Tiny Town

What a wonderful episode! It's truly delightful to see Ioan Gruffudd portraying such a gentle and cute character. Although at the beginning, I couldn't help but think he might be a serial killer, LOL. Their romantic chemistry is incredibly charming. Though the future of this relationship is promising, it would be just as beautiful if it ended here.

Please release the full version of "Of Love I'll Never Know"! I fell in love with this song the moment I heard it. Its enchanting melody and deeply touching lyrics-so poetic that they intertwine flawlessly with Elsbeth's emotions and the narrative of this episode.

Yet another in the long line of awful, borderline insulting 'Scotch' or 'British' episodes of US tv.

Ionn Gruffydd is Welsh, and is capable of a decent Scottish accent, so I can only assume he was directed to lay it on thick. The bar maid and sisters were awful, the barmaid especially sounded Irish and it wasn't until I noticed the Saltire bunting I realised it was meant to be set in Scotland at all. No small town in Scotland looks like the obvious New York side street set they filmed on. Adding a red post box and a red phone box is the laziest trope in tv. Those phone boxes are now incredibly rare. I kept expecting them to drive a red London bus past too! Chucking in some sheep really was Brigadoon nonsense.

I just wish US tv would stop doing this lazy crap.

I guess I liked this one. But there's some elements I didn't. When I first saw the dude sitting at his table I thought "that's him? That's the dude they picked for Elsbeth?" (I had read the outline a few days ago.) I guess I thought him funny-looking but as soon as he opened his mouth, a nice personality emerged and I liked this man. Thanking the episode fairies for a Welsh (I think?) accent and not the constipated, cookie-cutter Brit accent that's usually shoved down our ear canals from USA TV! I can't stand that one, this one was musical and pleasant, and easy to understand!

The set-up with the giant TVs was original, at least I found it very creative and intriguing. It kept my attention after finding last week's too dull and downhill to review. I was wondering who was the other tall guy, and totally forgot that Kaya now has a roommate. Hmm.

The blonde I dislike was back. She was a tad more toned down but I don't think she has figured out what "putting nuances in your acting" really means. Ok. So I felt bad for her: the script still calls for an irritating character. (Why?) She's got that down pat. Ain't nobody ever taught her "play against the material"? Hmm. The other blonde was nowhere to be seen, neither was the tall Asian cop who flip-flops between being nasty to Elsbeth and being sorta/kinda ok.

I liked that we didn't know who dunnit or why. The story was a bit confusing with thev victim's flip-flopping or, as her BF called it, giving him "mixed signals". That was weird! I didn't get that.

I also didn't like the slapstick acting from Carrie when Elsbeth gets herself in a painful predicament. Ouch... but I have to be honest: I found her acting embarrassing (it wasn't that good and completely unfunny) and I didn't undertand A. How it tied in with the story (maybe I missed something?) and B. Why the production would let that in. I feel that scene went on way too long and should have met the cutting room floor.

There was no bad guy (!) acting campy here, which was awesome! I think the story set up with the foreign country (wait.. Scotland? Wales? Iceland?) was pretty cool and I think the actor who played Angus (he was Irish, wasn't he?!) elevated this production. I hope they bring him back. Though I wasn't too fond of the whole Valentine's Day vibe, I suppose they had to have that. Are they gonna bring him back for St. Paddy's Day or is that when the show will be in hiatus and no greenfest for Elsbeth? (Pity that: the woman looks equally dreadful in her chosen shades of: reds, pinks, purples and oranges!) Elsbeth, my dear lady: you sorely lack green! Well, your wardrobe does! I just wish the actress would be done with that Ronald McDonald hair dye: like Shanna Burgess, she looks dreadful in it and ages her tremendously. (Heh. Why do that to yourself when a medium brown would be more flattering AND not an dreadful assault on viewers' corneas?!)

So we've spent Halloween and Christmas with Elsbeth. I found her former episode dreadful and the latter tops. This one was pretty good. It was well-paced, the killer was revealed at the end and we found out along with Elsbeth. I like this format better. OH and I'm torn about the end: I quite liked the surprise (I expected it at first, then forgot about it, so I got surprised along with the character) but then I didn't liked what happened at the very end because Elsbeth has more the mind of a 10 year old than that of one who does what she did at the end. (The word salads I type to not spoil it for you!)

Anyway, some good, some bad, not a glowing review from me but I haven't liked this show for a long time now, so it was nice to have a throwback to the fun of S1. I hope they keep what works, trim the fat, and keep on improving. I know I've been burnt out watching this season and at times left scathing reviews but I hate modern shows who love to pull the rug from under viewers after having created something fun, they go out of their way to remove the fun and make it aggravating, so I respond in kind. Win some, lose some. I have to say, I watched the entire Season 1 twice. I wouldn't rewatch this one again, maybe except for one episode. I have in fact been looking forward to the hiatus, whereas it was a bummer in S1. This season I was hoping would have been shorter. Let's hope they regroup and bring us a much better S3. We loved the Elsbeth of S1 and I know, from my people and from the reviews posted at this show's main page, that a lot of viewers just gave up and quit watching S2. I'll give it another shot if it's renewed in the fall. (I think 2 more 2 go.)

This was the best episode of all. Don't. Mind the early murder reveal but, like Columbi, the rest has to be at least interesting. Perhaps the addition of the writer Marshall made the difference. Please watch the Good Fight Elsbeth episodes so that Carry Preston won't have to work so darned hard to capture that fresh quirkiness that her character effortlessly had in that show.

I'm sticking with it for now but you guys can't keep squandering our good will on lame-brained plots with half assed guest stars in preposterous settings.

Right now Ms. Preston is too good for the talent of its current writers.

As a Scotsman from a small rural fishing village, I can assure you that we don't sit at cafes in cobbled streets composing songs on the lute, whilst flocks of sheep walk by us. Typically our buildings don't have fire escapes, and we're not just sitting round waiting to fall in love with an American.

Why do the sensitivities towards cultural appropriation stop when it comes to Ireland and Scotland. Could they not have found a handsome Scottish actor? There are quite a few. Could they not have actually researched what life is like in rural Scottish fishing villages rather than defaulting to the usual stereotypical scene where we just walk around in kilts, gather in pubs, talk rubbish and then go home to our sheep?

Otherwise, it was a fun show and I'm looking forward to how they develop this new storyline.