my Sunday night TV
I caught up on The Good Wife 6.12 The Debate
I was pre-emptively cringing at the fact the show had to put in warnings about the timing of the writing and filming of the episode WRT Ferguson and Staten Island. I know the show rips from the headlines and as a result puts modern (American) life up there recognisably, especially that of a certain segment of society, but there are dangers to that approach.
So, Alicia hadn’t talked to John since the kiss. And how nice for Peter/Ramona to come out like that. Eli, the last Peter/Alicia shipper standing, it seemed, was going to ‘handle’ that against the backdrop of a racially charged judgment and Alicia’s debate. Meanwhile the office had to deal with lovely David Lee. And that wasn’t even covering everyone talking at Alicia.
Deep breath.
Poor Grace, but the return of Mama Bear!Alicia fired her up and out of the bad debating.
Not too convinced about having the father/son quarrel among the black pastors - at least Nora was around to offer another black voice and there was a decent attempt to bring in more voices. As to what the show was trying to say, in an episode that was against sound-bytes, I felt it was simplistic in the end, and had problematic elements to it.
It was cheesy, but the trajectory of the kitchen debate was amusing. Alicia practically twirled after the applause. And Marissa was great (even if Eli would have killed his daughter had he known she let Alicia go to the kitchen alone.) But Alicia seems to have won her vote!
I didn’t think John minded that Alicia kissed him, even before quite the awkward conversation. Oh dear, I think I may feel for him quite badly over the next few episodes.
David is of course so selfish that he can only see how the riot might affect him.
Peter came out of it better - sure, he heard Eli say this could be a defining moment, but he did know that he needed to help stop a riot and had good instincts about how to do so. And his admissions to the young pastor in the car at least showed some self-knowledge. Ouch to his relationship with Ramona ending like that. Pretty complicated stuff going on.
A plague on both their cheating houses was the response to Mr and Mrs Chum-Hum Who Should Never Have Got Married In The First Place. They kind of got the lawyers they deserved.
But bringing David Lee back into the firm? What kind of firm do Diane and Cary want? Well, one that wins, obviously. (It’s the show that can’t quit you, David Lee. The show.)
Meanwhile, I didn’t think Alicia was right to throw sexism at Diane - I think it was a genderless partner feeling sore that their partner was in absentia because they were standing to join the other side. Alicia needed to vocalise that she wanted to win because she thought she was the better candidate for herself, not the viewer.
(Also, my impression from years of watching American TV was that money was a factor in why defence over prosecution.)
Then watched Poldark episode 7 live
I knew I was going to take Demelza’s side, even when she was wrong. I did think ‘playing messenger for secret letters, oh dear’ but I was certainly on the side of the elopement, after everything, even if I wished Verity hadn’t dithered about it so long. I hope she enjoys her freedom and Lisbon and is cherished. And allowed to buy those hats. Just for it to be worth it. (Sorry, thinking more of the breach between Demelza and Ross than between the Poldark branches or the men whose livelihoods were squeezed by the Evil Bankers with the ridiculous surname.)
Lots of reasons to love Demelza in this episode, but going to Francis to try to make it right was one of them and her confession to Ross. She got at the kernel of the issue, that she’d betrayed Ross, which had led to other betrayals, although Francis’s weakness isn’t on her. I s’pose the lesson for her is if her husband, who is not the most unreasonable man in their Cornwall, thinks something is wrong, the men who are bigger idiots (Francis) will definitely think so.
But ugh, Francis was responsible for a Moment of Outrage. HE STOPPED VERITY’S POST. Once I vented my spleen, I could see why it would make sense from his point of view as a way of quoshing the rekindled courtship, but it just felt so tyrannical. And sure, he was talking more about Andrew’s wife-killing in this episode, but from the outset his objections to the match were more to do with class and status, and really a weak man trying to bolster his control over his family and self-image. The fact that he really got mad with Ross (apart from being a teensy bit contrived for the breach) while rage against Verity was secondary showed what it was really about. Pig.
Also, although I rated Elizabeth almost as highly as Demelza in the cross-cutting brave peacemakers stopping the men in front of them from fighting moment, saying you approve of Verity/Andrew but not acting to help them isn’t actually helping them, is it? Demelza wanted Verity to be happy - by her lights and by going behind Ross’s back, but as he acknowledged, it wasn’t a bad impulse. Anyway, being the voice of reason beside your husband when your husband is Francis is not climbing very high.
We had full on Hugh Grant!stammering from George around her - when is he going to be cast as Hugh Grant’s illegitimate son in something?
(PS if Francis hasn’t learn to swim in more than his own self-pity, George would let him drown.)
Anyway, back to Demelza - handing Ennis and Mark pretty well, having to play the lady and owning her mistake(s) and being brave about it. Aww, pet, you’re my favourite.
Turner tried full-on resonant voice to sell the ‘we Poldarks’ speech, but it was a silly one. I thought he was pretty good at showing Ross having to play the part for the Captain, while also showing the part of him that rather enjoyed sneaking around. We had more talk of smugglers in this episode than we’ve had in the whole series so far. Of course, the Captain saw through the facade even before seeing Ross’s wound - and seemed unfazed by the loss of a soldier (was he killed or just injured?) And I do not think Ross took in the spot-on warning about the law as he should, because he is somewhat Robin Hoodish, and there was a very male code of honour thing going on, but I would rank the plots according to how much they involved Demelza. So the Mark-Kerren-Ennis love triangle bored me, although there was a fascination in how much of a selfish hussy they made Kerren, especially in the lead-up to her death. Coming home late, lying, then blaming everyone rather than take responsibility and then hitting Mark. Overkill, much? It clearly was an accidental killing. (Also, duly noted that he’s the second accidental wife-killer on the show.)
What Jud said went well across the line, and he hurt Demelza so I could understand him being chucked out. Apparently Prudie has got better because she loves Julia or something else that happened offscreen. And we got to see the dog. No Portent of the Week. And I have to take back what I said about the trailer last week. The one this week has me darkly brooding that ‘love of my life’ better meant who it had better mean. I am saving looking up fanvids for after next week’s episode. I may even have a proper dilemma over buying the DVDs.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/168382.html.
I was pre-emptively cringing at the fact the show had to put in warnings about the timing of the writing and filming of the episode WRT Ferguson and Staten Island. I know the show rips from the headlines and as a result puts modern (American) life up there recognisably, especially that of a certain segment of society, but there are dangers to that approach.
So, Alicia hadn’t talked to John since the kiss. And how nice for Peter/Ramona to come out like that. Eli, the last Peter/Alicia shipper standing, it seemed, was going to ‘handle’ that against the backdrop of a racially charged judgment and Alicia’s debate. Meanwhile the office had to deal with lovely David Lee. And that wasn’t even covering everyone talking at Alicia.
Deep breath.
Poor Grace, but the return of Mama Bear!Alicia fired her up and out of the bad debating.
Not too convinced about having the father/son quarrel among the black pastors - at least Nora was around to offer another black voice and there was a decent attempt to bring in more voices. As to what the show was trying to say, in an episode that was against sound-bytes, I felt it was simplistic in the end, and had problematic elements to it.
It was cheesy, but the trajectory of the kitchen debate was amusing. Alicia practically twirled after the applause. And Marissa was great (even if Eli would have killed his daughter had he known she let Alicia go to the kitchen alone.) But Alicia seems to have won her vote!
I didn’t think John minded that Alicia kissed him, even before quite the awkward conversation. Oh dear, I think I may feel for him quite badly over the next few episodes.
David is of course so selfish that he can only see how the riot might affect him.
Peter came out of it better - sure, he heard Eli say this could be a defining moment, but he did know that he needed to help stop a riot and had good instincts about how to do so. And his admissions to the young pastor in the car at least showed some self-knowledge. Ouch to his relationship with Ramona ending like that. Pretty complicated stuff going on.
A plague on both their cheating houses was the response to Mr and Mrs Chum-Hum Who Should Never Have Got Married In The First Place. They kind of got the lawyers they deserved.
But bringing David Lee back into the firm? What kind of firm do Diane and Cary want? Well, one that wins, obviously. (It’s the show that can’t quit you, David Lee. The show.)
Meanwhile, I didn’t think Alicia was right to throw sexism at Diane - I think it was a genderless partner feeling sore that their partner was in absentia because they were standing to join the other side. Alicia needed to vocalise that she wanted to win because she thought she was the better candidate for herself, not the viewer.
(Also, my impression from years of watching American TV was that money was a factor in why defence over prosecution.)
Then watched Poldark episode 7 live
I knew I was going to take Demelza’s side, even when she was wrong. I did think ‘playing messenger for secret letters, oh dear’ but I was certainly on the side of the elopement, after everything, even if I wished Verity hadn’t dithered about it so long. I hope she enjoys her freedom and Lisbon and is cherished. And allowed to buy those hats. Just for it to be worth it. (Sorry, thinking more of the breach between Demelza and Ross than between the Poldark branches or the men whose livelihoods were squeezed by the Evil Bankers with the ridiculous surname.)
Lots of reasons to love Demelza in this episode, but going to Francis to try to make it right was one of them and her confession to Ross. She got at the kernel of the issue, that she’d betrayed Ross, which had led to other betrayals, although Francis’s weakness isn’t on her. I s’pose the lesson for her is if her husband, who is not the most unreasonable man in their Cornwall, thinks something is wrong, the men who are bigger idiots (Francis) will definitely think so.
But ugh, Francis was responsible for a Moment of Outrage. HE STOPPED VERITY’S POST. Once I vented my spleen, I could see why it would make sense from his point of view as a way of quoshing the rekindled courtship, but it just felt so tyrannical. And sure, he was talking more about Andrew’s wife-killing in this episode, but from the outset his objections to the match were more to do with class and status, and really a weak man trying to bolster his control over his family and self-image. The fact that he really got mad with Ross (apart from being a teensy bit contrived for the breach) while rage against Verity was secondary showed what it was really about. Pig.
Also, although I rated Elizabeth almost as highly as Demelza in the cross-cutting brave peacemakers stopping the men in front of them from fighting moment, saying you approve of Verity/Andrew but not acting to help them isn’t actually helping them, is it? Demelza wanted Verity to be happy - by her lights and by going behind Ross’s back, but as he acknowledged, it wasn’t a bad impulse. Anyway, being the voice of reason beside your husband when your husband is Francis is not climbing very high.
We had full on Hugh Grant!stammering from George around her - when is he going to be cast as Hugh Grant’s illegitimate son in something?
(PS if Francis hasn’t learn to swim in more than his own self-pity, George would let him drown.)
Anyway, back to Demelza - handing Ennis and Mark pretty well, having to play the lady and owning her mistake(s) and being brave about it. Aww, pet, you’re my favourite.
Turner tried full-on resonant voice to sell the ‘we Poldarks’ speech, but it was a silly one. I thought he was pretty good at showing Ross having to play the part for the Captain, while also showing the part of him that rather enjoyed sneaking around. We had more talk of smugglers in this episode than we’ve had in the whole series so far. Of course, the Captain saw through the facade even before seeing Ross’s wound - and seemed unfazed by the loss of a soldier (was he killed or just injured?) And I do not think Ross took in the spot-on warning about the law as he should, because he is somewhat Robin Hoodish, and there was a very male code of honour thing going on, but I would rank the plots according to how much they involved Demelza. So the Mark-Kerren-Ennis love triangle bored me, although there was a fascination in how much of a selfish hussy they made Kerren, especially in the lead-up to her death. Coming home late, lying, then blaming everyone rather than take responsibility and then hitting Mark. Overkill, much? It clearly was an accidental killing. (Also, duly noted that he’s the second accidental wife-killer on the show.)
What Jud said went well across the line, and he hurt Demelza so I could understand him being chucked out. Apparently Prudie has got better because she loves Julia or something else that happened offscreen. And we got to see the dog. No Portent of the Week. And I have to take back what I said about the trailer last week. The one this week has me darkly brooding that ‘love of my life’ better meant who it had better mean. I am saving looking up fanvids for after next week’s episode. I may even have a proper dilemma over buying the DVDs.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/168382.html.