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Think with me!
So, I'm kind of in a think-y mood and would like to talk!
Really, I'll talk about anything under the sun, anyone interested in a rambley comment exchange?
To start things off, this is something I've been thinking about for a while now...
Let me start off by saying that other than a few half-paid-attention-to Firefly bits, the only thing I've seen Jewel in is Stargate. I know I lot of people loved her in Firefly, but wow, I just can't respect her performance as Jennifer Keller on SGA.
I know part of it is the writers giving her crappy parts (see Missing), but after watching This Mortal Coil, I have to put some of that on Jewel part. I mean look at how we saw Lorne and Zelenka act, they were both "off" but not enough to really make you think they were robots. Keller on the other hand might as well have had a sign around her neck saying "Aren't I acting stupidly weird!?" There was no subtlety in her part. You'd think, especially since this replicator appeared to be the one in charge that they'd be able to interact with the... the, what ever the team where, more human replicators, without panicking. Grrr.
Really, I'll talk about anything under the sun, anyone interested in a rambley comment exchange?
To start things off, this is something I've been thinking about for a while now...
Let me start off by saying that other than a few half-paid-attention-to Firefly bits, the only thing I've seen Jewel in is Stargate. I know I lot of people loved her in Firefly, but wow, I just can't respect her performance as Jennifer Keller on SGA.
I know part of it is the writers giving her crappy parts (see Missing), but after watching This Mortal Coil, I have to put some of that on Jewel part. I mean look at how we saw Lorne and Zelenka act, they were both "off" but not enough to really make you think they were robots. Keller on the other hand might as well have had a sign around her neck saying "Aren't I acting stupidly weird!?" There was no subtlety in her part. You'd think, especially since this replicator appeared to be the one in charge that they'd be able to interact with the... the, what ever the team where, more human replicators, without panicking. Grrr.
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When I first saw Lorne and Zelenka interact with Rodney and John, I first thought maybe we as an audience didn't see something happen to Rodney and John - that they were acting weird according to the situations. But when Keller appeared and interacted with John...I was like...OH! Some thing's going on with them, not the main chars. She totally blew the cover, but not in a *smack forehead* kind of way, but in a *rolls eyes* kind of way. Make sense? Prolly not. hehe
But, to sum up: Yes, I completely understand. She's cute and sweet, but so not a Chief Medical Officer character. *hmph* I want Carson back.
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And the actresses default seems to be "act wide eyed and clumsy or shy". As you said, in this episode she just took all the mystery out of wondering what was off because she was so plainly wrong. I think of in The Seer how the dying guy was like "Yeah, I know I'm dying, could you have been any more obvious about it?" and have to agree. And I just can't help but wonder how different these episodes would have been were it Carson playing those parts rather than Keller. Paul was able to get that mix of professionalism and caring down. He would have been able to feel off, but not be smacking you over the head with it. And while I think Carson still might have been hiding behind Teyla and being useless, I don't think his uselessness would have been more in words than in actions (kind of like Rodney).
About the only time Keller's character managed to stick with me was the "I'll need something to heal first!" line she gave before shooting that dude.
I really can't wait for Carson to come back. I hope, hope, *hope* they keep him around for season 5. And that they do a better job of bringing him back than they did with bringing Weir back. I was really excited about Weir's story line after seeing how she left, but they really disappointed me with this one. In fact it didn't feel like season ender at all, just another episode. :-/
Ramble ramble ramble
I don't have anything particular in mind for rambling, but word on JS. I watched the entirety of Firefly (oh god, the hours of my life I'll never get back) and she was pretty good there. But as Keller, she's really not that great. I wasn't particularly attached to Carson, but Keller's definitely a step down.
Just for the record? I still miss Grodin.
So ramble to me about anything you'd like to ramble about. Pretend I asked you that one question you've always wanted someone to ask you. :)
Re: Ramble ramble ramble Part 1
I almost just left an OT comments to a post of yours because I knew you'd come out and talk with me :)
I watched the entirety of Firefly (oh god, the hours of my life I'll never get back)
Wow, I think you're the first person I've spoken to about Firefly who hasn't come out singing it's praises. That makes me feel better, because I've caught a few episodes, seen the movie, and it still hold zero interest for me, but I kept thinking I was watching it wrong, because so many people think the sun and the moon of it.
I wasn't particularly attached to Carson, but Keller's definitely a step down.
Carson was, originally, the reason I fell in love with SGA, and I was a staunch McBeck shipper when I started out in the SGA fandom (none of that McShep nonsense for me!).
I eventually switched over to McShep because, even though Carson became a regular in season 2, he seemed pushed to the side more, and he was interacting less with Rodney. Then in season 3 it seemed they were just stuffing him in wherever (the perfect example of this being The Return II where Carson says something like "What do you expect *me* to do about it!?" and Landry says "Nothing, we didn’t actually call you").
Since I have moved onto McShep now, I wasn’t devastated when Carson was killed off (not like some other fans were), but I was really upset, and wanted him back. Seeing Keller has just cemented that wish for me; it’s that step down that’s making me really hate Keller. It drives me crazy to see her getting all this screen time (because it’s Jewel playing her) and seeing her screw it up, when I *know* Paul/Carson would have been able to do it sooo much better.
God TPTB are really doing their best to scare me away. If I weren’t so into this fandom, then I probably would stop watching the show. When I watched the season opener and saw how they handled Elizabeth’s leaving, I thought there might be hope for them, but This Mortal Coil was so much… less. It didn’t even feel like a mid season ender. And to so casually have Elizabeth pronounced dead… there were so many awesome ways they could have handled the Elizabeth story line and this one just came up so short. Now I’m kind of afraid to see how they’re brining Carson back.
Re: Ramble ramble ramble *sigh* Part 2
You know what? So do I. He was an awesome character and Chuck just doesn’t come close. It also bothers me, for a couple of reasons.
1. The PTB keep killing people off. They say that people like shows where things are unexpected and anything can happen, but you know what? I don’t. I hate having to wonder if my next favourite character is going to die. It’s the wrong kind of suspense completely.
2. Atlantis is supposed to be this big international expedition, but the farther along they go, the harder it is to remember that. In season 1 they managed to kill off or get rid of 3 of their 5 CoC (Grodin died, Bates was in a coma and sent back to Earth, and Ford went Wraith, leaving only Teyla, who wasn’t even from Earth, and Miko, who we’ve only ever seen once). They’ve also killed off 2 out of 3 of the reoccurring Earth characters that aren’t North American. Grodin and Carson were great because they actually lent that International feel to the expedition. Now there’s just Zelenka. And Rodney and Chuck are the only other main/reoccurring characters that aren’t American or aliens, and they’re Canadian, so it’s not like the international community is really feeling all that included. At the very least I think there should be more Asians, since China was one of the countries with a lot of influence with the IOA and Vancouver, I think, has a higher Asian population than any other group so there’s got to be actors to choose from.
One of the things that I feel saddened by is that SGA is so much in the shadow of SG-1. So many story ideas are thrown out the window because SG-1 already did it. But not only that, I think because SGA is a continuation of SG-1 (much more so than most spin of shows) they’ve had to age prematurely. Instead of treating SGA as a young show, they treat it like it’s already had 10 years, and I think a lot of the story lines get moved along too fast because of it. I thought it was a great idea to have Atlantis cut off from Earth. It gave them a lot of distance from SG-1 and presented us with interesting problems, like them having to search for food, or them not having great numbers/lots of money behind them. I was really disappointed when the SGC showed up to rescue them at the end of season 1. Also, how many bad guys has SGA had? The Wraith, the Genii, the Asurans, and those are just repeated bad guys. SG-1 only had Apophis for how many seasons? The Gou’ld were their main bad guy for 8 seasons! And already SGA is mixing theirs up like no tomorrow, because that’s what SG-1 was having to do.
The sheer amount of deaths and mix ups of the main cast point towards this as well I think. I’ll admit to watching SG-1 in a blur, but I can only think of a few significant deaths in the whole 10 seasons. I don’t think Kowalski counts since he died in the first or second ep and just kept coming back, then there was Shar’ai, Martouf, Daniel (who came back), and Janet. On SGA we’ve lost Grodin, Bates, Ford, Carson and Elizabeth. The same amount, but in only a third of the time.
Gah, my lunch is over, so I have to stop rambling now, but *waves hands*, yeah.
Re: Ramble ramble ramble *sigh* Part 2
I watched the entire series hoping it would get better because my friends assured me I'd love it, but it never happened. I love me some Nathan Fillion, but the show as a whole just wasn't up my alley.
Carson was, originally, the reason I fell in love with SGA, and I was a staunch McBeck shipper when I started out in the SGA fandom (none of that McShep nonsense for me!).
I can't even imagine being a McBeck shipper. If I had to go with something other than McKay/Sheppard, it'd probably be McKay/Zelenka, but I never saw McKay/Beckett. I wasn't looking, of course, but hmm. Interesting.
It drives me crazy to see her getting all this screen time (because it’s Jewel playing her) and seeing her screw it up, when I *know* Paul/Carson would have been able to do it sooo much better.
Agreed, definitely. They can certainly find screen time for Jewel that they couldn't find for Paul and that really does suck. Between the two of them, I'd much rather have Carson. That whole episode with Keller and Teyla was completely pointless.
When I watched the season opener and saw how they handled Elizabeth’s leaving, I thought there might be hope for them, but This Mortal Coil was so much… less.
It really, really was. It felt like Elizabeth was just a side mention, and it was a really cold way to resolve that storyline.
The PTB keep killing people off. They say that people like shows where things are unexpected and anything can happen, but you know what? I don’t. I hate having to wonder if my next favourite character is going to die. It’s the wrong kind of suspense completely.
Agreed. And you're exactly right -- the writers are treating SGA like it's been on the air for years and that's the wrong approach. I know a lot of people like the darker tone of the show this season, but I don't. It feels like it's all moving too quickly. Hell, where do we go from here?
And agreed on the CoC bit as well. I really wish we could see a more diverse team. Basically, I agree with everything. :)
Re: Ramble ramble ramble *sigh* Part 2
Well, Carson and Rodney were my favourite characters, so I slashed them. They also had some fun interatcions (and a shared kiss!). To tell you the truth though, I have trouble reading McBeck now. I just find it a bit awkward. I'm too used to the snark that is McShep. I find the characters feel OOC when I read McBeck now.
That whole episode with Keller and Teyla was completely pointless.
Yes! They've done the cowardly scientist way too much on this show. What with Rodney, Carson and Zelenka all acting afraid off world. I can understand they, no, most scientists are used to having their lives in near constant danger, but come on, who the hell is picking personnel for the expedition? At least Rodney, Carson and Zelenka were all there because they had extra special abilities that demanded they be there, Keller is just a regular Dr.
It really, really was. It felt like Elizabeth was just a side mention, and it was a really cold way to resolve that storyline.
You know, I feel really, really sorry for the people of the Save Elizabeth Weir campaign. The people in the Carson campaign have so much more. TPTB are more sympathetic to us (hell, Joe Mallozzi is behind us and so is his mom :P But he's been kind of insulting to the SEW campaign).
And that episode was *such* a cop out. I suppose they did go through with my projections, in that Elizabeth did influence (some of) them, but, like I said, it was so much less than it could have been.
I know a lot of people like the darker tone of the show this season, but I don't. It feels like it's all moving too quickly. Hell, where do we go from here?
Exactly. They just keep throwing bad guys in, and then half heartedly getting rid of them, and it's kind of like, Wha? Ok. But now what?
Also, the thing that I've always *loved* about Stargate (both Stargates) is their *humour*. I always thought that the 100th and the 200th episode of SG-1 really showed the true colours of the show. Yes there were big bads, and they had to save the world over and over again, but they could still laugh at themselves, and didn't take themselves too seriously.
SGA had a great mixture of that in Season 1. They had this really Big Bad, the Wraith, that were friggin' *scary*, they were stuck all alone in this galaxy far far away with no idea if they'd ever see their home and loved ones again. They were even always assured of having food on their plates.And they were surrounded by all this new and powerful technology that they don't really know how to use and that can blow up in their faces at any moment. There were plenty of darker aspects in season 1, but they still managed to keep the humour there. They had a great balance. I find they're loosing their balance, and are really having trouble at doing both at the same time. They have ridiculous eps (like the Irresistible one) and then really serious ones (Like the season openers) but they seem to be losing their ability to have both at the same time.
And agreed on the CoC bit as well. I really wish we could see a more diverse team.
Heh, I remember when I first watched the season opener, there suddenly seemed to be a lot of PoC as extras, it was really noticeable during the puddle jumper prep scene, and I remember thinking "Hmm, I wonder if someone read the Race!Wank that happened a few months ago and tried to fix it" but I haven't really seen them continuing that.
Re: Ramble ramble ramble *sigh* Part 2
Also, the thing that I've always *loved* about Stargate (both Stargates) is their *humour*.
Yesyesyes. Most of the characters have an inherent humor about them and that was one of the things that drew me to the show. I see posts all over my flist about how people wish Atlantis had been cut off from Earth longer and how hopefully it'll happen again and that's so not where I want the show to go. It's not an action adventure show to me, it's a cute sci fi show. I want my cute sci fi show back, damn it.
...there suddenly seemed to be a lot of PoC as extras, it was really noticeable during the puddle jumper prep scene...
Yes! There was black doctor with the mini fro who was eight kinds of adorable and I was rewatching some random episode where she showed up in the infirmary. So I guess they're sort of making an effort, if they're at least bringing back the same extras. I keep waiting for them to do something with Chuck, too, but it seems I'll be thwarted there, too. I keep hoping, though.
Re: Ramble ramble ramble *sigh* Part 2
Ha ha, that's ok. I'm actually kind of in that boat right now myself, with a ton of late comments to go out. But the other ones are going to require a lot of effort (I've been having debates about the OTW on my flist, and it can be a bit draining), so I'd rather respond to you instead :P
I see posts all over my flist about how people wish Atlantis had been cut off from Earth longer and how hopefully it'll happen again and that's so not where I want the show to go.
I'm... actually one of those people, but mostly because I hate how Earth will come in and save the day. I also dislike how SG-1 is infringing on SGA.
I want my cute sci fi show back, damn it.
Yeah.
There was black doctor with the mini fro who was eight kinds of adorable and I was rewatching some random episode where she showed up in the infirmary.
I totally missed her in the infirmary! What ep was that?
I keep waiting for them to do something with Chuck, too, but it seems I'll be thwarted there, too. I keep hoping, though.
You didn't watch SG-1 right? There's the gate guy Walter (the one that was talking to Ronon in the mess in Miller's Crossing), who's probably my favourite character on SG-1 and it took him forever to just get a name, much longer than Chuck, and even though he's a fan favourite he hardly gets any storylines. I don't hold out much hope for Chuck doing better.
hi!
Re: hi!
I'm ok with you sharing the site, two warnings though.
1) You might want to work fast since I might be taking everything down any day now. Hopefully not, but the hosting service I have it with is being a bitch and the legitimate site I have is being affected :S
2) Some of the files that I have up seem to be going corrupt so some people have been downloading them and they don't work. I don't know which will be affected next. So it's kind of download at your own risk at the moment. Sorry.