And August Brings No Warmth Or Comfort.
I have thoughts on the most recent episode of Body of Proof.
Dear show,
Let's start off with the things you got right this week: you did so much better with not dumbing down the detectives this week, which I really appreciate. You are doing better with having more complex characterization for all the characters, not just Megan, and I appreciate Curtis and Geoffrey Arend's character having more concrete stuff to do besides just hanging around and talking about how brilliant the Smart White Lady is. Not that I don't think Megan is brilliant, but it's good that you're letting the rest of the cast be smart as well, that you're remembering that they're all competent doctors and detectives in their own right, and just because they're not former genius neurosurgeons, that doesn't mean they can't be smart as well. Also Geoffrey is adorkable and I would love to see him do more stuff on the show.
Also, I like that Peter is basically the mom of the team. He gets people, he knows how to talk to them, and he translates people for Megan, which is a lovely thing. He's like Danny in that he understands people and knows when to be tough and when to be gentle. I like him caring about Megan's relationship with her daughter and trying to give her advice, even when she doesn't take it. And I like that Megan screws up with her kid because she doesn't know what to do to make things right, and I love that she keeps trying anyway because she loves her daughter and doesn't want to lose her. I like that she's smart and mouthy and confident, but she is also damaged and vulnerable and hides all of that under a tough exterior. I love that she's complicated and emotionally stunted and still learning how to be able to deal with the living while trying to speak for the dead.
You know what I didn't like? The cheap joke you made at Curtis's expense re: his weight. I know it was a small, off-hand thing, having him dump all that sugar into his coffee and talking about how he likes it sweet, but honestly, a fat guy who likes sugar? Really, you want to go there? What kind of characterization was that supposed to be? Seriously, why? Did you write it to show the audience that Curtis doesn't give a damn about his weight and what anyone thinks of it, that Curtis is so self-confident that he eats what he wants, regardless of what people think? Because you know what would've been a better way to illustrate Curtis's self-confidence? Literally anything else. Curtis already walks and talks like a man who knows exactly how good he is, and Megan calling him "doctor" at the end showed that she respected Curtis as an equal, so you didn't need to have that moment in the show. It didn't teach us anything about Curtis and was nothing more than a cheapshot at a fat man. And seriously, I hated that fucking shit when H50 did it with Kamekona, and I don't want to see it in another show, especially one that has a lot of really good, strong female and male characters. It's cheap and tacky and damaging, and just fucking stop it.
And really, in an episode that had a subplot about girls with bulimia? Granted, the bulimia is more of a symptom, the result of an abusive, controlling man who seemed to hate women, but still, a fat joke while making the point that bulimia is a horrible, destructive thing seems disingenuous. You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth for this because it doesn't work like that. Fat jokes don't exist in a vacuum, okay? People internalize that stuff, kids internalize that attitude, and it can lead to all sorts of body image problems and worse.
Please don't do this. I expect so much better from you, and I really don't want to be disappointed like this again. Do better. Be better. You're good enough that you don't need to go low like that.
A disappointed fan.
In today's happy place, Channing in a sweater + Jamie in rolled-up sleeves = ZOMG:
And because it's making me happy, have two of my favorite tracks off the Eagle soundtrack: Atli Örvarsson's I Will Return and The Return of the Eagle.
In conclusion: IN LOVE FOREVER AND EVER.
Addendum: misspamela is hosting an Eagle porn rec post here. If you see something she's missed or you want Eagle stuff to read, you'll find it there.
Dear show,
Let's start off with the things you got right this week: you did so much better with not dumbing down the detectives this week, which I really appreciate. You are doing better with having more complex characterization for all the characters, not just Megan, and I appreciate Curtis and Geoffrey Arend's character having more concrete stuff to do besides just hanging around and talking about how brilliant the Smart White Lady is. Not that I don't think Megan is brilliant, but it's good that you're letting the rest of the cast be smart as well, that you're remembering that they're all competent doctors and detectives in their own right, and just because they're not former genius neurosurgeons, that doesn't mean they can't be smart as well. Also Geoffrey is adorkable and I would love to see him do more stuff on the show.
Also, I like that Peter is basically the mom of the team. He gets people, he knows how to talk to them, and he translates people for Megan, which is a lovely thing. He's like Danny in that he understands people and knows when to be tough and when to be gentle. I like him caring about Megan's relationship with her daughter and trying to give her advice, even when she doesn't take it. And I like that Megan screws up with her kid because she doesn't know what to do to make things right, and I love that she keeps trying anyway because she loves her daughter and doesn't want to lose her. I like that she's smart and mouthy and confident, but she is also damaged and vulnerable and hides all of that under a tough exterior. I love that she's complicated and emotionally stunted and still learning how to be able to deal with the living while trying to speak for the dead.
You know what I didn't like? The cheap joke you made at Curtis's expense re: his weight. I know it was a small, off-hand thing, having him dump all that sugar into his coffee and talking about how he likes it sweet, but honestly, a fat guy who likes sugar? Really, you want to go there? What kind of characterization was that supposed to be? Seriously, why? Did you write it to show the audience that Curtis doesn't give a damn about his weight and what anyone thinks of it, that Curtis is so self-confident that he eats what he wants, regardless of what people think? Because you know what would've been a better way to illustrate Curtis's self-confidence? Literally anything else. Curtis already walks and talks like a man who knows exactly how good he is, and Megan calling him "doctor" at the end showed that she respected Curtis as an equal, so you didn't need to have that moment in the show. It didn't teach us anything about Curtis and was nothing more than a cheapshot at a fat man. And seriously, I hated that fucking shit when H50 did it with Kamekona, and I don't want to see it in another show, especially one that has a lot of really good, strong female and male characters. It's cheap and tacky and damaging, and just fucking stop it.
And really, in an episode that had a subplot about girls with bulimia? Granted, the bulimia is more of a symptom, the result of an abusive, controlling man who seemed to hate women, but still, a fat joke while making the point that bulimia is a horrible, destructive thing seems disingenuous. You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth for this because it doesn't work like that. Fat jokes don't exist in a vacuum, okay? People internalize that stuff, kids internalize that attitude, and it can lead to all sorts of body image problems and worse.
Please don't do this. I expect so much better from you, and I really don't want to be disappointed like this again. Do better. Be better. You're good enough that you don't need to go low like that.
A disappointed fan.
In today's happy place, Channing in a sweater + Jamie in rolled-up sleeves = ZOMG:
And because it's making me happy, have two of my favorite tracks off the Eagle soundtrack: Atli Örvarsson's I Will Return and The Return of the Eagle.
In conclusion: IN LOVE FOREVER AND EVER.
Addendum: misspamela is hosting an Eagle porn rec post here. If you see something she's missed or you want Eagle stuff to read, you'll find it there.