i had no idea you were such a fan of the mollusc!
Oh, Merlin, I don't actually know what I think about you. I loved Morgana with the sword - but, um, did you actually manage to forget that Merlin has historically been pretty sympathetic to people who think Uther is a murdering nutjob? I mean, okay, maybe GOLDEN FIGHTING MACHINE has biased Merlin a bit, but there was barely any sign that the show remembers Morgana has some very good reasons to be Eeeeevil.
Like the fact you POISONED HER, Merlin, as she pointed out, and, y'know, while I understand you don't want to tell someone who hates you that you're magic, it might actually be a good idea. Also, you TOTALLY AGREED WITH HER re. Uther, not that long ago! Seriously!
On the other hand, there was some hilarious CGI and the mandatory shirtless Bradley scene, and Gwen being lovely, although I still want to go "DOOOOOOMED! DOOMED! DOOOOOMED!" every time they bring up the Arthur/Gwen thing. But on the other hand: Morgana! with a sword!
Mostly, TV wise, I have been watching Mad Men, because - and I realise this puts me several years behind - it is actually excellent.
I am mostly lusting after Joan and entirely in love with Peggy and think she's great and needs to do way better than Pete. If I could punch a fictional character in the head, I would punch Pete. And then hug the writers for being awesome.
Although frankly most of the male characters need punching. Weirdly, while the horrific sexism and racism do make me angry (which is why I hadn't seen past the pilot up til now), the more I go along the happier it makes me. I think it's because it's so refreshing to see a show that, while it's compelling drama, is also all about those things. You're SUPPOSED to think that it's not at all okay! That's delightful, that is a breath of fresh air! I mean, I knew that it was critical from the word go - Peggy in the doctor's office, omg cringe cringe cringe poor Peggy - but it took a bit more before it really settled in.
Like, Joan. I love Joan, but I feel really sorry for her, because it's so clear that she is horrifically jealous of Peggy for a very good reason: Peggy's growing independence and power are real, and Joan's last only as long as dudes want to fuck her. Peggy has been let in the boy's club, if only for a moment, and that's not an option Joan's ever had. Joan gets hotel rooms, not the boardroom. And I feel so bad for poor Joan that she is realising that and because she is smart knows exactly how crap that actually is. Only subconsciously, maybe, but somewhere she knows it sucks and desperately wishes she didn't. Peggy is starting along a road Joan has always had closed to her, one that probably Joan would be good at because Joan is smart, and it burns. OMG.
Like Betty. My heart BREAKS for Betty because okay in some ways she is kind of a cossetted child, and I understand that gets worse, but Betty has been EPICALLY screwed over by the world. She thinks about things, she wants to be someone, and she gets: Being Don's Wife. And that's it. Even modelling is 1. about her being Don's wife and 2. temporary - she's still Mrs Draper even then, and she is going to be petted on the head like a good little girl and then she gets to go home and be a housewife and mum again. Forever. And this is while Don is gadding around cheating on her the whole time, which he gets to do because he is a successful dude and that is what's expected of him. (And he can't keep his dick in his pants anyway.) And she is deeply, fundamentally fucked off with all of it, but doesn't have any words because what she's actually mad at is her entire world and way of thinking. Peggy is mad at it too, but she's younger, and she knows what she thinks sucks. I don't think Betty quite knows yet, but she's getting there. (My guess: she puts it on Don, rather than getting all the way to feminist realisation time.) She was shooting those pigeons at the end of ep 9 with FORCE, yo.
And the dudes! My god some of them are so awful - FUCKING PETE, I tell you, urgh urgh urgh Peggy why would you go there. And yet, even Pete... they don't scrimp on saying that actually, in so many ways it sucks to be a dude as well. I mean, they do focus a bit too much on The Mystery Of Douchebaggery That Is Don Draper for my taste - I do not fancy Don and don't find his mysterious identity stuff that interesting compared to, say, PEGGY. (HI PEGGY.) But it sucks to be them, too; the dudes get all the benefits, but they still come at the cost of restriction, of keeping yourself to certain very defined roles. Pete and his family/masculinity issues and omg he actually gets in a fight over dissing Peggy: I still don't like him, but it worked as a way of showing that even for men, if there is any way you don't fit the status quo, it's still difficult. Sal and his gayness don't have it easy; even Stirling doesn't have it easy, with the being sabotaged and puking in public and being married to someone he hates. The guys get to tell themselves they have it good because they have it better than others and get the benefits of other's work, and that's not discounted, but it's not the same thing as getting to be free.
And I LOVE that they didn't let the bohemianism of the Village off from criticism! It might be more relaxed in some ways, but the women are still sitting to the side going "And why does every night end up with the men pontificating?" and there was a guy getting arrested for spousal abuse just next door. The problems just show themselves differently: they aren't magically gone as soon as you get some weed and a shaggier haircut.
So, yeah. Basically: ♥ ♥ ♥ and I want to watch the rest. Like, now. Or instead of going to work tomorrow. (Le Sigh.) It's compelling drama and beautiful cinematography and it feels like watching actual historical people's lives playing out before you, BUT WITH PLOT. Fabulous.
This entry was originally posted at http://soupytwist.dreamwidth.org/41109.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Like the fact you POISONED HER, Merlin, as she pointed out, and, y'know, while I understand you don't want to tell someone who hates you that you're magic, it might actually be a good idea. Also, you TOTALLY AGREED WITH HER re. Uther, not that long ago! Seriously!
On the other hand, there was some hilarious CGI and the mandatory shirtless Bradley scene, and Gwen being lovely, although I still want to go "DOOOOOOMED! DOOMED! DOOOOOMED!" every time they bring up the Arthur/Gwen thing. But on the other hand: Morgana! with a sword!
Mostly, TV wise, I have been watching Mad Men, because - and I realise this puts me several years behind - it is actually excellent.
I am mostly lusting after Joan and entirely in love with Peggy and think she's great and needs to do way better than Pete. If I could punch a fictional character in the head, I would punch Pete. And then hug the writers for being awesome.
Although frankly most of the male characters need punching. Weirdly, while the horrific sexism and racism do make me angry (which is why I hadn't seen past the pilot up til now), the more I go along the happier it makes me. I think it's because it's so refreshing to see a show that, while it's compelling drama, is also all about those things. You're SUPPOSED to think that it's not at all okay! That's delightful, that is a breath of fresh air! I mean, I knew that it was critical from the word go - Peggy in the doctor's office, omg cringe cringe cringe poor Peggy - but it took a bit more before it really settled in.
Like, Joan. I love Joan, but I feel really sorry for her, because it's so clear that she is horrifically jealous of Peggy for a very good reason: Peggy's growing independence and power are real, and Joan's last only as long as dudes want to fuck her. Peggy has been let in the boy's club, if only for a moment, and that's not an option Joan's ever had. Joan gets hotel rooms, not the boardroom. And I feel so bad for poor Joan that she is realising that and because she is smart knows exactly how crap that actually is. Only subconsciously, maybe, but somewhere she knows it sucks and desperately wishes she didn't. Peggy is starting along a road Joan has always had closed to her, one that probably Joan would be good at because Joan is smart, and it burns. OMG.
Like Betty. My heart BREAKS for Betty because okay in some ways she is kind of a cossetted child, and I understand that gets worse, but Betty has been EPICALLY screwed over by the world. She thinks about things, she wants to be someone, and she gets: Being Don's Wife. And that's it. Even modelling is 1. about her being Don's wife and 2. temporary - she's still Mrs Draper even then, and she is going to be petted on the head like a good little girl and then she gets to go home and be a housewife and mum again. Forever. And this is while Don is gadding around cheating on her the whole time, which he gets to do because he is a successful dude and that is what's expected of him. (And he can't keep his dick in his pants anyway.) And she is deeply, fundamentally fucked off with all of it, but doesn't have any words because what she's actually mad at is her entire world and way of thinking. Peggy is mad at it too, but she's younger, and she knows what she thinks sucks. I don't think Betty quite knows yet, but she's getting there. (My guess: she puts it on Don, rather than getting all the way to feminist realisation time.) She was shooting those pigeons at the end of ep 9 with FORCE, yo.
And the dudes! My god some of them are so awful - FUCKING PETE, I tell you, urgh urgh urgh Peggy why would you go there. And yet, even Pete... they don't scrimp on saying that actually, in so many ways it sucks to be a dude as well. I mean, they do focus a bit too much on The Mystery Of Douchebaggery That Is Don Draper for my taste - I do not fancy Don and don't find his mysterious identity stuff that interesting compared to, say, PEGGY. (HI PEGGY.) But it sucks to be them, too; the dudes get all the benefits, but they still come at the cost of restriction, of keeping yourself to certain very defined roles. Pete and his family/masculinity issues and omg he actually gets in a fight over dissing Peggy: I still don't like him, but it worked as a way of showing that even for men, if there is any way you don't fit the status quo, it's still difficult. Sal and his gayness don't have it easy; even Stirling doesn't have it easy, with the being sabotaged and puking in public and being married to someone he hates. The guys get to tell themselves they have it good because they have it better than others and get the benefits of other's work, and that's not discounted, but it's not the same thing as getting to be free.
And I LOVE that they didn't let the bohemianism of the Village off from criticism! It might be more relaxed in some ways, but the women are still sitting to the side going "And why does every night end up with the men pontificating?" and there was a guy getting arrested for spousal abuse just next door. The problems just show themselves differently: they aren't magically gone as soon as you get some weed and a shaggier haircut.
So, yeah. Basically: ♥ ♥ ♥ and I want to watch the rest. Like, now. Or instead of going to work tomorrow. (Le Sigh.) It's compelling drama and beautiful cinematography and it feels like watching actual historical people's lives playing out before you, BUT WITH PLOT. Fabulous.
This entry was originally posted at http://soupytwist.dreamwidth.org/41109.html. Please comment there using OpenID.