fannish meme, part 2 (and other fannish musings)

[pellucid]

Continuing with the fandom meme (Tell me you want to play and I'll pick up to three of your fandoms. Then update your journal and answer the following questions.), gabolange gave me The X-Files, Stargate: SG-1, and Battlestar Galactica.

Comments

[pellucid]

Michael Dorn really does make it bearable, doesn't he. And yes, he definitely needs to do some active intervention with all this, blerg. I'm allowing myself a modicum of hope until the finale, but if that doesn't resolve things and move them forward, I"m done (at least in the caring sense; not sure if I'll keep watching or not).

And yes, this made me super-nostalgic for SG-1! It might have to go in the rewatch queue (but there's so much of it!!!).

[ayiana]

I was on board with Castle right up until this latest shenanigans. Its had its share of weirdisms and continuity issues, but I could handwave all of them, and I bought the characterization pretty much hook line and sinker. Right up until Castle overheard Beckett's secret and flipped out. I don't buy it at all. I think that at this stage in their relationship he should've confronted her about what he'd heard. Instead he's acting like a five-year-old, and it's making me nuts. If they sort this mess out in a meaningful way in the next two episodes I'll be fine, but if they carry it forward into next season with no real character/relationship development I'll be convinced that the show is pulling a Bones - no matter what Marlow says.

In other news ... I enjoyed reading your posts about X-Files, BSG, and SG-1, since they're all fandoms that we share to some extent. And as for Bones. Yes, it's better this season, but after the fiasco of s6, being better isn't exactly a high bar to reach, is it.

[pellucid]

Absolutely, on Castle. I completely agree. And that's why I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt through the end of this season. If they finally move them forward in the finale, these latest shenanigans are an aberration. If not, they're a sign of things to come, and that's, well, Bones. Basically, yes, what you said!

Speaking of which, I'm not in any way trying to argue that Bones is good--or even watchable, really. But my point is that getting Booth and Brennan together did not ruin anything. If it's bad now (and it is), that's not why. The basic dynamic of the show is not ruined by consummated relationships or babies or anything like that, and I think that's an important lesson for all these will-they-or-won't-they shows to learn.

[zinke]

Castle is walking a line right now, and I think the season finale--and specifically whether they're finally willing to make a concrete step forward with Castle and Beckett--will very much be the difference between this show continuing to be a fun and refreshing take on familiar tropes or it jumping the shark

Whereas I kind of feel like that shark is already good mile or so behind them at this point. To me, the breaking point was 'Cops and Robbers'; everything since then has been something of a mess from a C/B standpoint. They've spent waaaay too much time and effort trying to draw the tension out this season, and it shows in every interaction the characers have on screen. It's no longer the tropes being turned on their heads; it's the show.

[pellucid]

I think the finale will determine for me whether everything that's happened since about "Cops and Robbers" was an aberration I can forgive or proof that the show really has jumped the shark. Right now, I feel like there's room for things to get back on track, and even though I didn't love this past week's episode, I did think it was at least better in terms of characterization and all that. But yeah, if they keep this up beyond the next couple of episodes, then they've officially gone the way of Bones, and I will no longer give them any benefit of the doubt.

[gateslacker]

You make me all nostalgic for SG1!! It has been a while since I went through a re-watch. And I suspect that I'll never again be as involved in fandom as I was for that show.

As for Bones, I've hung in for a bit but after the birthing in the stable, it has officially jumped the shark for me. I think it was one of the most ridiculous and contrived things I've ever seen and I know I'm a pretty forgiving viewer. I'm not usually able to pinpoint the exact moment I'm done with a show, it's usually more of a slower loss of interest. This time around, though, I deleted Bones from my DVR to do list the moment the credits rolled on that episode.

[pellucid]

This has been making me contemplate at least a selective SG-1 rewatch, too! But there's so much of it, and I've already got quite a lot in my viewing queue. I am feeling nostalgic, though. Maybe I'll at least go back and read some old fic favorites.

And oh, yes, the birth was HORRIBLE. The thing with Bones, though, is that it jumped the shark for me about two seasons ago (with periodic signs of life thereafter, but mostly all downhill after Booth's brain tumor). So I guess for me, as bad as this season has been, it hasn't been (at least the couple of eps I've seen) any worse than last season, for instance. My point is not that it's any good--it's definitely not--but rather that it's not getting Booth and Brennan together that has ruined it. Consummating the relationship, and even throwing in a baby plot of doom, has not fundamentally altered the dynamics of the show (in this case, consistently terrible), even though that's clearly what the creators feared. Basically, even though Bones is still dreadful this season, I think it's proof

[gateslacker]

I agree. Bones and Booth are essentially the same characters and I still like them. I think their relationship could be an interesting one if not for stupid plot contrivances and weirdo, over the top characterization. But that episode annoyed me on so many levels. Sweets and that over the top, annoying girlfriend of his attempting to make out in Brennan's office while on duty (Of course, OTT annoying girlfriend/squintern has always annoyed me). Brennan toddling through a prison riot. COME ON! The totally unprofessional way everyone carries on while at work. I could go on

[gabolange]

I think my plan for Bones is one episode a season until it wraps. I've actually seen two episodes of season seven (one with a tornado and one with the baby birthing stable thing), and I agree that it is better than season six, which is epic in its terribleness. But . . . I've never loved Booth, and I sort of actively dislike this Booth. I'm rather impressed that Brennan hasn't socked his overprotective, overbearing ass, though I do appreciate that she obviously kept on doing whatever the heck she wanted despite being in a relationship. And that? That is what makes season seven better than what came before.

I miss the good old days of Bones. Sniff.

As for Castle, it's totally on notice. If things get drawn out beyond the season finale, I will worry that its fourth season will be like Bones' sixth season, which is to say a massive, character-destroying disaster. I thought the most recent episode was an improvement on the previous two (which is a lot like saying that Bones season seven is better than season six--couldn't get

[pellucid]

Oh, I don't like this season of Bones and don't particularly plan to watch any more of it. But it's not bad because Our Heroes got together, and that's the point. It's maintained the dynamic of the show (at least the dynamic of later seasons, with the caricatures of all the characters), and it's fine. A better show could do this better. Castle still has a chance, but the window is closing fast.