TV Shows

[paraka]

So, new seasons are starting, and I've watching TV again.

Chuck
So the first new show I watched was Chuck. I had read an article about it online and it sounded kind of neat. It's an interesting premise, but I'm not sure how great it's going to turn out. They don't quite have the proper balance of humour and seriousness. Like I said, the premise is good, but they make the characters goofy when they shouldn't. I can understand Chuck being goofy, but when the CIA agent comes off as such (and feel oh so *fake*) I just begin to lose interest. It kind of comes off more as a cartoon for young teenagers than a prime time show. I'm going to give it a few more tries, but at the moment I'm not all that impressed.

Reaper
I had head about Reaper, but mostly just watched it because an easy download come up on my flist. I wasn't really looking forward to it that much, I kind of expected it to be a take on Dead Like Me, which never really caught my attention. I was really surprised by how Reaper turned out. They didn't try to make it serious, or they left the serious parts as undertones, covered by humour. I quite enjoyed it, and was laughing quite a bit throughout it (although the firefighter stamping his feet was kind of dorky).

Although, I have to ask, does anyone know if this show was shot in Canada? Because "Work Bench" may be a take off of Home Depot, but that store? Looks like exactly like a Canadian Tire. So, so very much.

Numb3rs
Once I got past all the squeeing, and happiness over how hot Colby, Don and Megan looked, I must admit, I was... a little disappointed. I felt that maybe everything was solved a bit too quickly, and it would have been nice if they had gone farther up the ladder when it came to the Chinese spys. I will however be happy with how the first episode went down if they do a good job of the Colby story line in the next few eps. Have it be awkward, have him have to deal with all of it. I'm looking forward to the Colby/David storyline.

Stargate Atlantis

Spoilers for Adrift, Lifeline, and Doppleganger

Hmmm, what to say. When I first watched the leaked episodes I was really excited about the upcoming season. I seem to have lost all that though. I at first got carried away in the storyline, but later started talking about the characters and that's what's pulled me back. Unlike many in the fandom, I'm not in love with John or Joe Flannigan. And the more I watch this season, the more that not-love is turning into dislike. I hate how John treated Rodney in Adrift, and even if it wasn't as bad in Lifeline, it still annoyed me. Doppleganger? I know everyone was squeeing over it, but I just don't think that Joe Flannigan was a strong enough actor to carry that storyline off. I found his performance lacking, and just couldn't get into the episode because of it. Also, after seeing Sam in charge, I'm now missing Weir. I never thought I'd say that, but I am. I'm also a bit depressed since I read a bit of an interview with David Hewlett, where he mentioned that Rodney is going to be making a lot of mistakes this season. As much as I love Rodney whump in fics, I don't really want to see the emotional whump on screen like this. :S

Comments

[nialla]

I hope you don't mind me dropping in on the conversation, but it popped up in a Google blog alert I have set up for The Hewlett and I thought this was an interesting idea.

With Trinity it was so much easier to blame Rodney because he spent the entire time going "I can do it!" But what if Rodney fails during a time where he spends the entire time going "I *can't* do it" You know that John wouldn't believe him, and I think he'd feel at least let down in Rodney, if not outright disappointment.

I've always had problems with Trinity. I can go along with the writers wanting to show Rodney getting something wrong and getting taken down a peg or two, but... no one else has. No one on Atlantis, or more importantly, out of ten years on SG-1, Sam Carter never had such a major failure. Even when she let a replicator in her head, she got the pat on the head with a "It's not your fault," when she -- and everyone else -- should have known what would happen. I really hate the dumbing down of characters to drive the plots.

I never got why everyone seemed to take Rodney's failure so personally. I know John's faith in Rodney saving the day was shaken, as was everyone else's, but guess what folks -- you're at war and stuff like this is going to happen. IIRC, Weir was even "disciplining" Rodney where others could overhear, which was just bad management, 5/6 of a solar system or not.

Although, I have a feeling that fanfic writers would do a better job of it than the show writers, they'd probably have Carter come in and save the day while just making Rodney look stupid :(

You're probably right there. I personally am not watching the season, though I'm still lurking around in fandom (including reading episode discussion) and reading fanfic. I just couldn't go through another show becoming centered on Sam Carter again (unless they can magically erase the last few years of how she's been), though I'll probably watch the "highlights" on DVD later.

I know Sam hasn't been in the show much so far, but I expect that to increase. The show is "under new management" and it's going to take some time for their influence to be truly felt. But it's been interesting to see most (slash) fans simply talking around her instead of about her.

[paraka]

I hope you don't mind me dropping in on the conversation, but it popped up in a Google blog alert I have set up for The Hewlett and I thought this was an interesting idea.
Wow, thats' neat, and by all means, jump right in. I love having these kinds of discussions :)

I can go along with the writers wanting to show Rodney getting something wrong and getting taken down a peg or two, but... no one else has.
Except, others have screwed up. John woke all the wraith up, Carson killed off half a planet, Sam almost had an entire world die when her program put them through a sun; she blew up a sun. The difference between all those screw ups, and Trinity, as you said is that afterwards, they all got pats on the shoulders and a "It's not your fault".
Mean while Rodney got yelled at by Elizabeth, in the gate room, where everyone could see and hear. And doesn't that say something? Whenever John does something to screw up, Elizabeth has always taken him aside and given him a firm talking to. But Rodney? Gets a public taking down.
Another thing that bothered me is that from all accounts the solar system was uninhabited. So yeah, John and Rodney may have died, but they almost die every episode. While things like waking the Wraith, and Hoff *have* killed people.

You're probably right there. I personally am not watching the season, though I'm still lurking around in fandom
Oh, I don't think I have that kind of self control. Actually, I'd probably be happier if I stopped reading peoples discussions than if I stopped watching the show, sinceI can often shrug off what's on the show, but when I see people reacting like "OMG what a GREAT ep" and I hated it; that annoys me more.

I just couldn't go through another show becoming centered on Sam Carter again
The opening two parter was easy on the Sam, and I was feeling a little optimistic, but seeing Doppleganger... it didn't have a *ton* of Sam, probably as much as they would have had of Elizabeth, but it just didn't feel right to me. I found myself missing Weir, which is a bit weird, since I didn't think I would miss her.
What I actually found much more aggravating though, was Keller. Carson was the first character on the show that I fell in love with (yes, even before I fell in love with McKay). So, I really miss Carson, and seeing Keller worked into an episode, simply because it's Jewel Saite, pisses me off. Especially since Keller as a character is so flat and lacking in personality. Carson was such an emotional character, and I know that I would have like Doppleganger a lot more if he'd have been in it.
It also got me, because in the closing scene of Doppleganger, it showed the "team" in the mess not being able to sleep, and Carter and Keller were both there. That felt weird to me, because Keller and Carter are now close friends with the team? They hardly know each other. Carter says she can't stand Rodney. What? And you *know* that had the episode had Weir and Carson instead, even though they *were* closer friends, they probably wouldn't have included them in that parting shot.

But it's been interesting to see most (slash) fans simply talking around her instead of about her.
Well, as I said in the two part opener, she was hardly in it, and she barely interacted with the Atlantis people, she more had her own story line off to the side.
A lot of fans still haven't seen Doppleganger (it doesn't air for another two weeks, and hell, Lifeline just aired last night). Still in Doppleganger she had a part much like Weir would have, so not that comment worthy, and, there was quite a bit of McSheppiness in the episode, so I can see people getting distracted. :P Time will have to tell.

[nialla]

The difference between all those screw ups, and Trinity, as you said is that afterwards, they all got pats on the shoulders and a "It's not your fault".

I can't figure out why that is the case. I know at the time, the writers were making noise about McKay needing to be taken down a peg or two, plus the rest of the team needed to know he wasn't infallible, so they wouldn't keep relying on him to be their miracle worker.

I can't help but think the real reason is the writers aren't completely happy that "the geek" has become one of the most popular characters on the show. They weren't happy with Daniel being so popular on SG-1 either. They seem to want geeks in their proper place as the butt of jokes, but what they seem to be forgetting is one important equation: sci fi fans = a lot of geeks.

Another thing that bothers me about Weir rebuking people in public goes all the way to season one's 38 Minutes, where Kavanagh points out risks, and she gripes at him to worry more about the team and less about his own ass.

The fact is, he was doing his job in pointing out the risk, and that risk could have meant casualties on Atlantis itself, and didn't seem like he was doing any sort of "worrying about his own ass." I think maybe that was the writers attempting to make Weir "strong" but it actually came across as "bitch" to me.

The later antagonism in Critical Mass, where she has Ronon threaten to torture Kavanagh, so none of the earthers would get in trouble later if they survived it, made things even worse, and still never clarified why she was so pissed at Kavanagh, nor why he was keeping secrets. Yet another case of bending the characters to make the plot.

Carson is a character I still love, despite the fact they often made him do things that made him look like a modern-day Mengele. He's turning Wraith into humans, so other Wraith can kill them. Isn't that genocide? And has no one raised the question of the Wraith actually being humans, just with a mutation caused by the Ancients tinkering around with the Iratus bug trying to find ways to extend their lives so they could ascend? Why haven't they looked into figuring out why the Wraith can't feed on people like Ronon, and try to replicate it in others, and essentially starve the Wraith?

Oh, I don't think I have that kind of self control. Actually, I'd probably be happier if I stopped reading peoples discussions than if I stopped watching the show, sinceI can often shrug off what's on the show, but when I see people reacting like "OMG what a GREAT ep" and I hated it; that annoys me more.

I've been around fandoms a long time, and there are many times where I've just had to drop a show and leave fandom completely. With a few, I'd technically leave, as in stop watching, but remain with a small group of friends who were my friends beyond talking about the show itself.

Live Journals have been a tremendous help to me. I can easily avoid episode discussions if I want, and I usually know which journals to "trust" for true analysis and which ones for just the squee. ;)

[nialla]

Cont., because I'm being mouthy to the point of LJ saying my comment was too long. :)

That felt weird to me, because Keller and Carter are now close friends with the team? They hardly know each other.

This is the Boys at Bridge standard operating procedure. They're very much into "show" and not "tell." We're supposed to accept that everyone on Atlantis has not only accepted both Carter and Keller, but they're all just bestest buds. They did this before with Sam and Mitchell, by putting in a back history that they knew each other, instead of having to show them getting to know each other, so they didn't have to deal with Sam maybe having issues over "losing" command and being 2IC again.

I have a feeling the first few episodes were already roughed out in concept, but then tweaked once they knew for certain Weir was out and Carter was in, which may be why some scenes feel like a "cut and paste" instead of a scene written for Carter.

Comments Flanigan made about going to the producers about concerns the transition going too fast leave me thinking they intended to either outright kill Weir, or have her injured and returned to earth, and plop Carter right into command in the first episode. They'd probably use the excuse that a military leader was now necessary due to so many attacks or something along those lines.

You might be interested in this
article. TPTB seem convinced all the people with a negative opinion are Weir fans, Sam haters, or shippers/slashers upset over a disruption in their OTPs. But this article is written by a man (and we all know only male opinions count, right?), and he expresses some of the same concerns as the rest of us.

[paraka]

Cont., because I'm being mouthy
Oh god, that's me all the time. :P

We're supposed to accept that everyone on Atlantis has not only accepted both Carter and Keller, but they're all just bestest buds.
And you know, logically I can see it. If you're sitting in the mess and they just happen to wander in, well, I think the team is friendly enough to invite them to join no matter who it is. But the fact that they put it on the screen? Well that makes it more.

so they didn't have to deal with Sam maybe having issues over "losing" command and being 2IC again.
OMG, don't even get me started on my Sam as 2IC rant/Mitchell rant.

"cut and paste" instead of a scene written for Carter.
I'm not altogether sure how I feel about the cut and paste thing. On the one hand, I don't really want Carter to have a huge part of the show, and it would make me bitter if she did, when they never gave Elizabeth that chance, on the other hand, it just feels weird to have Carter be Elizabeth with a different face.

They'd probably use the excuse that a military leader was now necessary due to so many attacks or something along those lines.

I'm really kind of interested to see how they manage to work the whole thing in. Because at the end of Lifeline, Sam says she's not going to be sticking around.

You might be interested in this article.
Cool I'll check it out.

TPTB seem convinced all the people with a negative opinion are Weir fans, Sam haters, or shippers/slashers upset over a disruption in their OTPs. But this article is written by a man (and we all know only male opinions count, right?), and he expresses some of the same concerns as the rest of us.
God, I hate how the writers seem to think it's only guys that watch the show. How they think that adding more pretty women to the cast will automatically make the ratings be better. Here's an idea, *do* something with the pretty women you already have!

Also? Shippers can be pretty powerful people, since they have a lot invested in a show and can do a lot to either make or break a show. Don't piss them off. Joe M. has learned to respect the Save Carson fans, why can't he give the Weir fans the same?

[paraka]

McKay needing to be taken down a peg or two, plus the rest of the team needed to know he wasn't infallible, so they wouldn't keep relying on him to be their miracle worker.
They still could have done it in a way that ended in a *pats* "It's not your fault" thing. Like I think Hoff did that exactly to Carson.
And even if they did do it the way they did, they could have *resolved* it. I mean John made snide comments for a few episodes, but then it was kind of forgotten, but you also get the feeling, in eps like Adrift, that John still hold that over Rodney. In Adrift, he demands that Rodney give him his word that the nanites were safe, and they totally didn't believe him when Rodney said they were. And made a spectacle and tried to intimidate Rodney to bring him down that peg. I hate that they can't seem to leave Trinity behind, and I have a feeling, that John is going to blame Rodney for Elizabeth getting away, and Rodney is going to be made to feel for it whenever something happens.

I can't help but think the real reason is the writers aren't completely happy that "the geek" has become one of the most popular characters on the show.
It's funny, because I remember hearing someone saying once that the reason Rodney is the most fleshed out, most loved character, is because the writers, all geeks themselves, relate to him the most and put the most into his character. But I can also see the point you're trying to make, although I think I would probably chalk it up a bit more to the fact that we hurt the ones we love.

Carson is a character I still love, despite the fact they often made him do things that made him look like a modern-day Mengele.
Granted I don't really see how taking away their only food source is any less of a genocide than turning some into humans to feed the others, but yeah, I get your point. And yeah, they totally left the whole "Ronon couldn't be eaten" thing alone, when they were already halfway there after Hoff, it would have made a much better defense than some of the other shit they've tried.

And has no one raised the question of the Wraith actually being humans, just with a mutation caused by the Ancients tinkering around with the Iratus bug trying to find ways to extend their lives so they could ascend?
When did they tell us that in canon? I know that they've hinted at the Wraith's origins, and in The Return? John and that Ancient woman get into a finger pointing thing, and John says they created the Wraith, but I don't remember us ever hearing more on that.

I've been around fandoms a long time, and there are many times where I've just had to drop a show and leave fandom completely.
Yeah, I haven't been around too long, but I remember my first fandom, I couldn't imagine ever leaving it, but then a time came, and I just had to. Know I find it kind of weird to look back. And there are a few other shows, like Buffy, where I used to watch it regularly (before I found fandom), but it got to a point where the show was too different, and I just stopped watching.