RIP Patty Duke

Patty Duke passed away yesterday. She was 69.

Born in Elmhurst Queens, on December 14th, 1946, Ms. Duke was known to audiences first as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker  (1962) opposite Anne Bancroft. Televisions fans of a certain age remember her as twin cousins in The Patty Duke Show (1963-1966).

In addition to her career, Ms. Duke was also an outspoken advocate in the arena of mental health and mental illness, topics that hit very close to home.

RIP.

 

Granchester Series 2/ Mr. Selfridge Series 4 Review

When Downton Abbey left our television screens for the final time earlier this month, there seemed to be a vacuum on Sunday nights. Where there is plenty of programs to choose from, there is nothing like Masterpiece.

Thankfully, Sunday night, the vacuum was filled.

Masterpiece returned with a one-two punch of Granchester and Mr. Selfridge.

Grantchester picks up from where we left Sydney (James Norton) and Geordie (Robson Green) at the end of series one. Finally healed from the gun shot wound, Sydney, Geordie and company are enjoying a day outdoors.

Then Sydney is arrested for allegedly having sexual relations with a teenage girl. Youch. Quite the way to start the second series.

Well, that’s not quite, the way. This is. You’re welcome.

If one looked up the definition of a Greek drama in the dictionary, one would find a picture of Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven).  In this final series, viewers will see the downfall of the titular character. Harry is still the same charismatic, charming, intelligent business man that we met in the first season. He also has the same weaknesses for women, gambling and booze.

But Harry realizes in the first episode that he is not the young man he was once was. Now a grandfather several times over, Harry is warned by his family and his faithful employees to slow down. But Harry, being Harry, is still a mile a minute.

Do I recommend them? If you know me and this blog, then you know the answer.