Walking dead, Arrow, Nashville...
Nov. 18th, 2012 09:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. Somewhat bored at the moment and a tad chilly, although not cold and I can breath...so all is well for the time being. Finished watching this week's Arrow - a lackluster episode, that felt more like filler - and my mind kept wandering during. I keep watching Arrow because I do like the characters - more or less. And I find Queen's back story on the island fascinating - it hits my kinks. But episodes that lack Paul Blackthorn's rapid-fire smart and somewhat laconic Detective Lance...are dull. More Detective Lance, less whiny Speedy.
2. Also finally watched the last three episodes of The Walking Dead - this season is actually much better than the prior one, although the first season continues to be the best of the bunch. And yes, it reminds me a great deal of a Stephen King novel with similar formulaic tropes. I like King well enough, obviously or I wouldn't have bothered reading and/or watching as many of his works as I have. But he does have a few redundant patterns that get wearisome after a bit.
Of the episodes...the most shocking is the second to last episode, or the episode two weeks ago entitled The Killer Within - where several key characters appear to bite the bullet so to speak. All because they didn't kill all the prisoners at the prison, when they had the chance.
In The Walking Dead - it's the living that pose the greatest and most horrifying threat.
As Andrea, who is bit slow on the uptake, discovered in last week's episode - Michonne was miles ahead of her. The problem I've had with Rick's crew from the get-go is they aren't exactly the brightest bulbs on the planet. They continue to do dumb things that people in horror movies always do. Although this season they are a little less stupid than in the prior two.
* I accidentally spoiled myself on Laurie's death in much the same way I accidentally spoiled myself on a Skyfall plot point - I read something, after being warned that there were spoilers.
Curiousity continues to be one of my weaknesses, apparently. At any rate it didn't move me - mainly because I could care less about the character and her storyline and am sort of relieved she's gone. She appeared to exist mainly to further the character of Rick. One wonders if Rick had stayed gone - if Shane and Laurie may have survived?
It was upsetting, I guess, that Carl killed her - but I don't care all that much about Carl either.
The characters I like in this series are somewhat limited.
Kids are always problematic on series like this for various reasons.
At any rate they wrote the scene well enough, but it was poorly acted. I did not believe the actors tears. It felt like a reaction shot. I could sense them "acting". So was taken out of the story. Also the direction was a bit off.
* the Michonne/Andrea/Merle bits are far more interesting - as is the bits with Woodbury and The Governor, who holds boxing matches in rings with zombies, zombies serving as the ring.
The Governor is sort of a dark version of Herschel. Or darker and a whole lot smarter version, at any rate. He too lost his family - except he keeps his daughter, one of the walking dead, by his side. She's a grotesque creature, pure zombie, with hair falling out, bloodshot eyes, and constantly trying to eat him. He's working on a way to not so much cure her as to...well enable her continued survival at his side like some sort of docile yet diseased pet? (Reminds me of Stephen King's Pet Semetary.)
His story also echoes Rick's. Like Rick he has set up a sort of community, with rules and order. He kills those who do not fit within the "clan" or he can't make use of - such as the military men.
Any one who might take away his power. Michonne - he lets go, because she really doesn't threaten him all that much, as long as Andrea stays - who reminds him a lot of his dead wife (she looks a great deal like her). Also like Rick - he has a kid...and he has gone insane. In some respects the Governor could be where Rick is headed, if Rick isn't careful.
Merle is to the Governor, what Darryl is to Rick. Both are their right-hand men, in a way. But Rick is more honest with Darryl. I'm not sure Merle knows about the little girl. But the Gov is giving Merle what he needs and saved Merle, so it is all cool. Darryl questions Rick a little, but likewise seems to go along with him.
*Michonne has become my favorite character...and the brightest bulb in the bunch. The only other one who is half that bright, is Darryl. I liked Andrea up to a point, but she's beginning to get on my nerves at the moment - although I get why the allegedly safe haven of Woodbury is tempting.
She's been on the run for so long, tried to kill herself after her sister's death, and has lost pretty much everyone and everything she cared for. For the last eight months she's been traveling with Michonne, and got really ill and almost died. Now, finally, well, with running water, food, cool drinks, and other people - she's thinking let's not ask too many questions and just make the most of it.
Michonne, one of the few non-white people in the town...is understandably suspicious. This is too good to be true. And it's been her experience that anything too clean, too good to be true...should not be taken lightly. Also, there's a lot of indication that the Governor is up to no good and killed those military guys. No dummy, she wisely leaves while the going is good.
But she is also admittedly vulnerable. I want more of Michonne and less of well...everyone else.
*They finally killed off Fletcher? The black guy, who Merle wanted to kill and Rick left Merle chained to the roof because of. Guess we can't have two black guys that look too much alike? Or they just didn't know what to do with him? Not sure what happened to Carol? Guessing she's dead too - or so it seemed, has a grave and everything. If so, Fletcher risked himself for no reason?
I thought she escaped out the back way? If she's dead, that means we only have attractive women in this series? Horror series are insanely sexist and racist, aren't they? It's a problem I have with this trope - too many self-absorbed and defensive white dude writers.
* Maggie and Glenn are fine...which is of the good, I sort of like them. Could do without Herschel though...but he keeps going and going...like the Energizer Bunny. They tease us that they will kill him, but they don't.
The show does kill people though...people you don't think they will kill. I'll give it that.
Horror shows sort of require that...or you stop finding them well horrifying.
Show is also moving at a faster clip than in the previous season. More happening, more at stake, less draggy exposition. Also the jumping between the Woodbury place and the Prison works. Better when you split up the characters. Also better when you reduce the size of the cast a bit and/or kill people off, introducing new characters as you go - that way things don't get too stale.
For a bit there, I was worried that Laurie's kid would die inside her and eat her alive - they mislead me with the title - "The Killer Within". But no, that killer is metaphorical - ie, the killer inside us all.
Overall...mildly entertaining season but nothing to squee over. I remain ambivalently entertained.
Not sure how much longer I'll continue with it.
Not at all surprised that both 666 Park Avenue and Last Resort got the ax from ABC.
I'd watched both and found them to be either dull or silly - attention just was not held. Apparently I wasn't alone.
Curious to see if CBS follows suit with Vegas and Mob Doctor, maybe not. Depends on what CBS has waiting in the wings. ABC has quite a few shows waiting in the wings...including a show that I think is from Joss Whedon? OR is that NBC? I can't remember which one opted for the Whedon series about Nick Fury's Shield. There's also Zero Hour - which sounds like it might be based on the works of William Gibson that was filming in my neighborhood this fall - and stars Anthony Edwards - that's how I know about it, it was filming in my neighborhood.
So far the winners of this lackluster premiere fall season are Nashville, Arrow, Revolution, Go On,
and Elementary. With Beauty and the Beast hanging in there.
The only one's I've been watching with any regularity are Nashville and Arrow - I do watch Revolution and Elementary is saved on my DVR, and people on my flist seem to love one or the other, but personally? I find both rather ...lackluster. I am ambivalently entertained, but can't quite get enraptured or enthused. I don't know why exactly. The characters just don't hit my buttons for some reason, nor does the writing or plot. I keep watching because I'm mildly curious.
But that may end soon. Not sure I'll continue with either in 2013.
Nashville - continues to impress on some levels. I don't love it. My attention does wander during it. But...it is realistic in regards to the music business and entertainment world. Depicting the deal-making, and how it truly is the "network" that gets you ahead and a lot of dumb luck. Avery - the character played by Jonathan Jackson - clearly has more talent than the guy performing with his girlfriend, Scarlett, actually he has more than Scarlett...and he's been working harder at it - concentrating solely on it. But can't get a break. The character could be written as a cliche villain but he's not. He's actually complex and quite interesting, more interesting than Scarlett's other beau, who I find deathly dull. The writers seem to have caught on since they are focusing on Avery a bit more.
Ryana meanwhile has begun to write for herself and the songs are better and more interesting. Rather liked "Buried Under". Both Ryana and Juliette are struggling with their managers and producers - who want them to do standard and safe fare - such as old time country and pop. Ryana wants to do gritty, folk...and Juliette more or less the same. But their producers want to mass produce and package them as wholesome country/pop queens to the public.
It's the power dynamics in the series that is interesting. The business dealings. The relationship drama however...is duller than dirt. I think as the series moves forward, the business dealings and music industry back-stabbing and power plays will take front and center more and the story will get more interesting.
The performances certainly are getting better. And I do like some of the songs. Not all, but I'm admittedly not a huge country fan.
2. Also finally watched the last three episodes of The Walking Dead - this season is actually much better than the prior one, although the first season continues to be the best of the bunch. And yes, it reminds me a great deal of a Stephen King novel with similar formulaic tropes. I like King well enough, obviously or I wouldn't have bothered reading and/or watching as many of his works as I have. But he does have a few redundant patterns that get wearisome after a bit.
Of the episodes...the most shocking is the second to last episode, or the episode two weeks ago entitled The Killer Within - where several key characters appear to bite the bullet so to speak. All because they didn't kill all the prisoners at the prison, when they had the chance.
In The Walking Dead - it's the living that pose the greatest and most horrifying threat.
As Andrea, who is bit slow on the uptake, discovered in last week's episode - Michonne was miles ahead of her. The problem I've had with Rick's crew from the get-go is they aren't exactly the brightest bulbs on the planet. They continue to do dumb things that people in horror movies always do. Although this season they are a little less stupid than in the prior two.
* I accidentally spoiled myself on Laurie's death in much the same way I accidentally spoiled myself on a Skyfall plot point - I read something, after being warned that there were spoilers.
Curiousity continues to be one of my weaknesses, apparently. At any rate it didn't move me - mainly because I could care less about the character and her storyline and am sort of relieved she's gone. She appeared to exist mainly to further the character of Rick. One wonders if Rick had stayed gone - if Shane and Laurie may have survived?
It was upsetting, I guess, that Carl killed her - but I don't care all that much about Carl either.
The characters I like in this series are somewhat limited.
Kids are always problematic on series like this for various reasons.
At any rate they wrote the scene well enough, but it was poorly acted. I did not believe the actors tears. It felt like a reaction shot. I could sense them "acting". So was taken out of the story. Also the direction was a bit off.
* the Michonne/Andrea/Merle bits are far more interesting - as is the bits with Woodbury and The Governor, who holds boxing matches in rings with zombies, zombies serving as the ring.
The Governor is sort of a dark version of Herschel. Or darker and a whole lot smarter version, at any rate. He too lost his family - except he keeps his daughter, one of the walking dead, by his side. She's a grotesque creature, pure zombie, with hair falling out, bloodshot eyes, and constantly trying to eat him. He's working on a way to not so much cure her as to...well enable her continued survival at his side like some sort of docile yet diseased pet? (Reminds me of Stephen King's Pet Semetary.)
His story also echoes Rick's. Like Rick he has set up a sort of community, with rules and order. He kills those who do not fit within the "clan" or he can't make use of - such as the military men.
Any one who might take away his power. Michonne - he lets go, because she really doesn't threaten him all that much, as long as Andrea stays - who reminds him a lot of his dead wife (she looks a great deal like her). Also like Rick - he has a kid...and he has gone insane. In some respects the Governor could be where Rick is headed, if Rick isn't careful.
Merle is to the Governor, what Darryl is to Rick. Both are their right-hand men, in a way. But Rick is more honest with Darryl. I'm not sure Merle knows about the little girl. But the Gov is giving Merle what he needs and saved Merle, so it is all cool. Darryl questions Rick a little, but likewise seems to go along with him.
*Michonne has become my favorite character...and the brightest bulb in the bunch. The only other one who is half that bright, is Darryl. I liked Andrea up to a point, but she's beginning to get on my nerves at the moment - although I get why the allegedly safe haven of Woodbury is tempting.
She's been on the run for so long, tried to kill herself after her sister's death, and has lost pretty much everyone and everything she cared for. For the last eight months she's been traveling with Michonne, and got really ill and almost died. Now, finally, well, with running water, food, cool drinks, and other people - she's thinking let's not ask too many questions and just make the most of it.
Michonne, one of the few non-white people in the town...is understandably suspicious. This is too good to be true. And it's been her experience that anything too clean, too good to be true...should not be taken lightly. Also, there's a lot of indication that the Governor is up to no good and killed those military guys. No dummy, she wisely leaves while the going is good.
But she is also admittedly vulnerable. I want more of Michonne and less of well...everyone else.
*They finally killed off Fletcher? The black guy, who Merle wanted to kill and Rick left Merle chained to the roof because of. Guess we can't have two black guys that look too much alike? Or they just didn't know what to do with him? Not sure what happened to Carol? Guessing she's dead too - or so it seemed, has a grave and everything. If so, Fletcher risked himself for no reason?
I thought she escaped out the back way? If she's dead, that means we only have attractive women in this series? Horror series are insanely sexist and racist, aren't they? It's a problem I have with this trope - too many self-absorbed and defensive white dude writers.
* Maggie and Glenn are fine...which is of the good, I sort of like them. Could do without Herschel though...but he keeps going and going...like the Energizer Bunny. They tease us that they will kill him, but they don't.
The show does kill people though...people you don't think they will kill. I'll give it that.
Horror shows sort of require that...or you stop finding them well horrifying.
Show is also moving at a faster clip than in the previous season. More happening, more at stake, less draggy exposition. Also the jumping between the Woodbury place and the Prison works. Better when you split up the characters. Also better when you reduce the size of the cast a bit and/or kill people off, introducing new characters as you go - that way things don't get too stale.
For a bit there, I was worried that Laurie's kid would die inside her and eat her alive - they mislead me with the title - "The Killer Within". But no, that killer is metaphorical - ie, the killer inside us all.
Overall...mildly entertaining season but nothing to squee over. I remain ambivalently entertained.
Not sure how much longer I'll continue with it.
Not at all surprised that both 666 Park Avenue and Last Resort got the ax from ABC.
I'd watched both and found them to be either dull or silly - attention just was not held. Apparently I wasn't alone.
Curious to see if CBS follows suit with Vegas and Mob Doctor, maybe not. Depends on what CBS has waiting in the wings. ABC has quite a few shows waiting in the wings...including a show that I think is from Joss Whedon? OR is that NBC? I can't remember which one opted for the Whedon series about Nick Fury's Shield. There's also Zero Hour - which sounds like it might be based on the works of William Gibson that was filming in my neighborhood this fall - and stars Anthony Edwards - that's how I know about it, it was filming in my neighborhood.
So far the winners of this lackluster premiere fall season are Nashville, Arrow, Revolution, Go On,
and Elementary. With Beauty and the Beast hanging in there.
The only one's I've been watching with any regularity are Nashville and Arrow - I do watch Revolution and Elementary is saved on my DVR, and people on my flist seem to love one or the other, but personally? I find both rather ...lackluster. I am ambivalently entertained, but can't quite get enraptured or enthused. I don't know why exactly. The characters just don't hit my buttons for some reason, nor does the writing or plot. I keep watching because I'm mildly curious.
But that may end soon. Not sure I'll continue with either in 2013.
Nashville - continues to impress on some levels. I don't love it. My attention does wander during it. But...it is realistic in regards to the music business and entertainment world. Depicting the deal-making, and how it truly is the "network" that gets you ahead and a lot of dumb luck. Avery - the character played by Jonathan Jackson - clearly has more talent than the guy performing with his girlfriend, Scarlett, actually he has more than Scarlett...and he's been working harder at it - concentrating solely on it. But can't get a break. The character could be written as a cliche villain but he's not. He's actually complex and quite interesting, more interesting than Scarlett's other beau, who I find deathly dull. The writers seem to have caught on since they are focusing on Avery a bit more.
Ryana meanwhile has begun to write for herself and the songs are better and more interesting. Rather liked "Buried Under". Both Ryana and Juliette are struggling with their managers and producers - who want them to do standard and safe fare - such as old time country and pop. Ryana wants to do gritty, folk...and Juliette more or less the same. But their producers want to mass produce and package them as wholesome country/pop queens to the public.
It's the power dynamics in the series that is interesting. The business dealings. The relationship drama however...is duller than dirt. I think as the series moves forward, the business dealings and music industry back-stabbing and power plays will take front and center more and the story will get more interesting.
The performances certainly are getting better. And I do like some of the songs. Not all, but I'm admittedly not a huge country fan.
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Date: 2012-11-19 03:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-19 08:52 am (UTC)