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Eh...unrelated things...Sunday TV and Personal Activities/Beliefs
Yeah, I know, I'm breaking the New Year's Resolution posting during the week and not on weekends. But the what the heck. Resolutions are made to be broken right?
Bad day. But the plantar fascitis is feeling slightly better. So there is that. Still painful, but not as painful as on Monday and Tuesday. Although I think the orthos I put in my shoes probably are helping along with the heat and cool pads and stretching. We'll see what it feels like over the weekend - I promised my social action group that I'd go to The New Jim Crow forum we are having on Saturday. This is based on the best-selling novel by Michell Anderson. It's in regards to "instituitionalized racism and discrimination" which I've been fighting in various small ways my entire life and not getting very far, but we do what we can do, right? Personally, I feel like I've failed in this regard.
I believe that institutionalized racism is the route of all evil, well that and evil marketing and ad people. Some people think corporations - this grates, there are good and bad corporations and as any good lawyer knows - corporations are just a group of people who decided to incorporate their business, usually in Delaware, because it's cheaper there. Delaware is the Switzerland of the US apparently. And groups of people are known to abuse power. People are known to abuse power. We also have a tendency to "scape-goat" and make crazy generalizations - because it is so much easier to hate a specific item or group - so much easier to fight that, than an idea such as "racism" or "sexism" or "abuse of power". We like to have a nice neat target that we can shoot. But alas, that's not how the world works. People are not neat and clear-cut, nor are their organizations. They are complicated.
That said...I still think the Ku Klux Klan and the Neo-Nazis have no redeemable qualities to speak of and should be eradicated from the earth like the vermin they are. Also not overly fond of Donald Trump or Rupert Murdock (although admittedly if it weren't for Murdoch and Fox, we wouldn't have Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv series) or Angel the Series...it's true. Or for that matter Firefly. They commissioned those series. And no fandom. People forget that.) But I'm sure someone out there can prove me wrong.
Momster and I were talking about Nixon the other day. She admitted I was right about this - that people are complicated. Nixon after all did some amazing things while in office - he opened diplomatic relations with Asia and China, he pushed through Social Security, and fought for national healthcare. Yes, he also did Watergate, and did horrible things as well. It's hard to wrap one's mind around the contradictions in character - to realize someone can be kind and good on the one hand, and horrible on the other. And each of us is the same way.
Favorite quote that I found hunting for end-quotes for the list-serve that I co-edit:
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html#00fwSkY2JASkP2YT.99
Other favorite quotes:
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth101536.html#FEAgottQBoHQxl0h.99
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth402936.html#SYOzvxi7OB6y438W.99
Sorry, stepping off my soap box now. I know there are people that disagree with bits and pieces.
And that's okay. It's okay that we disagree. It does not matter. As long as we both have a voice and the ability to do so. I keep reminding myself of that.
There are days, like today, rainy and cold, where I ache and hurt, and want to kick people and cry in self-pity, bereft of hope...that being a good person or even a decent person seems like climbing Mt. Everest. And in my current state? I doubt I'd even make it to the foothills.
Caught up on Sunday TV.
It's odd, but I'm enjoying Merlin more than Dowton Abbey - which feels a bit mawkish to me.
I'm told the writing is better this year? So far, it seems worse. Maybe it gets better??
Or maybe this is a mileage thing? Most likely the latter?
1. Once Upon a Time - it's odd, I know, but Rumplestilskin reminds me a great deal of Spike and the reactions towards the character remind me of Spike. He's a trickster character, who is ambiguous. Does horrible things and good things - and abuses power. Much like Spike he was a bit of a coward in life, when he gets power - he goes nuts. Rumple is a bit more extreme than Spike, mainly because I suspect the writers of BTVS were a tad more subtle and a lot better than the writers of Once. I'm not going to say the acting was necessarily better - because I've seen Robert Carylye in various things, and James Marsters, and let's face it RC is a tad more versatile and a lot better actor. But James had a better writer behind him. (Just my opinion for the moment, it could change, I'm not married to it or anything. Actually I already see loop-holes in it. Not sure the two are comparable at all. So reminds but isn't, works better.)
Once unlike a lot of series is more interested in "familial love connections or parental love" than romantic love, which the writers make a lot of fun of or sort of twist. Friendships are also given a lot of weight. Romantic love is considered...a bit on the flimsy side or made fun of.
So, Rumplestilskin, much like Regina, redemption is not going to be at the hands of Belle, but rather the hands of either Henry or Baelfire. His story has always been about his betrayal of his son - choosing power over his son. Just as Regina is struggling to choose Henry over Power, and her mother Cora betrayed Regina by choosing power over her daughter.
That's the pattern emerging at any rate. So it's not at all surprising that Belle fell across the line. Also, note, it wasn't that her comment that she saw the "good in him" that was important (because of course there is good in him - if there weren't he would be a one-dimensional lead character and the show would be stupid and not worth my time), but rather that he can "change". A comment Henry and to a degree Emma keep making about Regina.
Can people change? This is the same question Buffy the Vampire Slayer asked. Can people change? Not be redeemed. But change. Are we stuck forever as one thing? Or can we learn, evolve and become something else...ourselves, but different. Mature.
Lost asked this question as well. It's a much more interesting question than redemption and more complex. Redemption is a moral question and bracketed by well one's own moral definitions and criteria - as if we are playing judge and jury - somewhat self-righteously, if you ask me, not that you did. But change...that can be for good or ill. Or neither.
Can Rumple be less jealous, less cowardly, less consumed by power or desire to use it to get what he wants and inflict pain? Power corrupts. Can he use it without becoming corrupted?
He already has made in-roads, but not just concerning Belle (when he told her the truth about how he lost his son and the creation of the curse, albeit he did not tell her he crushed his wife's heart...but can you really blame him for not telling her that?) Also, with Henry when he did a favor without asking anything in return. So there's a possibility.
Same with Regina...there's a possibility. This season seems to be more about Rumple's bad deeds catching up with him than Reginas. But the villains are Hook and Cora this round and they are equally complicated - creations, oddly, of Rumplestilskin.
That said, I wish the acting was better. The actresses playing Mulan and Belle are not very good.
Pretty but not good. Belle is just slightly better than Mulan. Although Mulan is growing on me as a character - I rather liked her in this episode and liked Belle, even if she did some really stupid things - like breaking into Hook's boat by herself, and not questioning Rumple a bit more about the dead wife. If I were Belle and I just discovered that...I'd have backed away slowly, on the other hand - Rumple was leaving town with an undisclosed return date, so maybe she figured she could do that after he left?
Hook continues to be a charmer and hot. Although now hit by a car. Curious who the new guy is.
The Baelfire story thread is why I'm watching at the moment - I'm fascinated by it. Less so by Snow/Charming/Regina...who have gotten old hat.
Downton Abbey
I feel sorry for Edith. I cried when she got stood up by Dohgerty and was left alone. I identify with Edith. Lady Mary...is okay. Matthew reminds me a bit too much of Ashely Wilkes for his own good. Pretty but dewy eyed and a bit of wimp. Seriously...all the whinging and carrying on over his inheritance from Livia's father. Meanwhile we have greater issues.
I like the servants or downstairs story line better. Those characters are more interesting and have more pressing problems. Rather adore Mrs. Harris, Carson, and the Cook. And the O'Brien/Matthew war is entertaining me - two despicable characters at each others throats.
Not sure what is happening with Bates. But I'm starting to think he did kill Vera, as is Anna for that matter. This feels very Dauphine Du Maurie to me.
So Downton Abbey has been saved. I think Cora may be disappointed. I agree with her and Bransen, Downton Place looked fine. These people are spoiled. The only one's who would have been horribly put out are the downstairs group or the servants. They needed Downton Abbey to survive.
Rich people are whinier than poor people. You want to kick them.
The Good Wife
What I want to call the racist episode or the episode about how power is used to discriminate against those without privilege or misuses of power.
The Olympic Judges who abused their privilege and power. Note the ability to learn languages, multiple languages is often a privilege of the upper class. In the US prep schools provide and insist on taking languages. And you are provided with better language classes. Public schools it is often provided as an elective and the teaching isn't the same caliber, also not as intensive.
This is true overseas as well. I remember an experience with two French families. One was a wealthy Parisian family that could afford to send their daughter to the US for an exchange, that daughter spoke English fluently and was going on to the upper school to become a judge, her family had money. The other family - which I stayed with when I visited France, did not speak English fluently, barely at all. They had a more public education, lived in the country, and their daughter dreamed of becoming a travel agent and maybe one day traveling as far as the US. We assume everyone in Europe speaks English or multiple languages, this is simply not the case.
It is much like the US a case of class and privilege - because the education you obtain is often based on how much money your parents have or how quickly you learn as a child and able to obtain a scholarship.
Also not everyone has a facility for language as evidenced in this episode. Both the guest lawyer of the week (who I adore) Elizbeth, and Diane have a facility for languages, but neither Alicia nor Will do. This puts them at a stark disadvantage in this situation. I can identify. I took 6 years of French, went to France, worked with a tutor, and I still couldn't master the language. Best I could do is understand written French and a few spoken phrases. My whole immediate family has this problem. Mother took German (sucks at it, and her relatives spoke it fluently, since they are from Germany), Father took Russian and tried to take Spainish, and my brother took Spainish.
We're all tone death and none of us could pick it up. I have an uncle and aunt on the other hand that are fluent in two languages. Although my Aunt's kids, who are all hispanic, can't speak Spainish.
So...to say all you to be is taught is a bit disingenuous and highly insensitive. Also to state that everyone outside the US or in Europe speaks more than one language..sigh, disingenuous as well. We both know better.
The Good Wife makes a joke out of it. Showing how people use language or the inability to understand a language to manipulate a situation. This is done a great deal with non-English speakers in the US - specifically in situations regarding immigration. The assumption is - if you really want to immigrate here - you'd learn English! As if it were that easy. IT isn't. English is a frigging hard language - the Germanic languages are, it is a blend of Germanic and Latin, but still. Not everyone is a linguistic. I struggle with it daily - in my neighborhood - the people who own the bodega are Korean and don't speak good English, know very little, the laundress is Chinese and has very little English, the hair-stylist is Italian and can barely speak English, the cleaner at work has learned a few phrases of English and is working on it - she's Spainish.
I use body language and try to be patient. I know they struggle, as I would if I were in their country. As many of you do in reading my livejournal - if English is not your first language. Which is one of the many reasons I avoid using text message abbreviations or net slang. I know how hard it is to learn and understand a language. It's only easy for a scant few. If it comes easy for you - you are amongst the lucky ones.
The other story line about privilege and power - is less humorous, it's the discussion Peter has with his ADA, who points out to him - politely, because he has power over her career, that he raised Carey Argos with little experience, while either demoting or firing persons of color who had a great deal more. He picked the people he liked and were the most like him. This is quite true and a realistic assessment of our system. It's also why we have affirmation action in a nutshell. As frustratingly bureaucratic as it can be - at times. What is ironic about the discussion and not lost on me as a viewer - is the tv series, The Good Wife, is glaringly white.
With the exception of Kalinda, there are no lead persons of color in the regular cast. This is made all the more obvious by this episode. As the new "Boy Wonder" - TR Knight's character states to Eli and Peter, and he is right about this, you do not want to pick at the race issue - it is a scab that should be left alone - all you do is draw attention to yourself. Which is exactly what the Good Wife's writers did in this episode. Yet, in a way, I'm glad - because they re-emphasized that power in this country and the world by extension is still in the hands of white men.
I like the Good Wife, but the episode did make me a little uncomfortable about the show - not necessarily a bad thing.
Revenge
Eh...it's late and I need to go to bed already. It's okay. Not sure about the Nolan storyline which feels a bit like being a ping-pong ball at a ping-pong match...Nolan in this case the ball.
First he's manipulated and betrayed by Marcos, now it's Padmay, and Marcus is the good guy.
Okay, have whiplash.
Loving Amanda. Who I still think is going to do a double homicide on the brothers in crime.
Note to brothers...it's not Jack and Declan you need to keep an eye on, it's the seemingly nice Missus with the baby - that gal has killed worse dudes than you.
Sigh, I'm bored of Aiden's story already. Yet, somewhat intrigued by the Emily/Victoria team-up to help Daniel? And take-down the Initiative. I'm starting to ship Emily and Victoria, sick I know, but there it is.
Conrad...you continue to grow on me with your snarky nastiness. You and Ashely make a great team.
Bad day. But the plantar fascitis is feeling slightly better. So there is that. Still painful, but not as painful as on Monday and Tuesday. Although I think the orthos I put in my shoes probably are helping along with the heat and cool pads and stretching. We'll see what it feels like over the weekend - I promised my social action group that I'd go to The New Jim Crow forum we are having on Saturday. This is based on the best-selling novel by Michell Anderson. It's in regards to "instituitionalized racism and discrimination" which I've been fighting in various small ways my entire life and not getting very far, but we do what we can do, right? Personally, I feel like I've failed in this regard.
I believe that institutionalized racism is the route of all evil, well that and evil marketing and ad people. Some people think corporations - this grates, there are good and bad corporations and as any good lawyer knows - corporations are just a group of people who decided to incorporate their business, usually in Delaware, because it's cheaper there. Delaware is the Switzerland of the US apparently. And groups of people are known to abuse power. People are known to abuse power. We also have a tendency to "scape-goat" and make crazy generalizations - because it is so much easier to hate a specific item or group - so much easier to fight that, than an idea such as "racism" or "sexism" or "abuse of power". We like to have a nice neat target that we can shoot. But alas, that's not how the world works. People are not neat and clear-cut, nor are their organizations. They are complicated.
That said...I still think the Ku Klux Klan and the Neo-Nazis have no redeemable qualities to speak of and should be eradicated from the earth like the vermin they are. Also not overly fond of Donald Trump or Rupert Murdock (although admittedly if it weren't for Murdoch and Fox, we wouldn't have Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv series) or Angel the Series...it's true. Or for that matter Firefly. They commissioned those series. And no fandom. People forget that.) But I'm sure someone out there can prove me wrong.
Momster and I were talking about Nixon the other day. She admitted I was right about this - that people are complicated. Nixon after all did some amazing things while in office - he opened diplomatic relations with Asia and China, he pushed through Social Security, and fought for national healthcare. Yes, he also did Watergate, and did horrible things as well. It's hard to wrap one's mind around the contradictions in character - to realize someone can be kind and good on the one hand, and horrible on the other. And each of us is the same way.
Favorite quote that I found hunting for end-quotes for the list-serve that I co-edit:
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_king_jr.html#00fwSkY2JASkP2YT.99
Other favorite quotes:
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth101536.html#FEAgottQBoHQxl0h.99
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth402936.html#SYOzvxi7OB6y438W.99
Sorry, stepping off my soap box now. I know there are people that disagree with bits and pieces.
And that's okay. It's okay that we disagree. It does not matter. As long as we both have a voice and the ability to do so. I keep reminding myself of that.
There are days, like today, rainy and cold, where I ache and hurt, and want to kick people and cry in self-pity, bereft of hope...that being a good person or even a decent person seems like climbing Mt. Everest. And in my current state? I doubt I'd even make it to the foothills.
Caught up on Sunday TV.
It's odd, but I'm enjoying Merlin more than Dowton Abbey - which feels a bit mawkish to me.
I'm told the writing is better this year? So far, it seems worse. Maybe it gets better??
Or maybe this is a mileage thing? Most likely the latter?
1. Once Upon a Time - it's odd, I know, but Rumplestilskin reminds me a great deal of Spike and the reactions towards the character remind me of Spike. He's a trickster character, who is ambiguous. Does horrible things and good things - and abuses power. Much like Spike he was a bit of a coward in life, when he gets power - he goes nuts. Rumple is a bit more extreme than Spike, mainly because I suspect the writers of BTVS were a tad more subtle and a lot better than the writers of Once. I'm not going to say the acting was necessarily better - because I've seen Robert Carylye in various things, and James Marsters, and let's face it RC is a tad more versatile and a lot better actor. But James had a better writer behind him. (Just my opinion for the moment, it could change, I'm not married to it or anything. Actually I already see loop-holes in it. Not sure the two are comparable at all. So reminds but isn't, works better.)
Once unlike a lot of series is more interested in "familial love connections or parental love" than romantic love, which the writers make a lot of fun of or sort of twist. Friendships are also given a lot of weight. Romantic love is considered...a bit on the flimsy side or made fun of.
So, Rumplestilskin, much like Regina, redemption is not going to be at the hands of Belle, but rather the hands of either Henry or Baelfire. His story has always been about his betrayal of his son - choosing power over his son. Just as Regina is struggling to choose Henry over Power, and her mother Cora betrayed Regina by choosing power over her daughter.
That's the pattern emerging at any rate. So it's not at all surprising that Belle fell across the line. Also, note, it wasn't that her comment that she saw the "good in him" that was important (because of course there is good in him - if there weren't he would be a one-dimensional lead character and the show would be stupid and not worth my time), but rather that he can "change". A comment Henry and to a degree Emma keep making about Regina.
Can people change? This is the same question Buffy the Vampire Slayer asked. Can people change? Not be redeemed. But change. Are we stuck forever as one thing? Or can we learn, evolve and become something else...ourselves, but different. Mature.
Lost asked this question as well. It's a much more interesting question than redemption and more complex. Redemption is a moral question and bracketed by well one's own moral definitions and criteria - as if we are playing judge and jury - somewhat self-righteously, if you ask me, not that you did. But change...that can be for good or ill. Or neither.
Can Rumple be less jealous, less cowardly, less consumed by power or desire to use it to get what he wants and inflict pain? Power corrupts. Can he use it without becoming corrupted?
He already has made in-roads, but not just concerning Belle (when he told her the truth about how he lost his son and the creation of the curse, albeit he did not tell her he crushed his wife's heart...but can you really blame him for not telling her that?) Also, with Henry when he did a favor without asking anything in return. So there's a possibility.
Same with Regina...there's a possibility. This season seems to be more about Rumple's bad deeds catching up with him than Reginas. But the villains are Hook and Cora this round and they are equally complicated - creations, oddly, of Rumplestilskin.
That said, I wish the acting was better. The actresses playing Mulan and Belle are not very good.
Pretty but not good. Belle is just slightly better than Mulan. Although Mulan is growing on me as a character - I rather liked her in this episode and liked Belle, even if she did some really stupid things - like breaking into Hook's boat by herself, and not questioning Rumple a bit more about the dead wife. If I were Belle and I just discovered that...I'd have backed away slowly, on the other hand - Rumple was leaving town with an undisclosed return date, so maybe she figured she could do that after he left?
Hook continues to be a charmer and hot. Although now hit by a car. Curious who the new guy is.
The Baelfire story thread is why I'm watching at the moment - I'm fascinated by it. Less so by Snow/Charming/Regina...who have gotten old hat.
Downton Abbey
I feel sorry for Edith. I cried when she got stood up by Dohgerty and was left alone. I identify with Edith. Lady Mary...is okay. Matthew reminds me a bit too much of Ashely Wilkes for his own good. Pretty but dewy eyed and a bit of wimp. Seriously...all the whinging and carrying on over his inheritance from Livia's father. Meanwhile we have greater issues.
I like the servants or downstairs story line better. Those characters are more interesting and have more pressing problems. Rather adore Mrs. Harris, Carson, and the Cook. And the O'Brien/Matthew war is entertaining me - two despicable characters at each others throats.
Not sure what is happening with Bates. But I'm starting to think he did kill Vera, as is Anna for that matter. This feels very Dauphine Du Maurie to me.
So Downton Abbey has been saved. I think Cora may be disappointed. I agree with her and Bransen, Downton Place looked fine. These people are spoiled. The only one's who would have been horribly put out are the downstairs group or the servants. They needed Downton Abbey to survive.
Rich people are whinier than poor people. You want to kick them.
The Good Wife
What I want to call the racist episode or the episode about how power is used to discriminate against those without privilege or misuses of power.
The Olympic Judges who abused their privilege and power. Note the ability to learn languages, multiple languages is often a privilege of the upper class. In the US prep schools provide and insist on taking languages. And you are provided with better language classes. Public schools it is often provided as an elective and the teaching isn't the same caliber, also not as intensive.
This is true overseas as well. I remember an experience with two French families. One was a wealthy Parisian family that could afford to send their daughter to the US for an exchange, that daughter spoke English fluently and was going on to the upper school to become a judge, her family had money. The other family - which I stayed with when I visited France, did not speak English fluently, barely at all. They had a more public education, lived in the country, and their daughter dreamed of becoming a travel agent and maybe one day traveling as far as the US. We assume everyone in Europe speaks English or multiple languages, this is simply not the case.
It is much like the US a case of class and privilege - because the education you obtain is often based on how much money your parents have or how quickly you learn as a child and able to obtain a scholarship.
Also not everyone has a facility for language as evidenced in this episode. Both the guest lawyer of the week (who I adore) Elizbeth, and Diane have a facility for languages, but neither Alicia nor Will do. This puts them at a stark disadvantage in this situation. I can identify. I took 6 years of French, went to France, worked with a tutor, and I still couldn't master the language. Best I could do is understand written French and a few spoken phrases. My whole immediate family has this problem. Mother took German (sucks at it, and her relatives spoke it fluently, since they are from Germany), Father took Russian and tried to take Spainish, and my brother took Spainish.
We're all tone death and none of us could pick it up. I have an uncle and aunt on the other hand that are fluent in two languages. Although my Aunt's kids, who are all hispanic, can't speak Spainish.
So...to say all you to be is taught is a bit disingenuous and highly insensitive. Also to state that everyone outside the US or in Europe speaks more than one language..sigh, disingenuous as well. We both know better.
The Good Wife makes a joke out of it. Showing how people use language or the inability to understand a language to manipulate a situation. This is done a great deal with non-English speakers in the US - specifically in situations regarding immigration. The assumption is - if you really want to immigrate here - you'd learn English! As if it were that easy. IT isn't. English is a frigging hard language - the Germanic languages are, it is a blend of Germanic and Latin, but still. Not everyone is a linguistic. I struggle with it daily - in my neighborhood - the people who own the bodega are Korean and don't speak good English, know very little, the laundress is Chinese and has very little English, the hair-stylist is Italian and can barely speak English, the cleaner at work has learned a few phrases of English and is working on it - she's Spainish.
I use body language and try to be patient. I know they struggle, as I would if I were in their country. As many of you do in reading my livejournal - if English is not your first language. Which is one of the many reasons I avoid using text message abbreviations or net slang. I know how hard it is to learn and understand a language. It's only easy for a scant few. If it comes easy for you - you are amongst the lucky ones.
The other story line about privilege and power - is less humorous, it's the discussion Peter has with his ADA, who points out to him - politely, because he has power over her career, that he raised Carey Argos with little experience, while either demoting or firing persons of color who had a great deal more. He picked the people he liked and were the most like him. This is quite true and a realistic assessment of our system. It's also why we have affirmation action in a nutshell. As frustratingly bureaucratic as it can be - at times. What is ironic about the discussion and not lost on me as a viewer - is the tv series, The Good Wife, is glaringly white.
With the exception of Kalinda, there are no lead persons of color in the regular cast. This is made all the more obvious by this episode. As the new "Boy Wonder" - TR Knight's character states to Eli and Peter, and he is right about this, you do not want to pick at the race issue - it is a scab that should be left alone - all you do is draw attention to yourself. Which is exactly what the Good Wife's writers did in this episode. Yet, in a way, I'm glad - because they re-emphasized that power in this country and the world by extension is still in the hands of white men.
I like the Good Wife, but the episode did make me a little uncomfortable about the show - not necessarily a bad thing.
Revenge
Eh...it's late and I need to go to bed already. It's okay. Not sure about the Nolan storyline which feels a bit like being a ping-pong ball at a ping-pong match...Nolan in this case the ball.
First he's manipulated and betrayed by Marcos, now it's Padmay, and Marcus is the good guy.
Okay, have whiplash.
Loving Amanda. Who I still think is going to do a double homicide on the brothers in crime.
Note to brothers...it's not Jack and Declan you need to keep an eye on, it's the seemingly nice Missus with the baby - that gal has killed worse dudes than you.
Sigh, I'm bored of Aiden's story already. Yet, somewhat intrigued by the Emily/Victoria team-up to help Daniel? And take-down the Initiative. I'm starting to ship Emily and Victoria, sick I know, but there it is.
Conrad...you continue to grow on me with your snarky nastiness. You and Ashely make a great team.
no subject
You're right about Matthew. The Earl's part in Downton Abbey is a bit silly, but Matthew just stumbles all over himself trying to find ways to make honorable look ridiculous. Edith is a better part though she, too managed to convince her intended to leave her with her bizarre "the thing I like about you most is that you're an invalid" speech. Once she'd done that, the business at the altar was just predictable cruelty on the part of the writers. ;o)
I think they could have shoehorned the reduced staff into Downton Place (or Downton Shanty as I started calling it), though Mary and the butler could have whined about it for the rest of their lives. But as a viewer, it's hard to take the family money troubles seriously when the show is named after the house. You sort of have to figure they aren't going anywhere, as long as it's not the final ever episode.
no subject
I don't think that Robert Carylye is trying to sexualize Rumplestiltskin (even when he is w/Belle he doesn't seem to be seducing her...), but he is seductive a lot: when he is trying to get someone to compromise their principles and accept his help, he is seducing them to go against their better nature. I think that that is why he helped Henry without asking anything in return (he didn't want the little boy to go against his better nature, he didn't want to corrupt him). I actually find Rumplestiltskin to be a more interesting character than the raw sexuality of Spike, but Spike definitely had more interesting dialogue and character growth (ie better writing).
And I agree w/you 100% about poor Edith on Downton Abbey! WWI just killed off huge numbers of young men of her age group... who do her parents think she is going to find? Because pretty much at this point most of them are either too young or too old; all poor Edith wanted was a man who genuinely found her lovely (who wouldn't be wishing he was in bed with Mary). I don't think that that was too much to ask. *sigh*
I like the 3rd season of Downton better than the 2nd because I found that to be maudlin and melodramatic (they could have been so much edgier and more honest about WWI)....
But I agree that Merlin is way more fun: this final season they seem to be really going all out, and I found it to be really entertaining (instead of the more tepid/timid Downton).
At least there are entertaining things to watch to keep you resting your poor foot!