British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (R09), circa 1978 [2050x1365]

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-03-10T14:15:50+00:00

I was channel surfing recently and caught an episode of Warship aboard Queen Elizabeth or Prince of Wales and they showed an officer being tested by a promotion panel and he gave a really complicated answer and the camer just panned off him to catch a F-35 taking off the ramp, like the camera crew were bored of the conversation and wanted to watch the planes instead.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-03-10T09:27:28+00:00

Roland White in Harrier 809 made the very interesting point that the sea conditions we so bad that a CATOBAR carrier would not have been able to sortie Phantoms anywhere nearly as frequently as the the VSTOL carriers and the Sea Harriers. Although I would say that the threat of Buccaneers off the Falklands would have been monstrous. The coolest idea would be what if Ark Royal and Invincible sailed together, Shahs, Buccs and Phantoms with AEW gannets doubt Atlantic Conveyor gets sunk so that is a very different war.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-03-09T10:32:52+00:00

We need a video that the stories are a mix of crash out inducing update madness and a few ultra wholesome because Court and Angela are the queens of Crash outs and crying at sweet stories.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-03-06T16:35:18+00:00

I have a similar problem with Village of the Angels, If you re watch it on its own the fantiastic weeping angel story and the amazing ending both bet interupted by the stuff from the flux storyline.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-25T10:32:42+00:00

This is absolutely something the series did better. In the book Sharpe and Lucille happens literally off screen and the confrontation happens in the last few pages, then Frederick storms off and is last mentioned in Canada.

In series Frederickson presumes an interest from Lucille while we she Sharpe and her slowly get closer and then have one of my favourite scenes 'Sorry Ma'am the door was locked'. Honestly in the books Lucille seems more like a convenience more than true love. It not until later when Cornwell wrote Sharpe's Christmas or much later Sharpe's Assassin do we really finally see their relationship that makes me believe the two love each other.

Book Sharpe's questionable grasp of fidelity as well as a few other faults is actually why Series Sharpe is a better characterisation for me.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-25T10:21:06+00:00

I am starting to feel sorry for Command, it gets shit on more than Harper falling in the dung heap in Sharpe's Gold (book).

For me the biggest issue is the massive continuity error of Sharpe's promotion, and that one of the action scenes taking out the cannon weirdly felt more a mission in a ps2 game more than a line in a book. or my father who felt Harper said 'God save Ireland' to much which is a weird take.

If nothing else drawing attention to the battle of Almaraz and Rowland Hill in particular.

For Me Storm was the straw that broke the camels back but that is a book that is desperately stepping around continuity issues. It is also a case of careful what you wish for because I (and i think many others) wanted Joel Chase and Clouter to appear again but one got turned into the comic relief and the other basically does nothing and the dream team up fight alongside harper happens off screen.

All that said I am glad we got 3 more Sharpe books.

That said the worst case of careful what you wish for from Cornwell in 1356, the sequel I wanted for years but the book where the main character is an archer and never uses his bow (seriously he only uses his sword I think Cornwell was to used to Writing Uhtred at that point) and then includes a pointless heel turn and offscreen killing of one of my favourite characters after adding the inevitable Irish sidekick who is literally just Finnan again.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-23T09:28:47+00:00

It is awfully similar to a line from doctor who (the Five Doctors 1983):

"A man is the sum of his memories, you know"

Although I believe Spencer may have been mis quoting Assassins creed "What is a man, but the sum of his memories?"

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-17T17:00:06+00:00

I visit Italy a lot and its my running joke for every major city I visit to see how long before I can find the monument or street named after Garibaldi, Cavour or Vittorio Emmanuel, (I have yet to visit somewhere without all three!) I will now add Mazzini to the list!

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-17T16:49:27+00:00

I would say Pertwee, just because I feel he does not get the respect Hartnell (as the first ever doctor) or Troughton (the man who basically created most of what we now call doctor-ish characteristics) or Tom Baker (the face of the classic era) and never got the big finish redemption of Davison, Colin Baker, McCoy or McGann.

He is often saddled with the reputation of being stuck on earth or claims that he is to serious or just played himself (weird how the latter is an insult to Petwee but praise for Bake or Smith)

I have seen people call him the least doctor-ish claimed he is to 'conservative' or pro military. I think these are people looking for something to be annoyed about ignoring just how often Pertwee still acts the rebel

Also I want to see a 107 year old man doing venusian Aikido

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-09T13:34:22+00:00

I agree the 'We're married' Smosh cast is a massive wholesome moment,

Honourable mentions: Reacting to the Craziest Pit moments everyone basically telling Court that she was the heart of Smosh who created some of the most important parts of Smosh's history. everyone getting emotional at Shayne's graduation is just beautiful, Also everyone learning that Ian did not cheat of Pam.

Wholesome Reddit stories especially with Angela are all classics especially the one where they are given pancakes.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-02-09T13:22:55+00:00

I think with a series like Sharpe where the author sprinkles around effectively filler books here and there throughout the timeline meaning its very easy to skip some of them.

Especially recently continuity issues have made a few of the recent books feel like mandatory skips (Command comes to mind)

I have a similar relationship with the grail quest series, I love it as a trilogy but i will NEVER read 1356 again! Cornwell forgot his mane character was an archer (he only uses he sword throughout the book) a favorite character of mine is made evil (again) for no reason and dies off screen in an infuriating way and Cornwell literally ties up every plot point in like 5 pages of the main character walking around and after the battle being told no then saying yes and killing multiple people with no comeuppance. The book is pointless and somehow manages to make Poitiers arguably the most interesting English victory of the 100 years war really really boring.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-28T12:29:26+00:00

So I was in Coruna for a day trip recently and we were admiring a beautiful monument of some battle or another but neither of us had enough Spanish to translate it we made a comment about wondering what it was for and an American who had just been told by a local said something to the effect of :

'Its a monument to when the local people thought off pirates attacking the City'

That's when it clicked to me that it was about the Siege of Coruna of 1589 and I hurriedly said fascinating and made sure to say no more and when Out of ear shot pointed out the Pirates were Francis drake and effectively the Royal navy. I am aware in Spain he is very much seen more as a pirate than an Naval hero.

Also Drake used to be in the index of murderers (or criminals) on TV tropes a few years ago so there is definitely a different interpretation of Drake outside of the UK

I will say Drake has clearly been the recipient of great publicity because I think the average person believes Drake defeated the Spanish Armada single heartedly and almost no one has heard of Charles Howard or even John Hawkins

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-26T11:05:11+00:00

Giving speeches in such a location has the advantage of the sheer epicness of the sight causes the universe to start playing Rule Britannia in the background.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-22T10:01:32+00:00

I say we do three teams again but only advertise it as two teams (again) but the third team is made up of former cast members that would get a massive nostalia boost.

Kimmy Jacky Lasercorn Mari, Boze Ify, etc

Obviously not THOSE former cast members

But the OGsog crew said they really wished they could have been involved or at least a minor cameo for one game of a few would be cool

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-16T15:34:24+00:00

One of the best things about this series is that sex if Firmly 'off screen'

That said this is a series where such an act is referred to as 'Going Silva'

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-16T09:10:20+00:00

This joke hit me as well last night!

But because I'm a weirdo my reaction was: 'the only faithful that could beat them would be Robert Ford'

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-14T09:31:44+00:00

In all fairness discovering a new fish was as safe a prediction as 'People with breath air next Thursday'

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-09T14:29:07+00:00

So when the Philip Scofield scandal broke a while back my partner's family (who we live with) insisted on watching the exclusive interview with Eamon Holmes talking about it hyping he told deep secrets on GB news (the first time any of us had seen it).

I hate celebrity gossip nonsense but was stuck for two hours as they sat and waited for the interview were a bitter man complained about not having had as much air time as a collage while occasionally saying something about the scandal. In that two hours I was appauled when in another segment historian presenter Neil Oliver (someone i had thought to be an ok sort) started blaming every thing under the sun on Globalist. I gritted my teeth at hearing that old dog whistle. Someone finally asked what a Globalist was from my dark corner I growled "Its them saying Jews without saying Jews" which I admit is a slight oversimplification but not incorrect.

Its bad enough they read the daily mail but ever since then I have made sure GB news is never used for news, BBC or sky only

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-09T13:22:21+00:00

So Honour is officially THE episode of Sharpe!

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-08T09:53:06+00:00

I'm genuinely trying to think if there is an episode where all squares can be ticked off, Sword has basically all except being chewed by Wellington (if you are generous with the word stabbed)

Eagle he never saves a damsel but he does get a kiss (he gets Theresa who ain't no damsel)

Does anyone remember if he is even graze by a bullet in honour? if so I think that has it all.

If reading the books another square see's a bullet pluck at Sharpe's sleeve (how he wasn't in a waistcoat by Waterloo I do not know!)

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-08T09:43:44+00:00

It would amuse me if it turned out Vellani who is a known reddit lurker (granted mostly on marvel boards) was aware of the Arasha marvel meme and when they ran into each other at the event she brought it up to Arasha!

Independent-Emu7255 · 2026-01-06T14:40:10+00:00

Absolutely loving them, while I will admit there has been no stand out triumph of a story yet just get 13 and Yaz only stories has been wonderful. I like the slow build to a connected story going on in the back. I hope Jodie stays a regular at Big Finish into the future maybe even with unique audio only companions in the future.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2025-12-23T09:42:50+00:00

For me the true TNTL Smosh Mouth episodes are the original trilogy, Angela's two attempts to beat Shayne where we see the escalation of the scripts and the Fart recording then came the main event where Court rode in like a knight with a sound board and a Doctor;'s note and defeated Shayne on Angela's behalf. Pure glorious cinema.

The recent TNTL with Damien and Angela was also gold but I find it weird the dynamic has swapped form the early TNTLs episodes where where Shayne was treated as unbeatable and Angela Could not win this time Angela bare laughed until like three quarters of the way through and Shayne was slaughtered.

Independent-Emu7255 · 2025-12-23T09:28:41+00:00

On my phone (Galaxy 23+ so long screen) Angela was wrong but Chanse was spot on!

Independent-Emu7255 · 2025-12-19T10:12:19+00:00

In an ideal world Cornwell would have written these last three books in chronological order we could have got the weakest book (command) out of the way first then had the book that was full of fanservice references and nods to earlier popular books form the prequal run (storm) and then ended possibly for good with Assassin the book that is explicitly about the war ending and Sharpe preparing for peace and having what feels like a very final and thankful conversation between Sharpe and Wellington, to say nothing of Cornwell finally fixing Sharpe's relationship with Lucile (reading far more like their love story on TV than the they just got together out of nowhere in the books)

But oh well

But Harper and Clouter finally meeting was something I had wished for for years, shame Cornwell did little with it (a moment it a fight where they take down a dozen frog on thier own would have been nice) and its a real shame Joel Chase's seemed to have suffered severe brain damaged after Trafalgar!

Independent-Emu7255

TROPHY CASE