Falling Skies 5x01: Taking Me Back to the Feminist Rage of My College Days
*****[MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT]*****
Last time on Falling Skies: Lexi had some very potent kool-aid, which Maggie is apparently still recovering from as she continues to make bad, Mason-centric life choices. (There *are* other guys in this apocalypse.) Tom Mason was Super!Tom, and declared his intentions to fly to the moon and destroy the Ashveni base all by his lonesome. Thankfully, Lexi ended up accompanying him and offed herself in order to save humanity. Thus, we are rid of one preternaturally beautiful and hypnotic alien woman…. but don't worry, they've got another one waiting in the wings. X_x''
Speaking of character death, the writers seem to have declared a unanimous and enthusiastic open season on all female characters, since they picked of Jeanie (sob), Lourdes, Lexi (they get a pass on that one) and are in the process of some impressive character assassination on Maggie.
[+] We pick right back up with Tom's "you're beautiful" comment, made the the vague but decidedly un-beautiful alien we see briefly in the mirror. The alien presents itself as Tom's first wife Rebecca (points for the attractive redhead, Tom, but not much else), acting out a pre-invasion memory with odd emphasis on "eradicating cancer cells". Mason thinks it's a dream-- the audience knows its yet another in a long line of head-fucks. faux!Rebecca tells him in a serious, meaningful voice to "find his inner warrior", which makes me worry that this is one of those viagra commercials where beautiful models walk alone through vacation resorts and talk to men empathetically about their erectile disfunction.
But then Woodrow Wilson shows up and the ocean floods through the windows, so everything is okay!
[+] Back on Earth, Weaver talks to Ann about her 'loss' as though he's had any time to really mourn or process. If this is the last mention we hear of Jeanie…. well, I won't be surprised, but I will throw something.
[+] But it's Noah Wylie Tom Mason, so there was never any chance he was dead to begin with. A whole seven seconds of tension, whew. Mason comes back to camp, where Pope immediately articulates everything the audience is thinking, and the audience immediately looks for a drink because they hate agreeing with Pope on ANYTHING. At least, I do.
[+] Tom assures everyone that he does not have eye-worms (this is why I can't talk about this to people who don't watch the show ;_;) and has a strong reaction to Lexi's old hippie-dippie symbol. He had good dreams, so everything's okay, and people are happy to make excuses for him.
[+] In front of the (still to be decimated) survivors, Tom gives a rousing speak in which he encourages everyone to find their inner warrior. He brought a head to illustrate his point. (A dish to pass would have been better.)
TOM: "A time will come when we can go back to being doctors, bricklayers, mothers…"
Seriously, was anyone in the remaining 2nd Mass EVER a bricklayer? Where did that come from?
[+] Cochise has commandeered some Volm tech, and is apparently willing to play telephone with other human resistance groups all over the globe. When they mentioned Arizona, one of my nieces turned around and said, "they all hid underground and became Ant People." Which makes as much sense as anything else.
[+] Anthony, a far more interesting and under-utilized character, was all ready to win a stuffed bear, but Hal had to be a fucking show off. Again.
[+]Other things that happened over the hiatus: Matt became old enough to enlist, and Anne learned kung-fu.
[+] Where is MY MAGGIE? Where is my tough-as-nails-despite-exposed-wounds survivor? 'Cause it ain't the chick being kittenish and tolerating Hal's manhandling. My Maggie would have said 'enough with the babysitting' and told both Mason brothers to fuck off. And then she'd have told Matt not to get any ideas.
… On the other hand, Hal's 'dick' characterization is holding steady.
[+] Tom takes strategic inspiration from his freaky dreams. Meredith is just proud she recognized Woodrow Wilson.
[+]AND THEY KILLED DENNI!!!!! You know, you might have been able to convince me I was just being paranoid before, but not now. I was willing to let it go, and just chalk it up to misogynist Hollywood in general, but nooooooo. Female, ethnic _and_ kick-ass--- she was doomed from the start. I am so over these sophomoric writers, so entrenched in their patriarchal narrative that they can't even see the lengths to which their subconscious egos insult, burn through, and discard female characters… never mind the dramatic potential they waste.
Amber, we have to write our own kick-ass alien invasion show where the women are badass survivors, and various dudes (all of whom must be pretty) killed season after season to advance the 'plot'. Except, you know, we'll actually have one-- so we can focus on making the deaths creative.
*hugs Amber*
Last time on Falling Skies: Lexi had some very potent kool-aid, which Maggie is apparently still recovering from as she continues to make bad, Mason-centric life choices. (There *are* other guys in this apocalypse.) Tom Mason was Super!Tom, and declared his intentions to fly to the moon and destroy the Ashveni base all by his lonesome. Thankfully, Lexi ended up accompanying him and offed herself in order to save humanity. Thus, we are rid of one preternaturally beautiful and hypnotic alien woman…. but don't worry, they've got another one waiting in the wings. X_x''
Speaking of character death, the writers seem to have declared a unanimous and enthusiastic open season on all female characters, since they picked of Jeanie (sob), Lourdes, Lexi (they get a pass on that one) and are in the process of some impressive character assassination on Maggie.
[+] We pick right back up with Tom's "you're beautiful" comment, made the the vague but decidedly un-beautiful alien we see briefly in the mirror. The alien presents itself as Tom's first wife Rebecca (points for the attractive redhead, Tom, but not much else), acting out a pre-invasion memory with odd emphasis on "eradicating cancer cells". Mason thinks it's a dream-- the audience knows its yet another in a long line of head-fucks. faux!Rebecca tells him in a serious, meaningful voice to "find his inner warrior", which makes me worry that this is one of those viagra commercials where beautiful models walk alone through vacation resorts and talk to men empathetically about their erectile disfunction.
But then Woodrow Wilson shows up and the ocean floods through the windows, so everything is okay!
[+] Back on Earth, Weaver talks to Ann about her 'loss' as though he's had any time to really mourn or process. If this is the last mention we hear of Jeanie…. well, I won't be surprised, but I will throw something.
[+] But it's Noah Wylie Tom Mason, so there was never any chance he was dead to begin with. A whole seven seconds of tension, whew. Mason comes back to camp, where Pope immediately articulates everything the audience is thinking, and the audience immediately looks for a drink because they hate agreeing with Pope on ANYTHING. At least, I do.
[+] Tom assures everyone that he does not have eye-worms (this is why I can't talk about this to people who don't watch the show ;_;) and has a strong reaction to Lexi's old hippie-dippie symbol. He had good dreams, so everything's okay, and people are happy to make excuses for him.
[+] In front of the (still to be decimated) survivors, Tom gives a rousing speak in which he encourages everyone to find their inner warrior. He brought a head to illustrate his point. (A dish to pass would have been better.)
TOM: "A time will come when we can go back to being doctors, bricklayers, mothers…"
Seriously, was anyone in the remaining 2nd Mass EVER a bricklayer? Where did that come from?
[+] Cochise has commandeered some Volm tech, and is apparently willing to play telephone with other human resistance groups all over the globe. When they mentioned Arizona, one of my nieces turned around and said, "they all hid underground and became Ant People." Which makes as much sense as anything else.
[+] Anthony, a far more interesting and under-utilized character, was all ready to win a stuffed bear, but Hal had to be a fucking show off. Again.
[+]Other things that happened over the hiatus: Matt became old enough to enlist, and Anne learned kung-fu.
[+] Where is MY MAGGIE? Where is my tough-as-nails-despite-exposed-wounds survivor? 'Cause it ain't the chick being kittenish and tolerating Hal's manhandling. My Maggie would have said 'enough with the babysitting' and told both Mason brothers to fuck off. And then she'd have told Matt not to get any ideas.
… On the other hand, Hal's 'dick' characterization is holding steady.
[+] Tom takes strategic inspiration from his freaky dreams. Meredith is just proud she recognized Woodrow Wilson.
[+]AND THEY KILLED DENNI!!!!! You know, you might have been able to convince me I was just being paranoid before, but not now. I was willing to let it go, and just chalk it up to misogynist Hollywood in general, but nooooooo. Female, ethnic _and_ kick-ass--- she was doomed from the start. I am so over these sophomoric writers, so entrenched in their patriarchal narrative that they can't even see the lengths to which their subconscious egos insult, burn through, and discard female characters… never mind the dramatic potential they waste.
Amber, we have to write our own kick-ass alien invasion show where the women are badass survivors, and various dudes (all of whom must be pretty) killed season after season to advance the 'plot'. Except, you know, we'll actually have one-- so we can focus on making the deaths creative.
*hugs Amber*