Recent television...
Finished S1 Ugly Betty and loved it! I find it funny and heart warming. I feel that it is well written and highlights and parodies model behaviour (no pun intended), and at the same time gives you a little taste of the fairy princess element - what would it be like to be involved in that kind of world, the good, the bad and the ugly.
What impresses me most, is the exploration of the comeback of the brother of one of the main characters, as a woman.
Alex, now Alexis was in her brother's opinion, the favoured son that he tried to live up to being, with various levels of success and consequences - much of this is also thanks to Betty.
The reality is that Daniel and Alex(is)' father found out about his eldest child's gender association, (I'm struggling with appropriate language here, don't kill me but feel free to suggest better amendments.) and consequently spent much time and effort trying to change this.
Alex 'dies' in a ski accident, and two years later, returns to the family as Alexis.
The physicality of the transformation isn't looked at so much as the emotional shocks and changes, the reactions of friends and family, the difficulties Alexis faces as she gets used to the realities of living as a woman, sex, old relationships, family ties - it's all complicated and I'm impressed that it was done so well (in my uneducated opinion), on mainstream American tv.
I've also been watching S1 Law and Order SVU, and what a punch it packs - by the time it gets to the present timeframe, I can see that it's possible that it will have lost some of it's impact, I'm aware that I'm much more forgiving than many people, but the first season really packs some punches - interesting controversial angles on the crimes and their background/intent etc... there were some things that really made me question my thoughts and beliefs. This is always a good thing. I'm going to see how I go trying to follow it through - there is the ongoing minor storyline of the detectives' and other characters lives which I find interesting, and also I hope to get perspective on how the series has changed over the years and whether it has become 'safe' in it's subject matter, or 'tired' or if it still is hitting the same notes this first season did.
I've been rewatching some of the episodes of S2 (new) Doctor Who, and am once again smitten by the interesting and deep relationship between Rose and the Doctor - I like how it's examined, I like how there is wonder and wisdom, and laughter all wrapped up in it. Rose and Sarah Jane and Jack are my favourite companions - I like how Martha started, but not how she ended up, hopefully her leaving for Torchwood will fix those story issues, and then have the goodness reassert itself when/if she returns later. I just this morning rewatched 'Girl in the Fireplace' and it is truly one of my favourites of the entire new series, I like how Reinette off balances the Doctor an awful lot. I like the shared understanding she and Rose have. Also, given my fannish frame of mind right now, I also noticed just how many portions of the episode have time in France that is unaccounted or moreso, unclosed off - the potential for how many other conversations, escapades and encounters that the Doctor could have had with Reinette is interesting - and exciting.
Heroes is making my forgiving nature work a little harder - the second season in my opinion is not nearly as strong as the first, which is a shame - hopefully they pull it together, but I'm not sure they will be able to.
Chuck, for some reason just breaks my brain, maybe I'll get into it but right now, I just find it inexplicable that this random dopey guy has the NSA database downloaded into his head. My first taste didn't endear me to the character, and the 'action' scenes were hideously painful. Given how much of my flist are singing it's trashy praises however, I'll try and keep my mind open to appreciation for subsequent episodes.
Reaper however, I adored, the premise worked for me as being totally unbelievable, and trashy and yet presented in a manner that I could happily swallow. I love the 'vessels' aspect, as well as the dynamic between the main characters. It makes me happy and is a win for me.
Pushing Daisies, is utterly charming. It's strange, surreal and romantic in ways that I wouldn't have thought would work. Never has a show about the dead or rather the bringing of them bac k to life, so captured my heart (most of you would know by now how much i hate zombies). Utterly a win for me.
The more black_samvara and maharetr expose me to Supernatural, the more I appreciate it - am becoming quite hooked :) Would now like to go back and watch the first couple of seasons for the background (and so I can join in the abovementioned friends' detailed and fascinating Supernatural related conversations.
What impresses me most, is the exploration of the comeback of the brother of one of the main characters, as a woman.
Alex, now Alexis was in her brother's opinion, the favoured son that he tried to live up to being, with various levels of success and consequences - much of this is also thanks to Betty.
The reality is that Daniel and Alex(is)' father found out about his eldest child's gender association, (I'm struggling with appropriate language here, don't kill me but feel free to suggest better amendments.) and consequently spent much time and effort trying to change this.
Alex 'dies' in a ski accident, and two years later, returns to the family as Alexis.
The physicality of the transformation isn't looked at so much as the emotional shocks and changes, the reactions of friends and family, the difficulties Alexis faces as she gets used to the realities of living as a woman, sex, old relationships, family ties - it's all complicated and I'm impressed that it was done so well (in my uneducated opinion), on mainstream American tv.
I've also been watching S1 Law and Order SVU, and what a punch it packs - by the time it gets to the present timeframe, I can see that it's possible that it will have lost some of it's impact, I'm aware that I'm much more forgiving than many people, but the first season really packs some punches - interesting controversial angles on the crimes and their background/intent etc... there were some things that really made me question my thoughts and beliefs. This is always a good thing. I'm going to see how I go trying to follow it through - there is the ongoing minor storyline of the detectives' and other characters lives which I find interesting, and also I hope to get perspective on how the series has changed over the years and whether it has become 'safe' in it's subject matter, or 'tired' or if it still is hitting the same notes this first season did.
I've been rewatching some of the episodes of S2 (new) Doctor Who, and am once again smitten by the interesting and deep relationship between Rose and the Doctor - I like how it's examined, I like how there is wonder and wisdom, and laughter all wrapped up in it. Rose and Sarah Jane and Jack are my favourite companions - I like how Martha started, but not how she ended up, hopefully her leaving for Torchwood will fix those story issues, and then have the goodness reassert itself when/if she returns later. I just this morning rewatched 'Girl in the Fireplace' and it is truly one of my favourites of the entire new series, I like how Reinette off balances the Doctor an awful lot. I like the shared understanding she and Rose have. Also, given my fannish frame of mind right now, I also noticed just how many portions of the episode have time in France that is unaccounted or moreso, unclosed off - the potential for how many other conversations, escapades and encounters that the Doctor could have had with Reinette is interesting - and exciting.
Heroes is making my forgiving nature work a little harder - the second season in my opinion is not nearly as strong as the first, which is a shame - hopefully they pull it together, but I'm not sure they will be able to.
Chuck, for some reason just breaks my brain, maybe I'll get into it but right now, I just find it inexplicable that this random dopey guy has the NSA database downloaded into his head. My first taste didn't endear me to the character, and the 'action' scenes were hideously painful. Given how much of my flist are singing it's trashy praises however, I'll try and keep my mind open to appreciation for subsequent episodes.
Reaper however, I adored, the premise worked for me as being totally unbelievable, and trashy and yet presented in a manner that I could happily swallow. I love the 'vessels' aspect, as well as the dynamic between the main characters. It makes me happy and is a win for me.
Pushing Daisies, is utterly charming. It's strange, surreal and romantic in ways that I wouldn't have thought would work. Never has a show about the dead or rather the bringing of them bac k to life, so captured my heart (most of you would know by now how much i hate zombies). Utterly a win for me.
The more black_samvara and maharetr expose me to Supernatural, the more I appreciate it - am becoming quite hooked :) Would now like to go back and watch the first couple of seasons for the background (and so I can join in the abovementioned friends' detailed and fascinating Supernatural related conversations.