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Miracle Day. Part 1.
It was... nice? I don't mean that in a bad way. It was well written, nicely filmed, the new characters smoothly introduced, Bechdel Test passed, Gwen was kick-ass (and there was stuff I can use for My Immortal), Jack was... Jack (oh Jack), and yeah. Good stuff.
It wasn't my show, but I'll certainly watch it. Although I must admit that it is WEIRD watching a continuation on the same day I finally found closure and managed to come to peace with everything.
To explain a bit better what I mean, let me pull this out of my user info:
Torchwood was somewhere I lived. CoE killed it, by turning it into 'event TV' or whatever it's called. The title isn't important. The point is that the story - the specific story - is what matters, and the characters are subservient to it. S1 - 2 of Torchwood gave people a base, a tapestry, a palette: Something for fans to play with, endlessly. CoE broke that template, and instead served up a single story. Miracle Day, similarly, is a single story. You can write around it, but it doesn't generate new stuff.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. CoE was a brilliant story. Miracle Day looks good so far. But they're holidays. Destinations. Not somewhere to live.
But I'm OK with that. My tea boy did good. My tea boy did better than good. And I can let him go. Shiny new stuff? Nice. But not mine.
It wasn't my show, but I'll certainly watch it. Although I must admit that it is WEIRD watching a continuation on the same day I finally found closure and managed to come to peace with everything.
To explain a bit better what I mean, let me pull this out of my user info:
"A great film is something you can take a brief holiday in; a [funny] television series, with proper character development, is something you can live in."
Tom Cox, The Sunday Times Culture Magazine, 15th Apr. 2007
Torchwood was somewhere I lived. CoE killed it, by turning it into 'event TV' or whatever it's called. The title isn't important. The point is that the story - the specific story - is what matters, and the characters are subservient to it. S1 - 2 of Torchwood gave people a base, a tapestry, a palette: Something for fans to play with, endlessly. CoE broke that template, and instead served up a single story. Miracle Day, similarly, is a single story. You can write around it, but it doesn't generate new stuff.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. CoE was a brilliant story. Miracle Day looks good so far. But they're holidays. Destinations. Not somewhere to live.
But I'm OK with that. My tea boy did good. My tea boy did better than good. And I can let him go. Shiny new stuff? Nice. But not mine.
no subject
My full opinion of episode one is pretty much WHUT, WHUT IS REX MATHESON'S CHARACTER I CANNOT EVEN.
*sporfle*
NOBODY CARES ABOUT PAYING FOR BRIDGES, SHUT UP.
. . .
Still trying to decide if this is terrible or the best part of the episode. Which, actually, does feel like Torchwood, come to think of it . . .
no subject
1.) :D - Intrigued by the concept and delighted by thinky-thoughts.
2.) :O - WTF in various forms, ranging from what-crack-are-they-smoking to do-they-have-a-head-injury?
3.) :/ - Bored.
4.) 8D - Ooooooooooooh, BAMF!
Rex Matheson was funny and annoying (and boring at times too - sorry). Ester Drummond is now American!SallySparrow to me so I can't take her seriously. But really, the show is stolen by Oswald Danes who represents such a WTF!ckery of US law that I actually laughed out loud and continue to LOL whenever I think about it. I mean, with the Oswald storylines, I actually said to the TV-screen, out-loud, "Really, Russell? REALLY?!"
It's certainly a ride. And in that way, you're right; that *does* feel like Torchwood, come to think of it.
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Rex Matheson was funny and annoying (and boring at times too - sorry).
Oh, don't apologize--I found him quite boring for long stretches too. And then ludicrous, possibly in a good way.
Ester Drummond is now American!SallySparrow to me so I can't take her seriously.
Huh--I guess I can see that. I mostly found her innocuous. Love the name, though.
But really, the show is stolen by Oswald Danes who represents such a WTF!ckery of US law that I actually laughed out loud and continue to LOL whenever I think about it.
Is it really? I mean, TW is always making a mockery of some aspect of reality, so I kind of assumed it would be best not to think about what was going on with him too hard . . . I do have to assume that RTD starting the first ep of the "American" season of TW with an execution is something of a passive aggressive political statement.
:D - Intrigued by the concept and delighted by thinky-thoughts.
I think this may be where I'm the most disappointed so far. I was at least expecting to like this as an exploration of a pretty cool science fiction concept, but so far I sort of . . . don't care? They almost got me intrigued with the remains of the bomb victim, so I guess there's hope there, but I was expecting the concept to grab me and it didn't really. It does somehow seem fantastically appropriate that RTD, Mr. All-About-Death, is now writing a show where nobody can die. It's like, if nobody saw this coming, they probably should have . . . Of course, if RTD's death-fixation didn't do much for me in any of its other incarnations, maybe I shouldn't be too surprised that it's not grabbing me here either :-\
no subject
I think this may be where I'm the most disappointed so far.
It's funny, because it's almost exactly what I thought it'd be. That is - very much like CoE. I expect that they'll delve a lot further into the whole thing, having extended Jack's UNNATURAL immortality to all of humanity (I bet it's ALL ABOUT HIM, and someone has done a thing a bit like the Immortality Gate and put his template onto the whole world, but leaving him mortal. And then he'll have to choose to be immortal again or something to save the world. /random speculation). But, like CoE, it'll be... art? I sort of hesitate to use the word, but it's the only things that really fits. It's what I mean when I talk about it being like a movie - it will have one singular focus, and I never have much to say about that. Look at Guernica - it's a brutal depiction of warfare, but there's nothing to add to it. I admire it, but it doesn't *do* anything - I never wrote much meta on CoE f.ex. because it didn't need adding to.
Plus there's the fact that it's all story-driven, with the characters subservient to the story, which is fair enough, but I always go for the character stuff. Original Torchwood was all character-driven. Doctor Who is ridiculously character-driven. (Also see Buffy and Angel.) I like me some layers, rather than ONE BIG IDEA.
So I expect the concept to be neat. I expect people like
no subject
I did. With a bit of divided attention, admittedly.
It's funny, because it's almost exactly what I thought it'd be. That is - very much like CoE.
Yeah, me too. I just figured I'd find that a bit more inherently interesting. But it's early yet.
And then he'll have to choose to be immortal again or something to save the world. /random speculation
I suspect your speculation is right. And I do remember about an hour after watching the episode suddenly realizing--in a state of bored, slightly sarcastic pseudo-panic--'oh no, but now how will someone sacrifice themself to save the world?!?' But your suggestion should do well, heh.
But, like CoE, it'll be... art? I sort of hesitate to use the word, but it's the only things that really fits.
A self-contained story? I know what you mean, though. More of a mini-series than a tv show. Feel similarly about Sherlock. Rather confused as to how anyone got such a huge fandom out of that. It can't *just* be the slash, can it?
I like me some layers, rather than ONE BIG IDEA.
Preach.
no subject
10 episodes...
I suspect your speculation is right. And I do remember about an hour after watching the episode suddenly realizing--in a state of bored, slightly sarcastic pseudo-panic--'oh no, but now how will someone sacrifice themself to save the world?!?' But your suggestion should do well, heh.
I'd bet money on it, actually. I mean, the connection is SO OBVIOUS! (Plus there's the webisode thing which I watched, and apparently Jack was kidnapped back in 2007, plus someone wrote about how 'the government' - or whoever - were planning to eliminate death. A week before it happened. He then gets shot. DON'T go looking for it, it was VERY VERY dull.)
A self-contained story? I know what you mean, though. More of a mini-series than a tv show.
*nods* And it's that thing of the characters beign subservient to the story... (In The House of the Dead, the plot is so RIDICULOUSLY carefully tailored to the characters that it makes me laugh. Oh Torchwood. I love you when you're daft. ETA: Plus, there's MAGIC PEBBLES! There is no level on which I don't love it...) ETA2: This review OMG!. It's very positive. Drooling, almost. And sums up *perfectly* what the problems are (although the reviewer sees them as strengths).
Rather confused as to how anyone got such a huge fandom out of that. It can't *just* be the slash, can it?
Well, there's the slash. And, then it draws on a long history - Sherlock Holmes has been told, and re-told, goodness knows how many times. Only now they're all up to date. And have gorgeous cheekbones.
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Enthusiasm . . . for . . . MD . . . failing . . .
Rusty, I know you and I have never gotten on all that well, but do you know how much crack and Gwen blowing shit up is gonna have to happen to compensate for this?
ETA: Plus, there's MAGIC PEBBLES! There is no level on which I don't love it...
Are we talking about TW at this point, or a children's breakfast cereal?
ETA2: This review OMG!. It's very positive. Drooling, almost. And sums up *perfectly* what the problems are (although the reviewer sees them as strengths).
*iz bemused* I rather wish I could get in that mindset--it seems a lot more fun. I'll give them this, that is one of the more entertaining reviews I've ever read. Cardboard box/pyramid/duck remnants food and all.
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Just pretend it doesn't exist. It's just a fan service thing extra. And so *ugly*... /o\
Rusty, I know you and I have never gotten on all that well, but do you know how much crack and Gwen blowing shit up is gonna have to happen to compensate for this?
Well
Are we talking about TW at this point, or a children's breakfast cereal?
House of the Dead. *draws pink sparkly hearts*
*iz bemused* I rather wish I could get in that mindset--it seems a lot more fun. I'll give them this, that is one of the more entertaining reviews I've ever read. Cardboard box/pyramid/duck remnants food and all.
It's... odd, certainly. But the enthusiasm is nice.
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Lol. After watching ep one I was like "ok, that's definitely it--I'll just wait and watch it all at once." Then ep two came out and people were like "it's Gwen on a motherf*cking plane!" and now I don't know what to do. Will probably give in /o\
House of the Dead. *draws pink sparkly hearts*
I know, I'm making fun of you ; ) And children's breakfast cereal commercials.
no subject
Oh Austin Powers. ♥