in the show that I like a lot, otherwise I wouldn't continue to watch it, though I suspect I may loose interest eventually. Mostly I'm in awe over Tobias Menzie and when he gets out of the picture I don't know what will keep me. What grabbed me in the first two books and what I like in the show is that it in many ways put the classic Romance in it's head. The heroine is older and more experienced than the hero and she is also a highly competent person (a nurse) and with a clear view of her value. And the beautiful virgin the villain lusts after isn't the heroine here- but the hero!
I can recommend Frock Flicks for a good comment on the costumes. It's a blog run by three women who are into historical costumes and they review and dicuss period shows and movies with a lot of humour. They are doing episode of Outlander right now:
http://www.frockflicks.com/
Philippe d'Orange was an interesting man, I think, and so was his brother. Louis shaped his world to his liking and when you are the brother to the center of the world you can pretty much do what you like and within the court his lovers were no secrets, and this in a time when the penalty for smae sex was death. His realtionship to his wife Henrietta, who was also his first cousin and whom he had grown up with, was a curious mix of adoration, neglect and jealousy. And he was also an excellent father who loved his daughters and a really good military strategist and liked to dress in women's clothes. Basically the only thing thay haven't shown us in the show is his daughters. :)
And, luckily, Chevalier grew as a character during the season and I ended up liking him a bit better.
But it annoys me when they make plain women beautiful, sigh. Why is that needed?
Me too. And they also do what TV always do when a character is from Spain- they have chosen a very beautiful Spanish looking woman. When the queen, in reality, was blond and plump.
Lizzie Brocheré plays the woman who wants to be a doctor and she is one of my favourite characters. After watching half of it I strated to think I could write soomething of the hint of a good dynamic between her and the head of security who is exactly the kind of ambigious character straddling both villanious and more heroic traits I always enjoy. (And bonus because he is tall and dark with great cheekbones, which I have a weakness for.)
http://farfarawaysite.com/section/versailles/gallery11/hires/32.jpg
So I started to write and finished the series and was awarded wtih more very nice secenes between them. I'm not sure I really ship them, but there is an interesting dynamic to explore.
There is a really nice set of promotional pictures here to wet your appetite. (Yes, I'm an enabler) ;)
http://farfarawaysite.com/section/versailles/gallery11/gallery.htm