I'm aware it might have aired before today but I've missed a lot of crucial viewing this week just gone so stumbling across the new trailer for Homeland's Season 4 genuinely altered my heart rate for a second. Am I sad that my beloved Brody will no longer be featured? Yes, of course. But am I also incredibly excited to see where the writer's take Carrie's character? You bet.
Claire Danes is such a talented actor that I have no doubt whatever arc her character is expected to take will be played out flawlessly. I loved the growing dynamic between Carrie and Quinn last season, so to see that develop even more is something I am very much looking forward to. And of course Saul is a badass, so he's bound to make viewing as exciting as ever.
Homeland hits every criteria necessary for top notch drama; a strong but angsty female lead, threateningly real macro conflicts and a sprinkling of questionable romances that shouldn't work, but kind of do. The writing has always been superb, so roll on Sunday when I get to glimpse into the new dimension of Homeland's Season 4.
Just don't expect me to stop bereaving Brody any time soon.
Jade x
I try not to let awards and nominations sway my opinion on what TV to watch. If I like something and it wins awards too, fabulous. If I like something that gets slated critically, more fool them. But with a lot more post-uni free time comes my complete immersion in the arts and media right now. So of course the Emmy's have brought about quite a buzz.
Nominations that nailed it
First off, I'm pretty content with most of the nominations. I, like many others, can see a few inconsistencies in terms of categories (Luther as a mini series? C'mon guys.) but I'm just happy to see Idris Elba nominated. He's a fabulous actor and it's great to see someone British doing so well. Breaking Bad has picked up a few nominations which I'm sure are deserved; the show wasn't for me personally but I can see why people liked it. I think Mayim Bialik's nomination is really well deserved and I'm also happy to see Claire Danes and Kerry Washington both nominated for Leading Actress in a drama. I'm waiting (well I would say waiting patiently but I'm really, really not patient at all) for Season 3 of Scandal to air in the UK as we speak and it is without a doubt one of my favourite TV Dramas. With Homeland, I was utterly obsessed for the first two seasons, both loved and loathed the third, and as I hear snippets about the fourth season I remain intrigued to see what direction the show goes in.
Orange is the New Black has unsurprisingly scooped up a whole host of nominations and I'm actually really glad Taylor Schilling's been nominated for Leading Actress in a comedy. I'm with the majority in that OITNB kind of straddles comedy and drama, arguably more so drama in my opinion, but as an actor playing a character who many people seem to complain about, I think it's great that she's been recognised. And for the record, I don't even think Piper's that whiny! Laverne Cox has also made history in her nomination so I really think this is going to be the year for Orange is the New Black, with Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne and Uzo Aduba all picking up nominations too. And as a writer and a fan of the show, it's great to see OITNB also scooped a nomination for Outstanding Writing, among others.
Omitted Opportunities?
There have been a lot of comments on the fact that The Good Wife did not receive a nomination as a show, though Julianna Marguiles has been recognised as Lead Actress in a Drama, again going up against Danes and Washington. It is surprising, given the trajectory this season took but the biggest outrage appears to be the lack of nominations for Orphan Black. It's not a series I have actually encountered at all, so I can't really comment on whether they have been "snubbed" or not. I got quite into Brooklyn Nine-Nine this year, so would have liked a few more nominations in their direction but hey, you win some, you lose some.
What are your thoughts on the Emmy nominations this year?
Jade x
Since being back at uni, it feels a bit like I haven't stopped: lectures have kicked off and final year is well and truly underway. The workload isn't a shock to the system (yet!) but I've definitely found my work ethic has improved since last year. Whether this lasts or not.. well that's another question!
I keep meaning to compose OOTD posts for this week's lectures but I've been so nervous about getting back into the swing of things, I always forget to take photos before I leave and by the time I get home, I'm either sweaty from a gym session or I'm so tired I get straight into my onesie! So in the meantime, I thought I would do a little post in honour of one of my favourite ever programs returning to the telly this Sunday.
For those of you who don't watch Homeland (why on earth not?!) Morgan Saylor plays Dana, a somewhat rebellious teen Dana - the daughter of ex-Marine Nicholas Brody. She was recently featured in Asos magazine which in itself says a lot about her fashion sense: in short, I want to steal it.
1. This black number is one of my faves - for starters, it's black which already means I'll likely love it. I also love sophisticated looking up-dos, mostly because I just cannot pull them off - I have the unfortunate attribute of an oversized, melon-shaped head!
2. Bang on trend is this monochrome dress. I love the unusual pattern - it's not quite geometric but it's far from boring, everything you want in a dress. I'm penning a monochrome post for later in the week, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
3. Lastly is this cute lace dress, featured in the aforementioned Asos magazine. It's no secret that I love Asos - these days I'm sure I spend more time browsing Asos than I do Facebook! I'm also a fan of the floral crown, it gives just enough of a burst of colour to really enhance the otherwise delicately pure ensemble.
So there we have it. Not quite what I envisage Dana will be necessarily wearing when Series 3 airs this Sunday (eeeeek! Can you tell I'm excited?!) but Morgan Saylor's style is definitely one I'd like to steal.
Jade :)
