| Not Too Deep but Very Wordy Thoughts:
Hoskins? An in joke to mob boss (Long Good Friday) actor extraordinaire
Bob Hoskins?
It's kind of odd that this late in the season that Bernice still thinks
it's good news that Steele's sick and he can't come in – or rather that
Laura would think it was good news and she'd want him out of her hair.
Odd because he's been a fixture on so many cases by then – more so than
Murphy let alone the all but expendable Bernice that it's obvious Laura
likes having him around. I think this disparity in perception points up
that Bernice really has lost her usefulness as a character or that they
didn't know what to do with her. Even though they actually exchange some
words about her mother here, after the first couple of episodes she's not
really used as Laura's confident or gal pal like in Tempered but more to
roll her eyes at Steele and bring in the coffee another season let alone
3 of that would be very tiresome.
Love that Abigail says she just couldn't be a "good sport” about Harvey
and his wife wanting a threesome. LOL! It also shows that Abigail is more
than open to having a fling though and buying purple clothes for the occasion
– good for her. :D Too bad she waited so long after Laura's father left
(more than 10 years) -- no wonder she jumps at the chance of Chalmers –
so much better than a dentist and no wife. She's such a great character
and her relationship with Laura is such prickly fun that it's a real shame
this is her last appearance.
Chalmers whole wig—looks like road kill and I can't believe it fooled
anyone. Ditto his "Brit” accent. That scheme where it's always "22” is
such an obvious cheat how could they not think they would not be caught?
No wonder Chalmers needs Steele.
As said on the commentaries, Pierce seemingly loves nothing more than
getting dirty, messy or sleazy and it shows. He always throws himself into
these little character roles – and while that fits into Steele's love of
role playing it's also obviously fun for Pierce. I still chuckle over Gleason
remembering Pierce asking him now that Season 1 was over what did they
do next and Gleason said more of the same. 22 episodes is about 4 years
worth of then Brit TV series.
I'm surprised Laura allows a client to scream at her the way Hoskins
does. It's not as if they need the work and money and nothing says that
the fee for this is so extraordinary she can't pass it by. Why would she
take such crap? It's one thing for a client to be a chauvinist or even
dismissive etc but he's outright belligerent and nasty. After she finds
out about the scam it's understandable but before it's unfathomable.
Johnny Todd and Hoskins would NEVER refer to football as soccer – it
was evidently only done for a U.S. audience not to be confused since it
isn't true to the characters at all.
"Cheat at solitaire until the feeling passes”. I love this little glimpse
into Steele's psyche. His restlessness and need for a little walk on the
less than straight and narrow even at his most seemingly domesticated is
what makes him Steele (his Steele not Laura's cardboard pre fabricated
Steele that is). I love that he knows who the local counterfeiter is, who
can dispose of a hot luxury car in the area and where a secret high scale
gambling club is even after he's spent years as Steele.
"She does have certain…”
"Allure?”
"Uniqueness.”
LOL!! Not the most flattering term for Laura but maybe the most accurate
where Mr. Steele is concerned.
"Making her giggle like a schoolgirl”
"Perhaps he likes her”
"Hah”
Laura's jaw is clenched so tight here I'm afraid she might have to make
a trip to the dentist afterwards. And of course everything said really
isn't about Daniel and Abigail but about Steele and Laura. And Laura is
just as leery of Steele for herself as she is of Daniel for Abigail.
"The Colonel is teaching me how to make his souffle rise – LOL Wicked
indeed
The entire dance around the living room – as said is wonderful. We also
get our first large glimpse into Steele's early life and it ties into what
is said back in Belted. I wonder if the writers knew then that Chalmers
was to be his father just as they knew Harry was his name (or rather the
name they used for him in the first script before he became Steele).
Murphy's Steele – the epitome of crass boorish sexist pig - in a great
suit -- and he does seem to enjoy muddying up Steele's squeaking clean
image.
Laura is once again playing (unconvincingly) tough gal shamus as she
enters the casino – similar to her appearance in the pool hall in Gold
-- obviously not only Steele has watched too much Bogart. She's much more
convincing later as a slightly shady shamus in her later talk with Hoskins
about how her boss doesn't appreciate her. I wonder what Laura did with
that $5,000. Maybe she knew he wouldn't have time to pay his bill later.
Abigail is very convincing as the hysterical rejected woman. She'd make
a great con woman with Daniel. :D
Laura fingering Johnny's hideous gold medallion mid crisis because she
just can't believe he's wearing it.
Favorite little bit of new acting in the episode I hadn't appreciated
before. Steele answering the phone as Johnny Todd and his intense facial
expressions when talking to Hoskins then his quick call to Laura and how
his face completely changes – becomes softer and smiling before he even
utters a word and you know he's speaking to Laura – from Johnny to Steele
is a second.
FASHION:
I like Abigail's purple suit – but more so her blouse with the lace
neck – so much more subtle and less constrictive than the tight fussy necked
things Laura is prone to wear. Not to crazy about her purple dress with
the floppy black bow. The more pink than purple dress with the little rosebud
is cute and I like her purple wrap around sweater coat though I wonder
what Daniel thinks of all her purple clothes. LOL
Love Laura's black fedora with grey band and her brown scarf though
not sure they exactly match. Her black trench coat with the dark beige
trim though is wonderful and so much better than all the other trench coats
she's been saddled with before. I like her white sweater coat. I'm not
crazy about any of her hairstyles in this episode, it seems so stiff swept
up and off her forehead and that twisted up and to the side of her head
do in the dance scene doesn't work either
Daniel like his protégé is impeccably dressed.
I never would have suspected that Murphy owned such a nice suit. I wonder
if her raided Steele's closet along with his cigar case. He looks great
with the slicked back hair
Johnny Todd – Steele is actually wearing very good suits (look like
his own) as Johnny—he's just accessorized with thick gold chains and rings,
polo shirts, garish red tuxedo shirt (where in hell did he find that?!)
greased back hair, chewing gum and different body posture.
Love Steele's dark grey shirt at the end – very um tactile. ;) |
by MickeyBoggs
(Fri Mar 16 2007 09:12:35 )