Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search

Potanical Pardon

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    239

  • Joined

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Potanical Pardon

    Season 3 Discussion

    in Cobra Kai

    I’m way okay with Kreese’s backstory. I’m not at all worried that it’s supposed to add layers for a redemptive arc. While it is there to add context to how he turned out the way he did, which I agree is unnecessary, I am certain that isn’t the point, but to add setup for Season 4, not just for Kreese, but Silver directly, Tory indirectly, and probably some other characters.

    • Love 6

    S01.E02: Just a Fanboy

    in Utopia (2020) [V]

    · Edited by Potanical Pardon

    The torture scene was way tamer than the original version. I'm disappointed, not in a sadist sort of way, but this version lacked narrative tension. It was just gore and shock. The UK one was even more extreme and gory but that wasn't the point - it was to show Wilson Wilson's resolve and thought-process while also convincing the audience that he could be an expendable character. This version was ookay, I guess. A comparable scene in TV is like when Al Swearengen was passing a kidney stone in Deadwood. That's what the damn spoon scene was supposed to be like.

    Samantha...well, that makes sense since in the original, she didn't exist. UK Becky seems to have been split into US Becky and US Samantha for really no other purpose than for her to just die here, so that was utterly pointless.

    I'm having an issue with the story's pacing. It is supposed to be a slow burn but it's a bit erratic and this is too slow. It's lacking trippy overtones that are supposed to echo the audience's confusion and WTFisgoingon-ness. I think that's my main issue with this show so far - there isn't mystery nor intrigue. It's pretty much spelling it all out for us with every single clue.

    I never got an ending to the story so I'll keep trudging along since this may actually get to it. 

    S01.E01: Life Begins

    in Utopia (2020) [V]

    · Edited by Potanical Pardon

    So far, so good. I wasn't expecting very much and am a big fan of the UK one. After watching the trailer, my expectations were lowered even more. This was a great example of the trailer marketing something completely different from the show.

    As far as I can tell, this pretty much is an Americanized version of UK Utopia, kiiind-of like Season 1 The Office and Series 1 The Office - that sort of vein. The tone, music (thank god), COLORS (I'm glad these are still around but I hope they get even more creative with this), score are all on point. I still prefer the eccentricities of the UK goons, but fine whatever. And of course Original Recipe Wilson Wilson is superior.

    They could have done away with the unlikable couple and friends and the excessive nerd murders. The counterpart scene in the original series made it more sad and tragic because there was nothing unlikeable about the people killed - they were just normal folks in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, the goons aren't anywhere near as evil. They need to be more terrifying while wacky and kind-of forces of nature/mythical-like. These goons were just goons.

    Moving on with the other episodes...But yeah, I'm pleased so far.

    S01.E08: You Found Me

    in The Boys

    On 8/4/2019 at 7:15 AM, Morrigan2575 said:

    I also want to know who/what is up with that damn fly.

    It has to be an Atom/Ant-Man type of character spying on behalf of Gus Fring (who is Vought?)

    S04.E08: Years, Continents, Bloodshed

    in Veronica Mars

    Glad it was Logan and not Keith. 

    Man, some of those old cast member were so old haha. Guess that's what happens when you cast 30-somethings to play teenagers way back when. I had to Google Image a few. Corny, Mercer, Hector, Tim, etc.

    I dug the shorter season format and this was a good return to form. I hope there's another season as it feels like this season reset the game board for new storylines.

    I remember being disappointed by Weevil's return to the PCHers as I really dug his redemption arc and trajectory and really wanted him to be a part of Mars Investigations, but his usage this season was fine.

    I miss Mac but also don't because she was getting too 24 Chloe or "guy in the chair". I thought Max was going to fill that role once we saw him but that's okay that he didn't. I much rather prefer V and Keith doing most of the legwork.

    Lastly, why didn't Leo and Logan recognize each other? Leo sold Logan the Lily tapes. Leo at the very least would not have forgotten anything Echols-related. Even Logan's past arrogance and forgetting the little people is pushing it.

    • Love 8

    S08.E06: The Iron Throne

    in Game Of Thrones

    I liked it but so many more questions.

    Does Westeros still owe the Bank of Braavos?

    Who was the guy next to Gendry? Who was the new Dorne Lord?

    Who freed Edmure and how did he stay alive that long in a cell before whoever rescued him? I guess Lannisters troops took him with them to KL when Cersei needed everyone on deck?

    Is Brienne, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard? I think that's what that meant when she was able to write in the book?

    Who are Sansa's Small Council? Shit! Robyn and Judgy Royce? Edmure? OMFG. I guess maybe Meera? And where was she or her dad at the random surviving House Lords summit?

    So like the Unsullied and Dothraki are just gonna hang out in a way smaller than Esos, Naath? Daario's fucked. Dragon's Bay? Slavers' Bay again, I think.

    • Love 3

    S08.E05: The Bells

    in Game Of Thrones

    9 hours ago, spaceghostess said:

    Hmm. Not only did I take English 101, I graduated with a degree in it and went on to a career in publishing. Reading other people's novels (across all genres) has been part of my job for the last 20 years, and hey! I didn't see this coming. Because D&D's story and character building didn't support it.

    Also, as someone who was married to a malignant narcissist for 16 years and spent two years divorcing him, I had to learn plenty about what makes them tick in order to recover from his abuse and to protect my children from being well and truly fucked up by him (this is a work in progress). Based on this research, as well as personal (not professional!) experience, I have to disagree with your assessment. It's easy enough to cherry-pick terms from the DSM that match up with Dany at her worst, but there are other key behaviors we haven't seen her display but that all narcissists exhibit:

    1. Lying. All narcs lie, whether to prop up their egos, cover their asses, or just for kicks (because they get off on the power of knowing they're putting one over on somebody). Dany's been called many things, but "liar" isn't one of them.

    2. Cruelty, especially via manipulation, to reliable/primary sources of supply. This happens when (a) a normally compliant source presents unexpected resistance, and/or (b) the narc is getting bored with the supply source. If Dany were a narcissist, she'd deal out spontaneous and casual cruelty to even her closest and most reliable sources of supply just because she can. She'd play her advisors against one another to see how far they'd go to curry her favor. Or you'd see her being a bitch to Missandei, for example, for no discernible reason. Narcissists can be extremely charming and warm, but the mask comes down eventually. 

    3. Unmitigated selfishness. As you pointed out, a narcissist is only "generous" when gathering supply or tap dancing to keep it. Victims of narcissistic abuse will tell you how,  in the "honeymoon phase," the narc was such a great listener, so interested in everything they had to say. This ends once the supply source has been secured, therefore Dany, having secured Missandei, wouldn't have been particularly interested in her "friend"'s growing feelings for Grey Worm, for instance. Their intimate conversation about that was a genuine moment of friendship. Dany listened to and cared about what Missandei had to say. Narcs don't engage in these types of exchanges unless there's something in it for them or they fear losing supply. What a supply source thinks are deep, meaningful "conversations" are, upon closer examination, actually long stretches of the narc talking about him/herself.

    Oh--and no way would a narcissist risk him/herself and/or his/her powerful toys (because children--dragon or otherwise--are nothing but toys for a narc) to save OTHER people. Sure, you could say Dany's actions at the Battle of Winterfell were the ultimate supply harvest, but I'd say not, because the risk to her person in order to gain that potential supply was way too high.

    So no, I don't believe Dany is a narcissist. But your post got me thinking about how D&D could have made her one. Just a few scenes per season of her exhibiting truly narcissistic behaviors would have helped lay compelling groundwork to support what the last two episodes would now have us believe.

    Dang. I think I might be a narcissist.

    • LOL 5

    Sansa Stark: A Direwolf In Sheep's Clothing?

    in Game Of Thrones

    On 5/7/2019 at 3:09 PM, merrick715 said:

    I get not liking Sansa, I get wanting Dany to win, and I even get wanting Sansa to pay for her "betrayal."What I don't understand is this underlying sense of resentment Sansa gets, for not knowing her place, or respecting her betters. Maybe, her gambit will succeed or maybe it'll fail, but at least she'll go out on her own terms, and not relegated to the background, by the narrative. 

    I resent her because she is the exact same character since Season 1 Episode 1. She has been through a lot but has not changed at all. She's eternally condescending to whoever whenever she wants and reluctantly cordial/nice when she's forced to be but only when around an audience of 1-few.

    She's like those young people who get their first job or are fresh from graduation or whatever and feel like they're adulting now, but are really still just playing and acting out what they feel people outside perceive as adult behavior.

    • Love 8

    S08.E02: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

    in Game Of Thrones

    · Edited by Potanical Pardon

    1 hour ago, AshleyN said:

    I've long thought that Sam's destiny was to write the history of this time period.

    Absolutely. Me too. Ever since we first saw him first arrive at the Citadel, the audience discovered the intro sundial was an actual in-story thing...that we, the audience, were learning about the history of Westeros, the TV show, as if we were actually in the Citadel as participants. 

    There is also that Season 8 finally has a new intro of sorts. The very last thing Sam did at the Citadel after stealing books and documents was to look up at the sundial. I view the new updated intro as what Sam will add as contribution to historical record. In addition, there is that scene where Sam comments on the name of the history of Westeros master book. I can't recall the name, but he commented on how lame the name was. I have a feeling that as new Archmaester or whatever, he's going to rename that the book series name.

    Then there's the old curmudgeony, arrogant Jedi Order, err Grand Maesters. They're all far too ineffective now and inflexible (and very "not gonna be my fault when something goes wrong!) Sam comes into conflict with the very problems of the current order through the unsanctioned Greyscale treatment, the diary of shits, not taking the dangers of WW seriously. Sam has to represent a new guard. Shit, even Qyburn represents, in some ways, the failings of the Maesters through all of Pycelle's snooty superiority.

    Then there's Maester Aemon. On his deathbed, he spoke to Sam about once being in love, rejecting kinghood, etc. This part of my thinking is the biggest stretch, but I think we're supposed to take from it that tragedy will repeat itself but with Sam, Gilly and Little Sam. I think there's a strong possibility that Little Sam and Gilly don't make it out of those crypts alive and it becomes even more of a duty for Sam to take over the Citadel rather than become Super Master Lord of like everywhere South.

    He had that line when leaving Old Towne about being done with reading all these books about "better men" not only indicating that he will now be an active participant, but also making commentary on the current state of those not better men residing in the Citadel.

    5 minutes ago, DarkRaichu said:

    Oh and on the dead pool.  The one who is going to die for certain is Jorah.  He served his purpose.  He brought Dany to meet Sam and he appointed his successor as Dany's advisor, ie Sansa.  He even made peace with the house of Mormont via Lady Bear and got a new weapon from Sam to defend the realm.  What's left is a cinematic and heroic death

    My initial thought both after the episode and overall was yeah, Jorah's done. Totally done. But then I kept thinking that his receiving Heart's Bane and meeting Lady Mormont is kind of repetitive of Brienne being knighted and receiving Oathkeeper. Similarly, both arcs would be done, so they'd die, but I feel like D&D hate repeating themselves.

    Instead, I think they're going to subvert our expectations. In Brienne's case, she's probably done-done. With the Mormonts, I think Lyanna is going to bite it instead. While Jorah has completed his redemption arc and has been rewarded for it, he's basically the Prodigal Son, and that part hasn't happened yet as it's more epilogue-y.

    • Useful 2
    • Love 6

    S08.E02: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

    in Game Of Thrones

    · Edited by Potanical Pardon
    ITA

    4 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

    I can see a dual monarchy. It could be right there in the series title. Dany is impervious to Fire, and Jon's survived death on the wall (ice). Not a perfect metaphor, but it came from the thought that we know Dany can survive fire, but can she survive ice? 

    After the rest of the Magnificent 7, Dany and Drogon left the North, Jon emerged from the ice water where he was drowning, without Longclaw and battling Wights okay. He was gasping for air, but he somehow got out of that.

    1 hour ago, Chris24601 said:

    Greyworm is a Veteran officer who just announced he’s two weeks from retiring and moving to Florida.

    He’s SO dead.

    I thought this at first for sure, but then I remembered that they've been name-dropping Naath the last two seasons in 1/3 of Missandei's scenes. In last night's episode, Greyworm asks about Naath again where she provides a visual description and the desire for Greyworm to see it. We know that she remembers where she's from and Greyworm has no memory pre-slavery.

    All this tells me, Greyworm has a higher chance than she of surviving, just for the payoff of a scene involving Greyworm seeing with his own free eyeballs for the very first time this thing she described (but has already seen and experienced). It's his for-the-first-time-ever reaction plus having no memory of anything in his life unrelated to slavery that makes me think that if it has to be one of them to make it to the end, it's him.

    21 minutes ago, izabella said:

    Melisandre does need to come back.  I recall when she left for Essos, she told Davos (I think) that she would see him one more time because she had to come back to die in Westeros.  I am guessing she saw that prophecy in the fire (which doesn't necessarily mean she knows how to interpret what she saw in the fire). 

    Didn't she also tell Arya, that they would meet again one day? Plus if the new Greyscale girl is Melisandre in-disguise, that would place both in the crypts.

    And the crypts are for sure the least safe place there since they said it was the safest four different times this episode. That leaves Gendry, Arya, (maybe Nymeria and her pack if that's gonna be a deus ex), Sam, Gilly, and Tyrion as the only ones who can somewhat defend themselves down there. Adding Melisandre to the group would be pretty useful.

    • Love 5

    S01.E10: The Toll

    in Ozark

    · Edited by Potanical Pardon

    I hope we get to see the Church idea revisited. The IRS-free implications of it fascinates me like in Big Love and that HBO Scientology documentary from a couple years ago.

    This show can reach Breaking Bad, but it hasn't this season. BB had overarching themes and character studies that this show doesn't exactly have yet, but I see hints of it. BB also had far superior directors and storytellers.

    Even if it doesn't achieve those things, I think I'm still going to enjoy this show.

    P.S. I still can't tell the difference between a hillbilly and a redneck nor why they hate each other. YouTube hasn't been very helpful here and has totally screwed up my recommended videos. I mean, the best I could find differences in are old-timey days differences, but in the present-day I just don't get it.

    • Love 1

    S07.E05: Eastwatch

    in Game Of Thrones

    6 minutes ago, CeeBeeGee said:

    No. The start of Game of Thrones (the Starks v. the Lannisters = the Yorkists v. the Lancasters) was the Wars of the Roses. This, seven seasons later, is something much more existential--neither the Yorks nor the Lancasters ever had to deal with zombies marching from the North Pole threatening to obliterate all of mankind. This is power at its most basic, whereas the Wars of the Roses was a power grab with an attempt to reconcile such with precedent and continuity. Cersei has NO claim whatsoever to the Iron Throne--she has no corollary figure in the WotR.

    My book has North Pole zombies in it.

    • Love 4

    S07.E05: Eastwatch

    in Game Of Thrones

    · Edited by Potanical Pardon

    1 hour ago, CeeBeeGee said:

    I loved the Rhaegar reveal but ultimately, it doesn't prove that Jon is the more legit leader. Dany herself has no enforceable "legal" claim here because that means nothing at this stage. This isn't the Wars of the Roses (which itself was resolved not by legalities--Henry VII's claim to the throne was laughably weak--it was resolved by right of conquest). One of the few intelligent things Cersei has said was her little monologue to Littlefinger about how "power is power." In the end power is what you make happen. Don't count too much on precedent or the system. Power is what you make happen. The reveal of about Jon's background is fascinating but can only be, at best, a distraction and at worst, a danger to him.

    It is Wars of the Roses.

    • Love 2
×
×
  • Create New...