Of that television medium
Currently, there are two TV shows I'm making a point to watch: Lost (as I have been for several weeks) and Doctor Who (the new season began this past weekend). Let's talk about both; skip if you don't care, 'cause that's what this whole thing is about.
I was wary of this new season of Doctor Who, largely because I was wary of the casting of Matt Smith, and the subsequent reveals of his costume and his TARDIS. I felt that there was plenty here to be worried about, but...
Frankly, it's not bad. Let me rephrase: it's not bad television. I enjoyed watching it. Whether or not it's good Doctor Who is another story. It makes me think back to 2005 and 2006 when Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant respectively first took the role. When was it that I first thought of either of them as the Doctor? With Chris, fairly early on, possibly as early as "Rose." With David, also early on, but not as early; maybe around "Tooth and Claw." So Matt? I've said many times in the past year that I'll watch this whole series and give it a fair shot. Hopefully, the "Doctorness" will kick in soon.
But how was the actual story? It was, as I said, not bad television. Steven Moffat delivered a solid script which was both playful in its introduction of the main characters and clever in its execution of plot. One of Moffat's strengths seems to be his ability to introduce so many desperate elements to his stories that you don't know which are pleasant window dressing and which will actually tie into the story, and then ultimately most of them do tie in somehow. Compare this to "The End of Time," where Russel T. Davies seemed to write in scenes and hooks simply for spectacle or unsupported character development. (RTD did this a lot, often successfully, but "The End of Time" was a gross offender of not being successful.)
So what did work? The fragmented time line in the narrative was entertaining as well as offering an interesting angle for the introduction of a companion. It also set up the Doctor as a myth again, except instead of the semi-messianic angel/saint/something that he was by the end of RTD's era, he's just a small town fairy tale told by a seven year old girl. While this may prove tiresome ultimately, it was a refreshing and amusing change.
I'm not a fan of the new outfit yet, and frankly I prefer the "raggedy Doctor" look of Tennant's old clothes. I also didn't care for the ending, when the Doctor goes to find the aliens just to show off a bit. Most of all, I don't like the new TARDIS. I think it looks ridiculous, gaudy, and cluttered. The first and last of these complaints I think I'm going to just have to live with.
Lost is a whole other pickle. By and large, I'm pleased with this season, simply because of its watchability. It managed to carefully balance my interest in the parallel universe against my frustration concerning what the hell the parallel universe actually is.
In retrospect, however, this season does have a few critical flaws, largely that nothing was happening. My favorite seasons were the third and fourth, since the plot always managed to follow a pretty brisk clip in both. This season, however, delays like a champion. I liked the revelation of the temple (mentioned first back in season three). Nothing happens there, tho', and everyone they meet turns out to be kinda useless and later easy to kill. So big temple plot? Useless.
On a related note, consider the recent episode "Ab Aeterno." This episode was overwhelmingly popular with everyone I've talked to about it. I enjoyed it mostly while watching it, but afterward something big occurred to me: nothing happened that whole episode. All that we got was confirmation of everything which had been bluntly hinted at for three-plus seasons. Granted, it was a good character story, and Nestor Carbonell was a great actor, especially given the fact that it was largely a non-English episode. That aside, nothing happened.
I think a large part of the whole "nothing happening" vibe that I was getting from this whole season seemed to stem from the fact that, despite having only a few episodes left, the writers seemed determined to try to wrap up the arc plot while introducing two new major plots: the candidate notion and the parallel universe. The candidate plot is new, but it does follow vaguely from some earlier themes of the show, namely Locke's feeling that he was always chosen. Nothing has really happened with that plot, tho', apart from all of the characters becoming aware that it exists and then walking around to different camp sites.
The parallel universe, as I said, has been interesting. However, nothing really happens here. It combines our notions of what the passengers of 815 would have been doing in LA with our notions of how the passengers would act after time on the island. In any other context, I'd call it a very successful plot experiment. However, it's half of the principle plot this season, so it confuses me with its significance.
That is why with last night's episode, "Happily Ever After," I was thrilled. I always suspected that the parallel plot would have to be explained away by Desmond somehow, given how this sort of thing always is. The fact that Desmonds in both universes are finally making some progress gives me new hope for the end of this series. Finally, Lost has given us a good episode this year, where something happens.
Here's hoping they don't drop the ball.
this is the straw, final straw in the roof of my mouth as I lie to you
I was wary of this new season of Doctor Who, largely because I was wary of the casting of Matt Smith, and the subsequent reveals of his costume and his TARDIS. I felt that there was plenty here to be worried about, but...
Frankly, it's not bad. Let me rephrase: it's not bad television. I enjoyed watching it. Whether or not it's good Doctor Who is another story. It makes me think back to 2005 and 2006 when Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant respectively first took the role. When was it that I first thought of either of them as the Doctor? With Chris, fairly early on, possibly as early as "Rose." With David, also early on, but not as early; maybe around "Tooth and Claw." So Matt? I've said many times in the past year that I'll watch this whole series and give it a fair shot. Hopefully, the "Doctorness" will kick in soon.
But how was the actual story? It was, as I said, not bad television. Steven Moffat delivered a solid script which was both playful in its introduction of the main characters and clever in its execution of plot. One of Moffat's strengths seems to be his ability to introduce so many desperate elements to his stories that you don't know which are pleasant window dressing and which will actually tie into the story, and then ultimately most of them do tie in somehow. Compare this to "The End of Time," where Russel T. Davies seemed to write in scenes and hooks simply for spectacle or unsupported character development. (RTD did this a lot, often successfully, but "The End of Time" was a gross offender of not being successful.)
So what did work? The fragmented time line in the narrative was entertaining as well as offering an interesting angle for the introduction of a companion. It also set up the Doctor as a myth again, except instead of the semi-messianic angel/saint/something that he was by the end of RTD's era, he's just a small town fairy tale told by a seven year old girl. While this may prove tiresome ultimately, it was a refreshing and amusing change.
I'm not a fan of the new outfit yet, and frankly I prefer the "raggedy Doctor" look of Tennant's old clothes. I also didn't care for the ending, when the Doctor goes to find the aliens just to show off a bit. Most of all, I don't like the new TARDIS. I think it looks ridiculous, gaudy, and cluttered. The first and last of these complaints I think I'm going to just have to live with.
Lost is a whole other pickle. By and large, I'm pleased with this season, simply because of its watchability. It managed to carefully balance my interest in the parallel universe against my frustration concerning what the hell the parallel universe actually is.
In retrospect, however, this season does have a few critical flaws, largely that nothing was happening. My favorite seasons were the third and fourth, since the plot always managed to follow a pretty brisk clip in both. This season, however, delays like a champion. I liked the revelation of the temple (mentioned first back in season three). Nothing happens there, tho', and everyone they meet turns out to be kinda useless and later easy to kill. So big temple plot? Useless.
On a related note, consider the recent episode "Ab Aeterno." This episode was overwhelmingly popular with everyone I've talked to about it. I enjoyed it mostly while watching it, but afterward something big occurred to me: nothing happened that whole episode. All that we got was confirmation of everything which had been bluntly hinted at for three-plus seasons. Granted, it was a good character story, and Nestor Carbonell was a great actor, especially given the fact that it was largely a non-English episode. That aside, nothing happened.
I think a large part of the whole "nothing happening" vibe that I was getting from this whole season seemed to stem from the fact that, despite having only a few episodes left, the writers seemed determined to try to wrap up the arc plot while introducing two new major plots: the candidate notion and the parallel universe. The candidate plot is new, but it does follow vaguely from some earlier themes of the show, namely Locke's feeling that he was always chosen. Nothing has really happened with that plot, tho', apart from all of the characters becoming aware that it exists and then walking around to different camp sites.
The parallel universe, as I said, has been interesting. However, nothing really happens here. It combines our notions of what the passengers of 815 would have been doing in LA with our notions of how the passengers would act after time on the island. In any other context, I'd call it a very successful plot experiment. However, it's half of the principle plot this season, so it confuses me with its significance.
That is why with last night's episode, "Happily Ever After," I was thrilled. I always suspected that the parallel plot would have to be explained away by Desmond somehow, given how this sort of thing always is. The fact that Desmonds in both universes are finally making some progress gives me new hope for the end of this series. Finally, Lost has given us a good episode this year, where something happens.
Here's hoping they don't drop the ball.
this is the straw, final straw in the roof of my mouth as I lie to you