Autistic Prehistoric Adventures, A Cinderella Regency Story & A Love Story That Got Social Media Talking!

Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. This time it’s another TV Reviews, which include series 2 of a comedy showing a new chapter and f the autistic paleontologist, the 4th season of the sauciest regency drama which was inspired by Cinderella, and a Canadian show based on two books that got everyone on social media talking. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on these three shows!

Dinosaur:

The first show I’m going to talk about is series 2 of Dinosaur, starring Ashley Storrie (who co created it with Matilda Curtis), Kat Ronney and Danny Ashok.

This followed Nina living her dream life in a job in the Isle of White, but let’s just say that things will never be the same when she comes home to Glasgow and ends up in a love triangle. 

Ashley once again smashed her role as Nina. What I like about her as well is how to find the humour in certain situations, these included the care package she got in episode 1, and her lack of understanding on social ques when she made a drunken mistake in episode 3. This series we saw her get into a love triangle, with coffee man Lee (Lorn McDonald who you may recognise as Albion Finch in Bridgerton, which is in the next review) and American colleague from the isle of white Clayton or Clay for short (Hyoie O’Grady). This really put her feelings to the test, and as an autistic person, I get what it’s like when you have two people you like but are not sure what gestures mean platonic or romantic. I can also see why she would like both of them, as Lee was his usual geeky self which Nina didn’t have to mask, whilst Clayton having the same passion as her helped form that bond to possibly turn into something romantic. But good on her for figuring out herself who she wanted to be with, using her own way in episode 5 and 6 to state what it is. I also liked how there was a mirror/full circle moment at the beginning and end, with Lee sending Nina something inspired by Nina’s name, and Nina giving Lee a gift inspired by him, using it as an analogy to tell him how she feels. Abit weird to some people but for Nina, it’s her way of communicating things which I admire. By Nina’s side, was her sister Evie (Kat Ronny), who had some very unique ways into helping Nina in her love triangle, but only because she knew her sister better than anyone else, which is what sisters are for. That along with exploring her marriage with husband Ranesh (Danny Ashok), and it was through them and their ways to get spicy in the bedroom is where I’ve learnt the term “boofing”. It’s definitely one I’m going to remember, particularly if I’m in a public place and that when I do find that soulmate at least I can have that as a code word. 

Like the last series, all of the other characters in Nina’s life helped her journey. These included Bo (David Carlyle) who despite getting teased by her and Evie, and despite a friction between the two in episode 5 after he let slip Nina’s drunken mistake, he was still able to help her navigate romance. And he needed to as well, as we also saw Evie's friend Amber (Sabrina Sandhu), get pregnant with his child. But at least she approved of Lee, knowing he brings out the best in Nina. There was also Nina's parents Ade and Diane (Greg Hemphill and Sally Howitt), who di end up in embarrassing situations and get over excited in a lot of things, with one example being Ade setting up his own version of a sporting event (which was quite entertaining). But amongst all of the quirkiness, they do care for Nina deeply, and whilst they were happy to see her excel in the Isle of Wight, they also respect her decision for coming home. We also saw Nina’s friend and work colleague Declan (Jim Kitson), being the good friend he is, giving her advice on life and love, along with her boss Shane (Ben Rufus Green), who may like his job a little too much, which did cause some distress on Nina who wanted things to go back to normal. But like the last series it wasn’t in a way where you would still feel sorry for her, but finding the humour in it too. 

I don’t think I have any downsides to it, but I got a lot more giggles than I did in series 1. One of those moments was in episode 4, when Nina, Evie and Ranesh were hungover following the end of episode 3, which was quite entertaining. But as always what lacked in giggles, made up for in heartwarming and relatable moments. These included in the last two episodes, when Nina opened up about wanting to be normal and having a “normal relationship”, and having her own unique way to tell Lee her feelings for him. There was also a lovely moment between her and Declan in episode 5, who gave a clear description of what love was. 

Overall I would give the show a 4.95. It was funny, suspense and as an autistic person, definitely relatable. I’m just intrigued to see if Ashley and Matilda would look into making a third series, exploring Nina and Lee’s relationship further whilst also seeing Bo adapt to parenthood, and Nina taking on aunty duties.

Bridgerton:

The next show I will be talking about is season 4 of Bridgerton, starring Luke Thompson, Yerin Ha and featuring the voice of Julie Andrews

This fourth season, setting up as a Cinderella like fairytale, focused on the second eldest son Benedict, who after the idea of marriage not being a thing for him, soon changes when he falls for the mysterious lady in silver at a masquerade ball, little knowing of her true ranking, forming a romance which would be forbidden by society.

This season we saw the second eldest son Benedict take the limelight, played by Luke Thompson. We know from previous seasons that he is not one to play by society’s rules, often going out of town to be his true authentic self. But despite not wanting to marry and be “a rake”, it was only when he clapped eyes on the lady in silver, soon changing his mind, and I admire how tender and gentle he was with her. That was in the form of maid Sophie Beak (Yerin Ha), who was the father of the late Earl Penwood, but the mother of a maid, making her an illegitimate child. This would make things difficult as during those times, relationships between maids and wealthy people were not allowed, hence why in Episode 4: “An Offer From A Gentleman”, Benedict asked Sophie to be his mistress, which obviously didn’t sit well with her. But they happened to meet again in Episode 2: "Time Transfixed", with Benedict not realising that Sophie was The Lady In Silver. Throughout their time at “My Cottage” to her employment at Bridgerton House, their chemistry definitely grew. At first Violet forbidded the match, despite Benedict stating in Episode 6: "The Passing Winter"” that she wants the family to marry for love, and him admitting he loves her soon gave a new perspective. And following of what her father really left her, the Bridgertons used it to their advantage, as they got the approval from Queen Charlotte herself (and even though she suspected they may have been lying, she could see the love they have for each other). But a family standing in her way were in the form of The Penwoods. One of them was matriarch Araminta Gun aka the dowager lady Penwood (Katie Leung who you may recognise from the Harry Potter franchise). She was definitely giving proper wicked stepmom vibes, and it was obvious from a flashback in episode 2: "Time Transfixed", that she clearly wanted Sophie’s father all to herself, so got her to be a maid possibly out of revenge for presumably “taking him from her”. We also got to see a reason why she was against Sophie in Episode 7: "The Beyond", and why marrying their daughters off well was important, but her true colours started to show in the last Episode "Dancing In The Country", where she in fact lied about what her father said in his Will. We also saw Araminta’s daughters Rosamund and Posy Li (Michelle Mao and Isabella Wei), each having their own quirks to them. Rosamund was very much following in her mother’s footsteps, and not afraid to tread on anyone’s toes, whilst Posy felt more like an outcast, with Araminta firmly focusing on Rosamund. I do admire Posy's loyalty to Sophie, even will to escape to come to warn her about Araminta’s plan and also revealing that she stole the item Sophie was accused of. It was also nice at the end to find a love of her own, and I don’t know if she’ll feature in the next season, but at least she got the happy ending she deserved. During this series, part 1 featured The great maid wars, which put a strain on the relationship with Portia and Varley (Polly Walker and Lorraine Ashbourne). Portia not giving Varley what she requested prompted her to move to work for Araminta, which was revealed in Episode 4: “An Offer From A Gentleman”. But she soon moved back to the Featherington's after realising Araminta’s true nature, and an apology from Portia is a start. But I do felt bad for Rae (Rosa Hesmondhalgh), as she’s also a good maid too. 

Along this main story, there were other characters who not only made an impact on their romance journey, but also had their own journeys to go on. One of them was matriarch Violet (Ruth Gemmel), who explored a romantic connection with Lady Danbury’s brother lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis). I must say, I wasn’t expecting some of the scenes they did knowing she was always deemed as the “sensible one”, but Ruth proved that there is still life and finding love for people of a certain age like Violet, which I think will make people of that age bracket more confident in themselves. I was gutted about how it ended at the end of the season, but at the same time after helping Benedict, I could see she needed to explore herself before letting anyone in. We also saw the return of Anthony and Kate (Jonathan Bailey and Ashley Simone), now being parents to baby Edmund. I loved how motherly Kate was not only to her baby but the the rest of the family after hearing upon the scandal, whilst Anthony had a stern talking to with Benedict about Sophie, stating how it could damage their reputation, Anglos thinking about his son now that he’s a father. But by the end of the series he was accepting of the relationship, assuming he knew what Sophie went through with Araminta’s lies. We also got to see the maids jobs and how they work, and Sophie forming a bond with them in different places. At the Penwood house, we first saw her be friends with footman Alfie and cook Irma (David Mooney and Fiona Marr). I loved how they encouraged her to go to the masquerade ball as seen in episode 2: "Time Transfixed", and were always by her side when Araminta gave her a tough time. But we all need a friend like Alfie, who not only encouraged her to tell Benedict the truth and recommended her of any job vacancies, but to give her away at her wedding was a beautiful moment. It just shows that if someone was a true friend, they would stick by you through good and bad, and Alfie was that friend. We also got to see Sophie form a friendship with another maid called Hazel (Gracie McGonigal), first meeting at Cavender House, but after a situation which was kind of hard to watch, Benedict managed to get the two of them working at Bridgerton House, with the environment being the complete opposite to the Penwoods. I also wanted to give a shout-out to Gracie for representing the disabled community, as people with a limb difference would be cast away from society, but because of the show already breaking boundaries, it’s actors like Gracie who show us that people with disabilities can achieve great things! I also loved the relationship she had with the Bridgertons footman John (Oli Higginson), and despite not actually getting together as I’m not sure if maids and footman getting together is unacceptable, I could tell by the glances that they had a soft spot for each other which was lovely to see. We also saw power couple Alice and Will Mondrich (Emma Naomi and Martins Imhangbe). Alice was getting a glimpse into the queens world by becoming her new lady in waiting, and suddenly felt out of her depth. But Will used a boxing analogy in Episode 6: "The Passing Winter" to get on the queens good side. I also loved how she was willing to take a risk for the Bridgertons, who they have became great friends with over the past 4 seasons, whilst also figuring out what she wanted to do with her life as seen in Episode 8: "Dancing In The Country". And like the supportive husband he is, Will was there by her side, and also offered Benedict advice in Episode 5: “Yes or No” when talking about Sophie being his mistress and the advantages of it. Lovebirds Colin and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton) are also seen as a happily married couple, particularly seen in Episode 3: The Field Next To The Other Road, where they had another carriage moment. But they also had more challenges now that Penelope revealed to be Lady Whistledown. It soon got out of hand as seen in Episode 6: "The Passing Winter", where despite being denied from the queen, used a different tactic to not only retire from the column, but to save Cressida's reputation after their feud in the last season. I just can’t wait to see their next journey when they discover a new, harsher Lady Whistledown. We also saw Queen Charlotte and lady Danbury’s friendship on the rocks. This was down to an announcement Lady Danbury made in Episode 1: “The Waltz” about wanting to leave town to go to her childhood home. At first I thought Charlotte was abit selfish when she denied her request, but we saw later on in Episode 2: “Time Transfixed”, that she was scared to be alone knowing the condition king George was in. But a plea from Penelope about her journey as lady whilstledown made her reconsider, accepting her decision in the last Episode “Dancing In The Country”, and I loved their moment together at her ball. We also saw the journey of Lord and lady of Kilmartin John and Francesca (Victor Ali and Hannah Dodd), who were adjusting to married life, whilst explofing their own sexual desires. I totally relate to Francesca when the topic of reaching her “pinnacle” came to light, but the way that John was with her after admitting to it was really sweet, and is the definition of a husband. But there was definitely a spanner in the works when the return of John's cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza but in the books was known as Michael) came, leading to Francesca revealing why she makes her so uncomfortable. However, they managed to put their differences aside in Episode 5: “Yes or no” and despite surprising John, it brought the three of them closer together. And Francesca needed Michaela more than she thought, as the death of John brought on grief for the family, and devastation for her after finding out she’s not with child. But I must say, I do praise Hannah Dodd for doing a great job of a moment between her and Violet where the grief of everything that’s happened gets too much for her, and I’m intrigued to see where her relationship with Michaela goes after being suddenly shocked of her departure (despite saying she’d stay) and admitting at Benedict’s wedding she wouldn’t marry again. And speaking of marriage, we also saw Eloise (Claudia Jessie) made her thoughts on the subject clear, but a chat with Cressida Cowper aka the new Lady Penwood (Jessica Madsen), made her realise marriage has its perks. We then saw the youngest of the Bridgertons prepare to debut to society. Hyacinth (Florence Hunt), was too eager to get a glimpse, and episode 1: “The Waltz”, used the masquerade to get a glimpse of what it’ll be like, and again in Episode 6: "The Passing Winter" for Cressida’s ball as the new lady Penwood. But she and Gregory (Will Tilston), had their dance recital to prepare them for the real thing, which started a whole trend on social media. Whilst Gregory had a lot to learn with the help of his brothers and Albion Finch (Lorn Macdonald), Hyacinth was having doubts following Francesca's grief. But Eloise giving her advice soon changed her mind, but wanted to focus on herself first, which was fair enough. 

I don’t think I have any downsides to this season as I’m a huge fan as it is. But I think my only observation was that we never got to se the cause of John’s death. Whilst it stated in the book what the cause was, it didn’t in the show, so I’m just going to assume it’s the same thing. 

Overall I would give the show a 4.95. It was saucy, romantic, and the Cinderella theme really gave Benedict’s storyline a nice touch. I can’t wait to find out who will be next to find their true love in season 5. 

Heated Rivalry:

The final show I’m going to talk about is Heated Rivalry, starring Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie and Francois Arnaud.

Based on the Game Changers novel series by Rachel Reid, with the show named after the second book, this show follows ice hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov being rivals on the ice, but off the ice is a very different story.

Shane Hollander of Montreal Metros and Ilya Rozanov from the Boston Raiders were played by the talented Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. They had brilliant on screen chemistry throughout, and whilst meeting in secret, each had their own battles to contend with. Shane had a family who love him and the sponsors all wanting him, but he did feel pressure about being honest with his sexuality, fearing that everyone would look at him differently. Ilya was a ladies man with a tough exterior, all down to his family, which included his father Grigori Rozanov (Yaroslav Poverlo) who was suffering from dementia, and his brother Alexei (Slavic Rogozine), who kept using Ilya for his own problems. His tough exterior soon cracked when he opened up to Shane about everything, and he does have a soft side, as seen in episode 6: Cottage, when the two of them were caught by his dad. We also New York Admiral Captain Scott Hunter, played by Francois Arnaud. His journey was solely focused in Episode 3: “Hunter”, where he met smoothie barista Christopher aka Kip (Robbie G.K). Like Hudson and Connor, the two of them had brilliant on screen chemistry, and I felt like they needed each other more than they realised. Along with being a barista, Kip was also working another job to help get into university, and meeting Scott has definitely helped him ease his stress. But Scott revealed that Kip was the only man he’d been with, which did cause a strain after he told Kip to keep it on the downlow, which caused a friction between the pair at the end of the episode. But scott was secretly still harbouring feelings for him, wearing an item of clothing Kip brought to remember how they first met still to the current moment of the show. But it was only until Episode 5: “I’ll Believe In Anything” where after winning the game, he decided to be brave and kiss Kip publicly, which gained a lot of support from the audience. We then saw in Episode 6: “Cottage” a speech from Scott on why his past, hence why he was hesitant on being open about his sexuality. I’m just glad it made kip happy to not only see Scott as he true authentic self, but to mention him without feeling embarrassed. 

During the show there were also many people who helped Shane, Ilya, Scott and Kip get to where they are today. For Ilya, childhood from Svetlana (Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova), who yes had moments where they “fooled around” but could sense that he has eyes for another. I’m just glad she was there for him during a dark period, which included having to provide for his brother Alexei and his father, who sadly passed away from dementia. I think the passing of his father gave him the confidence to say how he really feels, and it’s moments like this where life is really too short, so you need to grab every opportunity whilst you can. We also saw in Episodes 2: “Olympian” his relationship with the son of the coach Sasha (Kaden Connors) in which he mentioned to Shane, and there was obviously still some unfinished business. For Shane, we saw fellow player Hayden (Callan Potter), who yes didn’t know of his sexuality, but was always there for him during the match. We also saw him fate movie star Rose Landery (Sophie Nélisse), where at first he enjoyed, but they soon came to realise that they aren’t compatible. But I do like how there was no hatred towards the two after Shane told her the truth of his sexuality, accepting him for who he is and offers her support for him. We also saw Shane’s parents David and Yuna (Christina Chang and Dylan Walsh), help Shane excel his career, and I knew they’d be acceptjng of his sexuality after David caught the two of them, but understandably shocked to find him with Ilya. I loved the moment at the end of how Yuna felt guilty for him not being able to be honest, but I have a feeling that Shane already forgave them. There was also Elena (Nadine Bhabha), Kip’s best friend where along with other friends Kyle and Shawn (Matthew Finlan and Brandon Ash-Mohammed), was there throughout Kip’s relationship with Scott, and helped him when working towards his university dreams. There was also his dad George (Matt Gordon), who I suspected he knew about being gay, but obviously not knowing about Scott. He was everything a dad should be, supportive, motivational and is there through the bad times. 

I think my only observation was not seeing the build up to Scott publicly coming out, as we never got to see the turning point of what made Scott change his mind about hiding his sexuality. And with series 2 announced, I would be intrigued to see where the next stages of their relationship go next.

Overall I would give the show a 4.95. It had sauciness, alot of sport, and alot of identity searching. With series 2 being announced recently, I can’t wait to see the development of the characters journeys and the next stages in their relationship.

And that is it for my latest instalment of TV Reviews. Let me know which shoe you watched and your thoughts on them.

See you soon for another blog. Until next time…

This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)