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1. Finished Picard. Note? You can legitimately just watch Season 3 and skip the first two seasons without too much difficulty. Season 3 for the most part acts as a stand-a-alone. Or, if you want you can watch S1, skip over S2, and watch S3. Or watch all three.
Your appreciation of S3 Picard may well depend on how much you appreciated or enjoyed S2. I didn't like S2. I thought it was silly, badly plotted, and self-indulgent, also spent far too much time spent on time travel, Song, and Q. Those who loved S2 - I've noticed, did not like S3 and were annoyed. Why? S3 barely references it. Outside of the first five minutes, everything from S2 is summarily dropped. Seven and Raffi are really the only characters carried over. And Laris, disappears completely from the story after the first ten minutes of the first episode - and is never mentioned or seen again. In other words, if you don't like S2, don't worry about it. If you loved it? Wait a few years to see S3, by that time you've have forgotten S2 and it won't matter.
I made the mistake of hurrying to watch all of S1 and S2, so I could see S3, only to discover by the second episode that I needn't have bothered. Because it's as if those seasons didn't happen. Sure they give us back story on who Raffi is, and how Seven ended up in Starfleet. But you don't really need it - since Picard S3 fills that in anyhow. It's almost as if the writers were told to write it as a stand-a-lone, and to forget the previous two seasons entirely. The only characters from those seasons that appear are Picard, Laris (briefly - long enough to summarily write her off without killing her), Raffi and Seven.
This is a Reunion Season - with the original STNG cast being front and center. And if, like me, what you want is more of those characters, and to learn more about them, and see one last adventure with them, then you will love S3 Picard, and hand wave the plot and continuity weaknesses, among other things.
There are continuity and plotting weaknesses. And a potential Marty Stu in Jake Crusher, although having watched the entire season now? I'm on the fence. I live in fear of creating one - and remain unclear on the definition of it, which was coined (surprise surprise) by a fan critic of fanfiction.
The trope originated from Paula Smith, who coined it in “A Trekkie’s Tale”, a parody Star-Trek fan fiction. It was intended to mock authors whose characters were clearly based on wish fulfilment, self-inserts and idealized versions of themselves.
In fan fiction, the origins of the term Mary Sue are simple. They describe a character that has been added to an already existing fictional universe and:
* Gains power/ becomes overpowered without any struggle or journey of earning it.
* Gets attention from the original established characters (including those who it is uncharacteristic of eg. if they are anti-social, untrusting).
* Resolves the entire conflict almost single-handedly, removing any obstacles.
Despite beginning in fan fiction, Mary Sue characters are visible in films and TV series of many kinds.
Okay now that I have the definition? No, the character of Jake Crusher doesn't really fit it. He only fits point two. Points one and three, not so much.
I'm also on the fence as to whether Rey in Force Awakens really fits it. I don't think so. She only fits maybe point two.
I thought a Mary Sue or Marty Stu was a character who was unbeatable or overly skilled or had too many skills, say a surgeon and an auto-mechanic. But that just means diverse. Turns out - I don't have to worry. I don't tend to read a lot of fanfic, so I am admittedly oblivious to these definitions.
( spoilers )
To sum up without spoilers? It stuck the ending, and will provide fans of the series a satisfying ride with old friends, and a nice wrap up of their characters arcs.
2. Wolf Pack
Made it through four episodes of this eight episode series. It's not bad.
Among the better series that Gellar has done post Buffy. It helps that she's not the lead, and more in the background. The focus is on the teens, and we're mainly in their point of view. Gellar has graduated to the Anthony Stewart Head and Jenny Carpenter roles.
It also gets better as you go. Episode 4 was spooky. And the cast got a bit more appealing as I went. So clunky to start, improves by Episode 4.
[It's on Paramount Plus.]
3. Shadow and Bone
With the exception of Captain Kirigan (who is kind of moustache twirling), this is a fun series. I love the Crows. Kaz, Jesper, Inel, Nina, and Wylan, are fun. The six, is undoubtedly Matthias. Alina & Mal are okay, the privateer and his crew make them more interesting. As Genya makes Kirigan a bit more interesting.
The leads are kind of boring, the supporting characters on the other hand are rather fun. So much so, I wish I could just watch the supporting characters and ditch the three leads (Mal, Alina, and Kirigan). I think that may well be the weakness of this series.
I'm on episode 3 - I think.
4. Question on The Mandalorian S3 - do I have to watch the Book of Boba Fett first - or can I skip it? I'm unclear on this. Boba Fett is 7 episodes - so it's no great hardship - except they are all filmed rather darkly, and I'd need to watch them at night with the lights turned off in order to see them (same was true of Picard and Shadow and Bone. So time consuming. I may do it anyhow - because I like Ming-Li Weng. But is it worth it? That one got bad reviews. (Not that this means anything. Star Wars is like Star Trek -in that the fandom is rather vocal about what they like and dislike about it. And they do not agree. At all. I mean all the Star Wars films and series have gotten bad and good reviews. Depends on who you talk to.)
5. Finished Mel Robbins - Take Control of Your Life: How to Face Your Fears and Take Back Control of Your Life or something like that. I'm horrible about remembering book titles. In attempting to download the companion workbook - I got the workbook and video training sessions instead. I don't think she has the separate workbook that just goes with the book any longer. I think it got updated to the videos and workbook.
My difficulty with pop psychology self-help books - and life coaching - is I get confused. Actually this is true of the therapeutic process in general. Therapists, life coaches, sociologists like to label people or put them in nice neat defined categories. Which, while understandable, isn't really practical.
Robbins does acknowledge and understand that many of us have trauma or experienced traumatic events in our lives without it being familial, sexual abuse, or physical abuse. There's also emotional abuse. Also it may not necessarily seem severe or horrific to an outside viewer. This puts Robbins slightly above the rest, who don't appear to get this. I give Robbins a lot of credit for picking up on that.
However, she does fall into the trap of generalizing, which leads to confusion. I mean, I found myself at the end of this contemplating whether I'm a chameleon like Robbins, or experiencing imposter syndrome, or just run and hide, or quieting my voice? It's hard to know. Possibly a little of all of the above, or none of them? We're not always the best judge of these things.
Robbins example of lying or a chameleon is - apparently she lied to her boyfriend that she was an expert fly fisherman, when in reality all she'd done was trolling - and got caught when she was introduced to his best friend - an expert fly fisherman on a fly fishing trip.
I can and I can't identify? Have I done this? Yes and no. Not quite to that extreme. ( Read more... )
The problem is? I think we all have some of these tendencies? Self-isolate out of fear? (Considering we all just came out of a pandemic...) Imposter syndrome (it's a current psychological catch-phrase)? Not being Authentic or lying to avoid conflict and fit in? (I caught my niece doing it with me in 2021. And I did it with her. )
I'm not sure there's an easy fix here? I just want to meet more people, be more connected, and less lonely. Which takes me back to Picard S3 and why I enjoyed it - it's heavy on the theme of connection. ( spoilers for Picard )
Sometimes fiction provides more and better answers than non-fiction?
Your appreciation of S3 Picard may well depend on how much you appreciated or enjoyed S2. I didn't like S2. I thought it was silly, badly plotted, and self-indulgent, also spent far too much time spent on time travel, Song, and Q. Those who loved S2 - I've noticed, did not like S3 and were annoyed. Why? S3 barely references it. Outside of the first five minutes, everything from S2 is summarily dropped. Seven and Raffi are really the only characters carried over. And Laris, disappears completely from the story after the first ten minutes of the first episode - and is never mentioned or seen again. In other words, if you don't like S2, don't worry about it. If you loved it? Wait a few years to see S3, by that time you've have forgotten S2 and it won't matter.
I made the mistake of hurrying to watch all of S1 and S2, so I could see S3, only to discover by the second episode that I needn't have bothered. Because it's as if those seasons didn't happen. Sure they give us back story on who Raffi is, and how Seven ended up in Starfleet. But you don't really need it - since Picard S3 fills that in anyhow. It's almost as if the writers were told to write it as a stand-a-lone, and to forget the previous two seasons entirely. The only characters from those seasons that appear are Picard, Laris (briefly - long enough to summarily write her off without killing her), Raffi and Seven.
This is a Reunion Season - with the original STNG cast being front and center. And if, like me, what you want is more of those characters, and to learn more about them, and see one last adventure with them, then you will love S3 Picard, and hand wave the plot and continuity weaknesses, among other things.
There are continuity and plotting weaknesses. And a potential Marty Stu in Jake Crusher, although having watched the entire season now? I'm on the fence. I live in fear of creating one - and remain unclear on the definition of it, which was coined (surprise surprise) by a fan critic of fanfiction.
The trope originated from Paula Smith, who coined it in “A Trekkie’s Tale”, a parody Star-Trek fan fiction. It was intended to mock authors whose characters were clearly based on wish fulfilment, self-inserts and idealized versions of themselves.
In fan fiction, the origins of the term Mary Sue are simple. They describe a character that has been added to an already existing fictional universe and:
* Gains power/ becomes overpowered without any struggle or journey of earning it.
* Gets attention from the original established characters (including those who it is uncharacteristic of eg. if they are anti-social, untrusting).
* Resolves the entire conflict almost single-handedly, removing any obstacles.
Despite beginning in fan fiction, Mary Sue characters are visible in films and TV series of many kinds.
Okay now that I have the definition? No, the character of Jake Crusher doesn't really fit it. He only fits point two. Points one and three, not so much.
I'm also on the fence as to whether Rey in Force Awakens really fits it. I don't think so. She only fits maybe point two.
I thought a Mary Sue or Marty Stu was a character who was unbeatable or overly skilled or had too many skills, say a surgeon and an auto-mechanic. But that just means diverse. Turns out - I don't have to worry. I don't tend to read a lot of fanfic, so I am admittedly oblivious to these definitions.
( spoilers )
To sum up without spoilers? It stuck the ending, and will provide fans of the series a satisfying ride with old friends, and a nice wrap up of their characters arcs.
2. Wolf Pack
Made it through four episodes of this eight episode series. It's not bad.
Among the better series that Gellar has done post Buffy. It helps that she's not the lead, and more in the background. The focus is on the teens, and we're mainly in their point of view. Gellar has graduated to the Anthony Stewart Head and Jenny Carpenter roles.
It also gets better as you go. Episode 4 was spooky. And the cast got a bit more appealing as I went. So clunky to start, improves by Episode 4.
[It's on Paramount Plus.]
3. Shadow and Bone
With the exception of Captain Kirigan (who is kind of moustache twirling), this is a fun series. I love the Crows. Kaz, Jesper, Inel, Nina, and Wylan, are fun. The six, is undoubtedly Matthias. Alina & Mal are okay, the privateer and his crew make them more interesting. As Genya makes Kirigan a bit more interesting.
The leads are kind of boring, the supporting characters on the other hand are rather fun. So much so, I wish I could just watch the supporting characters and ditch the three leads (Mal, Alina, and Kirigan). I think that may well be the weakness of this series.
I'm on episode 3 - I think.
4. Question on The Mandalorian S3 - do I have to watch the Book of Boba Fett first - or can I skip it? I'm unclear on this. Boba Fett is 7 episodes - so it's no great hardship - except they are all filmed rather darkly, and I'd need to watch them at night with the lights turned off in order to see them (same was true of Picard and Shadow and Bone. So time consuming. I may do it anyhow - because I like Ming-Li Weng. But is it worth it? That one got bad reviews. (Not that this means anything. Star Wars is like Star Trek -in that the fandom is rather vocal about what they like and dislike about it. And they do not agree. At all. I mean all the Star Wars films and series have gotten bad and good reviews. Depends on who you talk to.)
5. Finished Mel Robbins - Take Control of Your Life: How to Face Your Fears and Take Back Control of Your Life or something like that. I'm horrible about remembering book titles. In attempting to download the companion workbook - I got the workbook and video training sessions instead. I don't think she has the separate workbook that just goes with the book any longer. I think it got updated to the videos and workbook.
My difficulty with pop psychology self-help books - and life coaching - is I get confused. Actually this is true of the therapeutic process in general. Therapists, life coaches, sociologists like to label people or put them in nice neat defined categories. Which, while understandable, isn't really practical.
Robbins does acknowledge and understand that many of us have trauma or experienced traumatic events in our lives without it being familial, sexual abuse, or physical abuse. There's also emotional abuse. Also it may not necessarily seem severe or horrific to an outside viewer. This puts Robbins slightly above the rest, who don't appear to get this. I give Robbins a lot of credit for picking up on that.
However, she does fall into the trap of generalizing, which leads to confusion. I mean, I found myself at the end of this contemplating whether I'm a chameleon like Robbins, or experiencing imposter syndrome, or just run and hide, or quieting my voice? It's hard to know. Possibly a little of all of the above, or none of them? We're not always the best judge of these things.
Robbins example of lying or a chameleon is - apparently she lied to her boyfriend that she was an expert fly fisherman, when in reality all she'd done was trolling - and got caught when she was introduced to his best friend - an expert fly fisherman on a fly fishing trip.
I can and I can't identify? Have I done this? Yes and no. Not quite to that extreme. ( Read more... )
The problem is? I think we all have some of these tendencies? Self-isolate out of fear? (Considering we all just came out of a pandemic...) Imposter syndrome (it's a current psychological catch-phrase)? Not being Authentic or lying to avoid conflict and fit in? (I caught my niece doing it with me in 2021. And I did it with her. )
I'm not sure there's an easy fix here? I just want to meet more people, be more connected, and less lonely. Which takes me back to Picard S3 and why I enjoyed it - it's heavy on the theme of connection. ( spoilers for Picard )
Sometimes fiction provides more and better answers than non-fiction?