Mad Men Opening Credits

This is by far the best show on TV in a very long time. Tyler and I just finished watching the first season on DVD. The second season starts July 28th on AMC. Paula, you were right!

The Complete Jane Austin on Masterpiece Classic

Masterpiece Classic (formerly Masterpiece Theater) is currently airing several new versions of Jane Austin classics and the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice with Collin Firth. So far Persausion is my favorite followed by Northanger Abbey. Mansfield Park was okay, but I could only think about how it fell short of the Frances O'Conner version. The most recent, Miss Austin Regrets, based on the life of Jane Austin was not very good at all. The next three Sundays will be redeemed with Pride and Prejudice. The series wraps up with Emma and Sense and Sensibility.

So Sad

Why do good things have to end? I was very shocked and sadden when Tuesday night's preview of the upcoming Gilmore Girls announced that next week will be the series finale. It's good that they put tv shows on dvd now. I'll be living in the past with this one for a while. (And yes, you eventually get used to all the talking and it becomes your favorite thing about the show.)

Masterpiece Theater Top 12

This makes me feel really old and gentrified to admit, but I love Masterpiece Theater. I guess I'm just a sucker for a good period drama and an English accent. I've seen a couple of duds, but for the most part they are really well produced and interesting. During one of those really annoying telethons, I recently saw a countdown of the viewer voted top 12. You can get all of these on Netflix except for #10. Here they are:

1. Upstairs Downstairs
2. The Forsythe Saga*
3. I, Claudius
4. Bleak House*
5. Prime Suspect*
6. The Jewel in the Crown
7. Poldark
8. House of Cards
9. Reckless
10. The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders
11. Wives and Daughters*
12. Jeevs & Wooster

*I've seen these. The only one I didn't much care for was Prime Suspect.

Wives and Daughters

Tyler and I just finished watching a really good period drama. It is based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell and produced by many people involved with the 1995 Pride and Prejudice. Tyler actually liked it more than Pride and Prejudice. Although nothing can beat P&P for me, this production can definitely compete. The story centers around 17-year-old Molly Gibson and her father who remarries a widow with a daughter of about the same age as Molly. Wives and Daughters is a very enjoyable and entertaining way to spend 5 hours (4- 75 minute episodes). You can rent it through Netflix.