Now that I have a new digital TV with inclusive box so that I don't have one of those little digithingys on the top of my set, the reception is so much better and I am watching assorted channels and surfing through what is available. Of course, the answer is not much, with the exception of the repeats of all those wonderful series of moons ago. I am talking about the perennial showing of the Sherlock Holmes series with Jeremy Brett as the man himself (for me he is the quintessential Holmes though others may disagree), David Suchet as Hercule Poirot which I could watch over and over again and do (still some I find to my delight I have not seen), Peter Wimsey series with lovely lovely Edward Petherdige (DVD's still shockingly expensive on Amazon otherwise I would buy the lot), Miss Marple (NOT the Geraldine McEwan series I hasten to add) and, finally, my discovery the other night of Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.
How did I miss watching this before? WHY did I miss watching it before? I think, on looking back, that this was a time when this pair were fairly ubiquitous with their series Fry and Laurie, and non stop appearances on quiz shows, talk shows etc etc and I probably thought enough was enough already. Always the same with TV, find something/somebody you like and then do them to death until public is fed up with them (as with recent costume drama, see post Too Much of a Good Thing?)
Mem; really must stop all these parentheses I am bunging in, trouble is my mind operates at a tanget and I wander along little byways which have been brought to my notice by what I have just said and I am burbling so will stop now.
Back to Jeeves and Wooster. Found an episode on one of the digital channels and sat and watched it with ever increasing delight. I know absolutely nothing about the works of PG Wodehouse except they are many and various, though I had heard of the dreaded Aunt Agatha, but I now feel that I must seek them out. This episode was peopled by young men about town rejoicing in the names of Steggles, Bingo and Piggy who exclaimed What Ho! at regular intervals and when spotting a glamorous young lady said What a Corker. I was in heaven and I now intend to catch up with this series. Better late than never say I.
While googling I came across this article by Stephen Fry written some time ago and attach it for your amusement. I very much enjoyed reading it.
http://www.hatsharpening.com/j&w/savedlife.php
Now I need help from all those Woosterians or Jeevesonians out there. What is the title of the first book in this series? Do I need to read them in order or can I just dip in and out? Also, I gather there are others, not Jeeves, in PG output and I need to know what they are as well.
So help please..
Toodle pip!
