boy-like, toy-like, boylike, toylike
The news: in bullet points
- 883 words on my yuletide story and I know where I'm going. This is a good thing. I also think it's what my recipient wants even though it's not the original idea (will explain later why and how and what, etc.)
- A solid 85% on my criminology midterm! Which is not bad for a subject I detest and studied for with my eyes closed. It also puts me in the top 3% of my class. /smug
- Two published articles
- Strained, frustrating (i.e. Losing your thesis mentor over a political/union quarrel) but somewhat amusing union-work
- My dad won a pending lawsuit concerning defamation (he was defamed and sued) which makes me very happy and glad
- Sudden inspiration fused idea A (sort-of hackers in sort of dystopian setting) and idea B (feminist stream-of-consciousness ramblings based on body sociology and Veblen's Theorie der feinen Leute); I'm not sure whether I'm amused or going insane
- Papers to finish, lectures to plan, things to write, Tas to pester; I'm still not over the fact that this may be my last term at university (as a student)
- HyperResearch > MaxQDA
- Have had a big breakthrough in our research project concerning Interactive Art and reception thereof; it's not a groundbreaking scientific enlightenment but a rather solid insight in our first paid qualitative research project. This makes me happy.
… despite the constant discussions about doing dishes, cleaning the living room, buying smokes and watching Red Dwarf:
5.)Being grumpy almost never is a problem; since we're all workaholics on the edge of a nervous breakdown and understand passive-aggressiveness when it's a result of work-related stress.
4.) Quesions like „Do you think Dexter and Doakes would make out?“ don't stirr outrage but simple, sociologist answers like „If this series weren't heteronormatively coded, sure. More beer? Also, if Doakes was a woman, they'd so be a mad, bad couple.“
3.) There's always someone to talk to.
2.) There's always someone there to tell you that you're an idiot and would you please not wallow in self-pity, now?
1.) „Hey, d'you want a new HD so you can use my frame-by-frame capping software for your icon-making purposes? Just thinking, since you've been talking about those Heroes icons since last summer.“
Spoilers for each of the following:
House has always made me happy in a rather non-fannish way, except for gen involving House, Cuddy, Wilson and lots of snark. I also used up most of my mental powers to move the blatant misogyny out of my awareness and enjoy Hugh Laurie, but lately the plot and supporting cast (except for Wilson, whom I still adore) has become so boring (particularely Cuddy; and I used to adore her) that even Hugh Laurie can't save this show. Or straighten out the scores so that I can enjoy the show despite it's misogynic framing. Note that I'm not talking about House being a sexist bastard, that's his character, but about how women are used as plot points, tools, eye candy, don't get any scenes on their own, only have one basic character trait (13 = empathic, cutthroat bitch = cutthroat bitch) and don't get into the team because of their competence but because of quotas. Not that I'm against quota systems, but the correct application would have been to fire one of the men and hire one of the women, not to hire 13 on top of the other 2. 3. Whatever. Also, 13 is just another version of Cameron. Way to go, show. Then again, it's FOX, what was I expecting? It's a miracle that House has been holding out for so long without turning foul.
OH MY GOD. I worship this show. I worship the ground Michael C. Hall is standing on. I worship Jennifer Carpenter. I worship Melissa Rosenberg. I cannot express the brilliance of pacing, writing and acting this show has been displaying for almost two seasons now. I've been saying that Dexter couldn't get better since 2.03 and have been proven wrong almost every single time. Seriously, if you don't know Dexter and like (a) the Tenth Doctor (b) Sylar (but think that his actor is morning-breath bad) © and kind of cop show or (d) Scrubs narrative style, don't read on but watch it.
Dexter shows how you can still tell a decent story when/if you fuck up one subplot. It helps if you have someone like Michael C. Hall on board who's not - only - a pretty face but an accomplished actor. The only shortcoming this show has is the treatment of Laila and one/two minor glitches in the finale, which are easily compensated by its strenghts.
2.09-2.11:
- Yes, Doakes had to die. It's sad because I loved Doakes with all my heart, loved the Doakes/Dexter interaction, the Doakes/Deb protective!friendship, the Doakes/LaGuerta partnership and Doakes' moral code, ethics and his character. But what I loved most about him were his brains. He was the only one who sensed that something was off about Dexter, he was in special ops, he had training, it was only a matter of time until he found out that Dexter was the Butcher. And then he had to die - if the series was to continue. Anything else (i.e. Doakes teaming up with Dexter) wouldn't have been consistent with his character. There was no way in hell Doakes could have gone free and kept his mouth shut.
- I loved how they played fast and loose with the possibility of Dexter turning himself in in the finale. If there hadn't been confirmed romours of a third season, I would have totally believed them.
- Dexter's inner voice is a beautiful thing. It's, in fact, one of the best narrative devices I've seen on TV in the past few years. It sways between a sixteen year old emo teenager - that he never was - and poetic sophistication and detachment of the sociopath he is. One of the things I loved most about this show is how they used this inner monologue for self- and meta-(?) irony. Very cool.
- Michael C. Hall. I've been charmed by him in S1 and Six Feet Under, but this season exceeded all my expectations and put him in a cathegory with David Tennant and Hugh Laurie. Just like House, Dexter would never work without him.
- I loved the Dexter/Doakes conversations and the show's agenda to show us naked men and women in a 50:50 ratio.
- Dexter and Angel in the bar made me cry, the recreation of the main credits in 2.11 was genius and Dexter's daydreams about telling Deb that he's the Butcher made me laugh. A lot.
Which leads me to a prediction of S3: S3 will be about Dex and Deb, and Deb finding out about Dexter. It has to be. There's nothing else left - Brian is dead, the FBI is gone, the case closed, Doakes gone, laGuerta emotionally broken, and with the Deb/LaGuerta dialogue at the end („You have the feeling that you can't trust anyone if you stop blieving in him,“) it's pretty much clear that it's going to be Deb.
- And Deb! I loved her agency and the decisions she made; local talent alright.
- Same with Rita.
- GPS? Come on! Please. Lazy!
Quick notes on the glitches:
Laila: Rather, the way that Laila was treated in the show. They were really going to town on the virgin/whore dichotomy with Rita and Laila, no?
The thing is, I think they know, judging from the detail and space the writers on Dexter give the other characters. Laila was used as a tool, as Dexter's foil (which he briefly reflected on in, 2.11 - „I think this is what parents must feel.“) and as a deus ex machina in the event that there would be a S3, they had to kill Doakes without putting Dexters new-formed ethical code to trial (i.e. Having Dexter decide between his loved ones and killing an innocent man); and that's what Laila was: conveeeeenient. A convenient excuse to show Dexter's character development, a convenient excuse to kill off Doakes, a convenient complication. This is also reflected in Dexters „this must be divine intervention“ monologue when the cabin blows up. I love Dexter's writers, they're so self-reflecting and ironic. But yes, I think they never intended to make Laila a 'character' and they did fall flat on their faces with the portrayal of her as femme fatale. She was a precise, calculated, economic tool to push the narration forward and kill off Doakes in the event of S3. I resent that. epshlan mentioned that Laila is effectively meta-ing Dexter fangirls and considering this, I'm all the more amused by her fate. Given the brilliant, sneaky writers of Dexter, I do think it's possible.
LaGuerta/Pascal: I fucking hated that storyline. Why, why, why? Yes, they needed an unfocussed police department, but really, the only way to do that was to show two women in charge getting into a bitchfight (with the help of a guy?). Really. So fucking livid over that development. Might comment on this one later, once rewatch S1 and S2.
Happy and sad with this season. Mostly happy, because the pacing and cuts are pure poetry and the writing mainly consists of cameos, saying goodbye, picking up old in-jokes and tieing loose ends. Still sad that the show ends - obviously - and that I jumped that particular bandwagon too late. It's also interesting to see how Scrubs has influenced the narrative style of a whole generation of TV shows. (See Grey's Anatomy, Chuck, Heroes). I'm also in love with Bob Kelso.
Chuck makes me happy in a non-fannish and nerdy way. The same goes for Flight of the Chonchords except for the fact that I need more alcohol to enjoy it. I'm still pending on Kyle XY, mainly because Kyle's inner voice does make me want to slap him. Pushing Daisies is sweet but wouldn't work without Emerson and I'm halfway waiting for the writers go: „Remember the whole angst and ethical issues that we've always just alluded to in the past episodes? HERE IT IS.“
If there's a show that merits the label „only on BBC“ besides Doctor who, then it must be the new version of Robin Hood. Only BBC gives us Sir Guy of Gisborne in black latex. Only BBC would try to sell us cargo pants as medival garments (and run with it). Only BBC would be able to take itself not-seriously when producing a show on a folk hero. Only BBC would step out of its studios in Wales and think: „Hey, woods, let's grad that digital hand camera and do something!“
It's a funny, pretty, ironic series - I find it very interesting how they rewrote Marian's role, Little John and the tinkerer's bow tournament - a little heavy on the Holy War is EVIL side, but enjoyable. Also very slashy, and lots of references to LoTR, previous Robin Hood adaptations and … stuff.
I will talk about this later. Still angry. Also, I might be shipping Matt/Mohinder, writing Elle!gen, Elle/Maya!gen, Elle, Maya, Mohinder, Matt, Molly, Nathan and Peter in pretty akward situations. Apparently, S2 was trainwreck-y enough to tingle my „fix it“-senses. Also, why do my least favourite characters always latch onto my favourite songs? :x
- 883 words on my yuletide story and I know where I'm going. This is a good thing. I also think it's what my recipient wants even though it's not the original idea (will explain later why and how and what, etc.)
- A solid 85% on my criminology midterm! Which is not bad for a subject I detest and studied for with my eyes closed. It also puts me in the top 3% of my class. /smug
- Two published articles
- Strained, frustrating (i.e. Losing your thesis mentor over a political/union quarrel) but somewhat amusing union-work
- My dad won a pending lawsuit concerning defamation (he was defamed and sued) which makes me very happy and glad
- Sudden inspiration fused idea A (sort-of hackers in sort of dystopian setting) and idea B (feminist stream-of-consciousness ramblings based on body sociology and Veblen's Theorie der feinen Leute); I'm not sure whether I'm amused or going insane
- Papers to finish, lectures to plan, things to write, Tas to pester; I'm still not over the fact that this may be my last term at university (as a student)
- HyperResearch > MaxQDA
- Have had a big breakthrough in our research project concerning Interactive Art and reception thereof; it's not a groundbreaking scientific enlightenment but a rather solid insight in our first paid qualitative research project. This makes me happy.
… despite the constant discussions about doing dishes, cleaning the living room, buying smokes and watching Red Dwarf:
5.)Being grumpy almost never is a problem; since we're all workaholics on the edge of a nervous breakdown and understand passive-aggressiveness when it's a result of work-related stress.
4.) Quesions like „Do you think Dexter and Doakes would make out?“ don't stirr outrage but simple, sociologist answers like „If this series weren't heteronormatively coded, sure. More beer? Also, if Doakes was a woman, they'd so be a mad, bad couple.“
3.) There's always someone to talk to.
2.) There's always someone there to tell you that you're an idiot and would you please not wallow in self-pity, now?
1.) „Hey, d'you want a new HD so you can use my frame-by-frame capping software for your icon-making purposes? Just thinking, since you've been talking about those Heroes icons since last summer.“
Spoilers for each of the following:
House has always made me happy in a rather non-fannish way, except for gen involving House, Cuddy, Wilson and lots of snark. I also used up most of my mental powers to move the blatant misogyny out of my awareness and enjoy Hugh Laurie, but lately the plot and supporting cast (except for Wilson, whom I still adore) has become so boring (particularely Cuddy; and I used to adore her) that even Hugh Laurie can't save this show. Or straighten out the scores so that I can enjoy the show despite it's misogynic framing. Note that I'm not talking about House being a sexist bastard, that's his character, but about how women are used as plot points, tools, eye candy, don't get any scenes on their own, only have one basic character trait (13 = empathic, cutthroat bitch = cutthroat bitch) and don't get into the team because of their competence but because of quotas. Not that I'm against quota systems, but the correct application would have been to fire one of the men and hire one of the women, not to hire 13 on top of the other 2. 3. Whatever. Also, 13 is just another version of Cameron. Way to go, show. Then again, it's FOX, what was I expecting? It's a miracle that House has been holding out for so long without turning foul.
OH MY GOD. I worship this show. I worship the ground Michael C. Hall is standing on. I worship Jennifer Carpenter. I worship Melissa Rosenberg. I cannot express the brilliance of pacing, writing and acting this show has been displaying for almost two seasons now. I've been saying that Dexter couldn't get better since 2.03 and have been proven wrong almost every single time. Seriously, if you don't know Dexter and like (a) the Tenth Doctor (b) Sylar (but think that his actor is morning-breath bad) © and kind of cop show or (d) Scrubs narrative style, don't read on but watch it.
Dexter shows how you can still tell a decent story when/if you fuck up one subplot. It helps if you have someone like Michael C. Hall on board who's not - only - a pretty face but an accomplished actor. The only shortcoming this show has is the treatment of Laila and one/two minor glitches in the finale, which are easily compensated by its strenghts.
2.09-2.11:
- Yes, Doakes had to die. It's sad because I loved Doakes with all my heart, loved the Doakes/Dexter interaction, the Doakes/Deb protective!friendship, the Doakes/LaGuerta partnership and Doakes' moral code, ethics and his character. But what I loved most about him were his brains. He was the only one who sensed that something was off about Dexter, he was in special ops, he had training, it was only a matter of time until he found out that Dexter was the Butcher. And then he had to die - if the series was to continue. Anything else (i.e. Doakes teaming up with Dexter) wouldn't have been consistent with his character. There was no way in hell Doakes could have gone free and kept his mouth shut.
- I loved how they played fast and loose with the possibility of Dexter turning himself in in the finale. If there hadn't been confirmed romours of a third season, I would have totally believed them.
- Dexter's inner voice is a beautiful thing. It's, in fact, one of the best narrative devices I've seen on TV in the past few years. It sways between a sixteen year old emo teenager - that he never was - and poetic sophistication and detachment of the sociopath he is. One of the things I loved most about this show is how they used this inner monologue for self- and meta-(?) irony. Very cool.
- Michael C. Hall. I've been charmed by him in S1 and Six Feet Under, but this season exceeded all my expectations and put him in a cathegory with David Tennant and Hugh Laurie. Just like House, Dexter would never work without him.
- I loved the Dexter/Doakes conversations and the show's agenda to show us naked men and women in a 50:50 ratio.
- Dexter and Angel in the bar made me cry, the recreation of the main credits in 2.11 was genius and Dexter's daydreams about telling Deb that he's the Butcher made me laugh. A lot.
Which leads me to a prediction of S3: S3 will be about Dex and Deb, and Deb finding out about Dexter. It has to be. There's nothing else left - Brian is dead, the FBI is gone, the case closed, Doakes gone, laGuerta emotionally broken, and with the Deb/LaGuerta dialogue at the end („You have the feeling that you can't trust anyone if you stop blieving in him,“) it's pretty much clear that it's going to be Deb.
- And Deb! I loved her agency and the decisions she made; local talent alright.
- Same with Rita.
- GPS? Come on! Please. Lazy!
Quick notes on the glitches:
Laila: Rather, the way that Laila was treated in the show. They were really going to town on the virgin/whore dichotomy with Rita and Laila, no?
The thing is, I think they know, judging from the detail and space the writers on Dexter give the other characters. Laila was used as a tool, as Dexter's foil (which he briefly reflected on in, 2.11 - „I think this is what parents must feel.“) and as a deus ex machina in the event that there would be a S3, they had to kill Doakes without putting Dexters new-formed ethical code to trial (i.e. Having Dexter decide between his loved ones and killing an innocent man); and that's what Laila was: conveeeeenient. A convenient excuse to show Dexter's character development, a convenient excuse to kill off Doakes, a convenient complication. This is also reflected in Dexters „this must be divine intervention“ monologue when the cabin blows up. I love Dexter's writers, they're so self-reflecting and ironic. But yes, I think they never intended to make Laila a 'character' and they did fall flat on their faces with the portrayal of her as femme fatale. She was a precise, calculated, economic tool to push the narration forward and kill off Doakes in the event of S3. I resent that. epshlan mentioned that Laila is effectively meta-ing Dexter fangirls and considering this, I'm all the more amused by her fate. Given the brilliant, sneaky writers of Dexter, I do think it's possible.
LaGuerta/Pascal: I fucking hated that storyline. Why, why, why? Yes, they needed an unfocussed police department, but really, the only way to do that was to show two women in charge getting into a bitchfight (with the help of a guy?). Really. So fucking livid over that development. Might comment on this one later, once rewatch S1 and S2.
Happy and sad with this season. Mostly happy, because the pacing and cuts are pure poetry and the writing mainly consists of cameos, saying goodbye, picking up old in-jokes and tieing loose ends. Still sad that the show ends - obviously - and that I jumped that particular bandwagon too late. It's also interesting to see how Scrubs has influenced the narrative style of a whole generation of TV shows. (See Grey's Anatomy, Chuck, Heroes). I'm also in love with Bob Kelso.
Chuck makes me happy in a non-fannish and nerdy way. The same goes for Flight of the Chonchords except for the fact that I need more alcohol to enjoy it. I'm still pending on Kyle XY, mainly because Kyle's inner voice does make me want to slap him. Pushing Daisies is sweet but wouldn't work without Emerson and I'm halfway waiting for the writers go: „Remember the whole angst and ethical issues that we've always just alluded to in the past episodes? HERE IT IS.“
If there's a show that merits the label „only on BBC“ besides Doctor who, then it must be the new version of Robin Hood. Only BBC gives us Sir Guy of Gisborne in black latex. Only BBC would try to sell us cargo pants as medival garments (and run with it). Only BBC would be able to take itself not-seriously when producing a show on a folk hero. Only BBC would step out of its studios in Wales and think: „Hey, woods, let's grad that digital hand camera and do something!“
It's a funny, pretty, ironic series - I find it very interesting how they rewrote Marian's role, Little John and the tinkerer's bow tournament - a little heavy on the Holy War is EVIL side, but enjoyable. Also very slashy, and lots of references to LoTR, previous Robin Hood adaptations and … stuff.
I will talk about this later. Still angry. Also, I might be shipping Matt/Mohinder, writing Elle!gen, Elle/Maya!gen, Elle, Maya, Mohinder, Matt, Molly, Nathan and Peter in pretty akward situations. Apparently, S2 was trainwreck-y enough to tingle my „fix it“-senses. Also, why do my least favourite characters always latch onto my favourite songs? :x