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I feel like I've watched a lot of television shows this weekend. I don't tend to watch that much during the week -- mainly because no time. Between work, errands, and other things not worth mentioning...there's limited time. Plus early wake up time.
Burned out. Don't want to watch any more. Poldark will just have to wait until Monday. Assuming I don't decide to watch Lucifer instead.
Anyhow...more television shows below. I don't know if calling this a review is really accurate. Someone took exception with me calling a post a review once, which made me wonder -- what exactly is determined to be or defined as a review?
1. The Gifted
Still enjoying for the most part. But, it's a bit anxiety inducing and seems to make me angry. I think it may be triggering me? I have major difficulties with people being arrested without fair trial or due process. Unfair imprisonment enrages me and is among my worst nightmares. Also, I have issues with racism and fascism. It's why I have not been able to watch The Man in the High Castle -- every time I attempt it -- it triggers me.
So, while I'm enjoying the series -- I keep finding myself yelling at the television set and wanting to kick the villains.
Don't know how long I'll stick with it. I gave up on The Walking Dead and Revenge for some of the same reasons, and admittedly have struggled with both Poldark and Game of Thrones. Comfort television this isn't. It's frustrating to watch at times...and let's face it the world can be frustrating all on its own, sometimes you just want to escape from it.
Anyhow, I like the characters, the actors, and the story for the most part -- I just wish they'd break out Reed Strucker and Polaris from the damn prison and move on to another story already. Not sure I can watch Polaris get beaten up much longer.
I'm beginning to understand why everyone seems to prefer the DC superhero series and MAOS, they are less frustrating and there's a happy ending, for the most part, or a satisfying conclusion. It's less anxiety inducing. Hmmm...I may be a bit of a masochist where television is concerned.
2. Riverdale
Season opener was slow in places, but did a good job of pushing the story forward and maintaining the general norish atmosphere. It really does feel a bit like Archie Comics by way of Twin Peaks, or at the most James M. Cain. The point of view is mainly the teens, but unlike various 90s and early 00s television series -- the parents have a major role and aren't relegated to the sidelines, or completely invisible. That was always my quibble with Buffy and various other teen oriented series -- the parents didn't appear to exist. They were there...but rarely seen. Did Buffy never meet Xander and Willow's parents? It seemed odd. Here at least they are part of the story and a vital part, they may even be the villains. It's not clear.
What's disturbing is who they are casting as the parents...people who were in all the teen shows and movies that I watched in the 1990s and 80s. I mean Luke Perry was Buffy's boyfriend in the Buffy Movie and the teen heart-throbe in 90210. And Molly Ringwald did all those John Hughes teen films.
Madchen -- Betty's mother, was the teen hottie for guys in Twin Peaks, and Billy Crudup - was the teen baddie in the Scream flicks. Ack. I now know how my parents felt. Weirdest thing about getting older, you don't feel like you are any older...until you look at other people and think, okay, wait a second.
Anyhow, I like this season better than last. It's done a good job of building the characters. And Jughead has gotten a bit more interesting.
The teens or rather twenty-somethings playing the teens are rather good in their roles. It's well cast. And the cinematography feels like you are watching a painting unfold. Each scene is so perfectly shot. The writing good be a smidgen or two better...but considering what it is, it's not bad.
3. Once Upon a Time
Well, they've definitely rebooted the concept. This week's episode answered one of the three questions that I was curious about. Which was how they were going to continue the series with Hook, but without Emma, and still keep their happy ending. Also why the heck Regina and Hook ended up in Hyperion Heights with Henry, but no one else did outside of Rumplestilskin. Apparently there's another Hook, with a different time line to Storybrook's Hook. This one didn't get a happy ending, was never cursed, and never met his one true love, Emma Swan. Instead he had a daughter who he tragically lost and is desperately trying to find. And got a bit lost along the way because of it. (ie drunk,fat and old). He makes a deal with Victoria Tremain, the evil stepmother, who rejuvenates him -- so that he looks just like Emma's Hook. In a fight with Emma's Hook, he gets tragically stabbed and is dying. While he's dying, he tells Emmaverse Hook his tale of woe. Emmaverse Hook is deeply moved and asks Emma to heal him, which she does. Then Emma and Emmaverse Hook tell him to team up with Henry, and maybe they'll find his lost daughter together. Emma and Emmaverse Hook are returning to Storybrook to start their own family, since Emma is pregnant with their child. Regina meanwhile also feels a bit lost, and Emmaverse Hook and Henry talk her into joining with Henry and new Hook...on this new adventure. So, the writers have neatly created a new character arc for Colin O'Donohue's Captain Hook, yet at the same time allowed him to essentially play the same character with the same look. LOL! Clever writers. They've also managed to justify moving Regina into the new verse...without Emma or the Snows. Henry is a grown man, and Regina's along for the ride because now that she's redeemed, she's lonely and at loose ends...Regina has yet to find her happy ending.
The other two questions I have are -- how'd Rumple get there and what in the hell is his deal this round? Once that gets answered, I may or may not give up on it. Emma unfortunately was and is a better actress and character than her son Henry, and the guy currently playing him. So, I'm not sure this is going to have much staying power. That said, the actress playing Cinderella aka Lucinda, rocks. I love her.
Lucinda: I find it disturbing that my daughter thinks I'm Cinderella waiting for her prince to save her. I want her to see me as saving myself, and supporting her, not idly waiting around thinking some day my prince will come.
Henry: Actually, I think that was Snow White.
Go Lucinda.
Other than that...I don't know how long I'll stick with it. The evil stepmother isn't as interesting or entertaining as the Evil Queen. She wasn't in the fairy tale either. It's sort of dull. And I think they wrapped it up rather neatly last year.
4. Grey's Anatomy
I enjoyed this episode better than last weeks. (I'm not a fan of April, Arizona or Jo Wilson...so when they aren't featured, I'm happy. My mother isn't either. We grouse about them over the phone, so no need to do it here.) That said, I'm feeling sorry for Wilson, and I can't quite decide where they are going with April.
* Ameila's tumor provided a lot of humor during the episode. Particularly the scene with Alex, Meredith, April, Maggie, and Arizona.
Meredith: Amelia leaves a practice she loves, a fiance, to move in with a brother she resents...tumor.
Maggie: Wow. Why didn't we see it?
Alex: Actually, I wish I could use that as an excuse. Oh, I'm sorry I beat you up Deluca, tumor!
Meredith: Riggs - Tumor!
Arizona: Mintz - Tumor!
April: How can you joke about this!
Arizona: You have to laugh about these things April, it helps.
April: But Ameila left me her power of attorney.
All: Tumor!
LOL!
* Riggs wins boyfriend of the year for bringing Farouk to Meghan. I know the Meghan/Riggs romance can't last. Unless they plan on writing them out together. Because Abigail Spencer is playing a lead role in NBC's drama Timeless which was renewed for another season. I hope they aren't writing out Nathan Riggs, I like him. He's interesting and has a cool accent. Also he has chemistry with Meredith.
I do however like how they've done the love triangle. It works. Even if the wife back from the dead bit was predictable and a tad cliche. They did a good job with it. And it works to further Meredith's character.
* Maggie and Avery are funny. I actually like them together, however they are put together. (I don't really ship anyone that much on this show. I do anti-ship Avery/April because I think he deserves someone better than April, who is the character equivalent of nails on a chalkboard for me. OTOH, Maggie gets on my ever-living-nerve as well.
Avery seems to like needy, high-maintenance, self-absorbed whiners. I do not know why. Maybe it has something to do with his mother?)
Maggie: You should just buy an island. Maybe two and force them to fight each other.
LOL!
Maggie has been funny lately. I suspect the writers are trying to endear her to me, after making me want to kick her in the head most of last season. So far, it's working.
Go writers. They, however, have not succeeded in endearing me to Arizona or April...so more work is required.
* I feel more sorry for Amelia than Owen. Owen keeps falling for difficult women, who want to be the best in their field and are very career driven. He'd have been better off with Teddy. Amelia is also right when she states...that he may have fallen for the woman with the tumor -- because Owen definitely has a type, he likes troubled souls. When Cristina got her shit together, he had issues with her. (Also the writers had to write her out...so there's that.)
It's odd, you'd think Amelia would get on my nerves. But I like Amelia, I find her interesting. And I like her dynamic with Meredith. Yes, I wanted to smack her most of last season...but so did Meredith.
* I have no idea what Alex and Jo are going to do about her husband. Although Matthew Morrison is a fascinating casting choice for that role. I found him sort of creepy on Glee at times. And he plays it well. Plus, we're doing the attractive, hunky, wealthy, successful, philanthropist, high profile ...fantasy guy, who in reality is a complete douchebag trope. It's in part a reaction to 50 Shades contemporary romance trope -- about the troubled, somewhat abusive, hot as hell older guy with lots of money. Big Little Lies did it. And now Grey's. Although Sleeping with the Enemy predates both by about a couple of decades. Yes, the movies got there first. And no, it's not a new trope. Even Sondheim comments on it in Into The Woods.
Alex -- who is more rough around the edges, is a nice counter to Morrison and Deluca. I actually find him more attractive than either Morrison (who I think is creepy) and Deluca ( who doesn't do anything for me one way or the other). Alex..I adore.
Bailey: Don't let Alex's behavior with Deluca fool you -- he'll pummel anyone who hurts a woman or hurts you, but he'd never hurt you -- Alex is a puppy dog.
She's not wrong. Also the whole Jo storyline is more about Alex than Jo. Alex also has a type. He keeps being attracted to women who require saving or rescuing. And has massive issues about child abuse and domestic violence. Jo's boyfriend is in some respects another version of Alex's father.
5. Scandal -- yes, I'm still watching Scandal. How much longer don't know. Since it is the final season, I may stick it out.
I like the actors and characters for the most part. Particularly Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope. She's fierce. And Cyrus Been is interesting to me. Also have an odd fondness for Charlie and Quinn.
It's interesting that now that Olivia has the power, she's doing underhanded things. The series has always been a rather adept examination of power, how people abuse it, and how it corrupts. It's similar to The Good Wife in this respect. Both the Good Wife and Scandal are political satires about gender politics, and power. I think The Good Wife is better written, but Scandal is definitely entertaining at times, even though it's plots often make no sense.
Burned out. Don't want to watch any more. Poldark will just have to wait until Monday. Assuming I don't decide to watch Lucifer instead.
Anyhow...more television shows below. I don't know if calling this a review is really accurate. Someone took exception with me calling a post a review once, which made me wonder -- what exactly is determined to be or defined as a review?
1. The Gifted
Still enjoying for the most part. But, it's a bit anxiety inducing and seems to make me angry. I think it may be triggering me? I have major difficulties with people being arrested without fair trial or due process. Unfair imprisonment enrages me and is among my worst nightmares. Also, I have issues with racism and fascism. It's why I have not been able to watch The Man in the High Castle -- every time I attempt it -- it triggers me.
So, while I'm enjoying the series -- I keep finding myself yelling at the television set and wanting to kick the villains.
Don't know how long I'll stick with it. I gave up on The Walking Dead and Revenge for some of the same reasons, and admittedly have struggled with both Poldark and Game of Thrones. Comfort television this isn't. It's frustrating to watch at times...and let's face it the world can be frustrating all on its own, sometimes you just want to escape from it.
Anyhow, I like the characters, the actors, and the story for the most part -- I just wish they'd break out Reed Strucker and Polaris from the damn prison and move on to another story already. Not sure I can watch Polaris get beaten up much longer.
I'm beginning to understand why everyone seems to prefer the DC superhero series and MAOS, they are less frustrating and there's a happy ending, for the most part, or a satisfying conclusion. It's less anxiety inducing. Hmmm...I may be a bit of a masochist where television is concerned.
2. Riverdale
Season opener was slow in places, but did a good job of pushing the story forward and maintaining the general norish atmosphere. It really does feel a bit like Archie Comics by way of Twin Peaks, or at the most James M. Cain. The point of view is mainly the teens, but unlike various 90s and early 00s television series -- the parents have a major role and aren't relegated to the sidelines, or completely invisible. That was always my quibble with Buffy and various other teen oriented series -- the parents didn't appear to exist. They were there...but rarely seen. Did Buffy never meet Xander and Willow's parents? It seemed odd. Here at least they are part of the story and a vital part, they may even be the villains. It's not clear.
What's disturbing is who they are casting as the parents...people who were in all the teen shows and movies that I watched in the 1990s and 80s. I mean Luke Perry was Buffy's boyfriend in the Buffy Movie and the teen heart-throbe in 90210. And Molly Ringwald did all those John Hughes teen films.
Madchen -- Betty's mother, was the teen hottie for guys in Twin Peaks, and Billy Crudup - was the teen baddie in the Scream flicks. Ack. I now know how my parents felt. Weirdest thing about getting older, you don't feel like you are any older...until you look at other people and think, okay, wait a second.
Anyhow, I like this season better than last. It's done a good job of building the characters. And Jughead has gotten a bit more interesting.
The teens or rather twenty-somethings playing the teens are rather good in their roles. It's well cast. And the cinematography feels like you are watching a painting unfold. Each scene is so perfectly shot. The writing good be a smidgen or two better...but considering what it is, it's not bad.
3. Once Upon a Time
Well, they've definitely rebooted the concept. This week's episode answered one of the three questions that I was curious about. Which was how they were going to continue the series with Hook, but without Emma, and still keep their happy ending. Also why the heck Regina and Hook ended up in Hyperion Heights with Henry, but no one else did outside of Rumplestilskin. Apparently there's another Hook, with a different time line to Storybrook's Hook. This one didn't get a happy ending, was never cursed, and never met his one true love, Emma Swan. Instead he had a daughter who he tragically lost and is desperately trying to find. And got a bit lost along the way because of it. (ie drunk,fat and old). He makes a deal with Victoria Tremain, the evil stepmother, who rejuvenates him -- so that he looks just like Emma's Hook. In a fight with Emma's Hook, he gets tragically stabbed and is dying. While he's dying, he tells Emmaverse Hook his tale of woe. Emmaverse Hook is deeply moved and asks Emma to heal him, which she does. Then Emma and Emmaverse Hook tell him to team up with Henry, and maybe they'll find his lost daughter together. Emma and Emmaverse Hook are returning to Storybrook to start their own family, since Emma is pregnant with their child. Regina meanwhile also feels a bit lost, and Emmaverse Hook and Henry talk her into joining with Henry and new Hook...on this new adventure. So, the writers have neatly created a new character arc for Colin O'Donohue's Captain Hook, yet at the same time allowed him to essentially play the same character with the same look. LOL! Clever writers. They've also managed to justify moving Regina into the new verse...without Emma or the Snows. Henry is a grown man, and Regina's along for the ride because now that she's redeemed, she's lonely and at loose ends...Regina has yet to find her happy ending.
The other two questions I have are -- how'd Rumple get there and what in the hell is his deal this round? Once that gets answered, I may or may not give up on it. Emma unfortunately was and is a better actress and character than her son Henry, and the guy currently playing him. So, I'm not sure this is going to have much staying power. That said, the actress playing Cinderella aka Lucinda, rocks. I love her.
Lucinda: I find it disturbing that my daughter thinks I'm Cinderella waiting for her prince to save her. I want her to see me as saving myself, and supporting her, not idly waiting around thinking some day my prince will come.
Henry: Actually, I think that was Snow White.
Go Lucinda.
Other than that...I don't know how long I'll stick with it. The evil stepmother isn't as interesting or entertaining as the Evil Queen. She wasn't in the fairy tale either. It's sort of dull. And I think they wrapped it up rather neatly last year.
4. Grey's Anatomy
I enjoyed this episode better than last weeks. (I'm not a fan of April, Arizona or Jo Wilson...so when they aren't featured, I'm happy. My mother isn't either. We grouse about them over the phone, so no need to do it here.) That said, I'm feeling sorry for Wilson, and I can't quite decide where they are going with April.
* Ameila's tumor provided a lot of humor during the episode. Particularly the scene with Alex, Meredith, April, Maggie, and Arizona.
Meredith: Amelia leaves a practice she loves, a fiance, to move in with a brother she resents...tumor.
Maggie: Wow. Why didn't we see it?
Alex: Actually, I wish I could use that as an excuse. Oh, I'm sorry I beat you up Deluca, tumor!
Meredith: Riggs - Tumor!
Arizona: Mintz - Tumor!
April: How can you joke about this!
Arizona: You have to laugh about these things April, it helps.
April: But Ameila left me her power of attorney.
All: Tumor!
LOL!
* Riggs wins boyfriend of the year for bringing Farouk to Meghan. I know the Meghan/Riggs romance can't last. Unless they plan on writing them out together. Because Abigail Spencer is playing a lead role in NBC's drama Timeless which was renewed for another season. I hope they aren't writing out Nathan Riggs, I like him. He's interesting and has a cool accent. Also he has chemistry with Meredith.
I do however like how they've done the love triangle. It works. Even if the wife back from the dead bit was predictable and a tad cliche. They did a good job with it. And it works to further Meredith's character.
* Maggie and Avery are funny. I actually like them together, however they are put together. (I don't really ship anyone that much on this show. I do anti-ship Avery/April because I think he deserves someone better than April, who is the character equivalent of nails on a chalkboard for me. OTOH, Maggie gets on my ever-living-nerve as well.
Avery seems to like needy, high-maintenance, self-absorbed whiners. I do not know why. Maybe it has something to do with his mother?)
Maggie: You should just buy an island. Maybe two and force them to fight each other.
LOL!
Maggie has been funny lately. I suspect the writers are trying to endear her to me, after making me want to kick her in the head most of last season. So far, it's working.
Go writers. They, however, have not succeeded in endearing me to Arizona or April...so more work is required.
* I feel more sorry for Amelia than Owen. Owen keeps falling for difficult women, who want to be the best in their field and are very career driven. He'd have been better off with Teddy. Amelia is also right when she states...that he may have fallen for the woman with the tumor -- because Owen definitely has a type, he likes troubled souls. When Cristina got her shit together, he had issues with her. (Also the writers had to write her out...so there's that.)
It's odd, you'd think Amelia would get on my nerves. But I like Amelia, I find her interesting. And I like her dynamic with Meredith. Yes, I wanted to smack her most of last season...but so did Meredith.
* I have no idea what Alex and Jo are going to do about her husband. Although Matthew Morrison is a fascinating casting choice for that role. I found him sort of creepy on Glee at times. And he plays it well. Plus, we're doing the attractive, hunky, wealthy, successful, philanthropist, high profile ...fantasy guy, who in reality is a complete douchebag trope. It's in part a reaction to 50 Shades contemporary romance trope -- about the troubled, somewhat abusive, hot as hell older guy with lots of money. Big Little Lies did it. And now Grey's. Although Sleeping with the Enemy predates both by about a couple of decades. Yes, the movies got there first. And no, it's not a new trope. Even Sondheim comments on it in Into The Woods.
Alex -- who is more rough around the edges, is a nice counter to Morrison and Deluca. I actually find him more attractive than either Morrison (who I think is creepy) and Deluca ( who doesn't do anything for me one way or the other). Alex..I adore.
Bailey: Don't let Alex's behavior with Deluca fool you -- he'll pummel anyone who hurts a woman or hurts you, but he'd never hurt you -- Alex is a puppy dog.
She's not wrong. Also the whole Jo storyline is more about Alex than Jo. Alex also has a type. He keeps being attracted to women who require saving or rescuing. And has massive issues about child abuse and domestic violence. Jo's boyfriend is in some respects another version of Alex's father.
5. Scandal -- yes, I'm still watching Scandal. How much longer don't know. Since it is the final season, I may stick it out.
I like the actors and characters for the most part. Particularly Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope. She's fierce. And Cyrus Been is interesting to me. Also have an odd fondness for Charlie and Quinn.
It's interesting that now that Olivia has the power, she's doing underhanded things. The series has always been a rather adept examination of power, how people abuse it, and how it corrupts. It's similar to The Good Wife in this respect. Both the Good Wife and Scandal are political satires about gender politics, and power. I think The Good Wife is better written, but Scandal is definitely entertaining at times, even though it's plots often make no sense.
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Feel the same about The Gifted. Shows promise, not hooked.
And also on OUAT -- just watching a few episodes to see how they are rebooting it. (Not overly impressed so far. The best thing about it is the actress playing Cinderella.)