TV: The Great British Bake Off and Farscape

[thistle_chaser]

It's no secret that I enjoy reality TV. Maybe a whole lot less than I used to, but I still watch the cooking shows and a couple others. So, when our US PBS station started showing The Great British Bake Off, I checked it out. I fell in love from the first episode

Comments

[pax_athena]

I'm currently watching Farscape, too (although I am much slower and further behind that you; I'm on episode 16 in, oh, last 6 months or so). But anyway: I am also always amazed on how dark and realistic in its psychology the show is. Especially for a sf show with crappy effects and often even more crappy "danger of the week". But it's one of the few shows ever that pulled people throwing up realistically, on screen and not just hidden in some corner. It's not pleasant, but it's good storytelling and I like a show that takes risks.

[thistle_chaser]

Yeah! I just had a throwing up scene (I suspect we must be about the same place) and I was impressed with how realistically it was done. I'm not watching it as quickly as I'd like to, maybe two or three eps a week, but I'm really enjoying it, especially now that I'm not noticing the masks/puppet element so much. (Except when they introduce some wacky new alien...)

[voidmagus]

On the puppets...Farscape is Jim Henson's studio, so you're talking about pretty much peak mastery of Puppeteering. Especially given this was a TV show (funded better than many, but still TV show), in an era predating character-oriented CGI, I'd say they did a damn good job. Also, given this was made by Henson's studio, everything about the show tends to have a different feel than most scifi shows (which many had a strong Star Trek feel and structure), especially at that time.

I won't spoil it, but when I sometimes go back to watch Farscape, I typically stop after the first season. If I recall, some of the best episodes are after the first season, but the overall average quality falls.

Claudia Black always confuses me -- I find her both very attractive, and rather unattractive.

[liedra]

I found her like that in SG:SG1 too! But I like her as Morrigan's voice... :)

[thistle_chaser]

Now I can't wait to see her and Ben Browder in SG1! I might have to rewatch that next (though it's been so long, it'll be like watching it fresh).

[thistle_chaser]

Yeah, I knew Jim Henson's studio did it, but top of the line puppets are still puppets, and don't look real at all (at least to me). But yeah, agreed, without CGI, they made the best of it they could.

That seems to be the general opinion on Claudia Black. For me, she works. I like how she looks (mildly like), I love her character, and totally love her voice, so it all adds up to a positive for me.