Below is my ranking of Season One of the HBO Max streaming series, "JULIA". Based on the life of television chef Julia Child and created by Daniel Goldfarb, the series stars Sarah Lancashire in the titular role:
MY RANKING OF “JULIA” SEASON ONE (2022) EPISODES
1. (1.02) “Coq Au Vin” - Facing mounting pressure from Boston’s WGBH station executives, cookbook author Julia Child struggles to figure out how to present a complicated recipe for her first episode. Later, on-set flubs threaten the future of the show and her career.
2. (1.07) “Foie Gras” - While in New York City, Julia and the show receive both accolades and criticism. As her close friend, Avis Desoto, forges an unlikely friendship with Julia’s husband Paul, associate producer Alice Naman finds an unexpected romantic connection of her own.
3. (1.04) “Petit Fours” - As WGBH reaps the rewards of their new star's efforts, a jealous rival threatens the station's burgeoning success. Julia struggles with the price of fame, Paul begins to accept defeat, and Alice changes tack.
4. (1.06) “Breads” - Paul and Julia’s book editor Judith Jones experiment with baking for a future episode. Julia tackled a different kind of "bread." Sleep-deprived producer Russ Morash tasks Alice with even more work. And the future of Avis's position on the show is questioned.
5. (1.08) “Chocolate Souffle” - After suffering a mental blow from harsh criticism about her show, Julia's future - and the fate of the show - hang in the balance.
6. (1.01) “Omelette” - In the series premiere, Julia boldly pitches a groundbreaking television series centered on demonstrations for the home cook - despite pushback from male station executives and Paul.
7. (1.03) “Boeuf Bourguignon” - When the show goes over budget, Julia doubles down on her efforts to continue making her dream a reality. Paul contends with his fearsome father-in-law and Alice struggles with her new assignment.
8. (1.05) “Crepes Suzette” - During a trip to San Francisco, Julia tests the waters of her newfound celebrity status alongside celebrated chef James Beard, leaving a brooding Paul to question the true cost of his wife's fame.
soap’s favourite way to shut up unruly recruits is not by making examples out of people or being unnecessarily rude in retaliation, no. his favourite way is by making ghost show off.
sure, soap could show off a few things himself that would probably work all the same, but ghost just has an added scare factor given his reputation.
that, and for whatever reason, the man can also do stupid things like throw a knife and hit a target dead centre while blindfolded and using his non-dominant hand. so. getting ghost to show off it is.
and it works, particularly when ghost makes off with some comment about the recruits needing to listen to the sergeant or next time that target is their head—so, really, soap sees no point in changing his methodology.
Price started handing out stickers to members of the squad who did a good job. It was a joke at first but now it's a genuine competition between all of them.
Soap can play the guitar and the piano.
Ghost is surprisingly acrobatic for someone of his size.
Gaz is a major Rihanna fan.
Ghost is extremely touch-starved. You look up the meaning in the dictionary and there's a picture of Ghost.
Price saw him fall asleep with his head on Soap's shoulder and that's how he knew they were perfect for eachother cause Ghost is never that comfortable around others.
Everyone has bets on who's gonna confess first between them. (hint: it is definitely Soap)
Rudolfo has his ears and tongue pierced. He got them done when he was a teen.
Alejandro loves jewellery. Rings, necklaces, bracelets, he loves them all.
They all learnt sign language for when Ghost is nonverbal. Price and Gaz already knew it so they helped the others practice.
Alejandro and Rudolfo share a birthday. That's how they bonded as kids.
Soap can touch his nose with his tongue. No one aside from Gaz thinks it's cool.
Once they got to know Ghost, they realised that despite how intimidating he is, he has total puppy dog eyes.
Ink-Light - Natalie Diaz // Simon Beck // Female Masculinity - Jack Halberstam // Lovers Walking in the Snow (Crow and Heron) - Suzuki Harunobu // Snow - Mary Ruefle
In honor of the 36th anniversary today, I thought it would be nice to share some previous POTO London anniversary audios! Many if not all of these are fairly common so you may have them already, but nice to have them in one spot!
The link is below and cast info will be beneath the ‘keep reading’ tab (and of course on my site).
Matthew Cammelle (s/b), Rachel Barrel, Oliver Thornton
October 4, 2004; London
18th anniversary performance in London.
Earl Carpenter, Rachel Barrell, David Shannon, Wendy Ferguson, James Barron, Sam Hiller, Annette Yeo, Rohan Tickell, Naomi Cobby
October 9, 2006; London
20th anniversary performance. Includes speeches by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Ramin Karimloo, Leila Benn Harris, Alex Rathgeber, Wendy Ferguson, James Barron, Sam Hiller, Heather Jackson, Benjamin Lake, Lindsey Wise
October 9, 2007; London
21st anniversary performance. Highlights.
Ramin Karimloo, Gina Beck, Simon Bailey, Rebecca Lock, Barry James, Gareth Snook, Nicky Adams, Rohan Tickell, Emma Harris, Stephen John Davis
October 9, 2009; London
23rd Anniversary performance, includes speeches.
Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, Hadley Fraser, Wendy Ferguson, Barry James, Gareth Snook, Liz Robertson, Wynne Evans, Daisy Maywood
October 2, 2011; London
Audio of the 25th Anniversary Concert. Includes speech and encore performances. Official CD and audience recording.
Ben Forster, Celinde Schoenmaker, Nadim Naaman
October 10, 2016; London
30th anniversary performance.
Ben Lewis, Kelly Mathieson, Jeremy Taylor
October 9, 2017; London
31st anniversary performance.
Josh Piterman/Adam Robert Lewis (u/s), Kelly Mathieson, Danny Whitehead, Ross Dawes, Richard Woodford, Britt Lenting, Paul Ettore Tabone, Sophie Caton (u/s), Georgia Ware
October 9, 2019; London
The 33rd anniversary show. Josh had to leave the show after Act 1 due to illness and was replaced by Adam Robert Lewis.
Killian Donnelly, Holly Anne Hull (alt.), Rhys Whitfield, Saori Oda, Matt Harrop, Adam Linstead, Francesca Ellis, Greg Castiglioni, Ellie Young
October 9, 2021; London
35th anniversary show in London.
Killian Donnelly (Phantom), Lucy St Louis (Christine), Rhys Whitfield (Raoul), Saori Oda (Carlotta Giudicelli), Matt Harrop (Monsieur Firmin), Adam Linstead (Monsieur André), Francesca Ellis (Madame Giry), Greg Castiglioni (Ubaldo Piangi), Ellie Young (Meg Giry)
October 11, 2021; London
Audio of the 35th Anniversary gala night, celebrated 2 days after the actual anniversary. Includes speeches and Happy Birthday at the end
Yes! This is what I'm talking about. Forget about greatest hits. Al Green has the greatest voice of all time so give me his entire discography! His voice is just so smooth and perfect! He feels like he's in perfect control but could totally lose control but only if he felt like it. And the arrangements go from funky to pastoral while feeling like they were meant to go together.
Lucinda Williams - s/t
There's a secret genre. I don't know if I'm allowed to share the secrets, but here goes. Late 80s alternative country. I don't mean the sundowning efforts of 60s and 70s legends, I mean the batch of new artists that rose to prominence throughout the 80s to no applause, no attention, and only modest commercial success. Artists who avoided the studio polish of popular country music and who were in touch with what their punk and alt rock contemporaries were up to. Even if you aren't a fan of country try out this album. It might give you a new perspective.
Paul Simon - s/t
Paul Simon is definitely one of my favorite musicians of all time. By my calculations this is his third best album (behind Hearts And Bones and Graceland). His first album after the breakup of Simon & Garfunkel it carries a bit of the legacy of final S&G album Bridge Over Troubled Water. The focus here is on storytelling though. Nearly every song here is a little vignette into a characters life and Simon understands the ability of art to elevate very small simple moments just by choosing to frame them in song.
Beck - Odelay
Beck Hansen has worn a lot of hats throughout his career, but hip hop Donovan is somehow the sound that made him famous. If you can determine what he's fucking talking about at any point on this album then I urge you to sober up a bit. The fact that blues riffs and hip hop beats can coexist like this without making me want to use a qtip to end my hearing once and for all is honestly amazing. I can't explain why this album works, but it's so fucking fun.
Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
If you turned a really cute shy boy who wants to talk to you about your current hyperfocus into an album then this is what you would get. Not a lot of shoegaze aims for the level of gentleness that Yo La Tengo can achieve. This album is really sweet.
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
This is the fuck album of all time. After the success of his previous album, the legendary What's Going On, Motown gave Gaye a lot more creative control. As a result Let's Get It On features a lot of deviations from the Motown sound including a lot more funk. Also in contrast to What's Going On and it's political themes is the stark and spiritual sexuality that permeates this album. Gaye makes singing about sex into a kind of prayer, and if you think I'm being fanciful with that description Gaye literally calls on God to let people "keep gettin it on".