As the madness ebbs

What is everyone doing tonight, now that you’re no longer captive to the screen in catching the latest Spooks episode?

Lucas North (Richard Armitage) and Beth (Sophia Myles) are taken captive on Greek freighter in Spooks 9.1. Source: Richard Armitage Net

~ by Servetus on November 15, 2010.

85 Responses to “As the madness ebbs”

  1. I’ll be in class till 9 p.m. as usual but after that I am going home! No late night tv watching and writing until the wee hours of the morning.

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  2. I’m grieving! That’s what I’m doing. Of course, series 9 is just fanfiction, and Lucas really died in the 8.8 explotion with Ros.

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    • This is a super explanation, actually. If it’s not bad fanfic, then perhaps a concussion experienced in 8.8 caused false memory syndrome.

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  3. For the first time in all these weeks I’m not counting the hours and minutes until I get home to my laptop 🙂 Right now I’m already missing Lucas (though not JohnB) and the night is not even here yet. I’ll also miss sharing the experience the next day.

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    • So true about missing the discussion. 😦 I’ve already been wondering whether I can write anything that will be as provocative as those episodes were.

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  4. Off to an evangelism team meeting but I’ve set the DVD recorder for Christopher Eccleston in the new Jimmy McGovern series “Accused”.

    Took receipt of a bona fide copy of Spooks 7 today to replace my own recording with the annoying cerise BBC3 in the corner. Cerise is so not Richard’s colour!

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    • Eccleston’s good, that should be something to look forward to, Pam.
      And you’re right, cerise really isn’t RA’s best colour. Now, if they had gone with a nice shade of blue . . .

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  5. I will actually be writing more of my longest installment yet of Sloth Fic as catharsis for The Series That Dares Not Speak Its Name. All the Johns and few other ChaRActers (and Guy, of course) will be avenging our beloved Lucas, who is still napping on my sofa, snug and safe with his kitty guardians. He has been Loved into Being,too, naturally.
    It’s raining here and is supposed to continue, so good writing weather, methinks. I am trying to think of S9 as a really bad dream I need to shut away in the attic of my mind.

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  6. Good question! I have a swim class with my little one on Monday nights. I am wondering what to do with not only this big gaping hole tonight, but tomorrow as well reading your posts and all the comments. I will miss my weekly dose of RA. When is SB airing?

    To Do:

    Must check out Angie’s latest
    Finish reading The Hobbit

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    • at least until the end of my semester, everyone will have a chance to do a lot of reading around — I want to write some stuff but am not sure how it will go until classes are over.

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  7. I am relieved that the tension is over, and I am trying to forget the travesty that was series 9 (sadly, when I see that photo again, I think without that Jo-Cas/Albany/Vaughn storyline it could have been one of the best). Actually, I have already (almost) forgotten it, after watching 7.7 and 7.8 again and reconnecting with the brave loyal Lucas of that season. now I’ve just returned from a 2.5 hour session at the gym and feel rather fine, and am looking forward to Fedoralady’s new installment of Sloth Fiction. 🙂

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    • @Rob, Nietzsche,

      Glad to know I can help y’all through this difficult time with my scribblings. N, if I had spent that long in a gym, I would probably be dead or incapable of movement at the very least, so I salute you, my dear.

      I’ve also got to finish re-reading The Hobbit, @Rob. I usually have two or three different books I am reading simultaneously. So many books, so little time . . . the rain continues to fall and have more writing to do . . . well, at least it isn’t about a school board meeting. Or a really long obit. I hate it when they get into “extra special nephew” and “most beloved sister” . . . sort of a slap in the face to the rest of the kith and kin. *grin*

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      • I am embarassed to admit that I have NEVER read The Hobbit! I was raised by wolves. I do my best writing in the Fall & Winter. I find it hard to write once spring hits. Looking forward to your next installment @ Angie. I love how u figured out what type of coffee each character would drink. So clever.

        There is just a BIG hole in my Monday evening!

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        • @Rob,
          We have a Kuerig coffee maker at work and they have an amazing number of coffees available in their K-cups. So I bought one last year, too–although I usually just drink it during the fall and winter months. It’s interesting to see what the various people at work prefer. Our little Tariq-like ultra-hyper cub reporter loves “Jet Fuel”–think you can figure out that blend. I love all the flavored, tricked-out stuff myself. I thought it would be one more fun element of my real life to work into the story. Watching Andrew “Hugh” Lincoln as a zombie-fighting southern sheriff in his new series right now with hubby, while I also get back to the boys and their mission . . . they look so darned good in those black ops outfits.

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        • I’m about 3/4 of the way through the first reread. I’m interested by the statement I read somewhere that Thorin is a major motor of the plot. I suppose, insofar as the journey is his quest, but I am really wondering how this is going to be scripted. Thinking they chose Mr. Armitage in part because of his ability to convey so much without speaking.

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          • I am hoping as the project progresses, my favorite entertainment mag Entertainment Weekly (and not just my fav because they had in issue with two photos of my Beloved Boy in it!) will do as they have for previous blockbusters and give us lots of news on aspects on the production that may help us get a better fix on how the character will be handled. Keeping my fingers crossed.
            Also hoping for more on the “believably evil” Heinz Kruger, of course. Including a pic where I can actually see RA’s face this time!

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            • I agree, we need to see more of RA as Heinz Kruger. Maybe we will now along with more about preparations for The Hobbit! I’ve seen a couple of interviews already with Martin Freeman about being Bilbo. We need a few RA interviews about being Thorin.

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        • @Rob I vaguely remember starting some book in the series years ago and losing interest … I think it was the Hobbit.

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    • 7.8 is really affecting. I rewatched 7.7 and 7.8 last night and cried.

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      • I just haven’t been able to watch earlier Spooks yet. I got so tired of crying. I really did. Fan vids are as much as I could bear.

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      • I want to give it some time before I watch the older eps again (also because of lack of time at the moment). But I came across this fanvid of season 9, and it made me cry too!

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      • I am so sorry to hear that. It helped me a great deal, reassuring me that the Lucas of series 9 wasn’t the real one.

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      • I don’t feel like watching Spooks again either. I don’t have much time -I’ll be giving my notes from class more attetion now that we don’t have our weekly fix of Mr.A – but I’m more inclined to re-watch any other RA work than Spooks.

        OML

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  8. As a kind of therapy I watched StrikeBack episode 2 today. I also started a blog where I ramble a bit about story threads of Spooks 9. The blog is nothing to be promoted here, just a therapy for me to get over the aftereffects of Spooks9. I very much need that medicine as Spooks 9 has a bad effect on my working efficiency at the moment.

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    • I found your blog — sure you don’t want to be connected? Can I comment?

      What I am really hoping is that the bad effects of Spooks 9 in my life also wear off soon. Maybe I’ll write about this tomorrow; it was a real problem there for a few days.

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      • I am beginning to feel as if the dense fog is lifting. I really needed it to.

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      • I would love your comments !!!
        Please feel free to comment any time.
        You are also welcome to link to it. I am only a bit hesitant about it, as the purpose of it (at least now at the start of it) is to get all the storylines mulling around in my head out of my system. Also as English is not my first language, I do not want to bother anyone with my mistakes.
        But I decided to do the blog in English, as both my German friends I tried to convert to RA more or less laughed about me. The first had an abusive boyfriend once and did not react well to the outburst of violenc by RA at the beginning of N&S. The other one just laughs about my fandom and devotion to it.
        So I chose to write in English as I enjoyed the discussions at your blog so very much !

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    • I Will be looking you up! Congrats for taking the leap!

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  9. Now that Spooks has concluded I am able to resume my regular work-out schedule again (they clashed in time, and the last couple of weeks I did not want to wait for the DL)). So I just came back from my 1-hour work out and I know I will be sore all over, as punishment for not going the last couple of weeks. But I am glad that I took that decision. I am really sad that it is all over, and that it all ended in this sad and unsatisfying manner. I will miss reading the reviews and what people thought about it. I especially liked your analyses, Servetus, and the ensuing discussions. But I am looking forward to some really good fanfic 🙂 So, bring it on, Fedoralady. And I will also start reading the Hobbit, after I have concluded reading the Bernard Cornwall books (I am in the 2nd part now, part 3 is Lords of the North, but I don’t think that I will read that since I have listened to it a couple of times already :)).

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    • I agree, lots of good stuff to tide us over till Captain America. 🙂

      Glad your workouts will resume; I am sure Mr. Armitage would not have wanted to interfere with your health in that way 🙂

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  10. Your question: what am I doing. Well, the term “eye candy” rankles me when applied to Mr. Armitage. For several weeks I’ve been trying to explain to myself what I feel about dear Richard and eye candy just is an insult. Here is what I come up with and ask any/all of you to tell me what I mean.

    I am/was able to exist without him BUT (and there is a but here) to me he is like home baked bread just out of the oven too hot to touch smelling like hot fresh bread and the anticipation of great pleasure when it cools. RA is the smell of a pine forest on a hot summer day, the taste and smell of a peach off my tree when the juice runs down my shirt, the soaring of an eagle, the waving flag borne around the ring by a white horse. Armitage is the sight of the loved one just sighted returning on the troop ship after years of war, the touch of the loved one after long absence, the sound of the loved ones voice unexpected in a crowd. That is what consumes me obsesses me. He is what the horses want when they are turned toward the barn after a long day in the filed. He is first sight of my loved home upon returning from a long, hard trip. He is the light in the window, the warm hearth fire, the cat’s lazy, satisfied purring. While he is not essential to life, he is what makes it worth living.

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    • Breathtakingly poetic, Mary Lou! It’s amazing how a lad from Leicester can have this magical effect on so many wonderful discerning women across the globe!

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    • The feeling of your heart lifting.

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    • Lovely, Mary Lou. It has always irritated me to no end when Richard is referred contemptuously as “eye candy” and especially when called “OK eye candy”–listen, if you are going to negate the man’s considerable talents, at least give him the courtesy of acknowledging his masculine beauty and charm and say he’s great eye candy!! But of course he is far more. All the things you mentioned; and yes, Servetus, the feeling of your heart lifting . . . he is comfort, happiness, inspiration, beauty, bliss. He touches my heart, soul, mind and body.

      He is . . . sublime.

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    • @MaryLou so well said. Recently I called him poetry in motion. I feel his looks are inferior to what he does or show through them.

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  11. I’m supposed to be thinking about words but instead am wistfully trawling the net looking for snippets of RA to cheer me up. Awful to think there may be nothing new to look at for, oh, ages.

    However grim Spooks 9 was it gave RA a chance to act his socks off (which he did, to stunning effect). The next big thing to look forward to is the role of Thorin O and – this is just me – I’m having a hard time seeing how this is really going to stretch him. RA can surely do this standing on his head (a bit of scowling and growling, a lot of intensity, a moving death scene). He’ll be as charismatic as ever but really, what’s there to challenge him, dramatically? The dwarf dynamics don’t seem, erm, very complex. (I know that’s not the point, but…)

    I’m so hoping I’ll not be disappointed and I guess I should have faith in Peter Jackson. And the important thing is that RA will get sprinkled with stardust, in the Most Expensive Film Ever. I can see how all his roles to date have helped to get him to the right place for Hobbit stardom, in terms of technique, fitness, swordplay, horse-riding, PR skills, confidence. He’s the whole package now.

    It still feels almost like a fantasy come true – RA is going to be part of this unique, can’t-fail, alternative blockbuster project with (I imagine) stratospherically high production values. He’ll be on the radar of everyone who counts. There’s justice in the world after all.

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    • I am doing my best to remember this is a wonderful opportunity for him as an actor–the networking he can do, the contacts; the chance to work with a top-notch director whose productions are both respected by critics and proven box office draws–and yes, in the Most Expensive Film Ever!! How many actors get such a chance?

      @feefa, he is indeed the whole, blissful, bloomin’ package, and I reckon he’ll make a most memorable and charismatic dwarf and knock off the socks of any doubters.

      Will it be a huge acting stretch? I’m not sure anything PJ could throw at him would be more of an acting stretch than this last bloody series of Spooks, which, if nothing else, hopefully silenced some more of the “Wooden Armitage who is just OK eye candy” Brigade.

      It is a fantasy come true, methinks. And our own valiant, handsome, wise and strong knight is part and parcel of it. You are so right; in a world of “wanna-bes” and pallid imitations, the Real Thing–RA–is going to be discovered by the world. Justice, indeed. Hallelujah!!

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    • I think it depends a great deal on how it is scripted. When I read that The Hobbit was going to be two films, I was really curious, as it is narratively uncomplex in comparison to the LOTR novels. You stay with the main characters the whole time, the story is dsiciplined, no real digressions. They are going to have to write dialogue, and that’s always dangerous. The dialogue could be complex — we could get a soliloquy on Thorin’s feelings of inferiority for example — or it could suck, as in Spooks 9. I am sure that one reason they cast him was his capacity to portray such complex emotions with just a flick of the eyelid — but I too hope for more.

      That said, I loved the LOTR films, esp the first and third, though I am no slavish fan of Tolkien. Indeed I thought the first one was better than the book (ducks)

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  12. We went to the pub and caught up with a couple of my hubby’s friends! Although, I thought at least one of their partners would be there, which they weren’t, so the hubby could’ve just have a blokey meetup and I could’ve stayed at home with my annoying cough re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows… but alas! Well, there’s nothing else on telly now. :/

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  13. …I am trying to figure out how I can transport myself from Nova Scotia to The Old Vic in London for this coming weekend’s 24 Hour Plays Gala with RA (among many others) It would be amazing!

    Of course we don’t have to wait until The Hobbit comes out to see RA on the Big Screen…Captain America will be out first…

    And then there are always [spooks] re-watches, N&S re-watches, Vicar of Dibley re-watches, The Impressionists re-watch, Strike Back re-watches, cbeeies re-watches…

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    • Let’s give thanks for that amazing body of work he has already given us–all those shows, plus his audio books, his TV narrations, all the marvelous fan vids–we need never go for long without enjoying RA on our TV or computer screens.

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      • a colleague of mine who knows about this project responded in return to my mention that Spooks 9 is now over that I can start doing scene by scene analyses of his other works and that might take quite some time 🙂

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    • maybe Calexora can put you in her suitcase.

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      • @tyme4t…it would be great if you could come to the Old Vic this weekend too!!! I’ll get AirCanada to pick you up in NS on the way…how about that?!
        And to answer Servetus’ question…What am I doing tonight? or what was I doing tonight?? Desperately trying to book a not too expensive, well located hotel in LONDON!!! But oh worries, my tickets have still not been confirmed with the Old Vic (not quite what I expected as a premium VIP ticket holder…will call again tomorrow to confirm). So right now, I still don’t know if I have a hotel (waiting for confirmation) or tickets for the gala (waiting for confirmation too). But I do have my plane ticket and a buddy coming with me (and she doesn’t even know who RA is yet…can you believe? How sacrilegious!) And my amazing boss (actually the boss of my boss) said I should stay longer …that I deserve the break (nice to hear!) and he was even willing to look after my cats for me. So, I am trying to see if the budget will stretch a bit further. All this focus on planning the trip has enabled me to forget how nervous I am that I might actually get a chance to meet RA!!! (I’m swooning).

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        • Calexora,

          I hope you get all your confirmations lined up and have a fantastic time on your trip to London. What a nice boss of your boss!! Would that all bosses be so understanding and helpful.

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        • So sorry it is so hard to get the tickets from the other side of the pond. I could have got them online over here for you. Can’t you access the booking part of the Old Vic website outside the UK?

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          • Hi Pam. Thanks very much for the offer. You are very sweet. Unfortunately for the premium VIP tickets you have to call or fax to order them; they are not offered via the online booking tool. The Old Vic has received the request and have told me that two tickets have been set aside for me but it was actually Mastercard that stopped the payment as it thought it was a fraudulent request (coming from outside Canada). I advised them it was OK and it should go through now. The Old Vic just hasn’t resent the transaction to Mastercard. They were supposed to do it Monday but it hasn’t been done. I’ll check again later on today (Tues). But good news, the hotel confirmation came through. Its always a worry when you use sites like lastminute.com or something. Fingers crossed that everything is coming together now.

            I should go to bed (but surprisingly I’m too excited to sleep)…

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            • I hope you have a great time irrespective of whether you see RA or not – no celebrity is worth the time and expense – you are the one who is important and your enjoyment of your valuable time off is what counts! Who cares if you don’t get to see RA and the show – have a wonderful time in London anyway! 🙂

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              • I had wanted to tell her to just go with the flow and have a fantastic adventure no matter what, but you beat me to it, Mulubinba!

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            • Have a wonderful time in London and enjoy every moment of it, Calexora. I wish you all the best and have a safe and relaxed trip.

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        • WOW…Enjoy your adventure in London! I think some of the best trips are the last minute, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants ones. Where are you in Canada? You will have to fly over NS to get to London so I’ll wave!
          Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

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          • Thanks for the good wishes everyone. I’m even more excited about the trip now…just found out one of my favorite books (Birdsong) has been made into a play and is playing in London right now…I’ll try to go while I’m there.

            And you’ll never guess who’s in it! Sarah Caulfield (or rather Genevieve O’Reilly) and also Nicholas Farrell and Ben Barnes.

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  14. It has been a wonderful Monday night without angst! I am beta reading a Guy fanfic for a lovely writer. My own Guy story is clamoring to be written (he is SO insistent!) but I am trying to finish this last darn diss chapter.

    This Thursday is my BFF’s birthday and instead of Spooks I will give her her very own copy of Between the Sheets and watch it on her very own new region free dvd player I got her. She can hear the lovely Mr. Armitage say those 6 little words all on her own! We are “researching” as many of his roles as we can. Here at servetus U, research is our life!

    I feel like I have my life back. Isn’t that odd? I think our lovely man is very right about one thing. It’s time to laugh. He needs a light romance or comedy, STAT. I’d settle for an interview where he was only himself, saying what he really thinks, no publicity Richard. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it?

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    • Region-free DVD players are a great gift. I gave my sister one last year for her birthday and she got Spooks S7 at Christmas. She already has N&S and VoD . . . don’t have her name for Christmas this year but I think I just might slip an RA vid to her anyway. He is the gift that keeps on giving.

      Yep, after S9 I would say laughter and good cheer and sweet romance are all in order for the Luscious One.

      I would love it if Richard didn’t have to be hawking some series or other and could just simply let his hair down and have a good chinwag. Preferably with a lady journalist from south Alabama.

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      • Have you ever thought about asking for an interview? For the sake of US fans 🙂

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        • I probably should. What’s the worst they can do–turn me down?

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          • Exactly! Sometimes people are more accessible thank we think. What’s that saying “nothing ventured, nothing gained” 🙂

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            • Well, I have to say I have had some surprising things happen to me in my job as a community newspaper reporter. I’ve met male models shooting for a European men’s fashion magazine, had my photo taken with a well-known movie actor, interviewed a famous indie film director and gone behind the scenes on his movie shoot, interviewed the former Archbishop of Canterbury–and it’s all happened right here in my little county. Who would have thunk it?

              And Richard is of definite and growing interest here in the good ol’ USA. And I work for a large chain with many, many newspapers and with a newswire . . . Hmmmmmmm . . .

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              • Angie,

                Musa is right! Especially with Captain America under way there will be an interest in exposing him to the U.S.. “The only answer to an unasked question is No.”

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    • I agree, it’s really refreshing to come back from class and not have a huge feeling of trepidation. We had a rousing discussion (Dipesh Chakrabarty, Provincilializing Europe) and now I think I might go out and catch the late movie. Or I might just go to bed — up early tomorrow to do some grading before lecture.

      I also feel like I have my life back. Not that Mr. Armitage ever wanted me to give it up, but Spooks 9 had a strange effect on me, like I was spending most of my spare time thinking about it. He did make me “care too much.”

      What a generous birthday present!

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      • As I have said, I thought Guy’s death was hard, and I was frequently frustrated by elements of RH 3, but nothing drove me to the brink like Spooks 9. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, mulling it over in my head, anticipating the next ep with fear and trepidation that only increased as the series progressed. I felt paralyzed in my creative writing towards the end.

        Yes, I would have to say I really did care too much. Couldn’t have been healthy for me. That’s why it was such a huge relief when it ended, even if the ending was so awful.

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        • I actually could hardly sleep after eps 6 and 8, I was compulsively reading everything on the Internet that I could find on S9 (NOT the spoilers, mind you), and I could not stop thinking about it. In all, it was very tiring and emotional, and although I’ll miss it, it certainly is nice to land again, and feel more like myself. In have never ever had anything like this happening to me before; I am way too grounded and serious for this (normally).

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          • I was compulsively reading everything, period. I just couldn’t get what was apparently and then truly happening to poor Lucas out of my mind. As much as I love watching RA perform, this was ultimately so punishing to my psyche, I don’t think I could have taken much more, I really don’t.

            I kept reminding myself, “It’s just a TV show,” “This is a fictional character. Richard is fine and not currently losing his mind!” But it all seemed so real to me because he is so very compelling and I remembered all too well the early Lucas, who would never have done and said the things this horrible aberration was saying and doing.

            I’ve always been imaginative and “sensitive,” but this went beyond the pale for me. And I frankly don’t ever want to be put through that sort of prolonged emotional wringer ever again, no matter how good the acting is. Yes, please, a return to some semblance of normalcy and balance.

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  15. I was blue and commiserated with my spook friends on twitter. It has been a crazy rollercoaster ride. It became 2 intense for me to enter your heated discussions. I’m glad it’s over and I still need to view the last ep on my big screen since I finally put it on DVD … I’m hoping it will be cathartic.
    I’ve seen some painfully beautiful fanvids. One of them can only be viewed on Facebook on Lucas North or Spooks Stuff page. It’s set to James Blunt’s The Brightest Star how poignant. I’m not just ready to view earlier Lucas beyond fanvids.
    On the upside I’m getting excited for the new Harry Potter!! It’s seems to have chased my blues away …

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  16. I’ve found several editions of the Hobbit in my library. One an adult illustrated one and the unabridged audioversion which is already on my iPod. Even found that old Disney production on tape (glad we still got several players for older kids audiobooks in our library are still on tape) and it’s been played to the max.
    As of yet it’s not pulling me in, web activity has seriously cut into my reading habits.
    Yeah Angie for more slothfic! My favorite cookies and milk for bedtime! LOL

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  17. Actually relaxed on a Monday evening for the first time in weeks: no angst about getting the family to let me watch Spooks in peace; no angst from the ‘bomb plot of the week’; no angst about how TPTB are destroying Lucas … and a Santander advert played just to remind me of RA’s voice…

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