(Not so) Subliminal message: Watch Class!!

[elisi]

For those in the UK, it's on iPlayer

For those in the US it's streamed on BBC America.

So go forth & watch!! (And then come talk to meeee!)

Back in November I wrote a post on why I love it (on LJ here on DW here), no spoilers obviously.

Generally I just recommend watching the first episode & see if you like it. Yes it's a Doctor Who spin-off, but it's very much its own thing and firmly YA. I had zero expectations and then it just waltzed in and stole my heart. ♥

Also ONLY EIGHT EPISODES. (We are hoping it'll be renewed, which is one reason to get more people watching...)

Comments

[elisi]

Just saw the first episode.
Thank you!! (The more people watch, the more likely it is that it'll get a 2nd season...)

I thought it had a pretty interesting premise and a good cast of characters.
<3

The general plot was good enough, though the stupidity of dropping the gun to have it stepped on made me roll my eyes.
Well, nothing's perfect. ;)

I liked the way they hung a lantern on the hellmouth copy, it was amusing though the OUaT reference really wasn't an equivalent.
As I have never watched OUaT I can't comment. But yeah, it's nicely self-aware (which it needs to be), but doesn't get lost in it.

I also noticed they had to take a jab at media studies in this episode as well.
It's an easy mark, esp as they play with the format in ways that media studies students would know all about.

I spent a lot of the episode trying to remember where I'd seen the teacher/freedom fighter only to finally recall it was in Mr. Selfridge.
I never watched that, so she was new to me. Although my sister-in-law went to school with her.

Overall I liked it and will keep watching for now.
Yay! I hope you like where it's going. I'd say its biggest flaw it that it's so short, and they try to cram a LOT of arc into eight episodes.

(If you want my thoughts on ep 1 you can find my post here.)

[yourlibrarian]

Although my sister-in-law went to school with her.

Small world! Although I expect that happens more in England than here. Regarding your post, it was helpful to read about the school differences as I've often wondered about the equivalencies. However this confused me:

Academies are publicly funded independent schools, free from local authority and national government control.

If it's funded by the public, how is it free from governmental control? Or do you mean privately funded by donors and parents paying tuition?

Nice to better understand the Sheffield joke!

and sharing-a-heart, yeah that part they pulled from Once Upon a Time rather than the hellmouth bit ;) I quite liked that whole section with April's visualizations, very entertaining.

"Do they do this at American Proms?" is also spot-on. We import so much from America.

I was puzzled by the prom, I didn't think that existed in the UK? Seasonal school dances, yes, but not specifically "prom"?

Minor quibble - why don't they hit a fire alarm? Counter point - would they know where one was? Also, do people think clearly when they’re panicking?

Yes, I found that bit frustrating as well, why she didn't immediately get on stage and use the mic. I daresay pulling the alarm would have made it harder to explain why the chaperones and police didn't arrive faster since there was a lot of fighting and then exposition to come.

And oh, the very ending… Gorgeous. Utterly, stupendously gorgeous. Charlie lied, and how. The visuals are exquisitely beautiful, the music haunting and melancholy.

Yes, a very intriguing ending.

I am wondering about her name, as in whether ‘quill’ is somehow deliberate. Thoughts welcome.

Don't know if it was later referenced, but I assumed a suitable name for a prickly person.

[elisi]

Small world! Although I expect that happens more in England than here.
Yes, the smaller the country...

Regarding your post, it was helpful to read about the school differences as I've often wondered about the equivalencies.
I figured as much. And all countries seem to be different. (Esp unhelpful when different things go by the same name!)

If it's funded by the public, how is it free from governmental control? Or do you mean privately funded by donors and parents paying tuition?
I just copied & pasted that part - what it means is that it's directly answerable to the government, rather than local authorities. (Which raises a host of other issues. *sigh*)

Nice to better understand the Sheffield joke!
My pleasure! I didn't want people to miss out.

yeah that part they pulled from Once Upon a Time rather than the hellmouth bit ;)
Ah. Thank you. :)

I quite liked that whole section with April's visualizations, very entertaining.
It's one of the cleverest illustrations I've seen.

I was puzzled by the prom, I didn't think that existed in the UK? Seasonal school dances, yes, but not specifically "prom"?
Well, now we have them. And have for a good few years... Usually at the end of the school year for the leaving class, but hey ho, it worked for the plot!

Yes, I found that bit frustrating as well, why she didn't immediately get on stage and use the mic.
Obviously doesn't think all that straight in an emergency like that.

I daresay pulling the alarm would have made it harder to explain why the chaperones and police didn't arrive faster since there was a lot of fighting and then exposition to come.
Oh excellent point!

Yes, a very intriguing ending.
I hope you like where it goes.

Don't know if it was later referenced, but I assumed a suitable name for a prickly person.
Well it's the name of the species, which she has taken as her own...