hsapiens | Recent TV Adventures

Current Mood: lazy

Recent TV Adventures

Lost, Heroes, QaF, Battlestar Galactica, Dresden Files, and Torchwood

I've finally picked up Lost on DVD since plenty of people I know and respect say it's a cool show. I've made it through the first season and am starting on the next. Does it make me less female that all the emo backstory for each of the characters just annoys me? Maybe I wouldn't hate it so much if it weren't specifically designed to stop the forward momentum of the story? No, actually, it's that I have little patience for people making the same stupid mistakes over and over and over and... Besides, the mystery of what's up with the island is far more interesting. Better storytelling would bring that forward without the need for jarring flashbacks meant to stop the action on a cliffhanger.

Speaking of annoying emo, next week looks to be a good time to sit down and finally watch Season 5 of QaF since Joe'll be out of town. Well, to fast forward through large chunks that I know will annoy me. I've seen large parts of the last 1/2 of the season but I haven't seen the first half. Actually, I'm having a hard time working up any enthusiasm for watching it because I know where it's headed. :|

I've been catching up on Heroes; I'm enjoying that quite a bit. I think it's probably because a show like that really does have to map out what's going to happen in future episodes and build its way there. I loved Bab5 for that very reason. I love complex story lines and I want what happens in episode 5 to have an effect on what happens in episode 15 and episode 105. The characters are wonderful and seeing Christopher Ecclestein AND George Takei last night was nice. The promise of their being in another few eps at least have me very happy. :)

Finished Torchwood, in which I'm enjoying John Barrowman. Can't say at this point that I like any of the other characters. I fear they've fallen from flawed humans into irretrievably stupid and gullible -- and rather callous towards others. I hope there's some feedback to the writers on this because Owen in particular is repulsive at this point. Gwen, around whom so much of the show revolves, really isn't winning any points with me. I know they can write some good stuff - the penultimate episode was wonderful not only for the Harkness Snogging Harkness bits but the team stuff. Jack and Tosh were wonderful and even the Ianto / Owen scenes were good as they argued over what Jack would want them to do, what was the right thing, yadda. Then, of course, they buggered it up in the very next episode. *sigh*

Dresden Files -- I've only seen the pilot but I gotta say it didn't grab me. I'm very disappointed because this is one show I've been eagerly awaiting since I saw the first promo months ago. It felt as if it should be longer so that I could meet the characters more and get a little more feel for them. Why is the cop calling him to help if she isn't aware of his powers, for instance? I meant to watch it again this week but forgot it was on, even though it was right before BSG. That's really not a good sign. :(

Battlestar Galactica is starting to lose me. I don't really like what they're doing with Baltar, Starbuck, or Apollo. Again, it's going all emo and weepy on me and I can't say that I have much patience for it. The apparent exit of Lucy Lawless removes one of the things I was enjoying in the series. BSG really needs a multi-year story plan; without one it's wandering the same way the survivors theoretically are, all over known space.

I quite enjoyed the "what makes humans worth saving" philosophical questions. I quite enjoyed the military/civilian tensions. I love trying to figure out what the hell the Cyclons are about. The artificial sexual tension between Starbuck and Apollo would have worked for me if they didn't each decide to marry someone else but they did and really? That makes this all seem like an exercise to up the ratings via sex and throwing pretty people at each other. It all just leaves me completely turned off. Again, I think the tragic emo-ness of it all is meant to appeal to women but I just find it tedious and off-putting.

Also? The move from Friday to Sunday really doesn't work for me. Friday was all about kicking back, relaxing, and being irresponsible while Sunday is a lead-in to another week of responsibility. Maybe I'll record it and just wait until Friday to watch it. :)

I've decided to wait to watch SG-1 until ~~the freezing over of hell~~ whenever SciFi decides to air it. April? May? November? I guess I'm putting off the inevitable end of SG-1, which is really rather silly since it's not as if I've been a happy fan of the new stuff. But there it is. It's an old friend and a fandom where I've met a lot of good people so I'm reticent to rush to its conclusion.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm glad to hear that you dislike Apollo/Starbuck. Drunken Apollo had me wincing. His father should slap him into a brig or else have him talk to Tighe. You're a colonial officer, Lee. Don't be a whiny, maudlin drunk, be an evil bastard drunk like Tighe.

:P

Who in the world WOULD like them? They're each dragging down two other people, they're wishy washy over whether they want to be together or with their partners, and we get crap scenes like a drunken, weepy Apollo looking for his lost wedding ring while careening into fellow officers in the halls. It's not even symbolism at that point; it's hitting me over the head with a club.

Also? It obvious nobody really thought the storyline through. It's like they went back and saw all the fangirls squeeing over Starbuck and Apollo and decided that was a good way to raise ratings. I want good stories that tell themselves not manipulation. S/A didn't come out of what they set up nor did it arise naturally over the course of the show. And I really, really don't like it.

Yes, they're two pretty people and I even think the actors have chemistry. But what is written and aired is just crap.

I completely agree about Torchwood. All of the characters besides Jack are doing SUCH dumb things that I can't have any sympathy with them. Gwen is so obnoxious with all of her "But you have to CARE!!" when obviously no one else actually does. And all Gwen's humanism seems to get her is stupid actions.

Owen started out with a huge black mark in my book with a borderline date rape drug and really hasn't ever gotten better. Gwen emos all over the place -- but I could kind of get it as she's us on a team because the team is acting on a different level. Sure, they'd stop and care but they're trying to get us ready for whatever changes in the 21st century because the survival of the human race takes precedence over whatever has Gwen weeping and emoting this week. But they've kind of stopped the whole, "there's something bigger going on and we're just trying to keep up so humanity isn't chum" aspect and going with the weird and creepy creature of the week.

After the team's betrayal in the finale, I have no use for any of them. I even liked Tosh until then. Like I said, I hope there's some feedback to the writers and that they correct course because right now? I'm questioning just how smart Jack is if this is the best he thinks he can do. :(

Owen annoys me very much, too. I liked Tosh okay until the betrayal and IANTO. IANTO WHYYYYYY?

Seriously, if I were Jack, I'd mind-wipe them all and replace the entire staff.

Owen is irredeemable at this point. Not saying that they couldn't give him a personality transplant and eventually make me not hate him but the current character is repulsive. I find myself hoping he gets killed. :(

Tosh at least I had no reason to hate and I really liked her role in the penultimate episode. I started the finale actively liking Tosh. Ianto I kind of forgave for the cyberwoman - we do stupid things for love. I was at a point where I only hated 1 character, sincerely disliked 1, and found the other 3 to be engaging. The finale just killed my enthusiasm.

I gotta agree - John should mindwipe the lot of them and start anew. Trained rats would be more useful. ;)

Sci Fi didn't air the pilot for The Dresden Files first, which would probably have helped. I think that won't get aired for another few weeks yet. Morons.

I have to say the ads for BSG alone make me cringe. It looks like a friggin' soap opera.

Wait wait wait! That wasn't the pilot? Well, it at least explains why I couldn't make sense of the cop's relationship with Harry. Bi-zarre.

I was dreading the last BSG based on the previews and it was just as awful as I'd feared. And yes, they're turning it into a soap opera. :(

That's what happened with Firefly, too, I think.

I totally have to steal that icon from you. It cracks me up every time I see it.

I live to use this icon! I still love it. :) It's just so wonderfully 1950s, his face looks just like the B-movie actress's before she crumples and is carried away by the monster/swashbuckler/villain.

It makes me laugh, too.

And as silly as it is, he still manages to be hot.

Hmm, I might need to get the second season of DA DVDs after all.

I think he'd be pretty trimming his toenails. :) Well, okay, that's probably some exaggeration but he's just so wonderfully gorgeous. *sigh* I need to schedule myself some Jensen time.

LOL, ditto. He's so good looking he makes me a bit twitterpated.

Not really related, but someone asked if I was going to go to any cons this year and I instantly replied, "Only if the Supernatual men are there." Meaning JA, mostly. ;)

It's just as well I only meet him on my television and computer screens. I'm much more coherent that way. :) Doesn't stop me from wishing he'd go to a con I could attend, though...

I think my only con this year will be my annual pilgrimage to NY/NJ. I wanted to go to Shore Leave or Dragon Con but I don't think that'll happen this year.

What she said about DF not being the pilot. The second episode was better, not super great but I'll give it two, or three more eps to get up to speed. The differences are annoying but Bob is starting to tweak my Tim Curry kink.

Teh Ackles would look good biting his toenails. He's that hot.

I'm hoping that this last episode is going to table the S/A quadrangle for a while.Season one I was S/A nuetral and kinda pulling for it (for the sole reason that it would piss my hubby off). Now I just wish they'd get back to the grown ups whenever they deal with romance issues.

Now that I know the problem is the fuckups at Sci Fi, I will most certainly give it more tries and most especially will watch the real pilot. I can see the Tim Curry thing -- I was trying to place where I'd seen him before but couldn't. Now I get it. :)

Shhh! I'm trying to look...yanno...normal. Not exactly obsessed. I really can't think of many circumstances under which Ackles wouldn't look hot.

I didn't mind hot friction between Starbuck and APollo, I didn't even mind the lingering shit in the locker room. Might not be what I was pulling for but it didn't at all bother me. This shit, though? It's just crawling through the mud on my belly and I'm not even getting a pay-off. :(

btw, I highly recommend the 2nd season of DA. Not only for the shirtless Jensen ops *points to icon* but also to watch Zipacna play Joshua, the kind dog-man. Kevin Durand is one talented actor. :)

They did it with Firefly. Left me very very confused.

I gave up on BSG in the second season. I just didn't like the direction it was headed. Just not for me.

Now, I'm kind of glad. I read people's thoughts and hear about the plots and I just wouldn't have patience for that. I'm all about some dark storylines but it just felt like it was overdone. That and all the emo stuff.

I definitely thought that S2 was inferior to S1. I was willing to cut it some "sophomore" slack but I'm well into the 2nd half of the third season and I'll admit I'm often watching because it's habit and I'm hoping it's going to get better. Well, ok, I'm also watching because I love Laura and I was enjoying Eight. If we could go back to episodes dominated by those I've come to think of as the adults in the fleet, I'd probably be a lot happier.

Funny thing is that Jamie Bamber is gorgeous and he's built and he's willing to strip down so I *should* be so happy to see him come on screen. I'm shallow, I admit it. But they're so busy tying another emotional noose around his neck so he can suffer and bleed and emote and I just cringe when I know it's going to be an Apollo storyline. Again, they lack a plan and so the character lacks direction.

Right now, I'd say you're not missing a whole lot of quality t.v. :(

Good luck with QAF S5, hon. I bought the last season on dvd only because I had all the others and I have this weird OCD thing about incomplete sets, but I haven't watched it since it aired. The ironic thing is that I think some of QAF's finest moments came in S5, but they were surrounded on all sides by wooden acting, laughable scripts and barely concealed insults at the audience, women, the HRC, American politics and the actors who didn't toe the CowLip line every second of their involvement. Wow, bet you're really looking forward to it, now, huh? ;)

I talked to Jerry today, made an appointment to see him on Friday, but he looked at my deviantart site while we were chatting and had nothing but nice things to say. I hope he wasn't just being polite. I'll take some of my more recent papers up to him so he can see them for himself, as well as my book, and let him make the decision from there.

I'm not really sure how to thank you for that contact, except to tell you that I owe you a lifetime of margaritas ;)

I've lots of trouble working up enthusiasm for S5. L.A., the contest, syphilis, Rosie O'Donnell's role, Melanie the Superbitch, and the final denouement leave me unexcited. I only got the DVDs because I also wanted Six Feet Under and they were two similarly priced sets (I hit a Buy One, Get One Free sale). btw, I've got Nip & Tuck DVDs waiting for me. Joe isn't a big fan of such things, either, so that's something else to watch when he's gone.

Jerry's a really nice guy but he's no pushover. He wouldn't hang your stuff or look at your portfolio if he thought it was shit. It would be easier to tell you "no" on the phone than to your face, anyway. :) He doesn't want crapola but he also wants stuff on his walls. I think your need for public walls and his need for good art are a very nice fit.

*hugs*

Out of all of these shows Heroes is the one that keeps pulling me back in..I love it!...and I can't wait to see where it goes especially with the new additon of more characters..yay!

BSG..lost its umph for me when Lucy left too..although I'm liking the whole Laura getting mean thing..might just keep watching to see how that develops but the whole Apollo/Starbuck thing is getting old..geez.

Dresden Files..eh...I'm hoping it gets better..but so far it's just been background noise until BSG come on.

*sigh* Stargate...I told myself I wouldn't watch it until it came back on in April but I broke down and got a friend to download the first three for me..mainly cause the third one was so Sam centric..I gotta have it to cap!..lol..but I'll wait for the others until April..*sigh*

I'm REALLY excited over what's happening in Heroes. I've since learned that they retro-wrote Zach into not-gay which pisses me off but not enough to make me disown the show. There's much other good stuff and since that character is likely to leave soon anyway, I'm going to happily plug my ears and pretend there isn't some homophobic asshole involved. :)

Laura has continually been a very fascinating character for me. I love seeing a character make completely wrong decisions for what feels like very right reasons. I also like to see her being tough in defense of humanity - when she airlocked Lebon I was shocked! I loved her stealing the election. I really, really wish they hadn't jumped a year. I think they could have mined illegitimate Pres. Roslyn and how that decision snowballs out of control even though she's the only person standing between Baltar and the presidency -- and we all know how THAT turns out. Anyhow, love her. Even when she's wrong.

Apollo/Starbuck have been old for me from the beginning. But then, it has never been the sex on the show that interested me.

Now that I know that Dresden Files is being shown out of order, that makes me more forgiving. I'll be giving it a while longer because it isn't the show's fault that SciFi is run by complete morons. :|

I might yet break down on SG-1 but so far I'm willing to wait.

Gotta agree with the Torchwood comments. I want to like it, but I think they got too tied up with trying to keep Jack's "mystery" for resolution on Doctor Who, instead of letting him be the lead of the team and his show. I'm hoping they'll be able to move on in the second season once the next season of Doctor Who is done and they're not holding Jack back anymore.

The last season of QAF did go downhill, ending up somewhere in Soap Opera Land. Too many changes that didn't fit the characters for my taste, and it was often abrupt change after change. I never got into BSG (it offended my inner 7-year old that Starbuck was a girl, and my inner slasher too *g*), but I'm seeing more and more comments about it going soap opera.

As someone else mentioned, that wasn't the pilot for Dresden Files. The first one produced is called "Storm Front" and is based on the first book in the series by the same name. For some reason, Sci Fi wanted to show "standalone" stories first, and "Storm Front" will be episode 5.

I've been downloading SG-1 and SGA. I watched about 5 of SGA as they came out, but now there's only two more to go, so I've decided to wait until it's done to watch it. Probably the same for SG-1, even though I'll still be done before Sci Fi gets to it (April 6th, btw).

In a way, I do want to get it done before it hits Sci Fi. I'm not a fan of the recent seasons, so I'm thinking maybe if I watch them before it hits general fandom, I'll have time to "process" my reaction before discussing it with fandom at large. If I want to discuss it at all. I know the brief summaries don't usually do a full episode justice, but the latter half of season ten sounds very lame. Sounds like it'll go out with a whimper instead of a bang, mostly because TPTB won't resolve anything because they're saving it for the DVD movies.

Torchwood feels as if it revolves around Gwen, which wouldn't have been my first choice. But as long as it does, then I have to like Gwen. With her snotty thoughts about Tosh, her affair with Owen, and her constant appeals to the others to just care she isn't winning a lot of points with me. The dead boy falling in love with her like that was also too many shades of any number of ~~Stargate episodes~~ other shows in which people fall in love with each other on first sight. *shudder*

I'm VERY glad to know that my difficulties with the Dresden Files is due to SciFi's stupidity. I'll give the show a much longer time to engage me but I gotta say that whoever made that decision should be fired. And tarred. Because I really, really want to like the show.

I can totally understand wanting to see the episodes in a vacuum. I'm not a spoiler-phobe but I've taken to avoiding most spoilers because I want to make up my own mind about how bad an episode is (or isn't). I was afraid the DVD movies would take the place of an honest ending for the show. Oh well, another opportunity to screw things up has been grabbed by TPTB and I can't say that I'm surprised.

Gwen was supposed to be the POV of the audience -- new to all this alien stuff and asking dumb questions to enlighten the audience. But she's a bit too "holier than thou" combined with "do as I say, not as I do" for me to care about her.

There were way too many times in which someone did something stupid or totally out of character just to set up a plot. Such as I never saw Owen's "grand love affair" with the time traveler, it just didn't fit with his character as we knew him and was out of left field that he'd fall in love at first sight, but they had to have that in order to set up a reason why he'd be willing to do anything to open the rift.

I really want to like the Dresden series too. I've known Jim since before the books were published and I want to like the series because it's based on his work. I can handle most of the changes they've made due to the restrictions of tv budgets and the like, but others bug me. Such as the first time we see the adult Harry, he's in bed with some random chick.

First of all, I'm really tired of "lead male must shag every available female" stereotype anyway, but part of Harry's charm, to me anyway, is he's kind of a loser with women. It's partly because he doesn't want to risk a relationship that could get someone else hurt (and not "heart hurt" but more like "dead"), but he's also a bit of a romantic with a strong streak of chivalry. He doesn't strike me as a casual sex type of guy at all.

I don't mind spoilers of the general type, such as who'll be guest starring and what the TV Guide-quality description is, but I try to avoid opinions until I've seen it myself. One person's trash is another's treasure, so there's often times when someone else raves about an episode, but it's because they like what I loathe and vice versa.

It's one reason I no longer frequent online forums for Stargate. Everything is via LJ now, which makes it a lot easier to not only avoid spoilers, but I can pick and choose which communities and people are on my flist, so I don't get my blood pressure up over someone raving over whatever they liked when it's something they hate. *g*

I'm not surprised by anything TPTB do now. Such as dropping a few bombs regarding the fourth season of Atlantis, then acting like it's the fault of the fans who're upset because they don't know the whole story. Gee, could that be because they haven't told us anything?

Yeah, I could tell Gwen was our Mary Sue but sadly she really seems to be a Mary Sue. Rather than being a nice bridge to facilitate exposition, she turned into a real Mary Sue: judging, cajoling, and "changing" the existing characters to make them act the way "we" expect. Thankfully, she doesn't have violet eyes. ;-)

I haven't read the books -- and purposefully avoided them once I knew the upcoming series that looked cool was based on real books. I never, ever like how things get adapted if the source text is fresh in my mind. It's easier for me to enjoy the movie/show for what it is and then go back and read the books for the fuller and more wonderful experience that books usually are.

I agree with you on the online forum vs. LJ thing. LJ has lowered my stress level and made fandom fun again. :) Even when it's to bitch about things that annoy me.

And you're right -- the Boyz of Bridge almost can't surprise me. Mallozzi in particular seems determined to foment trouble. I don't actually care what the full story is because the net effect of whatever's happening behind the scenes results in loss of fan favorites and that's always just plain old stupid.

Are you sure Gwen didn't have violet eyes? Or at least some other unusual color? If not, she was falling down on the Mary Sue job. ;)

There's a saying about never judging a book by its movie (or tv series), and there's definitely some truth to that. At least you know you've got a book series to consider reading after the tv series is over, no matter if the tv series ends up sucking.

I think everyone needs a place to vent and bitch sometimes, and being in "mixed company" in a forum makes it hard to do in some cases, especially when there's something that makes fandom diverge. Those who like what you don't often go into the "If you don't like it, don't watch! Let those who do have our fun!" mode, which is pretty self defeating, IMO. How do I know I'm not going to like something until I've watched it? And even the most dire episode often has a gem of a scene, but that doesn't mean I should only squee about a one minute scene and forget the rest of it was crap.

Mallozzi is just... words fail me. I might think some of my customers are being silly, stupid or whatever, but you don't tell them that to their (virtual) faces. Not if you want to stay in business. This man is going to be the showrunner for SGA next season, and I have to say that's filling me with dread the more he opens his mouth online. The rest of TPTB seem to be focusing on the DVD movies, so I think Atlantis will be left to Mallozzi's "tender mercies."

Now that you mention it, I think she does have violet eyes. :) Someone should totally make a sparkly Gwen icon and color her eyes violet.

I would never hold the series against the books - and for now, I can't even hold it against the writers because Sci FI is yet again screwing something up. :(

Forums tended, for me, to become too isolationist; a sort of echo chamber. I can find intelligent people who disagree with me on LJ and friend them personally. I like that aspect because I'm perfectly happy to debate, discuss, and even bicker a bit but I prefer to do it on my own terms. Forums are invariably owned by someone else (because there is no way I'm willing to mod one of those behemoths) and it inevitably comes down to being their show. There's nothing wrong with that but somehow or another I ended up dissatisfied. So...LJ solved my problems.

So I guess the pendulum has swung so that it is no longer SGA getting all of the creative energy and SG-1 getting stuck as the red-headed step-child run by Mallozzi. That sucks for SGA; I am very sorry for those fans. I'm so glad they never managed to interest me in SGA. For now, I'm happy-ish with Heroes and my collections of DVDs.

I think LJ is a little more "one to one" than forums. Forums do tend to gravitate towards one end of a spectrum, and I greatly appreciate those who have both "free for all" threads as well as protected ones for various POVs. But in LJ I find myself freer to discuss with who I want, when I want, and like you say, people I'd probably not meet up with in forums who have differing opinions than mine seem more open to discussion in LJ. I think maybe it takes away some of the "hive mind" mentality some lists and forums sometimes have.

For whatever reason Wright and Cooper seem fixated with making a movie, any movie, even straight to DVD ones. I guess they think it's going to improve their resume or something, possibly helping them to get future movie deals. SG-1 is just the only way they could get their foot in the door, so I don't really think it's going to be taking all their creative energy, since they haven't really done all that much creative on either show in recent years. SG-1 is just a means to an end now, with the end having nothing to do with Stargate, but the furtherance of careers.

The only reason I watch SGA is David Hewlett, and it sounds like he's going to have a lot of other projects in the works soon, so if I do ditch the show, I'll still be able to show my support for him elsewhere.

Yay for waiting!

I am also delaying the inecitible, but it needs to be done. I have to wait. Even though I prefer the classic eps to the new stuff, it's still Sg-1. And I want to look forward to something. i want to stretch it out as long as I can.

Or something like that

Yay! It'll be you and me! We'll be the last two fans in the world to see the episodes. No, it isn't my beloved SG-1 of old but I always held out hope that they'd again find greatness. I will be very sad when it's gone no matter how bitterly I've kvetched over its failings in years past. :)

I don't really like what they're doing with Baltar, Starbuck, or Apollo.

Wow, I just commented something to this effect in another post. Um, amen? I've always disliked Baltar, and for a long time that was fine because I kind of thought we were supposed to, a little? But I used to love Starbuck and Apollo. And I still love Starbuck and Apollo. It's Lee and Kara I hate.

The only thing happening on the show right now that I really like, besides for Helo and Sharon, who used to bore me to tears and now I love them, is watching the Cylons struggle with the inconceivable notion of disagreeing. The fractioning of party lines and the models developing their own personalities...that's kind of cool. And the Olmos/Hogan/McDonnell acting dream team never fails to impress. But the marital angst...yawn.

LOL! I suspect a lot of the fandom has to be scratching their heads.

I'll admit that I had an appreciation for Baltar -- oh, I always disliked him and found him annoying -- but I was waiting to see what would turn him to the Cylon's side, get him to join the Cylons in their fleet. I thought S1 did a fabulous job of setting up why he'd switch sides in a way that the original series never did. I loved the depth.

And you're right: it's Kara and Lee who annoy me. Starbuck and Apollo tend to make me happy. I loved Starbuck as the kickass pilot with the attitude problem.

watching the Cylons struggle with the inconceivable notion of disagreeing
Amen! Figuring out the Cylons - and watching them try to figure themselves out - has been wonderful.

There are times I wish we'd just stick with them and Roslin, Adama, and Tigh for the humans.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Recent TV Adventures

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject