#michael baker

Michael Baker photographed Ian Bohen.

#ianbohen #ianbohenedit

This is a completely subjective list, made for my own pleasure. The list may vary from time to time, but altogether I’m happy with it. He’s such a versatile and brilliant actor and he played so many different characters, so it’s difficult to choose. But I try my best.

1. “The Creature” aka Caliban, aka John Clare aka The Orderly in “Penny Dreadful”

His portrayal of this unhappy man, trapped inside this hideous body, desperately fighting for love and affection, broke my heart. And after A Blade of Grass I was completely hooked. And it changed my life - for the better. I started researching Rory and discovered a fascinating – and incredibly nice – man. So thank you John Logan for casting him!

His best TV role so far (and yet I’m highly sceptical about the PD Spin-off)

2. Stephen Lyons in “Years and Years”

Bloody hell, Russell T Davies really sends the audience to a Tour de force. Rory as Stephen, the eldest of four siblings, a rather wealthy financial advisor who looses everything. His money, his family. I love the scene when he realises that his Dad died. You can see the whole range of emotions he’s going through. Acting at its finest.

3. Michael Baker in “Count Arthur Strong”

I love this character. And I still think it’s a shame they cancelled the show. The desperate attempt of Michael to stay sane in all that madness is a joy to watch. My favourite episode is “The Affair”

4. Henry Bolingbroke in “Richard II.”

Rory and Shakespeare. There is nothing more to say.

5. Robert Lessing in “Quacks”

What a gloriously arrogant bastard. I think he really enjoyed playing such a narcissistic bugger. Sadly this show was cancelled after one season.

6. Craig Oliver in “Brexit”

Based on true events and characters, as we all know.

7. Prime Minister Callow in “Black Mirror”

Yes, the one with the pig. Scary to watch.

And there are so many other roles.. DCI Pence in “Guerilla”, he really scared the shit out of me in some of the scenes. Or as David Whitehead in “Southcliffe”. And so on and so forth. I think Rory deserves so much more attention for his talent and his skills.

Tiny Desk Concert: Rare Essence

Dominated by drive and momentum, heavy on percussion and bass, go-go music is all about the beat. Live, "songs" can continue on for half an hour, as the percussion continues to simmer and punctuate between and across different pieces. "That's why we call it go-go, because it goes on and goes on and goes on," as guitarist Andre Johnson put it in a documentary film.

While the Tiny Desk doesn't allow for that kind of expansive get-down — though they did play seven songs — this visit by Rare Essence perfectly encapsulated the genre's incomparable meld of soul, R&B and, most importantly, funk (with a dash of Afro-Cuban influence).

We end the queue and trip to Crystal Valley with these two being all cute and such.

I still can’t believe they’re elders, reached the top of their careers, and had five kids. It’s been three years since I started this ‘hood back in 2015.

Now for something completely different: a vacation!

Bon Voyage is probably my least used EP from TS2, similar to WA from TS3. I figured since Michael and Francis are empty nesters they should explore the world and get all 45 vacation mementos before they die.

And as a present to their kids, they brought three of them along! Let me say I’ll never do this again where I have three uncontrollable sims. Every time Francis and Michael tried to sleep, one of them would turn on the TV in the room. Eh, it wasn’t perfect, but it was fun.