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shadowkat1. For people who have watched the series Mad Men, Breaking Bad (and to a lesser degree the Sopranos) go read this fascinating essay and critique. This essay highlights many of my own problems with all three series, which while brilliantly written also inadvertently underline what is currently wrong with our societal focus.
2. Watched True Blood last night and I sort of agree with a few of the critics. Admittedly I'm enjoying this season more than they are - because of the Tara/Pam and Eric/Bill and Sookie/Jason relationship emphasis. But like most seasons of True Blood the individual subplots are often better than the big bad central theme plot arc, which is often preachy and over-the-top. That said, like all media right now, True Blood is underlining what a dangerous delusion the lust for power and control truly is, and how it feeds on itself.
Liked:
* Pam sticking up for Tara, to the extent that she actually put herself in mortal danger, well aware that Carolyn Hennesy's Chancellor would rip her head off. (Sorry I know the actress' name from another series...she used play the Mob Attorney "Diane" on GH and was on Cougar Town. Some people follow lead actors/actresses, I follow unknown character actors/actresses. ) Also adore the Tara/Jessica friendship, and the allusions to a Pam/Tara romantic relationship. Pam and Tara are so much alike, both are loner mentalities, both have been hurt by other humans. Both have chips on their shoulders. Both would give their lives for their friends, they are loyal to a fault. And both use snark as a defense mechanism. (I admittedly watch True Blood for them.)
* Eric...I really like Alexander Skarsgard as an actor. He emotes well and is an incredibly good face actor, better in some respects than Stephen Moyer, who is handicapped with darker and more hidden eyes. His plot to get away from Bill and the Authority was inspired. Also apparently what moved Bill to worship Lilith, broke Lilith's spell over Nora. Watching her beloved Godric be devoured by Lilith woke Norah up. I found Eric/Nora to be more moving than ERic/Sookie, but mainly because Sookie gets on my nerves.
* Pam explains to Jess what is going on with Lilith's blood. Nest vampires. They feed on each other's blood and it drives them crazy. Fun explanation.
* Evil Bill...it is rather inspired having Bill be the problem here. And the series has been building to it all along. Bill unlike Eric needs something to believe in. He desires power and control, but more than that - he desires a God or an authority. Bill's arc in some respects reminds me of Angel's - although I think Angel was better written and less obvious. Also reminds me a little of Stefan on Vamp Diaries.
* The Shifters (Sam and Luna) as mice running about the vamp headquarters unable to figure what to do now that they are there and clearly out of their depth. LOL! I've found Sam's storyline unintentionally funny this season.
What I did not like:
* Anything with the fairies. I actually agree with the critic who stated: "So Russell Edginton wants to kill all the fairies. We should be so lucky." So agree. They are silly and grating.
* The fairies stupid plan to destroy Russell. Seriously, hasn't anyone figured out by now that following one of Sookie's plans is a bad idea?
* The continuous teases about Sookie's background. Out with it already.
*Holly/the Sheriff and Marilla the Pregnant Fairy love triangle. Was very bored during those scenes. Sort of ground the story to a halt. Do not care.
* Alicide and his Dad camping out in vamp infested waters, dealing with the father-son crap, can we be any more cliche?
What I'm hoping for is an Eric/Tara/Norah/Jason rescue of Pam/Jessica/Sam/Luna and a smack down of Bill and the Authority. That would be fun. And if Russell successfully takes out the fairies...bonus. Although I doubt it. He certainly won't kill the Sookester, we should be so lucky. More likely someone will take him out, possibly the mysterious Warhol who wants Sookie for himself.
3. Also finished watching Political Animals - which was fun but uneven and a bit over the top. It was hard to buy a lot of the plot-lines. A bit too contrived. I think the story would have been more interesting if Adrian Psdar's president had survived and that's not just because I like Adrian Psdar. It feels sort of cliche and contrived killing him off. And the VP is such an obvious bad guy - someone she can fight, while the President was more multi-faceated and complex, as was their relationship. They went the easy route instead of the hard one. Did the same thing with the reporter - who would have had more difficulty keeping her story from getting leaked if the President hadn't died. Felt too neat, the wrap-up.
The acting was stellar at least.
4. Having a quiet, people free day. I might take a run later, not sure yet. Spoke briefly about politics this week, enough to remind myself of why I don't talk about politics.
It tends to make me furious with people. I go ballistic and get emotional and nasty.
I can't talk about it without going into full-scale rant mode. American Politics gives me hives.
2. Watched True Blood last night and I sort of agree with a few of the critics. Admittedly I'm enjoying this season more than they are - because of the Tara/Pam and Eric/Bill and Sookie/Jason relationship emphasis. But like most seasons of True Blood the individual subplots are often better than the big bad central theme plot arc, which is often preachy and over-the-top. That said, like all media right now, True Blood is underlining what a dangerous delusion the lust for power and control truly is, and how it feeds on itself.
Liked:
* Pam sticking up for Tara, to the extent that she actually put herself in mortal danger, well aware that Carolyn Hennesy's Chancellor would rip her head off. (Sorry I know the actress' name from another series...she used play the Mob Attorney "Diane" on GH and was on Cougar Town. Some people follow lead actors/actresses, I follow unknown character actors/actresses. ) Also adore the Tara/Jessica friendship, and the allusions to a Pam/Tara romantic relationship. Pam and Tara are so much alike, both are loner mentalities, both have been hurt by other humans. Both have chips on their shoulders. Both would give their lives for their friends, they are loyal to a fault. And both use snark as a defense mechanism. (I admittedly watch True Blood for them.)
* Eric...I really like Alexander Skarsgard as an actor. He emotes well and is an incredibly good face actor, better in some respects than Stephen Moyer, who is handicapped with darker and more hidden eyes. His plot to get away from Bill and the Authority was inspired. Also apparently what moved Bill to worship Lilith, broke Lilith's spell over Nora. Watching her beloved Godric be devoured by Lilith woke Norah up. I found Eric/Nora to be more moving than ERic/Sookie, but mainly because Sookie gets on my nerves.
* Pam explains to Jess what is going on with Lilith's blood. Nest vampires. They feed on each other's blood and it drives them crazy. Fun explanation.
* Evil Bill...it is rather inspired having Bill be the problem here. And the series has been building to it all along. Bill unlike Eric needs something to believe in. He desires power and control, but more than that - he desires a God or an authority. Bill's arc in some respects reminds me of Angel's - although I think Angel was better written and less obvious. Also reminds me a little of Stefan on Vamp Diaries.
* The Shifters (Sam and Luna) as mice running about the vamp headquarters unable to figure what to do now that they are there and clearly out of their depth. LOL! I've found Sam's storyline unintentionally funny this season.
What I did not like:
* Anything with the fairies. I actually agree with the critic who stated: "So Russell Edginton wants to kill all the fairies. We should be so lucky." So agree. They are silly and grating.
* The fairies stupid plan to destroy Russell. Seriously, hasn't anyone figured out by now that following one of Sookie's plans is a bad idea?
* The continuous teases about Sookie's background. Out with it already.
*Holly/the Sheriff and Marilla the Pregnant Fairy love triangle. Was very bored during those scenes. Sort of ground the story to a halt. Do not care.
* Alicide and his Dad camping out in vamp infested waters, dealing with the father-son crap, can we be any more cliche?
What I'm hoping for is an Eric/Tara/Norah/Jason rescue of Pam/Jessica/Sam/Luna and a smack down of Bill and the Authority. That would be fun. And if Russell successfully takes out the fairies...bonus. Although I doubt it. He certainly won't kill the Sookester, we should be so lucky. More likely someone will take him out, possibly the mysterious Warhol who wants Sookie for himself.
3. Also finished watching Political Animals - which was fun but uneven and a bit over the top. It was hard to buy a lot of the plot-lines. A bit too contrived. I think the story would have been more interesting if Adrian Psdar's president had survived and that's not just because I like Adrian Psdar. It feels sort of cliche and contrived killing him off. And the VP is such an obvious bad guy - someone she can fight, while the President was more multi-faceated and complex, as was their relationship. They went the easy route instead of the hard one. Did the same thing with the reporter - who would have had more difficulty keeping her story from getting leaked if the President hadn't died. Felt too neat, the wrap-up.
The acting was stellar at least.
4. Having a quiet, people free day. I might take a run later, not sure yet. Spoke briefly about politics this week, enough to remind myself of why I don't talk about politics.
It tends to make me furious with people. I go ballistic and get emotional and nasty.
I can't talk about it without going into full-scale rant mode. American Politics gives me hives.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 09:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-08-26 12:19 am (UTC)