30 Days of TV: Day 7 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
We did something like this over on teamsidekick last week or something, I believe. So lemmme see...
My immediate thoughts go to Stargate SG-1, of which I have several episodes I dislike (this consisting of episodes s1-7, sans 6 of which I've only seen a few eps).
- 4x03 "Upgrades" Hate this episode because it leads to "Divide and Conquer," simply put. The longer explanation: This is where we get into the malarky of pressing a relationship into canon (and most of friends know how much I dislike Jack/Sam specifically). This is where there's that idiotic, slutily dressed, bitch Anise roams (omg I hate her). D&C is when they frigging kill off Martouf! WTF, I demand! WTF?
- 7x13 "Grace" I have't thought about this episode for a long time but as I sat down to type this I realized that this ranks high on episodes I hate. It's terribly disrespectful of Sam's character, I mean, what's with the BS her mind!dad telling her she needs to get a bf? (Ok, I don't believe it was in those exact words, but it was darn close.) I'm also disappointed that mind!Daniel was tossed in seemingly for laughs but when you look at it a little harder you realize that his childishness, his portrayal as being an annoying distraction, is supposedly how Sam imagines him. >:( Put on my angry face. (And yeah, I groaned in pain over the kiss. *facepalm* Leave my team alone, damn it!)
There's plenty of episodes from The Dead Zone that annoy me, but let's hit on the thing that put the final nail in the coffin for me. The thing that ensures I will never buy s6 and continues to be a barrier to any desire for me to watch the last episodes of the show. [SPOILERS abound]
6x01 "Heritage" Bastards. Absolute bastards. I've felt betrayed by plenty of other shows and such, but I've devoted a hell of a lot into this fandom and that definitely effects how angry I am with what they did. See, budget cuts took place, which y'know, I do get. I understand that. But they pulled this off with BS and one of the writers of the episode talked in a behind-the-scenes vid about how she was looking forward to the damn "Johnny-Sarah" dynamic again. *fumes* Ok, let me lay it out (although I know I posted about this back when it first aired)
- People who get cut because of or after this episode: Walt Bannerman. Janus. Reverend Purdy. Bruce Lewis. (Two die, the other two disappear into the background - or rather, they kick Bruce to Boston and out-of-sight except for one other episode.)
- The mythos for me started getting bumpy with episode 4x01 where Janus enters the stage - very clearly a bad guy, quite sinister, he gave me the creeps - and Stillson started to be a slightly sympathetic character. I was frustrated for about a season over the seeming "retraction" of Stillson's "evilness," but then I started to like the complexity. Janus' behind-the-scenes creepiness worked for me. Then 6x01 comes along, they kill off Janus, and Stillson's coming off full-blown evil again. May I ask WTF?
- This next part needs some setup. First,
The Good leading here: 1) Walt and Sarah are finally pregnant! Do you know how ridiculously happy I was about this? The characters talked about this way back in s3! Why didn't this come up again until the end of s5? 2) Finally. Finally the old Johnny-and-Sarah past relationship was truly passed. I think this finally seemed clear in s4, but lordy, it was a long time coming. 3) Sarah and Walt! Sarah and Walt were finally together and committed and happy and their family interacted fine with Johnny without weird glances or UST!
Why this episode/season ruined everything: The key to all of this is - they effing killed Walt! They killed Walt! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!? This is the thing that gets me the worst. If it was really a matter of budget, I'd think you'd killed Purdy (David Ogden Steirs, whose name is going to afford him higher salary) - and this would have worked so well. But NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO they had to kill Walt! Remember those good things I just listed? Notice how they all revolve around the cessation of the damned love triangle between Walt, Sarah, and Johnny? Yeah, well that got fucked. Yes, I'm sorry, I'm in a rage now. This still pisses me off so much.
What this means: Sarah's "free" romantically, and yes, that's how at least a few of the writers felt. You have no idea how much I wanted to punch the woman who was all "yey!Sarah&Johnny!4evah!" This is just so insulting, IMO, for all characters involved. It's also so damn harlequin romance trite! Johnny was in a coma so Sarah fell in love again, married, and their son was raised by Walt. So, what. Now Johnny "raises the child he never could" since Walt's gone?
Walt gone means there's need for a new sheriff. Do they decide to promote Roscoe (who is indeed a minor character but is still recognizeable)? No. They bring in this new sheriff lady and in the season where they're supposed to be wrapping up stories with our familiar characters there's storylines for her. I don't care about her.
- DID YOU SEE WHAT I WROTE UP THERE? THEY KICK MY BRUCE OFF THE SHOW! BRUCE! BRUCE THE "JOHNNY-IS-YOUR-DESTINY" BFF GUY! WTF?
*sighs* Closing notes: My favorite character disappears! And I didn't really realize it until this episode, but Walt raced to be in the top four fav characters in this show. His death really upset me, and not even in that "I'm so sad wwwhhhyyyy?" way, but in the "that was frigging pointless!" side of things. And consider how damn important the characters of Walt and Bruce are to Johnny! The friendships here are key in shaping who Johnny became over the seasons.
Oh wow. Didn't realize how much I needed to vent about The Dead Zone. >_>
ILU & STUFF, BBs!
And if a fic for The Mentalist shows up sometime in the next couple weeks, it's all cedara's fault.
Edit: Found the links for my previous DZ ep reviews. Four posts in all, comments included: "A Very Dead Zone Christmas", "Articles of Faith", "The Inside Man", and, of course, my rant/rave on season 6 material.
My immediate thoughts go to Stargate SG-1, of which I have several episodes I dislike (this consisting of episodes s1-7, sans 6 of which I've only seen a few eps).
- 4x03 "Upgrades" Hate this episode because it leads to "Divide and Conquer," simply put. The longer explanation: This is where we get into the malarky of pressing a relationship into canon (and most of friends know how much I dislike Jack/Sam specifically). This is where there's that idiotic, slutily dressed, bitch Anise roams (omg I hate her). D&C is when they frigging kill off Martouf! WTF, I demand! WTF?
- 7x13 "Grace" I have't thought about this episode for a long time but as I sat down to type this I realized that this ranks high on episodes I hate. It's terribly disrespectful of Sam's character, I mean, what's with the BS her mind!dad telling her she needs to get a bf? (Ok, I don't believe it was in those exact words, but it was darn close.) I'm also disappointed that mind!Daniel was tossed in seemingly for laughs but when you look at it a little harder you realize that his childishness, his portrayal as being an annoying distraction, is supposedly how Sam imagines him. >:( Put on my angry face. (And yeah, I groaned in pain over the kiss. *facepalm* Leave my team alone, damn it!)
There's plenty of episodes from The Dead Zone that annoy me, but let's hit on the thing that put the final nail in the coffin for me. The thing that ensures I will never buy s6 and continues to be a barrier to any desire for me to watch the last episodes of the show. [SPOILERS abound]
6x01 "Heritage" Bastards. Absolute bastards. I've felt betrayed by plenty of other shows and such, but I've devoted a hell of a lot into this fandom and that definitely effects how angry I am with what they did. See, budget cuts took place, which y'know, I do get. I understand that. But they pulled this off with BS and one of the writers of the episode talked in a behind-the-scenes vid about how she was looking forward to the damn "Johnny-Sarah" dynamic again. *fumes* Ok, let me lay it out (although I know I posted about this back when it first aired)
- People who get cut because of or after this episode: Walt Bannerman. Janus. Reverend Purdy. Bruce Lewis. (Two die, the other two disappear into the background - or rather, they kick Bruce to Boston and out-of-sight except for one other episode.)
- The mythos for me started getting bumpy with episode 4x01 where Janus enters the stage - very clearly a bad guy, quite sinister, he gave me the creeps - and Stillson started to be a slightly sympathetic character. I was frustrated for about a season over the seeming "retraction" of Stillson's "evilness," but then I started to like the complexity. Janus' behind-the-scenes creepiness worked for me. Then 6x01 comes along, they kill off Janus, and Stillson's coming off full-blown evil again. May I ask WTF?
- This next part needs some setup. First,
The Good leading here: 1) Walt and Sarah are finally pregnant! Do you know how ridiculously happy I was about this? The characters talked about this way back in s3! Why didn't this come up again until the end of s5? 2) Finally. Finally the old Johnny-and-Sarah past relationship was truly passed. I think this finally seemed clear in s4, but lordy, it was a long time coming. 3) Sarah and Walt! Sarah and Walt were finally together and committed and happy and their family interacted fine with Johnny without weird glances or UST!
Why this episode/season ruined everything: The key to all of this is - they effing killed Walt! They killed Walt! WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!? This is the thing that gets me the worst. If it was really a matter of budget, I'd think you'd killed Purdy (David Ogden Steirs, whose name is going to afford him higher salary) - and this would have worked so well. But NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO they had to kill Walt! Remember those good things I just listed? Notice how they all revolve around the cessation of the damned love triangle between Walt, Sarah, and Johnny? Yeah, well that got fucked. Yes, I'm sorry, I'm in a rage now. This still pisses me off so much.
What this means: Sarah's "free" romantically, and yes, that's how at least a few of the writers felt. You have no idea how much I wanted to punch the woman who was all "yey!Sarah&Johnny!4evah!" This is just so insulting, IMO, for all characters involved. It's also so damn harlequin romance trite! Johnny was in a coma so Sarah fell in love again, married, and their son was raised by Walt. So, what. Now Johnny "raises the child he never could" since Walt's gone?
Walt gone means there's need for a new sheriff. Do they decide to promote Roscoe (who is indeed a minor character but is still recognizeable)? No. They bring in this new sheriff lady and in the season where they're supposed to be wrapping up stories with our familiar characters there's storylines for her. I don't care about her.
- DID YOU SEE WHAT I WROTE UP THERE? THEY KICK MY BRUCE OFF THE SHOW! BRUCE! BRUCE THE "JOHNNY-IS-YOUR-DESTINY" BFF GUY! WTF?
*sighs* Closing notes: My favorite character disappears! And I didn't really realize it until this episode, but Walt raced to be in the top four fav characters in this show. His death really upset me, and not even in that "I'm so sad wwwhhhyyyy?" way, but in the "that was frigging pointless!" side of things. And consider how damn important the characters of Walt and Bruce are to Johnny! The friendships here are key in shaping who Johnny became over the seasons.
Oh wow. Didn't realize how much I needed to vent about The Dead Zone. >_>
ILU & STUFF, BBs!
And if a fic for The Mentalist shows up sometime in the next couple weeks, it's all cedara's fault.
Edit: Found the links for my previous DZ ep reviews. Four posts in all, comments included: "A Very Dead Zone Christmas", "Articles of Faith", "The Inside Man", and, of course, my rant/rave on season 6 material.