"Did you get to the anal rape scene yet?"
There was a time when Weeds was one of the best shows on TV. We're a good couple of years past that time, and it was only through force of habit (and the fact that the episodes are only an itty-bitty 20 minutes long) that I bothered to watch the first two eps of s5. But actually? Low expectations make the show feel pretty damn good. They're really embracing the darkness and, fi-i-i-inally, after years of Nancy being the unconvincing martyr, they're now characterizing her as selfish and unhinged. Weirdly, it makes her x10 more compelling.
Also, it's not often I'm watching TV and I think, 'damn, I wish I'd written that'. But the scene between Guillermo and Nancy at the jail was obscene and scary and funny and made me go, daaaaamn, I wish I'd written that.
Nancy/Andy has never been my OTP, but I've always had a "wow, that would be really fucked up and awesome" fondness for it, so I'm glad it's the shipping agenda that the writers are pushing. Andy pining for Nancy was very sweet, and him having sex with Jennifer Jason Leigh (and hitting every possible combination of pseudo-incest between the Botwins and the Prices!) kept it in character. Heee.
I can't even say how much I love that, in the space of a season, Shane has gone from this sweet, smart, cute kid into a pervy, hormonal PSYCHO. Teenage boys ARE hilarious and ridiculous and they don't get the piss ripped out of them on TV nearly enough.
All in all, I am definitely excited for the season to come.
Watching the season finale of Greek so soon after watching the season premiere of True Blood this week makes it all too tempting for me to compare the two. TB paced its s1 finale all wrong (the denouement in the middle of the episode -- really?) and began its second season with a whimper more than a bang, making me prematurely tired of all the new storylines. Whereas Greek gave a solid, satisfying and cohesive conclusion to its season, while also teasing for what's to come next (school) year.
I don't really think Spencer Grammar is much of an actress, but the desperation in her eyes throughout this episode (especially combined with the red backlighting -- echoed in the final Cappie scene -- pretty!) really made Casey's plight feel poignant.
The light-hearted intertextuality has always been this show's main joy for me (I can't stop laughing at Rusty giving Casey a JoA box set or Cappie's "I missed a lot of great TV by having friends" comment) and the Casey/Ashleigh "you're Felicity!" scene was such a great moment. It was equal parts nostalgic and also a smackdown, because yeah, those shows made women into indecisive weaklings and it was offensive.
I had some frustrations with this season -- hated Becca's disappearing bisexuality and got superbored by Dale's cougar girlfriend -- but the good definitely outweighed the bad. I loved the secret society and the way it slowly (and organically) brought Evan and Cappie back together. I also enjoyed the parallels between Andy/Jordan/Rusty and Cappie/Casey/Evan -- especially since the way it impacted Cappie and Rusty's friendship was given as much poignancy as anything romantic that went on.
I loved everything about Casey and Max, but I'm also not sad that it's over. Max's "never seen me dumped" comment was a fantastic knife in the chest. As was the insinuation that things are going to be rocky for Rusty and Jordan next season.
It seemed like Calvin spent way too much time being the Gay Best Friend this season, but his relationship with his roommate has definite potential (though I'm not crazy about the casting of the Grant character).
In conclusion: next season: more Betsy, more Beaver!
Also, it's not often I'm watching TV and I think, 'damn, I wish I'd written that'. But the scene between Guillermo and Nancy at the jail was obscene and scary and funny and made me go, daaaaamn, I wish I'd written that.
Nancy/Andy has never been my OTP, but I've always had a "wow, that would be really fucked up and awesome" fondness for it, so I'm glad it's the shipping agenda that the writers are pushing. Andy pining for Nancy was very sweet, and him having sex with Jennifer Jason Leigh (and hitting every possible combination of pseudo-incest between the Botwins and the Prices!) kept it in character. Heee.
I can't even say how much I love that, in the space of a season, Shane has gone from this sweet, smart, cute kid into a pervy, hormonal PSYCHO. Teenage boys ARE hilarious and ridiculous and they don't get the piss ripped out of them on TV nearly enough.
All in all, I am definitely excited for the season to come.
Watching the season finale of Greek so soon after watching the season premiere of True Blood this week makes it all too tempting for me to compare the two. TB paced its s1 finale all wrong (the denouement in the middle of the episode -- really?) and began its second season with a whimper more than a bang, making me prematurely tired of all the new storylines. Whereas Greek gave a solid, satisfying and cohesive conclusion to its season, while also teasing for what's to come next (school) year.
I don't really think Spencer Grammar is much of an actress, but the desperation in her eyes throughout this episode (especially combined with the red backlighting -- echoed in the final Cappie scene -- pretty!) really made Casey's plight feel poignant.
The light-hearted intertextuality has always been this show's main joy for me (I can't stop laughing at Rusty giving Casey a JoA box set or Cappie's "I missed a lot of great TV by having friends" comment) and the Casey/Ashleigh "you're Felicity!" scene was such a great moment. It was equal parts nostalgic and also a smackdown, because yeah, those shows made women into indecisive weaklings and it was offensive.
I had some frustrations with this season -- hated Becca's disappearing bisexuality and got superbored by Dale's cougar girlfriend -- but the good definitely outweighed the bad. I loved the secret society and the way it slowly (and organically) brought Evan and Cappie back together. I also enjoyed the parallels between Andy/Jordan/Rusty and Cappie/Casey/Evan -- especially since the way it impacted Cappie and Rusty's friendship was given as much poignancy as anything romantic that went on.
I loved everything about Casey and Max, but I'm also not sad that it's over. Max's "never seen me dumped" comment was a fantastic knife in the chest. As was the insinuation that things are going to be rocky for Rusty and Jordan next season.
It seemed like Calvin spent way too much time being the Gay Best Friend this season, but his relationship with his roommate has definite potential (though I'm not crazy about the casting of the Grant character).
In conclusion: next season: more Betsy, more Beaver!