So there we were, watching My Name is Earl last night, and there's a major shout out to Television Without Pity, where my daughter and I regularly lurk and occasionally post. Heeee!
And then, on The Office, Jim 'fesses up to Karen that he still has feelings for Pam! And Dwight returns, and ya know, love Dwight or hate him, if you want to see two people looking at each other and feeling the love even though they're not saying anything or doing anything other than shake hands? There ya go. That's some fine acting there. Also, I'm loving the subdued Michael Scott, although I'm sure that won't last.
Also loving the twist endings of Ugly Betty. I swear my jaw drops every time!
And in the Oh-Wow-I-Can-Hardly-Wait school of TV viewing, Masterpiece Theater is showing a new BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre.
I have a little theory about "the Janes" (Jane Eyre and Jane Austen) and historical romance writers. I think you could divide us into roughly two camps, the ones who like their stories a little darker a la Jane Eyre, and the ones who prefer sweetness and light (and comedy), a la Jane Austen. I'm in the Jane Eyre camp. I don't have madwomen in the attic, but I like my conflicts serious and deep. I like my heroes strong and reticent, too, or at least most of the time.
I suspect I was heavily influenced by the version of Jane Eyre that starred George C. Scott. I believe I saw that, and read Jane Eyre, before I read Pride and Prejudice, or saw the Laurence Olivier version of P & P. And if I hadn't had such a thing for Errol Flynn and those old swashbucklers? Who knows what I'd be writing now?
I wonder how many future historical romance writers have had their careers sparked by the latest BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? Or this adaptation of Jane Eyre? Or the BBC's North and South? More than one, I'd wager!
4 comments:
I have to say while I like these both, I'm in the Jane Eyre camp. I good mystery with a dark hero *swoon*. The A&E version of Jane is still my favourite.
I love Jane Eyre with Ciaran Hinds who was in Persuasion. See, I enjoy Austen but I was more into the Bronte stories than Austen. I just started reading Austen's stuff in the last 5 years. I saw Persuasion years before I saw P&P. I heard that Persuasion was a darker side to Austen. Stick me in with Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester was far more interesting than Mr. Darcy (even though Colin Firth was quite the drool worthy Mr. Darcy).
I loved The Office! I'm with you on the subdued Michael.
My mom's favorite Jane Eyre is the George C. Scott one, too. Is the new one a miniseries?
According to the BBC site, it's four parts, but I'm not sure how Masterpiece Theater is showing it.
I see it was adapted by the same woman (Sandy Welch) who adapted North and South -- that's a good sign!
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