The Man in the High Castle — Series 4 Episodes 4: Happy Trails — A Review

28th November, 2019.

*Spoilers*

Right then … 

I’m officially … on the a course … 

I’m jobhunting, at the moment.   Just in case you didn’t know.

As such?   I have to do so many hours jobhunting, each day.

And, if required to?   Have to do whatever else the Job Centre thinks will be helpful for me to do.

Which reminds me: looking up an ECDL course, a European Computer Drivers License, could come in handy.

At ANY rate … ?

I’ve been places on a course that Covers a lot of different territory: including Customer Services, and Some basic IT, and presentational, skills.

Three weeks worth of course.

Here’s hoping it helps.

~≈†≈~

At any rate … ?

At any rate, I’ve had my 8 year old nephew, over, today.

Who’s now headed home: have had his weekly dose of Slogoman and Jelly!

They’re YouTubers, before you ask!

That means I know have my TV back: and can settle down to something I’d like to see.

Yep: episode 4 of The Man in the High Castle’s fourth season.

Ahem … !

~≈†≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episodes 9 and 10: Detonation and Fallout

30th March, 2018.

Yes … 

I think ‘satisfying’ is possibly the word, here.

Can I make a slight confession?

I’m — at the moment — off ill.

A case of Bell’s Palsy: a — temporary, I’m told — trapped facial nerve which makes me look and sound slightly odd.

Which you’s possibly worked out.   Especially if you’ve seen the intro video for this morning’s Daily Teaser, and started wondering if I look like J. W. Pepper … !

At ANY rate: I’m trying to say I’ve had time off.

And time to catch up with both Teaser videos: AND a box set.

As you may also have worked out?

Is that the box set of the month is season two of The Man in the High Castle.

Yes: I think satisfying is the word … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 8: Loose Lips

29th March, 2018.

Yes: I’m officially off ill.

Which I don’t like.

The’s job centre doesn’t necessarily cover it: at least … as regular sick pay, it won’t: just pay me extra Universal Credit … toward’s the end of the month.

Which I still don’t like … 

I’m ill.



Which I like even less.

With the bailiffs (metaphorically) banging at the door?

I’m worried … but have at least been able to make arrangements.

Or, at least, start to make arrangements: to get everything in place, and fend off SOME forms of starvation.

Right now?



I’m worried … 

But can’t do much more.

Bar try to relax.

And catch up with a TV I’ve missed …

~≈§≈~



It’s at times like this … ?

That, frankly, I’m grateful I’ve a box set or two, in hand: have sone for some time.

And, as you’re possibly aware?   I’ve been happily catching up with The Man in the High Castle over the past few weeks.

Season two, if you must know.

And yes: episode eight — out of a potential ten — is building to a big climax.

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 4: Escalation

19th March, 2018.

Which is decidedly odd.

I’ve had most to the relevant files for quite a few years: and some for a lot less time.

All of which have happily shown up on my AppleTV: when they’ve been dragged into whatever my current version of iTunes is.

All I’m getting from them … ?

Is a very strange dialogue: telling there’s an unknown error.

And giving me the error code, 1718449215.

Quite what’s happening there … ?

I really couldn’t tell say.

~≈§≈~

On other fronts … ?

On other fronts, I’m now the proud owner of a new blu-ray drive: now happily hooked up to my new iMac.

Granted, I can’t seemingly get HandBrake to work on DVDs, under High Sierra: despite there being a hack for that.

But I can still use MakeMKV to turn the contents of a DVD into MKV files.

Which can then be converted, as per usual, into mp4 files I can stream straight over to my TV.

~≈§≈~

Actually … ?

I’ll make a confession, here: if I may?

I’ve just done a test rip — with HandBrake —  of one of the problem children in my media library.

Some of them?   Have an extra layer of audio file.

Commentary, mono mix of the show’s audio, what have you.

Re-ripping them, minus that extra audio track?

Seems to help.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s Monday night: a Monday I’ve had off.

And, with all this talk of TV?

You can bet I’ve been watching some, can’t you … ?

You’d be right.

It’s another episode of The Man in the High Castle second season.

Because I’m worth it … 

~≈§≈~

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 2: The Road Less Traveled

15th March, 2018.

OK, OK … I’ll put a shirt on* … 

As long as you never mention the fact I’m at home, on my own … and aren’t expecting visitors!

OK, I’ll confess: today’s been a day off: one I should have had a CT scan on.

But, for various reasons, didn’t.

Mostly, where I didn’t read the relevant letter, informing me of the basic procedure until the last minute.   Only realising, yesterday afternoon, I was supposed to have a blood test, last week: a week before the test.

Kick me, would you?

I try and do it, I’ll miss.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

I had time off.

Time off to do stuff around the house.   Make a few videos … have some tea …

And, just as importantly … ?

Watch more TV.

Yep, you got it: more of The Man in the High Castle second season.

It’s just starting to warm up … 

~≈§≈~

Episode 2 — The Road Less Travelled — shows us Inspector Kids (Joel de la Fuente) investigates the apparent shooting of Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos): apparently shot trying to escape.

In the meantime … ?   The Inspector has a problem.

Frank Frink (Rupert Evans) has seriously impressed the local Yakuza boss.

There’s a price for working for him, though … 

Releasing Ed McCarthy (DJ Qualls) from the Kempetai gaol he’s held in … 

Juliana, meanwhile?   Is having issues.   The films that she’s been show tell her one thing.

That the Empire?

Is going to bomb San Francisco.

Getting out seems to be just the thing.

Finding someone she can trust, like — ooh — double agent and spy, Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank)?

Is going to be tricky …

~≈§≈~

Now, I have to confess that yes: series two of The Man in the High Castle does still seem to be drifting from The original novel.

But?

I’m not sure I’m worried.

We’re getting hints of n interesting story, one headily influxnced by Dick’s book, striving to keep that sense of ambiguous realities, and identities … 

And stilll being an interesting watch.

Personally?

I’m off, again, on Sunday.

I’ll be cueing up more episodes of The Man in the High Castle.

*        I want cocoa.   Cocoa, dammit!   It’s too cold in here!

The Man in the High Castle — Series 2 — Episode 1: The Tiger’s Cave

11th March, 2018.

Yes: quite definitely in something of a funny mood: with a feeling of …

Incompleteness, if that’s the right word.

You see, something that’s been nagging at me for a couple of weeks, now?

Is the simple fact I’ve still not transferred over my complete iTunes library from my old machine, to my new one*.

Same for my old iPhoto library: although I’ve got key elements from both moved over.

Frankly?

It’s taking its time … and worrying me, as it’s not done.

~≈§≈~