Bits of my Saturday
Conditioned by the hype, I’ve started rewatching the first (hilarious) episodes of Arrested Development. It’s lovely knowing that there are new episodes to come. I hope to get them on DVD. (Sorry, Netflix.) Ideally, I’ll be unspoiled.
I then watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, from Lydia’s ep 28 (Special Two) to Ep 89
The parts involving Lydia became sadder and more upsetting as she was manipulated so badly, and as she let slip how vulnerable she was because of how low her self-esteem was and how she felt/had been abandoned. Amid all the lying, there may be something there about George being jealous of siblings. He didn’t have what Gigi and Darcy had. He certainly didn’t get Lydia’s feelings for Lizzie and Jane. It doesn’t take away from how reprehensible his behaviour was, obviously. And if any of the Lydia-George stuff wises up any viewer about manipulative behaviour (that is thoughtlessly sold as ‘romantic’ by too much popculture) kudos to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
I liked how Lydia, at least - George was always aware of it - drifted in and out of an awareness of the camera and then decided to post the confessional declaration in response to his, even if she couldn’t see the manipulation that got her to that point. There’s also the fact, I think, that Lizzie has editorial control, but Lydia’s goes as far as 'posting y/n?', and her bias has always been 'Y!' Mary-Kate Wiles did excellent quiet work.
Ep 83, Corporate Video, was one of the few fun bits of this chunk - there was other stuff that made me happy, but this was the most fun. I loved that it just turned into a more metaish than usual Lizzyish video, instead of the interview she was meant to be doing. It will be no help to her studies, but Darcy as Gigi (the flower on the hat was a killer - I love how the Newsie cap has become a thing) and Darcy as Fitz was hilarious. And I will save you from a blow-by-blow shippy analysis of every second.
I have issues with Domino. I thought the writers/PTB got very excited about a way of dramatising what Darcy does and bringing Gigi into it - I loved that she got to have agency and help, But I didn’t believe in the technology and thought that the show didn’t need it, because it’s at its most powerful when it looks at how the Bennet sisters’ use of technology colours their relationships and lives in the here and now. I also had major issues with the fact that Darcy, who yes, would be the most protective about privacy, hadn’t thought through the ramifications of using an AI app. He must have authorised the trial after he first saw Lizzie’s diaries - in fact, I don’t see how they didn’t influence the idea in-universe. Automating that? When Charlotte and Lizzie's decisions about what to put in and keep out said as much about their characters as anything!?
So although one could joke ‘and that’s why you should read the terms and conditions, folks’ or enjoy that lying liar George being brought down by his arrogance in thinking he could continue to manipulate Gigi, if they’re going to use this Domino thing further, they have to deal with the bad fall-out of Pemberley Digital using this technology. Like they would if this was sci-fi tastic from the start.
I had remained unspoiled about what would be the elopement equivalent. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Nice irony that Lizzie was so excited about her new phone, when the problem between her and Lydia was a lack of communication.
I loved in episode 86 that Lizzie explained/tried to justify her rationale for posting the last vid, because while watching Lydia find out was extremely powerful, given that consent to what was being put on the internet and trust and love being abused were the crux of the harm done to her, it would have been too big an elephant to post it without comment. I know, it’s a drama, but I’m glad that when the big stuff happens, it is totally in character for Lizzie to consider this stuff out loud.
Hi, my Dreamwidth handle is shallowness and I would love to read the fic where Lizzie discusses what she’s learned practically about the ethics of posting your life on the internet through the LBD with Charlotte, or Darcy, or EVERYONE.
I was going to say that Jane didn’t get smarter in LA, she just took a class in awesome and was the big sister Lizzie needed and helped to make her the sister Lydia needed until it became clear she hadn’t watched all of Lizzie’s vids, and though she’ll be watching for the Bing, the rest of it is revelatory. In fact, I wonder if Jane’s watched all of Lydia’s videos.
I may have sometimes had issues with some of AC’s acting choices in 84 and 85, but in 86 and 87, she was flawless. (Not empty mug acting in more than one sense.)
Did the showmakers add their own comments to vids (by just watching the vids after, I suppose I’ve lost some of the interactivity here) i.e. the stuff Lydia quoted?
‘I don’t have the tools for this!’ is perfect media/communications grad student speak!
This entry was originally posted at http://www.dreamwidth.org/12345.html.
I then watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, from Lydia’s ep 28 (Special Two) to Ep 89
The parts involving Lydia became sadder and more upsetting as she was manipulated so badly, and as she let slip how vulnerable she was because of how low her self-esteem was and how she felt/had been abandoned. Amid all the lying, there may be something there about George being jealous of siblings. He didn’t have what Gigi and Darcy had. He certainly didn’t get Lydia’s feelings for Lizzie and Jane. It doesn’t take away from how reprehensible his behaviour was, obviously. And if any of the Lydia-George stuff wises up any viewer about manipulative behaviour (that is thoughtlessly sold as ‘romantic’ by too much popculture) kudos to The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
I liked how Lydia, at least - George was always aware of it - drifted in and out of an awareness of the camera and then decided to post the confessional declaration in response to his, even if she couldn’t see the manipulation that got her to that point. There’s also the fact, I think, that Lizzie has editorial control, but Lydia’s goes as far as 'posting y/n?', and her bias has always been 'Y!' Mary-Kate Wiles did excellent quiet work.
Ep 83, Corporate Video, was one of the few fun bits of this chunk - there was other stuff that made me happy, but this was the most fun. I loved that it just turned into a more metaish than usual Lizzyish video, instead of the interview she was meant to be doing. It will be no help to her studies, but Darcy as Gigi (the flower on the hat was a killer - I love how the Newsie cap has become a thing) and Darcy as Fitz was hilarious. And I will save you from a blow-by-blow shippy analysis of every second.
I have issues with Domino. I thought the writers/PTB got very excited about a way of dramatising what Darcy does and bringing Gigi into it - I loved that she got to have agency and help, But I didn’t believe in the technology and thought that the show didn’t need it, because it’s at its most powerful when it looks at how the Bennet sisters’ use of technology colours their relationships and lives in the here and now. I also had major issues with the fact that Darcy, who yes, would be the most protective about privacy, hadn’t thought through the ramifications of using an AI app. He must have authorised the trial after he first saw Lizzie’s diaries - in fact, I don’t see how they didn’t influence the idea in-universe. Automating that? When Charlotte and Lizzie's decisions about what to put in and keep out said as much about their characters as anything!?
So although one could joke ‘and that’s why you should read the terms and conditions, folks’ or enjoy that lying liar George being brought down by his arrogance in thinking he could continue to manipulate Gigi, if they’re going to use this Domino thing further, they have to deal with the bad fall-out of Pemberley Digital using this technology. Like they would if this was sci-fi tastic from the start.
I had remained unspoiled about what would be the elopement equivalent. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Nice irony that Lizzie was so excited about her new phone, when the problem between her and Lydia was a lack of communication.
I loved in episode 86 that Lizzie explained/tried to justify her rationale for posting the last vid, because while watching Lydia find out was extremely powerful, given that consent to what was being put on the internet and trust and love being abused were the crux of the harm done to her, it would have been too big an elephant to post it without comment. I know, it’s a drama, but I’m glad that when the big stuff happens, it is totally in character for Lizzie to consider this stuff out loud.
Hi, my Dreamwidth handle is shallowness and I would love to read the fic where Lizzie discusses what she’s learned practically about the ethics of posting your life on the internet through the LBD with Charlotte, or Darcy, or EVERYONE.
I was going to say that Jane didn’t get smarter in LA, she just took a class in awesome and was the big sister Lizzie needed and helped to make her the sister Lydia needed until it became clear she hadn’t watched all of Lizzie’s vids, and though she’ll be watching for the Bing, the rest of it is revelatory. In fact, I wonder if Jane’s watched all of Lydia’s videos.
I may have sometimes had issues with some of AC’s acting choices in 84 and 85, but in 86 and 87, she was flawless. (Not empty mug acting in more than one sense.)
Did the showmakers add their own comments to vids (by just watching the vids after, I suppose I’ve lost some of the interactivity here) i.e. the stuff Lydia quoted?
‘I don’t have the tools for this!’ is perfect media/communications grad student speak!
This entry was originally posted at http://www.dreamwidth.org/12345.html.