Weekly TV round-up
Oct. 7th, 2007 11:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizbeeHeroes 202: Lizards
If I were in a proper frame of mind for meta, I would mutter about Claire Bennet as Artemis/warrior maiden. However, I'm not in the mood. Suffice to say, they could turn this into The Bennet Family Invulnerable Funtime Hour, with special guest, Nathan Petrelli! and I'd be happy. Although Claire gets serious fail points for leaving her car unlocked. And, ew, DIY toe amputation.
Still, she'd have to fail a lot harder to be as bad as West, creepy-flying-stalking-love-interest-boy. Are we really supposed to be rooting for them to get together? 'Cuz I'd ship Claire/Sylar before I sink that low.
Returning to the toe thing for a moment -- do humans really not need their pinky toes for balance? 'Cuz I do. OH GOD I'M A THROWBACK!
Otherwise, it was all a bit meh. I'm really eager to see what happens with the badass NY Petrellis, but less enthralled by Peter. The lolIrish should just be glad they didn't get a bobcat instead of those iPods. Why does Peter exist? I know he's popular, but we already have Hiro to be the heart and moral centre of the show, and I find Peter an even greater narrative black hole than Mohinder. Who didn't bore me this week, so, yay?
Speaking of Hiro and Mohinder, I hope they wrap up the Kensei plotline soon, or at least tie it in with the rest of the show fast, because right now, I'm not 100% sure what the greater purpose is, except that we're probably all meant to be shocked and horrified when David Anders turns up in the contemporary narrative. And Mohinder was okay this week, a bit awesome with his pretending-to-have-his-mind-wiped, but I was more excited to see Bob the Haitian. Looks like Mr B agrees with me, too.
When does Kristen Bell start?
Bionic Woman 102
Look, I'm willing to give a show half a season or so to settle into its groove, but LesBionics really didn't do it for me this week. The Jaime-plot was predictable, and enjoyable in spite of it, but everything else felt a bit meh, including everything that involved Sarah Corvus. I'm glad that Vaughn 2.0 has been "killed off", because I really wasn't into him, but I expect we'll see him again before the season is out -- probably just as Jaime has come to trust Jonas properly.
Mostly I was put out that the main plot didn't make sense. Their timeline was screwed -- we saw the first news report before Jaime started her training montages, which go for three days, but when she and Ruth actually get out to Paradise, the same bodies are lying in the street, there's no sign of any decay, and the ObSurvivor seems to have just rolled out of bed. For the fail, writers, for the fail. Unless Idaho really does exist in a different space-time continuum, and it's just one of those 'obvious' facts about America that no one ever bothers to mention to foreigners. Like southern food. What the hell is a plantain anyway?
Anyway, it was obvious right away what had happened in Paradise. Plainly the Beyond Corporation was testing a new doomsday device, and Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. were already on their way to blow stuff up and hopefully stop the end of the world. Although I'm not sure if it's a good thing that LesBionics so clearly co-exists in the Nestwave subuniverse, 'cuz that's some serious crack.
Verdict: wait and see.
Secret Diary of a Call-Girl, episode 2
I find it kind of hilarious that we have a story about a prostitute going to a sex party, that doesn't contain any actual sex. Not even after Belle schemes to get out of work and into the pants of her favourite author. For. The. LOL.
Otherwise, my verdict is the same as last week: attractive show, great work from Billie, less actual substance than a lemon sorbet. Eight weeks of self-contained twenty-minute stories isn't so much a television series as a group of elaborate skits. Although come to think of it, I had similar complaints when I read the book, so it's appropriate, at least.
Hannah's relationship with her family is interesting and fraught. More of that, please.
Oh, and for those keeping track, we had our first instance of nekkid!Billie.
Deep Space 9: Past Prologue
Things you kind of took for granted when you were a kid: how everyone in the future thinks polyester bodysuits are the height of fashion. Even Garak, who works in the fashion industry, and who is gayer than a barrel full of pink monkeys on a Mardi Gras float.
I remember watching this episode as a child -- I've actually seen the whole series up to about late season 5, or maybe even early season 6 -- and being pretty unimpressed, and I can't say I'm inclined to change my mind as an adult. Good idea, necessary story, dull execution. That was one of the big problems with early DS9, wasn't it? Very little action to liven things up, and the dialogue wasn't good enough to compensate. And I think it was a really bad idea to (a) bring in established TNG characters like Lursa and B'Etor so early in the piece, and (b) use them so blandly. Nice to see the sisters have lives outside of making Worf suffer (and come on, I'm not the only person who regrets their fiery cinematic deaths in Generations?) but again, dull execution.
One stand-out scene: Odo and Kira discussing the grey areas that have arisen in Kira's life. You can already see how her fierce energy is attractive to Odo.
Stand-out moment: O'Brian asking Sisko if he ever fought the Cardassians. Just because of all the things that go unsaid. It's kind of weird, realising how recently the Cardassians were invented, compared with, say, the Klingons or the Romulans. Even the Ferengi were introduced in season 1 of TNG, and the Borg were being foreshadowed by the end of the same season. But the Cardassians just sort of popped out of nowhere in season four, and suddenly we find that the Federation has been at war with them until just recently. And the Bajorans came along but a year later. By rights, both races should sit uncomfortably in the general Trek milieu, along with the Kazon and the early Ferengi. I suppose it's because of their newness that they were used so much, and became the foundation of a whole spin-off; we almost know too much about the Klingons, and the Romulans are at their best when they're mysterious. But the crazy thing is that the Cardassians don't become less scary when we learn more about them -- they represent aspects of humanity we'd rather leave unexamined; they torture, they conquer. Even Starfleet officers are prejudiced against them. It's a bit brilliant, really. So much love.
Everything else: tragic general lack of Dax and Quark, and Kira's hair has entered its ugly phase. Season one's gonna be a hard slog, alas.
If I were in a proper frame of mind for meta, I would mutter about Claire Bennet as Artemis/warrior maiden. However, I'm not in the mood. Suffice to say, they could turn this into The Bennet Family Invulnerable Funtime Hour, with special guest, Nathan Petrelli! and I'd be happy. Although Claire gets serious fail points for leaving her car unlocked. And, ew, DIY toe amputation.
Still, she'd have to fail a lot harder to be as bad as West, creepy-flying-stalking-love-interest-boy. Are we really supposed to be rooting for them to get together? 'Cuz I'd ship Claire/Sylar before I sink that low.
Returning to the toe thing for a moment -- do humans really not need their pinky toes for balance? 'Cuz I do. OH GOD I'M A THROWBACK!
Otherwise, it was all a bit meh. I'm really eager to see what happens with the badass NY Petrellis, but less enthralled by Peter. The lolIrish should just be glad they didn't get a bobcat instead of those iPods. Why does Peter exist? I know he's popular, but we already have Hiro to be the heart and moral centre of the show, and I find Peter an even greater narrative black hole than Mohinder. Who didn't bore me this week, so, yay?
Speaking of Hiro and Mohinder, I hope they wrap up the Kensei plotline soon, or at least tie it in with the rest of the show fast, because right now, I'm not 100% sure what the greater purpose is, except that we're probably all meant to be shocked and horrified when David Anders turns up in the contemporary narrative. And Mohinder was okay this week, a bit awesome with his pretending-to-have-his-mind-wiped, but I was more excited to see Bob the Haitian. Looks like Mr B agrees with me, too.
When does Kristen Bell start?
Bionic Woman 102
Look, I'm willing to give a show half a season or so to settle into its groove, but LesBionics really didn't do it for me this week. The Jaime-plot was predictable, and enjoyable in spite of it, but everything else felt a bit meh, including everything that involved Sarah Corvus. I'm glad that Vaughn 2.0 has been "killed off", because I really wasn't into him, but I expect we'll see him again before the season is out -- probably just as Jaime has come to trust Jonas properly.
Mostly I was put out that the main plot didn't make sense. Their timeline was screwed -- we saw the first news report before Jaime started her training montages, which go for three days, but when she and Ruth actually get out to Paradise, the same bodies are lying in the street, there's no sign of any decay, and the ObSurvivor seems to have just rolled out of bed. For the fail, writers, for the fail. Unless Idaho really does exist in a different space-time continuum, and it's just one of those 'obvious' facts about America that no one ever bothers to mention to foreigners. Like southern food. What the hell is a plantain anyway?
Anyway, it was obvious right away what had happened in Paradise. Plainly the Beyond Corporation was testing a new doomsday device, and Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. were already on their way to blow stuff up and hopefully stop the end of the world. Although I'm not sure if it's a good thing that LesBionics so clearly co-exists in the Nestwave subuniverse, 'cuz that's some serious crack.
Verdict: wait and see.
Secret Diary of a Call-Girl, episode 2
I find it kind of hilarious that we have a story about a prostitute going to a sex party, that doesn't contain any actual sex. Not even after Belle schemes to get out of work and into the pants of her favourite author. For. The. LOL.
Otherwise, my verdict is the same as last week: attractive show, great work from Billie, less actual substance than a lemon sorbet. Eight weeks of self-contained twenty-minute stories isn't so much a television series as a group of elaborate skits. Although come to think of it, I had similar complaints when I read the book, so it's appropriate, at least.
Hannah's relationship with her family is interesting and fraught. More of that, please.
Oh, and for those keeping track, we had our first instance of nekkid!Billie.
Deep Space 9: Past Prologue
Things you kind of took for granted when you were a kid: how everyone in the future thinks polyester bodysuits are the height of fashion. Even Garak, who works in the fashion industry, and who is gayer than a barrel full of pink monkeys on a Mardi Gras float.
I remember watching this episode as a child -- I've actually seen the whole series up to about late season 5, or maybe even early season 6 -- and being pretty unimpressed, and I can't say I'm inclined to change my mind as an adult. Good idea, necessary story, dull execution. That was one of the big problems with early DS9, wasn't it? Very little action to liven things up, and the dialogue wasn't good enough to compensate. And I think it was a really bad idea to (a) bring in established TNG characters like Lursa and B'Etor so early in the piece, and (b) use them so blandly. Nice to see the sisters have lives outside of making Worf suffer (and come on, I'm not the only person who regrets their fiery cinematic deaths in Generations?) but again, dull execution.
One stand-out scene: Odo and Kira discussing the grey areas that have arisen in Kira's life. You can already see how her fierce energy is attractive to Odo.
Stand-out moment: O'Brian asking Sisko if he ever fought the Cardassians. Just because of all the things that go unsaid. It's kind of weird, realising how recently the Cardassians were invented, compared with, say, the Klingons or the Romulans. Even the Ferengi were introduced in season 1 of TNG, and the Borg were being foreshadowed by the end of the same season. But the Cardassians just sort of popped out of nowhere in season four, and suddenly we find that the Federation has been at war with them until just recently. And the Bajorans came along but a year later. By rights, both races should sit uncomfortably in the general Trek milieu, along with the Kazon and the early Ferengi. I suppose it's because of their newness that they were used so much, and became the foundation of a whole spin-off; we almost know too much about the Klingons, and the Romulans are at their best when they're mysterious. But the crazy thing is that the Cardassians don't become less scary when we learn more about them -- they represent aspects of humanity we'd rather leave unexamined; they torture, they conquer. Even Starfleet officers are prejudiced against them. It's a bit brilliant, really. So much love.
Everything else: tragic general lack of Dax and Quark, and Kira's hair has entered its ugly phase. Season one's gonna be a hard slog, alas.
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:31 am (UTC)I do remember that they're popular in Caribean and Southern cuisine, but as I'm a Northerner/Midwesterner, I've only ever seen pictures. Imagine midget bananas and you'll have it.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:40 am (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantains
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:51 am (UTC)Everything I know about southern cuisine I learned from grits (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits).
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 02:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 01:57 am (UTC)As much as we sometimes wish to disown Idaho - nope, same space-time continuum. I am shocked that ObSurvivor wasn't stolen away to a government lab for
her blood to be made into a serum to save mutants from the new Legacy virusstudy, but maybe I've watched too much bad sci-fi.(I am so excited! We have a fandom in common again!)
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 02:20 am (UTC)You are braver than me to stick with Bionic Woman. One ep was enough...I have dl'ed both eps of Billie's show but haven't had the urge to watch them. I really need to work on this apathy (I'll never catch up on SJA at this rate, either...)
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 02:28 am (UTC)Kensei He's a Petrelli. West? He's a Petrelli too. When he's not being from Smallville.
"Turd ro bach" *GIGGLES LIKE 12 YEAR OLD*
than Mohinder. Who didn't bore me this week Could that be because a big chunk of his screen-time went missing? I had no idea he was supposed to be faking it.
Noah missed his Bob. naw.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 02:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 06:35 am (UTC)THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT.
no subject
Date: 2007-10-07 06:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-08 08:11 pm (UTC)I managed to find the first Call Girl ep and got a few minutes into it before the voiceover convinced me that I was So Not in the Mood for This Right Now. Haven't deleted it, though, and I tried to find a torrent of the second ep. (And found a few, but they were all broken into bunches of RAR files that I have no way to unpack and recombine into proper watchable video. So I wait for a plain AVI or even MPG to turn up.)
Between you talking DS9 and me watching Boston Legal and seeing so much of Rene Auberjonois, I have the urge to rewatch DS9. But I left the fandom before DVDs came out and never saw a reason to buy the disks after I'd quit watching my videotapes. And I have too many other disks to buy or rent to prioritize it for rewatching.