Mike says Christopher Eccleston will always be my first Doctor. He had something special, something dark and scarred in his Doctor, and I really dug that. The season, and Eccleston, really grow and get stronger as the season goes on. I love Rose, and I thought using her to bring us into the Doctor's world was great.
Eccelston's Doctor, to me, seems to be a man who, with nothing else left to him, resumes his work protecting and saving humanity. But his passion, his love for the work, is gone. He now does it for the adventure, the danger, and perhaps the faint hope that he will fail, and his pain will finally come to an end. Rose brings back his purpose and rebuilds that connection to humanity.
The several references to stupid apes and cursed mudball are what lead me to believe this. When Eccelston finally changes to Tennant, he leaves that pain behind and embraces hope. And Rose was the cause of that.
The episode itself is pretty so-so. Plastic aliens? meh. But The Doctor and Rose running to save the day? Cool stuff. One of the reasons I think British shows are a bit stronger is that they are made more like American mini-series. And so, from the beginning, they know where they're going. I like that a lot.
Doctor Who is a great show, and the first season of the "new" Who is pretty well done, even if you do have to wait a few episodes for it to really start cooking.
Kate says I like David Tennant, but every time, I see anything from *New* Doctor Who, Season 1, I remember again how fabulous I think Christopher Eccleston is.
He really is my favorite Doctor Who. It's that accent, for one thing, and he seems a warmer personality to me than Tennant; the sexual energy between him and Piper is more believable than between Piper and Tennant (despite there being an 18 years difference between Piper and Eccleston and only an 11 years difference between Piper and Tennant). And, too, although Tennant is a gifted actor, I think Christopher Eccleston has a . . . greater range . . . subtlety . . . edge? Something.
Of course, I really love Season 1 anyway. I prefer Billie Piper to all the other companions (yes, even Donna, though she comes a very close second!), plus it has more single episodes (you know me and single episodes). The pilot itself is good. I actually think the other two episodes on Disc 1 are better (do you think this list has taught us that pilots are rarely as good as later episodes?), but there are the creepy mannequins and the extraordinary fast dialog that you have to keep subtitles on to get (if you do, you'll realize how funny it is; one of my favorite lines is Jackie's: "Arianna got two thousand quid off the council just 'cause the old man behind the desk said she looked Greek. I know she is Greek, but that's besides the point - it was still a valid claim.").
And Eccleston does very good pure physical comedy.
Mickey is well-established as the childhood friend/boyfriend who Rose cares for but who just can't compete with the Doctor and all he represents. One thing I really love about Rose (and Donna) is their fierceness to be OUT THERE. Rose loves the Doctor, and Donna cares for him, but they are pure adventurers as well.
Mark Benton does an awesome job as the crazy guy with a shed (having a shed, in Britain, is like . . . a guy building a boat in his basement in the U.S.). His speech brings up an interesting theme with Doctor Who and one which I actually remember from seeing Doctor Who briefly in my childhood. It was an episode with Tom Baker: someone says something to him about bringing death, and he's stumbling around on a hillside, guilt or grief-stricken.
That's it. That's all I remember. But it was THE memory I had of Doctor Who, so when Mark Benton goes into his little speech about Doctor Who being a harbinger of death, I always go, Yep, that's Doctor Who. It's a really fascinating idea because Doctor Who saves people, but he is also an omen of destruction (and often is directly responsible for people/aliens dying). I think it is interesting that the ruthlessness was there from day one (1963 day one) or at least from Tom Baker's time. (By the way, this is one reason I think The Big Bad Wolf refers to something other than what it ends up referring to in Season 4. This is a case where I really don't want to give spoilers, but The Big Bad Wolf was totally overplayed and undersold.)
I do recommend Season 2 (with Piper and Tennant) and Season 4. Season 3 has a few fantastic episodes, but Martha Jones is so annoying, you want to slap her. I do give the Season 3 finale major thumbs up, mostly due to Derek Jacobi (holy schamoolies!) and John Simm. Season 4 has Donna, which makes up for a lot, but it has way more 2-parters than the other seasons. The finale is okay, but they should have brought back Eccleston for the second Doctor Who!
On to List 2!!
Showing posts with label List1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label List1. Show all posts
Friday, August 6, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Red Dwarf Pilot: "The End"
Kate says okay, it's story time. When I was living in Washington, I had this tiny television (the kind people used to keep in their kitchens and watch while preparing dinner until it become easier, and lighter, to just watch videos on a cellphone). I got very few channels clearly, but I did get PBS, and the PBS in Puyallup, Washington was VERY British-oriented. They would have marathons of British comedies, including, yep, Red Dwarf. Let me tell you, I learned the closing credits' song (though I did get some words wrong until I could watch it with subtitles)!
I've always considered that Red Dwarf doesn't get interesting until everybody dies, but the pilot does a very good job establishing background information plus Lister and Rimmer's personalities. One thing I have always loved about British television is the writers' willingness to not make the "good guy" the same as the "smart guy". In M.A.S.H., for example, the very funny Larry Linville, a Rimmer prototype, is nevertheless kept from being as funny as Rimmer by being made the butt of every joke. Hawkeye is smarter and a better surgeon and . . . and . . .
This "perfect good guy" seems very American to me. (In another British sitcom, the Vicar of Dibley, the vicar may be the "good guy" but the conservative stick-in-the-mud, David Horton, is given unbelievably saracastic and funny dialog; he also occasionally calls the vicar to account.)
In Red Dwarf, although Lister is the moral center and has far more commonsense than Rimmer, he is also lazy, a slob, and not as bright or ambitious as he could be. Consequently, Rimmer can get off some excellent zingers.
And can I just mention how much I love Danny John-Jules as the Cat!
Another thing that really impresses me about Red Dwarf is how effortlessly it presents rather complex science-fiction ideas in a funny, engaging way. In the pilot, we get the concepts of the work-a-day corporation spaceship, stasis, evolution, holographs, a sentient computer, evolving animals, folklore as history: all major science-fiction concepts. But it's done so effortlessly, the viewers never notices they've been Star Trekked, so to speak. It's really impressive.
By the way, Patrick Stewart was a fan of Red Dwarf!
Mike says I also discovered Red Dwarf through (late night) PBS (it was on right after the Red Green show), and I've always enjoyed the casual way the show was able to juggle some very heavy sci-fi concepts.
My sense of humor has been a mystery to me, and my loved ones, for some time. I usually don't like comedies about idiots. Especially those centering on the Jerk-Idiot. But Lister is just enough of a good guy that he doesn't bother me at all. Rimmer, however . . . oy. But, he's constantly reaping the consequences of his actions, and because of this, I'm able to stand him. But, there is no escaping the fact that these guys are idiots. But FUNNY.
The first episode is great about introducing all the main elements and teaching us something about our characters. Would it be strange to describe a British show as being VERY British? 'Cause, wow. It is. How great is that?
I love all of the jokes and one liners, the visual jokes ("Better make myself look big!"), and I LOVE Lister's accent.
All in all, a great first episode that really showcases what the show is like.
I've always considered that Red Dwarf doesn't get interesting until everybody dies, but the pilot does a very good job establishing background information plus Lister and Rimmer's personalities. One thing I have always loved about British television is the writers' willingness to not make the "good guy" the same as the "smart guy". In M.A.S.H., for example, the very funny Larry Linville, a Rimmer prototype, is nevertheless kept from being as funny as Rimmer by being made the butt of every joke. Hawkeye is smarter and a better surgeon and . . . and . . .
This "perfect good guy" seems very American to me. (In another British sitcom, the Vicar of Dibley, the vicar may be the "good guy" but the conservative stick-in-the-mud, David Horton, is given unbelievably saracastic and funny dialog; he also occasionally calls the vicar to account.)
In Red Dwarf, although Lister is the moral center and has far more commonsense than Rimmer, he is also lazy, a slob, and not as bright or ambitious as he could be. Consequently, Rimmer can get off some excellent zingers.
And can I just mention how much I love Danny John-Jules as the Cat!
Another thing that really impresses me about Red Dwarf is how effortlessly it presents rather complex science-fiction ideas in a funny, engaging way. In the pilot, we get the concepts of the work-a-day corporation spaceship, stasis, evolution, holographs, a sentient computer, evolving animals, folklore as history: all major science-fiction concepts. But it's done so effortlessly, the viewers never notices they've been Star Trekked, so to speak. It's really impressive.
By the way, Patrick Stewart was a fan of Red Dwarf!
Mike says I also discovered Red Dwarf through (late night) PBS (it was on right after the Red Green show), and I've always enjoyed the casual way the show was able to juggle some very heavy sci-fi concepts.
My sense of humor has been a mystery to me, and my loved ones, for some time. I usually don't like comedies about idiots. Especially those centering on the Jerk-Idiot. But Lister is just enough of a good guy that he doesn't bother me at all. Rimmer, however . . . oy. But, he's constantly reaping the consequences of his actions, and because of this, I'm able to stand him. But, there is no escaping the fact that these guys are idiots. But FUNNY.
The first episode is great about introducing all the main elements and teaching us something about our characters. Would it be strange to describe a British show as being VERY British? 'Cause, wow. It is. How great is that?
I love all of the jokes and one liners, the visual jokes ("Better make myself look big!"), and I LOVE Lister's accent.
All in all, a great first episode that really showcases what the show is like.
Labels:
List1,
Television
Friday, July 23, 2010
Sarah Jane Adventures: Pilot Special
Mike says that, believe it or not, it does get better! The episode is fun, and pretty well done as an intro to Sarah Smith and her Life, but It must have been a later episode that really got me excited about the show. Now, in truth, when I started this series I had just finished watching the last of Doctor Who, and was in withdrawal pains something fierce. And this seemed to ease the pain.
All in all, simple and cute. It's interesting to me that Maria was definitely the focus of the special, especially over the name sake of the show. But the "outsider" is always a great way to bring the audience into a new situation, learning along with the character. I think Maria is also a great audience surrogate, since Sarah Jane is an adult, and Luke is a newborn.
I also like that the show has a little bit of bite: The creatures are just scary enough to offer real danger (at least to a kid; we "Who" fans have seen far too much to be phased by a crawling eyeball, no matter how big it is), and the evil plot just crazy enough to be believed.
The show does get stronger as it rolls along- A friend for Luke helps matters a lot, and Maria and Sarah Jane form a great big sister/kid sister type relationship. Overall, I like the show quite a bit, and think I'll eventually pick it up so my son has his own "Doctor Who" show he can watch on his own. The show is really wholesome--but not TOO wholesome. I'm a firm believer that it's okay to be a little scared sometimes.
Kate says Invasion of the Bane totally reminded me of early Saturday Morning kids' show from my childhood. This is not to put it down at all! It's very cute, but if you watch it thinking Dr. Who or Torchwood, don't be surprised when you get "Saturday Morning kids' show."
It is very clever. In some ways, it is an homage to the older Dr. Who, which I think is quite fitting. The camera work reminds me of 60's shows like classic Trek and The Avengers.
The special introduces some of the main characters. I like Alan and hope he continues. I'm a big fan of Samantha Bond and was very pleased to see her (as Mrs. Wormwood). I was disappointed, on checking IMDB, to find that Maria only shows up for 15 episodes. She is far and away the strongest character out of the bunch. In fact, I hate to say it, but I think Luke Smith is a fairly weak character. Maria is far more interesting. I noted that an older actor, Daniel Anthony, shows up pretty soon. Hopefully, he provides a good mirror to Elisabeth Sladen. It seems kind of a waste to only give her kids to react against—besides, I'm not sure pre-teens really go for shows that are completely devoid of adults. If I remember correctly, as a pre-teen, I was always partial to shows that involved OLD actors—you know, ones in their 20's!
I LOVE the sonic lipstick.
All in all, it's a watchable, cute show—though I'm not sure if is being marketed to pre-teens or to adults suffering nostalgia.
All in all, simple and cute. It's interesting to me that Maria was definitely the focus of the special, especially over the name sake of the show. But the "outsider" is always a great way to bring the audience into a new situation, learning along with the character. I think Maria is also a great audience surrogate, since Sarah Jane is an adult, and Luke is a newborn.
I also like that the show has a little bit of bite: The creatures are just scary enough to offer real danger (at least to a kid; we "Who" fans have seen far too much to be phased by a crawling eyeball, no matter how big it is), and the evil plot just crazy enough to be believed.
The show does get stronger as it rolls along- A friend for Luke helps matters a lot, and Maria and Sarah Jane form a great big sister/kid sister type relationship. Overall, I like the show quite a bit, and think I'll eventually pick it up so my son has his own "Doctor Who" show he can watch on his own. The show is really wholesome--but not TOO wholesome. I'm a firm believer that it's okay to be a little scared sometimes.
Kate says Invasion of the Bane totally reminded me of early Saturday Morning kids' show from my childhood. This is not to put it down at all! It's very cute, but if you watch it thinking Dr. Who or Torchwood, don't be surprised when you get "Saturday Morning kids' show."
It is very clever. In some ways, it is an homage to the older Dr. Who, which I think is quite fitting. The camera work reminds me of 60's shows like classic Trek and The Avengers.
The special introduces some of the main characters. I like Alan and hope he continues. I'm a big fan of Samantha Bond and was very pleased to see her (as Mrs. Wormwood). I was disappointed, on checking IMDB, to find that Maria only shows up for 15 episodes. She is far and away the strongest character out of the bunch. In fact, I hate to say it, but I think Luke Smith is a fairly weak character. Maria is far more interesting. I noted that an older actor, Daniel Anthony, shows up pretty soon. Hopefully, he provides a good mirror to Elisabeth Sladen. It seems kind of a waste to only give her kids to react against—besides, I'm not sure pre-teens really go for shows that are completely devoid of adults. If I remember correctly, as a pre-teen, I was always partial to shows that involved OLD actors—you know, ones in their 20's!
I LOVE the sonic lipstick.
All in all, it's a watchable, cute show—though I'm not sure if is being marketed to pre-teens or to adults suffering nostalgia.
Labels:
Children,
List1,
SciFi,
Television
Friday, July 16, 2010
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Encounter at Farpoint
Kate says I know it's cheesy, I know it's dated, I know Troi's character is rather silly, I know the plot is one of Roddenberry's "There are no bad guys; it's just a big misunderstanding!" ideas. I know there are loads of nits and that Star Trek is hard to take seriously when it comes to science-fiction.
I still love it. Other than Stargate, Star Trek is the only show that will consistently give me what I want: single-plot episodes that pay-off a "What if?" problem. I'm a single-plot episode junkie. These types of episodes evoke little pings of gratification in my brain. Yup, you can blame my cave-dwelling ancestors for the narrative arc. Whatever gene that wants it, I got it in buckets.
Yes, Star Trek's universe doesn't always make sense. Yes, Roddenberry's rather lovely vision of the future is rather naive (and didn't work since dystopias are easier to write about than utopias). Nevertheless, there's something ruthless about the insistence on plot that I really admire. So many shows keep turning themselves into whatever the something else is this week or year. Star Trek, on the other hand, got a format and stuck to it. More or less.
And I LIKE it: "What if?" problem is set-up; "What if?" problem is paid-off: instant gratification. This is what genre fiction is supposed to be if people would just stop being so ashamed of it and silly academics would stop trying to make out that some other deep profound purpose is or should be at work.
As for the Next Generation pilot, I like the introduction of "Q" (which is paid-off extremely well throughout the series and in the season finale). I admire Patrick Stewart. The man can act! Brent Spiner, of course, is always a pleasure. I like Worf's character (remember, for classic Trekkies, Worf's appearance on the bridge would have meant a great deal). I do like it better when he grows his hair long, but, eh. I like Geordi. I like Crusher better than that other doctor (the one from Season 2). And I think Riker was necessary and well-cast character. (Picard needs a Kirk on the bridge.)
I have no opinion about Denise Crosby. I thought she was used well in later seasons, but I never felt particularly attached to her. In all honesty, despite my love for Star Trek: NG, I rarely rewatch Seasons 1 or 2. The show improves greatly over the first two seasons. Season 3, which I own, is truly the best. It contains "The Hunted," "A Matter of Perspective," "Yesterday's Enterprise," "The Offspring," "Hollow Pursuits," "The Most Toys," and "Sarek." The last five are classics: rather remarkable for one season.
Back to the pilot: I can't stand the uniforms! They improve massively later on. (The gray turtleneck really makes a difference.) Wesley was a mistake, but at the time (80's), the coy, precocious boy/girl genius was kind of a staple on almost all shows, and after Season 1, Wesley was used fairly intelligently, even if they never dressed him right.
Troi never bothered me as much as Wesley, but it took the writers almost five seasons to figure out how to use Troi's character intelligently. Note that a psychologist/therapist never shows up in another Star Trek on a captain's right hand (no, Neelix doesn't count). It really is a VERY 80's pilot.
But it sets up its problem, keeps it going, and pays it off reasonably intelligently.
What more can one ask for?!
Mike says that despite the over-acting (Leave Tasha frozen! Leave her... awww... When's that slime monster episode again?) and the 80's motifs, this is a really good pilot! I love "Q," and some of my favorite episodes include him. His inclusion in the finale was a MUST, and I was so happy they went that way.
Watching the pilot, I can't help but wonder if several possible plotlines were developed and then dropped: for instance, despite the scene where Picard makes it clear that he and Crusher don't know each other well, I couldn't help but puzzle over certain things--and had to wonder if Wesley was originally intended to be Picard's son!
And even though the Riker/Troi storyline plays out, I can't help but wonder if Riker was supposed to be a telepath hiding his abilities!
And, knowing that the grand design of Star Trek is showing a mankind that doesn't need a god, I can't help but wonder if that was who and what "Q" was supposed to be--God, trying to Judge Man and determine their fate when Mankind (at least as they are presented in the show) has outgrown him.
I liked the framing of the episode a lot, and the idea of using the mission as a "test." I think this episode really plays homage to the old "higher power" episodes from classic Trek. I Love DeForest Kelley's cameo. A while ago, Kate talked about series premieres that "set the scene," and this episode really does that--it tries to show us the updated Trek universe and introduces us to a bigger ship, crew, and universe.
The use of the holodeck to explain the creatures was nothing short of Brilliant. It's only the best scenes and scripts that can use a single scene for multiple purposes--like showing us the advanced technology of the ship, Riker and Data's relationship, and introducing a concept that helps us to solve the mystery later. I wonder if this was another scene meant to show man's maturity compared to God--that they have advanced to a point that they can create and shape their own worlds--at least to a point.
All in all, this was fun to watch, and it's great to know that a show with a good setup went on to improve in many areas. Also, listening to the opening credits on a good sound system (that was cranked way up) is AWESOME.
I still love it. Other than Stargate, Star Trek is the only show that will consistently give me what I want: single-plot episodes that pay-off a "What if?" problem. I'm a single-plot episode junkie. These types of episodes evoke little pings of gratification in my brain. Yup, you can blame my cave-dwelling ancestors for the narrative arc. Whatever gene that wants it, I got it in buckets.
Yes, Star Trek's universe doesn't always make sense. Yes, Roddenberry's rather lovely vision of the future is rather naive (and didn't work since dystopias are easier to write about than utopias). Nevertheless, there's something ruthless about the insistence on plot that I really admire. So many shows keep turning themselves into whatever the something else is this week or year. Star Trek, on the other hand, got a format and stuck to it. More or less.
And I LIKE it: "What if?" problem is set-up; "What if?" problem is paid-off: instant gratification. This is what genre fiction is supposed to be if people would just stop being so ashamed of it and silly academics would stop trying to make out that some other deep profound purpose is or should be at work.
As for the Next Generation pilot, I like the introduction of "Q" (which is paid-off extremely well throughout the series and in the season finale). I admire Patrick Stewart. The man can act! Brent Spiner, of course, is always a pleasure. I like Worf's character (remember, for classic Trekkies, Worf's appearance on the bridge would have meant a great deal). I do like it better when he grows his hair long, but, eh. I like Geordi. I like Crusher better than that other doctor (the one from Season 2). And I think Riker was necessary and well-cast character. (Picard needs a Kirk on the bridge.)
I have no opinion about Denise Crosby. I thought she was used well in later seasons, but I never felt particularly attached to her. In all honesty, despite my love for Star Trek: NG, I rarely rewatch Seasons 1 or 2. The show improves greatly over the first two seasons. Season 3, which I own, is truly the best. It contains "The Hunted," "A Matter of Perspective," "Yesterday's Enterprise," "The Offspring," "Hollow Pursuits," "The Most Toys," and "Sarek." The last five are classics: rather remarkable for one season.
Back to the pilot: I can't stand the uniforms! They improve massively later on. (The gray turtleneck really makes a difference.) Wesley was a mistake, but at the time (80's), the coy, precocious boy/girl genius was kind of a staple on almost all shows, and after Season 1, Wesley was used fairly intelligently, even if they never dressed him right.
Troi never bothered me as much as Wesley, but it took the writers almost five seasons to figure out how to use Troi's character intelligently. Note that a psychologist/therapist never shows up in another Star Trek on a captain's right hand (no, Neelix doesn't count). It really is a VERY 80's pilot.
But it sets up its problem, keeps it going, and pays it off reasonably intelligently.
What more can one ask for?!
Mike says that despite the over-acting (Leave Tasha frozen! Leave her... awww... When's that slime monster episode again?) and the 80's motifs, this is a really good pilot! I love "Q," and some of my favorite episodes include him. His inclusion in the finale was a MUST, and I was so happy they went that way.
Watching the pilot, I can't help but wonder if several possible plotlines were developed and then dropped: for instance, despite the scene where Picard makes it clear that he and Crusher don't know each other well, I couldn't help but puzzle over certain things--and had to wonder if Wesley was originally intended to be Picard's son!
And even though the Riker/Troi storyline plays out, I can't help but wonder if Riker was supposed to be a telepath hiding his abilities!
And, knowing that the grand design of Star Trek is showing a mankind that doesn't need a god, I can't help but wonder if that was who and what "Q" was supposed to be--God, trying to Judge Man and determine their fate when Mankind (at least as they are presented in the show) has outgrown him.
I liked the framing of the episode a lot, and the idea of using the mission as a "test." I think this episode really plays homage to the old "higher power" episodes from classic Trek. I Love DeForest Kelley's cameo. A while ago, Kate talked about series premieres that "set the scene," and this episode really does that--it tries to show us the updated Trek universe and introduces us to a bigger ship, crew, and universe.
The use of the holodeck to explain the creatures was nothing short of Brilliant. It's only the best scenes and scripts that can use a single scene for multiple purposes--like showing us the advanced technology of the ship, Riker and Data's relationship, and introducing a concept that helps us to solve the mystery later. I wonder if this was another scene meant to show man's maturity compared to God--that they have advanced to a point that they can create and shape their own worlds--at least to a point.
All in all, this was fun to watch, and it's great to know that a show with a good setup went on to improve in many areas. Also, listening to the opening credits on a good sound system (that was cranked way up) is AWESOME.
Labels:
List1,
SciFi,
Television
Friday, July 9, 2010
Supernatural Pilot
Kate says I ought to LOVE this show. It has it all: X-Files-type premise, folklore, individual "hunting" episodes, brothers. Not to mention that the pilot is actually quite good. It is well-plotted, delivering an enormous amount of information without losing rhythm. The "mystery" is interesting (even if the boys are a little slow to figure it out; sorry, but any folklorist knows about dangerous female hitchhiking ghosts, and they've presumably been brought up on this stuff--one of the snags of writers being less used to material than their characters), and the pay-off is frankly cool.
Not to mention, the pilot does an excellent job establishing the arc of the show (hunt for Dad, find out who killed Mom and girlfriend) while allowing for non-arc episodes. And the brothers have good tension with strong differing personalities. I'm a little too old to be awed by how CUUUUUUTTTTEEE they are, but, as mentioned earlier, I like brother dramas, and Ackles amuses me.
So the question is, why, when I tried this show out a year ago, couldn't I get into it?
I think there were two problems: one, the two episodes following the pilot are dull--the boys run around after creepy things. With other people. Everybody is running around. Yawn. There are less interesting things to watch--such as watching fern grow--but not much.
The second is that the brother tension works, but it needs a third person. Numb3rs, for instance, has Peter MacNicol to run interference. Do Sam and Dean get a third person later on?
I'm not really sure why this is necessary. Mulder-Scully didn't need anyone else. But while Scully was more likely to humor Mulder's off-kilter obnoxiousness, Sam would probably just hit Dean. Also, Mulder-Scully had dialog, not to mention sexual tension. Granted, I think many brother shows are just homoeroticism in disguise (though not Numb3rs, oddly enough), but the reality of brothers is that introductory/let-me-explain-myself dialog is a tad less necessary. Even in Numb3rs, the brothers have to go to therapy to "get it all out." We tend to assume that family members already knows us. A third party allows the brothers to explain themselves through that third party. (So in Numb3rs, Alimi Ballard's character can say, "I've never known two brother so different and so much the same," a reflection that the audience needs to hear but would never hear from the brothers themselves.)
Of course, part of the issue could be the actors who play the brothers seem to spend a little too much time being coooool.
I have reminded myself that X-Files had some real duds in the first season (that computer episode!), and I kept going. So I am going to give Supernatural another try beyond the first three episodes. Hopefully, the boys stop running around and start investigating more--like they do in the pilot!
Lanae says oooooh, scary! Again, this episode is out of my area of interest a bit (I enjoy police procedural and psychology oriented shows), but I did like the mystery of the episode, and the idea that the mental trauma of murdering her kids caused the "Lady in White" to kill, and fear going home.
What I'm finding out is that it really takes a few episodes for me to get into a series. If I came to love the characters and their goal, I could really enjoy any show. But I don't usually get a feeling for that in the first episode.
Also, this episode didn't really have my full attention. While I was interested and trying to watch, we were watching our 8-years-old niece, who was sitting, terrified, just a few feet from us. We finally had to turn off the show and move into the bedroom, leaving her to watch Bolt. I saw what happened and didn't miss any scenes, but I was unable to focus on enjoying the show, as I was on constant alert in case anything was too scary for her. It was an okay episode though, and if Mike decided to watch it, I would probably stick my head in to see what was happening every so often.
Mike says to Supernatural, "I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE! YOU TOOK ANGEL'S TIME SLOT, SO I HATE HATE HATE HATE YOU FOREVER AND EVER! *Rasberry*"
That being said, I reluctantly liked the episode a lot more than I expected, or even wanted to. While the paranormal investigation has happened a million times, I'm intrigued by the idea of actually hunting the paranormal. Having the boys raised with the experience to do it is also a great time saver.
Unfortunately, I've seen just too much TV--from the moment I saw Sam's cute, blond girlfriend with the cheesy lines, I knew she was going to die. I mean, com'n, REALLY? We're going to unite these two brothers to find their dad, and one of them really expects to go home? The funniest part was when she did die, the other brother ran in conveniently! I'm sorry, but if I was Sam, I'd be wondering if my big bro had more than a little to do with my hot girlfriend's death. ANYONE who's EVER seen a pilot before this one knew that the girlfriend was toast. But, predictability aside, I suppose we had to see Sam's unwillingness to join, then give him a reason (surely the death of the dad would have done this?).
The only real thing keeping me from automatically continuing watching the show is the fact I can only get one DVD at a time from Netflix, and I'm scared of wasting my time. Meaning, I guess, that I really feel that in a show like this, stand alone episodes are a waste of time. In Buffy, I could tolerate them because of reference to the ongoing story and ongoing continuity from episode to episode. What happened mattered, even if it was the monster of the week. When Buffy's mom dated a robot (undoubtedly a stand alone monster of the week episode and a GREAT one), that was referenced for YEARS.
But for Supernatural, I can't help but think of Smallville, where the monster of the week episodes are nothing more than filler--they have little to nothing to do with the over arcing story, and anything that happened in the episode will have almost ZERO lasting impact! I guess that I feel a larger mythology and over arcing storyline is what gives a show purpose. Even House, which is largely standalone cases, has character progression and interaction that is over arcing through the entire season (and series) and affects the future actions and interactions of the characters.
Wow, I seem to be a little rage filled this week, sorry. Anyhow, I'm probably going to give Supernatural a shot. But if I don't get a sense of an ongoing story, larger story arc, and lasting consequences of actions, I'm going to be really mad (they replaced ANGEL with THIS!?!?!?!).
Not to mention, the pilot does an excellent job establishing the arc of the show (hunt for Dad, find out who killed Mom and girlfriend) while allowing for non-arc episodes. And the brothers have good tension with strong differing personalities. I'm a little too old to be awed by how CUUUUUUTTTTEEE they are, but, as mentioned earlier, I like brother dramas, and Ackles amuses me.
So the question is, why, when I tried this show out a year ago, couldn't I get into it?
I think there were two problems: one, the two episodes following the pilot are dull--the boys run around after creepy things. With other people. Everybody is running around. Yawn. There are less interesting things to watch--such as watching fern grow--but not much.
The second is that the brother tension works, but it needs a third person. Numb3rs, for instance, has Peter MacNicol to run interference. Do Sam and Dean get a third person later on?
I'm not really sure why this is necessary. Mulder-Scully didn't need anyone else. But while Scully was more likely to humor Mulder's off-kilter obnoxiousness, Sam would probably just hit Dean. Also, Mulder-Scully had dialog, not to mention sexual tension. Granted, I think many brother shows are just homoeroticism in disguise (though not Numb3rs, oddly enough), but the reality of brothers is that introductory/let-me-explain-myself dialog is a tad less necessary. Even in Numb3rs, the brothers have to go to therapy to "get it all out." We tend to assume that family members already knows us. A third party allows the brothers to explain themselves through that third party. (So in Numb3rs, Alimi Ballard's character can say, "I've never known two brother so different and so much the same," a reflection that the audience needs to hear but would never hear from the brothers themselves.)
Of course, part of the issue could be the actors who play the brothers seem to spend a little too much time being coooool.
I have reminded myself that X-Files had some real duds in the first season (that computer episode!), and I kept going. So I am going to give Supernatural another try beyond the first three episodes. Hopefully, the boys stop running around and start investigating more--like they do in the pilot!
Lanae says oooooh, scary! Again, this episode is out of my area of interest a bit (I enjoy police procedural and psychology oriented shows), but I did like the mystery of the episode, and the idea that the mental trauma of murdering her kids caused the "Lady in White" to kill, and fear going home.
What I'm finding out is that it really takes a few episodes for me to get into a series. If I came to love the characters and their goal, I could really enjoy any show. But I don't usually get a feeling for that in the first episode.
Also, this episode didn't really have my full attention. While I was interested and trying to watch, we were watching our 8-years-old niece, who was sitting, terrified, just a few feet from us. We finally had to turn off the show and move into the bedroom, leaving her to watch Bolt. I saw what happened and didn't miss any scenes, but I was unable to focus on enjoying the show, as I was on constant alert in case anything was too scary for her. It was an okay episode though, and if Mike decided to watch it, I would probably stick my head in to see what was happening every so often.
Mike says to Supernatural, "I DON'T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE! YOU TOOK ANGEL'S TIME SLOT, SO I HATE HATE HATE HATE YOU FOREVER AND EVER! *Rasberry*"
That being said, I reluctantly liked the episode a lot more than I expected, or even wanted to. While the paranormal investigation has happened a million times, I'm intrigued by the idea of actually hunting the paranormal. Having the boys raised with the experience to do it is also a great time saver.
Unfortunately, I've seen just too much TV--from the moment I saw Sam's cute, blond girlfriend with the cheesy lines, I knew she was going to die. I mean, com'n, REALLY? We're going to unite these two brothers to find their dad, and one of them really expects to go home? The funniest part was when she did die, the other brother ran in conveniently! I'm sorry, but if I was Sam, I'd be wondering if my big bro had more than a little to do with my hot girlfriend's death. ANYONE who's EVER seen a pilot before this one knew that the girlfriend was toast. But, predictability aside, I suppose we had to see Sam's unwillingness to join, then give him a reason (surely the death of the dad would have done this?).
The only real thing keeping me from automatically continuing watching the show is the fact I can only get one DVD at a time from Netflix, and I'm scared of wasting my time. Meaning, I guess, that I really feel that in a show like this, stand alone episodes are a waste of time. In Buffy, I could tolerate them because of reference to the ongoing story and ongoing continuity from episode to episode. What happened mattered, even if it was the monster of the week. When Buffy's mom dated a robot (undoubtedly a stand alone monster of the week episode and a GREAT one), that was referenced for YEARS.
But for Supernatural, I can't help but think of Smallville, where the monster of the week episodes are nothing more than filler--they have little to nothing to do with the over arcing story, and anything that happened in the episode will have almost ZERO lasting impact! I guess that I feel a larger mythology and over arcing storyline is what gives a show purpose. Even House, which is largely standalone cases, has character progression and interaction that is over arcing through the entire season (and series) and affects the future actions and interactions of the characters.
Wow, I seem to be a little rage filled this week, sorry. Anyhow, I'm probably going to give Supernatural a shot. But if I don't get a sense of an ongoing story, larger story arc, and lasting consequences of actions, I'm going to be really mad (they replaced ANGEL with THIS!?!?!?!).
Labels:
Brothers,
Fantasy,
List1,
Television
Friday, July 2, 2010
Roswell Pilot
Mike says to gather the historians! We have found the source! Believe it or not, the Twilight Phenomenon owes its existence to Roswell! Well, sorta.
Anyway, the pilot itself is strange, oddly acted, and so chock full of teen angst I nearly drowned. My wife and I both chuckled throughout. But the episode really took me back to the time period of Dawson's Creek and early Smallville. And honestly, that's all Roswell is--a teeny bopper show meant to stretch the sexual tension (between the 20-something teenagers) until the audience's heads explode from the stress of holding all those unexpressed hormones in at once.
Despite the awkward acting, the mumbled lines, the shaky plot, the 300 gallon tank of pent up hormones, fifteen minutes of screen time devoted to actors standing two feet from each other and staring intensely (no doubt causing 14-16 year old girls to hug their pillows and scream "Kiss her! Kiss her!"), and the awkward acting (it was pretty awkward, you have to admit), I have to say I was at least a little intrigued. While a shameless predecessor to Twilight, Roswell does have an intriguing mythology--or at least it hints at a clever mythology. It's hard to tell with one episode.
Final thing: Like Twilight, Roswell doesn't have a lot to offer guys. This is, straight up, a sci-fi romantic drama: heroine is head over heels in love, the hero valiantly refusing to give in to his desires, and a secret that needs protecting. In fact, the only thing missing is the rival gang of aliens/monsters/smurfs whose leader creates a tough choice for the heart-torn hero or heroine (actually, I'd bet five bucks that happens in a later season). Really and truly, this is Twilight with aliens instead of vampires. At least at first glance.
All in all, Roswell made me squirm, laugh from embarrassment, and, like a little girl, want to clutch a pillow to my chest and yell at the characters to FREAKING kiss already, thus foregoing the multi-season build up. While pretty shameless and transparent in its intentions, there is some guilty pleasure in Roswell, and I may have to give it a few more episodes.
Kate says Roswell was not quite as lame as I thought it would be. I thought the concepts presented in the pilot were pretty interesting: the orphaned alien children, the possibility of more aliens "out there," the investigating bad guy (who turns out to be sort of a good guy; yeah, I cheated and checked out "Roswell" on Wikipedia). The sexual tension between the hero and heroine is pretty good. Their friends are obviously already going to cause problems in later episodes. Not a bad set-up!
Having said that, yeah, Stephanie Meyers owes a LOT to Roswell. There's the motif of the couple separated by race? species? birth planet? plus the motif of the stoic male hero who singles out the human female ("It was you.") against the advice of his friends/family and even against his own best interest. (As my niece Kezia points out, he is awfully fast in his instant trust of Liz and what is it with fugitives staying in small towns? Does anyone think it is easier to hide in a small town "where everybody knows your name" than in a city?) There's even the meeting in chemistry class! Maybe, Meyers has never seen Roswell, but it's hard to see how she wasn't heavily influenced by the zeitgeist created by the series.
On the other hand, maybe this is just the inevitable result of creating Romeo & Juliet/fated couples. Certain motifs will ALWAYS crop up.
Speaking of Twilight, I did think that Liz Parker was a MUCH more interesting character than Bella or, since Mike brought up Smallville, Lana (the MOST irritating girlfriend in the history of television). Liz is smart, and she solves problems, and she's not too pretty-pretty. There's some toughness there.
But the dialog--talk about stilted! "When something like this finally happens to me, it's with an alien" has got to be the dorkiest line in the history of sci-fi television. "It's not safe." "I don't care" is also right up there.
Still, if I were into serialized shows--which, you know, I'm not--I might give this a chance. But, as it is, probably not.
Anyway, the pilot itself is strange, oddly acted, and so chock full of teen angst I nearly drowned. My wife and I both chuckled throughout. But the episode really took me back to the time period of Dawson's Creek and early Smallville. And honestly, that's all Roswell is--a teeny bopper show meant to stretch the sexual tension (between the 20-something teenagers) until the audience's heads explode from the stress of holding all those unexpressed hormones in at once.
Despite the awkward acting, the mumbled lines, the shaky plot, the 300 gallon tank of pent up hormones, fifteen minutes of screen time devoted to actors standing two feet from each other and staring intensely (no doubt causing 14-16 year old girls to hug their pillows and scream "Kiss her! Kiss her!"), and the awkward acting (it was pretty awkward, you have to admit), I have to say I was at least a little intrigued. While a shameless predecessor to Twilight, Roswell does have an intriguing mythology--or at least it hints at a clever mythology. It's hard to tell with one episode.
Final thing: Like Twilight, Roswell doesn't have a lot to offer guys. This is, straight up, a sci-fi romantic drama: heroine is head over heels in love, the hero valiantly refusing to give in to his desires, and a secret that needs protecting. In fact, the only thing missing is the rival gang of aliens/monsters/smurfs whose leader creates a tough choice for the heart-torn hero or heroine (actually, I'd bet five bucks that happens in a later season). Really and truly, this is Twilight with aliens instead of vampires. At least at first glance.
All in all, Roswell made me squirm, laugh from embarrassment, and, like a little girl, want to clutch a pillow to my chest and yell at the characters to FREAKING kiss already, thus foregoing the multi-season build up. While pretty shameless and transparent in its intentions, there is some guilty pleasure in Roswell, and I may have to give it a few more episodes.
Kate says Roswell was not quite as lame as I thought it would be. I thought the concepts presented in the pilot were pretty interesting: the orphaned alien children, the possibility of more aliens "out there," the investigating bad guy (who turns out to be sort of a good guy; yeah, I cheated and checked out "Roswell" on Wikipedia). The sexual tension between the hero and heroine is pretty good. Their friends are obviously already going to cause problems in later episodes. Not a bad set-up!
Having said that, yeah, Stephanie Meyers owes a LOT to Roswell. There's the motif of the couple separated by race? species? birth planet? plus the motif of the stoic male hero who singles out the human female ("It was you.") against the advice of his friends/family and even against his own best interest. (As my niece Kezia points out, he is awfully fast in his instant trust of Liz and what is it with fugitives staying in small towns? Does anyone think it is easier to hide in a small town "where everybody knows your name" than in a city?) There's even the meeting in chemistry class! Maybe, Meyers has never seen Roswell, but it's hard to see how she wasn't heavily influenced by the zeitgeist created by the series.
On the other hand, maybe this is just the inevitable result of creating Romeo & Juliet/fated couples. Certain motifs will ALWAYS crop up.
Speaking of Twilight, I did think that Liz Parker was a MUCH more interesting character than Bella or, since Mike brought up Smallville, Lana (the MOST irritating girlfriend in the history of television). Liz is smart, and she solves problems, and she's not too pretty-pretty. There's some toughness there.
But the dialog--talk about stilted! "When something like this finally happens to me, it's with an alien" has got to be the dorkiest line in the history of sci-fi television. "It's not safe." "I don't care" is also right up there.
Still, if I were into serialized shows--which, you know, I'm not--I might give this a chance. But, as it is, probably not.
Labels:
List1,
SciFi,
Television
Friday, June 25, 2010
Bones Pilot
Note: Sorry folks! Between birthdays, staff meetings, gardening and consequently throwing out my back, I was unable to do this week's "Where to find online" post. I promise I'll do it for next week! In the meantime, the Bones pilot (after checking) can be found in the normal places: Amazon.com, Netflix Watch instantly, and iTunes. As always (it seems!), the pilot is not currently on Hulu. Enjoy this week's discussion!
Mike says that Bones proves that character development in the first episode is vital to a successful show. I felt that for the most part, all of the characters were very close to their current incarnations. Zack and Bones are both a little more socially skilled than usual but are within limits. In fact, I think character evolution on Bones is some of the best on television. All of the characters have grown and evolved but stayed fairly close to their beginnings.
As is common with pilots, the biggest change from pilot to show seems to be the set. While many of the common elements were there, the "Proto" lab was much brighter and happier compared to the current lab. The organization changes later, removing the director of the Jeffersonian. And, is it just me or does the holo-projector disappear after the first couple seasons?
Boreanaz as Booth is fantastic--though arrogant. But I think this is more an element of character growth rather than of later reworking. The chemistry between Booth and Bones is also fantastic-- almost too good. While I love the long drawn out love story as much as everyone else, it is frustrating to know that the producers are going to stretch the relationship as far as they can for as long as they can.
All in all, I think this is a great episode and start to the series. And the show does well from here. I'm also always a sucker for implied continuity, so having this be a follow-up case (rather than their first) is great.
Lanae says that the biggest difference between Bones and X-Files is the time taken to explore and develop the characters. Where Mulder and Scully jump into the investigation and tell us little about themselves, Booth and Bones are opened up to us pretty wide. We learn their methods, their beliefs, and their motivations.
I think the characters were pretty spot on, though Booth and Zack were a bit less awkward than normal. Overall, it's a good episode and a great start to the show. It is kind of a normal episode, but the exploration and introduction to the characters is really great.
Kate says Bones is one of my favorite shows. Like with Scully in X-Files, I thought the character of Bones (Dr. Brennan) was a little rough in the pilot. She seems so cheerful! Zach is also extremely cheerful. My guess: Hollywood really doesn't know how to portray scientists or extroverts (the fact that McGee from NCIS is characterized as an introvert is an example of what I'm talking about. Does Bellasario even know any introverts?). However, Bones' character is stabilized within a few episodes, and there isn't as much dissonance as with Scully. (My favorite line from the episode: "You stalk me, Oliver, and I will kick your ass.")
Booth is completely on-target. Surprisingly so. I don't know if this is Boreanaz, the script, or the director. I suspect it is a combination. I've said it before, I'll say it again, Boreanaz has excellent comedic timing (since I knew about Boreanaz back when he was, you know, a vampire, I have these "ain't that adorable" feelings about his career. Look at that: he made it to the big time! This is a much better feeling than watching has-beens on Dancing with the Stars. I realize they need money, but wouldn't it be more dignified to, I don't know, get a job at Walmart?).
Like X-Files as well, the pilot of Bones isn't very pilot-y. It's just an episode. The characters are introduced, more or less, as well as the rapid fire dialog (hey, if you can't have Powell and Loy, you might as well watch Bones and Booth). Has it become more customary for shows to simply start? I'm used to 2-part Star Trek pilots which SET THE STAGE. Are audiences more sophisticated now? It's an interesting concept that studios may have done away with "background" pilots in favor of "dump you in the middle of the action" pilots. Since I prefer the latter to the former when I read, I guess I should prefer it when I watch television.
Hmmm. Not sure.
That said, Bones is close enough to today in time for me to remember that the pilot kept me watching. I like forensic-based shows anyway, but unlike many shows (where I become a fan after watching later episodes), Bones got me from Day 1. Of course, now, I'm an season behind, but I'm still watching!
Mike says that Bones proves that character development in the first episode is vital to a successful show. I felt that for the most part, all of the characters were very close to their current incarnations. Zack and Bones are both a little more socially skilled than usual but are within limits. In fact, I think character evolution on Bones is some of the best on television. All of the characters have grown and evolved but stayed fairly close to their beginnings.
As is common with pilots, the biggest change from pilot to show seems to be the set. While many of the common elements were there, the "Proto" lab was much brighter and happier compared to the current lab. The organization changes later, removing the director of the Jeffersonian. And, is it just me or does the holo-projector disappear after the first couple seasons?
Boreanaz as Booth is fantastic--though arrogant. But I think this is more an element of character growth rather than of later reworking. The chemistry between Booth and Bones is also fantastic-- almost too good. While I love the long drawn out love story as much as everyone else, it is frustrating to know that the producers are going to stretch the relationship as far as they can for as long as they can.
All in all, I think this is a great episode and start to the series. And the show does well from here. I'm also always a sucker for implied continuity, so having this be a follow-up case (rather than their first) is great.
Lanae says that the biggest difference between Bones and X-Files is the time taken to explore and develop the characters. Where Mulder and Scully jump into the investigation and tell us little about themselves, Booth and Bones are opened up to us pretty wide. We learn their methods, their beliefs, and their motivations.
I think the characters were pretty spot on, though Booth and Zack were a bit less awkward than normal. Overall, it's a good episode and a great start to the show. It is kind of a normal episode, but the exploration and introduction to the characters is really great.
Kate says Bones is one of my favorite shows. Like with Scully in X-Files, I thought the character of Bones (Dr. Brennan) was a little rough in the pilot. She seems so cheerful! Zach is also extremely cheerful. My guess: Hollywood really doesn't know how to portray scientists or extroverts (the fact that McGee from NCIS is characterized as an introvert is an example of what I'm talking about. Does Bellasario even know any introverts?). However, Bones' character is stabilized within a few episodes, and there isn't as much dissonance as with Scully. (My favorite line from the episode: "You stalk me, Oliver, and I will kick your ass.")
Booth is completely on-target. Surprisingly so. I don't know if this is Boreanaz, the script, or the director. I suspect it is a combination. I've said it before, I'll say it again, Boreanaz has excellent comedic timing (since I knew about Boreanaz back when he was, you know, a vampire, I have these "ain't that adorable" feelings about his career. Look at that: he made it to the big time! This is a much better feeling than watching has-beens on Dancing with the Stars. I realize they need money, but wouldn't it be more dignified to, I don't know, get a job at Walmart?).
Like X-Files as well, the pilot of Bones isn't very pilot-y. It's just an episode. The characters are introduced, more or less, as well as the rapid fire dialog (hey, if you can't have Powell and Loy, you might as well watch Bones and Booth). Has it become more customary for shows to simply start? I'm used to 2-part Star Trek pilots which SET THE STAGE. Are audiences more sophisticated now? It's an interesting concept that studios may have done away with "background" pilots in favor of "dump you in the middle of the action" pilots. Since I prefer the latter to the former when I read, I guess I should prefer it when I watch television.
Hmmm. Not sure.
That said, Bones is close enough to today in time for me to remember that the pilot kept me watching. I like forensic-based shows anyway, but unlike many shows (where I become a fan after watching later episodes), Bones got me from Day 1. Of course, now, I'm an season behind, but I'm still watching!
Labels:
List1,
Mystery,
Television
Friday, June 18, 2010
X-Files Pilot
Kate says it is interesting how characters crystallize after a pilot: the pilot is where the characters are "tried out." Like in Bones, the female scientist character in X-Files changes the most between the pilot and the show. Mulder's character changes too--he becomes less self-mocking and flip--but since Mulder is an eccentric, any extra self-mockery/flippancy can be put down to Mulder's mood that particular day. But Scully, like Bones, has to be consistent.
Which is a long-winded way of saying that Scully is a tad Martha Stewart hostess-y and hysterical in the pilot. She becomes far more confident, deadpan, and straight-shooting later on.
In point of fact, my image of Scully is pretty much Season 3 Scully. I think Gillian Anderson is a very beautiful woman, but the spare, elegant, Bleak House woman she became didn't show up until post-motherhood (there's a good reason to have kids). That's how I see Gillian Anderson: post-Season 2.
In any case, I think the crystallization matters because, although Mulder and Scully can be funny, they take themselves more seriously than they do in the pilot. The point of Scully isn't that her skepticism makes her anti-Mulder. Her skepticism is a necessary state of mind. Without it, Mulder would never be legitimized. The point of Mulder isn't that his sister's kidnapping was an interest hiccup in his life but that the uncertainty and guilt associated with that event consume him.
As you may be able to tell, it is extremely hard for me to react to the pilot separate from the show. I'm a huge X-Files fan, so I tend to see the pilot in terms of where Chris Carter was going rather than an episode in its own right. For instance, a number of motifs show up here that show up later: bleeding noses, people running around in the woods, small towns, institutionalized settings. There's also that grainy look which is a X-Files specialty (until Season 6). It almost feels like a show that someone just made on the spur of the moment, especially since nobody seems to have rehearsed their lines. I think this is part of the appeal. It did change once X-Files became popular. And I do really like Season 6. But I still associate X-Files with this spur-of-the-moment quality.
But I really can't tell you if I liked the pilot or not, I've seen it so many times. All I can say is: if the pilot put you off, check out Seasons 4 and 6 to see where Chris Carter was headed. All the material is there in Season 1; it crystallized in Season 4. It got super professional (although the camera work and lighting got stranger) in Season 6.
Mike says it's a good thing the show got better from here. While I've watched plenty of X-Files episodes (I think... I was talking with Kate and I'm shaky on exactly how many I've really seen... though I've seen both movies!), I'm not a devoted fan. I like X-Files, but I've never dedicated a lot of time to watching it from the beginning. I had seen the pilot before, but that was back in the first or second year of the show. Where I was blown away then, watching it now was kind of disappointing.
The main problem, I think, was that the characters and concept were not solid. While they were there in a rough, prototypical form, they just weren't the refined elements that they were later. While you can't really expect this from a show's pilot, being a Whedon fan has kind of spoiled me, as he starts with the characters and moves to the story. In X-Files, the concept was first, the characters second. While watching Mulder and Scully, I kept flashing on the generic stereotypical jerky FBI agents from Die Hard. Mulder was a little too snide and sarcastic, and Scully a little too intelligent, lofty, and skeptical. In other words, not likable characters in any way! Which is weird, because they grow into two of my favorite fictional characters.
Being a teenager in the late 90's, Gillian Anderson and the girls from Friends were the big sex idols- they were everywhere. I've always though Gillian was beautiful- something about the straight, smooth line of her jaw... sorry, I got a little distracted there. ANYWAY, while I like to think I'm not a shallow person, Scully from the pilot was just not the Scully I spent most of my teens trying not to think about. I think they were going for the look of a educated professional, lab bound look for Scully, which pre-CSI was how these woman were usually (note: I didn't say always) seen on television. Later in the show, Scully became sultry and more of a flashy dresser, which wasn't that common on TV for an "intelligent" character (in my memory of that era). Now, it's the norm!
The story for the pilot, while not too far from typical for an X-Files episode, was pretty ridiculous. That they left it on a close to unresolved note was maddening. But sometimes, that's how the show was. Anyway, having seen later X-Files, I didn't lose hope, I may even continue to watch. But I do have to say, X-Files had a pretty rough start. Though an intriguing idea, the show doesn't work without the characters of Mulder and Scully, and, oddly, I think the pilot proves that.
Lanae says that it's hard to know what to think of this pilot. When it comes to watching a series, it usually takes a few episodes for me to get into it. And while I'm pretty sure I liked the pilot, it was definitely strange. The story was a little outside the normal area of things I watch, though the FBI element was familiar.
I did like the "twist" at the end, with the coma boy being the kidnapper. But I didn't really understand why everything was happening, but neither did any of the characters. I think if I watched the show, and every episode ended the same way, with nothing explained, it would be a really frustrating show to watch.
As for the characters, it's really hard for me to know whether I liked them or not. While Buffy helped me to like the characters right away, I feel like I don't know the agents from X-Files very well at all, and it would take me a few episodes to decide whether I liked them or not.
In the end, I think I would probably give the show a few more episodes before deciding if I really liked it or not. While I'm not dying to keep watching, I's be open to the idea. (Note from Mike- Once again transcribed by me by Lanae's request from a conversation Lanae and I had about the show).
Which is a long-winded way of saying that Scully is a tad Martha Stewart hostess-y and hysterical in the pilot. She becomes far more confident, deadpan, and straight-shooting later on.
In point of fact, my image of Scully is pretty much Season 3 Scully. I think Gillian Anderson is a very beautiful woman, but the spare, elegant, Bleak House woman she became didn't show up until post-motherhood (there's a good reason to have kids). That's how I see Gillian Anderson: post-Season 2.
In any case, I think the crystallization matters because, although Mulder and Scully can be funny, they take themselves more seriously than they do in the pilot. The point of Scully isn't that her skepticism makes her anti-Mulder. Her skepticism is a necessary state of mind. Without it, Mulder would never be legitimized. The point of Mulder isn't that his sister's kidnapping was an interest hiccup in his life but that the uncertainty and guilt associated with that event consume him.
As you may be able to tell, it is extremely hard for me to react to the pilot separate from the show. I'm a huge X-Files fan, so I tend to see the pilot in terms of where Chris Carter was going rather than an episode in its own right. For instance, a number of motifs show up here that show up later: bleeding noses, people running around in the woods, small towns, institutionalized settings. There's also that grainy look which is a X-Files specialty (until Season 6). It almost feels like a show that someone just made on the spur of the moment, especially since nobody seems to have rehearsed their lines. I think this is part of the appeal. It did change once X-Files became popular. And I do really like Season 6. But I still associate X-Files with this spur-of-the-moment quality.
But I really can't tell you if I liked the pilot or not, I've seen it so many times. All I can say is: if the pilot put you off, check out Seasons 4 and 6 to see where Chris Carter was headed. All the material is there in Season 1; it crystallized in Season 4. It got super professional (although the camera work and lighting got stranger) in Season 6.
Mike says it's a good thing the show got better from here. While I've watched plenty of X-Files episodes (I think... I was talking with Kate and I'm shaky on exactly how many I've really seen... though I've seen both movies!), I'm not a devoted fan. I like X-Files, but I've never dedicated a lot of time to watching it from the beginning. I had seen the pilot before, but that was back in the first or second year of the show. Where I was blown away then, watching it now was kind of disappointing.
The main problem, I think, was that the characters and concept were not solid. While they were there in a rough, prototypical form, they just weren't the refined elements that they were later. While you can't really expect this from a show's pilot, being a Whedon fan has kind of spoiled me, as he starts with the characters and moves to the story. In X-Files, the concept was first, the characters second. While watching Mulder and Scully, I kept flashing on the generic stereotypical jerky FBI agents from Die Hard. Mulder was a little too snide and sarcastic, and Scully a little too intelligent, lofty, and skeptical. In other words, not likable characters in any way! Which is weird, because they grow into two of my favorite fictional characters.
Being a teenager in the late 90's, Gillian Anderson and the girls from Friends were the big sex idols- they were everywhere. I've always though Gillian was beautiful- something about the straight, smooth line of her jaw... sorry, I got a little distracted there. ANYWAY, while I like to think I'm not a shallow person, Scully from the pilot was just not the Scully I spent most of my teens trying not to think about. I think they were going for the look of a educated professional, lab bound look for Scully, which pre-CSI was how these woman were usually (note: I didn't say always) seen on television. Later in the show, Scully became sultry and more of a flashy dresser, which wasn't that common on TV for an "intelligent" character (in my memory of that era). Now, it's the norm!
The story for the pilot, while not too far from typical for an X-Files episode, was pretty ridiculous. That they left it on a close to unresolved note was maddening. But sometimes, that's how the show was. Anyway, having seen later X-Files, I didn't lose hope, I may even continue to watch. But I do have to say, X-Files had a pretty rough start. Though an intriguing idea, the show doesn't work without the characters of Mulder and Scully, and, oddly, I think the pilot proves that.
Lanae says that it's hard to know what to think of this pilot. When it comes to watching a series, it usually takes a few episodes for me to get into it. And while I'm pretty sure I liked the pilot, it was definitely strange. The story was a little outside the normal area of things I watch, though the FBI element was familiar.
I did like the "twist" at the end, with the coma boy being the kidnapper. But I didn't really understand why everything was happening, but neither did any of the characters. I think if I watched the show, and every episode ended the same way, with nothing explained, it would be a really frustrating show to watch.
As for the characters, it's really hard for me to know whether I liked them or not. While Buffy helped me to like the characters right away, I feel like I don't know the agents from X-Files very well at all, and it would take me a few episodes to decide whether I liked them or not.
In the end, I think I would probably give the show a few more episodes before deciding if I really liked it or not. While I'm not dying to keep watching, I's be open to the idea. (Note from Mike- Once again transcribed by me by Lanae's request from a conversation Lanae and I had about the show).
Labels:
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SciFi,
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Monday, June 14, 2010
Finding The X-Files Online
Hey folks! Here we are, on #3 already! How are you enjoying the club? Kate and I are really enjoying it, so please keep stopping by. Just as a reminder, the rest of the list is as follows:
3. X-Files: "Pilot," June 18th
4. Bones: "Pilot," June 25th
5. Roswell: "Pilot," July 2nd
6. Supernatural: "Pilot," July 9th
7. Star Trek: Next Generation: "Encounter at Farpoint," July 16th
8. Sarah Jane Adventures: Episodes 0-2, July 23rd
9. Red Dwarf: "The End," July 30th
10. New Doctor Who: "Rose," August 6th
Anyway! The sources for the X-Files Pilot are pretty much the same as always.
Amazon for $1.99
iTunes for $1.99
Netflix for disc rental or watch instantly
Hulu- not available, with no mention of future availability.
Also, available really cheap ($18.96) at Walmart!
And now, a completely virus free and safe (sorry, like I said, bad experience) video to get you ready for Friday!
3. X-Files: "Pilot," June 18th
4. Bones: "Pilot," June 25th
5. Roswell: "Pilot," July 2nd
6. Supernatural: "Pilot," July 9th
7. Star Trek: Next Generation: "Encounter at Farpoint," July 16th
8. Sarah Jane Adventures: Episodes 0-2, July 23rd
9. Red Dwarf: "The End," July 30th
10. New Doctor Who: "Rose," August 6th
Unknown to our readers, I have been spending time every week researching sites that may provide free episodes of the show we're doing for the week. After a nasty virus attack, I think I'm going to end this practice. As I was never successful in the first place, this won't affect anybody at all but me. Oh, and my friend that helps me with computer problems.
Anyway! The sources for the X-Files Pilot are pretty much the same as always.
Amazon for $1.99
iTunes for $1.99
Netflix for disc rental or watch instantly
Hulu- not available, with no mention of future availability.
Also, available really cheap ($18.96) at Walmart!
And now, a completely virus free and safe (sorry, like I said, bad experience) video to get you ready for Friday!
Labels:
List1,
SciFi,
Television
Friday, June 11, 2010
Firefly Pilot: "Serenity"
Mike says "Serenity" is a dark, smart pilot, and does well selling a very difficult concept. While I, along with thousands of other "Brown-coats" (think Trekkie, but cooler), fully disagree with the way Fox handled Firefly, I can see, a little, why they were not in love with this pilot.
As I said, it's dark. While Buffy did get very dark, especially in the middle to end of its run, and Angel did too, they got to earn that by starting funny and then slowly putting the characters through dramatically heavier and heavier stuff. Firefly, however, starts in the the darkest hour of Malcolm Reynolds life, a moment which defines him and his actions for the course of the story (the series and the movie). It's missing much of the quick wit and humor that was present in Whedon's earlier works and tackles some heavy themes really early. Don't get me wrong, the dialog is still there but in smaller quantities.
Fox, in a strange move for them now that I think of it, asked Joss to make the show MORE like his older shows (something they would reverse with Dollhouse), and asked him to develop a "new pilot." "The Train Job" is more of what the show is for the rest of the series: quick and light banter, one liners mixed with drama.
The pilot is solid, and does a fantastic job of establishing a HUGE cast, a new universe to play in, and many of the "rules" of the series. But, when showing this to others, I always ask people to commit to at least watching through "The Train Job," as that episode really complements and tweaks the concept of the pilot (and, amazingly, without rendering the pilot obsolete). Because, while interesting, the Firefly pilot is just not the hoot to watch that the Buffy pilot is. But "The Train Job" is.
One last note (Sorry, Kate! I'm talking to much!): Wash is my favorite character, and his intro in the pilot is my favorite scene. So much so, it resulted in the following picture-
"Curse your sudden, but inevitable, betrayal!"
Kate says the pilot sure is packed with people! Yet they are all completely distinct. And I like all the main characters. I find Adam Baldwin as Jayne incessantly amusing. Tudyk as Wash is hilarious and approachable (great quote, Mike!). Sean Maher as Simon is suitably mysterious. Gina Torres as Zoe is believably tough with a warm personality. Speaking of age, Summer Glau as River is one of the youngest 21-years-old I've ever seen. Speaking of Shepherd Book, I love Ron Glass! I watched a whole season of Barney Miller before I put Ron Glass together with Firefly. Boy, did I feel silly! Jewel Strait as Kaylee is adorable (very Willowish). I like her sister role with Mal. The only character I don't really care about is Inara. I think her concept/role is interesting, but she reminds me of Buffy without the oomph. (For all his feminism, I think Whedon is attracted to the idea of the completely feminine and unaggressive female heroine: think early Willow, later aspects of Buffy, Penny in Dr. Horrible, Tara. I don't blame him for this, by the way. My brand of feminism is not the brand that says Whedon CAN'T explore this personality type; I always liked Tara. But they are more difficult to write for.)
Last but absolutely not least, Nathan Fillion as Mal is perfect! He is a believable captain who can control his people, including Jayne, both because he is absolutely loyal to them and also because he expects unqualified loyalty. He holds everyone together. He also picks people who can bring something to the ship; he can zero in on a person's ability and accept him or her even if, like Jayne or Simon, that person comes with some baggage. He really is a "man of honor in a den of thieves." Nathan Fillion could be the next John Wayne, if Hollywood was still looking for the next John Wayne.
And Fillion's comic timing is great! I love the line when Simon is asking what Jayne's job is on the ship. Mal pauses and says, "Public relations." (Another great line: "Shoot 'em--politely." And "I do the job and then I get paid. Now go run your little world.")
Finally, the pilot is very well-crafted. Everything connects/pays off. The only clunky moment, to me, was the part about the Reavers. I think the Reavers are important to the Firefly universe and maybe Whedon was trying to stick in all the stuff he could to entice the studio execs, but I thought the Reavers' part slowed down the pilot. If *I* was writing the pilot, I would have moved the plot directly from the shooting of Kaylee/discovery of River to the meeting on the planet (keep everything moving). Some things CAN be saved for later episodes!
That said, I do consider Firefly to be almost perfect in construction. All space opera is really just cowboys-in-space (despite what Captain Picard might think). Firefly makes it ride.
As I said, it's dark. While Buffy did get very dark, especially in the middle to end of its run, and Angel did too, they got to earn that by starting funny and then slowly putting the characters through dramatically heavier and heavier stuff. Firefly, however, starts in the the darkest hour of Malcolm Reynolds life, a moment which defines him and his actions for the course of the story (the series and the movie). It's missing much of the quick wit and humor that was present in Whedon's earlier works and tackles some heavy themes really early. Don't get me wrong, the dialog is still there but in smaller quantities.
Fox, in a strange move for them now that I think of it, asked Joss to make the show MORE like his older shows (something they would reverse with Dollhouse), and asked him to develop a "new pilot." "The Train Job" is more of what the show is for the rest of the series: quick and light banter, one liners mixed with drama.
The pilot is solid, and does a fantastic job of establishing a HUGE cast, a new universe to play in, and many of the "rules" of the series. But, when showing this to others, I always ask people to commit to at least watching through "The Train Job," as that episode really complements and tweaks the concept of the pilot (and, amazingly, without rendering the pilot obsolete). Because, while interesting, the Firefly pilot is just not the hoot to watch that the Buffy pilot is. But "The Train Job" is.
One last note (Sorry, Kate! I'm talking to much!): Wash is my favorite character, and his intro in the pilot is my favorite scene. So much so, it resulted in the following picture-
"Curse your sudden, but inevitable, betrayal!"
Kate says the pilot sure is packed with people! Yet they are all completely distinct. And I like all the main characters. I find Adam Baldwin as Jayne incessantly amusing. Tudyk as Wash is hilarious and approachable (great quote, Mike!). Sean Maher as Simon is suitably mysterious. Gina Torres as Zoe is believably tough with a warm personality. Speaking of age, Summer Glau as River is one of the youngest 21-years-old I've ever seen. Speaking of Shepherd Book, I love Ron Glass! I watched a whole season of Barney Miller before I put Ron Glass together with Firefly. Boy, did I feel silly! Jewel Strait as Kaylee is adorable (very Willowish). I like her sister role with Mal. The only character I don't really care about is Inara. I think her concept/role is interesting, but she reminds me of Buffy without the oomph. (For all his feminism, I think Whedon is attracted to the idea of the completely feminine and unaggressive female heroine: think early Willow, later aspects of Buffy, Penny in Dr. Horrible, Tara. I don't blame him for this, by the way. My brand of feminism is not the brand that says Whedon CAN'T explore this personality type; I always liked Tara. But they are more difficult to write for.)
Last but absolutely not least, Nathan Fillion as Mal is perfect! He is a believable captain who can control his people, including Jayne, both because he is absolutely loyal to them and also because he expects unqualified loyalty. He holds everyone together. He also picks people who can bring something to the ship; he can zero in on a person's ability and accept him or her even if, like Jayne or Simon, that person comes with some baggage. He really is a "man of honor in a den of thieves." Nathan Fillion could be the next John Wayne, if Hollywood was still looking for the next John Wayne.
And Fillion's comic timing is great! I love the line when Simon is asking what Jayne's job is on the ship. Mal pauses and says, "Public relations." (Another great line: "Shoot 'em--politely." And "I do the job and then I get paid. Now go run your little world.")
Finally, the pilot is very well-crafted. Everything connects/pays off. The only clunky moment, to me, was the part about the Reavers. I think the Reavers are important to the Firefly universe and maybe Whedon was trying to stick in all the stuff he could to entice the studio execs, but I thought the Reavers' part slowed down the pilot. If *I* was writing the pilot, I would have moved the plot directly from the shooting of Kaylee/discovery of River to the meeting on the planet (keep everything moving). Some things CAN be saved for later episodes!
That said, I do consider Firefly to be almost perfect in construction. All space opera is really just cowboys-in-space (despite what Captain Picard might think). Firefly makes it ride.
Labels:
List1,
SciFi,
Television
Friday, June 4, 2010
Buffy Pilot: "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and "The Harvest"
Here we go! Go ahead and comment on your personal reactions to the episodes or respond to anything we have said. Remember to keep all comments civil (even in disagreement)! Spoilers (what happens in later seasons) are allowed, so those of you who are getting to know Buffy for the first time, be warned. And we hope you enjoy her as much as we have!
Kate says the pilot holds up remarkably well. The personalities, except for Angel, are well-established. Willow is adorable and smart. Xander is impassioned and funny. (I love his line, while holding Buffy's stake: "The only thing I can think is that you're building a really little fence.") Giles is already dry, baffled by and concerned for Buffy. Not to mention Buffy is already exhibiting both her glib wittiness and future potential angst.
The only personality who doesn't seem "set" is Angel. He comes across as too Mr. Cool-ish. Granted, Angel could be deliberately mocking himself, so Buffy doesn't see how enamored he is (in Angel, we learn that he saw her and felt a desire to help her before they officially met). Still, although Whedon & Company may have known he was going to be a vampire (and there are a number of hints to that end), I don't get the impression they knew exactly what personality Angel would have. Rather, David B. seems to have grown into the part (and man, does he look young!).
Finally, the pilot is remarkably comprehensive. It is a good introduction to the slayer and Hellmouth mythologies without an unwieldy amount of exposition (it helps that Buffy, as a newbie to Sunnydale, has to be introduced to the Hellmouth alongside the viewer). Also, the pilot already introduces the themes of Buffy's loneliness: her desire to be a normal girl versus her calling.
Makes me want to start watching the show from the beginning all over again!
Mike says WOW! For a show nearly 15 years old, this pilot was a breath of fresh air. I kept some notes while watching this through with my wife, Lanae, and a friend of ours (yes, I said notes: Don't judge me!), and I was blown away by how much all three of us actively enjoyed watching the pilot episodes. And my notes, I believe, explain why. While I did write down a couple things about characters, plot devices (example: the dreams! used sparingly, but to great effect through the show), I kept coming back again and again to the dialog. Whedon's dialog is KILLER. Whether Xander is tripping up over talking to Buffy ("Is it just me, or are you becoming a blithering idiot?" Xander: "No, it's not just you...") or Buffy dispensing advice to Willow ("Seize the moment, cause tomorrow you might be dead!"), I had forgotten how sharp the dialog and jokes are throughout the show.
And it was refreshing. This was light, but meaningful, banter between four individuals that would become the closest of friends. And the writing team NAILED it. And then, the actors nailed it. And despite a couple of dated phrases (what's the "sitch"?), it felt as new and original as it did then.
After a glorious hour and a half, the pilot ended, and I was surprised at what I felt: I was happy! Electrified. And nostalgic. I realized that I had missed Buffy and the gang. Hell, I was as homesick for Sunnydale as I am for Maine. And I didn't know how much I had missed them until I finished the pilot. I wanted to pull out the next episode and start watching again from the beginning. Now, the pilot wasn't perfect (I am, of course, guessing here; I noticed almost no imperfections, but I'm sure they're there as sure as I know I'm biased), but watching the pilot was a lot like coming home after a long time away. Sure the house is old, the decorations a little dated, and the plot a little holey, but you're so happy to be back in the place you learned to love and laugh in, along with the people that taught you how, that you honestly don't notice.
Lanae says that even though Buffy really isn't my preferred type of show, the dialogue--such as "What is your childhood trauma?!?!?!?!"--really pulled me in. The jokes and script was really witty and fun.
I also really liked the opening which played on what you thought would happen. Other movies have you ready for the girl to get killed, but then she turns out to be the monster. Very cool twist. I also liked the themes of the show, like how Buffy wanted to be a normal kid; it was good drama and really made the character feel real. There was no cheese or silliness, as opposed to if Buffy wanted to be a hero. She was real, not dancing around and posing like a superhero. And I liked the jokes a lot!!!! There was a lot of really good character development. Buffy reaches out to Willow and inspires her friends.
I really liked Willow as a character, I thought it was great how she started shy and became more confident through the show. I just wish they didn't take her as far as they did (dark witchcraft, lesbianism). But maybe Joss was trying to show how the innocent get corrupted? The show is really interesting and fun despite being out of my normal area of interest. The humor really helps, though, to draw me in and help me become more interested in what's going on. But, the humor and silliness does dispel the reality of the situation a bit, even though there isn't too much reality in vampires! (Note from Mike: Lanae's opinion has been transcribed from a conversation held after we watched the pilot together. While she did want to share her thoughts, she asked me to write it up.)
Kate says the pilot holds up remarkably well. The personalities, except for Angel, are well-established. Willow is adorable and smart. Xander is impassioned and funny. (I love his line, while holding Buffy's stake: "The only thing I can think is that you're building a really little fence.") Giles is already dry, baffled by and concerned for Buffy. Not to mention Buffy is already exhibiting both her glib wittiness and future potential angst.
The only personality who doesn't seem "set" is Angel. He comes across as too Mr. Cool-ish. Granted, Angel could be deliberately mocking himself, so Buffy doesn't see how enamored he is (in Angel, we learn that he saw her and felt a desire to help her before they officially met). Still, although Whedon & Company may have known he was going to be a vampire (and there are a number of hints to that end), I don't get the impression they knew exactly what personality Angel would have. Rather, David B. seems to have grown into the part (and man, does he look young!).
Finally, the pilot is remarkably comprehensive. It is a good introduction to the slayer and Hellmouth mythologies without an unwieldy amount of exposition (it helps that Buffy, as a newbie to Sunnydale, has to be introduced to the Hellmouth alongside the viewer). Also, the pilot already introduces the themes of Buffy's loneliness: her desire to be a normal girl versus her calling.
Makes me want to start watching the show from the beginning all over again!
Mike says WOW! For a show nearly 15 years old, this pilot was a breath of fresh air. I kept some notes while watching this through with my wife, Lanae, and a friend of ours (yes, I said notes: Don't judge me!), and I was blown away by how much all three of us actively enjoyed watching the pilot episodes. And my notes, I believe, explain why. While I did write down a couple things about characters, plot devices (example: the dreams! used sparingly, but to great effect through the show), I kept coming back again and again to the dialog. Whedon's dialog is KILLER. Whether Xander is tripping up over talking to Buffy ("Is it just me, or are you becoming a blithering idiot?" Xander: "No, it's not just you...") or Buffy dispensing advice to Willow ("Seize the moment, cause tomorrow you might be dead!"), I had forgotten how sharp the dialog and jokes are throughout the show.
And it was refreshing. This was light, but meaningful, banter between four individuals that would become the closest of friends. And the writing team NAILED it. And then, the actors nailed it. And despite a couple of dated phrases (what's the "sitch"?), it felt as new and original as it did then.
After a glorious hour and a half, the pilot ended, and I was surprised at what I felt: I was happy! Electrified. And nostalgic. I realized that I had missed Buffy and the gang. Hell, I was as homesick for Sunnydale as I am for Maine. And I didn't know how much I had missed them until I finished the pilot. I wanted to pull out the next episode and start watching again from the beginning. Now, the pilot wasn't perfect (I am, of course, guessing here; I noticed almost no imperfections, but I'm sure they're there as sure as I know I'm biased), but watching the pilot was a lot like coming home after a long time away. Sure the house is old, the decorations a little dated, and the plot a little holey, but you're so happy to be back in the place you learned to love and laugh in, along with the people that taught you how, that you honestly don't notice.
Lanae says that even though Buffy really isn't my preferred type of show, the dialogue--such as "What is your childhood trauma?!?!?!?!"--really pulled me in. The jokes and script was really witty and fun.
I also really liked the opening which played on what you thought would happen. Other movies have you ready for the girl to get killed, but then she turns out to be the monster. Very cool twist. I also liked the themes of the show, like how Buffy wanted to be a normal kid; it was good drama and really made the character feel real. There was no cheese or silliness, as opposed to if Buffy wanted to be a hero. She was real, not dancing around and posing like a superhero. And I liked the jokes a lot!!!! There was a lot of really good character development. Buffy reaches out to Willow and inspires her friends.
I really liked Willow as a character, I thought it was great how she started shy and became more confident through the show. I just wish they didn't take her as far as they did (dark witchcraft, lesbianism). But maybe Joss was trying to show how the innocent get corrupted? The show is really interesting and fun despite being out of my normal area of interest. The humor really helps, though, to draw me in and help me become more interested in what's going on. But, the humor and silliness does dispel the reality of the situation a bit, even though there isn't too much reality in vampires! (Note from Mike: Lanae's opinion has been transcribed from a conversation held after we watched the pilot together. While she did want to share her thoughts, she asked me to write it up.)
Labels:
Fantasy,
List1,
Television
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Two Weeks and Counting: Finding "Buffy: Welcome to the Hellmouth" Online
There is crime against humanity and morality being committed every day in this country. Somehow, despite all the evidence given, all the testimonies shared, and all the vampires slain, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: the Complete Series" is still not in every home in the U.S. Even worse- It is not in all video stores!
My friends, this is a travesty, especially considering that so many of you are deprived in this way (or, heaven forbid, participating in this tragedy)!
So, in discussing what we can do to prepare for the Video Club, and in an effort make the material accessible to as many people as possible, Kate and I thought it would nice to research and provide as many online options as we could for each title. While I don't yet have the timing worked out, I'll try to get these posted 1-2 weeks before every "Due Date."
As I mentioned, Buffy is not in every home (yet!). Despite this, there are a couple of ways to watch it online currently:
iTunes- currently, iTunes has seasons 1-5 online for purchase and download. Episodes 1x01, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and 1x02 "The Harvest," which constitute the two parts of the Buffy pilot are $1.99 apiece.
Amazon- The two episodes are also available for purchase here, for online viewing or download. Also $1.99 apiece.
Netflix: Watch Instantly- All seven seasons of Buffy are available to watch instantly to anyone with a Netflix account and a computer on the Netflix website. Alternately, you can also just request the disc. If you have a current generation game console (PS3, Xbox 360, or a Wii), you can watch movies instantly as long as you have a Netflix account. This may require going online and adding it to your "instant" queue manually.
Scripts- in looking for online episodes, I found "BuffyWorld," which features full episodes guides, and scripts! While not the episode, it's still pretty cool.
Hulu- You CAN NOT, I repeat, CAN NOT currently watch the Buffy Pilot on Hulu. While it has most certainly been there in the past, currently Hulu is hosting season three, and it only hosts one season at a time. According to the site, season 1 of Buffy will return on July first. A little late for our needs, but still, pretty nice if come July you really want to finish season one (if for some reason you haven't done it already).
Okay, folks! That's it! Kate and I are both really excited for this, and we look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on June 4th!
My friends, this is a travesty, especially considering that so many of you are deprived in this way (or, heaven forbid, participating in this tragedy)!
So, in discussing what we can do to prepare for the Video Club, and in an effort make the material accessible to as many people as possible, Kate and I thought it would nice to research and provide as many online options as we could for each title. While I don't yet have the timing worked out, I'll try to get these posted 1-2 weeks before every "Due Date."
As I mentioned, Buffy is not in every home (yet!). Despite this, there are a couple of ways to watch it online currently:
iTunes- currently, iTunes has seasons 1-5 online for purchase and download. Episodes 1x01, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and 1x02 "The Harvest," which constitute the two parts of the Buffy pilot are $1.99 apiece.
Amazon- The two episodes are also available for purchase here, for online viewing or download. Also $1.99 apiece.
Netflix: Watch Instantly- All seven seasons of Buffy are available to watch instantly to anyone with a Netflix account and a computer on the Netflix website. Alternately, you can also just request the disc. If you have a current generation game console (PS3, Xbox 360, or a Wii), you can watch movies instantly as long as you have a Netflix account. This may require going online and adding it to your "instant" queue manually.
Scripts- in looking for online episodes, I found "BuffyWorld," which features full episodes guides, and scripts! While not the episode, it's still pretty cool.
Hulu- You CAN NOT, I repeat, CAN NOT currently watch the Buffy Pilot on Hulu. While it has most certainly been there in the past, currently Hulu is hosting season three, and it only hosts one season at a time. According to the site, season 1 of Buffy will return on July first. A little late for our needs, but still, pretty nice if come July you really want to finish season one (if for some reason you haven't done it already).
Okay, folks! That's it! Kate and I are both really excited for this, and we look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on June 4th!
Labels:
Fantasy,
List1,
Television
First List: Pilot Episodes for Science-Fiction/Fantasy Shows
The list below includes mostly science-fiction and fantasy shows. There is one exception—Bones—which, although not a science-fiction show, fits thematically with X-Files. The order of the episodes does follow a thematic arrangement (Whedon's shows together; space opera shows together; British shows together), but the arrangement is somewhat loose.
Welcome!
Feel free to watch ahead, but please save comments about a pilot for that pilot's "due date." The "due date" indicates when a post will appear for that video. Spoilers are accepted (i.e., you can mention future episodes of Buffy in the Buffy commentary). Bad language and asinine comments ("You're stupid if you don't agree with me") are not; such comments will be removed.
- Buffy, the Vampire Slayer: "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and "The Harvest," June 4th
- Firefly: "Serenity" (the REAL pilot, not the aired pilot), June 11th
- X-Files: "Pilot," June 18th
- Bones: "Pilot," June 25th
- Roswell: "Pilot," July 2nd
- Supernatural: "Pilot," July 9th
- Star Trek: Next Generation: "Encounter at Farpoint," July 16th
- Sarah Jane Adventures: Episodes 0-2, July 23rd
- Red Dwarf: "The End," July 30th
- New Doctor Who: "Rose," August 6th
Welcome!
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List1,
SciFi,
Television
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