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babyrambo

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  1. I like the new peds doctor. She reminds me of less harsh version of Hahn. Blunt, but sensible. She even made Amelia, a character I’m mostly indifferent to, interesting. Their snippy back and forth was fun to watch and I’m not sure if they’re going to eventually pair them up, but right now I wouldn’t mind. At least there’s chemistry there unlike with Amelia and Kai. That relationship was painfully boring. Actually all the recent romantic relationships have been pretty meh. I’ve always preferred Greys friendships to their romances but I did think Simone and Lucas had potential. At least until they shoved that secret fiancé into the middle of their relationship last season and ruined their momentum. The current bitterness between them feels unearned and forced because there was hardly time to get invested in their relationship. Adams has a right to feel used (I like her but for such a bland character, Simone’s personal life is messy as hell) but he wasn’t unaware of her situation. Maybe it’s the acting but I find Adams super entitled and whiny—not unlike his uncle so point to the show for highlighting the family resemblance I guess—so that entire drama comes off as a bit disingenuous. Not unlike the fight with Yasuda. She’s easily the most entertaining of the newbies but I wish they hadn’t trashed hers and Adams’ friendship so quickly. The fallout stings but not as much as it would’ve had they given them time to get really close. Also what happened to Adams’ ADHD? It’s like the writers just dropped that idea and instead decided to make him as insufferable as possible. Unfortunate, because I loved the Shepherd nepo-baby angle and now he’s my least favourite character.
  2. I found the book (English translation) dull and didactic and didn’t finish the series but at least it felt somewhat original. In contrast, the creators of this series took a fascinating premise and sucked out just about every bit of awe and intrigue. Plus they made aliens boring (the worst offence imo). I know book to tv adaptations require certain allowances but this production was riddled with avoidable flaws that were hard to overlook. Like the juvenile, grating dialogue, undercooked characters and patchy, uninspired plots. Half the arcs and characters were just reheated versions of better shows and movies. And the writing definitely didn’t help but I don’t think I’ve ever seen an onscreen friend group with such little chemistry and uneven acting. Jin was the exception; everyone else was either wooden or hamming it up and nothing landed. I don’t mind a touch of melodrama their personal lives were so dull and predictable it bogged down the series beyond belief. Also I’m no sci-fi buff (I’m always willing to buy into coincidence and hand waving if the show makes it convincing) but even I noticed how bland and silly the science aspect was. Well lit sets and fun CGI does not a good show make.
  3. IMO the writing took a turn for the worse in the second half of the season so the fact that the finale was so underwhelming didn’t surprise me. The final scene did though. Not sure what it’s supposed to mean in terms of universes/dimensions but I’m definitely curious about where the series is going next. Come season 2, I want better writing and for them to pull back on the intentional vagueness of the overarching story. The premise is mysterious enough without all the inadequate diversions.
  4. “Rule number one: Don't bother sucking up. I hate you. That's not gonna change. Trauma protocol, phone list, pagers, nurses will page you. You will answer every page at a run. A run! That's rule number two. Your first shift starts now and lasts 48 hours. You're interns, grunts, nobodies, bottom of the surgical food chain. You run labs, write orders, work every second night until you drop, and don't complain. On-call rooms. Attendings hog them. Sleep when you can where you can, which brings me to rule number three. If I'm sleeping, don't wake me unless your patient is dying. Rule four: The dying patient better not be dead when I get there. Not only will you have killed someone, you woke me for no reason. We clear? (Meredith raises her hand) Yes? Meredith Grey: You said five rules. That was only four. Miranda Bailey: Rule number five: When I move, you move. - Greys, s 1 ep 1 courtesy of scattered quotes dotcom
  5. A little underwhelming for a 20th season premiere but understandably so. Season 19 was refreshing, but this show is about a decade past its expiry date and there are only so many stories to explore in a medical drama. And I like them, but the original characters that did stay have been rotating in place for years. There isn’t exactly a lot they can do in terms of shock and emotional impact. I do like that they’re invested in the new class though I’m hoping they pull back a bit on the back to back interpersonal drama. Maybe that’s a silly want given that Grey’s whole thing is Drama-in-Excess but still lol. I want to see some depth and care go into the stories they already have instead piling on scattered messiness. Doesn’t make me care, it actually has the opposite effect. But this wasn’t a bad episode, just routine. At least the medical cases were interesting (Teddy excluded; I knew she wasn’t dying so all those scenes of Owen pouting did less than nothing for me) and Meredith’s (third?) exit made sense. Wish she hadn’t taken Nick because I finally came around to him but I get why he left. Though I’m not sure making Bailey the intern wrangler makes sense (all the mentions of the newbies being worse than MAGIC were funny because Meredith’s class was the literal definition of interpersonal mess snd medical malpractice) because it seems like a little bit of a step down but I liked her five rules callback and don’t mind getting a more mature version of Bailey guiding the interns.
  6. Hard sci-fi tends to lose me so I like that Constellation is more of a drama with hints of sci-fi. Getting to see how Jo reacts to her new reality/relationships is why I continue to tune in and shifting the focus to Paul throughout this episode only emphasized the fact that Noomi Rapace’s performance and character really hold things together. I know Paul’s story was condescended in order to fit into a single episode but watching what was essentially a blander version of Jo’s story, left much to be desired. I found myself bored for the first time in weeks and the writing didn’t help. It’s always hit or miss and this episode was the latter. The show tends to lean into cliches and drag out familiar story beats when it comes to the interpersonal stuff. It’s like they’re so focused on making sure the science aspect is tightly executed (at least in the context of the story) that the character stuff falls to the wayside. Especially the dialogue. At times it’s clunky (the daughter’s stilted lines come to mind, she’ll go from being a wise little sage to a regular grieving kid, sometimes in the same conversation) and hard to buy because the conversations are slightly inorganic. The actors are great (mostly—I don’t care for Henry/Bud. Banks’ performance is very wooden and often pulls me out of the moment) but they can only do so much. As it is, I’m not always convinced of character motivations or actions because the show isn’t always invested in laying down the groundwork. Sometimes the details they choose to obscure are mysteries for mystery sake, intended to pad out the story instead of really revealing anything necessary. But given the amount of confusion I’ve seen from some reviewers and audience alike maybe the play by play is necessary and works for some people. All that being said, I do like the show and the obvious effort and intentionality given to the general story. I just hope the last two episodes are executed with a little more finesse.
  7. Extremely light on substance, correct. I’ve been taking this show in as pure fiction with very faint connections to the actual events but the show loses me more with every episode. This was the worst one yet. The actor did a fine job but inserting Baldwin to almost legitimize what Truman did, when their actual relationship was less than warm—Capote wasn’t the biggest fan on Baldwin’s writing and they certainly weren’t close—comes off really lazy and transparent. Plus that heavy handed dialogue with its current lingo and stifled ramblings was a bit hard to buy. Grasping at claws to round out a story that in these writers hands, has about as much depth as a puddle. I still don’t understand why the season didn’t focus on really building up the relationship between the Swans and Capote, maybe even going into Truman’s backstory a little (the ghost-mother scenes leave much to be desired) before delving right into the fight, but as it is, they’ve watered what was a harsh and riveting society scandal, made it almost stale and worst of all, dull. This show just feels really scattered and to me, is starting to bore more than is acceptable. Beautiful gowns and gorgeous sets can only do so much.
  8. Think this might be bleaker than the Christmas episode. And it’s the humans doing the worst of it (or so they’ve said). I tend to prefer when shows go the paranormal angle because the human aspect is always so banal and grim. I just hope they wrap things up in a satisfying way. I’m more invested in the interpersonal relationships and seeing where everyone lands so I won’t be too upset if they end up hand waving a couple of details. I really like watching Navarro and Danvers work together and enjoy the prickly relationship between the two, but the mysteries (Annie is intriguing, Tsalal is meh) just never grabbed me. And I felt for him, but Prior telling Liz that rooming with her would fast track his divorce made me laugh. Given his current circumstances, I’m guessing he’ll either quit or cut his hours? I won’t miss Hank at all but Prior clearly still cared for him despite everything, and he’s got a good heart, I don’t see him being able to shake off the shooting. His little moment with Leah was a nice respite, though. She was refreshingly level headed in this episode. Her conversation with Navarro was interesting and true but her talk with Liz seemed like it was cut off. They’re realistically complicated but Liz seems not to want to give or genuinely engage at all. Not sure why she thinks Leah is trying to stick it to her when it’s obvious the kid just wants to be involved with her community. I do appreciate that they’ve written Liz as an unrepentant asshole though (she’s got a heart but it’s a little charred). She’s more than competent but continues to dig a hole and it’s fascinating to watch. Navarro too, she’s a little obsessive and unravelled at the moment but generally she’s more stoic and measured (mostly) but that rage is definitely simmering just below the surface. I like that in the end she’s the one who got Liz and Prior back on track; what she said made sense, she’s good at her job when she’s allowed to be.
  9. Truman: “So I can swoop in and fix it, as I do.” Seems that’s what it comes down to, in the end. Obviously reality was more complex than that but this series emphasizes just how much those society people leaned into the parts they played and needed an outlet to feel seen and appreciated, and if you buy that angle, which I do, it’s easy to see why they were so easily taken by Truman. He’s portrayed as borderline sycophantic but not grating. A listening ear, fun time and loyal, until he’s not. It’s funny, they’re aware of his shrewd, loose lipped antics but think it doesn’t apply to them or believe that Capote loves the perks of society life too much to ever betray them for fear of being ostracized. Guess they found out the hard way This was my favourite episode so far. Everything is a bit much, as always, but the documentary format lends itself to the dramatics. In this style it works, even that callous, BravoTv-esque back and forth with Ann Woodward (which didn’t even happen since in real life she and Capote met only once). I just hope this is the last of Jessica Lange. She’s a good actress but I feel like they’ve said all they need to say regarding Capote’s mom and their relationship so that bit is wearing thin.
  10. Completely agree about the casting. To me, Diane Lane is holding this series up by a large margin. While I like the performances, the other swans don’t have quite the same gravitas. I do love their faint disdain for the world around them though. And their outfits. But there’s something hammy about the overall production and presentation of the series. At times it works but mostly it feels a bit hokey. As does some of the dialogue. I’m all for a monologue moment but more than a few scenes seem to grind to a halt so people can lecture and that takes me out of the moment. The content is grandiose enough, a touch of subtlety wouldn’t hurt.
  11. This season’s had a bit of an uneven start but I’m liking it far more than than L&O and SVU. Even if they’re leaning a little too hard into interpersonal messiness. Stabler’s family drama is always hit or miss but I’m interested to see who they cast as his sisters and how they interact. I’d also like another addition to the team (it’s looking like Bashir might be up next but I hope not; he’s nice enough but really bland and I sort of tune out whenever he’s onscreen). Not sure why they went there with Reyes and Jet but I’m hoping they move on and never revisit it. It throws off the team dynamics quite a bit but also feels really lazy. But then, romance has never been this franchise’s strong suit. Speaking of, I sensed some chemistry between Shah and Bell especially during their conversation at the start. I was never deeply invested in Bell’s wife but I like Bell and already prefer this dynamic with Shah if they do happen to do there.
  12. Super late to the party but I’ve only just watched this show and after looking up reviews I realize I’m in the minority because I thought this show was terrible. Well acted and nicely costumed but that’s about all the praise I’ve got for this series. The lack of depth given to July is appalling. I haven’t read the book so I can’t say much about if this sticks to the original story but the way they portrayed July in the show, as so besotted with that man that she blithely goes along with his misbehaviour and doesn’t grasp the horrors of her reality until she’s brutally betrayed is baffling. There are hints of her defiance and intelligence in the first episode but all of that fades the second she meets the overseer because…he’s got beautiful eyes and is nice sometimes? Yuck. Insta-love at its worst. Yes, July is taken with whiteness and boasts her own proximity to it but there’s something insidious about the refusal to dig deeper or explore the intricacies of hers and the overseers relationship past physicality and bland platitudes. She’s a callous wench at worst and a selfish fool at best and both actress and character deserved better than such a watered depiction of such an intricate character and role. The pacing didn’t help either. This definitely needed 6 episodes because the jump from a young July to an old woman was jarring. What happened in all those years? How did she just happen to run into her son and how did the relationship develop? Who knows, the show definitely doesn’t! I’m almost glad this was a short series because it was a major disappointment. Giant waste of a compelling story that would’ve easily thrived in more talented hands.
  13. I’m hoping that a 22 episode season means higher stakes & multi-episode arcs because none of the S1 cases really stood out to me. And the cat & mouse thing sounds interesting. If they go there I hope they put a little more effort into the mystery and up the value of Sir’s insights. Prison tracks but I get the sense that they like having him in Gabi’s face/hunting her a little too much to leash him this soon? Who knows though. I agree that a personal case will probably bring the gang back together. That or Gabi being in major distress of some sort. Given her ‘superpower’ and attachment to Gabi maybe Margaret will try to somewhat understand and come around first? What I really want to know is what happened to Zeke. The tidbits they’ve given sound complicated and heavy but I’d like to see him progress in terms of healing.
  14. It’s kind of funny that the showrunner keeps emphasizing Sir’s manipulative brilliance because I find him so silly and blatant. But given their history, I get why Gabi would feel a type of way.
  15. What an unsatisfying finale. I liked the idea of the case but the execution was a muddled mess. Relating the flashbacks/current-Gabi to the case of the week doesn’t always work. Like in this finale. The story was at once convoluted and cliche. But that’s pretty much my review of the season: excellent ideas, unconvincing execution. And this episode was a perfect example; the mystery of an escaped Sir on the prowl should’ve garnered intrigue but because of the scattered case and weak flashbacks (they’d previously revealed Sir to be her teacher and a massive creep. Knowing that he was willing to poison a student in defence of Gabi on the day they met upped the gross factor but wasn’t necessary. He’s a grown man who kidnapped a child, the fact that he’s not a good person is basically a given) it was almost an afterthought. As was Gabi’s confession. I agree with the comments about disliking the silence in that scene. All season long they built up Gabi’s connection to the others and teased her confession, yet muted things when it mattered. At least Gabi wasn’t given an easy out and actually had to own up to the basement of it all. Lacey, who the show finally remembered, was the one I felt most sorry for. In a darker show I’d worry for her life but here, a main character death while the team is at odds might be overkill. A season of Sir holding Lacey captive to exert control over Gabi seems more likely but given how Found likes to do things, it’s more likely that whatever they chose will be resolved in the first episode. Thoughtful complexity and patience have never been this show’s strong suit. Hate to say it, but I sometimes feel like the writers are more interested in the idea of representation and community instead of actually portraying these communities in nuanced, meaningful ways. The writing hardly holds up and there’s a caricature-like aspect to the character’s depictions—trauma is painful but how dismal it is to portray that as all anyone ever is—that I hoped would fade after the pilot, but hasn’t. Still, it’s only the first season. The potential is there and I’m willing to wait it out, at least until season two gives me a reason not to. They definitely lucked out by premiering at a time where nothing much else was on though. I think the show would’ve gained a swift cancellation otherwise.
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