Latest BBC Austen

So far, it is most pleasing and already a 100 times better than the bloody itv Kate Beckinsale attempt. V. funny, the pacing's good, costuming/set decor's good, and Romola Garai's very good as Emma - just the right shade of bratty, self-absorbed and oblivious without making you want to strangle her (unlike Gwyneth Paltrow who wasn't... I dunno, developed enough? Too many reaction shot gasps and a bit floaty). Actress playing Harriet is pretty good (not very giggly and a bit less dippy than other Harriets, more naive and being easily led precisely because she's aware of her naivety about society and wants to learn, not being bullied into it), Michael Gambon as Daddy Woodhouse is wonderfully infuriating in his hypochondria, Robert Martin is fortunately *not* a lower-class Tim Nice But Dim, Tamsin Grieg is doing a wonderful job as Miss Bates - it takes you a few minutes to realise it's her even though we knew she was in it, as she's so repressed and flustered. Jonny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley is doing v. well as foil and getting rather obviously pissed off with Emma in a 'she always does this but it's still sodding irritating' way, and I like the fact that they come off much more as best mates who've grown up together rather than the usual slightly paternalistic relationship. Hence you forget that there's a 16-year age gap. Only problem was that he was a bit wooden during the Robert Martin being above Harriet socially rant. Time will see if he replaces as my fave mr. Knightley Jeremy Northam, which... oh, shush, I'm biased any time Jeremy Northam is involved and I fully admit this.

We fully approve the script adaptation being done by Sandy Welch (previous credits being North and South and Our Mutual Friend). Thank the FSM that they didn't give it to Andrew Davies again, as he's been inclined to mess too much with the source text in the last few years. This one - a few visible tweaks but they're tweaks for the better that neaten up or clarify. Not completely re-arrange scenes and dialogue for no understandable reason. :cough: the recent Sense and Sensibility :cough:.

Looking forward to more of it, only the preview for next week included a clip that had me and Mum going '... I thought that bit was much later. Are we sure it's 4 parts rather than 3?'

Research Tiem. (you can't make me!)

:sigh: nano approacheth. Cannot yet decide which one to do of the Upstairs-Downstairs, Psycho girl, and Girl in the army. Really to do more research to see which one's the most viable at this point, since research sparks plot bunnies and also tells you what you can and can't do.

Upstairs-Downstairs, I need to check out 1920s, valet stuff and also how big houses of the time operated. I don't need too much on this since theoretically the main focus is on the couple, but background stuff and any details (eg, this tech wasn't used). So far bits to tweak in the plot are how wet the valet character is.

Psycho Girl and Girl in army - I need to re-read the Rifles and Peninsula War books I have access to, possibly re-watch a bit of Sharpe and re-read Monstrous Regiment. Which I've started but there are shiny new things. What I also want to find is stuff on women in the military, but the main problem I've come up against is that most of the material I've found is on the American Civil War (understandably because it's more recent and better documented). Not helpful, since it's a good couple of generations later and on another continent. Not to mention there will be plenty of wives and/or girlfriends floating around camp. Sir Terry has said it exists. He's read it. Where the hell does one find it? Any recs? Bits to tweak : Psycho Girl needs to be more off-kilter. Girl in army : more banter, less overt romance. And need to figure out precisely what the timespan is - I think I want her to join up at 17/18, but the question is also how old people think she would be when dressed as a boy.

Problem facing this : I'm behind on my tv (3 eps of Big Bang Theory, Merlin + Secrets and Magic, and catching up on Warehouse 13 and FlashForward. also there is SGU evaluation to be done. And new Jane Austen on the BBC. Not even thinking about Glee, Better off Ted and Burn Notice at this point - I think that'll have to wait until post nano at this rate) Unseen Academicals arrived and I've got two chapters in so far.