Clouds drifting by

I was just talking to a friend on Facebook messenger. We were talking about various TV series, and I mentioned Sapphire and Steel. I said they're elements, etc.

Unfortunately, Jan heard it as "elephants". So, Sapphire and Steel are two elephants who are sent to investigate strange events.

You heard it here first, folks!

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) is on Britbox! I subscribe via Amazon but it should be on actual Britbox too.

Link.

I've just finished watching The ABC Murders, a 3 part mini series from 2018.

It starred John Malkovich as Poirot and Rupert Grint (yes! Ron Weasley!) as Inspector Crome. It was interesting but really didn't feel like an Agatha Christie. It was adapted by Sarah Phelps (who also adapted And Then There Were None in 2015) and it was much darker and grittier than the book.

It's 1933 and Poirot is no longer a celebrated detective. He is alone and lives a solitary life. He receives letters from "ABC". Strange and taunting letters. When he takes them to the police, he discovers that Japp has retired and Inspector Crome is not interested in listening to him. And then the murders begin.


The book and mini series stick to the same basic plot:, a series of murders are committed by "ABC", who sends letters to Poirot about the murders he will commit. The first victim is Alice Ascher (Asher in the mini series) in Andover, the second is Betty Barnard in Bexhill, and the third is Sir Carmichael Clarke in Churston. The fourth murder takes place in Doncaster. An ABC Rail Guide is left beside each of the victims.

Spoilers under the cut.
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Is up on BBC iPlayer! \o/ I had no idea! The first 4 episodes are available to buy on Amazon Video (UK).

The first ep is The Bone Plot and covers Humphrey's death, with a subplot about the Captain's and Fanny's sense of humour.

I love Pat's exasperation with the pair of them.

I've just finished watching Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced which boasts an impressive cast list.

Aside from Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, there's John Castle as Detective Inspector Craddock, Kevin Whately as Detective Sergeant Fletcher, Ursula Howells as Miss Blacklock, David Collings as Reverend Harmon, and darling Joan Sims as Miss Murgatroyd.

The story runs thus: Miss Blacklock is astonished to read in the local newspaper that a murder is announced and it will take place in her sitting room that night at 7pm. Friends are urged to accept this, the only invitation.

Accordingly, her friends and neighbours turn up at her house, expectng a game of murder.

What they get is the lights going out at 7pm, a light being shone in their eyes, and three shots from a gun. The lights are turned back on and they find two bullet holes in the wall where Miss Blacklock was standing, Miss Blacklock covered in blood from a nick in her ear, and the masked assailant dead on the floor.

Did he trip and shoot himself? Did someone hire him to kill Miss Blacklock? Why would anyone want Miss Blacklock dead?

~'~

It's a good book, and the Joan Hickson version is an excellent adaptation. It's well acted, rather enthralling, and kept me captivated all the way through. But I have a major issue with the story, or rather with one of the characters that really annoys me.

Massive spoilers under the cut.
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I've just finished watching Blandings, an absolutely hilarious TV series based on the Blandings stories by P.G. Wodehouse.

The sad part is it's only 13 episodes long, which is split into 2 seasons. But what fabulous episodes! It's the 1920s and the Earl of Emsworth (Timothy Spall) seeks a peaceful life which he will spend with his pig, The Empress, and his gardens. Unfortunately, his sister Lady Connie (Jennifer Saunders, wielding a mean eyebrow) insists he rule like an earl, remember his nieces' names, and sometimes even put on a top hat and give a speech.

No matter how many times he hides in the servants' shoe cupboard she keeps on finding him.

To make matters worse, his younger son Freddy keeps on visiting because he's run out of money.

How have I missed seeing this before and why was it cancelled when so many terrible series are still going?

'Allo, 'Allo on Amazon Video has dropped in price. It was £9.99 a season but it's currently down to £4.99 a season. They have the first 4 seasons available.

The quality is far better than it was but the main change was that they left the first episode's opening credits in place for the whole season. There was no voiceover but you got the guys running from the car/climbing ropes/fighting figures, and Cowley with a stopwatch.

It was a bit of a who's who in British acting too. David Suchet appears with a rather ridiculous moustache (check under the cut); Geoffrey Palmer is a corrupt businessman; Keith Barron is a scientist with a plan to kill hundreds of thousands, if not millions; Roger Lloyd Pack is an internatational assassin. The list goes on.

I really had to laugh at Diane Keen in Killer with a Long Arm. She's all, "I'm a Greek warrior at heart!" but as soon as a police officer speaks to her (to return her dropped orange!), she panics and runs out into traffic.

The biggest surprise was in Old Dog with New Tricks. Charley Turkel plans to take the Home Secretary as a hostage and demand his imprisoned brother Henry in exchange. Unfortunately, Billy Turner steals a gun and grenade from him, takes Nurse Emma Bolding hostage and demands to see his ex-doctor. Emma Bolding is played by Pamela Stephenson (1 of 3 times she'll pop up in The Professionals). But did you notice Billy Turner (pic under cut)? It's none other than Phil Davis, the serial killer cab driver from Sherlock!

The remastered season also includes Klansmen, a previously banned ep about racial tensions and white supremacists. Bodie shows a bigoted side to his character, gets stabbed in the back, and ends up on a ward run by a black doctor and nurses. They cure Bodie's bigotry along with his stab wounds. It's rather an odd episode.
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The Professionals is on Amazon Prime and it's been remastered. Tha also means the episodes are in a completely different order. Season 1 started with Old Dog With New Tricks (which was originally season 1 episode 3, according to the IMDb).

The second remastered episode is Long Shot (season 1 episode 11). It's studded with familiar faces! There's Roger Lloyd Pack as Ramos, a hired killer. Nadim Sawalha as Sheikh Achmeia (one of 3 roles he appeared in). Ed Bishop as Dr. Ernest Harbinger (one of 2 roles he appeared in). John Horsley (a regular on my favourite You Rang, M'Lord?) as Mitchell, a millionaire (one of 2 roles he appeared in). And Robert Gillespie as Sammy (one of 2 roles he appeared in).

As you can see, The Professionals loves reusing actors.

The story runs thus: Ramos, a professional assassin is hired to kill George Cowley. As back up insurance, he kidnaps the daughter of Mitchell, a millionaire. His first attempt on Cowley's life goes awry but it's believed his target is a visiting American, Dr. Harbinger. The race is on to find and stop Ramos before it's too late.

Dun dun dun!

I slept a bit better last night. Before I went to sleep, I watched an episode of Pushing Daisies (2007-2009).

After I awoke, my first though was to wonder if I fell asleep and dreamed most of it. I've checked and I didn't.

That would have made more sense.