Previously.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Mungo Park: Scottish explorer of the Niger River and Africa. Became ill on his second expedition and was killed by natives when his boat became stuck at Bussa Falls. His published diaries became an inspiration to later explorers and writers.
Richard Lander: English explorer of Africa who became the first European to visit the forbidden city of Timbuktu and leave it alive. During one expedition his party was attacked and captured by river pirates.
Heinrich Barth: This German explorer made it to Timbuktu going overland through the desert from Tripoli and entered in disguise as an Arab.
Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke: As part of an expedition set up by the Royal Geographic Society, these two went to Africa to search for the source of the Nile. They ended up quarrelling bitterly over their findings. Burton also translated the Kama Sutra and the Tales of the Arabian Nights. He entered Mecca, forbidden to non-Muslims, disguised as an Arab.
Mary Kingsley: Commissioned by the British Museum to visit Africa to collect wildlife samples and native artifacts.
Henry Morton Stanley: Left England for the US as a teen. Enlisted in the Confederate army, though he later fought for the Union. He then worked as a correspondent for newspapers, first to an Indian conference, and then abroad. He was given a commission to find a missing missionary in Africa. Upon finding him, Stanley would utter the words that would make him famous, “Dr. Livingston, I presume?” Lead a couple more brutal expeditions into the interior and would become a member of parliament.
David Livingston: Missionary, explorer, and merchant trader in Africa. Was the first European to see Victoria Falls. His extended search for the source of the White Nile River prompted Stanlely’s investigation. Upon his death, two natives undertook a very long overland and sea journey to deliver his body back to England (though his heart was buried in a box in Africa).
To be continued.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Fantasy & Pulp Fantasy Core--Title Level and Pulp Adventurer Ideas 3
Previously.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Ferdinand Magellan: His fleet was the first to circumnavigate the globe. Mutiny and desertion followed their arduous journey. Magellan himself was actually killed in the Philippines in a dispute with the natives. A single ship with a skeleton crew made it back to Spain to many accolades.
Francis Drake: Also made an epic circumnavigation of the globe. Sponsored by the English crown, Drake was a privateer, attacking Spanish treasure ships and colonies along the way. He was also one of the commanders who successfully repelled the Spanish armada’s attempted invasion of England. William Dampier is another pirate circumnavigator.
James Cook: Discovered Hawaii (and is later killed there in a native dispute). Mapped the coast of New Zealand and made landfall in Australia. Circumnavigated the Antarctic Circle. Visited Easter Island (an interesting spot for possible adventures).
Abel Tasman: Dutch discoverer of Tasmania. Explored New Zealand and was attacked by Maori warriors.
La Perouse: French naval officer involved in several conflicts with the British. Visited Easter Island. Ran afoul of natives in Samoa. Was lost at sea. His ship’s wreckage was found decades later.
Vitus Bering: Commissioned by Czar Peter the Great to find a land bridge between Russia and Alaska in the Arctic. Died horribly as his ship wrecked on the now eponymous Bering Island.
Jacques Cartier and other French explorers of Canada started several colonies. They had generally courted friendlier relations with the Indians, though there were still plenty of conflicts. La Salle made a particularly impressive journey down the length of the Mississippi.
Lewis and Clark: American explorers looking for the source of the Missouri River in the Louisiana Purchase. Not much conflict with the natives thanks to their guide, Sacagewea. A similar exploration much earlier around the Gulf Coast by Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca was completely disastrous without native support. There were only five survivors out of an expedition of 300.
John Fremont: Explorer of California. Attempted to start a rebellion against Mexico there. Later became the military governor after the US annexation.
John McDouall Stuart: Crossed Australia from the south coast to the north. Attacked by Aboriginals along the way. Burke and Wills made a similar journey later, but a completely disastrous one.
To be continued.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Ferdinand Magellan: His fleet was the first to circumnavigate the globe. Mutiny and desertion followed their arduous journey. Magellan himself was actually killed in the Philippines in a dispute with the natives. A single ship with a skeleton crew made it back to Spain to many accolades.
Francis Drake: Also made an epic circumnavigation of the globe. Sponsored by the English crown, Drake was a privateer, attacking Spanish treasure ships and colonies along the way. He was also one of the commanders who successfully repelled the Spanish armada’s attempted invasion of England. William Dampier is another pirate circumnavigator.
James Cook: Discovered Hawaii (and is later killed there in a native dispute). Mapped the coast of New Zealand and made landfall in Australia. Circumnavigated the Antarctic Circle. Visited Easter Island (an interesting spot for possible adventures).
Abel Tasman: Dutch discoverer of Tasmania. Explored New Zealand and was attacked by Maori warriors.
La Perouse: French naval officer involved in several conflicts with the British. Visited Easter Island. Ran afoul of natives in Samoa. Was lost at sea. His ship’s wreckage was found decades later.
Vitus Bering: Commissioned by Czar Peter the Great to find a land bridge between Russia and Alaska in the Arctic. Died horribly as his ship wrecked on the now eponymous Bering Island.
Jacques Cartier and other French explorers of Canada started several colonies. They had generally courted friendlier relations with the Indians, though there were still plenty of conflicts. La Salle made a particularly impressive journey down the length of the Mississippi.
Lewis and Clark: American explorers looking for the source of the Missouri River in the Louisiana Purchase. Not much conflict with the natives thanks to their guide, Sacagewea. A similar exploration much earlier around the Gulf Coast by Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca was completely disastrous without native support. There were only five survivors out of an expedition of 300.
John Fremont: Explorer of California. Attempted to start a rebellion against Mexico there. Later became the military governor after the US annexation.
John McDouall Stuart: Crossed Australia from the south coast to the north. Attacked by Aboriginals along the way. Burke and Wills made a similar journey later, but a completely disastrous one.
To be continued.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Fantasy & Pulp Fantasy Core--Title Level and Pulp Adventurer Ideas 2
Previously.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Friar William of Rubruck: Went on a mission across Asia to the Mongols to make them allies against the Muslims. (Actually the requests went both ways.) There was a constant search at the time for the Asian Christian empire of Prester John.
Marco Polo: Venetian merchant who went on a trade mission to the Mongols. Polo was recruited by the Khan as an envoy and traveled all around the empire. He returned home and ended up in a gentlemen’s prison during a war, where he dictated his memoirs to a fellow prisoner.
Zheng He: Trusted Chinese Imperial court eunuch, who lead several fleets to establish sea routes to India and beyond. His first fleet was comprised of over 300 ships. He was perhaps the inspiration for the Sinbad the Sailor tales from the Arabian Nights. There is a dubious claim that he actually circumnavigated the globe with a fleet. Political changes in China wiped out many of his accomplishments from the history books.
Ibn Battuta: Islamic scholar and judge who left Morocco to make the hajj in Mecca and ended up travelling over much of the Islamic world. His credentials allowed him access to rulers and the respect of everyone he met. Returned home after 24 years of sightseeing as a rich man. His local sultan eventually compelled him to write his memoirs.
Vasco Da Gama: Conquered the Cape of Good Hope travelling around Africa to set up a trade route to India. Arab lands blocked direct access to these markets, precipitating many of these kind of voyages.
Christopher Columbus: After courting royal support, Columbus took a fleet of ships to establish a direct trading route to Asia. He ended up running into the Americas. He may or may not have been aware of the Viking journeys to Vinland, but thought he was near the eastern coast of Asia. Columbus returned three more times, establishing colonies, searching for gold, and still looking for a route to India. Shipwrecked at one point, he pulled the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court trick (predicting an eclipse), to get native help.
Hernan Cortes: With a small group of well-armed compatriots, these conquistadors made allies of the oppressed tribes in Mexico to rebel against their Aztec masters. Cortes’ small band toppled an empire, acquiring large amounts of gold. These type of expeditions were chartered by supporting country, in this case Spain, and their cut of the treasure was negotiated beforehand.
Francisco Pizarro: His band of adventurers attacked the Incan empire in South America. Conditions in the Andes were bad, Pizarro had to contend with revolts in his own ranks. Fortunately for them however, they had arrived in the middle of an Incan civil war. They captured the emperor while he was outside of his capital on a campaign. They ended up killing him and set up a puppet emperor. More gold flowed. The search for El Dorado, the City of Gold, continued all over the Americas.
Francisco de Orellana: Relative of Pizarro and discoverer of the Amazon River. He made two trips down river, neither were pleasant cruises (the second one cost him his life). At one point, the expedition was attacked by a tribe of warrior woman, for whom the river later named. (Minor trivia: Amazon is a Greek derived word meaning "without breast," from supposed tradition of mastecomy of the right breast to make the drawing of a bow easier.)
To be continued.
The Explorers Continued
-------------------------------
Friar William of Rubruck: Went on a mission across Asia to the Mongols to make them allies against the Muslims. (Actually the requests went both ways.) There was a constant search at the time for the Asian Christian empire of Prester John.
Marco Polo: Venetian merchant who went on a trade mission to the Mongols. Polo was recruited by the Khan as an envoy and traveled all around the empire. He returned home and ended up in a gentlemen’s prison during a war, where he dictated his memoirs to a fellow prisoner.
Zheng He: Trusted Chinese Imperial court eunuch, who lead several fleets to establish sea routes to India and beyond. His first fleet was comprised of over 300 ships. He was perhaps the inspiration for the Sinbad the Sailor tales from the Arabian Nights. There is a dubious claim that he actually circumnavigated the globe with a fleet. Political changes in China wiped out many of his accomplishments from the history books.
Ibn Battuta: Islamic scholar and judge who left Morocco to make the hajj in Mecca and ended up travelling over much of the Islamic world. His credentials allowed him access to rulers and the respect of everyone he met. Returned home after 24 years of sightseeing as a rich man. His local sultan eventually compelled him to write his memoirs.
Vasco Da Gama: Conquered the Cape of Good Hope travelling around Africa to set up a trade route to India. Arab lands blocked direct access to these markets, precipitating many of these kind of voyages.
Christopher Columbus: After courting royal support, Columbus took a fleet of ships to establish a direct trading route to Asia. He ended up running into the Americas. He may or may not have been aware of the Viking journeys to Vinland, but thought he was near the eastern coast of Asia. Columbus returned three more times, establishing colonies, searching for gold, and still looking for a route to India. Shipwrecked at one point, he pulled the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court trick (predicting an eclipse), to get native help.
Hernan Cortes: With a small group of well-armed compatriots, these conquistadors made allies of the oppressed tribes in Mexico to rebel against their Aztec masters. Cortes’ small band toppled an empire, acquiring large amounts of gold. These type of expeditions were chartered by supporting country, in this case Spain, and their cut of the treasure was negotiated beforehand.
Francisco Pizarro: His band of adventurers attacked the Incan empire in South America. Conditions in the Andes were bad, Pizarro had to contend with revolts in his own ranks. Fortunately for them however, they had arrived in the middle of an Incan civil war. They captured the emperor while he was outside of his capital on a campaign. They ended up killing him and set up a puppet emperor. More gold flowed. The search for El Dorado, the City of Gold, continued all over the Americas.
Francisco de Orellana: Relative of Pizarro and discoverer of the Amazon River. He made two trips down river, neither were pleasant cruises (the second one cost him his life). At one point, the expedition was attacked by a tribe of warrior woman, for whom the river later named. (Minor trivia: Amazon is a Greek derived word meaning "without breast," from supposed tradition of mastecomy of the right breast to make the drawing of a bow easier.)
To be continued.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Fantasy & Pulp Fantasy Core--Title Level and Pulp Adventurer Ideas 1
Intro
-------
For levels one to ten, Fantasy Core characters are building up their wealth, gaining some local fame, and making some noble/higher society connections. At that point, the characters have maxed out martially and skill-wise. (Wizards still have some ability to expand their personal power.) But with wealth and a reputation, the characters can now attempt to enter the power structure of their society. From there, they can find patrons to fund exploits or even larger mandates on a grander scale to achieve lasting, far-reaching fame.
I bought a book for my dad for Christmas called “Explorers” by the Smithsonian Institution, about world famous explorers. After perusing it, I had revelation about Title Level characters. The explorers listed within were generally from a noble class, had some personal wealth, and were highly experienced in their fields. They had to work with the ruling powers for funding, or perhaps there was a large bounty offered, or even a national imperative was in place. They had professional rivals for noble favor and for achieving goals, whom they could not simply kill or duel to get out of the way.
(Whatever personal animosity rival explorers may have had for each other, they generally professionally respected one another. We read about Amunden beating out his arch-rival Scott to reach the South Pole. When honored for his accomplishment, he said he would gladly forgo fame and reward that the Scott party had returned alive. The Apollo 11 astronauts planted an American flag on the moon and a Soviet medal, to honor the recently deceased Yuri Gagarian. Of course, nobody expects players or NPC’s to be so gracious.)
Sounds like a Title Level character to me. These are some ideas for new challenges for these characters. Feel free to do your own research to fill out these summaries (because even typing out these little capsules was like doing a book report). Steal bits and pieces from here and there. Of course all of these ideas need is orcs added to them, as well as some side quests and other tangible goals. Some of these would also work great as scenarios for Pulp Fantasy Core. Following lost expeditions are great fodder for adventures.
The Title Level characters would be leading an expedition of many people. They’d be responsible for them, as well making them accountable. Mistreatment or constant exposure to overwhelming circumstances may require a Respect roll or better motivation to avoid mutiny. Protégé characters would be excellent for adventures involving minor or side objectives and reconnaissance. Managing people and resources and making strategic decisions would be the primary responsibility for Title Level characters, rather than body count and booty.
The Explorers
-----------------
(These aren't in much of an order.)
Hanno the Navigator: Carthaginian explorer who took a fleet around the west coast of Africa. He encountered a savage tribe of ape-men.
Zhang Qian: Imperial Chinese envoy. He visited other far neighboring countries on trade missions, as well as courting allies against enemy nations.
Leif Eriksson: First European explorer of North America (rumors of an Egyptian colony notwithstanding). Born in Iceland and a settler in Greenland (which his father, Erik the Red, discovered). The Vikings made three recorded attempts at settling “Vinland,” but distance and hostile natives repulsed them. Encroaching ice and distance would also eventually cause the Greenland colony to be abandoned.
Fa Xian: Buddhist missionary. Visiting temples in Asia and India. Pilgrims from China went into these areas to search out the origin of their faith, to find and translate ancient texts (sutras). It was a risky adventure with other hostile faiths, wars, and bandits often blocking the ways there and back.
Xuanzang: Went searching for Buddhist sutras in India. There was a fantasy novel about his trip, “Journey to the West,” or “Monkey,” wherein he and his animal companions fought monsters along the way.
To be continued.
-------
For levels one to ten, Fantasy Core characters are building up their wealth, gaining some local fame, and making some noble/higher society connections. At that point, the characters have maxed out martially and skill-wise. (Wizards still have some ability to expand their personal power.) But with wealth and a reputation, the characters can now attempt to enter the power structure of their society. From there, they can find patrons to fund exploits or even larger mandates on a grander scale to achieve lasting, far-reaching fame.
I bought a book for my dad for Christmas called “Explorers” by the Smithsonian Institution, about world famous explorers. After perusing it, I had revelation about Title Level characters. The explorers listed within were generally from a noble class, had some personal wealth, and were highly experienced in their fields. They had to work with the ruling powers for funding, or perhaps there was a large bounty offered, or even a national imperative was in place. They had professional rivals for noble favor and for achieving goals, whom they could not simply kill or duel to get out of the way.
(Whatever personal animosity rival explorers may have had for each other, they generally professionally respected one another. We read about Amunden beating out his arch-rival Scott to reach the South Pole. When honored for his accomplishment, he said he would gladly forgo fame and reward that the Scott party had returned alive. The Apollo 11 astronauts planted an American flag on the moon and a Soviet medal, to honor the recently deceased Yuri Gagarian. Of course, nobody expects players or NPC’s to be so gracious.)
Sounds like a Title Level character to me. These are some ideas for new challenges for these characters. Feel free to do your own research to fill out these summaries (because even typing out these little capsules was like doing a book report). Steal bits and pieces from here and there. Of course all of these ideas need is orcs added to them, as well as some side quests and other tangible goals. Some of these would also work great as scenarios for Pulp Fantasy Core. Following lost expeditions are great fodder for adventures.
The Title Level characters would be leading an expedition of many people. They’d be responsible for them, as well making them accountable. Mistreatment or constant exposure to overwhelming circumstances may require a Respect roll or better motivation to avoid mutiny. Protégé characters would be excellent for adventures involving minor or side objectives and reconnaissance. Managing people and resources and making strategic decisions would be the primary responsibility for Title Level characters, rather than body count and booty.
The Explorers
-----------------
(These aren't in much of an order.)
Hanno the Navigator: Carthaginian explorer who took a fleet around the west coast of Africa. He encountered a savage tribe of ape-men.
Zhang Qian: Imperial Chinese envoy. He visited other far neighboring countries on trade missions, as well as courting allies against enemy nations.
Leif Eriksson: First European explorer of North America (rumors of an Egyptian colony notwithstanding). Born in Iceland and a settler in Greenland (which his father, Erik the Red, discovered). The Vikings made three recorded attempts at settling “Vinland,” but distance and hostile natives repulsed them. Encroaching ice and distance would also eventually cause the Greenland colony to be abandoned.
Fa Xian: Buddhist missionary. Visiting temples in Asia and India. Pilgrims from China went into these areas to search out the origin of their faith, to find and translate ancient texts (sutras). It was a risky adventure with other hostile faiths, wars, and bandits often blocking the ways there and back.
Xuanzang: Went searching for Buddhist sutras in India. There was a fantasy novel about his trip, “Journey to the West,” or “Monkey,” wherein he and his animal companions fought monsters along the way.
To be continued.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Fantasy Core RPG--Divine Magic-Circle of Elders
Fantasy Core RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
The Circle of Elders
To enter the Circle, as a leader and trainer of paladins, the individual actually must be an exemplar in faith and behavior. They still must have high-level paladin abilities and a resume of accomplishments and deeds, so that they are respected as a person and a warrior.
The Circle has two basic tasks. One, to marshal their resources (paladins) to combat supernatural evil in the kingdom (or anywhere, if needed). Two, to train new recruits at the Academy. Their true ability in that realm is not to teach a candidate divine or martial powers, but rather to judge their suitability to being a warrior against supernatural evil. It is better to washout and reassign someone with great potential divine powers than to send them into combat with weak will and motivation.
Certainly there are petty politics and personal disputes, but unless an Elder has fallen into heresy, the Circle is fully committed to their task to the point of sacrificing their own lives in the field. There are no “armchair” generals in the Circle. Even retired members will volunteer when needed if they are still able to fight.
The Circle of Elders and the Wizard Council do not like or trust on another (while lower level paladins and wizards actually might). The wizards are fully aware that one of the main functions of the Circle is as a safeguard against them ever outright seizing political power. Both groups are aware that the crown plays both sides off each other, fearing their powers. Thankfully, all three groups are mostly focused on their own areas of authority without too much drama.
Divine Magic Training
Divine Magic Casting
This is as good a place as any to mention that I’ve modified several of the classes. While stating out an adventure (which I plan on posting when it’s done), I discovered some game-breaking mechanics that needed to be fixed. (And you wondered why I haven’t made a PDF yet.)
Game Index (Also the Open Game Content line takes you back to the index)
The Danica 500: I Felt Like a Hostage
There I was for four hours with only non-stop commercials to save me from non-stop Danica coverage. I don’t know which was worse. Well, at least she got to mark a couple more checkboxes off her professional racing resume. I’m sure Ricky Stenhouse Jr. knows all about Danica’s checkbox. In fact, the only thing that could have saved NASCAR from mine and every other fan’s critique of this “race,” would have been Ricky and Danica wrecking each other on track and having a public break up in front of the grandstands. (And then TMZ broadcasting footage of Ricky sneaking out Danica’s mobile home after a post-break up booty call.)
What is so sad is that this was NASCAR’s big moment to regain of their popularity. There was so much attention brought to this race because of Danica’s capture of the pole. Even sports talk radio interrupted their very important breakdowns of the NFL Combine and the ever so important NBA regular season to talk about Danica. And what did they those curious new viewers see? A bunch of cars driving in single file. . . for hours. . . including the finish. I never thought I’d find myself wishing for the good old days of NASCAR criticism: They just drive around in circles.
So we’ve gone from pack racing to tandem racing to single file racing, which I think technically would no longer be considered racing, but rather traffic. Next year we’ll go back to the future in super speedway racing, running caution laps on the apron. There was so little passing, I briefly thought I was watching an F1 race. You’ll know that’s happened when you hear Darrell Waltrip start calling it “overtaking.” There was even a Peter Windsor-like walkthrough of field right before the race. Speaking of that, I thought Erin Andrews was about to whip out a stun gun as 50 Cent started getting too friendly with her.
Now I finally understand the value of constant commercial interruptions during the race. They were more entertaining. The Daytona 500 comparisons to the Superbowl are now complete. I thought the Oz movie had a great trailer. (It’ll suck in the theaters.) The GI Joe movie looked fun. (It’ll be stupid). The other movie where the White House gets taken over by radical. . . what? Tea-partiers? I’m not sure if there’s any politically correct enemies left. Anyway, that looked action-packed. (Like a toilet bowl after a batch of spoiled chili.) Yeah, after four commercial breaks every half-hour, obviously NASCAR would rather I talk about them than the race.
Fine I’ll say something nice. I liked the gyro-cam and the fly-away cam views. Pity there wasn’t a race going on for them to show. I’ll even offer some advice.
Get. Rid. Of. The. Restrictor. Plates.
Oh, but what about fan safety? What about it? The restrictor plates didn’t help out the crowd on Saturday during the big wreck, and Nationwide cars are already slower than Cup cars. Put some penalty weight on the cars to slow them down a bit, like in some sports car series, and just let them go. The drivers will be happier and safer if the better cars can outrun the slower cars. Look, Daytona and Tallegdega are one grisly fan death or another popular driver dying there from either getting shutdown or radically reconfigured anyway. And if Danica hadn’t been racing this weekend or if the wreck had happened during the Cup race instead, we’d already be having this conservation.
At least the Gen 6 cars look good. Maybe the racing will be better at any other track. I’ll keep watching, until baseball season, but I doubt NASCAR made any new fans today or recovered any lapsed ones. (How disheartening it must have been for all those Dale Jr. fans to hear the crowd roar for Danica leading like they once did for him.) This may have been NASCAR’s last chance to save the sport from acquiring the dreaded, “regionally popular sport” tag. I’d love to put a bow on this gift, but you can’t make sh** shine.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Disappointing Abbey
As of Season Three I have to say, this attrition of likable characters on Downton Abbey has got to stop. They're going to end up turn over the entire cast in a couple more seasons, except for Maggie Smith's character, who will ironically out live them all.
Losing Cindy, err Sybil, was pretty much unbearable given that she was the hot chick on the show. Yeah sure, Marsha, err Mary, is the glamorous ice queen, and poor Jan, err Edith, cleans up nice, but they don't melt the butter. But then, to have our paladin, Matthew, go out in a Lawrence of Arabia-like senseless vehicular accident after having been so endangered during the war, was beyond the pale. (The actor leaving the show may have had something to do with this plot development.) It didn't help that Rush Limbaugh and a co-worker, who'd seen the finale, had already told me that there was a twist at the end. This knowledge didn't prepare me at all, it just made it hard to enjoy the show waiting for the twist.
This show reminds me of a couple of other shows, most prominently the reimaged Battlestar Galactica (my favorite TV whipping boy). I was able to borrow and watch Season One of Downton Abbey over the weekend. It was a little hard to watch because I knew what was going to happen to the characters later on. I have Season One of Battlestar Galactica and never watch it, because it's too painful, knowing how the characters were going to degenerate. This is what happens when you play too rough in ensemble storytelling. The all you can do for shock is kill off the characters. Of course, a significant difference between the shows is that Downton has many noble and likable characters, while by the end of Battlestar, I was rooting for the deaths of the entire miserable cast.
The other show Downton reminds me of is Monarch of the Glen. There's obvious similarities thematically (keeping a big estate running) and Julian Fellows (actor on Monarch, creator of Downton). But the other similarity, almost subliminal, is that the real star of the show is the estate and its grounds. Yes, we've all gotten emotionally involved in the characters, and the social setting (nobility and servants) is fascinating. But were it not for Highclere Castle, this would just be an upscale soap opera. Witness the revived Upstairs, Downstairs by comparison (and it doesn't help that the show doesn't hardly have any likeable characters). Certainly the true co-star is the costumes. Seldom, if ever, has such stiff and uncomfortable formal wear looked so good.
I'll still be looking forward to Season Four of Downton Abbey, if for no other reason than to see more of the naughty flapper, Rose. This girl looks like she just graduated from a Disney Channel tweener show. You know, something like she's high school student, but is actually a magical princess, hijinx ensue. The producers have clearly identified my demographic. (Forgive me for not using more of the actual actor names. The opening credits are very stylish, yet highly uninformative.) Then there's the other hot bitch. I also love the dog. I can't get enough of that dog, she's magnificent. She deserves a good plot line this season.
Sigh. I just hope I can get the theme song out of my head sometime soon.
Losing Cindy, err Sybil, was pretty much unbearable given that she was the hot chick on the show. Yeah sure, Marsha, err Mary, is the glamorous ice queen, and poor Jan, err Edith, cleans up nice, but they don't melt the butter. But then, to have our paladin, Matthew, go out in a Lawrence of Arabia-like senseless vehicular accident after having been so endangered during the war, was beyond the pale. (The actor leaving the show may have had something to do with this plot development.) It didn't help that Rush Limbaugh and a co-worker, who'd seen the finale, had already told me that there was a twist at the end. This knowledge didn't prepare me at all, it just made it hard to enjoy the show waiting for the twist.
This show reminds me of a couple of other shows, most prominently the reimaged Battlestar Galactica (my favorite TV whipping boy). I was able to borrow and watch Season One of Downton Abbey over the weekend. It was a little hard to watch because I knew what was going to happen to the characters later on. I have Season One of Battlestar Galactica and never watch it, because it's too painful, knowing how the characters were going to degenerate. This is what happens when you play too rough in ensemble storytelling. The all you can do for shock is kill off the characters. Of course, a significant difference between the shows is that Downton has many noble and likable characters, while by the end of Battlestar, I was rooting for the deaths of the entire miserable cast.
The other show Downton reminds me of is Monarch of the Glen. There's obvious similarities thematically (keeping a big estate running) and Julian Fellows (actor on Monarch, creator of Downton). But the other similarity, almost subliminal, is that the real star of the show is the estate and its grounds. Yes, we've all gotten emotionally involved in the characters, and the social setting (nobility and servants) is fascinating. But were it not for Highclere Castle, this would just be an upscale soap opera. Witness the revived Upstairs, Downstairs by comparison (and it doesn't help that the show doesn't hardly have any likeable characters). Certainly the true co-star is the costumes. Seldom, if ever, has such stiff and uncomfortable formal wear looked so good.
I'll still be looking forward to Season Four of Downton Abbey, if for no other reason than to see more of the naughty flapper, Rose. This girl looks like she just graduated from a Disney Channel tweener show. You know, something like she's high school student, but is actually a magical princess, hijinx ensue. The producers have clearly identified my demographic. (Forgive me for not using more of the actual actor names. The opening credits are very stylish, yet highly uninformative.) Then there's the other hot bitch. I also love the dog. I can't get enough of that dog, she's magnificent. She deserves a good plot line this season.
Sigh. I just hope I can get the theme song out of my head sometime soon.
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