5 Reasons You Should be Watching Downton Abbey

Set during the last days of Belle Epoque and Victorian grandeur, Downton Abbey takes us into the drawing-rooms of the English elite, to the scullery of the help, to the rallies in the streets. The aristocrats are running on fumes, the working class is getting all "We are the 99%" and you get the feeling that the women have worn their last ankle lengh skirt. Oh and England is about to get the crumpets bombed out of it, because it's the eve of WWI.

I understand reservations when it comes to Masterpiece Classics--all that Cranford and those Antique Roadshow ads that make you feel like you aught to be 80 years old and knitting your grandson a sweater. Though, none of that has ever kept me away. Cranford, however, this is not.! Downton Abbey is an incredibly acted, no dime spared-produced series that honestly, if you're not watching, you should be!

5 reasons you should get into it:
1. Somehow Masterpiece always pulls the finest actors in the business. Everybody is pulling an award worthy performance out of their hat. I mean really; even the one-eyed, toothless barkeep is gunning for an Emmy. (There is no one-eyed toothless barkeep--yet)
2. A protagonist you love to hate. Mary has got to be the most frigid, self absorbed, gold digging, heartless, manipulative, backstabbing bitch on TV since...Blair Waldorf! And I love it. Part of me wants her to get her comeuppance. The tinier part loves the different shades she brings to her character and can't wait to see what she does next.
3. Sex, Lies, and Politics. Enough said!
4. A colorful supporting cast of maids, cooks and footmen that steal the show...and the brandy!
5. The clothes! The Hair! The Setpieces! This show is absolute eye candy down to smallest broach. The amount of detail that goes into every scene from the jewelry to the silverware makes this such a visual treat.

And of course no history buff should miss it. Sunday's at 10. PBS.

Blair Waldorf's Louis Vuitton Sundress for Less

Oh thank heaven for Modcloth! I love all their clothes. Most of their stuff is pretty whimsical and original but THIS new dress (released today) bears a striking resemblance to another bustier sundress worn by Queen B, Blair Waldorf a few episodes ago (Yeah, I watch Gossip Girl. Don't judge!). Hmm... First that pink Versace replica and now this $92.99 version of Louis Vuitton's blue sundress from their 2011 resort collection... I love my Modcloth fashions retro and quirky but I'm not opposed to their designer inspired dresses of late.Check it! Modcloth

True Bood Season Finale: Man Down!

Jessica's Blog: Little Red

True Blood Season 4 Episode 12: “And When I Die”

Blogging while I watch.

Season Finale Recap

Yup, Lafayette is possessed alright. Jesus gets a whiff of this just in time to get stabbed in the hand with a fork. Warning: do not try to feed the spirits eggs sunny side up. No molestar los spirites. That is how you say it in Spanish, right?

Sookie’s suffereing from Post Vampire Stress Disorder.

True Blood Ep11: Never Bring a Bazooka to a Wand Fight

True Blood Season 4, Episode 11 Recap
True Blood Ep 11:  Soul Of Fire
 

Blogging while I watch:

So… I just got back from seeing The Help. Awesome movie. I laughed, I cried, I just about lost my mind when Lafayette turned up on the big screen. Literally, I had to fight to urge to stand up, point, and yell, “Hookah”. I really hope that the next time I see him he isn’t playing another fry cook. Just saying…

Slow-mo vampires in back leather alert! Pam, Bill, Eric, and Jess show up outside of Marnie’s ready to kill the witch…Al Qaeda style. Bombs, guns, and I think Jess has a bazooka. Why or how this would work against magic is beyond me. Who came up with this crack scheme? Sookie?

True Blood Ep9: "I'm Not Opening the Door For No White Man"

True Blood Season 4, Episode 9 Recap

Episode 9: “Let’s Get Out of Here”

Blogging While I Watch

Crazy times at Bon Temps continue this week. Antonia has lost her Goddamn mind. Her witches know this and now the only way they’ll stand with her is with extreme coercion. She plans to use her new pet vampire, Eric, as a tool to publicly embarrass vampires at their Tolerance press conference.  

Meanwhile, my slow forming love for Bill continues to stew as he rolls his eyes at everything that comes out of Alcide’s mouth—because nobody should give credence to a werewolf when he’s wearing a shirt.

True Blood Ep 7: "I'm NOT a zombie!" Recap/Clip

True Blood Season 4, Episode 7 Recap

True Blood: 4 Ep. 7: "Cold Grey Light of Dawn"

Blogging while I watch:

The episode begins with a recap and I’m already pissed. Why? Because I had to suffer through 6 episodes of Jason rape, and the only fruit that plot point is going to bear is his 15 or so children in 9 months. Besides that, nothing: no ware panther Jason. This impotent story arc that began with Crystal mid season 3, where we got a glimpse of Jason’s potential for greatness, just fell limply into another whack romance between him and someone he shouldn’t be with. Only this time it’s his best friend’s girl: Jessica. Don’t worry, no chemistry there.

Speaking of no chemistry, we left off with Eric and Sookie ravishing each other on the floor like a couple of bad Soap actors. Passions anyone? No?

True Blood Ep 5: "That’s Some Catchy Shit for Your Headstone"

True Blood Season 4, Episode 5 Recap

"The Devil And Me"

Blogging while I watch. And a little Comic-Con Action

Okay... The show opens up with Tommy, who was tricked by his mom into thinking she’d ended things with her abusive husband Jolie. It was all just a trap to get the young shifter back in the dog fighting ring. Must resist urge to make Michael Vick joke. Resist, I say!

True Blood Ep 4: R.I.P. Pam's Swag

True Blood Season 4, Episode 4 Recap

True Blood Ep 4: I’m Alive and I’m on Fire

Blogging while watching

Fairy blood makes vampires tipsy. Eric is feeling quite unrepentant about drinking Sookie’s fairy. He’s drunk, he’s in a cheeky mood, and he’s not going back to his cubby! Instead, he wants to pinch Sookie’s butt and party till the break of dawn. Sunrise be damned!

True Blood: Season 4 Ep. 3: "You Just Killed My Fairy Godmother"

True Blood Season 4, Episode 3 Recap

Episode 3: If you Love Me, Why am I Dying?

“I know I’m a vampire Snookie.” –“It’s Sookie!” 

Already the best line of the episode. Not even two minutes and Eric already tries to kill Sookie. She punches him in the nose and tells him she’s not putting up with his cheek tonight.

True Blood Ep2: You Smell Like Dinner

True Blood Season 4, Episode 2 Recap

Blogging while I watch...late. Yeah I know...

The episode opens up with Jason Stackhouse in a sweaty heap, writhing against the constraints of the rope tying his arms and legs to a stranger’s bed. Pretty much business as usual for Jason but, oh look, the inbred kids from Hotshot are there and one of them, Timbo, is licking his head wound. How nice…

Season 4 Premiere: Witches, Vamps, and Fairies…?

True Blood Season 4, Episode 1 Recap

Finally! True Blood is here. And I know I’m late but I just got back from New York, and I’m not wasting any time digging into the first episode.

I love this show. It’s my dirty little secret that I’m way too uncomfortably to watch in the presence of polite society. But, damn it, I’m here, I’m addicted to vampire-fare, and I’m not going anywhere!  

Blogging while I watch, of course.

Season 4, Ep. 1: