I watched it Monday afternoon and was ruined for the rest of the day.  It was bad enough watching Sybil die, gasping for breath.  But then her body was just there, all night, and then Thomas and Cora and the Dowager and oh my god I felt like I needed grief counseling for one fictional character that I never even was…

When I taught high school film studies, I generally included this film because it was such a cool prompt for discussion.  I had inner-city seniors, and every single one of them was glued to every minute of the film (at first because there was a gun and swearing, and then because they were sufficiently hooked).  At the…

When I taught high school film studies, I generally included this film because it was such a cool prompt for discussion.  I had inner-city seniors, and every single one of them was glued to every minute of the film (at first because there was a gun and swearing, and then because they were sufficiently hooked).  At the…

Stray observations:
—Dmitri sipping tea out of a dainty matched strawberry-patterned china set
—Dmitri's expression in response to Chris' non-decision-making process for garment selection, which somehow managed to combine empathy and distress with absolute disinterest and ennui, in a uniquely Eastern European way
—Melissa…

Stray observations:
—Dmitri sipping tea out of a dainty matched strawberry-patterned china set
—Dmitri's expression in response to Chris' non-decision-making process for garment selection, which somehow managed to combine empathy and distress with absolute disinterest and ennui, in a uniquely Eastern European way
—Melissa…

Husband and I were commenting on that too.  How am I supposed to care about anyone if they don't have a dead relative who believed in them?

Husband and I were commenting on that too.  How am I supposed to care about anyone if they don't have a dead relative who believed in them?

I thought that too about the skirt—I actually liked the rectangular fringe he showed Tim, had it been longer, perhaps.

I thought that too about the skirt—I actually liked the rectangular fringe he showed Tim, had it been longer, perhaps.

The "Is it getting to you?" line was also my fave.  Heidi's glittering, icy, Teutonic half smile was perfect.

The "Is it getting to you?" line was also my fave.  Heidi's glittering, icy, Teutonic half smile was perfect.

They always eliminate a designer right before the challenge you most want to see that particular designer in.  No GUNNAR DEATHERAGE (sorry, name requires all caps) for the Sparkle Plenty challenge?  No Ven for the Exhibit Human Empathy and Emotion While Nurturing a Baby-Think-It-Over challenge?   Producers need to get…

They always eliminate a designer right before the challenge you most want to see that particular designer in.  No GUNNAR DEATHERAGE (sorry, name requires all caps) for the Sparkle Plenty challenge?  No Ven for the Exhibit Human Empathy and Emotion While Nurturing a Baby-Think-It-Over challenge?   Producers need to get…

Yes—as an English teacher, I flipped out immediately and had to rewind it so my husband could join me in angry judgment. 

I believe this to be Sarah Jessica Parker's finest work on HBO.