Day #47 of year 2
May. 2nd, 2021 05:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatGot another sick headache, so no pictures today or walks for that matter. I blame the pollen in the air. I've been congested all week long, and this weekend, on the verge of nauseous vertigo headaches. Verge - being, I can feel the fullness in the airs, that my digestive system is off, that a headache is lurking, and my balance seems off. In short, a vegging day.
Television
I've watched three episodes of The Nevers on HBO Max, and one episode of Shadow and Bone on Netflix. I like Shadow and Bone better.
Why? Oh, world-building mainly, but also characters. The plot is simpler in Shadow and Bone, with more focus on character and world-buildings. Also excellent special effects. And a very diverse cast. Not to mention a more attractive one to the eye...but alas, that's another bit entirely. The Nevers in stark contrast - has far too much plot for its own good, not enough focus on the world-building (which it seems to take for granted) and very little on character. I think the writers of the Nevers are too invested in being clever - it's not clever, cheesy, predictable and at times cliche - yes, clever no. And the jokes don't land. The more I see of Whedon's dramas the more I wonder about what enthralled me about his writing to begin with?
The villains in Shadow and Bone are less clear cut, and there's layers to it. The Never's villains in stark contrast feel somewhat...comic booky? Or overdrawn.
I think the reason for the differences - is that one is adapted from a series of books, which has a well established and built world. Where the series varies from the books isn't in the world, but characterization and to a smaller degree plot. It also has more diverse casting and romantic relations than the books did. The other is not adapted from books, has spent little time on the world-building (a must for all fantasy works), and less time on character and motivations (most television writers don't really know what their characters motivations or emotional arcs are - and make them up as they go along, which is why television acting is a beast, it is kind of necessary though - since you really don't know what will happen in television - you could have the plug pulled at any moment or a character could be required to leave.) It's a bit too theme driven (kiss of death for television - no one likes being preached to), and plot driven for its own good - and the plot is a convoluted mess, while in Smoke and Bone, it's not a mess at all - it's simple and straight forward.
Anyhow, based on one episode of Smoke and Bone, and three on the Nevers - I'd say Smoke and Bone is the one you should watch. Less aggravating.
I'll watch both of course.
Still watching This is Us - although, I'm not entirely sure about how they are handling the Randall storyline. And, still watching the 9-1-1 procedurals - which I enjoy, I like the characters, and find them comforting.
Completed Great Pottery Throwdown - S4, is better than S3 (which isn't hard to do) but not as good at the first two seasons. Also, I think the themes are kind of cheesy. But that's just me. It is still comforting though. Just kind of odd in how it turned out. Felt contrived.
Falcon and the Winter Solider - the final episode did a good job of wrapping up various character arcs. But, I'm kind of...annoyed by what they chose to do with Sharon Carter. It felt almost against the grain of her character. Her character seems to do a 180 from Civil War to now. Making me think that maybe she did survive the blip and was none too happy about it?
For those who watched, Sharon is revealed as the bad guy that they'd been tracking. The individual responsible for getting the super serum to Karly and various others. Aka The Power Broker. And it's Sharon who finally kills Karly, allegedly to save Sam's life. This plot twist, which I should have seen coming but didn't - aggravated me. Which is why I didn't figure it out - I didn't want to. Zenmo's arc worked better in my opinion, as did John Walker's, Bucky's, and Sam's. The women were given short shrift in this. And we're never told who Julia Louise-Drefuss is supposed to be. Although Johnnie Walker's arc matches the comics fairly closely.
Outside of what they did with Sharon Carter, I rather enjoyed the six episode mini-series. They delved deeply into Bucky and Sam's characters and slowly built their relationship with each other. While at the same time, covering the complex social issues of racism and immigration or being transplanted, without going overboard or getting preachy.
Other Stuff
* Watched two live-streaming Unitarian Universalist services. The first was a tad more intellectual than the second. The second had more music though.
The first had a beautiful song in Chinese about the Yangstee River. What I found interesting though - was a clarification of what it means to be religious, and what it means to be spiritual.
Religious is basically being spiritual with a community, or practicing a spiritual ritual with others. While spiritual is doing it just with oneself.
We=religious=covenant, while Me=spiritual=covenant.
The description made a lot of sense to me at any rate.
* Mother continues to chat with various family members. While my brother has visited with friends, as has his daughter. It appears I'm the only one in my family that continue to be somewhat isolated. It's mainly because I'm a bit of a loner and have phone phobia.
Mother was complaining about a cousin-in-law who teases people. She went on about how he was teasing on of his kids. I asked her, finally, if she'd ever met my brother - who is the same.
*On Kensington FB page we were all mourning the loss of the pretty trees in our area. Including these:
Which are now - these:
Or as I pointed out in a comment to the post - that I was still mourning the loss of the beautiful magnolia tree that the nitwity residents chopped down in favor of a concrete sidewalk like patio and astro turf under their trampoline.
This infuriates me. But alas nothing I can do. Will state - that in New York State - if you chop down any trees on public land, you have to plant ten new ones for each tree removed. I found this out about ten years ago, when we had to replace about five trees in a park, after they had to be removed for a railroad remedial excavation. The NYSDEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New Parks Department require ten trees for each tree removed.) Huzzah! I wish property owners had the same penalty imposed. You remove a tree from your property? Ten trees donated to the city.
A pretty house is one with trees. An ugly house is one without them. Unless of course you live in the desert, in which case...
Television
I've watched three episodes of The Nevers on HBO Max, and one episode of Shadow and Bone on Netflix. I like Shadow and Bone better.
Why? Oh, world-building mainly, but also characters. The plot is simpler in Shadow and Bone, with more focus on character and world-buildings. Also excellent special effects. And a very diverse cast. Not to mention a more attractive one to the eye...but alas, that's another bit entirely. The Nevers in stark contrast - has far too much plot for its own good, not enough focus on the world-building (which it seems to take for granted) and very little on character. I think the writers of the Nevers are too invested in being clever - it's not clever, cheesy, predictable and at times cliche - yes, clever no. And the jokes don't land. The more I see of Whedon's dramas the more I wonder about what enthralled me about his writing to begin with?
The villains in Shadow and Bone are less clear cut, and there's layers to it. The Never's villains in stark contrast feel somewhat...comic booky? Or overdrawn.
I think the reason for the differences - is that one is adapted from a series of books, which has a well established and built world. Where the series varies from the books isn't in the world, but characterization and to a smaller degree plot. It also has more diverse casting and romantic relations than the books did. The other is not adapted from books, has spent little time on the world-building (a must for all fantasy works), and less time on character and motivations (most television writers don't really know what their characters motivations or emotional arcs are - and make them up as they go along, which is why television acting is a beast, it is kind of necessary though - since you really don't know what will happen in television - you could have the plug pulled at any moment or a character could be required to leave.) It's a bit too theme driven (kiss of death for television - no one likes being preached to), and plot driven for its own good - and the plot is a convoluted mess, while in Smoke and Bone, it's not a mess at all - it's simple and straight forward.
Anyhow, based on one episode of Smoke and Bone, and three on the Nevers - I'd say Smoke and Bone is the one you should watch. Less aggravating.
I'll watch both of course.
Still watching This is Us - although, I'm not entirely sure about how they are handling the Randall storyline. And, still watching the 9-1-1 procedurals - which I enjoy, I like the characters, and find them comforting.
Completed Great Pottery Throwdown - S4, is better than S3 (which isn't hard to do) but not as good at the first two seasons. Also, I think the themes are kind of cheesy. But that's just me. It is still comforting though. Just kind of odd in how it turned out. Felt contrived.
Falcon and the Winter Solider - the final episode did a good job of wrapping up various character arcs. But, I'm kind of...annoyed by what they chose to do with Sharon Carter. It felt almost against the grain of her character. Her character seems to do a 180 from Civil War to now. Making me think that maybe she did survive the blip and was none too happy about it?
For those who watched, Sharon is revealed as the bad guy that they'd been tracking. The individual responsible for getting the super serum to Karly and various others. Aka The Power Broker. And it's Sharon who finally kills Karly, allegedly to save Sam's life. This plot twist, which I should have seen coming but didn't - aggravated me. Which is why I didn't figure it out - I didn't want to. Zenmo's arc worked better in my opinion, as did John Walker's, Bucky's, and Sam's. The women were given short shrift in this. And we're never told who Julia Louise-Drefuss is supposed to be. Although Johnnie Walker's arc matches the comics fairly closely.
Outside of what they did with Sharon Carter, I rather enjoyed the six episode mini-series. They delved deeply into Bucky and Sam's characters and slowly built their relationship with each other. While at the same time, covering the complex social issues of racism and immigration or being transplanted, without going overboard or getting preachy.
Other Stuff
* Watched two live-streaming Unitarian Universalist services. The first was a tad more intellectual than the second. The second had more music though.
The first had a beautiful song in Chinese about the Yangstee River. What I found interesting though - was a clarification of what it means to be religious, and what it means to be spiritual.
Religious is basically being spiritual with a community, or practicing a spiritual ritual with others. While spiritual is doing it just with oneself.
We=religious=covenant, while Me=spiritual=covenant.
The description made a lot of sense to me at any rate.
* Mother continues to chat with various family members. While my brother has visited with friends, as has his daughter. It appears I'm the only one in my family that continue to be somewhat isolated. It's mainly because I'm a bit of a loner and have phone phobia.
Mother was complaining about a cousin-in-law who teases people. She went on about how he was teasing on of his kids. I asked her, finally, if she'd ever met my brother - who is the same.
*On Kensington FB page we were all mourning the loss of the pretty trees in our area. Including these:
Which are now - these:
Or as I pointed out in a comment to the post - that I was still mourning the loss of the beautiful magnolia tree that the nitwity residents chopped down in favor of a concrete sidewalk like patio and astro turf under their trampoline.
This infuriates me. But alas nothing I can do. Will state - that in New York State - if you chop down any trees on public land, you have to plant ten new ones for each tree removed. I found this out about ten years ago, when we had to replace about five trees in a park, after they had to be removed for a railroad remedial excavation. The NYSDEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New Parks Department require ten trees for each tree removed.) Huzzah! I wish property owners had the same penalty imposed. You remove a tree from your property? Ten trees donated to the city.
A pretty house is one with trees. An ugly house is one without them. Unless of course you live in the desert, in which case...
no subject
Date: 2021-05-02 11:19 pm (UTC)Re: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I had a debate with a coworker about Sharon - he called her as the Power Broker early on - I thought more in lines of her being undercover or something. Someone else also mentioned that in the comics she had a period where she was under some sort of mind control and maybe that is what was going to be explored? I can see that being a possibility, but really don't know where it's heading. She's integral to the story because of her placement in the credits, so I know something is going to happen. LOL
no subject
Date: 2021-05-03 02:45 am (UTC)Agree on Shadow & Bone. I have both the first book in the Shadow & Bone series and the spin-off Six of Crows. From what I understand the spin-off is better. And after watching the first four episodes? I want to read Six of Crows, I like those characters better - as does the fandom around the books apparently. (Not surprising that).
Shadow and Bone - from what I've read from Rarhirah, and various critics - the Netflix series kind of fixes the problems in the books. In the books, Alina is white, kind of whiny, and gets her power from men - and is weak without them. Also there's almost too much emphasis on the love triangle in the books. The Netflix series gets rid of some of that - and by bringing in the Six of Crows, and making the points of view shift between Alina/Mal and Cass/Naz - it really changes the dynamic. Also, Alina has more agency and in the series - her journey is about figuring herself out - outside of the guys.
Or so I read.
Rarihah said the first book in Shadow and Bone was good, but it goes down hill in regards to Alina's agency. (It's very much like Twilight - apparently.) While the Netflix adaptation from what I read goes in the exact opposite direction.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-03 05:45 pm (UTC)I've heard much the same as you regarding the books and will likely skip the remainder of the Shadow and Bone series and move directly on to the Six of Crows. Perhaps. Depends on how the show goes? In any case, the first book didn't end on that much of a cliffhanger for me so I'm fine stopping.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-03 06:04 pm (UTC)The final episode of Falcon and the Winter Solider aka now Captain America and the Winter Solider, made it clear that Sharon Carter was the Power Broker. She manipulated Karly and gave Karly the serum. Karly stole the serum from Sharon - and Sharon used Bucky and Sam to get to Karly, whom she killed (possibly to save Sam...). [Note Falcon & WS is NOT a series, it's a limited series or mini-series, and won't have a second season.]
When Sharon got back with the CIA - she's still the power broker, but now selling secrets and information, as opposed to the super serum. And she used her knowledge in the CIA to get hold of the scientist who developed the super serum. [You may have missed that bit? It's an added scene, I think in the credits. Where she gets elevated to Director of the CIA, and calls her business partner - immediately after, letting them know they can now trade in secrets, which is far more lucrative and better than the serum. She's pretty much established in that scene as the antagonist.]
They had a twist of sorts, Sharon was the bad guy, not Zenmo (who wanted to get rid of the super soliders), nor Karly who wanted a better world for her people, nor Johnnie Walker. She was grey, but she was the one behind the whole thing. But they never realized it.
I don't think she can be under-cover - since she's the one making the deals and not working for anyone, people are working for her. Whomever she was talking to on the phone - sounds like her second or reporting to her.
Somewhere within those last five years - during the blip, Sharon decided every person for themselves. She kind of says this to Bucky and Sam, in their discussion about heroes. She's cynical and nihilistic.
I don't see any other interpretation from the last couple of scenes. Unless I missed something? It seemed fairly clear. Also as far as I know, she's not a continuing character elsewhere. Unless she pops up in Marvels.
Valentina - on the other hand, portrayed by Julia Louise Dreyfus - may not be a villain, she's a Shield Agent, and apparently brought Johnnie Walker into Shield, after she destroyed the rest of the super soliders. Shield doesn't trust the CIA. Sharon Carter was CIA. Her Aunt was Shield.
Valentina will pop up again - in the Black Widow movie.
Regarding - Shadow & Bone:
Apparently Six of Crows is just two books, and Shadow of Bone three. And no need to read Shadow and Bone to read Six of Crows. I kind of like the characters from Six of Crows better - they are more interesting.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-03 10:11 pm (UTC)(And misspoke when I said episode 6, I meant end of what's been aired/released so far).
The other interpretations of what might happen next (in wherever Sharon's story crops up whether it's a new series or a movie, etc.) like possibly being under mind-control, etc. are not in any scenes and were just speculation some coworkers talked about.
I gather that Sharon was supposed to have had a greater role in the show (maybe?) because she's featured in the credits like she is.
I don't know much about Valentina and don't have any predictions or thoughts on her.
You didn't miss anything in watching - I was just talking about possibilities and 'what-ifs' I had come across.
Yes, Shadow and Bone is a trilogy and Six of Crows is a duology (I think that's the correct term). Shadow and Bone were written before Six of Crows and take place before the events of Six of Crows, but I do understand they're not dependent on each other.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-04 12:27 pm (UTC)Yeah, I agree - I was thrown by the plot twist partly because like you I thought Sharon was under-cover. (I wanted her to be under-cover, I liked the character. But the conversation between her, Zenmo, Sam and Bucky should have told me otherwise - the nihilistic one about "heroes" - which I interpreted the opposite from how I was intended to interpret it - in that I was agreeing with Zenmo and Sharon. LOL! Although that may have been the point - often a writer will put the moral view in the lines of the villain, showing it's not so clear-cut. And it's why I should have picked up on it - Sharon clearly had a wealthy business, and knew far too much for someone merely undercover.)
If it follows the comics - Sharon is under mind-control by the aliens or Hydra. But unclear if they'll pull that from the comics. Valentina was supposed to be in the Black Widow movie, and is apparently a former love interest of Nick Fury's - she's the one who took in Johnnie Walker and made him US Agent Walker, and enabled the killing of the remaining terrorists who took the serum.
Duology is the correct term - or the one the author used. There's also apparently a host of novellas, spin-offs, and other books in the world. From what I've seen - the writer has kind of done the same thing that the writer of the Witcher series did. Lots of short stories, novellas, trilogy and duology. It has a huge fandom apparently - due to the diversity in characters and ships. (I got all this from the Author's page on Good Reads, and another fan site - google lead me to.) The television series apparently is pulling from all the books. Also like the Witcher series and Illona Andrews books - it's pulling a lot from Russian Folklore, and Mythology - which makes it interesting and different. Most fantasy pulls from Christian mythology and folklore. Or American and European.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-04 10:34 pm (UTC)All good! :) I also comment sometimes while I'm at "work", so can sometimes get distracted and don't always type in my complete thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-03 12:05 pm (UTC)She was supposed to debut in the Black Widow movie, but because of its delays, she showed up on F&WS. They act like she will have a pretty big arc.
I have never read any of the comics and so after every episode end up googling and trying to figure out who people are and how they fit.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-03 12:29 pm (UTC)Apparently she's a Shield agent. I don't know though from wiki where they are with her in the series though. She was also supposed to be a former lover of Nick Fury. [Which I can't see happening in this series - Sam Jackson and Louise-Dreyfus don't fit as lovers in my head.]
https://www.marvel.com/characters/valentina-allegra-de-fontaine
ETA: MCU has really veered from the comics, by the way. They kind of have too - the comics are a bit like published fanfic, each new group of writers does their own thing - so continuity such as it is? Is debatable. (Just read Valentina's absurd character arc in the link above.)
It actually works better if you have a passing knowledge of the comics.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-04 05:25 pm (UTC)