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TV and sundry other items of (possible) interest
First off, I’m working on drabbles. Most of them have run away with me (meaning gotten reeeeally long), but I’m having fun with them, and they should be up fairly soon, hopefully. Thanks for your prompts!
Second, take a look at how absolutely gorgeous and Buffy-like Sarah Michelle Gellar is looking in these amazing photos from Veronika Decides to Die. Every time I think I can’t get more excited about this movie, I do. The book and I have a complicated relationship, but I think the movie could be great. And there’s no doubt in my mind that Smidge is going to hit it out of the park. Nobody does pain like she does. *hops up and down* I’m so excited about this movie! (And I can already tell I'm going to be writing fic for this. I can already tell.)
Third, it’s time for another of my ridiculously long and rambly TV posts! *WOOT*
Yesterday, I finished up with How I Met Your Mother, and yes, I did watch four seasons in less than one week, thanks for asking. I don’t watch many sitcoms at all, they don’t really appeal to me, but I love this show.
It’s the characters, man. And yes, yes, I’m totally crazy about Barney. Admittedly, I’ve had a crush on Neil Patrick Harris since his Doogie Howser days (yeah, I was that geeky even as a little girl), but he’s beyond brilliant in this. The creation of this character is mindblowing. Especially because he’s playing the one type of character I usually hate above all things. If I knew this guy in real life, I would loathe him. If he was played by anyone else, I would loathe him. He’s horrible, really. But as a character played by NPH? Genius. One of the best characters I’ve ever seen. I’m not shipping Barney/Robin like I thought I would be, though. I think the unrequited love thing is totally adorable, but it’s not built on a lot, yet, I don’t think. Remember that episode back in like Season 1 where she was his wingman for a night and was better at it than Ted? I need more episodes like that where they’re interacting one-on-one in order to really, really be invested in their relationship.
I also adore Jason Segal. Like, really. I don’t usually feel this way about celebrities—I have no desire whatsoever to meet them most of the time—but with him (as with a few exceptions coughrusselbrandcough), I feel like he would totally be the kind of guy I’d just want to hang out with. I loooove
This is also one of the few sitcoms I’ve ever seen that is consistently funny. I’ve always felt that Buffy or Doctor Who or other ostensible dramas were way funnier than straight-up comedies, but this one is very, very funny because it knows how to derive its humor for characterization most of the time.
That said, it was a bit of a jarring experience for me watching this show. Since I almost never watch sitcoms, I had forgotten the way that they can be racist/sexist/etc. in order to get a few laughs. On the shows I really invest in, you don’t see that a lot in a blatant way (sure, I have tons of problems with, say, Joss’s shows and their depictions of race or most other shows and their depictions—or lack thereof—of women, but most of the ones I watch at least try). There isn’t a ton of that on HIMYM, but it does pop up, and I’m always really shocked. Probably because I’ve learned so much about white and male privilege since I really watched a more mainstream show (most of my favorites are cult shows), I don’t know. But it’s weird.
But yeah. Other than that, I love this show. I can’t wait till the next season.
Last night I watched Dollhouse’s “Epitaph One,” and all I have to say is
DAMN.
Joss Whedon, MAKE THIS SHOW. This episode is post-apocalyptic and twisted and gorgeous and SO FREAKING GOOD. Seriously, this is the show I’ve been waiting for from him. I WANT IT I WANT IT I WANT IT.
First off: Felicia Day! Yay! Girl crush! Also: Molly from Heroes! Girl, you live on!
Second, I’m not really sure about the timeline or the technology or the jargon or a lot of things, really; most of it is fuzzy and not very fleshed-out, obviously because of the time limit. But that doesn’t matter. This is exactly the kind of post-apocalyptic world I most want to see. And, in my opinion, it may very well redeem the show.
I was really struggling with the show, with where it was going, what Joss was trying to say. By its nature, it still felt exploitative to me (to be honest, I still have some problems with how he represents women/sex/sexiness in the show, but let’s put that aside), not to mention that I didn’t feel like I could get to the heart of the ideas he was trying to explore as I could in Buffy or Firefly or even Angel because I didn’t really care about any of the characters, honestly.
But now I do. I care about Adelle and Topher, both of whom I found loathsome and pretty one-dimensional before. I think both Caroline and Paul could have grown into people I could believe in (though we didn't see very much of them. I think Joss might be getting it through his head that ensemble is better for this show, for which I commend him). Amy Acker is made of awesome, and so is Harry Lennix. And as for Victor and Sierra? I want more than anything to really, really get to know them next season (also: there’s something there! They totally had a thing! And could have a thing again! MY SHIP, Y’ALL!). God, I hope this show just keeps going and going.
I loved the structure of the episode as well, with all the characters inside the dollhouse, which has been transformed from a place that was mildly creepy because of its very serenity to a claustrophobic horror house. And picking people off, one by one, horror movie style (there’s so many great zombie references you can make with this material), having the bad guy stuck in the little girl’s body, having Whiskey wandering around likely some ghost/avenging angel/Drusilla-esque lost girl—love. it.
And I honestly wondered how they would work the main cast into the episode, but they did it brilliantly with the memories that Felicia and crew are trying to piece together.
Mr. Dominic was back! I adored that cameo. He’s an awesome character. And the Adelle/Topher (which seemed more maternal to me than anything) was touching and beautiful. And the hints at Boyd/Claire? Sweet. Caroline looks like she grew up into a real badass as opposed to the whiny, self-righteous girl we saw pre-dollhouse (though Eliza’s acting with the “headaches” was disappointing to me). And the mentions of November—“Which one?”—were just fabulous. Totally awesome reference to Alpha that indicates he’s still a player (and that Alan Tudyk will probably be guest-starring sometime soon)? Total win. AND DID I MENTION VICTOR/SIERRA?
I really, really like this world. I like it soooo much more than I like the one we saw in the rest of the season. Now, admittedly, I adore post-apocalyptic stuff. Love it. But this was better than that. Exploring the ideas of technology—of the idea that what we make with our hands and our minds can turn on us if we aren’t responsible about them. That was an idea I really wanted Battlestar Galactica to explore, and in its more transcendent moments, it touched on those ideas. But it ultimately failed me (yeah, there were some great moments in the finale—Gaius Baltar, I’m looking at you—but the solution? Disappointing and, I really believe, somewhat cowardly). Dollhouse doesn’t have to. It can go there. It really, really can.
This is the show I wanted from Joss. This could be as good Buffy. It could be better than Firefly. I recognize that in the second season, we’ll probably go back in time again, and even though that’s not what I want, I accept that. I just hope that this future is always there, lurking in the background, and that Joss builds up to it again. I want to reach that future. And then go forward from there.
This is Joss at his finest, y'all (even if he didn't write the teleplay, his stamp is all over it. And I've always liked that he knows how to surround himself with so many great writers--often when I'm talking about "Joss," I really mean "Joss and his crew of kick-ass writers"). It's premature for me to say it's one of my favorite episodes of TV that I've ever seen--it may not pass the test of me watching it thirty times the way, say, "Fool for Love" or "Blink" or "Not Pictured" or "Out of Gas" or "Mud Bowl" have--but I think in a few months, I might be saying it. I really do.
Also, there were some pretty great references to the original pilot of the show “Echo.” As for that, FOX IS MADE OF FAIL. This episode was infinitely better than the pilot that was actually aired.
The whole episode is better. Not personality-of-the-week, but noir-ish and morally ambiguous and better at showing the full range of what dolls can be required to do (Sierra coming back from her assignment in particular was chilling—and it was like fifteen seconds of screentime!). Not to mention it does a thousand times better job setting up the various moral (or lack thereof) approaches to what’s going on there. Like “Epitaph One,” it would have redeemed the show a bit for me, not to mention made me trust Joss more. A solid, solid episode, unlike the completely lame ones we had on the air. Too bad.
So that's what I've been watching lately. Now, back to writing.
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For me, they are the same world. This is the underbelly finally being shown. The lurking darkness beneath the calm and peaceful waters of the Dollhouse. It's always there. It's probably why I do like Dollhouse - because I can see this post-Apocalyptic world lurking beneath the surface. The current timeline of Dollhouse is so complex and twisty. I love that. I think it appears exploitative because they're depicting that, but they're doing so to question it.
Totally agree about the original pilot being superior. I loved Dominic being back, so awesome. But I have a thing for Adelle/Dominic (a subtexty, unspoken thing). Theirs is a beautifully twisted relationship.
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This future places the "present" that we've already seen in context. I didn't feel that there was that much lurking below the surface as I watched the show. I was frustrated, honestly (though, after watching "Echo," I think this is probably more the network's fault that Joss's)--the whole thing seemed too glossy and surface. Even the darkness seemed surface-y to me. I didn't see the seeds of all this beneath it.
But I do now. Now that I know that this is what Joss sees in the future, sees lurking below the surface, it lends a whole new dimension to what we've already seen. I know that were I to go back and rewatch the rest of the season now, I would like it more. I can now see that they are the same world. But I couldn't before. Does that make sense?
I think it appears exploitative because they're depicting that, but they're doing so to question it. I agree with you to an extent. But not fully. Because I still have major, major, major problems with the depiction of Sierra thus far (both racially and as far as gender depictions go, and these two are closely, closely tied in this character) and, well, this person puts it a lot better than I could. It's a short little piece, but I think this writer is correct.
I think that sometimes Joss gets a free pass because he is so upfront about being a feminist. And I'm not saying he's not--I think he definitely is. But just because he is doesn't mean he can't mess up. For instance, I like to think of myself as a white ally (or at least I try to be). But I still mess up when it comes to racial issues sometimes. And just because Joss is all about the strong female characters doesn't meant that I should, say, overlook his depictions of consent or lack thereof on Buffy or the way the female characters on Dollhouse are depicted.
Sorry. I tend to ramble. Feel free to ignore me.
Dominic is just a fantastic character, played by a fantastic actor (one of my favorite moments in the show thus far, though, is when Victor was imprinted with Dominic's personality. Enver is amazing). I was so glad to see him back and interacting with Adelle!
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Also the girl from Heroes did an amazing job. How old is she? I hope to see more of her if her acting is that good.
I agree with everything you said. Most especially, I echo the Victor/Sierra squee.
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She is almost thirteen, I believe. And yeah, she's really grown on me. She's gotten tons better since the early episodes of Heroes when she was just typical child actor. I look forward to seeing her continue to grow.
I adore Victor. Enver blows my mind in every single scene. And I like that they hinted at their relationship. Made me happy.
Gorgeous icon, by the way.
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It's a little sad that the least interesting and well-played/formed characters on Dollhouse are the main ones. :(
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The thing that cracks me up about Enver is that I thought he was kind of goofy looking the first time we saw him, and now I find him incredibly attractive. But of course I thought the same thing about Nathan Fillion the first time I watched Serenity and James Marsters back in the day and David Tennant--actors grow on me.
It's a little sad that the least interesting and well-played/formed characters on Dollhouse are the main ones. :( Yes. Just...yes.
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Also, there were some pretty great references to the original pilot of the show “Echo.” As for that, FOX IS MADE OF FAIL. This episode was infinitely better than the pilot that was actually aired.
Now, I haven't rewatched the aired pilot recently, so I can't properly compare the two, but I honestly didn't like the original pilot that much. I thought it *became* stronger toward the end, but I could definitely see why it was axed in favour of slow build up, for narrative reasons as well as broadcasting ones. Some of those conversations (and the number of them, one after the other, in case we hadn't picked up on the moral dilemmas) just felt like way too much philosophical talking for a pilot, and it slowed the whole thing down for me, not in a strong narrative way. It was the kind of thing I like writing, but will cut down on after I've had my fun in the first draft, because otherwise I'm going to have an awkward time of making a longer story that people want to read. It's a TV program, after all; he can spread the conversations over a number of episodes as the audience goes further down the rabbit hole and scrapes clear the glossy grime, and talk about it in commentary and interviews in the meanwhile.
So while I thought the original pilot did a good job of introducing the concept and moral ambiguities, I didn't find it a strong start to a television show, or to a long story in general. The ending was stronger, once they got into the actual plot, but I wouldn't have had Caroline and Paul meeting so early on, either (*maybe* another doll being obviously involved and then try to kill him, as a clear motive and conviction for navigating the constant crazy and no-leads of Paul's investigation, but *not* Caroline, especially when Victor was already in there, and I thought that plot line worked well in the early show).
That all said, I found the start of aired Dollhouse (episodes, not just pilot) rather clumsily paced, so I don't really think either pilot was the way to kick off the show.
[/rain on love parade :P]
*and off to work; possible longer comment later*
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You make some great points. It is a very, very talky episode, and that probably isn't a good thing. However, I think it would have worked better for me because it would have made me trust Joss more--I would have had confirmation that he was indeed aware of all the moral stuff. So. Many. people I know stopped watching it because they didn't feel that he was; they found it exploitative. I think they might have stuck around if this was the pilot.
However, I'm not great at judging how good either one of the pilots are as pilots because A) with the aired one, I already was very, very familiar with the concept, so I wasn't lost at all, and B) with this one, I had already seen the entire season. So those kind of corrupt me as a pilot-watching, don't you think?
It was the kind of thing I like writing, but will cut down on after I've had my fun in the first draft, because otherwise I'm going to have an awkward time of making a longer story that people want to read. Great opint.
Nah, you weren't raining on mine. I still enjoyed it a lot more. Besides, I have "Epitaph One" to make me deliriously happy. The parade continues.
Have you managed to watch E1 yet? It seems like it might be your kind of thing.
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You make some great points. It is a very, very talky episode, and that probably isn't a good thing. However, I think it would have worked better for me because it would have made me trust Joss more--I would have had confirmation that he was indeed aware of all the moral stuff.
A good point. I should really rewatch and analyze the aired pilot for comparison purposes, but. The series' start was pretty slow :p The original pilot was weird to watch, too, with all the scenes that got used up in the aired episodes, so that might have made it look more fragmented :P Still, at best, I don't think either pilot was great--I love dialogue, but it was just too much of the same, for me, in the original. But hey, at least I know where I remember the "lost sister" thing in the DH promos came from *g*
I haven't watched E1 yet, but your review definitely pushed it up on the roster of Things To Watch Soon(isher) :)
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But hey, at least I know where I remember the "lost sister" thing in the DH promos came from *g* Exactly!
E1 really hit all my kinks, so it worked for me. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts once you watch it. ;)
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himym:
barney is easily my favorite himym character. easily. and i think what really makes the difference is how when they need to turn on the patheticness, they do. yes he's sexist and horrible, but he also refuses to believe he gets sick and has unrequited crushes.
i totally agree about barney/robin, to an extent. i think there are more roots to ship them in the series than you might notice at first glance, but i also think that they really really haven't developed robin's side of the relationship/attraction yet. and so i'm looking forward to seeing how they do that.
i'm definitely the same way about ted and robin.
EPITAPH ONE:
you're right, i mean i think it was better than the entire series. season two should just go from there. because i want to know what happens now, and i'm not sure i care as much about what happens in between the season one end and epitaph one, as i do about what happens after. because epitaph one was amazing.
RIGHT, yes, this is the first time the characters become seriously lovable- i have never really liked adelle, and now i adore her. also the first time i could see myself as some of the characters, because they became much more humanized- adelle as mother, claire as emotionally invested in the cause, victor and sierra as flawed fighters. etc. i think caroline even gained merit here, and she's honestly one of my least favorite characters.
the adelle and topher scene was my favorite part of the episode, oh-so-easily. it's the first scene in dollhouse that's really made me cry (the end of needs brought tears, but nothing like this).
where was the alpha reference? it is killing me right now that i didn't catch it.
i haven't seen the unaired pilot yet... can i ask where you found it?
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and i think what really makes the difference is how when they need to turn on the patheticness, they do. yes he's sexist and horrible, but he also refuses to believe he gets sick and has unrequited crushes. I think you're very right about this. The writers know that this isn't a strength, it's a weakness, and, in developing the whole thing with Robin, they're showing that they clearly know it doesn't ultimately work. It isn't fulfilling. That's why I'm okay with it, though I don't know if I would have figured that out if you hadn't pointed it out.
but i also think that they really really haven't developed robin's side of the relationship/attraction yet. and so i'm looking forward to seeing how they do that. Exactly! I'm invested from Barney's side, but I have to be invested from both sides to really ship something, so I really, really hope that this next season we get to explore her feelings for him. That would be awesome. If it happens, I think I'll probably end up shipping them hardcore. I'm really anxious to see if they can have those two in a relationship without having either of them (but especially Barney) out of character.
season two should just go from there. because i want to know what happens now, and i'm not sure i care as much about what happens in between the season one end and epitaph one, as i do about what happens after. because epitaph one was amazing. I KNOW! If I had my druthers, I would have them cover all the flashbacks from E1 during the first, say, four episodes of S2 (do you know how many episodes we're getting this season? Is it still only 13?) and then move on from there. It would be awesome.
Yes, yes, it made them all so much more human! They became people and not just characters for the first time! I loved it!
i think caroline even gained merit here, and she's honestly one of my least favorite characters. The potential for her is totally there.
They just mentioned something and then said, "Thanks to Alpha" or something like that. I think he ended up being the one to save some people. I'm going to rewatch.
I found it in a closed community I'm in. Have you checked sidereel or surfthechannel? They often have a lot of links.
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-i mean they also did quite a bit of backtracking to show that he's ready for a relationship- the number 1 thing i'm thinking of is the 200 girls list. it's a cute origin story for the beginnings of barney's womanizing habits, but i think it's also clearly a play by the writers to prove it's not integral to his lifestyle now. on the other hand, his amazing conversation with marshall where he asks what it's like to be married shows that he's still in a childish state but he's thinking about growing up. which doesn't exactly praise people who never get married, but i think i get what the show means.
"I'm really anxious to see if they can have those two in a relationship without having either of them (but especially Barney) out of character."
-SAME. i mean unconditional love!barney worked pretty well, so that might be okay... but at the same time so much of his humor seems to be built on his...um...lifestyle choices. i mean, a barney who doesn't flirt. that just doesn't seem right, and moreover it might make him LESS desperate- and i think that might make him less funny/less barney. on the other hand he still has to impress his friends, people at work, that laser-tag-place owner...i think he's well-developed enough that they'll have things to do with his character.
this is all assuming, of course, that they don't backtrack and spend a lot of the season NOT getting barney and robin together - that "we should discuss this later" did seem a bit ominous.
i originally though it was 13 to be renewed, but lately i've been wondering if i was wrong about that assumption. it's interesting that epitaph one might change the focus of the show, though... i know they're shooting season 2 already, but i wonder if the episode gets a really positive reaction at comic-con if they'll consider continuing the show in a similar direction.
the only thing i would miss about continuing from epitaph one is i'd lose topher, who i've always liked, and adelle, who i now adore (all epitaph one to thank for that)...so there's a bit of a conflict there, because characters! i would miss them. unless, of course, they magically made it to safe haven and are living moodily (it is a joss show after all) ever after.
"The potential for her is totally there."
-as long as they don't make her super-special for being able to block the imprints. i think that's the main thing...
"I'm going to rewatch."
-let me know what you catch!
yeah, i tried both sites actually, but they didn't have links as of a few days ago...i might check again.
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on the other hand, his amazing conversation with marshall where he asks what it's like to be married shows that he's still in a childish state but he's thinking about growing up. I loved that one!
Yeah, I think they'll be able to pull it off, him being still in character, but it's going to take some impressive writing. Which I think they're capable of doing. On any other sitcom, I wouldn't expect them to be that great, but with this one? They can do it.
I think they should take their time getting them together--not in a "let's create angst and conflict!" sort of way, but in a "now let's see things from Robin's perspective for a bit before this happens" sort of way.
Yeah, you're right about Topher and Adelle. But I'm not entirely sure Caroline killed her, so maybe we could have some more crazy!Topher and more!vulnerable!Adelle? At safe haven, possible?
-as long as they don't make her super-special for being able to block the imprints. i think that's the main thing... Oh, goodness, yes. You know, I've never understood why Caroline is supposed to be special. If they showed other characters beginning to remember, it would be cool--it's happening to all of them, but we're focusing on this one girl. But they didn't. Or if they say she can block it now just because of what happened with Alpha, I'd be cool with that, too. But I certainly hope they don't do a SHE'S SO SPEZUL route, because she really isn't.
I will indeed!
Hmmm...I'm thinking they might show up sooner or later. And if you bittorrent, I'm sure you could find it that way.
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-yeah, that could work. it's weird how they spent so little time on robin considering how much time they spent developing her feelings for ted.
"At safe haven, possible?"
-um, totally possible *crosses fingers*
"I certainly hope they don't do a SHE'S SO SPEZUL route, because she really isn't."
-she's mostly just someone with a strong conscience but NO common sense, as far as i can tell. i like echo as a doll a LOT more than her as caroline (or better yet echo as "omega," that was my favorite eliza dushku moment in the series, probably).
i don't bittorent (WAY too lazy), but i bet you're right about it showing up soon!
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-she's mostly just someone with a strong conscience but NO common sense, as far as i can tell. YES. That is the best way ever of describing her.
And total agreement on liking Echo/Omega way more.
I actually don't bittorrent, either, but I should probably start. There are so many things I'll never get to see otherwise!
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promise to journal about any good ones you find? 'cause i'm always interested!
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