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Feb. 27th, 2013 07:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkat1.) Day 16 – Favorite female character
At the moment, it is Rachel Morgan from Kim Harrison's The Hollows series.
She's a bad-ass demon, who saves the world. Somewhat subversive in places. The writing isn't great. But again in it for the characters.
Others? Eh. Trying to think...hmmm...there's not a lot of kick-ass female characters in fiction, unfortunately. Whiny and pathetic, yes, kick-ass no.
Hazel Grace...from Fault in Our Stars, I rather liked. Also the female Captain in the CJ Cherryh series Pride of Chanur. Others? Phillipa in Lymond Chronicles was interesting.
Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Not a whole lot that strike me as memorable. It's a sad, sad, sad thing, folks.
Day 17 – Favorite quote from your favorite book
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favorite romance book
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favorite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people have read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favorite book of all time
3.Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Assuming this is cast not characters, or the actors playing the roles, which sort of makes things a heck of a lot easier. Of the Whedon series, I agree with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
selenak ironically, Dollhouse had the best cast, but the weakest lead and the weakest writing and direction. You can't help but wonder what would have happened if the execution, ideas, and lead had been the same level as the rest of the cast. Ah well.
Of the tv shows I've seen to date? I'd say that the following have the best overall casts, I can't really choose between them but will try:
* The Wire - this show was a true ensemble, without a lead or main character. Dominic West's Detective McNulty may have gotten prime billing, but he's barely in the 4th and 2nd Seasons. The series also had the most racially diverse cast that I've seen on television. Utilizing non-actors and actors, it managed to encapsulate every aspect of the city of Baltimore. There really were no weak links. Even the grating Ziggy delivered.
* Game of Thrones - perhaps the best cast series since the Wire, it too has a truly ensemble cast. Most series focus on a lead character, like the Whedon series did, and if the lead is weak...it falls apart. Game of Thrones like the Wire is a wonderful place for the journeyman character actor. It's filled to the brim with them.
* Breaking Bad and Justified - also excel at casting talented character actors in ensemble roles. As does the brilliant The Good Wife which much like The West Wing before it, excels at both ensemble casting and guest casting with barely a misstep.
But of the three The Wire is the one that continues to leap out at me. No missteps here. And it's been at least two years since I marathoned it, and those actors characters still resonate on a deep level. All of them do. Often in tv series, only a couple of characters grab you, it's rare that an entire cast does.
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.
3. Watched both episodes of Arrow last night. So am all caught up. Rather impressed with the series. And have realized something...while I always thought of myself as more of a Marvel comics fan, I prefer DC's films and television adaptations to Marvel's. Marvel is too pop-corn/bubble-gum, 12 year old boy violence. Oh violence is fun. More. Please. While DC's films and television series seem to question violence and are grittier. I actually think DC has something to say with its films and tv shows, while I'm not sure Marvel wants anything other than a quick buck? There's not much to Marvel's films. I tend to forget them immediately after I saw them - memorable to me, personally, they aren't. For example? I've seen The Avengers and The Dark Knight once. The Dark Knight I saw five years ago, I think, but I still remember it vividly. The Avengers I saw this summer, and I barely remember it at all. Same with Superman - I remember all those films. Can't remember Captain America.
And the Batman films? Remember all of them. Iron Man in one eye and out the other.
I don't know why this is. I'm thinking it's because DC takes it's verse and mythos more seriously than Marvel in the films and movies? Or it wants to add a level of realism to the proceedings?
Arrow...definitely has a lot to say about vigilantism, gentrification, and how our best intentions can not always turn out well. Interesting series. Not at all what I expected.
And the addition of Felicity to the cast, the IT girl...is excellent, adds just the right note of humor.
At the moment, it is Rachel Morgan from Kim Harrison's The Hollows series.
She's a bad-ass demon, who saves the world. Somewhat subversive in places. The writing isn't great. But again in it for the characters.
Others? Eh. Trying to think...hmmm...there's not a lot of kick-ass female characters in fiction, unfortunately. Whiny and pathetic, yes, kick-ass no.
Hazel Grace...from Fault in Our Stars, I rather liked. Also the female Captain in the CJ Cherryh series Pride of Chanur. Others? Phillipa in Lymond Chronicles was interesting.
Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice. Not a whole lot that strike me as memorable. It's a sad, sad, sad thing, folks.
Day 17 – Favorite quote from your favorite book
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favorite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favorite romance book
Day 21 – Favorite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favorite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people have read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favorite title
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favorite book of all time
3.Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Assuming this is cast not characters, or the actors playing the roles, which sort of makes things a heck of a lot easier. Of the Whedon series, I agree with
selenak ironically, Dollhouse had the best cast, but the weakest lead and the weakest writing and direction. You can't help but wonder what would have happened if the execution, ideas, and lead had been the same level as the rest of the cast. Ah well.Of the tv shows I've seen to date? I'd say that the following have the best overall casts, I can't really choose between them but will try:
* The Wire - this show was a true ensemble, without a lead or main character. Dominic West's Detective McNulty may have gotten prime billing, but he's barely in the 4th and 2nd Seasons. The series also had the most racially diverse cast that I've seen on television. Utilizing non-actors and actors, it managed to encapsulate every aspect of the city of Baltimore. There really were no weak links. Even the grating Ziggy delivered.
* Game of Thrones - perhaps the best cast series since the Wire, it too has a truly ensemble cast. Most series focus on a lead character, like the Whedon series did, and if the lead is weak...it falls apart. Game of Thrones like the Wire is a wonderful place for the journeyman character actor. It's filled to the brim with them.
* Breaking Bad and Justified - also excel at casting talented character actors in ensemble roles. As does the brilliant The Good Wife which much like The West Wing before it, excels at both ensemble casting and guest casting with barely a misstep.
But of the three The Wire is the one that continues to leap out at me. No missteps here. And it's been at least two years since I marathoned it, and those actors characters still resonate on a deep level. All of them do. Often in tv series, only a couple of characters grab you, it's rare that an entire cast does.
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.
3. Watched both episodes of Arrow last night. So am all caught up. Rather impressed with the series. And have realized something...while I always thought of myself as more of a Marvel comics fan, I prefer DC's films and television adaptations to Marvel's. Marvel is too pop-corn/bubble-gum, 12 year old boy violence. Oh violence is fun. More. Please. While DC's films and television series seem to question violence and are grittier. I actually think DC has something to say with its films and tv shows, while I'm not sure Marvel wants anything other than a quick buck? There's not much to Marvel's films. I tend to forget them immediately after I saw them - memorable to me, personally, they aren't. For example? I've seen The Avengers and The Dark Knight once. The Dark Knight I saw five years ago, I think, but I still remember it vividly. The Avengers I saw this summer, and I barely remember it at all. Same with Superman - I remember all those films. Can't remember Captain America.
And the Batman films? Remember all of them. Iron Man in one eye and out the other.
I don't know why this is. I'm thinking it's because DC takes it's verse and mythos more seriously than Marvel in the films and movies? Or it wants to add a level of realism to the proceedings?
Arrow...definitely has a lot to say about vigilantism, gentrification, and how our best intentions can not always turn out well. Interesting series. Not at all what I expected.
And the addition of Felicity to the cast, the IT girl...is excellent, adds just the right note of humor.
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Date: 2013-02-28 11:07 pm (UTC)I just want a little more variety in my heroines. There are quite a few in urban fantasy, but they tend to be fairly whiny. Even Rachel Morgan is on the whiny side. If they aren't whiny - they are emotionless/stoic train wrecks like Lisbeth or Katniss. Game of Thrones isn't bad - he has more of a mix.
TV is actually better in this regard. Aeryn Sun was a far complex character than Lisbeth or Katniss, and her background more layered.
Same with Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang (Grey's Anatomy), Buffy, Zoe (Firefly), Emily Thorn, Alicia Florick, Diane (Good Wife), various daytime soap operas...
No haven't read the book you gave me yet. I'm moody with my reading choices. Currently making my way through George RR Martin's Dance of Dragon's on the Kindle. It's slow going - I don't find Martin's books to be page turners. Lots of pointless wandering - the man takes forever to get to the point.
And yes, I'm aware I'm whining. Ironic that. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2013-03-01 12:26 am (UTC)It is true, that Hunger Games, and Girl With the Dragon Tattoo seem to be almost youth books (in spite of the incredible violence) because of the very young heroines... And, like you, I prefer a more adult woman (but I don't dislike youth books, there are some very innovative, well written ones out there). There are some interesting women in the mystery/detective genre: my new favorite is Colin Cotterill's Jimm Juree (30 year old investigative journalist in Thailand w/a crazy family), as well as Kinsey Millhone and Mary Russell (altho I guess the latter started off way too young too!).
But yeah, I agree, TV has been better about having strong women....
no subject
Date: 2013-03-01 02:02 am (UTC)Depends on what turns you on and mood, I'm guessing. YA books aren't working for me at the moment and there's a lot of them, more than remember...actually. Market appears to be flooded. And they all look a like. Ack. The attack of the YA serials. Save me! ;-)