anoninlondon

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The Sound of Music (1965) dir. Robert Wise

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Siegfried and Tristan's walk cross-country / best of / 5.06

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manifesting for s5 christmas special 🙏

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I stg, they add an inch of floof to this man every season, when will the madness end (affectionate).

X

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THOUGHTS ABOUT ACGAS SERIES 5 (that nobody asked for…)

First, I love the show. I love its feel, its atmosphere, its decency and respect towards people and animals alike. I love the actors and all those who contribute to give us such lovely 7 hours of joy every year. And I’m really happy that so many people enjoyed S5.

**I hope not to be a downer to those people**

I really want to be one of them. I started so positively, absolutely loving the warm feeling of the first 3 episodes. We had really great moments - James’s struggle and return, the emotional telegram moment, Audrey *wrenning* herself into a warden uniform (and Siegfried’s reaction to it), Mrs P being her wingwoman, Jenny looking outside the farm and Helen coming to terms with it, Jimmy(s) just being cute, Carmody in all shapes and forms, Tristan hugging people, the dogs (of course the dogs)… it’s really good to remember the nice bits 😊.

Sadly, once we got into episode 4, for me things started to go a bit downhill. The locked door antics were funny, but I found them funny in a clumsy way. It’s nice that Tris and Richard came to an accord, but it felt weak, not supported by an actual understanding of one another. The last 10 minutes of the ep were delicious, but a bit too little to sustain the whole thing. Still, I was hopeful. But going forward, I really struggled to find much substance, and I’m annoyed by that. Tris drinking and going out every night - apparently because he had a *good* war? From the show that gave us the intensity of Siegfried’s and Audrey’s traumas related to the WWI, it really felt weak and inconsistent. No mention of Edward (though I still hope it’s in a PBS cut). Audrey’s warden experience - not to mention the wonderful Jeremy Swift - was used just for some comic relief - this is the same character that gave us such a window into her emotional struggle last season. I could go on, but you get the idea. James and Helen’s story was first and last episode. They kind of disappeared in the middle, and while the last episode was brilliant for them, there was very little build up throughout that again, it felt inconsistent.

Also, I wasn’t hyped by the press highlighting the ship or annoyed by the insertion of Miss Grantley. If used well, it could have been brilliant, but it felt flat. We had Siegfried wearing his heart on his sleeve for ages (Sam and Anna’s performance at the end of the last series was a masterclass in things deeply felt and not said) and suddenly we have the last episode of the series in which they barely speak to one another, Siegfried’s pride hurt by Miss Grantley’s rebuff, Audrey holding the fort by being super housekeeper, each in their own “box”. The Farnon brothers’ walk was funny and superbly acted by Sam and Callum, but it didn’t give us anything new - I thought they were far beyond their squabbles, and their time together could have been put to better use.

I just think that it was a bit of a waste. A fun, light, frothy series ( and no, I didn’t want drama for drama’s sake) where the only resolved arc, for me, was Carmody’s. The other characters are still beautifully dangling without a resolution. They gave us great performances, tender moments, lighthearted laughs, but it kind of feels disconnected and childish. It wouldn’t have taken much (after all, they have given us so much for 4 and half years!) and yet.

I don’t know if the show and the writers are changing direction (I hope not) or there is something I missed (probably) or it’s simply a way to drag things along (mostly the ship, but not exclusively). I hope (eternal optimist) for a CS that will pick up all the threads left hanging and will put them beautifully together as in the past - just under the Christmas tree for us to unwrap.

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fairy godmother & honorary grandmother / 5.6

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Miss Grantley who?

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Siegfried Farnon -> and the fork in the road that appeared after he took in Audrey and later James.

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This show and its insanity when it comes to cast Audrey Hall’s look-a-likes to proof Siegfried has a type and one type only 🤩😋😊

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Do not fret my fellow Siegfried x Audrey fans out there. If anything, the episode proved that Siegfried had forgotten other women even existed ever since he realised things were serious between Audrey and Gerald. These two things coincided, let's not forget. It also proves that he hates for his reputation as being habile with the ladies to be questioned or for Tristan to have one over him so he has to overcompensate. And lastly it made a point of showing us what really matters to him at the end. Not the book and therefore the potential romance with this woman, but the nurturance and care for his family. Hence why he dropped the damned thing and instead chose to go to the pub. Look at her face of disapproval when Siegfried first declined to go for a pint.

It's also very deliberate on the writers' part to have Audrey ask about said book, only for him to instantly dismiss it as a tedious read.

To me, it's obvious that it was about showing what a true pair bond looks like. Showing Audrey dutifully listening to Siegfried's concerns, offering advice which he immediately finds enlightening and useful? And both of them listening in on Richard's conversation over the phone with matching looks of fondness on their face? What was it that Carmody said? Ah yes:

"Humans generally thrive in pair bonds".

It is not as overt as what we are used to seeing certainly, but that's what makes this show so delicious. It's all in the little things. The nuances and the unsaid which define human relationships. It's closer to life. In fact, Siegfried phrased it perfectly to Carmody:

"There is a pace at which these things are done. A subtlety."

Also, an episode called Pair Bond and this is how these two are framed in the shot?? HELLO!!

I think the context is also important to remember. She's his employee. It would have been considered outrageously scandalous within the local community, I assume, for a gentleman and his housekeeper to have a romantic relationship. I think Siegfried knows precisely what gem he has under his roof, and also that the last thing he wants is to bring shame and potential ruin on such a pious, saintly woman. He won't allow himself to go there.

It will take something even more Earth-shattering than her potential departure for him to finally acknowledge that he fancies the pants off of her. With the implicit fallout that he will inevitably have to face. I can't wait.

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Keep your priorities straight: post fic.

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Don't mind him, move along. He's just being in absolute awe and wanting to worship the very ground she walks upon for being the smartest, caring, sly fox in all of Yorkshire with her cunning plans to restore peace and love on planet Earth.

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"All is well that ends well" // Family

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"I'm sorry I made a fuss."

"I'm sorry for not being a better referee."

ACGAS 5.4

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