Sometimes ya gotta love TV

I'm not that much of a television watcher. Ron used to watch so many sports and since I rather would have sat in the room with him then watch TV in another room, I used to watch sports and read at the same time.
I have my favourites of course, Dancing With The Stars, Private Practice and a few others, but they don't compare to the following two programs.

My newest obsession is Blood Ties. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's about private detective, Vicky, who was a cop but gave it up when she started having vision problems. She opened her own agency and gets help from Henry. a 400 or so old vampire named Henry. He's the illegitimate son of Henry VIII (for some reason that cracks me up). He asked to be turned by a woman he loved. In the present time he's a graphic artist, but he also helps Vicky with her very odd cases. Then there is Mike, her former partner with whom she seems to have an on and off again relationship.
I blogged about it before so I won't go into too much detail except to say my obsession with this show is growing not diminishing. I watched it Thursday night, Friday night, tonight and it's on again tomorrow night. And three out of the four were episodes I hadn't/haven't seen before. That's four nights in a row so you know I'm addicted!




But after Blood Ties tonight I watched the second part of a British series I ordered a while ago, North and South. I'd seen this talked up at AAR and at first I thought it was another adaption of the American series North and South, a series from the 80's about the Civil War. But I was wrong. Here's a blurb about it from the website:

Set against the backdrop of Victorian England's industrial north, it

follows the fortunes of Margaret Hale, one of 19th century literature's most original heroines.

Played by Daniela Denby-Ashe, Margaret is a privileged, middle class southerner who is forced to settle in the northern town of Milton.

Margaret takes instant offence to the town and its people. She becomes terribly lonely and hates the dirt, noise and lack of civilization, blaming their new way of life for her mother's ailing health.

Her distaste for the town and its people extends to handsome and charismatic cotton mill owner John Thornton, (Richard Armitage), whom she believes epitomises everything she dislikes about the North.

However, Margaret gradually begins to settle in Milton. Her social conscience awakens and she befriends some of the local mill workers, learning about their poverty and workplace struggles.

As events conspire to throw Margaret and Thornton together, the two spirited characters have to overcome their repressed physical attraction for one another and conquer prejudices of class and circumstance.

I watched the first DVD a while ago and was captivated. But RL interrupted and I didn't get a chance to watch the second one until tonight. And repressed is right! Although there was very little physical contact between them, you could feel the heat and attraction coming off them in waves. John Thornton's pointed stares *ooooh shiver*

May I say this is a series not to be missed!!! It was fantastic. Richard Armitage was mesmerizing as the seemingly controlled but underneath seething with passion mill owner. He is captivated by Margaret who doesn't realize for a while what a truly honourable man he is. Although I was pretty sure, I wasn't 100% sure there was a HEA and as I watched the final episode unfold, my heart was almost in my throat hoping that Mr. Thornton and Margaret Hale could overcome their obstacles. There is a rather lengthy thread on this at AAR, but I've mainly been ignoring it so as to avoid spoilers.

But as the final scene played out and credits started rolling, I had this loopy grin on my face and tears forming after watching this wonderful series.

So here is two Very Hearty Thumbs Up shows from this infrequent television watcher!!

'til later