Is Your Journey Really Necessary?
After two or three weeks of schoolwork and stalling, Surly and i finally sat down and watched the end of The Sandbaggers Season One Monday night, and last night we watched the first episode of Season Two.
A couple of things struck me, since this is the first time i've gone back and rewatched Sandbaggers since swan_tower and kniedzw gleefully introduced it to me. One, i now understand why they *had* to be there when i saw the end of Season One, as i went through something similar watching Surly watch it. Two, Willie Caine is totally my hero (and i'd forgotten that the episode with his Cyprus girlfriend was in first season, so i was happily surprised to see it, as it's one of my favorites). Three, it's once again amazing how much plot can get crammed into 7 episodes, and yet it still feels like the story pacing is laid back and that it takes its time, especially the second time through when you know what's coming. I think it speaks volumes to the writing that they build such a complete arc so quickly, without making you feel like you're in the middle of a plot arc, if that makes sense.
Everything else i have to say involves spoilers from Season One and the first episode ("At All Costs") of Season Two, with a little bit of vague discussion of Season Three and the end of the show.
Going back for the second time, i realized that you walk out of Season One thinking that Burnside is a right bastard--and not just "dude, you're a bastard" but "OHMYF@#$ING GOD YOU KILLED YOUR GIRLFRIEND YOU HEARTLESS F#$@." Willie comes out of the whole thing looking like the only human being in the lot, other than Laura, who's, well, dead. (And Diane, but that's coz she just rocks, and i still believe that she and Willie form the emotional heart/core of the show.) Regardless, Season Two has a lot of work to do to make you like Burnside again, and i think they handled it well. You see Burnside mostly in shock at the end of Season One, i think--very little crying other than the moment he walks away from Laura's body. The last thing it leaves you with (besides frozen Burnside walking along the Thames) is Willie, ever the loyal friend--and i think "friend" is very important there--letting Burnside know that all is forgiven.
Season Two, of course, opens on the year anniversary of Laura's death, with a Bulgarian spy offering a trade of information, on the condition that the new Sandbagger Two come personally to pick it up. Similar situation, and in this episode they allow us to see just how affected Burnside is by the loss of Laura--he's now fighting tooth and nail to protect his Sandbaggers, because he's "not going to lose another one." (Interestingly enough, this is also the beginning of his self-destructive streak, as his first "either this happens my way or i resign" threats start to come out.)
The job goes wrong (of course) and Sandbagger Two is shot by the Bulgarian police. Burnside and Willie, with help from Jeff Ross, go to Sofia to get him out and find him in the bolthole, near death from a bullet to the back. Burnside wants to save him, Willie argues that they don't have any choice--an interesting reversal from last year, in Berlin. Ultimately, Burnside agrees that it's hopeless and goes to take care of the Sandbagger himself, only to find that he's already dead from his wound. (There's an oddly shocking moment when Burnside reverts to his cold, calculating self and ransacks the body, but as distasteful and cold as it seems, you also realize that he's got very good reasons for it.)
And Burnside and Willie go home. And i'm back to liking Burnside, even as i hate him, even as he scares me a bit.
It's pretty amazing how quickly you go from "OMG you bastard" to "awww, that sucks, poor Neil" in one episode. Even more amazing is the fact that it's never pushed--no one's trying to force the issue. You just get small hints that build up the case for Burnside.
The other thing that struck me is the realization that Burnside and Willie work so well because they're friends--which puts Willie into the same category as Laura, i think. Which is probably a dangerous place to be. (; But one of the things i've enjoyed in watching the episodes over again is keeping an eye on the Burnside-Willie relationship. I think Willie (and to some degree Diane) are the only people who can tell Burnside the truths that he's not willing to admit. And i think they redeem him by still liking him anyway.
Alright. Back to class...
A couple of things struck me, since this is the first time i've gone back and rewatched Sandbaggers since swan_tower and kniedzw gleefully introduced it to me. One, i now understand why they *had* to be there when i saw the end of Season One, as i went through something similar watching Surly watch it. Two, Willie Caine is totally my hero (and i'd forgotten that the episode with his Cyprus girlfriend was in first season, so i was happily surprised to see it, as it's one of my favorites). Three, it's once again amazing how much plot can get crammed into 7 episodes, and yet it still feels like the story pacing is laid back and that it takes its time, especially the second time through when you know what's coming. I think it speaks volumes to the writing that they build such a complete arc so quickly, without making you feel like you're in the middle of a plot arc, if that makes sense.
Everything else i have to say involves spoilers from Season One and the first episode ("At All Costs") of Season Two, with a little bit of vague discussion of Season Three and the end of the show.
Going back for the second time, i realized that you walk out of Season One thinking that Burnside is a right bastard--and not just "dude, you're a bastard" but "OHMYF@#$ING GOD YOU KILLED YOUR GIRLFRIEND YOU HEARTLESS F#$@." Willie comes out of the whole thing looking like the only human being in the lot, other than Laura, who's, well, dead. (And Diane, but that's coz she just rocks, and i still believe that she and Willie form the emotional heart/core of the show.) Regardless, Season Two has a lot of work to do to make you like Burnside again, and i think they handled it well. You see Burnside mostly in shock at the end of Season One, i think--very little crying other than the moment he walks away from Laura's body. The last thing it leaves you with (besides frozen Burnside walking along the Thames) is Willie, ever the loyal friend--and i think "friend" is very important there--letting Burnside know that all is forgiven.
Season Two, of course, opens on the year anniversary of Laura's death, with a Bulgarian spy offering a trade of information, on the condition that the new Sandbagger Two come personally to pick it up. Similar situation, and in this episode they allow us to see just how affected Burnside is by the loss of Laura--he's now fighting tooth and nail to protect his Sandbaggers, because he's "not going to lose another one." (Interestingly enough, this is also the beginning of his self-destructive streak, as his first "either this happens my way or i resign" threats start to come out.)
The job goes wrong (of course) and Sandbagger Two is shot by the Bulgarian police. Burnside and Willie, with help from Jeff Ross, go to Sofia to get him out and find him in the bolthole, near death from a bullet to the back. Burnside wants to save him, Willie argues that they don't have any choice--an interesting reversal from last year, in Berlin. Ultimately, Burnside agrees that it's hopeless and goes to take care of the Sandbagger himself, only to find that he's already dead from his wound. (There's an oddly shocking moment when Burnside reverts to his cold, calculating self and ransacks the body, but as distasteful and cold as it seems, you also realize that he's got very good reasons for it.)
And Burnside and Willie go home. And i'm back to liking Burnside, even as i hate him, even as he scares me a bit.
It's pretty amazing how quickly you go from "OMG you bastard" to "awww, that sucks, poor Neil" in one episode. Even more amazing is the fact that it's never pushed--no one's trying to force the issue. You just get small hints that build up the case for Burnside.
The other thing that struck me is the realization that Burnside and Willie work so well because they're friends--which puts Willie into the same category as Laura, i think. Which is probably a dangerous place to be. (; But one of the things i've enjoyed in watching the episodes over again is keeping an eye on the Burnside-Willie relationship. I think Willie (and to some degree Diane) are the only people who can tell Burnside the truths that he's not willing to admit. And i think they redeem him by still liking him anyway.
Alright. Back to class...