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This became a rant
So I have been on holiday (one of the reasons for not posting much), so I merely bring you a random observation, since whilst away Darcy thought it might be nice to try a new show. It was a French show called 'The Very Secret Service' and was on Netflix.
We watched the first episode and it is rare for me to struggle to find even a single nice things to say. I guess the period detail was nice? It's set in the 1960s and follows a young man who gets chosen to be in this Very Secret Service. And that's the first problem. Well, couple of problems. Throughout the first episode we learn literally NOTHING about him, except his name. His 'qualifications' appear to be giving the right answers to three questions (and being male, white, straight etc, obviously). I have NEVER seen anything so blatantly created for [straight, white men] to project themselves onto. The people in charge are all straight, white men. There is a 'fun' 'beating up an Eastern European for information scene' and some African dignitaries/generals who are kept waiting in the reception throughout (and they have such weird names and the receptionist can't spell them!! Hilarious /possible overdose of sarcasm font) and the women are all petite and beautiful and the main female spy (VERY attractive. VERY French. Spent a fortune on underwear, the gag is too long to explain) is introduced via her legs.
Apparently it was supposed to be a comedy?
The main thing it made me think of was how I have not been keeping up with Picnic at Hanging Rock, where women are shown leading (literally, front and centre, head held high, straight towards the camera) and how such simple things can mean so much. How women are shown, matters.
I recently watched S1 of The Hour (same period), but all the women were their own characters and introduced as such (actually, everyone had a character and a backstory etc etc). It's an unfair comparison though, since The Hour is a proper drama and The Very Secret Service is... not. Actually, even when comparing it to Archer (which is so deliberately offensive and gross it's hilarious), The Very Secret Service comes off worse. Archer may be a jerk, but at least he's got personality.
In other news, I have enticed my two youngest to watch Buffy. We have watched 4 episodes so far and they like it very much. :)
ETA: Buffy's immortal line 'If the apocalypse comes, beep me!' is from Never Kill a Boy on the First Date. I pointed out how famous this line was.
Impish Girl: Beep me? What does that mean?
Me: She has a pager.
Impish Girl: What's a pager?
Lesson 1 in HOW TO FEEL OLD.
We watched the first episode and it is rare for me to struggle to find even a single nice things to say. I guess the period detail was nice? It's set in the 1960s and follows a young man who gets chosen to be in this Very Secret Service. And that's the first problem. Well, couple of problems. Throughout the first episode we learn literally NOTHING about him, except his name. His 'qualifications' appear to be giving the right answers to three questions (and being male, white, straight etc, obviously). I have NEVER seen anything so blatantly created for [straight, white men] to project themselves onto. The people in charge are all straight, white men. There is a 'fun' 'beating up an Eastern European for information scene' and some African dignitaries/generals who are kept waiting in the reception throughout (and they have such weird names and the receptionist can't spell them!! Hilarious /possible overdose of sarcasm font) and the women are all petite and beautiful and the main female spy (VERY attractive. VERY French. Spent a fortune on underwear, the gag is too long to explain) is introduced via her legs.
Apparently it was supposed to be a comedy?
The main thing it made me think of was how I have not been keeping up with Picnic at Hanging Rock, where women are shown leading (literally, front and centre, head held high, straight towards the camera) and how such simple things can mean so much. How women are shown, matters.
I recently watched S1 of The Hour (same period), but all the women were their own characters and introduced as such (actually, everyone had a character and a backstory etc etc). It's an unfair comparison though, since The Hour is a proper drama and The Very Secret Service is... not. Actually, even when comparing it to Archer (which is so deliberately offensive and gross it's hilarious), The Very Secret Service comes off worse. Archer may be a jerk, but at least he's got personality.
In other news, I have enticed my two youngest to watch Buffy. We have watched 4 episodes so far and they like it very much. :)
ETA: Buffy's immortal line 'If the apocalypse comes, beep me!' is from Never Kill a Boy on the First Date. I pointed out how famous this line was.
Impish Girl: Beep me? What does that mean?
Me: She has a pager.
Impish Girl: What's a pager?
Lesson 1 in HOW TO FEEL OLD.
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I quite enjoyed The Hour and wish it had gone on longer :/
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And I still have S2 of The Hour to watch, I may be saving it up...
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I think I still attempt to do that despite having seen all of it multiple times. Like, no, wait, better savor this . . .
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Hmmm...another recommendation for Picnic at Hanging Rock.
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"Devil is a Part-Timer" sounds... interesting, although I don't know if I could cope with the theological impossibilities contained in the premise.
Hmmm...another recommendation for Picnic at Hanging Rock.
SO GOOD. SO MANY WOMEN. WRITTEN BY A WOMAN. DIRECTED BY A WOMAN. And boy, can you tell.
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"Devil is a Part-Timer" sounds... interesting, although I don't know if I could cope with the theological impossibilities contained in the premise.
Not sure why. It's not "Satan" from our world but from another dimension who has gone through a dimensional portal.
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Lesson 1 in HOW TO FEEL OLD.
Lol. Though I was never familiar with the phrase 'beep me.'
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Yes, Darcy even turned it off two minutes before the end, remarking that 'obviously I didn't like it'. Which was very astutely observed. I don't think he was particularly impressed either, but damn. Such a list of nopes I barely scratched the surface.
Lol. Though I was never familiar with the phrase 'beep me.'
Well back in't'day it was on posters and all sorts. Which I doubt you would ever have seen. :)
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So far they are enjoying it muchly and besides, for them it's a 20 year old show, they are not expecting that much. OH HOW IT WILL BLINDSIDE THEM. (I am v impatient to get to Prophecy Girl. Which is plain awesome.)
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Do they know all the plot twists?
Impish Girl: Beep me? What does that mean?
Me: She has a pager.
Impish Girl: What's a pager?
Lesson 1 in HOW TO FEEL OLD.
Yup.
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They have also seen... Halloween and Smile Time. I am TRYING to stop them from spoiling themselves further.
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If the boy had had any kind of personality or story that might have worked better. It might be a show that improves with time, but this was a pilot episode that put me off for good. :(
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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ (https://www.dreamwidth.org/support/faqbrowse?faqid=303).
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Stacey
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Some things are universal, other things have almost changed beyond recognition.
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I know. I laugh watching stuff from the 90s and seeing those ginormous old cellphones.
Stacey
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Stacey
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Stacey
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Stacey
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The Hour is fantastic TV - I loved it.
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The Hour is fantastic TV - I loved it.
I'm saving up S2...
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WAS IMPISH GIRL SERIOUS OR TROLLING??? I am working with a bunch of 20-year-olds and I feel positively Ancient, like, oh my God I remember the tv shows that were on the year they were born!
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Well, the first problem was that it wasn't funny! Basically, if it hadn't been very nicely produced I could easily have mistaken it for an actual show from the 60s.
I'm debating if I'll look at it (if it's on Irish Netflix) but I don't have the energy for badly done satire :(
Watch Archer instead. >:) No, watch Buffy! (Unless you have??? Sorry, I lost track.)
WAS IMPISH GIRL SERIOUS OR TROLLING???
She is 17, she has never in her life come across even the concept of a pager. And yeah, Buffy [the show] is older than ANY of my children.
Tbh the age sort of works for it, because they are ready to forgive production issues on the basis of 'it's old', not realising that even back in the day people were complaining. ;)
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Impish Girl: Beep me? What does that mean?
Me: She has a pager.
Impish Girl: What's a pager?
LMAO Yeah, do those even exist now? My sister used to have one so my parents could tell her to come home from socialising.
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Thisssss. If the production hadn't been so lick, I could easily have mistaken it from a show *actually* from the 60s. Again, compare & contrast with The Hour, which might be set in the 50s but is aware of its setting and half the cast are female (including the main character).
LMAO Yeah, do those even exist now? My sister used to have one so my parents could tell her to come home from socialising.
They might come back, for people who want to escape the evils of smart phones? Who knows. Even a simple mobile can receive messages, so I can't imagine why anyone would want one.
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