Anglomania, Part 1

Okay, everyone, this is officially my first anglophile post. Emily outed me immediately regarding my reflections on Charles and Diana at the tender age of 8. But this is it, the first post, and it's all due to the latest installment of Masterpiece Theater.

Now, before you gag and move on, give it a chance. For years, MPT has been bringing excellent BBC productions to this side of the Atlantic for us sorry Americans who were looking for more beyond the "North and South" miniseries. I miss Alistair Cooke, and kind of miss Russell Baker, but we still have the excellent productions.

Charles Dickens' "Bleak House" started last night and I was practically peeing my pants with excitement. Not only is it a veritable who's who of British stage and cinema (my old friends!), but it manages to translate the sometimes overly complicated and intricate Dickens text to screen incredibly successfully. Andrew Davies adapted it - he wrote the fab adaptation of the BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice." As a reader, I am not a huge Dickens fan. But on screen, I love him. And who can resist those crazy names? And those crazy scene transitions of the three clank, clung, clonk sounds and whiplash zoom-ins?

Check out an excellent Nathaniel Parker (brother of Oliver Parker) as the squidgy leech Skimpole, acting very non-Lynley like. Charles Dance is just pitch perfect as the detestable, horrible Tulkinghorn. For those of you who have a crush on that x-files woman (Mike), Gillian gives a good show as Lady Dedlock. I won't go on and on about who's who and what other productions these actors have appeared in, but here are my three favorite names from last night:

Snagsby, Mr. Tulkinghorn, Guppy.

Tune in and get some bleak! Try it - you may even like it.