Does anyone on my flist still watch Gossip Girl? I rolled my eyes through Season 3 but the whisper of the possibility of Dair kept me from straying too far in Season 4. In Season 5 I clung on because the idea of Dair was just too delicious to give up, and lo and behold ...

spoilers for Gossip Girl ahead ...

... Dair has happened!!!

My flailing quite caught me by surprise. I haven't legitimately flailed in a purely joyful way since eye-sex, pre-related era Paire. Dan/Blair are just so freaking precious and gorgeous and bring out the best qualities in each other. I love that their relationship has been built up so completely and solidly over the years, I love that they couldn't have worked as a couple in the earlier seasons. I love seeing their development to insider/outsider, frenemis, reluctant allies, reluctant friends to giddy as all out sort of in love. It's a bit odd to say about Gossip Girl, but it really is one of the most organic, well developed relationships I've seen on TV for a while that has any semblance of reality. They're so cute. I really hope they last. *sigh*

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year holidays!

I've been in hibernation and have been spending my time constructively - instead of say, going out to watch New Year's Eve fireworks outside (where I froze my good self off last year), I decided to marathon shows that I haven't touched in what felt like ages.

( First up was Friday Night Lights )

( Next was Dollhouse )

Will go onto Ugly Betty next, inspired in a way by receiving some nice feedback for my fanfics.

Spoilers, beware.

Argh, what have they done to my Graham?? Just when I stopped being annoyed at his bland ways (for which there was actually a reason), he's gone. Why? Jamie Dornan is so hot ... and that Irish accent really, really worked for me.

*sigh* I'm inexplicably annoyed at the writers. They could've killed anyone. Why did they have to off the only decent looking guy on the show? Where will I get my Jamie Dornan fix now?

*grumble*

I don't care how lame it'd be, the Huntsman can't be dead. I want his soul to be (and always having been) in the wolf. I want his sacrifice to mean something. He was the first of the town to realise who he really was. There has to be a payout for that otherwise it's just a useless episode where the extremely handsome former Calvin Klein model gets offed for no sane person reason.

I think I've found my next fandom, however unlikely it is. Downton Abbey!

Actually came home early from ten pin bowling (eh, don't ask) especially to sit down in front of the tv to watch it. I don't remember the last time I did that for a show. I was squeeing at all the Mary/Matthew scenes and OMG I think Dan Stevens has made himself irresistable by playing the dashing Mr Crawley. I think he's rather ordinary looking but so incredibly handsome as Matthew I can scarce look at him and not swoon. And Mary is so pretty and blockheaded. They are my new OTP.

Downton Abbey! *squees*

Is anyone on my flist as excited as I am about DA coming back??

Am working on a comprehensive RL 'I'm completely still alive' update, but in the mean time I wanted to share my thoughts on the recent film Jane Eyre.

Now I'm not a fan of the book; I thought Jane was too much of a doormat and Mr Rochester absolutely detestable with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. He was a selfish bastard who used Jane as his personal plaything, spoilt and only concerned with what his past injuries, etc were. (Also I'm not a fan of the Brontes' writing in general, so I may already have been biased against JE from the start).

However. Big however. I quite liked this movie. Needless to say Michael Fassbender exuded almost inhuman sex appeal that made Mr Rochester not just desirable, but downright hot. Quintessential bad boy, and even though I knew they'd cast him a little too swoonworthy-looking, my heart did melt against Mr Edward Fairfax just a bit.

I also really liked Mia Wasikowska's Jane; much less of a doormat and more, as Mr Rochester notes, like a caged bird, passionate for life. This was a major disconnect in the book between how Rochester perceived Jane and how I perceived her as a reader. In any case, the film really transcends this disconnect and I was completely able to see Jane as she should have been seen; quiet, strong, passionate, full of life and innocence.

Even the ending didn't ick me as much - from memory Jane's meant to be late teens (19?) and Rochester a stately late 30's/early 40s - much too big of a fundamental age gap for me in the context of their characters - even disabled, I can see him as being controlling and demanding. However, by casting Fassy, these concerns are entirely negated. Who wouldn't want to marry a gloriously blue eyed Fassy, even though he may be (temporarily) blinded and a bit feeble? This Jane is also less mousy but she is plain enough; in a luminous, movie starlet kind of way.

All in all, I liked this adaptation. More in the vein of Atonement than Pride and Prejudice, which fits with the tone of the book.

Has anyone else seen the movie?

Currently am obsessed with Numb3rs at the moment even though I only watched the show sporadically when it was on. For some reason I'm really enjoying the Don-Charlie relationship a lot more the second time around. Which is why I'm slowly making my way through the

But I was shocked to learn that Rob Morrow is meant to be 49. Is this the face of a 49 year old? I'm not ashamed to admit that I find him kinda hot, especially as Don Epps.

Spoilers for the shows below!

+ Game of Thrones 1.02: I'm really getting into this series. I've never read the books but after ep 1 I caved and went and ordered A Game of Thrones at Book Depository. Really hope the books live up to the good reviews ... it's been a long while since I've ready something in the fantasty genre that wasn't a) carbon copies of Tolkien, b) cliched and c) misogynistic (David Eddings, I am looking at you).

( Game of Thrones )

( Vampire Diaries )

Obviously, spoilers for the season finale.

I'm kinda excited and disappointed at the same time. Disliked:

- The plan to off Anna. Seriously, Fifth Column, really? Dianna deserved her public execution

- Project Aries, what? I'm on board with ppl who say this has come too little, too late. Why haven't we heard from these people before? Was Erica's boss at the FBI and her friend in on PA all along? If so, why on Earth would you string Erica along for such a long time? If their recruitment screening process is so arduous, how on Earth do they already have such a huge organisation?

( What the show could have been ...  )

Hmmm, this season's TV is shaping up to be a lot more entertaining than last year.

The latest Castle was great ( Spoilers ahoy! Including some V discussion )