I stumbled across the original novel recently, whch is an insufferably comedic pseudo-romp solely of interest to men who served in the British Army. Lester’s film may have failed miserably at turning it into an anti-war movie — in 1966 it was highly unusual to have anything negative to say about the War and many…

I’ve been waiting for bi/lesbian warriors in Star Wars for 40 years. Guess same-sex lovers will appear when we get peace in the Middle East...

I found the funeral dirge very beautiful. It keeps running through my head, and I will use the tune in appropriate ritual settings in future.

I skipped last season because it was just too gory for me, but wanted to know how things were going to transpire for our (anti) heroes. However, I couldn’t even finish the first episode last night. Does it HAVE to be so sadistic? This is my field, so I know that when you study Russian history it really is as dark and…

Hey, so am I, but nobody pays any attention.

“Striking” is the word. And I love the blues and greens they dress her in.

For me, not at all. Pullman is really a kind of agnostic. For many of us, “God” is much larger than Church (Magesterium), and much larger than any theology.

I was sure that when he was strolling around after completing his first job he would go to a brothel. Then I remembered it has to be family-friendly.

Yes, foundling is an old term for an abandoned child.

The gyptians are a community/ethnic group of quasi Gypsies (Roma), with their own culture. Because this a different world they are not Gypsies, they are not Egyptians. In this dramatization they are portrayed as multi-ethnic.

With respect to the the characters’ response to the absence of Billy’s daemon, he’s supposed to be pathetically clutching a dried fish from the shack they find him in.

Alas, if he doesn’t take off his helmet, there goes a lot of romantic fan fiction.

Monarchs are not “coronated”, they are crowned at a coronation.

I had an inkling of this recently when it was the seventh anniversary of my husband’s death. Although I hadn’t thought about it after my first husband died, this time I found myself wondering if the second Mr. RC would be paying a visit, like Marley. He was obsessed with money too, but thank goodness not to the detrime…

“Her and Jay”? “Him and Jay”? Good grief, you can use English much better than that!

Yes, I know it’s a great bowl of saccharine, but when my cat was 19 and dying, watching the video (tape!) permitted me to sob without shame.

Meryl Streep, I can understand... She could probably do it, too.

a) Paid his fine as if he were a regular member of that world?

I wouldn’t call that “rushed” to the hospital. He’s walking under his own power. Let’s imagine something extremely mundane: a colonoscopy, typically done at a different time than a general physical. Okay, let’s not imagine it — I’m just throwing that out there.

People who are still living in the Fifties. Make that the Thirties.