I thought after all the twisting and turning last week, it was a little...ho-hum? Which isn't to say I actively disliked it or even found it boring; I just didn't feel invested. My reaction to everything felt like a watered-down repeat of how I felt last week - I really liked what they were doing with Mellie/Paul, and then once again it had to end with a bullet to the non-regular-cast-member's head, but since I didn't adore them half as much as Bennett/Topher I was kind of just like "eh." Boyd's death made think "did they seriously just go there?" but again: it was more "wow, yikes" instead of "HOLY WHAT."
What I did enjoy: Topher and Adelle were great. Tony and Priya I absolutely loved, as always. Those four are definitely the ones I'll miss the most.
Now excuse me while I go reread your DH fic and bask in the OTP. Priya/Tony: SO MANY FEELINGS.
hich isn't to say I actively disliked it or even found it boring; I just didn't feel invested. That's exactlyne!> how I felt! I thought I was the only one!
I love Mellie. Miracle Laurie is gorgeous and wonderful and deserves better than Paul. And I felt like you're right: in wake of Bennett's death, her's was just...cheap. Like Joss was thinking, "I have to kill someone! Let me go after the happy couple!" I really am getting sick of that.
What I did enjoy: Topher and Adelle were great. Tony and Priya I absolutely loved, as always. Those four are definitely the ones I'll miss the most. Yes, yes, yes! The little moment where (I think) Topher asks about Bennett and you see Adelle take his hand? KILLED ME. I want more of those two being super close in the last episode, please, Joss. Looove Topher. He was the only one (besides Victor!Topher: OMG YAY!) who got any halfway decent lines in this episode.
Also, if Joss kills either Tony or Priya, I may swear off of all his future work. I know that sounds petty, but if he does that, it'll prove to me that he really can't get past this "killing off one half of a happy couple" thing, and that will not be cool with me.
YAY! Read away! And you'll be happy to know I'm writing more Priya/Tony!
(On another note entirely: HELL YEAH YOUR NEW LAYOUT. ESPECIALLY THE HEADER.)
I liked what they did with Bennett because it was so BAM and out there - though I still have no idea what the hell is going on with Saunders/Whiskey; was she still Saunders then? If so, how did she get Clydified, and was Boyd in on that or just as surprised as everybody else by it? - but Mellie just felt...cheap. I know a lot of people who are non-fans of Joss say that he's done it so often it ended up cheap and manipulative a long while ago, but I've also read some great defenses about how he creates dangerous worlds, and people are gonna go down. And generally I do agree with that hardcore, but with Mellie it felt...kinda lame. Maybe if it hadn't been so close on the heels of Bennett's death, and there'd been more fallout than "Ballard makes a shocked face and is temporarily misled into believing Adelle is the bad guy." I get that they're crammed for time and all writing-wise, but there's still hints that Topher's pretty messed up (hand touch!). And it remains to be seen about Paul in the next episode - I don't know, maybe he will be emoting about Mellie left and right, which would be better than just forgetting her! But the idea still feels cheap to me.
(At first I also thought there was the added benefit of his prior couples having seasons of development - and even just one season was enough to make most of fandom love Zoe/Wash and freak out during Serenity! Whereas with Paul/Mellie, I feel like this happened:
Show: "oh, we're going to bring them up halfway through the first season and then Mellie will be November the rest of the time until we give her her real personality back, because Paul/Echo is the real OTP of this show. And then she'll come back for a couple of eps in s2 and that'll be dropped off, because Paul/Echo is the real OTP of this show. Wait! No! Paul's Echo obsession is erased and he finds himself drawn to Mellie once more! BAM SHE SHOOTS HERSELF IN THE HEAD. DRAMATIC SHOW IS DRAMATIC." Kyrie: "Whatever, dude. She deserved better."
Because seriously! I liked Mellie/November/Madeline a lot! Miracle Laurie is awesome! But the show...ick. It never did much right by her. I just feel like her arc, apart from Needs, has always been about serving Paul's arc in turn and because Paul is gross and stupid that frustrates me big time.
I did not realize I had so many feelings about this until just now. HMM. PERHAPS I AM NOT SO APATHETIC TO THIS EP AFTER ALL.)
You know, when the show first came out I expected to love Topher, and he was pretty skeevy and I did not like him so much even though he made me laugh once in awhile, and then they BROUGHT IT with his storyline in s2 and now he is one of my favorites like I expected him to be. Plus, I kind of have a geek!crush on Fran Kranz now.
Also, if Joss kills either Tony or Priya, I may swear off of all his future work. I know that sounds petty, but if he does that, it'll prove to me that he really can't get past this "killing off one half of a happy couple" thing, and that will not be cool with me. Oof. If he goes there, I will still be interested in his future stuff, but I'll be all purse-lipped and foot-tapping and "really, Joss? Find some other way to shock and compel me. BECAUSE MAKING THE COMPELLING CHARACTERS DROP LIKE FLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT."
IDK. I will always be a Joss girl; I just wish he'd grow a little, you know? And also realize the weird skanky race issues in his work and improve in that area too, but I do not have much hope there.
I assumed that Boyd had turned Claire into a sleeper agent and was definitely in on it. But I guess you can fanwank it however you want to!
I know a lot of people who are non-fans of Joss say that he's done it so often it ended up cheap and manipulative a long while ago, but I've also read some great defenses about how he creates dangerous worlds, and people are gonna go down. My main problem with it is not that he kills characters--I love his dangerous worlds--but that I can always guess who it's gonna be. It's always (nearly) right after two people have been happy together and the other one gets cut down: Jenny, Tara, Joyce (well, the happiness there was her recovery, but same difference), Spike, Fred, Wash (happiness was being a leaf on the wind), Bennett, now Mellie. I also predicted Penny, too. That irks the hell out of me. I'm no longer surprised, I'm expecting it. I don't want to expect it, you know?
I get that they're crammed for time and all writing-wise, but there's still hints that Topher's pretty messed up (hand touch!). LOVE. IT.
HAHAHA! I love your overview.
Miracle Laurie is made of awesomeness and beauty and wonderful things. I adore her.
just feel like her arc, apart from Needs, has always been about serving Paul's arc in turn and because Paul is gross and stupid that frustrates me big time. YES.
I expected not to like Topher and was major skeeved by him for a long while. But now I am an unapologetic Topher fangirl, and it's pretty awesome!
If he goes there, I will still be interested in his future stuff, but I'll be all purse-lipped and foot-tapping and "really, Joss? Find some other way to shock and compel me. BECAUSE MAKING THE COMPELLING CHARACTERS DROP LIKE FLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT." Well, I may be slightly exaggerating--I'll probably let him pull me back in. But I'm in exactly the same place: I want him to do some maturing, break free of his own cliches and YESYESYES get over his skanky race issues NOW PLEASE (seriously: does he recognize how problematic it is that the sexual victim on his show is the one Asian girl? I think these things don't even enter his head).
...Yeah. Loved Priya, Tony, Topher, Topher!Victor, & Adelle, but...the Paul/Mellie line was just, ehm. And to end the Boyd line with doll!Boyd blowing himself up...was just Not. On. But I guess Joss was trying to cram in all the highlights before the show ended, so I'm giving him the benefit of the answers-over-natural-awesome doubt. idk. I also thought we got two episodes tonight, so I felt let down by that :P
I think everyone's agreed that Priya, Tony, Topher, and Adelle are the characters were really care about.
And I didn't like the Paul/Mellie bit, which is a shame, because I love Mellie, and think Miracle Laurie is made of awesome.
Yes: are we supposed to think what Caroline and Co. made Boyd do at the end is acceptable? And is she Caroline or Echo? And do I really care?
But the thing is, the last two times Joss had to end a show suddenly, we got "Not Fade Away" and "Objects in Space" which are absolutely chock-full of natural awesome (even if I think NFA is a complex view of Angel's messed up morality and not some kind of "heroes last stand"). He can do better than this.
On the other hand, the preview for the next episode looks like it could be legitimately awesome, so I've got my fingers crossed.
Yes: are we supposed to think what Caroline and Co. made Boyd do at the end is acceptable?
It wasn't moral, but I think it was poetic. Boyd acted so guileless and trustworthy while actually destroying everyone's lives; yet when he died it was in a state of complete innocence.
Killing Melvemberline didn't put me off in itself, but as a Jossian trend of dead lovers, I agree the trope has gotten stale.
Yeah, you're right about it being poetic on that level, but on another level: Echo was so obsessed with saving the dolls the entire show, and then she turns this guy into a doll and utterly destroys him. That's messed up. And I can accept it as messed up if there was more time to let the messed up-ness sink in, you know?
Killing Melvemberline didn't put me off in itself, but as a Jossian trend of dead lovers, I agree the trope has gotten stale. EXACTLY.
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Although it was awesome to see Victor!Topher again.
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What I did enjoy: Topher and Adelle were great. Tony and Priya I absolutely loved, as always. Those four are definitely the ones I'll miss the most.
Now excuse me while I go reread your DH fic and bask in the OTP. Priya/Tony: SO MANY FEELINGS.no subject
I love Mellie. Miracle Laurie is gorgeous and wonderful and deserves better than Paul. And I felt like you're right: in wake of Bennett's death, her's was just...cheap. Like Joss was thinking, "I have to kill someone! Let me go after the happy couple!" I really am getting sick of that.
What I did enjoy: Topher and Adelle were great. Tony and Priya I absolutely loved, as always. Those four are definitely the ones I'll miss the most. Yes, yes, yes! The little moment where (I think) Topher asks about Bennett and you see Adelle take his hand? KILLED ME. I want more of those two being super close in the last episode, please, Joss. Looove Topher. He was the only one (besides Victor!Topher: OMG YAY!) who got any halfway decent lines in this episode.
Also, if Joss kills either Tony or Priya, I may swear off of all his future work. I know that sounds petty, but if he does that, it'll prove to me that he really can't get past this "killing off one half of a happy couple" thing, and that will not be cool with me.
YAY! Read away! And you'll be happy to know I'm writing more Priya/Tony!
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I liked what they did with Bennett because it was so BAM and out there - though I still have no idea what the hell is going on with Saunders/Whiskey; was she still Saunders then? If so, how did she get Clydified, and was Boyd in on that or just as surprised as everybody else by it? - but Mellie just felt...cheap. I know a lot of people who are non-fans of Joss say that he's done it so often it ended up cheap and manipulative a long while ago, but I've also read some great defenses about how he creates dangerous worlds, and people are gonna go down. And generally I do agree with that hardcore, but with Mellie it felt...kinda lame. Maybe if it hadn't been so close on the heels of Bennett's death, and there'd been more fallout than "Ballard makes a shocked face and is temporarily misled into believing Adelle is the bad guy." I get that they're crammed for time and all writing-wise, but there's still hints that Topher's pretty messed up (hand touch!). And it remains to be seen about Paul in the next episode - I don't know, maybe he will be emoting about Mellie left and right, which would be better than just forgetting her! But the idea still feels cheap to me.
(At first I also thought there was the added benefit of his prior couples having seasons of development - and even just one season was enough to make most of fandom love Zoe/Wash and freak out during Serenity! Whereas with Paul/Mellie, I feel like this happened:
Show: "oh, we're going to bring them up halfway through the first season and then Mellie will be November the rest of the time until we give her her real personality back, because Paul/Echo is the real OTP of this show. And then she'll come back for a couple of eps in s2 and that'll be dropped off, because Paul/Echo is the real OTP of this show. Wait! No! Paul's Echo obsession is erased and he finds himself drawn to Mellie once more! BAM SHE SHOOTS HERSELF IN THE HEAD. DRAMATIC SHOW IS DRAMATIC."
Kyrie: "Whatever, dude. She deserved better."
Because seriously! I liked Mellie/November/Madeline a lot! Miracle Laurie is awesome! But the show...ick. It never did much right by her. I just feel like her arc, apart from Needs, has always been about serving Paul's arc in turn and because Paul is gross and stupid that frustrates me big time.
I did not realize I had so many feelings about this until just now. HMM. PERHAPS I AM NOT SO APATHETIC TO THIS EP AFTER ALL.)
You know, when the show first came out I expected to love Topher, and he was pretty skeevy and I did not like him so much even though he made me laugh once in awhile, and then they BROUGHT IT with his storyline in s2 and now he is one of my favorites like I expected him to be. Plus, I kind of have a geek!crush on Fran Kranz now.
Also, if Joss kills either Tony or Priya, I may swear off of all his future work. I know that sounds petty, but if he does that, it'll prove to me that he really can't get past this "killing off one half of a happy couple" thing, and that will not be cool with me.
Oof. If he goes there, I will still be interested in his future stuff, but I'll be all purse-lipped and foot-tapping and "really, Joss? Find some other way to shock and compel me. BECAUSE MAKING THE COMPELLING CHARACTERS DROP LIKE FLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT."
IDK. I will always be a Joss girl; I just wish he'd grow a little, you know?
And also realize the weird skanky race issues in his work and improve in that area too, but I do not have much hope there.no subject
I assumed that Boyd had turned Claire into a sleeper agent and was definitely in on it. But I guess you can fanwank it however you want to!
I know a lot of people who are non-fans of Joss say that he's done it so often it ended up cheap and manipulative a long while ago, but I've also read some great defenses about how he creates dangerous worlds, and people are gonna go down. My main problem with it is not that he kills characters--I love his dangerous worlds--but that I can always guess who it's gonna be. It's always (nearly) right after two people have been happy together and the other one gets cut down: Jenny, Tara, Joyce (well, the happiness there was her recovery, but same difference), Spike, Fred, Wash (happiness was being a leaf on the wind), Bennett, now Mellie. I also predicted Penny, too. That irks the hell out of me. I'm no longer surprised, I'm expecting it. I don't want to expect it, you know?
I get that they're crammed for time and all writing-wise, but there's still hints that Topher's pretty messed up (hand touch!). LOVE. IT.
HAHAHA! I love your overview.
Miracle Laurie is made of awesomeness and beauty and wonderful things. I adore her.
just feel like her arc, apart from Needs, has always been about serving Paul's arc in turn and because Paul is gross and stupid that frustrates me big time.
YES.
I expected not to like Topher and was major skeeved by him for a long while. But now I am an unapologetic Topher fangirl, and it's pretty awesome!
If he goes there, I will still be interested in his future stuff, but I'll be all purse-lipped and foot-tapping and "really, Joss? Find some other way to shock and compel me. BECAUSE MAKING THE COMPELLING CHARACTERS DROP LIKE FLIES IN THE FIRST PLACE IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT."
Well, I may be slightly exaggerating--I'll probably let him pull me back in. But I'm in exactly the same place: I want him to do some maturing, break free of his own cliches and YESYESYES get over his skanky race issues NOW PLEASE (seriously: does he recognize how problematic it is that the sexual victim on his show is the one Asian girl? I think these things don't even enter his head).
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And I didn't like the Paul/Mellie bit, which is a shame, because I love Mellie, and think Miracle Laurie is made of awesome.
Yes: are we supposed to think what Caroline and Co. made Boyd do at the end is acceptable? And is she Caroline or Echo? And do I really care?
But the thing is, the last two times Joss had to end a show suddenly, we got "Not Fade Away" and "Objects in Space" which are absolutely chock-full of natural awesome (even if I think NFA is a complex view of Angel's messed up morality and not some kind of "heroes last stand"). He can do better than this.
On the other hand, the preview for the next episode looks like it could be legitimately awesome, so I've got my fingers crossed.
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It wasn't moral, but I think it was poetic. Boyd acted so guileless and trustworthy while actually destroying everyone's lives; yet when he died it was in a state of complete innocence.
Killing Melvemberline didn't put me off in itself, but as a Jossian trend of dead lovers, I agree the trope has gotten stale.
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Killing Melvemberline didn't put me off in itself, but as a Jossian trend of dead lovers, I agree the trope has gotten stale.
EXACTLY.