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shadowkatGreat night of tv. Best all week.
1. OUAT - The Evil Queen
This episode pretty much gave me everything I wanted, including a few frustrating moments, but it wouldn't be OUAT otherwise.
* Regina and Snow White -- Regina's pursuit of vengeance on Snow White and her family is beginning to feel more and more like Wile E Coyote hunting the Road Runner. Regina has more Wile E moments...Also she's so unself-aware. No character shoots herself more in her own foot than she does. It's not like people don't try to make her aware of this from time to time...Hook, Rumplestilskin, and Henry all tried. So did Snow White.
I rather liked her scenes with Rumple and Hook, which were funny and revealing.
Hook's comment - "you ever wonder if this consummate thirst for vengeance may well be the reason that we are alone and don't have anyone in our lives? Don't get me wrong, I'll still go after it...but once I do, once it is done. Then what? Sort of empty. Same with you.
Once you accomplish your vengeance that will be an ending not a beginning."
He gives her every opportunity to join with him. But instead she betrays him and ends up caught herself. Unable to do magic. Science has gotten in the way.
As Owen tells her - no we've found something far stronger than magic, science. (Which actually has been set up well - with Victor Von Frankenstein - who kept telling Rumplestilskin that science was more powerful than magic, but Rumple insists on the other. This too was a conflict on LOST, and to a degree Buffy and Angel. It's century old dilemma, what is real, what has more power - magic or science? Personally I think of the two as interchangable, there's magic in science...the bits we do not understand. Such as ahem, parallel string theory. )
Also adored Regina's bits with Snow White - where she finds out first hand why the people love Snow, why Snow is their hero. Snow saves Regina's life - not knowing it is Regina.
When Regina asks why she'd save a complete stranger - she tells the story about a woman who saved her life long ago, who had no reason too, a complete stranger. She said that woman changed her life, changed who she was. But then, with deep regret, mentioned how that woman left - but she hasn't lost hope for her return. Well that is until she stumbles upon an entire village that has been slaughtered. Regina? Karma is a bitch.
Rumplestilskin to his credit did try to point this out to her. Rumple may be a nasty guy, but at least he's smart and not completely delusional. He does see the price for what he does. Well most of the time at any rate.
Regina: Why do they see me as evil? I'm not evil!
Rumple: You burned down their village and killed everyone.
Regina: That was Snow White's fault. Once she's dead they'll see my kindness.
Rumple: Through the burning embers of their homes?
Henry attempts the same thing..
Regina (after she's informed Henry that once they escape Storybrook to the Enchanted Forest and Storybrook and everyone inside it is killed..): And I'll be your hero!
Henry: No, if you kill everyone, you'll be the villain.
She reminds me a lot of Wile E Coyote. LOL!
* Emma and Henry - oh I like this duo. Henry who out of everyone Emma speaks to, does believe her about Tamara. Emma figured out Tamara is lying. But both Neal and Snow condescendingly think she's jealous. No, she insists, I'm over Neal.
Adore the scene where she breaks into Tamara's room to search it - and has Henry stand look-out and tells him what to do. Neal sees Henry and what he does. And retorts: "I taught her that. Emma!" But he refuses to buy that Tamara is playing him.
Henry and Emma go back home and Henry tells her - look I still believe you. They share ice cream. Operation Pray-Mantis is still in effect.
It's interesting...but in this relationship, Emma feels more like she's in the traditional father role and Neal in the traditional mother role.
* Tamara and Owen - ironic, we find out what Tamara and Owen are up to. They don't just want to find Owen's father - whom Regina insists she does not know what happened to or where he is, but they also want to do away with all magic.
This is ironic - because Neal/Baelfire who had been hunting a way to do away with magic has inadvertently found it in Tamara. Just doesn't know it.
* The Magic Beans Meanwhile...apparently Regina did torch the magic bean field, but only after she rescued her very own bean stalk. Which makes sense. Possibly the only smart thing she did in the entire episode. So much for all the hiding. Seriously - don't have private conversations out in the open where anyone can hear you.
Not so smart showing the bean stalk to Hook. Or thinking Hook won't find a way to double-cross her. That was nifty they double-crossed each other. But he did a much better job of it.
And Hook is hot - with his hair out of place and all in leather.
Fun episode and interesting. Also the bean stalk in Regina's office provides an out for everyone - although I think it will be Neverland, not Enchanted Forest - that's where the bean took Hook first time around.
Snow and Charming's conversation about Enchanted Forest...
Charming: Well is the castle still standing?
Snow: No, its burnt to the ground.
Oh, and least I forget...the fail-safe apparently was lodged in Snow White's glass coffin.
With poor Maleficiant guarding it still. Feel awfully sorry for Maleficiant. Regina you've built up an awful lot of bad karma.
2. The Good Wife
The whole episode is about power games and politics, and various people making moves on a chess board. All around Alicia.
But I have no time to analyze it right now.
That final frame - which they've been leading up to all season long, actually for the last three-four seasons...was perfect.
And the show teases us...Alicia and Will heat up the car, sharing a kiss that Diane sort of breaks up. And Will says, yes, we have to have a talk after this. Meanwhile, Alicia is made aware of how much Peter needs her by Eli, that he loves her. Plus...she's told by a prestigious yet annoying client that she should join Carey Argos in his start-up venture with the other 4 year associates.
Carey is struggling himself. He can't quite afford the office space and Kalinda. So he talks to Robin, who Kalinda doesn't realize is making much less than she is, and offers her a 20% increase. Robin asks Kalinda's advice and Kalinda tells her to go with Carey. And tells Carey where to stuff it.
Will at the end of the episode, attempts to manipulate Peter - with evidence of ballot box stuffing. Which Peter knew nothing about. And Kalinda and Will discover via a video that Kalinda hacks into. Peter reads Will like a book, and tells him that he can either show the judge the footage or not. It's up to him. And he won't be responsible for the decision. You can't play me. And also asks why he didn't just show Alicia.
Finally...the ballot stuffing case and the election are resolved. Peter wins. Alicia sits and ponders in the hotel bedroom - almost jumping out of her skin when she thinks she sees Will outside her door. That's when she makes a decision and goes into the bathroom to make a phone call. It sounds like it is to Will - since he said they needed to have a conversation later. She tells the person on the phone - still want to have that conversation? Can you meet me at my apartment in an hour?
She goes home. Pours wine. Folds laundry. Asks herself if she is being a fool. Then there's a knock on the door. She opens it. It's Carey! And she tells him..."I'm in!" Fade to Black, with me whooping for joy in the background.
YAY!!!
BEST NIGHT OF TV ALL WEEK!
1. OUAT - The Evil Queen
This episode pretty much gave me everything I wanted, including a few frustrating moments, but it wouldn't be OUAT otherwise.
* Regina and Snow White -- Regina's pursuit of vengeance on Snow White and her family is beginning to feel more and more like Wile E Coyote hunting the Road Runner. Regina has more Wile E moments...Also she's so unself-aware. No character shoots herself more in her own foot than she does. It's not like people don't try to make her aware of this from time to time...Hook, Rumplestilskin, and Henry all tried. So did Snow White.
I rather liked her scenes with Rumple and Hook, which were funny and revealing.
Hook's comment - "you ever wonder if this consummate thirst for vengeance may well be the reason that we are alone and don't have anyone in our lives? Don't get me wrong, I'll still go after it...but once I do, once it is done. Then what? Sort of empty. Same with you.
Once you accomplish your vengeance that will be an ending not a beginning."
He gives her every opportunity to join with him. But instead she betrays him and ends up caught herself. Unable to do magic. Science has gotten in the way.
As Owen tells her - no we've found something far stronger than magic, science. (Which actually has been set up well - with Victor Von Frankenstein - who kept telling Rumplestilskin that science was more powerful than magic, but Rumple insists on the other. This too was a conflict on LOST, and to a degree Buffy and Angel. It's century old dilemma, what is real, what has more power - magic or science? Personally I think of the two as interchangable, there's magic in science...the bits we do not understand. Such as ahem, parallel string theory. )
Also adored Regina's bits with Snow White - where she finds out first hand why the people love Snow, why Snow is their hero. Snow saves Regina's life - not knowing it is Regina.
When Regina asks why she'd save a complete stranger - she tells the story about a woman who saved her life long ago, who had no reason too, a complete stranger. She said that woman changed her life, changed who she was. But then, with deep regret, mentioned how that woman left - but she hasn't lost hope for her return. Well that is until she stumbles upon an entire village that has been slaughtered. Regina? Karma is a bitch.
Rumplestilskin to his credit did try to point this out to her. Rumple may be a nasty guy, but at least he's smart and not completely delusional. He does see the price for what he does. Well most of the time at any rate.
Regina: Why do they see me as evil? I'm not evil!
Rumple: You burned down their village and killed everyone.
Regina: That was Snow White's fault. Once she's dead they'll see my kindness.
Rumple: Through the burning embers of their homes?
Henry attempts the same thing..
Regina (after she's informed Henry that once they escape Storybrook to the Enchanted Forest and Storybrook and everyone inside it is killed..): And I'll be your hero!
Henry: No, if you kill everyone, you'll be the villain.
She reminds me a lot of Wile E Coyote. LOL!
* Emma and Henry - oh I like this duo. Henry who out of everyone Emma speaks to, does believe her about Tamara. Emma figured out Tamara is lying. But both Neal and Snow condescendingly think she's jealous. No, she insists, I'm over Neal.
Adore the scene where she breaks into Tamara's room to search it - and has Henry stand look-out and tells him what to do. Neal sees Henry and what he does. And retorts: "I taught her that. Emma!" But he refuses to buy that Tamara is playing him.
Henry and Emma go back home and Henry tells her - look I still believe you. They share ice cream. Operation Pray-Mantis is still in effect.
It's interesting...but in this relationship, Emma feels more like she's in the traditional father role and Neal in the traditional mother role.
* Tamara and Owen - ironic, we find out what Tamara and Owen are up to. They don't just want to find Owen's father - whom Regina insists she does not know what happened to or where he is, but they also want to do away with all magic.
This is ironic - because Neal/Baelfire who had been hunting a way to do away with magic has inadvertently found it in Tamara. Just doesn't know it.
* The Magic Beans Meanwhile...apparently Regina did torch the magic bean field, but only after she rescued her very own bean stalk. Which makes sense. Possibly the only smart thing she did in the entire episode. So much for all the hiding. Seriously - don't have private conversations out in the open where anyone can hear you.
Not so smart showing the bean stalk to Hook. Or thinking Hook won't find a way to double-cross her. That was nifty they double-crossed each other. But he did a much better job of it.
And Hook is hot - with his hair out of place and all in leather.
Fun episode and interesting. Also the bean stalk in Regina's office provides an out for everyone - although I think it will be Neverland, not Enchanted Forest - that's where the bean took Hook first time around.
Snow and Charming's conversation about Enchanted Forest...
Charming: Well is the castle still standing?
Snow: No, its burnt to the ground.
Oh, and least I forget...the fail-safe apparently was lodged in Snow White's glass coffin.
With poor Maleficiant guarding it still. Feel awfully sorry for Maleficiant. Regina you've built up an awful lot of bad karma.
2. The Good Wife
The whole episode is about power games and politics, and various people making moves on a chess board. All around Alicia.
But I have no time to analyze it right now.
That final frame - which they've been leading up to all season long, actually for the last three-four seasons...was perfect.
And the show teases us...Alicia and Will heat up the car, sharing a kiss that Diane sort of breaks up. And Will says, yes, we have to have a talk after this. Meanwhile, Alicia is made aware of how much Peter needs her by Eli, that he loves her. Plus...she's told by a prestigious yet annoying client that she should join Carey Argos in his start-up venture with the other 4 year associates.
Carey is struggling himself. He can't quite afford the office space and Kalinda. So he talks to Robin, who Kalinda doesn't realize is making much less than she is, and offers her a 20% increase. Robin asks Kalinda's advice and Kalinda tells her to go with Carey. And tells Carey where to stuff it.
Will at the end of the episode, attempts to manipulate Peter - with evidence of ballot box stuffing. Which Peter knew nothing about. And Kalinda and Will discover via a video that Kalinda hacks into. Peter reads Will like a book, and tells him that he can either show the judge the footage or not. It's up to him. And he won't be responsible for the decision. You can't play me. And also asks why he didn't just show Alicia.
Finally...the ballot stuffing case and the election are resolved. Peter wins. Alicia sits and ponders in the hotel bedroom - almost jumping out of her skin when she thinks she sees Will outside her door. That's when she makes a decision and goes into the bathroom to make a phone call. It sounds like it is to Will - since he said they needed to have a conversation later. She tells the person on the phone - still want to have that conversation? Can you meet me at my apartment in an hour?
She goes home. Pours wine. Folds laundry. Asks herself if she is being a fool. Then there's a knock on the door. She opens it. It's Carey! And she tells him..."I'm in!" Fade to Black, with me whooping for joy in the background.
YAY!!!
BEST NIGHT OF TV ALL WEEK!
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no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 03:01 am (UTC)If she has a failsafe on the curse, why'd it take her this long to use it? She's been disappointed and petty long enough to have used it before now. La-la, whatever, I no longer really have anything invested in her character, she isn't very well drawn.
I seriously doubt Tamara and Owen want to do away with magic. What they want is to control it. Magic is power, and I think *that's* what they want. But what's the use of getting something you can't control. Control magic first, then use it to do whatever you want.
Loved the Emma/Henry stuff in this ep. Totally waiting for the other shoe to drop, though. They've set up this season to be the season Henry struggles with the shades of gray that mar his heroes. That doesn't just (magically) disappear.
Next stop... < lusty Captain Hook voice > Neverland! < /lusty Captain Hook voice >
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 03:55 am (UTC)Because she couldn't get back to the Enchanted Forest before now. She would've been destroyed along with Storybrooke.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 12:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 09:45 pm (UTC)Plus she may not have had a way to get there. Remember the magic hat portal was destroyed in episode one. The fountain only works one way.
And she didn't know about the beans until last episode. So, once a means presented itself...she decided to do it.
She wasn't going to destroy Storybrook with herself and Henry in it - because she wants to be happy, if she's not happy - she doesn't win. In short she's not willing to pay the price for revenge or her magic. She wants her cake and eat it too.
She probably knew the land still existed, just not how intact it still was...and who was still there. Keep in mind there were a couple of people she didn't want in Storybrook - one being dear old Mom.
So another reason to avoid going back. That is why she attempted to seal off the fountain, remember.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 09:55 pm (UTC)Yeah, agree. She's a rather cartoonish villain. Her motivations make no logical sense. And she keeps shooting herself in the proverbial foot.
But if you aren't invested, she is rather funny. Reminds me of watching a loony tunes cartoon at times.
Her exchanges with Henry and Rumple were hilarious. "I'm not the evil queen!
They only call me that because she does, she made me that way." Rumple - well, you might want to stop killing people then. (LMAO!)
You got to give Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt credit - they created campy villains too, but at least they made logical sense and were not quite this deluded. Actually Morgana on Merlin is more complex and better drawn than Regina. And that is saying something. So too for that matter is Wile E Coyote and Sylvester.
Oh we're definitely going to Neverland, complete with flashbacks. Not sure they'll follow through with the Henry story arc this season - that may end up happening next season. Although - it could occur with Rumple and Neal.
I have this hunch that Neal won't make it to next season -- I really really hope I'm wrong about that. But he has a big ass target over his head at the moment.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 10:07 pm (UTC)But she isn't even willing to go as far as seeing some of her actions as things people might not like. And that veers from psychotic to more socially incompetent than she was as a younger woman. Did someone just cut a hole in her brain some time in her 20's?
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 10:24 pm (UTC)Except how does that explain Rumplestilskin who technically has done more evil in his lifetime than Regina? He's written far better than she is. I'm not sure why.
You are right, I completely agree. Her actions make no sense. None.
Sure she overhears that Snow and Charming are planning to leave without her or take her with them and put her in Rumple's old cell. But instead of either playing them, or figuring out that she has to find a way to convince them that she's changed, she decides to steal a beanstalk and then goes and tells Henry everything she plans to do. If that's not enough - she decides to demand Hook give her some leather cuff that her mother gave him.
It's poorly plotted. The writers clearly needed to move Regina from point A to B, have no one care about her, and set up her downfall - with the audience rooting for it. But they built it up comically.
And they had to know this - it's in the dialogue. I felt as if the writers were making fun of themselves. That dialogue between Rumple and Regina and Regina and Henry was so meta.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 10:37 pm (UTC)I can't even "love to hate" Regina anymore because if she said, "I'm not evil, I'm just written that way" I'd be forced to agree. Her arc this season has been all over the place, and not well-planned.
I can despise her actions, but not appreciate her as a villain the way I can Rumplestiltskin. Not because I particularly like him. I'm sort of "meh" on him, but he's well-written. I am happy to despise his actions. But since Regina is one of the main characters around whom the show evolves, they need to improve their writing of the character. That doesn't imply redeeming her in anyway (although that's one way to go), just making her less cardboard.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-29 10:46 pm (UTC)Or at least remotely logical and less delusional. The writers state that they want to show she can be redeemed, that there is something vulnerable. (The price of magic docu piece). But you are correct - she's written unevenly...or all over the place. Her actions appear to be more plot motivated than character motivated.
And they are all over the place. Atp-Omn provided the hypothesis that she is a fairy tale character, so flat, trying to fit into the real, rounded world. Which would work - if it weren't for the fact that everyone else but Regina is well-rounded. Also it's not that she's written flatly so much as unevenly. She's all over the place. One week she's nice, the next nasty, and there's little justification for it.
And her actions are beyond stupid.
Why would she tell Henry any of that?
no subject
Date: 2013-04-30 12:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 01:44 am (UTC)But if you aren't invested, she is rather funny. Reminds me of watching a loony tunes cartoon at times.
As my roommate commented this episode, "I want to see the part where Regina goes from abused, hurt (but decent) girl to deluded crazypants."
no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-05-01 10:28 pm (UTC)She kills an entire village for hiding Snow White - sort of overkill.
At a certain point I just gave up, and decided to mock the show and have a blast doing it. It's hilarious, if you don't take it seriously...although at this point I don't know how you can, since the writers clearly aren't taking it seriously.
It's a shame, because I see what they want to do with Regina...create a villain who believes she's justified, is blinded by her cause (which actually appears to be working better with Rumplestilskin, Hook, Tamara, and Owen. Regina just seems batsh*t crazy.)
The flashbacks don't quite explain why either...was it her Mom? But she banishes her Mom before she becomes crazypants. Was it Rumple and the book of magic - ie, black magic warped her brain? That I might be able to by...since it did sort of warp Cora and Rumple's but in different ways.
Maybe that's where they are going with this? (shrugs)
As an aside...have you noticed that all the sexy characters are villains? What is with that in tv fantasy series? The sexy characters get slinky black leather, frak-me boots, and killer hairstyles, and the good characters look normal? So if you are evil - you get a good hairstylist, personal trainer, and wardrobe, but if you aren't..you shop at Walmart?
The Good Wife
Date: 2013-04-29 11:37 pm (UTC)I was worried that Alicia and Peter were both trying to get Will to make their decisions for them, but no.
Instead, Alicia was making her own decisions about what she wanted-- and I'm perfectly happy that it's ambiguous whether she wants to get away from Will because he's a temptation or whether she wants to get away from the firm to clear the way for her to be with Will without career complications.
And if Kerry has Alicia onboard, he's got a shot at bringing Kalinda, too. Because he'll be able to afford her if he's got the rent reduction, and I can see Alicia being able to talk her into it.
Things are about to get interesting...