Good Omens, literally

[nineveh_uk]

After going home sick at lunchtime*, my day has been greatly improved by the first photo of David Tennant and Michael Sheen as Crowley and Aziraphale in the forthcoming TV adaptation of Good Omens.



I definitely approve. Crowley's a bit different from the book, but the faint miasma of desperation exuding from the aging would-be rocker works for me. As for Aziraphale, for the people complaining that it looks exaggerated, that's mild compared to some of the horrors you get round Oxford**. The appalling cut of the trousers is a particularly fine touch, and I like the 'cherub gone to seed' of the fluffy blond hair.

*To the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody: Is this the real flu? Is it just virus-y? Crap immune system, no escape from things disease-y.

**The pale mustard broad wale corduroy suit remains a low point.

Comments

[naraht]

Aziraphale: certainly not unknown in Oxford, although the combined effect is maybe a bit too Doctor Who-ish for me.

Feel better, whatever the cause of the illness is! Personally I'm feeling wiped from bid writing, and have called an early end to work, though to be fair I started at 8am so I think I deserve it...

[sir_guinglain]

That's a nightmare version of Doctor Who... 'Freelance lecturer has one suit so it had better be memorable for good or ill' is the phrase that springs to mind.

[nineveh_uk]

"Freelance lecturer at a theology college" at that!

[perennialanna]

Just swop the bow tie for a clerical collar and you have the freelancer who took us for Greek and Latin Prose Comp in my final year (before he went off to be Rector at one of those City of London parishes with no resident congregation but an awful lot of ritual).

[nineveh_uk]

8am starts definitely permit knocking off early.

[antisoppist]

Really?

[nineveh_uk]

Certainly if you've got contracted hours. And even when you haven't, it should! You're not actually knocking off early, you've just shifted what should be your ordinary day forwards.

[antisoppist]

This is the week (OK 2 days) in which children suddenly became independent in the mornings. I have been at my desk at 7.30 twice.

[nineveh_uk]

Gosh! Long may the independence continue.

[perennialanna]

I always started at 8 when I was an office drone, but I also always finished at 4.30 unless there was an actual bona fide emergency. I am not a morning person in the least, which is why I wanted more work-free time at my better end of the day.

[nineveh_uk]

I would like to start early, but it takes me ages to get up due to Head Things, so I don't. When I do I am always delighted at the amount it is possible to get done by 10 o'clock if you're at your desk and logged in etc. by 8:45.

[antisoppist]

I've only heard Good Omens as a radio drama and only the last two episodes so it is a thing about which I am sort of confused as to what was going on and who everyone was. If I watch the new one from the beginning, will that help? I mean it's not one of those things where you're supposed to be confused because I'm not up for one of those at the minute.


Is this the real flu?
Time will tell. Unless it's one of the possibly even more annoying ones where you are perfectly fine as long as you are draped over a couch of ostensible sickness but feel like death if you walk two feet down the road. I hope it improves or makes its mind up.

[nineveh_uk]

No, you aren't meant to be confused all the time. The characters are, but the audience isn't. It's one of my favourite Pratchett's, so many funny real world details.

It is indeed one of those annoying ones. I am unimpressed.

[sir_guinglain]

I was at the GP's with my parents today, and saw the multiple posters of flu jab exhortations. I might have one this year, given the weeks I lose over winter. I hope your infection disappears rapidly and is not as you fear.

[nineveh_uk]

I planned to have it next week! I may yet, there's nothing to lose...

[perennialanna]

I'm definitely having it. My pharmacist is most upset that "single mother of very small children" isn't a group that qualifies for a free jab (my asthma isn't severe enough to get it that way), but it's only about a tenner anyway, and I cannot afford to have flu.

I have seen predictions that it is going to be a bad year for flu.

[nineveh_uk]

You'd think it would be one that it would benefit everyone to have parents of under 10s and all teachers get for free.

I hadn't seen those predictions, but I have now. Just what we all need.

[perennialanna]

The official definition of a carer is "look after someone whose welfare would be affected if you were ill", and my pharmacist said as far as he was concerned that should mean all parents, especially single parents, but he looked it up and it didn't (and they get audited so he couldn't chance it).

[serriadh]

I'm having it privately, as my only rationale is "I had flu last year and it was really horrible", but they should definitely give to parents free.

[antisoppist]

I get that they are doing a cost-benefit analysis and vaccinating those of us who would either die or cost the NHS lots of money in stopping us dying if we got flu, but they vaccinate NHS staff and you'd think anyone who works in a school would be covered on similar grounds of increased exposure and increased risk of passing it on to more (vulnerable) people, if not of actually being dead themselves.

Everyone else there yesterday was elderly, including the chap before me who said he was going on holiday to Scotland this week and hoped it wouldn't impair his casting arm. I feel you are more in need.

[perennialanna]

I have triple exposure this year, since L and N are now in different schools and I work in a third (which hugely confused the peripatetic ukulele teacher today).

[antisoppist]

They are really pushing it. I had my asthma check-up two weeks ago and they ordered me* to book myself in on the official flu jab day, which was yesterday. After having it, I went into the pharmacy to pick up my asthma drugs and the woman on the till said "it's your lucky day, you qualify for a free flu jab at the pharmacy!" and I said "I've just had one".

*"You of all people really need to have a flu jab". Ah. OK. Well I will then. I didn't last year because no-one mentioned it. The previous year I got an invitation.

[nineveh_uk]

Who'd have thought that "Actually tell specific people they can and should have this thing for free" works as a health intervention...

[aunty_marion]

I had an email from the surgery about getting a flu jab on the 4th of September, and a letter about my asthma review dated the same (which arrived, obviously, a few days later). So I'm going for the asthma review tomorrow, and was told that the nurse will very likely give me my flu jab then as well.

I've never had flu (to my knowledge), and hope never to do so; I've had enough bronchitis, pneumonia and pleurisy to last me (even though I think my 'asthma exacerbations' would probably count as bronchitis in anyone else!), and if I got flu it would probably turn to pneumonia, so ... flu jab it is.

[nineveh_uk]

I have realised that the reason it was lingering wasn't that it was Real Flu, but that it was an ordinary virus that has turned into a sinus infection. So I shall still be getting a flu jab. I have had flu and it was unpleasant and I want to avoid it and something else pulling me down so I'm going to get the jab (I haven't before), but while I know it can be very serious*, I suspect some of the "Oh it's so awful, nothing like a cold" comes from people who don't get really awful colds. Though at least I don't have asthma so no pneumonia for me, and hopefully not for you!

*I shall not forget the academic in a previous department who was off work for a month and returned having clearly significant weight. He had been, and looked like, someone who had been very sick indeed.

[serriadh]

I've always seen Aziraphale as rather more Edwin Digweed than Doctor Who, but Crowley as David Tennant cosplaying Bill Nighy works well.

[nineveh_uk]

I really should read the Reginald Hill novels...

I feel that Aziraphale is a bit too clean to really be a second-hand bookshop owner in that photo, but perhaps being angelic comes with extra cleaning powers. And Tennant cosplaying Bill Nighy describes Crowley's look exactly.

[antisoppist]

rather more Edwin Digweed
Oh good! I would be keen to re-read Reginald Hill if I could remember the point at which they went from OK police procedurals to bloody brilliant. Though I would probably decide I had to start at the beginning again properly anyway.

[azdak]

Thank you for posting this highly interesting pic! I'm completely unable to imagine anyone but Derek Nimmo as Crowley, so this chap just doesn't do it for me (and I agree with everyone who says he's ever so reminiscent of Dr Who). Crowley, on the other hand, looks sufficiently up-his-own-arse to be a convincing minion of darkness, and as you say, there's a faint miasma of desperation about him that works very well within a theology where the dice are stacked against the devil. I'm not usually a Tennent fan but presumably this is a charachter where even he can't wallow excessively in emotion?

[nineveh_uk]

I think Sheen looks better in this photo, when he's in motion: https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/tvfilm/david-tennant-and-michael-sheen-undergo-dramatic-transformations-on-set-of-new-series-good-omens-a3637611.html Though I admit still quite "Peter Davidson as Doctor Who".

presumably this is a charachter where even he can't wallow excessively in emotion

You say that, but I'm currently re-reading the book and it turns out that Crowley spends quite a lot of time being quite emotional...

[elmey.livejournal.com]

I'm convinced! A picture is worth, etc....... :D

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It's naff, but I like it.