Vapor

The Returners (2019) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1091608997 It's a modern fantasy story blending supernatural elements with character-driven drama, some light comedy, romance, and action/adventure. After a steady diet of fantasy/supernatural TV that skates by the question, Returners offers a decent reason for why 203498230 different "mysterious death" incidents can happen every couple weeks without almost anyone noticing how completely abnormal that would be for those towns. There's a big cast and unusual storytelling that plays with your perception of events, which can be fun once you see the bigger picture.

It might be helpful not to interpret the title so literally. I assumed it wasn't meant only in reference to the exact pairing of Michael and Spock, but the general sense of brotherhood and family that pervades the entire story. We even have Michael herself say that no one on the bridge would leave a "Starfleet brother or sister" behind. The episode is riddled with references like this, including Saru talking about being a brother just before they meet Pike, along with not-Spock Connelly. The Spock thing is just the most obvious of a number of elements deliberately brought together to suit the theme which the title is exemplifying.

It's not just the entrance to K'un L'un for me. It's the pre-episode-one flashback scenes in their entirety. They all just read to me as amazingly false. Including the "emotional" airplane sequence where characters die and I'm expected to feel something when they never bothered to tell us who either of Danny's parents even were, beyond a few boring-ass monologues delivered with frowny-face, where we can only project our own standard genre TV assumptions onto the situation because that's all they bothered showing us. Both visually and emotionally, I felt like I was looking at a half-finished school play with actors in desperate need of motivation, and maybe some kind of meaningful third act to try to arc toward. This is the sort of lifeless writing/producing that ruined the finale to Dexter. I don't know who among the Marvel/Netflix staff has affection for that show, but they should have done their homework enough to know that they grabbed the wrong showrunner from that lot. It's not the worst show ever, but the lack of care it takes in handling its characters is disappointing.

I assumed they could see Lenny and Benny because those were actually real people, and the parasite simply took their form in his mind to further confuse him. The real Lenny was in the hospital with David, and was killed accidentally by Syd (with David's power) but that was just another opportunity for the parasite to screw with him further. So, the memory of Lenny and Benny, both friends of David's that he felt some measure of safety with, were corrupted.

Also, why does it need to feel like a typical super hero show? We're verging on a dozen of those within the next year or so, I don't really need another, despite enjoying some. What I appreciate most about this so far is its disinterest in taking the immediate, obvious route with costumes and easy-to-decipher bad guys that just need a good punching and the like. That stuff has its place, and can be a lot of fun, but I think I'd go insane watching only that forever. Let this be the bizarre, oblique thing it wants to be, and check out the other stuff if your interests divert elsewhere. I know I will.

In his main focus episode, Chase was portrayed as seemingly a little bit oblivious. I got the impression that, if he did like guys (instead of or) as well as girls, it was plausible that he literally might not realize it. Like it simply would never occur to him, because he just would assume he was like everybody else. Not that I'm suggesting any of this is real- I'm just entertaining the idea. If I was coming up with plots to "make it work," I'd probably take that tactic, to keep things consistent. Less "in the closet" and more "had no clue".

Sharing. You feel what the others feel, access their knowledge, memories, and can see/use it for yourself. When Will says he can feel Riley's pain, she's sharing. When Lito cries with Nomi, she's sharing her shower flashback with him.

I'm of two minds on the Riley/Chase thing. While I would love for it to be a legitimate ship that the writers intended all along, I can also see this as easily just being a coincidence of acting chemistry and vaguely ambiguous dialogue. It certainly wouldn't be the first time people have read too much into a friendship on the show (though some of that is more joking than anything else). At the same time, when Riley mentioned how people back home often made "assumptions" about him, the thought immediately popped into my head. That he could be gay or bisexual, and this was another reason he wanted to get out on his own. Of course, that could just be because I know exactly what that feels like for real. As do several other people who I know have mentioned this elsewhere, and thus could be guilty of wishful thinking. So, my current position is that they're probably not into each other like that, but it would be pretty rad if they were, and I'll enjoy the idea of it either way. At least until we randomly meet Riley's new female love interest in a few episodes and it totally destroys everyone's theory. >_> Looking forward to Shelby's episode this week. This show is doing a truly excellent job of distributing information and adding nuance to the characters/universe as time goes on. It seems like, every time I hear a complaint that we're missing something, the very next episode comes along to fix it. Spoke too soon, lol. They haven't left anyone out or dropped the ball on explaining things. They're just taking their time, allowing each episode to add something new to the pot. It hasn't been this skillfully planned in years.

How did I not realize until JUST NOW that Augustin is dating Damien from "Mean Girls"?

Well, it's an ensemble show. Whoever the red person is, they almost automatically get the top spot in the credits by virtue of the fact that they're the most popular, recognized figure in media. Of course, that didn't stop RPM from making Dillon (Black) the focal character of the season, or Time Force from making Jen (Pink) the actual leader of her team. Whichever name comes first doesn't often mean much in terms of the actual writing of the show. But even if it did, I never expected Shelby to be considered the "main character." Power Rangers doesn't often have that, since it's so team-oriented. I was just impressed because of the fact that the primary target audience for the show is young boys, and the prevailing thought among The Powers That Be often seems to be that boys don't want to see the girls kicking ass as much as the guys (which has been proven to be a pretty stupid thought, but that's not going to stop some people). And yet, they still decided to give Shelby some prime focus right off the bat, instead of waiting until, like, episode four or something, when they've already exhausted their supply of standard introductory material for all the dudes. No, she's front and center, and she gets to have attitude and depth and just enough smarts for us to see why she's a hero without turning into a Mary Sue bore. Refreshing.

I seriously doubt Kendall is anything more than a stern boss who expects a lot out of the Rangers she's helping, and she'll eventually develop a greater appreciation for them as friends. The fact that she's not perfectly nice to all of them right away is something that I regard as a very good thing. It means she actually has someplace to go as a character, and she's not just immediately done, like too many recent Rangers when it comes to cast dynamics. A mild spoiler about genders of Rangers: And, in fact, it looks like Dino Charge has deliberately taken steps to ensure there's more prominent female energy from the start than its Japanese counterpart did. I'm loving that this show feels like there's a plan in place. It's not just random episodes, but a progression of plot, and revelations that come out slowly as time goes on. You will wonder about certain things one week and have a few of your questions answered within the next two. And, considering the clips we see in the opening credits, it's a fair bet that these revelations will steadily continue. It gives you a reason to tune in, other than just the fact that you know it's on. You have a legitimate incentive to learn more. And, unlike the last couple incarnations, Dino Charge actually makes me feel like we'll get some decent answers.

The thing about Sousa not being worthy of Carter's affections is interesting. We chiefly remember her as having a romance with Captain America, but really, she had already begun falling in love with Steve before he ever got that title. When he was a scrawny, little man who was shorter and weaker than she was. It was his heart that moved her. His sense of justice. His respect. His willingness to fight even though it was obvious that he would be killed in two seconds if ever put into a real battle. Now, Sousa is most definitely not Steve Rogers. But I guess I never expected Carter's husband to be like that anyway. As unromantic as it sounds, I just assumed that the guy she ends up marrying is simply not as good as him. That she would love him, and see herself with him forever, but if Steve magically came back into her life, it would complicate things severely, because she just plain loves him more and no one will ever fully compare. It doesn't mean she can't be happy, and have a full, complete life with someone she cares for. Sousa doesn't have to be amazing to be the future Mr. Carter- he just has to be a decent man. Unless he's evil. Or just a good friend. Or whatever.

Been watching the show since childhood, and it's had its ups and downs (the biggest "downs" of all coming from the last couple years), but there were some really great seasons in the in-between years that a lot of people will probably never bother with because it's not the sainted originals. "Power Rangers RPM" is an especially harrowing story for a kids show about heroes fighting rubber monsters. Very cinematic, clever, and full of amusing movie references for older viewers. But anyway. This was a strong opening in comparison to recent fare. They've brought back one of the best showrunners the franchise has ever had, to revitalize the series after a bit of a creative lull, and you can tell that there is some real ambition here. Of course, the show is still totally ridiculous and crazy, but it's the charming sort of crazy that someone like myself can have a lot of fun with. We've never had an African-American Pink Ranger before, and it's quite rare for a female character of any kind to be the first of a new cast to get this much focus, so that is definitely a huge plus. Especially if you sat through some rough patches recently, where the ladies were not often afforded such luxury. I'd be interested to know what people think of this episode, who haven't watched much of the franchise beyond the early 90s though.

I don't think the problem is with Hartley giving information to prisoners. It's Hartley giving information to everyone else. Like the authorities. The police. The military. The government. Anyone and everyone who could walk right into the lab, confiscate their equipment, seize Harrison's assets, seek out the Flash, ruin the lives of his team, and just generally destroy everything they've been building together with respect to fighting the baddies most people are ill-equipped to deal with. Also, Harrison's evil shadiness.

And, with this mindset, the next time a guy is raped, it'll be that much easier to dismiss, right?

I'm really lost on some of the opinions about Debbie's storyline here. To me, this was the most brilliant aspect to a pretty damn good episode, by recent standards for this show. I feel like it puts a spotlight on the concept of female-on-male rape, without an overly demonstrative resolution that screams through the screen how wrong it is and how it must be acknowledged as a thing. I feel like "Shameless" pretty rarely does that, and I would not have expected a sudden rush of extra special political correctness in this storyline just because it's a sensitive topic that gets trigger warnings and rants on tumblr all day every day. I felt like the attitudes within the universe of the show were pretty well reflective of some unfortunate views on the concept in real life. This stupid idea that guys would of course love getting laid regardless of the source of said lay. Here, the actual guy getting taken advantage of is not nearly as okay with it as he's expected to be by those around him. And, even if he was, he'd still be seen by many as the rapist instead of Debbie, who got him drunk with super-beer, took him to bed, and sexed him while he was barely alive, sans consent. The question of whether Debbie knew what she was doing is treated as complicated, and so it should be. She's a little kid, who had never been intimate with a boy like this before. A boy who is actually a seemingly weird adult man, in fact, who she perceives as liking her but just needing a nudge forward, since she's constantly told by everyone around her a bunch of stupid things about how guys are supposed to operate. On the other hand, Debbie's not an idiot. She knows it's not cool to do things to people without permission, and if the guy is upset, it's obviously not for nothing. But then, she still gets told that this guy is fucking weird for not enjoying her sex like it's just a given, so what exactly is she supposed to believe? The last thing I would want is for "Shameless" to shy away from a storyline because it makes the viewer uncomfortable with its subject-matter. People argue a lot that "I guess it really is SHAMELESS" for many things on the show. And I guess some people would see that as some kind of convenient excuse for crazy behavior on the part of the characters, but I don't know if I would see it that way. I mean, obviously there are shows that would never touch a story like this, but I don't think its use here is a good example of the show just having run out of ideas on how to play up the joke of its namesake. One could cry out-of-character behavior, if that's how you feel, but I don't question the motivation behind doing the story outright. To me, it fits just fine.

It seemed clear to me that Fiona was upset with herself because she felt like she was setting a bad example. Putting it into Debbie's head that punching a guy out, risking arrest, and running into the night laughing is the best way to handle a situation. It had less to do with going out and having fun, and more just a total accumulative of the scenario. She's a minor in a place with alcohol and guys hitting on her, and she VERY recently expressed a desire to actually be hit upon, and Fiona's answer was to take her out with her. Part of it is also what her boss said about her being chaos. I'm not sure if Fiona's "chaotic lifestyle" is one that is meant to be seen as always being there. At least not to this extent. Fiona actually said that she feels freer now that the ankle bracelet is off. Like she's just been unleashed, and so she has this big burst of emotion that drives her to go out and have fun, despite her responsibilities. I don't know if I would take what her boss said to be the show's position on her character though. To me, that guy is crazy, and he would be that way whether Fiona was there or not. It isn't her fault that he sometimes acts weird- it's because he's just weird, and he uses women he's attracted to as an excuse for his behavior.

Mickey's family becomes a major part of the UK series, to the point where it almost feels like it's their show at times. The mother, the father, and all the siblings have major storylines. Mickey himself is super-awkward and kind of dumb compared to the rest of his family (though they naturally aren't too progressive, so he still has to contend with a lot of nonsense). So many of the Gallaghers left that I guess the "Milkovich" family became a natural replacement as things started changing. I haven't seen every episode, but I did get the vibe that the UK show leaned more heavily in the comedy direction than the US show did. Each are capable of being both wacky and serious, but I would describe the US version as more of a drama. It just has a more cartoonish sense of humor about everything compared to "Mad Men" or whatever.

I define "period piece" as anything that takes place in a time that isn't the relative recent past. That would include the future, though obviously most people would think of that as sci-fi first, since any future would be an invented period rather than an actual, established one. So, yeah, whether it's the 40s, 50, 60s, or 70s, it's a period piece. The term is just most often used when describing something from a long time ago, with very different clothing, architecture, culture, language, and social behavior. "Agent Carter" being a period piece doesn't exclude it from also being an action/adventure spy drama with sci-fi and superhero-related elements though. It can be all at once or only a few. I regard this as a huge plus. The last thing I want is for all superhero media to look and sound the same, ugh.

I'm not sure if "aimless" is the word I'd use. More like ponderous. It's basically "Indie Movie: The Series," so there's going to be times where all you're watching is characters getting lost (literally or figuratively or both), contemplating their lives, and talking about it all in vaguely sarcastic terms. It's not about the plot- there is almost none to speak of, and I don't think that's by accident. It's not for everyone, surely. But I enjoy it as a quiet examination of certain facets of life. Our hangups, insecurities, fears, and regrets. Though maybe not as profound as that description might make it sound.

While it wouldn't exactly shock me to find out he's straight, him "sparking" with Carter when patching her up can be interpreted as them just having good chemistry (which is true no matter what his orientation). There's a moment he realizes his hand's on her leg and he quickly removes it, which, especially given the times and both their personalities, would be pretty sensible. They were having a heart-to-heart. It's funny when people mention the woman's voice, because I immediately thought it could be any number of people. A sister. A roommate. A beard. Or just his wife, like he said, obviously. I don't know how likely it is that Jarvis is gay. But I guess what bothers me a bit is this idea that him being gay somehow means all these other things about him. Like he has to talk or act a certain way, and that's why he's gay. Not just, you know, the possibility that he likes men. And that the era doesn't afford him the luxury of being as honest about it as he'd like, especially to someone he just met. No, he doesn't have to be "a total swaggering cigar chewing manly man" to be straight. Nor does he have to be the opposite to be gay. Believe it or not, there are people who fit that description that are gay as the day is long. It's an odd defense of the character to leap to the conclusion that the reason he's suspected by some is because "he's British." What does that have to do with anything?