Familiar faces in unfamiliar places from the Brits

HALLIE EPHRON: I'm terrible at recognizing people, out of context.

I was once at a reception sponsored by People Magazine at BookExpo, chatting with a man who looked so familiar. “Haven’t I met you somewhere before,” I asked him.

“You might have seen me on television,” he said.

Blank.

“On The Office?" he says.

Doink. It was B.J. Novak, a very distinctive looking actor who played Ryan Howard, one of the misfits at Dunder Mifflin. And I am mortified. But really, who expects to end up chatting with a TV star at a book event, even if it is sponsored by People.

I have that same experience watching British TV shows. I see an actor and I think, You look familiar. Don’t I know you? And in a way, I do.

It's disconcerting when James Norton, who plays the human/saintly detective/vicar Sidney Cambers in Grantchester turns up as psychopathic, ex-con, drug dealer Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley. 

I got very attached to Honeysuckle Weeks as Foyle’s driver and assistant on Foyle’s War. Now she turns up on Midsomer Murders, Inspector Lewis, and Death in Paradise playing characters who bear no resemblance to plucky Sam.

Amanda Abbington, who plays Watson’s wife, Mary Morstan, in Sherlock (I'm still getting over her death) turns up in Case Histories as Jackson Brody’s former boss, DCI Louise Munroe. Now she's one of the leads in a new series on Netflix, Safe. (Did you know she's married... now getting divorced from Martin Freeman (who by the way played Bilbo Baggins in the movie of The Hobbit) who played Watson?)

Sometimes it seems as if the BBC has about fourteen actors that get recycled in their programs. It’s like subscribing to an ensemble company. And by the way, whenever you see one of those actors whom you recognize turn up on a whodunit like Midsummer Murders or Father Brown or Death in Paradise, you can be pretty sure shedunnit.

Last Tango in Halifax is a good example of a cast who pop up in multiple other programs. I'm a particular fan of Nicola Walker who's now one of the leads on Unforgotten.

Do you find yourself watching British TV shows, pointing to one of the actors and asking, "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

Addicted to Brit TV

ROSEMARY HARRIS: More years ago than I care to remember, I was addicted to a PBS program called The Forsyte Saga.

It was the Downton Abbey of its time.Based on a series of books by John Galsworthy people watched the ups and downs of the Forsytes, mostly Soames and Irene (pronounced for some weird reason
I-ree-neee) Forsyte, with the same obsessive dedication that some of us now follow Lady Mary and the guy who died.

I must have gotten the dvd set as a present - easily 2-3 years ago - and never got around to watching it. It might seem crazy to bring dvds on vacation, but my DH read at least 8-9 books on Florence and the Medicis before our trip and I knew that we would be visiting every piazza where Cosimo and Lorenzo ever had a gelato. And we did. Somedays 9-10 hours of walking.

I was also writing - working on the WIP, a short story and a garden club presentation. By the time 7pm rolled around I wanted to veg. (Until dinner that is.) What better way than to watch a little video?
Yes, I might have brought The Borgias or Roman Holiday (for Italian floavor...) but I had the set of TFS and stuck it in my carry-on at the last minute.

Yippee. Once I got over the cardboard-y sets (it was, after all, made decades ago)I was totally hooked! I even watched the extras, which were hysterical, as BBC announcers polled people on the street as to whether they were pro-Soames or pro-Irene. Surprisingly, I was more sympathetic to Soames this time than I was 30 years ago. I enjoyed it so much I may even give the remake (with Damian Lewis of Homeland) a shot.
Anyone else remember Soames and Ireneeeee? Young Jolyon? Philip Bossiney?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I never watched it! But now, I will. (A good series never dies..I bet it would be fun to watch LA Law again.) Although--when they recently re-did Upstairs,Downstairs, it was not so successful.. (And tell us about Florence! I LOVED it, and got hooked on food and leather and coffee and history and art. It was crazy crowded with tourists...but no one cared. Is that where the Enoteca Pinnchiori is? Do you know it?)

RO: Do not know the Enoteca, but climbed cupola at Duomo, stayed at Villa san Michele in Fiesole, visited Bargello, private tour of Vasari Corridor at Uffizi, Botanic garden, Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens and so much more. I resisted the lure of leather but treated myself to a small espresso maker and another gorgeous Aurora pen.

HALLIE EPHRON: I didn't get hooked on Forsyte Saga, but I did watch Upstairs Downstairs and, speaking of Italy, I Claudius. Call the Midwife didn't entrance me, but I confess to never missing Doc Martin.
What would I do without Public TV? LOVED the opening episode of Scott & Bailey. If you missed it, find it! I'm hooked.

RO: I've watched I Claudius so many times I could probably nail all the speaking parts. Love it! May be time to watch again..

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Oh, Ro, I watched it! Loved it! Read all nine Galsworthy novels, such was the state of my devotion! (Not sure I could do that again...) I haven't been tempted to watch the remake. I don't think it was very well reviewed, and I didn't want anything to spoil the first one for me. The remake of Upstairs, Downstairs was sacrilege enough--next thing they'll be re-doing Brideshead!
Hallie, Scott and Bailey is fabulous!!! My fave on public TV at the moment. Also really like a little comedy called "rev." about an East London vicar.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: See, I thought the Victorian-era pronunciation of Irene WAS eye-REE-nee, because it's derived from the Greek. I'm dead certain I've heard Irene Adler's name pronounced that way, and that's always how I say it in my head.
Which is neither here nor there, since I didn't see the Forsythe Saga. For me, it was POLDARK. Oh, how my young self swooned over Robin Ellis as Ross Poldark. (I married a man named Ross. Coincidence? I think not.) The wicked Warleggens! Ross's nasty uncle! And his passionate relationship with Demelza, unhappily married to his loutish cousin. To this day, my heart beats faster when I see a man dressed in 18th century waistcoat and breeches.

RO: Was so bummed when I learned that the adorable actress who played Demelza had passed away.

DEBS: Julia, did you see the post last year where I talked about Robin Ellis? Poldark! If you missed it, here's the link to his blog: http://robin-ellis.net/
I love his cookbook and use it all the time. And he's as adorable as ever:-) 
 RO: So Red readers, are you addicted to classic Brit TV? Whichwere your faves?

On mini-dictatorships

JAN On the BBC yesterday morning, I heard that the city of Guanzghou, one of the largest and most prosperous of Chinese cities, is developing a new penalty system for icky behavior.

Icky is not the term they use. They call it anti-social behavior, but compared to American anti-social behavior, like Bernie Madoff bilking billions from investors and charitable institutions, I'd say its really more along the lines of just icky.

We're talking about spitting,which is apparently a big problem in China. Urinating in public. Drying your laundry on a fence, and littering and throwing trash out the balcony.

Accrue enough penalty points, which could simply be one incident of each, and you get thrown out of your public housing. (remember this is China we are talking about. Public housing applies to most people.)

Of course, here in the land of the free, you can't impose these kind of regulations, but wouldn't you love to??

I, for one, would love to see anyone caught more than three times using their cell phone while driving,lose his or her car for at least twelve months. Get caught texting ONCE and you not only lose the car, you never, ever get it back.

Rude to a waiter or waitress? You lose your right to go out to dinner with your friends, who have been embarrassed for years by your behavior.

Men who leave the toilet seat up have to pee sitting down like a girl for at least six months. Okay, that one might be a bit harsh, especially from someone who grew up with all brothers and didn't even know they were SUPPOSED to put it down until she was in her thirties. But this is fantasy we're talking about.

I've just handed you an imaginary minit-dictatorship to stamp out any behavior you find detrimental to society, or just slightly irritating to you, personally. Tell us, what is it?? And what's the punishment??

HALLIE: China is SO CROWDED I can completely understand the need for rules like that. The thing that makes me so crazy (is this just Boston drivers?) is drivers who use the far right lane as a passing lane. Everyone is going 60 or 70 and these cowboys come zipping up the right lane doing 85 or 90.

Incidentally, they do this in China, too, and it's terrifying. Punishment: a bullet between the eyes, so appropriate for cowboys. Or maybe a good helping of mud in their gas tank.

HANK: Having more that 10 items in the 10 or fewer express checkout. Jaywalking, slowly, without acknowledging that you're doing something selfish. Ordering a HUGE list of complicated stuff at the coffee place. (And the toilet thing. Hey. JUST LOOK and see if you've left anything behind. I mean--I can't stand it.) Doctors who keep you waiting as if their time is more important than yours. Credit card companies who shorten the billing cycle so you can't possibly pay on time unless you send the check instantly and who does that.

Punishment? Ah. Eating not-done pasta. Drinking flat diet coke. Getting aged tuna salad in your sandwich. Being next in line when the person in front of you gets the last one, whatever it is.

JAN - I can't believe I left out those right lane passers -- they make me crazy on Route 128. And I once wrote a column about doctors who keep you waiting. I was lucky that my doctor at the time wound up reading the column and was appropriately sheepish.

Okay, here's your chance to make the rules; Tell us what you'd do: