To Play the King

Well, FINALLY, Google seems to have fixed whatever but stopped a lot of people getting onto Blogger, this morning … Terrible, when that happens, isn’t it?

I think if Google, and Blogger can post up a brief explanation of why so many of us were getting that “automated attack” message, they’d make a lot of people happy.

Or complain a bit less, certainly.

But, as you may be able to tell, from last week, I’m working, tonight.

So, myself and Adrian have managed to rearrange Movie night for tomorrow night.   Should be good.  Probably be Guy Ritchie’s “Snatch”, but I may well suggest “Constantine”.    I’ll let you know …

But I thought I’d mention I was definitely impressed with “House of Cards”.   You can read what I wrote, here.

The original series is something I’ve wanted to see to for year’s, I should add, and, having seen it, might well – when finances improve – think about investing in a copy.

Part of the appeal – and certainly the influencing factor in keeping me glued to the follow-up, “To Play The King” – is the writing.   “House of Cards” was nicely written, by Andrew Davies, and Michæl Dobbs.   And “To Play The King” seems – going by the first episode, which is what I’m watching, now – to be benefiting from the same team.   The opening episode of “To Play the King” isn’t the immediate grabber that it’s equivalent in “House of Cards” was; – instead, like a very friendly, but very determined cat.

It’s decided your lap is somewhere nice and warm to sit; – it’s sinking it claws in, to tell you it’s not going anywhere, until it wants to …

It’s sort of the same with the acting.

The various recurring roles are pretty much the same.   Old familiar friends, in fact …

Diane Fletcher returns as Elizabeth Urquhart, as Lady MacBeth-like as she was in the first series, with Colin Jeavons as Tim Stamper, newly promoted to the post of Chief Whip.

And, given what happens to Mattie, in the first series, that’s an extremely interesting post …

It also features Michæl Kitchen is the (unnamed) new King of Great Britain.   Who does come across as being familiar, somehow.   I can’t help but feel reminded of a certain Greek-born Royal Duke, if anyone, combined with some of his sons more left wing ideas …

But lets face it, we know who we’re really watching, don’t we?

The late Ian Richardson is as riveting as the first time!!   It just goes to show, there’s no good actor, like an OLD good actor!   He manages to carry this first episode, as he did the whole of the first series.   I’m glued, so far, to “To Play The King” as I was to “House Of Cards”.   I think we can see why people made such a fuss about his performance, can’t we?

And I couldn’t help but notice, he really couldn’t get away from it, ‘til the day he … well …