OUAT (A new twist on Peter Pan)
Sep. 30th, 2013 12:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatFinished watching my two favorite tv series - Once Upon a Time and The Good Wife, both are a lot of fun. And the sneak peek at The Good Wife this season - was great. But no time or room to discuss it here.
Once Upon a Time was not what I expected. Rather relieved by it, actually. These writers do not appear to be traveling down the trite love triangle of doom road, also the introduction of the new villain was inspired.
* While I figured out right off the bat that the kid who had befriended Henry in Neverland was in reality Peter Pan and not another Lost Boy, it was well done. And rather inspired.
Henry and Emma are once again being contrasted on their journeys towards each other. Henry's belief is his greatest power - but it is also what places him in jeopardy. Emma's inability to believe in anything including herself is her greatest flaw. It's a coping mechanism she's employed in the Land Without Magic - her skepticism and requirement for proof. The flashback at the beginning emphasizes it - she gives up Henry for adoption, because she doesn't have any faith or belief in herself to be a good mother. She lost the last smidgen of her faith when Neal left her. She'd trusted him and when he left, she stopped trusting herself. (Pinnochio and Gepetto have a lot to answer for in regards to Emma, just saying.)
But as Rumplestilskin points out - her lack of faith will cause her to fail. She must have faith in herself and her family/colleagues abilities. And she's the force that draws these long-term enemies together. Henry's belief attracts Peter Pan - he needs someone who believes with a pureness of heart or with his whole heart - enough to make it possible to fly with pixy dust. This is a nifty twist on the old Peter Pan tale - where Pan requires belief to save Tinkerbell, who drank the poison. If you believe she'll live, and requires Wendy and her two brothers belief to fly. Anything is possible - if you believe, states Pan, in JM Barrie's classic tale.
Here, Pan is portrayed as quite wicked and cruel. He's the youngest of the Lost Boys, closer to Henry's and young Baelfire's age. And his shadow rips the shadows off others, instantly killing them. Why he needs a boy who believes and has faith...is not clear. He tests Henry's belief...1) Henry's belief that his family can come there to rescue him and 2) Henry's belief that he can fly - but Henry takes a leap of faith and does fly, making it possible or so it seems for Pan to fly as well.
Personally, I think Henry's biggest weakness is he's a tad too trusting for his own good. He needs a little bit of Emma's skepticism and Emma's needs a bit of Henry's faith.
* Short work was made of Owen and Tamara. Which surprised me. I thought they'd have more of a role - along with their secret organization, but nope. These writers move fast.
One small quibble: Apparently Tamara isn't going to get either a backstory or an explanation for why she believed so deeply in her cause to kill and torture people for it. Bit disappointed by that. Was hoping for a bit more depth there. Owen got more back story than Tamara did. Although Owen's was admittedly compared with Rumplestilskin, Henry, and Baelfire's, I felt they could have done the same with Tamara - Emma, Snow and Regina. But oh well. It's admittedly a minor quibble.
We knew the double-cross was coming - because Tamara and Owen thought Peter Pan of all people wanted to end magic. Don't these people read? Pan explains to Henry that he's learned over time thatfear HATE is a better motivator than belief. It is far easier to get people to hate something than to believe in something. Belief is stated various times throughout the episode. He lied to them and built upon their "hatred". Pan, explains, that he's become very adept at lying and building hate. Pan - the liar in the fairy world or the mischief maker. (It appears Pan himself is filled with hate and resentment.)
Peter Pan is the head of Tamara and Owen's "home office". As Henry points out - you really need to learn to start asking more questions. Because this is what comes of not doing so. (Yes, and reading a few books might help too.) When they discover much to their own chagrin that Peter Pan has no interest in ending magic, quite the opposite, and tricked them in order to obtain Henry - they attempt to escape. But Owen is killed easily - shadow ripped from him and Tamara is shot with an arrow. Attempting to crawl to safety - she runs into Rumplestilskin.
Backing up a bit, I love some of the lines in this.
Hook to Rumple: Ah took time for a "wardrobe change" ? A real constructive use of your time. (sarcasm heavy.)
Rumple's new outfit is basically his Rumplestilskin get-up. (I wonder if its armor? )Oh and the cane of Mr. Gold is discarded. Here he's the magical imp once again, albeit without the fancy makeup. Stilskin doesn't believe the others can help at all. (He never was much of a team player or good at taking orders, so this is hardly surprising.). And after a lengthy speech to Emma about how she can't win because she has no faith or belief and to succeed in Neverland, you have to have both - plus a wild imagination, which she also clearly lacks. A speech in direct contrast to her parents attempts to get her to believe - they did not look happy. Seriously, they had spent ten-fifteen minutes trying to cheer her up. Thank you Rumple for sticking a needle in that balloon. Then Rumple disappears, without further ado.
And stumbles upon Tamara and a dead Owen - but unfortunately for Tamara, no Henry. Almost felt sorry for her. She had a shooting chance if Henry had there. She has to be thinking : of all the people running about Neverland I had to run into him? It couldn't be someone safer, like maybe Snow White or Emma? Because the two you most want to avoid are Rumplestilskin and Regina. Particularly in a weakened state without a phaser. Not sure if Regina would have killed her right off the bat or not? I'm thinking so, considering what Regina did to the mermaids. But Rumple? You are definitely dead. No doubt about it.As Baelfire states - crossing my father doesn't tend to end well. Particularly when it concerns his son. Although unlike Regina, at least he asked questions first to determine if she'd be any use to him. Rumple tends to be a tad more patient than Regina.
Rumple is nice, he takes the arrow out of her first. Asks a few questions, discovers she's clueless, and then ...after leading her on a bit...without remorse yanks out her heart and crushes it in front of her. (Now honestly, can you really blame him - I mean let's revisit the facts for a moment here shall we? Tamara shot his beloved son Baelfire and sent him through a porthole - after Rumple had gone to a hell of a lot of trouble to locate him. And I do mean a lot of trouble. We're talking centuries. Considering what he did to the guy who pushed Baelfire down in the street by mistake, it's hardly surprising what he does to Tamara. Actually, if you think about it - she got off easy, he could have tortured her first like he did to the Sheriff of Nottingham or turned her into a snail and squashed her.)
*Next up is a brief and not very informative discussion with Pan's lieutenant, the head Lost Boy. Who apparently knows Rumple well. They are old adversaries. You're welcome here, they tell him, as long as you don't try interfere or attempt to take Henry away from us. Also, you can't survive. Rumple tells them that's okay, he knows that he most likely won't survive, but he can't comply - and being successful in his aims doesn't require his survival.
Then the kid gives Rumple an old doll - that reminds me of a voodoo doll, to be honest. Apparently it was just supposed to be a doll? At any rate - Rumple bursts into tears. And the brat tells him -it's surprising, isn't it, how the smallest things can move us? It's surprising how the things we haven't thought about in years, can still bring us to tears. (ETA: My memory for dialogue is not great.)
* The crew on the Jolly Roger run across some nasty mermaids. Who attack them. They manage to fight them off - working in tandem, or rather Regina manages to do it by throwing fire at them. They also catch one - in the hopes of interrogating her. It doesn't work. She blows a horn and causes a storm to come down upon them, along with the desire to tear each other apart - which considering the bad blood between Snow and Regina and Charming and Hook, this isn't hard to do. Regina makes it worse by turning the mermaid into a piece of wood. Seriously, if I were in Neverland - I'd steer clear of pissing off Rumple and Regina. Emma stops it by...jumping over board? And promptly gets knocked in the head with an anchor. But what do you know? It worked. Apparently everyone on board cares what happens to Emma, because they all stop and rush to save her or stand about looking shell-shocked. Unfortunately the Jolly Rodger is damaged, so change in plan. They are going by land not by river. But hey, Emma has taken charge and commanded everyone to band together for a common cause. Also, informs them that they all have their skills...the villain, the pirate, the princess, the knight...so use them, and don't worry about doing the right thing. Let's just do whatever is necessary to get Henry back - we'll worry about right and wrong after the fact. Regina snarkily wonders what Emma's power is. (Seriously, after she just helped you save the world, you ask that? Talk about short memory span. It wasn't that long ago.) Emma responds that it is at the moment leader, and mother. (Ouch. Regina deserved that.)
I did like some of the exchanges on the boat..[ETA - Keep in mind that I suck at remembering dialogue exchanges exactly, so they are paraphrased. The television series wrote it better.]
Regina: Owen told me I was a villain, and he said the villain doesn't get a happy ending. That it's not possible. Do you think that's true?
Hook: I hope not. Then we've basically wasted our lives.
or the Hook and Emma discussion about Baelfire, showing that Hook cares about Baelfire and is mourning him. He liked Neal. And had spent time with the boy, Baelfire. He gives Emma - Baelfire's sword. And they drink a toast to Neal.
* Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest, Baelfire/Neal has awoken and healed from his gunshot.
He also makes the acquaintance of Phillip, Sleeping Beauty, and Mulan. Apparently Aurora and Phillip have been reunited and Aurora is Queen. She also has the ability to walk through the dream world. She is however unable to contact Emma and company, partly because they aren't sleeping - to busy sailing a ship and fighting mermaids. Sleeping is sort of a requirement for both sides.
Mulan and Bae have some interesting exchanges.
Baelfire: Over there, they think of us as just stories in books or legends.
Mulan: legends? Is there one about me?
Baelfire: Yes, they even made a movie about you. It was pretty good.
Mulan: What's a movie.
Later...
Mulan: May I ask you a question?
Baelfire: I'm sorry, I can't think of a way of explaining what a movie is to you.
Mulan: No, what I wanted to ask is why is it that Emma never mentioned you here? Not one word.
Baelfire: Because I broke her heart. I abandoned her - because I thought she'd be better off without me and wanted her to achieve her destiny and break the curse, but even after that - I could have found her again, I could have explained, found a way - but I didn't, I was too afraid...I didn't want to be rejected. So I took the easy way out.
I got to give this show credit for two things - addressing these emotional issues head on and not circling around them or ignoring them. (A major problem I had with both LOST and later seasons of Buffy.) The writers don't waste time teasing the audience and not delivering. Also, no love triangle of doom quite yet. It might still happen, of course.
When they reach Rumple's castle, we're greeted by even more gems.
Mulan: Who are you?
Guy in hood drawing arrow: My name is Robin.
Baelfire/Neal: No way, Robin Hood?
Robin Hood: I'd take a bow, but the quiver's a bit drawn. And why are you trespassing in my castle?
Mulan: It's technically not your castle, it belongs to the Dark One. You're trespassing.
Robin: Is he back in attendance? Because if so, I'll quickly vacate.
Baelfire: He's not and no need to vacate. You can have the place. I just need to be allowed to look around to find something.
Robin: And who might you be to grant such privileges?
Baelfire: I'm his son. Go by Baelfire in this world.
Robin lowers his bow: Okay, look around.
Baelfire: Wait..You're not going to ask for id or anything?
Robin: I figure that's not something you'd admit to, if you weren't.
Baelfire: You have a point.
Robin: Besides your father doesn't suffer imposters.
Baelfire: True, he does have a bit of a temper.
Robin: I've crossed paths with your father before.
Baelfire: That doesn't tend to end well.
Robin: He spared my life once. I owe him a debt. (Actually that was Belle who got him to do that, but whatever.)
And when they find the magical item - it turn out to Rumple's old walking stick with the Baelfire's height etched along its stem. Baelfire explains that it works for him because his father had a cloaking spell placed on it - so it could only work for someone with Rumple's blood - either Rumple or his own son. "Blood magic he called it. As much as it may appear otherwise, family does mean everything to my father."
Then he manages to get hold of the crystal ball, which Mulan helps him figure out how to work. When it does - he sees Emma in Neverland - and is upset. Because remember he spent some time getting out of Neverland. He also appears to understand how the portals work - you think of the place you want to go - and you end up there. Baelfire is interesting to me, because he has insight into a lot of things that we don't know about. Also, he seems to realize that he's repeated his father's mistakes with his own family - out of fear and cowardice.
I adore this series.
2. The Good Wife was good tonight, but not great. It lined up a few things, but spent far too much time on the case of the week - which I found a bit preachy and cliche. Yes, yes, the death penalty and yes it's inhumane and torture, I know. That's one of the many reasons I'm against it. The only people who are for the death penalty are uninformed or ignorant of what it actually entails and the criminal justice system as a whole. The death penalty is not justice - it is vengeance.
The portions of the episode that were not focused on the death penalty were interesting.
* Cary has his hands full keeping Alicia and the 4th years happy. But I love his line to Alicia - "don't you see, we're the new Will and Diane".
* Alicia is stuck in the middle again - between Will/Diane and Carey/4th years. But she knows she has to jump ship. I loved Peter's reaction and Eli's. Peter was pleased as punch.
And totally for it. (Mainly because she was leaving Will behind. He even asks Eli if that was what she was doing. And decides that promoting the lovely Mitch to Transit Authority is a good idea. Mitch isn't pleased - she liked having more power, she was also attempting to push Eli out and grab the Chief of Staff job for herself. Eli saw through her and found a way to get rid of her. Go Eli. I spent most of my time trying to place the actress playing Mitch who looked familiar).
* Eli got Chief of Staff (see above for how and why).
* I like Robin a lot. The Alicia/Carey firm feels like the new blood or second stringer firm.
* David Lee was catching on. Note to 4th years - stop celebrating in public and at Lockhardt/Gardner. Also stop discussing it using the firm's phones.
* Also, I have a feeling the Will/Alicia/Peter love triangle is far from over.
That's the story-line that intrigues me.
But I found the episode a wee bit disappointing due to the case of the week or B story line. What's coming up however...
Once Upon a Time was not what I expected. Rather relieved by it, actually. These writers do not appear to be traveling down the trite love triangle of doom road, also the introduction of the new villain was inspired.
* While I figured out right off the bat that the kid who had befriended Henry in Neverland was in reality Peter Pan and not another Lost Boy, it was well done. And rather inspired.
Henry and Emma are once again being contrasted on their journeys towards each other. Henry's belief is his greatest power - but it is also what places him in jeopardy. Emma's inability to believe in anything including herself is her greatest flaw. It's a coping mechanism she's employed in the Land Without Magic - her skepticism and requirement for proof. The flashback at the beginning emphasizes it - she gives up Henry for adoption, because she doesn't have any faith or belief in herself to be a good mother. She lost the last smidgen of her faith when Neal left her. She'd trusted him and when he left, she stopped trusting herself. (Pinnochio and Gepetto have a lot to answer for in regards to Emma, just saying.)
But as Rumplestilskin points out - her lack of faith will cause her to fail. She must have faith in herself and her family/colleagues abilities. And she's the force that draws these long-term enemies together. Henry's belief attracts Peter Pan - he needs someone who believes with a pureness of heart or with his whole heart - enough to make it possible to fly with pixy dust. This is a nifty twist on the old Peter Pan tale - where Pan requires belief to save Tinkerbell, who drank the poison. If you believe she'll live, and requires Wendy and her two brothers belief to fly. Anything is possible - if you believe, states Pan, in JM Barrie's classic tale.
Here, Pan is portrayed as quite wicked and cruel. He's the youngest of the Lost Boys, closer to Henry's and young Baelfire's age. And his shadow rips the shadows off others, instantly killing them. Why he needs a boy who believes and has faith...is not clear. He tests Henry's belief...1) Henry's belief that his family can come there to rescue him and 2) Henry's belief that he can fly - but Henry takes a leap of faith and does fly, making it possible or so it seems for Pan to fly as well.
Personally, I think Henry's biggest weakness is he's a tad too trusting for his own good. He needs a little bit of Emma's skepticism and Emma's needs a bit of Henry's faith.
* Short work was made of Owen and Tamara. Which surprised me. I thought they'd have more of a role - along with their secret organization, but nope. These writers move fast.
One small quibble: Apparently Tamara isn't going to get either a backstory or an explanation for why she believed so deeply in her cause to kill and torture people for it. Bit disappointed by that. Was hoping for a bit more depth there. Owen got more back story than Tamara did. Although Owen's was admittedly compared with Rumplestilskin, Henry, and Baelfire's, I felt they could have done the same with Tamara - Emma, Snow and Regina. But oh well. It's admittedly a minor quibble.
We knew the double-cross was coming - because Tamara and Owen thought Peter Pan of all people wanted to end magic. Don't these people read? Pan explains to Henry that he's learned over time that
Peter Pan is the head of Tamara and Owen's "home office". As Henry points out - you really need to learn to start asking more questions. Because this is what comes of not doing so. (Yes, and reading a few books might help too.) When they discover much to their own chagrin that Peter Pan has no interest in ending magic, quite the opposite, and tricked them in order to obtain Henry - they attempt to escape. But Owen is killed easily - shadow ripped from him and Tamara is shot with an arrow. Attempting to crawl to safety - she runs into Rumplestilskin.
Backing up a bit, I love some of the lines in this.
Hook to Rumple: Ah took time for a "wardrobe change" ? A real constructive use of your time. (sarcasm heavy.)
Rumple's new outfit is basically his Rumplestilskin get-up. (I wonder if its armor? )Oh and the cane of Mr. Gold is discarded. Here he's the magical imp once again, albeit without the fancy makeup. Stilskin doesn't believe the others can help at all. (He never was much of a team player or good at taking orders, so this is hardly surprising.). And after a lengthy speech to Emma about how she can't win because she has no faith or belief and to succeed in Neverland, you have to have both - plus a wild imagination, which she also clearly lacks. A speech in direct contrast to her parents attempts to get her to believe - they did not look happy. Seriously, they had spent ten-fifteen minutes trying to cheer her up. Thank you Rumple for sticking a needle in that balloon. Then Rumple disappears, without further ado.
And stumbles upon Tamara and a dead Owen - but unfortunately for Tamara, no Henry. Almost felt sorry for her. She had a shooting chance if Henry had there. She has to be thinking : of all the people running about Neverland I had to run into him? It couldn't be someone safer, like maybe Snow White or Emma? Because the two you most want to avoid are Rumplestilskin and Regina. Particularly in a weakened state without a phaser. Not sure if Regina would have killed her right off the bat or not? I'm thinking so, considering what Regina did to the mermaids. But Rumple? You are definitely dead. No doubt about it.As Baelfire states - crossing my father doesn't tend to end well. Particularly when it concerns his son. Although unlike Regina, at least he asked questions first to determine if she'd be any use to him. Rumple tends to be a tad more patient than Regina.
Rumple is nice, he takes the arrow out of her first. Asks a few questions, discovers she's clueless, and then ...after leading her on a bit...without remorse yanks out her heart and crushes it in front of her. (Now honestly, can you really blame him - I mean let's revisit the facts for a moment here shall we? Tamara shot his beloved son Baelfire and sent him through a porthole - after Rumple had gone to a hell of a lot of trouble to locate him. And I do mean a lot of trouble. We're talking centuries. Considering what he did to the guy who pushed Baelfire down in the street by mistake, it's hardly surprising what he does to Tamara. Actually, if you think about it - she got off easy, he could have tortured her first like he did to the Sheriff of Nottingham or turned her into a snail and squashed her.)
*Next up is a brief and not very informative discussion with Pan's lieutenant, the head Lost Boy. Who apparently knows Rumple well. They are old adversaries. You're welcome here, they tell him, as long as you don't try interfere or attempt to take Henry away from us. Also, you can't survive. Rumple tells them that's okay, he knows that he most likely won't survive, but he can't comply - and being successful in his aims doesn't require his survival.
Then the kid gives Rumple an old doll - that reminds me of a voodoo doll, to be honest. Apparently it was just supposed to be a doll? At any rate - Rumple bursts into tears. And the brat tells him -
* The crew on the Jolly Roger run across some nasty mermaids. Who attack them. They manage to fight them off - working in tandem, or rather Regina manages to do it by throwing fire at them. They also catch one - in the hopes of interrogating her. It doesn't work. She blows a horn and causes a storm to come down upon them, along with the desire to tear each other apart - which considering the bad blood between Snow and Regina and Charming and Hook, this isn't hard to do. Regina makes it worse by turning the mermaid into a piece of wood. Seriously, if I were in Neverland - I'd steer clear of pissing off Rumple and Regina. Emma stops it by...jumping over board? And promptly gets knocked in the head with an anchor. But what do you know? It worked. Apparently everyone on board cares what happens to Emma, because they all stop and rush to save her or stand about looking shell-shocked. Unfortunately the Jolly Rodger is damaged, so change in plan. They are going by land not by river. But hey, Emma has taken charge and commanded everyone to band together for a common cause. Also, informs them that they all have their skills...the villain, the pirate, the princess, the knight...so use them, and don't worry about doing the right thing. Let's just do whatever is necessary to get Henry back - we'll worry about right and wrong after the fact. Regina snarkily wonders what Emma's power is. (Seriously, after she just helped you save the world, you ask that? Talk about short memory span. It wasn't that long ago.) Emma responds that it is at the moment leader, and mother. (Ouch. Regina deserved that.)
I did like some of the exchanges on the boat..[ETA - Keep in mind that I suck at remembering dialogue exchanges exactly, so they are paraphrased. The television series wrote it better.]
Regina: Owen told me I was a villain, and he said the villain doesn't get a happy ending. That it's not possible. Do you think that's true?
Hook: I hope not. Then we've basically wasted our lives.
or the Hook and Emma discussion about Baelfire, showing that Hook cares about Baelfire and is mourning him. He liked Neal. And had spent time with the boy, Baelfire. He gives Emma - Baelfire's sword. And they drink a toast to Neal.
* Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest, Baelfire/Neal has awoken and healed from his gunshot.
He also makes the acquaintance of Phillip, Sleeping Beauty, and Mulan. Apparently Aurora and Phillip have been reunited and Aurora is Queen. She also has the ability to walk through the dream world. She is however unable to contact Emma and company, partly because they aren't sleeping - to busy sailing a ship and fighting mermaids. Sleeping is sort of a requirement for both sides.
Mulan and Bae have some interesting exchanges.
Baelfire: Over there, they think of us as just stories in books or legends.
Mulan: legends? Is there one about me?
Baelfire: Yes, they even made a movie about you. It was pretty good.
Mulan: What's a movie.
Later...
Mulan: May I ask you a question?
Baelfire: I'm sorry, I can't think of a way of explaining what a movie is to you.
Mulan: No, what I wanted to ask is why is it that Emma never mentioned you here? Not one word.
Baelfire: Because I broke her heart. I abandoned her - because I thought she'd be better off without me and wanted her to achieve her destiny and break the curse, but even after that - I could have found her again, I could have explained, found a way - but I didn't, I was too afraid...I didn't want to be rejected. So I took the easy way out.
I got to give this show credit for two things - addressing these emotional issues head on and not circling around them or ignoring them. (A major problem I had with both LOST and later seasons of Buffy.) The writers don't waste time teasing the audience and not delivering. Also, no love triangle of doom quite yet. It might still happen, of course.
When they reach Rumple's castle, we're greeted by even more gems.
Mulan: Who are you?
Guy in hood drawing arrow: My name is Robin.
Baelfire/Neal: No way, Robin Hood?
Robin Hood: I'd take a bow, but the quiver's a bit drawn. And why are you trespassing in my castle?
Mulan: It's technically not your castle, it belongs to the Dark One. You're trespassing.
Robin: Is he back in attendance? Because if so, I'll quickly vacate.
Baelfire: He's not and no need to vacate. You can have the place. I just need to be allowed to look around to find something.
Robin: And who might you be to grant such privileges?
Baelfire: I'm his son. Go by Baelfire in this world.
Robin lowers his bow: Okay, look around.
Baelfire: Wait..You're not going to ask for id or anything?
Robin: I figure that's not something you'd admit to, if you weren't.
Baelfire: You have a point.
Robin: Besides your father doesn't suffer imposters.
Baelfire: True, he does have a bit of a temper.
Robin: I've crossed paths with your father before.
Baelfire: That doesn't tend to end well.
Robin: He spared my life once. I owe him a debt. (Actually that was Belle who got him to do that, but whatever.)
And when they find the magical item - it turn out to Rumple's old walking stick with the Baelfire's height etched along its stem. Baelfire explains that it works for him because his father had a cloaking spell placed on it - so it could only work for someone with Rumple's blood - either Rumple or his own son. "Blood magic he called it. As much as it may appear otherwise, family does mean everything to my father."
Then he manages to get hold of the crystal ball, which Mulan helps him figure out how to work. When it does - he sees Emma in Neverland - and is upset. Because remember he spent some time getting out of Neverland. He also appears to understand how the portals work - you think of the place you want to go - and you end up there. Baelfire is interesting to me, because he has insight into a lot of things that we don't know about. Also, he seems to realize that he's repeated his father's mistakes with his own family - out of fear and cowardice.
I adore this series.
2. The Good Wife was good tonight, but not great. It lined up a few things, but spent far too much time on the case of the week - which I found a bit preachy and cliche. Yes, yes, the death penalty and yes it's inhumane and torture, I know. That's one of the many reasons I'm against it. The only people who are for the death penalty are uninformed or ignorant of what it actually entails and the criminal justice system as a whole. The death penalty is not justice - it is vengeance.
The portions of the episode that were not focused on the death penalty were interesting.
* Cary has his hands full keeping Alicia and the 4th years happy. But I love his line to Alicia - "don't you see, we're the new Will and Diane".
* Alicia is stuck in the middle again - between Will/Diane and Carey/4th years. But she knows she has to jump ship. I loved Peter's reaction and Eli's. Peter was pleased as punch.
And totally for it. (Mainly because she was leaving Will behind. He even asks Eli if that was what she was doing. And decides that promoting the lovely Mitch to Transit Authority is a good idea. Mitch isn't pleased - she liked having more power, she was also attempting to push Eli out and grab the Chief of Staff job for herself. Eli saw through her and found a way to get rid of her. Go Eli. I spent most of my time trying to place the actress playing Mitch who looked familiar).
* Eli got Chief of Staff (see above for how and why).
* I like Robin a lot. The Alicia/Carey firm feels like the new blood or second stringer firm.
* David Lee was catching on. Note to 4th years - stop celebrating in public and at Lockhardt/Gardner. Also stop discussing it using the firm's phones.
* Also, I have a feeling the Will/Alicia/Peter love triangle is far from over.
That's the story-line that intrigues me.
But I found the episode a wee bit disappointing due to the case of the week or B story line. What's coming up however...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2013-09-30 04:46 pm (UTC)Which is how why moderately privileged, self-declared libertarians can find room to support the death penalty and other activities of the state that disproportionately affect the poor and minorities. Or how segregation was defended on the grounds of liberty...
no subject
Date: 2013-09-30 06:23 pm (UTC)I remember in law school a bunch of libertarians that I met - were against traffic regulations, such as left turn signals. The reason for this was that they lived in Western Kansas, where one car might enter an intersection once in five hours. So you're sitting there waiting for a turn signal - when well, there are no cars except you. Keep in mind these guys have never been anywhere but Western Kansas.
I've found that it's very hard for people to care, relate to or concern themselves with things that lie outside of their realm of experience.