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shadowkat1. LJ is being difficult. Kicked me out last night. I can get into my journal, just not post to it. No clue why. Trying again today.
2. OUAT - Last Night's Episode:
Well, they didn't turn Neal into a flying monkey. That's something, I suppose.
Although at the moment, I think that may have been the better choice. Since I suspect we'll be seeing Little John again.
Poor Emma, every guy she falls for gets killed in front of her, or turns into a flying monkey and falls to his gruesome death. Talk about bad luck.
I don't know about anyone else? But I am personally getting tired of OUAT killing off characters. Particularly characters that I'm somewhat partial to? Why can't you be more like GRRM and Scandal and just kill off characters I don't care about? First Sheriff Graeham and now Neal. OUAT reminds me a bit of Whedon's series - Whedon always killed off characters that I really liked too, but kept pointless annoying characters around... so too does Vamp Diaries. Annoying.
As a general aside? Why do tv writers feel compelled to kill off characters? Oh, so and so wants to leave the show?? What will we do with the character? Oh, I know, we'll kill them. (laughs evilly). It'll shock the audience. (Well, not always. After a while, you start to expect it - unless of course you are really good at hiding the fact they are leaving and don't tend to do this very often, and don't tease that you plan on killing someone off.) Or I don't know what to do with this character - but we need to further these two - I know, we'll kill him! Hee. Apparently just having the character move out of town is out of the question.
When did television writers get so bloodthirsty?
I wouldn't complain...but this is the fourth tv series that's killed off a major character or recurring contract character.
Also like Whedon, they evilly made the actor part of the main cast just six months prior to killing him off.
2. Talk about a spell backfiring on you. Neal is tricked by WWW to brings back his father in order to get back to Emma and his son, but instead ends up sacrificing his own life. Which is beyond stupid. Why couldn't he have gotten Belle to do it instead? (Sorry, I know people love Belle in this series. I liked Belle in the fairy tales and the Disney film and Robin McKinney novel...but not in this show.)
IT is admittedly a great metaphorical twist...I can see why they did it. Neal's spell is son for the father. The father resists and gives up his control over his own power to Selena, and takes his son into his own body and mind - driving himself insane. His son finally breaks out to reunite with Emma...but the truth comes out, and only one can survive, or they will remain insane and twisted. It is the worst thing they could have done to Rumplestilskin. He spends all this time trying to reconnect with his son - sacrifices his life to help his son, only to have an old nemesis pop up and trick his son into doing a spell the brings him back but in exchange for his son's life.
But it was written so abruptly. We get abrupt scenes. Abrupt emotionally bonding with Hook and Neal, abrupt bonding with Emma and Neal, and an abrupt bonding scene with Rumple and Neal.
It's not built up to. It's just sort of thrown at you. The whole story. And summarized. Sort of like watching a recap. Which rips the emotion out of it. I was left wanting, craving more...feeling, I don't know? Robbed? Cheated?
This may be why we have a lot of fanfic for series like OUAT because the writing falls short somehow in the emotional department?
So, it works on a metaphorical level but not quite on an emotional one, because it's done too fast with no gradual build-up. The concept - it's rather cool but emotionally lacking. This is a problem and why I think the series is bleeding viewers, OUAT in Wonderland has similar issues. The audience needs more. Craves more. You can't just throw it at us. The story is being told too fast in some respects.
3. I feel cheated of Neal's story. There was more there. Felt the same way about Sheriff Graeham.
IT felt like the character existed solely to further other characters arcs. Not for his own.
4. Selena clearly wants Snow's child - possibly for the same reason Regina wanted Henry. I actually think that's the story here. It's about lost children and regaining them. Here, Rumple in an attempt to hold onto his grown son, abdicates control of his power to Selena...only to ultimately lose him in any event. Regina watches Robin with his son, remembering her loss of Henry. Realizing that Robin's son could have been her's, that Robin is the lost love that she ran from. He's the man with the lion tattoo. And Neal loses his son...never able to quite get back to him or to have his son remember him and know the man he truly is.
5. Emma's power separates Rumple and Neal...so it is either a healing power or a power that reveals truth or places things back the way they are meant to be? Not sure. Thoughts??
I rather liked her scene with Henry. Although, even there, she doesn't quite give him the truth, but an abbreviated version of it. Henry is dealing with her hiding the truth from him far better this season than last. He's matured. To her credit...it is a bit hard to tell Henry, that they are in Storybrook to stop the Wicked Witch of the West. And to help Snow White and Prince Charming, who are her parents. And...that the Wicked Witch of the West killed Neal. The kid would most likely ask if Santa Claus was also involved, and is the Easter Bunny around the corner? And who could blame him?
Last week the bonding scene was with Henry and Regina, this week Emma and Henry, and both took place next to that lake.
I'm beginning to think the three parent family is Emma, Henry, and Regina? With maybe Hook and Robin Hood playing step fathers?
6. Hook and Neal's moment came a bit out of the blue. No real build up. Yes, believable. But it felt rushed. So lost its power. I did like what Hook stated though - that he sometimes forgets the boy that Neal was, the boy he looked after for a while and cared for as if he were his own...only to let a bunch of nonsense over a woman get in the way of that. (Which should have been a warning sign that they were killing Neal off.)
7. Belle is at least helpful this episode - putting her research skills to good use. She's able to uncover what Neal did and what the mark on his hand means. And she does try, unsuccessfully to stop him from opening the seal. Although she doesn't try that hard. And she saves Lumiere...who they borrowed from the Disney film, except he's a wee bit darker here...even for a candle flame.
He lies, as opposed to illuminating the truth.
And he's created by WWW.
8. Seriously, why does Mary Margaret have to be a brain dead, useless marshmellow in Storybrook?
Not a bad episode...but it felt, abrupt or rushed somehow. And I don't like Mary Margaret's characterization. Also, enough with the character deaths. Stop killing characters I like, you silly writers. It's getting old.
2. OUAT - Last Night's Episode:
Well, they didn't turn Neal into a flying monkey. That's something, I suppose.
Although at the moment, I think that may have been the better choice. Since I suspect we'll be seeing Little John again.
Poor Emma, every guy she falls for gets killed in front of her, or turns into a flying monkey and falls to his gruesome death. Talk about bad luck.
I don't know about anyone else? But I am personally getting tired of OUAT killing off characters. Particularly characters that I'm somewhat partial to? Why can't you be more like GRRM and Scandal and just kill off characters I don't care about? First Sheriff Graeham and now Neal. OUAT reminds me a bit of Whedon's series - Whedon always killed off characters that I really liked too, but kept pointless annoying characters around... so too does Vamp Diaries. Annoying.
As a general aside? Why do tv writers feel compelled to kill off characters? Oh, so and so wants to leave the show?? What will we do with the character? Oh, I know, we'll kill them. (laughs evilly). It'll shock the audience. (Well, not always. After a while, you start to expect it - unless of course you are really good at hiding the fact they are leaving and don't tend to do this very often, and don't tease that you plan on killing someone off.) Or I don't know what to do with this character - but we need to further these two - I know, we'll kill him! Hee. Apparently just having the character move out of town is out of the question.
When did television writers get so bloodthirsty?
I wouldn't complain...but this is the fourth tv series that's killed off a major character or recurring contract character.
Also like Whedon, they evilly made the actor part of the main cast just six months prior to killing him off.
2. Talk about a spell backfiring on you. Neal is tricked by WWW to brings back his father in order to get back to Emma and his son, but instead ends up sacrificing his own life. Which is beyond stupid. Why couldn't he have gotten Belle to do it instead? (Sorry, I know people love Belle in this series. I liked Belle in the fairy tales and the Disney film and Robin McKinney novel...but not in this show.)
IT is admittedly a great metaphorical twist...I can see why they did it. Neal's spell is son for the father. The father resists and gives up his control over his own power to Selena, and takes his son into his own body and mind - driving himself insane. His son finally breaks out to reunite with Emma...but the truth comes out, and only one can survive, or they will remain insane and twisted. It is the worst thing they could have done to Rumplestilskin. He spends all this time trying to reconnect with his son - sacrifices his life to help his son, only to have an old nemesis pop up and trick his son into doing a spell the brings him back but in exchange for his son's life.
But it was written so abruptly. We get abrupt scenes. Abrupt emotionally bonding with Hook and Neal, abrupt bonding with Emma and Neal, and an abrupt bonding scene with Rumple and Neal.
It's not built up to. It's just sort of thrown at you. The whole story. And summarized. Sort of like watching a recap. Which rips the emotion out of it. I was left wanting, craving more...feeling, I don't know? Robbed? Cheated?
This may be why we have a lot of fanfic for series like OUAT because the writing falls short somehow in the emotional department?
So, it works on a metaphorical level but not quite on an emotional one, because it's done too fast with no gradual build-up. The concept - it's rather cool but emotionally lacking. This is a problem and why I think the series is bleeding viewers, OUAT in Wonderland has similar issues. The audience needs more. Craves more. You can't just throw it at us. The story is being told too fast in some respects.
3. I feel cheated of Neal's story. There was more there. Felt the same way about Sheriff Graeham.
IT felt like the character existed solely to further other characters arcs. Not for his own.
4. Selena clearly wants Snow's child - possibly for the same reason Regina wanted Henry. I actually think that's the story here. It's about lost children and regaining them. Here, Rumple in an attempt to hold onto his grown son, abdicates control of his power to Selena...only to ultimately lose him in any event. Regina watches Robin with his son, remembering her loss of Henry. Realizing that Robin's son could have been her's, that Robin is the lost love that she ran from. He's the man with the lion tattoo. And Neal loses his son...never able to quite get back to him or to have his son remember him and know the man he truly is.
5. Emma's power separates Rumple and Neal...so it is either a healing power or a power that reveals truth or places things back the way they are meant to be? Not sure. Thoughts??
I rather liked her scene with Henry. Although, even there, she doesn't quite give him the truth, but an abbreviated version of it. Henry is dealing with her hiding the truth from him far better this season than last. He's matured. To her credit...it is a bit hard to tell Henry, that they are in Storybrook to stop the Wicked Witch of the West. And to help Snow White and Prince Charming, who are her parents. And...that the Wicked Witch of the West killed Neal. The kid would most likely ask if Santa Claus was also involved, and is the Easter Bunny around the corner? And who could blame him?
Last week the bonding scene was with Henry and Regina, this week Emma and Henry, and both took place next to that lake.
I'm beginning to think the three parent family is Emma, Henry, and Regina? With maybe Hook and Robin Hood playing step fathers?
6. Hook and Neal's moment came a bit out of the blue. No real build up. Yes, believable. But it felt rushed. So lost its power. I did like what Hook stated though - that he sometimes forgets the boy that Neal was, the boy he looked after for a while and cared for as if he were his own...only to let a bunch of nonsense over a woman get in the way of that. (Which should have been a warning sign that they were killing Neal off.)
7. Belle is at least helpful this episode - putting her research skills to good use. She's able to uncover what Neal did and what the mark on his hand means. And she does try, unsuccessfully to stop him from opening the seal. Although she doesn't try that hard. And she saves Lumiere...who they borrowed from the Disney film, except he's a wee bit darker here...even for a candle flame.
He lies, as opposed to illuminating the truth.
And he's created by WWW.
8. Seriously, why does Mary Margaret have to be a brain dead, useless marshmellow in Storybrook?
Not a bad episode...but it felt, abrupt or rushed somehow. And I don't like Mary Margaret's characterization. Also, enough with the character deaths. Stop killing characters I like, you silly writers. It's getting old.
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no subject
Date: 2014-03-31 11:52 pm (UTC)Better late than never, though. Me=not happy about this development, but not ready to jump ship from an otherwise interesting show.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 01:49 am (UTC)I'm rather annoyed by the ending. Although I do understand...in the fall, it began to occur to me that the writers were having issues with the actor playing Neal and the character - and couldn't figure out what to do. When I figured it out - I got highly annoyed - because that character had loads of potential. He was golden. So much wasted potential - he was the reason behind the initial curse. He had been raised by Hook, who stole his Mom from him and was into the love of his life. That's a gift. Plus he had all this stuff to atone for. Why...couldn't they do anything with that? Was it the actor? He's not a bad actor...he's actually a better actor than the guy playing Hook - I know I've seen him in other things. WTF? Was it the direction? Did he just not gel with the cast/writers?
But like you, I'm not ready to jump ship from an otherwise interesting show. (I know I'm in the minority, but I actually liked last week's episode a lot better. Charming is growing on me, and I adore Rumple. Also...the metaphors in this show are often well done.)
Plus - this may open the way for some Rumple/Henry bonding...which we got a little bit of before Neal came back. Henry may get to know who his father was through Rumple. And Rumple may feel the need to atone for his son's sacrifice through his grandson? I hope they go that route, instead of focusing completely on the Belle/Rumple relationship. Personally...I'd have been happier if they'd killed Belle off...but I know I'm in the minority on that one.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 02:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-04-02 01:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 02:35 pm (UTC)Rumple has pretty much lost his raison d'etre. After the vengeance is gone (I expect he'll be vengeance focused when freed from being enslaved to Zelena), but after the vengeance is gone, he's going to be adrift. At that point (which may be next season) I'm hoping for some Rumple/Henry.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-02 01:42 am (UTC)Rumple had an interesting relationship forming with Henry, which got dropped after Neal/Baelfire returned, hoping it resurfaces.
And you're right - he's going to be adrift once they defeat Zelena. Is it Zelena or Selena?
no subject
Date: 2014-04-01 02:40 pm (UTC)And MRJ is a fine actor. I don't feel though that they ever wrote to MRJ's strengths. That may be a hazard of creating a character and giving his backstory before ever casting him. Bae as we saw him as a kid didn't seem quite the natural fit for the man that MRJ would play. MRJ needed a snarkier, darker character. He could've played Rumple's son quite well...but (if this makes sense) he wasn't really a match for the Rumple son as presented by young Bae.
no subject
Date: 2014-04-02 01:34 am (UTC)No, it totally makes sense.
I think this was another case of the writers wanting their cake and eat it too or not thinking it through. Which happens a lot with tv shows - because they tend to be written so quickly and not really plotted long term...
They wrote young Bae as heroic and selfless, and Neal as sort of snarky and wimpy, or MRJ role. But didn't really delve into how Bae became Neal. Was it what happened in Neverland that turned him into Neal? They left a lot out in the middle. Which is the problem with the flashback narrative technique, it sort of disconnects your heart from the piece. You are spending far too much time intellectualizing it - so it's hard to relate emotionally...if that makes sense?
See, we wouldn't have been jarred by the differences between young Bae and Neal, if we got a bit more of how Bae became Neal Cassidy. When did he become a con artist and a thief, when did he become a coward like his father?