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Feb. 9th, 2013 06:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1. Is anyone else...all of a sudden getting a lot of marketing spam from pharmaceutical companies on old livejournal posts? Hadn't been getting any for several months, then, all of a sudden - I'm getting it again - five in last two-three days alone, and all in response to posts I made months ago. It's so weird. And they are all for pharmaceutical drugs. What's wrong with these marketing people? Twitter and FB not amusing enough - you have to hunt down obscure lj posts??
2. Several Buffy fan posts on LJ this week - guessing one of the comics came out recently?
Have they gotten any better? Don't appear to be. Sound rather dull. Considering the final two arcs of S8 Buffy comics soured me on Whedon, fanfic, certain types of meta, Dark Horse, comic books in general, the comic book industry, and the Buffy/Angel series and characters, along with certain factions of fandom...I'm thinking avoiding those comics is probably a good thing. Because, I've managed to become rather ambivalent now about all of the above. (ie. I don't care either way.) I have enough things that irritate me, why add another?
The only comics...that I considered looking into were the Marvel ones - where the original teen X-men time travel and get disillusioned by their adult selves. And Spiderman, where Doctor Octupus body-swaps with Peter Parker, and ends up taking over the title. Also Superman - where Superman and Wonder Woman become lovers. Which sort of makes sense since they are the male/female equivalent of each other. Wonder if Steve Reeves and Lois Lane hook up to commisserate? The other one that looked interesting was Brian K. Vaughn's Saga, except I don't like Vaughn any more than I like Alan Moore - both piss me off.
3. 30 Day TV Meme
Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Oh, several, but the one whose cancellation is still making me wail at the injustice of it all is Farscape which unlike most tv series, actually had it's fifth season all blocked out ahead of time and was filming it back to back with it's fourth season.
I know, I know there are other candidates...such as Firefly - which was abbreviated in mid-play. They'd filmed 13 episodes and only showed about five or six before Fox yanked it. You had to get the DVD's to see the rest - that is until Syfy decided to run them. And the movie came out, resolving everything. But here's the difference between Firefly and Farscape - the writers of Farscape, as well as the cast, had those last two seasons plotted out, they were filming them back to back - episodes were written, they knew exactly what themes they were doing. Whedon didn't have Firefly that well planned out - he's not that type of writer. He had ideas, sure, but he kept changing them to fit the network's plan.
Farscape had more of a free reign...they had less network involvement at the time. It's also the difference between Farscape's cancellation and Angel, Dollhouse, Caprica, and Sarah Connor Chronicles...all the others didn't really know where they were headed and were, a bit messy in execution. Of the other's, I'd say Sarah Connor was probably the best plotted and planned out - I think that writer had a definite vision, but his ending worked for me and I didn't require more. Same deal with Angel - didn't need more after Not Fade Away - that was in some respects the best ending for that series, I think if it went on longer, Whedon would have ruined it in much the same way that Vince Gilligan is ruining Breaking Bad. Caprica was just a mess, and I was admittedly losing interest. Same deal with Dollhouse.
Of course mileage varies on this, doesn't it?
Farscape though...that had a planned story, which they had to edit and cram into a four hour movie. You could see - what it might have been, if they had gotten their fifth season.
Ironically, I wasn't watching Farscape when it was actually on TV. Caught up with it two years after it had been cancelled and was about to air the four hour conclusion of the story.
Yes, if someone where to hop into a time machine and make another season of any of the tv shows cancelled prior to their time and sell the DVDS - I'd buy the DVD's to Farscape first.
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death.
2. Several Buffy fan posts on LJ this week - guessing one of the comics came out recently?
Have they gotten any better? Don't appear to be. Sound rather dull. Considering the final two arcs of S8 Buffy comics soured me on Whedon, fanfic, certain types of meta, Dark Horse, comic books in general, the comic book industry, and the Buffy/Angel series and characters, along with certain factions of fandom...I'm thinking avoiding those comics is probably a good thing. Because, I've managed to become rather ambivalent now about all of the above. (ie. I don't care either way.) I have enough things that irritate me, why add another?
The only comics...that I considered looking into were the Marvel ones - where the original teen X-men time travel and get disillusioned by their adult selves. And Spiderman, where Doctor Octupus body-swaps with Peter Parker, and ends up taking over the title. Also Superman - where Superman and Wonder Woman become lovers. Which sort of makes sense since they are the male/female equivalent of each other. Wonder if Steve Reeves and Lois Lane hook up to commisserate? The other one that looked interesting was Brian K. Vaughn's Saga, except I don't like Vaughn any more than I like Alan Moore - both piss me off.
3. 30 Day TV Meme
Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Oh, several, but the one whose cancellation is still making me wail at the injustice of it all is Farscape which unlike most tv series, actually had it's fifth season all blocked out ahead of time and was filming it back to back with it's fourth season.
I know, I know there are other candidates...such as Firefly - which was abbreviated in mid-play. They'd filmed 13 episodes and only showed about five or six before Fox yanked it. You had to get the DVD's to see the rest - that is until Syfy decided to run them. And the movie came out, resolving everything. But here's the difference between Firefly and Farscape - the writers of Farscape, as well as the cast, had those last two seasons plotted out, they were filming them back to back - episodes were written, they knew exactly what themes they were doing. Whedon didn't have Firefly that well planned out - he's not that type of writer. He had ideas, sure, but he kept changing them to fit the network's plan.
Farscape had more of a free reign...they had less network involvement at the time. It's also the difference between Farscape's cancellation and Angel, Dollhouse, Caprica, and Sarah Connor Chronicles...all the others didn't really know where they were headed and were, a bit messy in execution. Of the other's, I'd say Sarah Connor was probably the best plotted and planned out - I think that writer had a definite vision, but his ending worked for me and I didn't require more. Same deal with Angel - didn't need more after Not Fade Away - that was in some respects the best ending for that series, I think if it went on longer, Whedon would have ruined it in much the same way that Vince Gilligan is ruining Breaking Bad. Caprica was just a mess, and I was admittedly losing interest. Same deal with Dollhouse.
Of course mileage varies on this, doesn't it?
Farscape though...that had a planned story, which they had to edit and cram into a four hour movie. You could see - what it might have been, if they had gotten their fifth season.
Ironically, I wasn't watching Farscape when it was actually on TV. Caught up with it two years after it had been cancelled and was about to air the four hour conclusion of the story.
Yes, if someone where to hop into a time machine and make another season of any of the tv shows cancelled prior to their time and sell the DVDS - I'd buy the DVD's to Farscape first.
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 - Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show
Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death.
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no subject
Date: 2013-02-10 05:13 am (UTC)Have they gotten any better?
They've spun off a number of short runs with several of the other characters, such as Willow and Spike. The plan is then to merge them back into the main BtVS S8 run, which they're starting to do now. But as a result, there's a new comic out nearly every week.
How good? Mostly meh, IMO. I follow all the Buffyverse stuff mostly out of loyalty/curiousity, and on occasion am rewarded with some better than average art and a possibly interesting storyline. The former is all too often better than the latter, sadly. The stories for the most part appear to have been dumbed down to appeal to what I assume is the 12-16 year old market as the primary target.
The only exception I've found is the Angel & Faith books. Not brilliant, but not bad, and for sure several cuts above anything else currently running. Excellent art by Rebekah Isaacs-- I'd absolutely love for her to take over the main Buffy series. That's not likely to happen anytime soon but perhaps she might do a guest stint next season if we're lucky.
Quicky 0 to 10 scale reviews:
BtVS S8 -- 6 to 7 average but highly variable. There have been 3's for example.
Spike short run -- 4 to 5 (completed? I think..)
Willow short run -- 5 to 6 (one issue to go)
Angel & Faith -- 7 to 8, usually closer to 8.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-10 02:50 pm (UTC)As in most if not all of the last ten comics of S8. ;-) Although I think a 3 rating is being a bit generous. -3 however... ;-)
Have you read the IDW Brian Lynch comics, I can't remember? For me they were the best of the bunch. Far from perfect. But the only one's I'd give a 7 or 8 to.
Have admittedly not read the Angel&Faith comics (which unfortunately came long after I got fed up with the comics and both characters). I probably would have tried them prior to the last ten comics of the S8 arc. But S8 so completely soured me on the character of Angel and Dark Horse comics in general, that it was never going to happen. Shame - since I do love Rebecca Issacs art, and the story from what I've seen of it - looks rather interesting.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-11 05:08 am (UTC)Well, the trades will eventually be out, and then you can always browse them before deciding to buy.
BTW, I just realized that in my post above, I managed to type "BtVS S8" when in fact I was always referring to "S9", the current season. Sorry!
Speaking for myself, I try not to gripe too much (either to myself or to others, which is why I don't post much about the Buffyverse comics) about things that tend to be inherent in the medium, such as the need to compress the story so heavily. In a TV series, one has the ability to stretch things out, offer nuances. Even in a movie, limited to two or three hours, there still is more room. Unless Whedon makes any future films about the Buffyverse, that kind of pleasure is simply gone.
Most of the post-series storylines weren't inherently bad, in fact I would probably find them intriguing if they were simply handled with more finesse, or slightly altered.
For example, my single biggest gripe about the comics overall is the annoying tendency (just recently showing up again!! in the new Willow mini-series) to resurrect old villians instead of making up new ones.
Please, please, make them stop this! Enough already! Fer cryin' out loud, I've got a better imagination than this, and I'm not a paid professional, you know?
Take Season 8 (yes, this time I really mean 8, sorry). The whole basic premise could have been saved and all of the nasty fan feelings about the Angel character avoided if Twilight had simply been a new character. Angel could still have been trying to enact Whistler's plan, and Buffy could have still rejected it, the seed could have been still destroyed, there could even have been the space-frack, but... well, you get it.
Like I said, it's mostly just a modest loyalty/curiousity deal. They do occasionally do something cool, and besides, I can always re-appropriate the artwork for satirical intent, as you know I've sometimes done. That's always fun!
no subject
Date: 2013-02-12 12:56 am (UTC)S8...sigh. It just didn't work. Deserves to be shamelessly mocked and made fun of. Bad pacing. Convoluted plot. Writer masturbation and fanboy self-indulgence. Jumped the shark multiple times. Yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.
Seriously though? I don't think you can excuse the mistakes by blaming the medium. I've read comics for years - Whedon sucks at writing comic books - so too does Espenson. And Scott Allie can't edit to save his life - marketing on the other hand, he's quite good at. (Sigh. I miss the 1980s, when the publishing industry hired editors not marketing people.)
Brian Lynch understood the medium - but doesn't appear to understand the tv/screen medium. Some people can only write for one medium. Some can write for multiple mediums. Whedon and Lynch aren't that versatile.
no subject
Date: 2013-02-10 10:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-02-10 02:45 pm (UTC)That was the formula back then, arc, stand-alone, arc. Now those shows are basically pure arc, with stand-alone being flashbacks to the character's pasts - which in my opinion works a lot better. Less likely to run out of ideas.
BTVS and Angel had the same problems as did Firefly and Dollhouse, they were doing the stand-alone monster of the week/ arc formula. And that gets old from a writer stand-point fast.
Sarah Connor, Lost, Once Upon a Time - have the flashback/arc formula, which while more serial and far harder for new people to get into, is also more workable from a writer standpoint.
That said...I wanted those arc episodes. The stand-alones made up only four episodes of each season. I can ignore them. Which is actually the plus side of stand-a-lone's, you can ignore them. ;-)