extended sga bitching

[almostnever]

This started as a reply to taste_is_sweet here, but got VERY long and ranty so I broke it out as a post. If you have any SGA squee, skip this post, because: harsh. Srsly.I'm pretty hypercritical in general, and I came to SGA by way of the fandom, rather than getting into the show first and then looking for fic. I'd never been into SG1. So I came at SGA kind of

Comments

[lavvyan]

What amazes me is that SGU sounds like it's worse.

This. You can say about SGA what you like (and oh, the things one could say), but at least it was entertaining while it was being stupid and charmed me into ignoring more than one plot hole. But SGU just makes me cringe.

[almostnever]

I almost want to go ahead and watch SGU just to be able to definitively state an opinion on it (and probably mock the crap out of it.)

I haven't seen BSG. I watched The Wire, so I have bona fides as far as enjoying a series that spans a huge ensemble cast and is realistic, sophisticated, and dark and downbeat in tone. I would be, basically, a bulletproof critic for SGU because I wouldn't be comparing it to BSG, and no one can credibly say that a viewer who followed The Wire is incapable of appreciating darkness, subtlety, dense storytelling, or slow paced reveals.

But I've been looking at the summaries and transcripts and clips, and... I just don't think I can do that to myself. I get bored and cranky watching average quality TV shows; the badness of this thing would probably destroy my mind.

[almostnever]

Yeah, from the sound of things, before I even made it through the pilot I'd be bleeding from the eyes.

[acari]

What amazes me is that SGU sounds like it's worse.

SGU is worse. So much worse. With SGA the writers could hide behind comedy and formulaic plot. SGU exposes them as the hacks that they are. They now focus on characters and fill in backstories, but SGU makes you glad they never did that with SGA. I still can't believe they're serious about the white hero-type's backstory.

Now, I'm still watching because I like two of the main characters a lot and I want to know what happens to them, but I doubt I'll be able to stick with the show for long because SGU is just so bad.

Every time the writers want to show "real human emotion" I start laughing. It's all one big cliché. They're aiming for drama, but all they achieve is melodrama. Or you end up wondering if the characters have been taken over by body-snatchers.

It's kind of hilarious, when it's not also offensive and boring. Do not watch "Earth" (the last episode), my eye is still twitching.

[almostnever]

Is that the one where the geek guy and the senator's daughter use the bodyswapping stones to go clubbing back on Earth?

I just laughed and laughed when I heard about that. God damn.

[acari]

Yeah, that's the one. It's hilariously bad and then it takes a turn down skeevy-lane right into body-consent-issue land. The implications of this ep are just... ew. *twitches*

[almostnever]

Reading about that, I just could not imagine what the writers thought they were doing with any of it. I particularly love that they're clarifying after the fact, on their blogs, that oh, no, everyone consents to bodyswapping and then having their bodies used for sex and drinking and partying.

Really? Now that might be interesting, having them reviewing and signing waivers, or verbally communicating and giving consent.

But no matter what, we won't show it!