Welcome to the Vexcorp family
I'm still pondering over The Wire so for now I want to talk a bit about Charlie Jade, which we've been slowly watching. We've seen through episode 8 now and are picking up steam as we go on.
Wow, ok, a lot has happened since I talked about episode 4! I went back and re-read my thoughts on that episode to remember where I'd left out, and realized that at that time I hadn't been prepared for any "monster of the week" (motw) episodes, so I fully expected Karen to come back. Now that we're more fully into the show, I'm realizing that there are opportunities for MOTW episodes on Charlie's behalf, and the show is exploiting that. I do like that Vexcorp has it's long, icky tendrils all over everything, though. And I'm not convinced we've seen the last of the Keys storyline, although I can't imagine what else Charlie could do at this point besides kidnapping the young woman, and he's right - she is an adult at this point and she's made the choice to stay with the guy. I understand the parents want to protect her, but at some point, as long as she's not putting herself in physical danger, they have to learn they can't shield her from everything. Unfortunately.
I was actually annoyed at Karl for forcing Charlie into going to the mansion and trying to do more after he'd found the whereabouts of the woman, as I'd come to Charlie's eventual conclusion by that point and didn't really see the necessity of trying again with her. I do find it interesting that Karl, in the last two episodes especially, has played the role of Charlie's conscience. I also am intrigued by the repetition of history and choice in the last two episodes ("Reminds me of who I was, so I can hold on to who I am" and "You are who you choose to be"). I'm glad they finally are giving us background on Charlie - while watching episode 6 I told AHH that I would really like to know where Charlie got his training and voila! The show provides! I figured he was a soldier of some sort, but did not see the Vexcorp security angle coming (though in retrospect, it explains a LOT about Charlie's vendetta against them in particular, even before finding out all the crap they're up to).
Now I'd like to know more about Karl. I'm wondering if that line about parents not knowing their children is going to mean something more personal for him. (Do we know he has family already? I can't remember!) This show is overflowing with details sometimes; I only ever feel as if I'm understanding about a quarter to a half of any particular scene. About a tenth if 01 is involved. Heh.
Speaking of - ok, fine, I admit it, I'm interested by him now. I'm guessing he gives his father some sort of cell regeneration, but that somehow leads him into loving his mother? I...I'm not totally sure what's going on there, but Boxer's response to it is fascinating. He's obviously not going to die, but I wonder if he's going to hang out in Gammaverse or head back to Alpha and kick Julian's ass. (Though, honestly, I don't really blame Julian.)
The role of water is more obvious now, but not in the way it's used. It seems like you have to have some innate ability to make use of the water to transport between universes, but I can't figure out anything beyond that. I wonder who else has the capability. I also wonder if Charlie and 01 are related in some way, since we haven't seen anyone else with the ability. (Except...doesn't Julian go back and forth between 'verses? No, wait, he doesn't, but he wants to, I think. I don't know! This show has me at loose ends with a lot of things.)
I also wonder why there is a Jasmine and a not!Jasmine and no one else seems to have a copy of themselves in the other universe. At least not that we've seen. Why her? Jasmine herself is much more interesting to me now that she's grasped her own destiny in her hands and is doing something with it, though I had to laugh that she returned to her poor hometown in a designer leather jacket and heeled boots. Honestly.
Reena's fate has been absolutely awful to watch until episode 8, and even at the end of episode 7 I didn't trust the woman that picked her up. The torture scenes were stomach-turning at points and I really am hopeful we're past all that, because. Ugh. I forgot how beautiful Reena is; it had all been submerged when she was sick and beat up, and it was nice in episode 8 to see her as a person again instead of a victim. Though now she's a bit of "angel of death," though I'm not sure the show is going to do anything with it. I'd really like to see her take a more active role as well, though she probably just wants to rest for a bit!
I feel like the show has somewhere very specific it wants to end up, and doesn't mind weaving around a bit to get there. I'm enjoying it, even while confused. And visually it's very arresting; I do find still that sometimes the artiness gets in its own way, but for the most part it's used to good effect.
OMG, seriously, I need icons. And icon spaces. Bah.
ETA: There. Finally uploaded an icon by gwyn_r.
Wow, ok, a lot has happened since I talked about episode 4! I went back and re-read my thoughts on that episode to remember where I'd left out, and realized that at that time I hadn't been prepared for any "monster of the week" (motw) episodes, so I fully expected Karen to come back. Now that we're more fully into the show, I'm realizing that there are opportunities for MOTW episodes on Charlie's behalf, and the show is exploiting that. I do like that Vexcorp has it's long, icky tendrils all over everything, though. And I'm not convinced we've seen the last of the Keys storyline, although I can't imagine what else Charlie could do at this point besides kidnapping the young woman, and he's right - she is an adult at this point and she's made the choice to stay with the guy. I understand the parents want to protect her, but at some point, as long as she's not putting herself in physical danger, they have to learn they can't shield her from everything. Unfortunately.
I was actually annoyed at Karl for forcing Charlie into going to the mansion and trying to do more after he'd found the whereabouts of the woman, as I'd come to Charlie's eventual conclusion by that point and didn't really see the necessity of trying again with her. I do find it interesting that Karl, in the last two episodes especially, has played the role of Charlie's conscience. I also am intrigued by the repetition of history and choice in the last two episodes ("Reminds me of who I was, so I can hold on to who I am" and "You are who you choose to be"). I'm glad they finally are giving us background on Charlie - while watching episode 6 I told AHH that I would really like to know where Charlie got his training and voila! The show provides! I figured he was a soldier of some sort, but did not see the Vexcorp security angle coming (though in retrospect, it explains a LOT about Charlie's vendetta against them in particular, even before finding out all the crap they're up to).
Now I'd like to know more about Karl. I'm wondering if that line about parents not knowing their children is going to mean something more personal for him. (Do we know he has family already? I can't remember!) This show is overflowing with details sometimes; I only ever feel as if I'm understanding about a quarter to a half of any particular scene. About a tenth if 01 is involved. Heh.
Speaking of - ok, fine, I admit it, I'm interested by him now. I'm guessing he gives his father some sort of cell regeneration, but that somehow leads him into loving his mother? I...I'm not totally sure what's going on there, but Boxer's response to it is fascinating. He's obviously not going to die, but I wonder if he's going to hang out in Gammaverse or head back to Alpha and kick Julian's ass. (Though, honestly, I don't really blame Julian.)
The role of water is more obvious now, but not in the way it's used. It seems like you have to have some innate ability to make use of the water to transport between universes, but I can't figure out anything beyond that. I wonder who else has the capability. I also wonder if Charlie and 01 are related in some way, since we haven't seen anyone else with the ability. (Except...doesn't Julian go back and forth between 'verses? No, wait, he doesn't, but he wants to, I think. I don't know! This show has me at loose ends with a lot of things.)
I also wonder why there is a Jasmine and a not!Jasmine and no one else seems to have a copy of themselves in the other universe. At least not that we've seen. Why her? Jasmine herself is much more interesting to me now that she's grasped her own destiny in her hands and is doing something with it, though I had to laugh that she returned to her poor hometown in a designer leather jacket and heeled boots. Honestly.
Reena's fate has been absolutely awful to watch until episode 8, and even at the end of episode 7 I didn't trust the woman that picked her up. The torture scenes were stomach-turning at points and I really am hopeful we're past all that, because. Ugh. I forgot how beautiful Reena is; it had all been submerged when she was sick and beat up, and it was nice in episode 8 to see her as a person again instead of a victim. Though now she's a bit of "angel of death," though I'm not sure the show is going to do anything with it. I'd really like to see her take a more active role as well, though she probably just wants to rest for a bit!
I feel like the show has somewhere very specific it wants to end up, and doesn't mind weaving around a bit to get there. I'm enjoying it, even while confused. And visually it's very arresting; I do find still that sometimes the artiness gets in its own way, but for the most part it's used to good effect.
OMG, seriously, I need icons. And icon spaces. Bah.
ETA: There. Finally uploaded an icon by gwyn_r.