Thoughts on SPN S5 premiere/Eureka/Leverage finale plus a Meme
Random, rambling, not particularly original thoughts on the SPN premiere, the Leverage finale, and the latest Eureka : I'm very slow, I know.
Obviously, there will be spoilery
So, SPN:
Good acting from people today, esp Jim Beaver (of course!) and actually I think it was Jared who hit it out of the park this time.
Really like the no-vessel policy. Not sure it's logical, but I definitely like the attitude behind it. Also the first time I remember Dean willing to watch Sam die to get something/avoid something.
And when Cas came kicking major ass, I couldn't help but think that Misha must be so excited to do something other than lie there while a little girl saves him.
And love that Cas is back and that he just burned the sign into their ribs. So like an angel (on this show) to just put his hands wherever he wants and do whatever he thinks is a good idea.
And like the way the seduction of Nick was played, actually.
And I was waiting the whole time for Dean's "screw 'em both" scene, and that speech was awesome. Feigned for Bobby? Eh, maybe.
But then there's ...
Becky. I kind of really wanted to like her. And HA to her obvious and fairly random favoritism of one brother over the other. But this 'satire' seemed a lot more mean-spirited toward fans than the awesome ep that first introduced Chuck. Laughing at rather than laughing with. Plus... that old stereotype that fanfic writers have an unsteady grip on the reality-fantasy divide.
And then there was the last scene. Which was was the most homoerotic life-partner scene this show has ever done.
And this is a show that had the bros consummate their season-long conflict/tension in a Honeymoon suite. And then had the brothers reunite and join forces again at an altar. In a scene that was way too much like the wedding scene at the end of The Graduate. This is the show that the maker of Torchwood thinks is about two lovers.
So this scene? Quite the wincestual accomplishment.
So... I'm wondering... is Becky there as like an inoculation, so that they can make fun of that view of the subtext, and therefore 'train' the audience to view those emotional scenes as "nope, not gay at all, only crazies would think of romantic relationships when they here someone say that 'we'll never be what we were'"? Is Becky there to prevent people from thinking that the last scene is what much of the fandom seems to think it is?
Or, should I give the powers that write the benefit of the doubt. Given how often they joke about it being an epic love story,given that they are aware of the subtext and play it up, maybe they want to use the romance-like aspects to convey how truly deep their love is. And maybe they know that the fans have enough sense to pick up on that and know that the homoerotic tension is symbolic not literal (in canon). So maybe Becky is there to remind us that they are indeed "more than brothers," whether that excessive love is sexual or not.
But then that's probably giving them too much credit. Not sure.
Very brief on Eureka:
Taggert! Yay!
And I want to like Tess SO badly, and I even like the actor but I'm not feeling the Jack/Tess.
Part of it may be my slasher's preference as I MISS NATHAN. Seriously, when I think about what this season is missing that others had, it's hard to pinpoint until I remember, oh yeah, NATHAN is gone. Sorry if I sound crazy, it's just that the tension was kind of the core of the show - the earnest sheriff vs the arrogant scientist, common sense vs. geniuses, etc.
But ... I know Alison's still mourning, but I kind of thought they would have romance bloom for J/A while he was being a good pregnancy coach or something. Cliched, I know, but it would have seemed less random.
Though of course I still get to see Nathan on those horrible Ketel One commercials that promise that if you switch to a more expensive vodka, you can prevent cultural constructions of masculinity from changing.
Leverage
Ah! I'll miss you! Come back sooner!
So... the plot I found predictable and cheesy, honestly, but there were some AWESOME moments.
And on a purely shallow note, I found Eliot really hot this ep. Because he's great when he's kicking ass. But when he's just dominating a guy so fast he doesn't even know what's happening- but he's NOT hurting him because he's a cop trying to do his job - never been hotter. I'm weird I know.
And Parker is back to scary-ass weird rather than adorable weird. Which I like much better, both in making sense dramatically and the giggle factor.
And love that Nate is able to come up with half a con just off the top of his head by logical guesses.
And though I miss Sophie, it is SO like her to send someone to con her own team. :)
MEME
So I usually don't do memes but this looks fun and doable. From the lj page of ryuutchi
Give me a character and I'll give you:
(a) three facts about them from my personal canon/fanon
(b) a reason he/she sucks
(c) a reason he/she is awesomecakes
(d) five things that never happened to that character and/or
(e) five people that character never fell in love with and why
Obviously, there will be spoilery
So, SPN:
Good acting from people today, esp Jim Beaver (of course!) and actually I think it was Jared who hit it out of the park this time.
Really like the no-vessel policy. Not sure it's logical, but I definitely like the attitude behind it. Also the first time I remember Dean willing to watch Sam die to get something/avoid something.
And when Cas came kicking major ass, I couldn't help but think that Misha must be so excited to do something other than lie there while a little girl saves him.
And love that Cas is back and that he just burned the sign into their ribs. So like an angel (on this show) to just put his hands wherever he wants and do whatever he thinks is a good idea.
And like the way the seduction of Nick was played, actually.
And I was waiting the whole time for Dean's "screw 'em both" scene, and that speech was awesome. Feigned for Bobby? Eh, maybe.
But then there's ...
Becky. I kind of really wanted to like her. And HA to her obvious and fairly random favoritism of one brother over the other. But this 'satire' seemed a lot more mean-spirited toward fans than the awesome ep that first introduced Chuck. Laughing at rather than laughing with. Plus... that old stereotype that fanfic writers have an unsteady grip on the reality-fantasy divide.
And then there was the last scene. Which was was the most homoerotic life-partner scene this show has ever done.
And this is a show that had the bros consummate their season-long conflict/tension in a Honeymoon suite. And then had the brothers reunite and join forces again at an altar. In a scene that was way too much like the wedding scene at the end of The Graduate. This is the show that the maker of Torchwood thinks is about two lovers.
So this scene? Quite the wincestual accomplishment.
So... I'm wondering... is Becky there as like an inoculation, so that they can make fun of that view of the subtext, and therefore 'train' the audience to view those emotional scenes as "nope, not gay at all, only crazies would think of romantic relationships when they here someone say that 'we'll never be what we were'"? Is Becky there to prevent people from thinking that the last scene is what much of the fandom seems to think it is?
Or, should I give the powers that write the benefit of the doubt. Given how often they joke about it being an epic love story,given that they are aware of the subtext and play it up, maybe they want to use the romance-like aspects to convey how truly deep their love is. And maybe they know that the fans have enough sense to pick up on that and know that the homoerotic tension is symbolic not literal (in canon). So maybe Becky is there to remind us that they are indeed "more than brothers," whether that excessive love is sexual or not.
But then that's probably giving them too much credit. Not sure.
Very brief on Eureka:
Taggert! Yay!
And I want to like Tess SO badly, and I even like the actor but I'm not feeling the Jack/Tess.
Part of it may be my slasher's preference as I MISS NATHAN. Seriously, when I think about what this season is missing that others had, it's hard to pinpoint until I remember, oh yeah, NATHAN is gone. Sorry if I sound crazy, it's just that the tension was kind of the core of the show - the earnest sheriff vs the arrogant scientist, common sense vs. geniuses, etc.
But ... I know Alison's still mourning, but I kind of thought they would have romance bloom for J/A while he was being a good pregnancy coach or something. Cliched, I know, but it would have seemed less random.
Though of course I still get to see Nathan on those horrible Ketel One commercials that promise that if you switch to a more expensive vodka, you can prevent cultural constructions of masculinity from changing.
Leverage
Ah! I'll miss you! Come back sooner!
So... the plot I found predictable and cheesy, honestly, but there were some AWESOME moments.
And on a purely shallow note, I found Eliot really hot this ep. Because he's great when he's kicking ass. But when he's just dominating a guy so fast he doesn't even know what's happening- but he's NOT hurting him because he's a cop trying to do his job - never been hotter. I'm weird I know.
And Parker is back to scary-ass weird rather than adorable weird. Which I like much better, both in making sense dramatically and the giggle factor.
And love that Nate is able to come up with half a con just off the top of his head by logical guesses.
And though I miss Sophie, it is SO like her to send someone to con her own team. :)
MEME
So I usually don't do memes but this looks fun and doable. From the lj page of ryuutchi
Give me a character and I'll give you:
(a) three facts about them from my personal canon/fanon
(b) a reason he/she sucks
(c) a reason he/she is awesomecakes
(d) five things that never happened to that character and/or
(e) five people that character never fell in love with and why