#jane harber

[whichcouldmeanothing]

THE NEWSREADER 2x03 | "keys in the bowl" ⤷ requested by @underclerysclock

[newsatsix1986]

A brilliant unit still of Jane Harber and Rory Fleck Byrne as Carla and Gerry Carroll in The Newsreader’s S02E03 - Greed And Fear

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Carla and Gerry Carroll are one proud couple.

They are so proud of the life they have created together. Since they met on a cruise ship back in the 1970s, they have been joined heart and soul, creating a life that makes sense to them. They have so much to be proud of; their relationship, their adorable little girl and dog, their careers, and the way they have given each other permission to explore other parts of who they are too. They know they will always come home to each other.

Their home is also their pride and joy, and it’s an impressive sight to behold as you’re walking up to it; towering on top of a grassy hill, open-planned and mod, just like the Carrolls are. Opening up their home to others is something they have to be cautious about; they never know how people will react to the way they choose to live and whether they will be discrete, but they have a feeling that Helen Norville and Dale Jennings are the perfect people to invite over. Dale has become a really good friend of Gerry’s, and Alison is currently obsessed with watching them on the telly.

As they learn, they have even more in common with one another! Dale’s a country boy, just like Gerry, and as for Helen, well, Carla can tell that she’s a bit like her; she would appreciate the countryside from the window of a five star hotel! Gerry has realised quickly that Dale is open to possibilities, just like he is, and that he is curious about how Gerry holds the life he does. In a similar fashion, Carla immediately feels relaxed with Helen; free to tell her about her post-birth struggles, and recognises that Helen shares a few of her same life apprehensions too.

Okay, okay, maybe the keys in the bowl thing was a bit too cheeky. Carla and Gerry were kidding, Helen and Dale! They were kidding! But surely the couple wouldn’t mind being treated to an after-lunch singalong, as the Carrolls hope that they’ve inspired Helen and Dale to dream a little dream of their own too. ❤️

[chicalepidoptera]

For @gerrycarla I hope you like it 🥰

[fantasy-fallacy-tumblingstone]

Bride of Babylon

Let me now turn my focus to another favorite minor character of mine, Clara Whiting, who appears in episode 2.9, “Framed for Murder”.  The wonderful Jane Harber plays Raymond’s assistant, who “looks after the props, script pages, everything really”.  Although at first glance she seems a plain and unassuming sort of young woman, we soon learn that Clara is intelligent, quick, and possesses a marvelous photographic memory.

At first, the close-ups of Clara’s eye and temple seemed strange, as I couldn’t remember any of the other episodes filmed in that manner.  However, it grew on me the more I watched the episode and realized how central Clara’s observations were to solving the case.  I also loved seeing how fast Jack became reliant on those observations.  In fact, he seems incredibly respectful of her abilities and seeks her out later in the case to help him clarify certain matters.

When Phryne holds a dinner party at her house, she is sure to include Clara.  From her attire, we can conclude that Clara doesn’t get to rub elbows with the actors or producer socially very often – if at all. It’s possible that this is her first real gathering among them (Phryne often sneers at snobby conventions). Despite this, we see her appear cool and smooth for most of the evening – with the exception of the stab of jealousy she has when she thinks Phryne and Raymond might have something going on. Even here, she doesn’t lash out at Phryne, only muses, “You know, we’re supposed to be modern women.  Supposed to be able to get everything that we want. But I wonder if all of that’s true.” Phryne reassures Clara and she and Raymond are just friends.  I’m not so sure Clara completely believes her.  To Clara, Raymond is handsome and wonderful, and who wouldn’t want him?

Her adoration of him goes so far as to impel her to name herself as the murderer.  Phryne isn’t buying it, however.  She knows the depth of Clara’s infatuation – and that she’d have no motive to kill Donald Everton.  Soon we see that Clara has been administering small doses of phenobarbital to the director in his Greek coffee, to calm him.  This at the behest of Raymond.

Then comes all the brouhaha with the director, the blown fuses, and finding out that Vernon Palmer Jr. isn’t actually who he says he is.  I love when Jack turns to Phryne when they’re trying to figure out who blew the fuses, and he says, “I know a way to work this out” – a sure sign of that respect for Clara’s ability I mentioned above.

(Also, it’s not fancy, but I like her hat.  It’s a good color on her.)  With Clara’s evidence, Phryne and Jack unravel the facts of the murder.  After capturing Jefferson and Lily, Phryne meets with Clara and Raymond.  And we see the pair holding hands.

Yay!  Makes me smile every time.  And so does her smile when Phryne suggests her for the part of the Bride of Babylon.

Clara’s character intrigues me because she could be taken for a very formulaic, flat archetype of the besotted woman who will do anything for her boss because she also secretly loves him.  But she’s not.  Yes, she is that besotted woman, but she’s also the observant, patient, calm, intelligent woman whose incredible memory helps solve the case.  Clara is far more complex than she first appears, like so many of these lovely minor characters in this show!

[everything-offspring]

The cast of Offspring play TV Week's Lucky Dip!

Alex England: What's your favourite book?

Rick Davies: I really loved Jasper Jones when I read that. I just thought that was... If you haven't read it just read it, it's incredible.

Shannon Berry: It's gotta be, it's gotta be The Book Thief. Or Jasper Jones.

Jane Harber: If you could live in any city in the world, where would it be? I do love Melbourne, but I probably would choose New York.

Linda Crooper: I should say Melbourne... *Laughs* That's hard. Sounds so obvious but I'd have to say New York.

Deb Mailman: New York.

Shannon Berry: I would probably live in London. I've only visited there once but I absolutely love the weather; I also love Sherlock so... that's probably where I would be.

TJ Power: Granada in Spain. That's a very pretty place.

Kat Stewart: Cheese or chocolate? Again, very easy. Chocolate.

Rick Davies: I will go chocolate, I will go chocolate.

Alex England: *Nodding* That's correct, that's correct.

Rick Davies: *Laughing* That is correct.

Deb Mailman: Taylor Swift or Katy Perry? Taylor Swift! I love Taylor Swift.

Alex England: *To Rick Davies* This is a dare. Sing us a line from your current favourite song.

Rick Davies: Current favourite song... *starts singing 'So Good at Being In Trouble' by Unknown Mortal Orchestra*

Linda Crooper: *Starts singing 'I Will Always Love You' by Whitney Houston* Why am I such a dill?

Shannon Berry: What's your go-to dance move? Ahhh, obviously the sprinkler.

Deb Mailman: *Bobbing around* Shoulder action. And it's the lips...

[uptownhags]

One is a professional photographer. One is an 'Alicia.' One is from 70 years ago.

[uptownhags]

Offspring cast + crew at the Logies (Jane Harber, Alicia Gardiner, Ash Ricardo Instagrams)

[newsatsix1986]

One Episode, Three Families - The Newsreader’s Greed And Fear (S02E03) 💖

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From the most recent posts of mine, I think it’s been very obvious that I’ve been in a major Greed And Fear mood lately, and I have been more than honouring this latest fixation! Something that has really stood out to me is how this episode highlights three families with daughters, and how there is a stark contrast between them all. The families in question are the Carrolls, the Walters and the Kims, and they all feature at some point or another.

The Carrolls are an exuberant, confident and very warm and loving household, in which Carla and Gerry are bringing up their little girl Alison. At the Carrolls, everyone is aware of who one another is, and they are so beautifully unconventional in many ways, but they are so embracing of each other’s quirks and there is so much open communication going on. You can just tell that they would be instilling this in Alison, and that she would always be loved and supported, free to be whoever she wants and needs to be!

The Kims are more conventional, but incredibly hard working and they are a tight family unit. Soon-Hee and Byung Ho are very traditional parents who want their daughters Noelene and Jen to work hard and be good people. They sometimes worry about what their family back in Korea would think of the lives their daughters lead, but they ultimately want whatever makes their girls happy. They recognise that they won’t always understand their daughters’ modern lives, but they don’t stop them from achieving their dreams, and there will always be a meal and company for the girls to come home to.

As for the Walters, Evelyn and Geoff are all for keeping up appearances, and want their family to seem like the model family for all to see. As we see with their daughter Kay and her character journey, they don’t realise how much pressure this strive for perfection and model image has put on all three of them, and they sadly don’t tend to communicate these frustrations until someone has hit crisis point, like Kay’s overdose, or Geoff’s heart attack. But no matter what happens, they ultimately stick together, because in the end, they are all that they have.

Which of the three families would you love to be a part of?