samhalliwell
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Posts posted by samhalliwell
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jhlipton, I think both those things you mentioned are a clear example of when to self-enforce Willing Suspension of Disbelief. They needed a good reason for Riley to be sheltered and numb, so her backstory had to be heartbreaking, Greek-level tragic and pure nightmare fuel (at which the show succeded, at least for me).
Also, the production people probably went 'Hey, we're already going out of our way to shoot in 9 different places, how about we integrate the settings and landscapes so that they're as key to the plot as the characters?' And so, Riley's story becomes (IMO) the logical extreme of all that: Why on Earth were she and her husband driving through a secluded mountain road at nighttime during a snowstorm? Because it gives the scene a foreshadow-y dreadful tone and effectively weaponizes Icelandic weather and land, feeding Riley's fear of returning there (like the beach and cave scenes).
So, why did Magnus make all possible driver mistakes and got them all in a fatal car crash? You could say the worry for his family, panic over the screaming wife and sheer surprise of water breaking ahead of schedule are the reason, but really, it's what the story needed to advance Riley's character. (Not that they couldn't have had an accident even after driving competently as can totally happen IRL, but yeah, *drama*).
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When does season 2 start? I am so totally there!
The title and the "elevator pitch" made this sound like an science fiction show, but it's more of an in-depth character study -- 8 individuals and the people in their lives, and how they all bring something to the group. Riley is their heart, their emotional connection. I hope she's more than that next season though.
Every jam they get into, I am on tenterhooks wondering who will get them out. I love these people!
Co-sign on everything, so very much! I need to log onto the Webz some day real soon (as in, tomorrow, Netflix!) and read that this got renewed, so much.
I actually binged it while checking out threads here (at least the first 6 eps, the others were one sit-through), and it was really fun (besides the trying to skip any spoilers from following eps, lol). I have always had an easy to become attached to fictional characters and love when the writing centers more on them than in *plot plot plot*, as that can sometimes lead to bad characterization and/or cause detatchment as things seem to no longer ring true or carry weight (Once Upon a Time became my poster-show for this this year, sadly).
I love how this show did a complete reversal of the usual formula in sci-fi/fantasy shows: instead of hitting us over the head with mythology and plot and impossibly high stakes from the get-go, it showed us who these 8 people are as well as their relationships and mundane lives, so that we would probably care enough when stuff got intense. I can see how some people would be put off by that, but personally I loved it.
I admit that Riley's story did seem to drag as she got saddled with a more traditionally frustrating to watch Damsel in Distress plot at the end (in contrast with Nomi, although in her case things hadn't escalated that much). However, this last episode really did work for me as a way to justify her passiveness, with her whole tragedy laid out in graphically painful and gory detail.
I really hope the next season deals with the Cluster both helping Will/defeating Whispers and acting as a sort of constant, 24/7 group therapy for each other. I think Capheus' (awesomely and almost implausibly permanent) positivity, Nomi and now Lito's sense of self-affirmation and Kala's spirituality could really allow Riley, Wolfgang and Sun to work through their anger/sadness/distorted sense of who they are, depending on each of their receptiveness; I am actually more invested in the personal growth of the Sens8 both as a Cluster and as individuals and the possibility of seeing new/different Cluster mechanics at work with the Main 8 than in the whole Whispers/Yrsa/Sayid/Daryl Hannah chain of mysteries.
So yeah, Netflix: Season 2, ASAP, please :)!
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At least I think we were supposed to be like "ummm..." when Michaela said that line, considering the "jigga whaaa???" look Laurel gave her.
I was a little bit frustrated when no one answered her. Laurel could have totally taken that cue or even go-to snarker Connor, but I guess letting it slide seemed better to the writers (didn't take, at least in my opinion, LOL).
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Have to agree with all comments made after my first post. Laurel's family interaction did catch me off guard and ended up being the kind of relationship I expected from Connor. Mind you, I never thought he'd be a troubled gay man because his family had issues with his orientation, but that they were just dysfunctional in a "we don't care about your life" kind of way. It was a welcome surprise to see an actually happy, uncomplicated family on this show.
Also co-signing: I loathe how TV always implies that someone slightly less attractive than the Main Attractive and Appealing Lead (male or female) is somehow ugly or inferior re: Oliver. I don't disagree about Connor's looks (Falahee is in no way unattractive), but they portray Oliver like a male asian version of Ugly Betty, only without the chubbiness. Or glasses. Or bracers. Or anything that makes a reasonably and actually attractive young man visually unappealing at first glance. I understand that a gay guy who works with tech and thinks of himself as a nerd wouldn't consider himself attractive (which I would totally get and relate to), but the show seems to agree with that image. Me no likey, is all.
ETC: the ever-present grammar snafu and typo.
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Was pleased with all of Connor's scenes this week - the kiss with Oliver, his awesome sister trying to set him up, him admitting he's in love etc.
I was actually surprised at how well-adjusted and genuinely loving the interaction between Connor and his family was. Not that kids of good parents are never jerks, but I actually expected Connor's family to be more like Laurel's (uninterested, aloof or more interested in keeping appearances than in actual familiar bonding), as that, in my mind, would account for the whole "I don't do 'nice', ever" attitude.
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The problem becomes that except for Captain America and the Red Skull nobody believes that there are super powered people around until first the Hulk and Tony Stark building his armor to escape in Afghanistan and then the Battle Of New York put the existence of aliens to the forefront.
Well, now that apparently
Peggy's involved in the Ant-Man movie, it wouldn't be farfetched that she and/or a small group of people become aware of the existence of superpowered individuals and keep it hidden, even from SHIELD.
Typical Director Fury move, I think.
ETA: Now that I think about it, Raja's suggestion about signalling spoilers in the thread seems sensible.
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I love how this show goes out of its way to demonstrate how competent each character is and how they totally do justice to their field of work. Peggy knowing she can take down three agents on her own while making Jarvis, a possible liability, an active tactical tool is awesome. Thompson being fully aware that Peggy could do all of this and catch her when she tried to run? Brilliant.
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Building on the whole meta aspect of the setting, I think it would be supercool to have at least a passing reference to Namor, the Submariner (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ComicBook/SubMariner), the third most iconic character of the Timely Comics era and the other besides Captain America to have a strong presence in today's Marvel Comics. I know, I know, he's very likely tied to Fox by being a Fantastic Four and later X-Men character, but a guy can speculate and dream :)
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I'm actually looking forward to finding out why Laurel's so much of a non-entity. Not because I'm feeling mean, but because I'm pretty sure her being so unassuming and kind of bland when compared to the other students is intentional and somehow more relevant to the plot than what we may think.
I just hope I'm not wrong and they'll just take her down the "Idealistic Girl Meets Hot Older Douchebag and Finds Twoo Wuv", 'cause I actually love this show and that'd be quite a letdown.
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Just getting back to forums life for tonight's episode, and boy am I glad I came back on this thread. I absolutely loved that Emma, of all people, was the main character that provided the most levity and the least emotional turmoil in a rather emotion-heavy episode.
She was determined and helpful when she had to, but the magic scenes at Granny totally showed an Emma I'd love to see more of. I mean, she was playful and teasing, how awesome is that? :D
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For those of you who watched Wonderland, did the ending make you hopeful that we won't hate hate Adam and Eddy when this is over? Or will I need to use my How I Met Your Mother pitchfork on them?
As long as we don't get a character like the Jabberwocky built up to be something more than a creepy fear demon, but an actual character seemingly able and willing to evolve and then promptly leaving it up in the air (though with the Knave coming over revisiting Wonderland is not that far-fetched),
I'm all in for happy endings for the heroes/protagonists and karmic retributions for villains everywhere.
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Looking at the title of this week's episode, I hope we don't get a Kermit-the-Frog worthy sob story for Zelena.
Considering they're playing Zelena as absolutely effing psycho, I don't think even the saddest sob story would really put her in that sympathetic a light even if the writers tried. I know they like to pretend they can redeem people who have done really despicable things, but I'd like my PsychoZelena through and through, thank you very much :)
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Popping in this thread to ramble about something that struck me after watching the Wonderland finale and reading opinions on it in forums. (Sort of spoilers for Wonderland ahead, I suppose, so be warned).
Someone on a forum said that they found the Alice/Cyrus pairing and their True Love/Happy Ending to be endearing and not tiresome or heavy-handed in comparison to Snowing. Now, I know Snow herself has suffered as a character during 3B, but I was never against/annoyed by their relationship being "perfect" or overcoming seemingly everything that's thrown at the couple. They're the Trope Codifiers for True Love and Happily Ever After in a Disney-owned fairytale show; it just seems, IMO and not trying to be pedantic, that if you don't like Snow White and Prince Charming of all people being unbelievably perfectly together, this is kind of the wrong story for you.
Anyone disagrees with my assessment, or is just bothered by them regardless? (And yes, it seems like I have a need to keep bringing Wonderland into topics because it ended tonight and was awesome, LOL).
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Well, now we're
visiting Oz for the first official time this Sunday, so there's another time-table to wrap our heads around.
Yeah, these people could potentially drive a person crazy trying to keep timelines on track. Heh.
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I absolutely loved this episode. Although most of it had been speculated about and gotten right at various forums, I still enjoyed it greatly, dare I say because it was mostly neatly predictable.
Even the things that should piss me off/bother me because they were too predictable actually delighted me. Alice and Cyrus lived happily ever after? Jafar got genied away? TLK brings Anastasia back just so she could die and be brought back because Nyx said her time wasn't done? I'm game. Also, it totally leaves the door open for them all to show up at Once: the Original should they ever make it so. In Ana's case it totally blows though, because now you know that with Will going over as a regular to the mothership the separation of the White King and Queen (I <3ed that bit, with a passion) and the corresponding angst attached is going to suck for her and Will big time.
On another note, the Jabberwocky getting left behind at a dungeon with no resolution was just mean/lazy writing. Ditto, though not as bothersome for me as the Jabberwocky, was the lack of confrontation with Alice's stepmom (the sass from Mrs. Rabbit was gold, but not quite enough). Also, kinda sucky for Cyrus' brother who I don't think we ever got to know the names of (!!!) that they didn't get to say goodbye to their mom. But I can handwave it cuz HAPPY ENDINGS ON TV, YAY! Yeah, I'm happy everyone else got the ending they deserved.
Nerdy P.D.: I love that a blonde, powerful woman played by an actress named Emma was emotionally unstable, seemingly evil, manipulated/betrayed by a bigger bad and then joined the good side and went on to finally become The White Queen. Quite a lovely (unintentional?) shout out to yet another Disney-owned property, Show.
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I thought it was pretty clear that Cyrus was dead, because Amara wouldn't be helping Jafar with the spell unless he were.
So did I, but with jhlipton's post I realized that even if we were supposed to assume he was dead, it wasn't really stated. We''ll be finding out about that and a lot more in a little, anyway :)
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Those pics of Colin and JMo wearing different clothing shouldn't make me feel as excited as they have. But they look so adorably awesome!! (I don't even care if JMo's in civilian clothing in that pic and not actually shooting at that precise moment, she looks great).
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If they hadn't sort of plotched through the end of this episode and actually told us whether Cyrus died or not, trying to figure everything would be oh-so much easier. Gosh dang it.
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LOL, it would be fun to see if Snow's theory of everyone being related mellowing them all down is actually true. That's one of the funniest lines/scenes on this show and making a callback would be gold.
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Plus they need a place in "our world" to contrast with the Enchanted Forest.
I do love Storybrooke, but in the mid-season finale "Going Home", they made it seem so final, with the cloud sweeping over and covering Storybrooke. I genuinely felt sad. I don't mind them bringing it back, but the very next episode? Plus, they cannot break and re-enact the Curse again, because you can really only do that once... well, now they're at twice, but three times will NOT be the charm.
I assume the next logical step, if they wanted to get out of the Storybrooke setting, would be to make the expansion of magic in Our Land crisis-y. Then they could have The Dark One and the Evil Queen + True Love's Daughter and The Heart of the Truest Believer on a quest to save the world, or something along those lines. It would be very hard to do on a TV budget, I know, but it kinda sounds like a fun fanfic-like idea :)
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stealinghome, fantastic post!!! LOL
For my taste, 3x14 mirrored David's hair was the best. Actually, no, not only the hair... The bad boy look, the little beard (ok, I have a thing for beards... Oh, hello, Hook!!)...
Ok, not bad for my first post ever in a OUAT forum!
He did look great in 3x14, either princely, Davidly or generally dissheveled. Heh.
And yeah, Sabs, they really should stop half-assing Snow's hairstyling, which I have no why idea they have been doing for far too long.
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*Potential spoiler for those who haven't watched this week's promo*
Actually, I'm a little more concerned about whether or not Ana will make it through the story, though it seems unlikely.
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I kind of hope that Emma being the "Savior" this time around means that she has to use her magic and embrace who she is instead of trying to run from it.
Of course, the only downside to this (which would rock), is that they'd have to keep up the Bigger, Eviler-Than-Thou Big Bad of the Season for years on end just to make her magic (as well as Rumple's and Regina's) not a deal-breaker. I hold Ed and Adam above, say, the Charmed crew, but the idea of the plots getting repetitive or suddenly unsurmountable don't really sound appealing.
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Crap! Oh, no, if that happens he so isn't ending up in oblivion, he's ending up in Storybrooke. NOOOooooo!
Upon reading your reaction (and my original post), I totally should have clarified that was a theory, not an actual spoiler. Sorryyy about that!
I'd think the theory is more likely because Naveen Andrews is a Lost person more than because the character's great (though I admit he's the most vicious/effective villain in the Onceverse). These people sure love their Lost crew.
Riley Blue: Aligning DJ
in Sense8 [V]
· Edited by samhalliwell
In my opinion, after rewatching the season, the things that make Riley not be an instant favorite really go back to her backstory with the husband and baby. It's not that she's underwritten or uninteresting, but these characters are supposed to function as the lenses through which we see the world in each of their corners, which is why everything about Riley seems so aloof and disconnected until she connects with Will and, more emphatically, when she gets back to Iceland.
In short, IMO, Riley's story is about someone running away and pretending that The One Thing in her past that was horribly painful and traumatic didn't really happen and hurt her as deeply as it did. This, in addition to the very prominent drug use, basically resulted in very a numb, almost lifeless depiction of the entire London section of her chapter: a tonal description of Riley's actual mental and emotional state. As everything with this show, this becomes apparent once you see the whole thing in hindsight, which is simultaneously genius and somewhat frustrating to articulate (appropriate for this show, LOL).