Goodeness, Gracious Me

10/10

AT LAST!

This had me screaming, crying and squealing in fangirlish joy!

They did such a fantastic job with the sets, music, casting and in particular the costumes.

They definitely needed 10 episodes to cover the gargantuan plot! Matthew and Diana have made it to 1590 to find a witch tutor for Diana and find Ashmole 782 whilst avoiding the witch trials and sh*tstorm politics. Meanwhile in 2021 Marcus gets a girlfriend, the Knight of Lazarus take action and Peter Knox goes murdering.

Matthew Goode is is just the perfect Matthew (de) Clairmont/Royden. He balanced the charm and threat well. He brought so much more complexity in this series as they expanded on his past and dark secrets. I can imagine the giggling filming the blood rage scenes. His chemistry with Teresa is fantastic and they have both brought the couple to life.

Teresa has worked so hard and has created a realistic Diana. She's inquisitive, wise and clearly loving 1950s fashion (too be fair it looks awesome).

I found myself really liking the new characters. Steven Cree made an excellent, light-hearted Gallowglass while Adelle Leonce made a fun and interesting Phoebe. Tom Hughes (who's worked with Matthew twice before) managed to add some heart to the contraversal Kit.

James Purefoy as Philippe was awesome! I laughed, I cried, I wanted more Philippe dammit!

Shadow of Night is so difficult to adapt then add COVID-19 so they did a great job. Yes there is some clunky dialogue and odd decisions scenes but it worked. I was sad about no Lobero though!

Please, please don't make me wait 3 years for series 3!

8/10

I saw this when it first came out and rather enjoyed it. This was sweet and slightly less muddled than some of the series.

The storyline followed the king and queen visiting Downton and all the disasters that ensued including unpleasant Royal staff, arrests and an assassination attempt.

Matthew did "pop in at the end" but probably for the last 20 minutes. This included a ball where he desperately tried to remember the choreography! The chemistry between him and Mary was very clear and they both did a brilliant job with their roles.

The film introduced new characters such as Imelda Staunton's stubborn Lady Bagshaw and her devoted maid. This inheritance storyline worked well as did the expansion of Thomas's character.

Unfortunately at times it became a bit too gentle and dull and some of the storylines were a bit ridiculous or cringe-worthy.

Maybe watch the finale beforehand but mostly fine to watch without prior knowledge.

Hopefully the sequel will feature Matthew.

7.5/10

I was a fan of the series up until about series 4 then gave up as I found the storylines dull and repetitive but in my quest to watch Matthew's filmography I tried again. I said I would watch and review and and I got there eventually.

Each series follows the tumultuous lives of the wealthy Crawley family and their serving staff in the early 20th century. Moorland Holiday and Series 6 covers a wide variety of storylines including marriages, deaths, awkward family introductions, births, new business ventures and the most dramatic burst ulcer ever put on film.

Matthew plays Henry Talbot, a racing driver and sort of aristocrat who uses his Goode charm and wit to woo the notorious Lady Mary. He manages to help her move on and they have great chemistry. He features in the series 5 special, a few episodes of series 6 and the finale.

I like how they adapt to the changing world and there are many very likable characters. Downton is worth watching for the fantastic Dowager Countess played by Maggie Smith. Additionally Michelle Dockery has done a great job portraying the diabolical but vulnerable Lady Mary.

Unfortunately I found it difficult to just jump in even with the previous knowledge and I didn't have this problem with shows like The Good Wife. Also I found Mary and Henry's romance very rushed and a little uncomfortable at times. Plus it felt like they were running out of plots as times so we're inventing weird ones.

I'd recommend Downton, particularly the specials as they were done well, but you may need a guide to the series. Perfect Sunday night TV though

8/10

Some good action and great acting.

The film focuses on Chris (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a bank cleaner who suffered major brain damage after a car accident. He is approached by Gary (Matthew Goode) to act as a lookout in a bank robbery.

The sheer amount of research done by Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels to accurately portray characters with brain damage and blindness is very clear. Both convey the respective conditions well.

This was one of Matthew's first ventures as a villain and he pulled it off very well. Heck he got the role of Ozymandias/Adrian Weidt in Watchmen partly due to his performance here. He's very manipulative and exudes a kind of sleazy charm. And he has a very nice back!

Unfortunately there were some dull scenes. I also kept wondering how Chris was allowed to drive due to the severe neurological trauma.

Definitely worth a view though.