VM 3.04: Depudor gets her hate on

[depudor]

I’ve had a lot of trouble articulating how I feel about this season so far, so I’ve been reluctant to write up my thoughts, except when I’m promoting Lamb for Mayor. But this episode bothered me so much, I had to write it all down.

What bugs me is that it had the potential to be really good, but the writers are just lazy. They wasted a good idea.

Comments

[arabian]

Oh, I agree on every single point you've brought up. I could still enjoy the surface aspects of it, and I did love that this ep couldn't have aired before any episode prior to last week due to the change in Veronica's demeanor/attitude with/towards Logan. I LOVED that, but beyond them, yeah, you're right. And the crappy-ass editing/direction didn't help

[depudor]

L/V and JD are the reasons I'm still watching, too. But I liked their relationship more in S1 when it was part of a good show. What really irks me now is that this could still be a good show if the writers would just try. There's no reason it can't be well-plotted. 24 is a thousand times harder to plot than VM, but the writers manage to turn out several good seasons. And so many of these nitpicks/flaws could be fixed easily -- if they replaced the words "trust fund" with the word "inheritance," if they replaced "Vanity Fair" with "National Enquirer," if they replaced the bug on the necktie with a directional microphone.

FNL is awesome, and I'm not a football fan, either. It's not as much fun as VM, but the writing is fantastic.

[arabian]

I KNOW! This right here:

What really irks me now is that this could still be a good show if the writers would just try. It's little things. And you know I was thinking of S2 earlier this summer and realized that with a few changes (admittedly, some big), the season actually could have been salvageable. It still wouldn't be great, but the overall thing could have worked pretty well. Just a few changes.

And that's part of why I still hang around too, I guess. The quality is still there, you can STILL see the greatness lurking. I just keep hoping it will come out of the woodwork again. Last week actually did that for me in that they dealt with actual legitimate issues.

I dunno, I go back to RT is a lazy showrunner and his staff has picked up on that laziness. It's like they don't care.

[_jems_]

I agree with practically everything here, but I realize I've long since given up hope that this show will reach its full potential as long as RT is in charge. So, at this point I watch for the things I do like and revel in the caps more than the episodes. It's sad that it's come to this, but it's not like RT shouldn't have gotten the message that he's not as clever as he thinks he is long ago, so the fact that he still thinks he is must mean he believes the sycophants.

[buffyx]

Is it bad that I watch the episodes now, look at every scene and wonder how well it can be iconned from the framing and lighting?

[ladypuppy]

LOL. sometimes pretty pictures are all we have.

[depudor]

The other problem is the media/TV critics, who keep referring to VM as "brilliant" television. I can only assume that most of them don't watch the show that often, so they enjoy the clever one-liners and chalk up the logical gaps to not having watched every ep.

[depudor]

You and me both.

At least my expectations are lower now.

[depudor]

I think the magic whiteboard told them what to write.

[buffyx]

To join the chorus, I'll say I agree with basically everything you said, too, but like _jems_, I find myself having to watch this show through a different lens than I used to.

This episode really was a product of lazy writing, but I have to say I enjoyed it about twenty times more than Happy Go Lucky, if only for the fact that the emotional payoff was actually existent. Not as worthwile as it could have-- should have-- been, but at least it was there, and my expectations have been reduced for this show to the point where I am much more willing to forgive cheap plot twists and convoluted writing if they result in at least some kind of emotional resonance

[depudor]

My problem is that once I get into a show, I can't change the lens. I can have different standards for different shows, but I expect a smart show to stay smart for more than one season. I had the same problem with Grey's Anatomy -- I loved the first season because, while it had a few cheesy moments, it was smart and thoughtful, and the medical stuff was all completely believable. But in the second season, the VO's became trite and forced, the characters changed, they started doing completely inane things like having a prom at the hospital, and they started writing medical stories that were scientifically impossible. There's nothing wrong with soap operas -- I've loved plenty of them in my life -- but I didn't start out watching a soap; I started out watching a medical show. And now it's impossible for me to enjoy the show.

I will probably keep watching this show as long as JD is on it, but I don't know if I'll ever really enjoy it again.