Fun
Lazy Sunday: Press
Dear Ann,
I don’t make a Lazy Sunday recommendation for every Masterpiece series—it only seems that way. Or maybe it’s just a matter of getting to them all. I’m trying! I dedicate many hours of knitting time to reclining on pillows watching PBS. I do hope the people are grateful for my sacrifice.
My latest Masterpiece crush is the series Press, set in the present day, in the newsrooms of two London newspapers. One office is full of earnest journalistic intent and talk of ethics; the other prides itself on its salacious content and has no qualms about doorstepping grieving mothers or humiliating government ministers. The human link between the two papers is Holly Evans, an ace investigative reporter who bristles with righteousness and anger. Needless to say (to my friends in Masterpiece world), her personal life leaves a lot to be desired (literally), and her make-up is not on point.
Digression: I’ve noticed that wearing a baggy sweater is now cinematographic shorthand for “this woman is tedious, a bit of a harpie.” [Shakes fist in general direction of Masterpiece Contemporary; defiantly snuggles into baggy sweater.]
I’ve been streaming Press on PBS Passport. I’m up to the final episode, number 6. It’s engrossing. A tale well told, with brilliant acting. I can’t in good conscience recommend following a colorwork chart while watching it—your knitting and your ability to follow the story will both suffer—but I did knit a whole Rubble Hat in just four hours of Press. So it can be done.
Love,
Kay
Loved Press and watched the whole season when it arrived on passport. I to have railed against comfy sweater = tedious woman. Keep the recommendation coming please, lots of knitting to do.
I watched this a couple of weeks ago when I needed a show to watch while my husband was out of town (making the shows we were watching together feel slightly like cheating). Loved it! Off to shower and put on my baggy sweater for the day.
Don’t hate me. I greatly disliked it. I watched the first episode and was ready for it to be good. Alas, it wasn’t.
I was ready to give up on it after two episodes but went for a third. It got much better and the story had me hooked after that.
No hate, gosh! For me it was the opposite: from the trailers I was ready not to like it, and then i did. Certainly not the best thing they’ve ever done, and I wouldn’t say it was the most subtle or realistic writing, but I like how the Masterpiece Contemporary folks strive toward something new.
I just started watching this on PBS Passport; somehow I missed it on my local station. And The Crown starts today!
I just finished watching Press too. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and it wasn’t just for Ben Chaplin’s deep brown eyes. Honest.
I’m not sure this has been on my PBS station yet, but I’ll look for it on Passport.
I sort of fell into Press. I think that on my local PBS station that they piggybacked it on to Poldark. I was only mildly interested at first, but quickly became engrossed. I loved the story (I think that it summed up nicely what’s happening in print journalism today) and characters!