Benedict Cumberbatch: Review of Parade's End

Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock who tune in to Parade's End hoping to see him in another Sherlock-like role would be vastly disappointed to find Cumberbatch almost unrecognizable as Christopher Tjetjens and playing about a different a role as you can possibly get from the ever hyperactive Sherlock.

Parade's End is a difficult series to fall in love with, which might explained why its viewers were dropping like flies. UK viewer ratings went from a BBC2 high of 3.52 million in the first episode to 2.30 million, and by the last episode (episode 5), had eroded to just 1.77 million, nearly half of what it began with.

I have to say that fans of Cumberbatch who are just interested in seeing him acting in Sherlock-like roles are missing out. More than making the role of Sherlock his own with 70 plus different incarnations of Sherlock out there, Cumberbatch is first and foremost a chameleonic and incredibly versatile actor who brings something different in every new role he tackles. And in Parade's End, Cumberbatch dons a fat suit and plumpers to play the repressed and tortured aristocrat Christopher Tjetjens.

To be fair, it is not easy task, trying to condense Ford Madox Ford's sprawling 895-page tetralogy into 5 1-hour episodes. This adaptation feels more like a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive narrative, with characters popping in and out of the storyline without much explanation. I found myself checking the plot synopsis Wikipedia after each episode to see if I was on track in comprehending what was transpiring on screen. And while the storyline seemed to proceed at a snail's pace at the best of times, each episode actually encompasses months and sometimes even years...

The real gems of the show are Rebecca Hall, who plays Tjetjens's wife Sylvia, and of course, Cumberbatch as Tjetjens himself. Adelaide Clemens as Valentine Wannop though was sadly disappointing as Tjetjen's love interest, while the stellar supporting cast is reduced to portray caricatures of the upper class echelons of British society...

Benedict Cumberbatch: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

If Sherlock is a study in how a versatile actor like Benedict Cumberbatch is able to convey such a wide range of emotions in portraying such a theatrical character, because Sherlock is definitely a very theatrical character, Cumberbatch's role in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy as George Smiley's loyal right-hand man Peter Guillam is a study in how such an immensely talented actor like Cumberbatch is equally able to convey so much emotion and make us feel for him and fear for him with so much less. That's the mark of a genius actor right there.

Here is what Gary Oldman, his co-star in Tinker Tailor said about him during the DVD commentary:

"A marvelous young actor."

Even Meryl Streep, the greatest actress of her generation, enjoyed Cumberbatch's acting in Tinker Tailor.

According to Cumberbatch, who met Streep at the Golden Globe Awards. "‘Oh, yes!’ she said. ‘I saw you in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I loved it!’ She meant it. She usually, very politely, manages to wriggle free from people she doesn’t care for. "

A journalist about sums up his acting in the movie:

"The most unheralded of the supporting “Tinker” crew, Cumberbatch, is also the most mesmerizingly good. The “Atonement” star doesn’t have one standout scene in “Tinker”, he has at least three. These are powerful moments where Cumberbatch makes you feel the insane stress his character, Peter Guillam, feels assisting Gary Oldman’s George Smiley in his clandestine investigation and where he has to throw away his personal life for the greater good of his country. It’s fantastic work that will not be forgotten by the acting branch. (…) Simply, Cumberbatch is one of the few contenders this (Oscars) season that if he doesn’t get in it’s a travesty."

-Gregory Elwood, journalist

If you haven't already, you should check out this deleted scene between Peter Guillam and Ciaran Hinds's character Roy Bland, which takes place right after Guillam is asked by Smiley to start spying on the Circus. In this scene, Bland is subtly threatening Guillam, and you can see how Cumberbatch's hand trembles ever so slightly as he is smoking, how already he is beginning to fray at the edges under all the guilt, stress and fear of having to spy on his own people. Superb interplay between these two actors in this scene. Pity that it was excised from the final cut of the movie.

Benedict Cumberbatch: His guest roles in British TV series from 2002 to 2003

Hills Like White Elephants: Scoured the Internet but was not able to find video of it. Cumberbatch is credited as The Man. This is a short film adapted from a short Ernest Hemingway story of the same name. Interesting trivia: Benedict Cumberbatch worked with Todd Boyce (who plays CIA trained killer Neilson in Scandal of Belgravia) in this short film and did not see each other again until Scandal of Belgravia.

Fields of Gold: Plays a journalist with aspirations of writing a novel. He's seen in Season 1 episode 2 and 3. Interesting trivia: In episode 3 he shares a scene with Philip Davis, a fellow journalist. Davis plays the cabbie that Cumberbatch's character Sherlock faces off in Study in Pink.

Tipping the Velvet: Plays a fisherman dating a girl who later realizes that she is a lesbian. At the risk of sounding like I am typecasting Cumberbatch as someone who is only good at playing posh roles, he does for some unfathomable reason look out of place in this role as a fisherman.

Silent Witness: Cumberbatch plays a medical student here. His role is more substantial than either Fields of God or Tipping the Velvet. Interesting trivia: The girl who rejects him in one scene is actually played by his then-girlfriend Olivia Poulet, who later on also acts alongside him in The Blind Banker as Amanda, Eddie Van Coon's secretary/mistress who ends up with the 9 million pound hairpin. Also, Tom Ward, who is the doctor that Cumberbatch's character interact with in his first scene in the movie, later on plays Roger Penrose in Hawking, in which Cumberbatch stars in as the titular character.

Cambridge spies: A very small cameo here as Edward Hand.

Spooks: Plays a character who is pretty thick. Bit different from all the intelligent roles he later plays. He does thick pretty well here. Proves he can do more than play intelligent roles.

My love affair with the works of Benedict Cumberbatch

OK. I'll admit it right off the bat. I nicked this post title off the famous Times article written by Caitlin Moran, entitled My Love Affair With Sherlock. With Star Trek Into Darkness due to be released in about a week's time in the U.K. and two weeks' time in the States and worldwide, 36-year old British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is set to take the world by storm and become a household name not just in his home country, which he already is with Sherlock, but on a worldwide scale. After Into Darkness, fans of Cumberbatch will forevermore be divided into two groups, those who fell in love with his acting on the BBC series Sherlock and ones who will definitely be converted post-Star Trek, if the raves about his acting in the movie even by critics panning the movie are anything to go by.

I belong in the former, and only just barely. This despite having first seen him in a movie 5 years ago. Being an Anglophile ever since I could remember who was especially fascinated with Tudor history, I had read The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory and, while not being all that impressed by it because of all the historical inaccuracies littered throughout the book, dragged my best friend to go see the 2008 movie adaptation with me. The movie starred Eric Bana of all people as Henry VIII, Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn and Scarlett Johansson as the other Boleyn girl, Mary Boleyn.

The casting left a lot to be desired in my opinion. American actors headlining a British historical film? Definitely not a good sign. The supporting cast seemed mostly to be filled by British actors though, which provided some consolation. Cumberbatch himself had only a small role in this movie, appearing for the first few minutes of the film as William Carey, the first husband of Mary Boleyn who willingly cuckolded himself in return for political power. His role in the movie was really too small for me to make much of an impression beyond: Lucky sod! He gets to have a sex scene with Scarlett Johansson!

It was 4 years later before I saw him in another movie.

Fast forward 4 years to 2012, and I am watching the John LeCarre novel-adapted movie Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with my uncle. This was as far different from The Other Boleyn Girl as it could get. This was a who's who of British thespians. Gary Oldman. Colin Firth. Tom Hardy. Ciarán Hinds. Toby Jones. Tom Hardy. And Bendict Cumberbatch. I have to confess, as a moviegoer who is used to fast-paced high-octave action spy movies (all very unrealistic of course), Tinker Tailor was a slow movie to warm up to. A very very slow movie to get into but one in which you do hit paydirt by movie's end. The only character I actually ended up caring about was Peter Guiliam (Cumberbatch's character). In the movie, poor Guillam is made to spy on his own organization, and through Cumberbatch's acting, you can palpably feel his conflict and sense of anguish at having to do such a thing. There is a nail-biting scene where Guillam is tasked with stealing a document and as a viewer, you really fear for him. Not to mention a heartbreaking scene where Guillam had to break up with his boyfriend because things were starting to get really dangerous for him. After watching the movie, I Wikied Benedict Cumberbatch, looked through his filmography but somehow or other never got around to following up on checking out his other works. So I guess you can say I really noticed his superb acting even before seeing Sherlock.

That same year, I saw him in War Horse, where he played a pompous Major James Stewart. Did not recognize him at all, and frankly I was paying more attention to Tom Hiddleston's character who had been more sympathetically portrayed. Have to say Cumberbatch does pompous pretty well though.

Like many others, it took me to watching Sherlock before I recognized Cumberbatch. What can I say? He was such a chameleonic actor that I did not recognize him as the same actor across three different movies, and I am usually very good at spotting even lesser-known actors in different roles. He just looked so different in almost every role he plays. Kind of like the male version of Meryl Streep.

End of 2012. Having just gone through 4 seasons and 75 episodes of Battlestar Galactica on DVD, I was hunting for another good new television series to sink my teeth into. So I browsed through IMDB and came across this BBC series called Sherlock. Oh! A modern day adaptation of Sherlock...Hmm. Not really a fan of Sherlock Holmes even though I had watched the movie version starring Robert Downey Jr and quite enjoyed it, although it was more because of Robert Downey Jr's acting than any love for the character of Sherlock Holmes. Despite the high ratings on IMDB, it took my best friend's recommendation (yeah, that same friend who I dragged to watch The Other Boleyn Girl with me and who I subsequently turned into a Tudor history fan) before I took the plunge.

Come early 2013, and I am watching the first episode of Sherlock, A Study in Pink. Before watching it, I was still feeling very skeptical about an iconic Victorian character being turned into a modern-day character in modern-day London. My perception totally shifted on its head after watching it. I totally was blown away. Blown away by the witty script. Blown away by the acting of Cumberbatch in the role of modern-day Sherlock, a high-functioning sociopath who wears nicotine patches instead of smoking pipes. Loved the on-screen chemistry between Sherlock and Martin Freeman's John Watson (When I went to see The Hobbit, I just couldn't see Martin Freeman's grumpy Bilbo Baggins without thinking of his grumpy Watson. He was just about as exasperated with Sherlock as he was with 13 hairy dwarfs plus a grey wizard!).

Enjoyed the second episode, The Blind Banker, even though the script left a lot to be desired. It seems that rather than having Sherlock rely on his Holmesian powers of deduction to solve a crime, this episode had the characters run around some iconic British places and stumble their way into clues. Hated the oriental theme running through the episode as well. It was a testament to the power of Cumberbatch's acting and chemistry he shared with Freeman's Watson that still made me enjoy it despite not being fond of the plot.

Four episodes and two cliffhanger endings later, I had become a full-fledged fan of Cumberbatch's acting. And there is no going back now. I actually found out the actor I was so impressed with in Tinker Tailor was actually the same person playing Sherlock after once again checking Cumberbatch's filmography, this time with the full intention of seeking out every role he's ever played in.

This post is not complete yet since I have yet to touch on works of Cumberbatch I watched post-Sherlock viewing. I guess I'll review them one by one in new posts when I'm feeling inclined to do so. Not that anyone is going to read any of this, mind. It's just good to sort of have it down on writing so I can somehow rationalize why I admire his acting so much is all.

Benedict Cumberbatch: "He just kissed one of my bitches!"

How did Benedict Cumberbatch know that the second girl from Kent was a Cumberbatch fan?

For those of you who are utterly baffled by how Benedict Cumberbatch knew when he exclaimed: "He just kissed one of my bitches" at the Graham Norton show that was broadcast on BBC1 yesterday, I am going to describe the incident here and follow it with an explanation of what actually happened.

At the Graham Norton Show, Benedict Cumberbatch, ever a gentleman, had spontaneously ran off the stage to hug and kiss Cumberbatch fans who had travelled a long way to see him on the show (Germany, Hong Kong and Nebraska), making co-star Chris Pine sort of obligated to do so for his fans as well (Japan and Kent).

There were two fans who mentioned that they traveled from Kent to be at the show, but what Pine didn't know was that the second fan from Kent was actually a Cumberbatch fan and not a Pine fan like the first one. So when Pine went over to hug her, Cumberbatch had a mock shocked expression on his face as he pointed at the both of them and he then stood up before sitting back down again.

When Pine finally returned to the stage, Cumberbatch exclaimed, "He just kissed one of my bitches!", covering his mouth after uttering the word "bitches" since he had earlier on demurred to say the word when he was asked by Norton on what his fans called themselves, which is in fact "Cumberbitches" but who he instead diplomatically referred to as the "Cumber Collective". (Nice little bit of alliteration there by Cumberbatch.)

What had happened was that Cumberbatch had immediately recognized his fan from previous encounters before and especially after she presented a birthday compilation video to him for his 36th birthday last year. I am not all that sure Cumberbatch actually heard what she said when she was looking at him while being hugged by Pine and cheekily joking that "I'm a Pine now", since all the applause that was going around probably drowned out her words.

While it is nice to think that Cumberbatch amazingly made use of some Holmesian/Sherlockian skill retained from his role as Sherlock to deduce that the second fan from Kent was a fan of his, all without her ever mentioning it at all during the show, the truth is that Cumberbatch recognized her right from the start. Her name is Tor (short for Victoria) Charlesworth, and she is known online by her Tumblr moniker Cumberbuddy. To find out more about Tor and her previous interactions with the Batch, you can visit her Tumblr webpage at: http://cumberbuddy.tumblr.com/

When I was watching this scene unfold, a Sherlock quote actually popped into my mind. I mean, exactly what are the chances of Graham Norton actually calling on Cumberbuddy, a Cumberbatch fan that Cumberbatch actually recognized, as a second person from Kent who Chris Pine subsequently then mistakes for his fan, thus causing such a hilarious outcome?

Okay, Cumberbuddy did mention this: "we had names on the seats so i guess graham would be briefed before hand on which chairs to look out for. (certain then who’s a fan of who…)" but I think that there was still a randomness to how it all happened.

As Sherlock himself would say: "People say there's no such thing as coincidence. What dull lives they must lead." (Sherlock, Season 2, Hound of the Baskervilles)

Nope, I don't think for a second that Cumberbuddy leads a dull life. Why, she just celebrated her birthday at the Graham Norton show being fought over by two Hollywood hunks! That's a priceless birthday present, I'd dare say.

For Cumberbuddy's own words on what transpired, you can read it all here on her tumblr post: http://cumberbuddy.tumblr.com/post/49868400888/gns-and-the-london-stid-prem-write-up

Please note that some of the links here may be dead because Cumberbuddy has recently removed her postings after receiving a lot of hate messages on her tumblr account.

Matched trilogy: Reached Spoilers

A Matched trilogy inspired bracelet, by the wonderfully talented Jenna from her Etsy store Book Geek Boutique.

I got the book a week before its publication date, and devoured the book in two days. Here is what happen in Reached. Needless to say, this post is chock full of spoilers.

The Rising takes place. Many in Society is affected by the Plague. The Rising overthrows Society by providing the cure to the Plague.

Unfortunately the Plague mutates, and the Pilot looks to Cassia, Ky and Xander to find the cure; Xander because he is a medic/physic who had first-hand experience with the plague and its mutation, Ky because he is infected by the mutated Plague virus and basically becomes a test subject on which to try the new cure, and Cassia, because of her sorting skills and ability to analyze.

Cassia figures out the plant that can cure the plague, Xander makes the cure and Ky, who is treated with the cure and is held up as proof of the workability of the cure.

Not surprisingly, Cassia ends up with Ky, although Xander, who I really feel sorry about throughout the book because he is really a nice guy who deserves better, finds someone else in the end. While his new love may seem like a consolation prize, I actually feel that Xander would actually be happier with his new love interest than he could ever be with Cassia. Xander new love interest is surprisingly Vick's fiancee.

The book ends on a hopeful but somewhat ambiguous note as the people finally get to vote to see who will lead them, the Pilot representing the Rising, an Official representing Society, and Anna, the leader of the Anomaly/Abberation village in Crossed, who represents everyone else.

Indie, who nurses an unrequited love for Ky, gets the mutated plague and chooses to die her own way by flying off in her plane. Cassia's father also dies of the mutated plague before the cure can be found.

Pillowy Love

Waking up pillow-less,
I crane my neck to check,
Sure enough, he’s commandeered
my entire pillow.
Sleeping with nary a care in the world,
Dreaming of Whiskas Temptations®.

Not withstanding the crick in my neck,
My heart wells up with love.
For my perennial pillow-hogger.

I’ve never like his type.
I’ve always thought
His kind was too aloof.

But someway, somehow,
He’s insinuated himself
Into my hard cynical heart.

Whenever I'm feeling down,
He uncannily knows.
He'll snuggle real close,
Melting into me like
warm comforting butter.

As I hammer away
At my assignments, or watch
A film for class, We sit together,
A mere feather’s breath apart.



Past bedtime, he saunters downstairs.
Blocking the computer screen,
He contemplates me in bemusement
As I bang away on the keyboards.

Day's done, we hit the sack together.
He snares a cat’s share of the pillow.
His warm body rumbles merrily along,
And his stout whiskers tickles my face;
A furry kiss, a pillowy texture of love.

The Gospel of St. Luke The Cat

(A Bible for Cats and their human slaves)


The Ten Commandments

All Cats art thy Lord,
thou should Worship no other.
thou shall Make only Cats Idols.
thou shall Revere and Honor thy Cats.
human slaves, Submit and Obey.

Thou shall rest all 7 days of the week.
Thou shall be perennial Cat burglars.
Thou shall blame thy neighbor.
Thou shall also covet thy neighbor’s fish.
Thou shall be promiscuous and adulterous.
Thou shall be murderous and vicious.
Cats, your Lord commands you so.

The Seven Sins

Thou shall lust.
Thou shall eat till thou vomit.
Thou shall be greedy in all things.
Thou shall sleep 20 hours a day.
Thou shall rain down thy wrath.
On any that doth disturb thy sleep.
Thou shall envy thy neighbor’s fish.
Thou shall be proud and vain.
These are sins if thou doth not commit them.

The Seven Virtues

Thou shall be wonton, not chaste.
Thou shall not temper one’s greed.
Thou shall be selfish, not charitable.
Thou shall be lazy, not diligent.
Thou shall be impatient and violent.
Thou shall be evil and jealous, not kind.
Thou shall suffer hubris, not humble pie.
These are virtues if thou follow them.

The Devil's Brother

Oh Stanley
He’s a Serval Domestic Medley
He’s an Evil Savannah Cat
When You See Him You Go Scat

He’s Oscar’s Brother
With Chuck for a Father
Luke His Surrogate Brother
And Fonda for a Mother

He is the Epitome of Evil
That’s Definitely No Fake Call
His Brother is the Devil
After All

His Paws Full of Claws
He Leaves Your Face With Scratchy Flaws
With Terrifying Toenails He Draws Blood
Oh My God He Just Caused Noah’s Flood

Biting He Unleashes His Razor Sharp Teeth
They are Most Definitely Not A Myth
The Ground Shakes When He Pounces
For He Weighs A Great Many Ounces

Where He Leaps He Brings Gloom
When He Lands He Goes Boom
As He Stares At You From Across The Room
You Know You’re Awaiting Your Doom

When Luke Sees Him he Trembles and Cowers
For Brimming with Evil are His Diabolical Glowers
He Mutilates Chuck’s Beautiful Flowers
For Dark and Evil Are His Malicious Powers

He is Definitely Not As Innocent As He Looks
He Only Does that to Get into Chuck’s Good Books
Hear Not His Plantive Yowl
For When He Attacks With Excruciating Pain You’ll Surely Howl

Evil Emanates from Every Pore in His Body
He is The Vilest Villain from Every Fairy Tale Story
Beware Stanley for He is the Devil’s Brother
Even Satan Sees Him and Falter

A Love Poem Riddled with Clichés

What is love?

Love is a blushing dove.
Love warms you like a glove.
Love is found in a hidden grove.
Love is more than a treasure trove.

Love is the water that feeds a cove.
Love is the road that gypsies rove.
Love is the scarf your mother wove.
Love is how hard your father strove.



Love smells like cinnamon and clove.
Love feels cozy like a hot stove.
Love is the light from above.
Love shines on a small alcove.

Love is in everything, by Jove!

Labor Day Picnic*

This Labor Day at Coyote Point Park,
We had a lot of fun under the sun.
On grass fields flaked with eucalyptus bark,
It was perfect, like burger in a bun

Topped with sliced pickles, mustard and ketchup.
Tandoori chicken with basmati rice.
Sweet Jell-O shot to be slurped in a gulp,
Chilled Corona flavored with lemon slice.

Greek dolma lovingly wrapped in grape leaf,
Corn on the cob that's slathered with butter.
Thick, succulent, and well-seasoned grilled beef,
Pakora fried in gram flour batter.

This is the stuff that picnics are made of,
A great awesome way to spend your day off.

*While the poem, written in traditional sonnet form with iambic pentameter, seems to be obsessed with food, what I actually hope it does brings across is that the picnic is really about people, how friends of diverse cultural backgrounds came together to enjoy a traditional American Labor Day activity, as seen in the poem where verses about classic American barbeque foods are juxtaposed with that of other cuisines.