Mr. Armitage . . . again.
What treats in amongst the drech of manuscript revision, the upsets with my dogs and the copious cooking required for shearing.
Last night I sat down for my regular hit of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple on ABC-TV. It was, of course, a repeat. But there, lo, in a secondary role, was Richard Armitage. The first time I watched this series a couple of years ago, I didn’t know who Richard Armitage was and so his role passed me by. I think the production date was 2007 which may have been on the cusp of his rise. His face had less expression lines and his voice hadn’t quite the depth of later roles. 
And he was confined to a wheel-chair which reduced the expressiveness of his role even more. Having said that, the thing that I find most fascinating is watching how he has matured as an actor. This may well have been pre the seminal North and South.
Then, when I came home from the Animal Hospital with my drugged-out JRT, I sat with her draped over my toes and checked through my favourite blogs. There was M G’s RA Friday (http://www.flyhigh-by-learnonline.blogspot.com )and I sat laughing at the turn she has taken in what could almost (but not quite) be considered an obsession. Where does she find all this information? She must surely be related to Monsieur Poirot.
Finally after dinner tonight and sitting with my husband having a glass of wine, we watched the Meg episode of Robin Hood 3. 
I had seen a spoiler on blogs elsewhere which was a shame as it reduced the impact of a crucial moment in Gisborne’s changing persona. But never mind, next week we get a hastily cobbled back-story about Guy and his Dad. Privately, it just seems to me that the writers have so many sub-plots hatching all over the place, that anything that concentrates on Gisborne alone would be welcome. My husband made the comment: ‘When is the la-de -da-de-da sheriff coming back?’ (we know he is alive, we saw his fingers move a couple of weeks ago).
Anyway, back to Guy in the Meg episode . . . in amongst Hood trying to sort out just who his amours shall be, Gisborne’s self-realisation, as opposed to the self-flagellation of the first episode of Series 3, was a touching and exceptionally real portrayal. 
As I watched Mr.Armitage portray this new phase in Guy’s life, it occurred to me how far the man himself has come since the Miss Marple episode. And it makes me wonder just how much further he can push himself. I look forward to watching.
Your comments are interesting about how he is maturing as an actor, but actually North and South was made and originally broadcast in the UK in 2004. So Miss Marple was filmed about 3 years later.
Thanks for that kaprekar, as you can see I have little detailed knowledge of RA’a timeline. It’s actually quite interesting and it may have been the role on Miss Marple and the impositions and strictures of that role, but North and South definitely trumps it for fine acting. Then again, it was a primary role in N and S and allowed him scope. Miss Marple allowed him very little.
Hi , Mesmered. Thanks for quoting me as a M. Poirot, but I’m not. There are ladies running very informative upadated sites (not blogs) dedicated to Richard Armitage. Annette = http://www.richardarmitageonline.com
Ali= http://www.richardarmitagenet.com
just to mention the ones I regularly check!
The real detectives are at the C19 forum. I don’t know how , but they know everything happening in RA’s career almost in real time!
Meg and Guy: how beautiful that episode is! Have you seen their story summed up in ten minutes I uploaded in Utube?( http://www.youtube.com/user/SMaryG) Their scenes watched back to back are so moving! I also loved episode 10 in series 3 (Guy/Robin background story)
You are right, Richard has much improved, though he was already very good, in his acting and in his look.
Finally, I’m glad you laughed at my RA Friday. I’m trying to laugh at myself too, of course, ’cause this RA’s syndrome thing can become very dangerously obsessive!
Have a good relaxing Sunday!
Hi MG, I knew you’d stop by. I rely on you totally for updates. you know. Great post, really amusing and you shall just have to get the award for Number One Italian fan and meet the man when he comes to Italy for the launch.
Love and best!
We are rather sceptical at his coming to Italy to launch Strike Back at Rome Fiction Fest. He’s very busy shooting Spooks 9 in London… but never say never … we are ready if he comes.
Hugs
MG
Le sigh.
I think I’m the only RA fan who couldn’t get herself to watch Season 3 of Robin Hood.
(Thanks for these photos).
TFI, why? I would love to hear your reasons.
If its because of the quality of the storylines, it’s no wonder. But Gisborne’s character develops way beyond the archtype of the two previous series and its worth watching for that. It’s why I’m watching it. And even though we know he shall die in the end, I shall probably buy the boxed set to keep.
It’s the storylines. And the writing in general. Even by the second half of Season 2, all the wit had drained out, the Sheriff’s awesome one-liners had gone flat, and there was too much dialogue, too little awesome.
And don’t you think there were a few too many siblings come out of the woodworks?
Also, I really liked Lucy Griffiths. I do not like that poor, she-never-had-a-chance “Kate”.
But I do know that Guy gets more dimension. And his hair gets longer. I suppose there’s that.
I agree with you on every single point and I watch it purely for the Gisborne and Much factor. Kate’s a whining bore, Isabella is predictable.
My husband watches in the hope that the REAL sheriff will return, his wit cracked us both up in Series One and a Half.
When my friends and I wrote the fan-fiction novella through ‘mesmered’s’ Masked Ball phase, it was always my character that wanted the Guy character to have a little of his hair trimmed off! Just a little.
That is an adorable photo of Guy and Meg.
Thank you, Avalon . . . found it trawling through the internet. Thanks for dropping by and do come again!