TeeVee Observations
Since I'm here on LJ posting, I might as well dip into some observations about my TV watching habits that I find... most perturbatory.
First off, my favourite shows currently are Life, Dexter and Burn Notice. Notice how these aren't fantasy / sci-fi shows. If you know me then you will know this is greatly bothersome, as I'm a huge (like 900 feet!) fantasy/sf nerd.
What about Heroes and Battlestar Galactica? Well, I just caught up on BSG 4th season, and I have to say it's VERY compelling stuff. Sure, it's not the same show I started watching a few years back... it's radically different. I can tell they decided to veer off in a new direction after second season. That's cool. I can dig it-- even if 3rd season was terribly put together (plot-string-wise...). But I still like the aforementioned 3 shows better than Battlesoap Gattaca.
I have a theory that Starbuck is a hybrid and is somehow related to Tigh. But that's another post for another time.
As for Heroes... Well. Let me say I'm enjoying 3rd season thus far. But this is NOT because it's really any good story-wise. The plot? Huge mess. The characters? Mess. The logic? What logic. However, the acting and direction are great. It's one of those shows that had a lot of promise to be an intelligent drama involving cool things and turned into Darwin's Creek. I do have to ask Kring and company for one thing: Please stop ripping off comic books so... terribly. Please? Please? I mean, X-Men, Clone Saga, every goddamn cliche from the 80s and 90s imaginable. Yeesh. Also, Mohinder is best as exposition. You should keep it that way. Making him into a "homage" of Cronenberg's The Fly just doesn't seem to fit. Not as well as one may hope, anyway.
And Parker? I'll have to go against the tide and say I like what they are doing with him. Probably just setting him up to be a deus ex machina other than Peter or Sylar. The writers sure like those DeMs. Perhaps a little too much.
Oh, and I think Mom is lying.
Anyhow, Heroes is laughably bad story-wise. Too much. Too much crammed into a 40 minute period. The actors are charming, though, and albeit full of horrible writing it has some brilliant writing, too (but this may be due to direction). Besides, it's fun. Fun is fun, yeah?
Another show I caught recently is The Mentalist. Huzzah for a show with a skeptic lead that's not a hospital driven entertainment vehicle! I don't like medical shows all that much... this could be because I've had my fill of hospitals and watching medical dramas always reminds me that they're doing it wrong. Based on the pilot I watched, The Mentalist is poised to join the Great Steve Three and make it Four.
Here's to hoping that they do a show called The Metalist.
I seriously miss The Tudors, and I cannot wait for season 3. I suppose I could watch Sarah Connor Chronicles... but that show was kinda bleh, though I can give it a chance. See, I hate watching sci-fi shows for sci-fi's sake. Why can't we get a modern of version of Blake's 7? Or another Babylon 5? Firefly? Or, hell, some more Star Trek? Space: Above and Beyond?
Sigh.
And Fantasy? Forget it. That's, like, a complete fucking wasteland.
Chuck's alright, but it's basically a spy show aimed at the Nerd Market. It's more akin to Burn Notice than Farscape.
I'm still pissed off they cancelled Dresden Files. Dicks.
So, yeah, essentially I'm stuck watching shows that have nothing to do with science fiction or fantasy. It sure would be nice to get another "killer pap" (like BSG) in that market.
I suppose if I want good fantasy I can just watch the History Channel.
First off, my favourite shows currently are Life, Dexter and Burn Notice. Notice how these aren't fantasy / sci-fi shows. If you know me then you will know this is greatly bothersome, as I'm a huge (like 900 feet!) fantasy/sf nerd.
What about Heroes and Battlestar Galactica? Well, I just caught up on BSG 4th season, and I have to say it's VERY compelling stuff. Sure, it's not the same show I started watching a few years back... it's radically different. I can tell they decided to veer off in a new direction after second season. That's cool. I can dig it-- even if 3rd season was terribly put together (plot-string-wise...). But I still like the aforementioned 3 shows better than Battlesoap Gattaca.
I have a theory that Starbuck is a hybrid and is somehow related to Tigh. But that's another post for another time.
As for Heroes... Well. Let me say I'm enjoying 3rd season thus far. But this is NOT because it's really any good story-wise. The plot? Huge mess. The characters? Mess. The logic? What logic. However, the acting and direction are great. It's one of those shows that had a lot of promise to be an intelligent drama involving cool things and turned into Darwin's Creek. I do have to ask Kring and company for one thing: Please stop ripping off comic books so... terribly. Please? Please? I mean, X-Men, Clone Saga, every goddamn cliche from the 80s and 90s imaginable. Yeesh. Also, Mohinder is best as exposition. You should keep it that way. Making him into a "homage" of Cronenberg's The Fly just doesn't seem to fit. Not as well as one may hope, anyway.
And Parker? I'll have to go against the tide and say I like what they are doing with him. Probably just setting him up to be a deus ex machina other than Peter or Sylar. The writers sure like those DeMs. Perhaps a little too much.
Oh, and I think Mom is lying.
Anyhow, Heroes is laughably bad story-wise. Too much. Too much crammed into a 40 minute period. The actors are charming, though, and albeit full of horrible writing it has some brilliant writing, too (but this may be due to direction). Besides, it's fun. Fun is fun, yeah?
Another show I caught recently is The Mentalist. Huzzah for a show with a skeptic lead that's not a hospital driven entertainment vehicle! I don't like medical shows all that much... this could be because I've had my fill of hospitals and watching medical dramas always reminds me that they're doing it wrong. Based on the pilot I watched, The Mentalist is poised to join the Great Steve Three and make it Four.
Here's to hoping that they do a show called The Metalist.
I seriously miss The Tudors, and I cannot wait for season 3. I suppose I could watch Sarah Connor Chronicles... but that show was kinda bleh, though I can give it a chance. See, I hate watching sci-fi shows for sci-fi's sake. Why can't we get a modern of version of Blake's 7? Or another Babylon 5? Firefly? Or, hell, some more Star Trek? Space: Above and Beyond?
Sigh.
And Fantasy? Forget it. That's, like, a complete fucking wasteland.
Chuck's alright, but it's basically a spy show aimed at the Nerd Market. It's more akin to Burn Notice than Farscape.
I'm still pissed off they cancelled Dresden Files. Dicks.
So, yeah, essentially I'm stuck watching shows that have nothing to do with science fiction or fantasy. It sure would be nice to get another "killer pap" (like BSG) in that market.
I suppose if I want good fantasy I can just watch the History Channel.