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Sandman

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Posts posted by Sandman

    Current Plots Discussion: Actually Today's Episode

    in Days Of Our Lives

    I think Will is actually going to try not to trash anybody in this story, more to protect precious ickle Abby than anyone else, but it will still backfire, most likely in exactly the way TigerLynx speculates.

     

    As for Sami: it must really suck that your grown son still holds a grudge about that time that he walked in on you having sex with some guy who was not your husband. What kind of asshole kid does that? 

     

    The kind written by the Afternoon Shift, that's who. (And they're not going to let us forget it.)

    S05.E09: Moving Day

    in Rookie Blue [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    I really liked the conversation in the car between Gail and Nick. I like Frosty's current level of self-awareness. ("I'm sorry -- I mean, usually I mean to be insensitive, but this time I didn't mean to... And my parents still hate you.")

    • Love 1

    Current Plots Discussion: Actually Today's Episode

    in Days Of Our Lives

    · Edited by Sandman

    What does it say about Gering's acting that Rafe always seems so much more genuine, more alive in scenes with little kids, such as in today's episodes with Johnny? Maybe 'cause there's no icky, confusing subtext for him to worry his pretty little head about?

     

    And now I'll never look at a cupcake the same way again. Thanks, boes!

    Current Plots Discussion: Actually Today's Episode

    in Days Of Our Lives

    · Edited by Sandman

    I really wish I could pick the writers brain in an attempt understand what they're trying to do ...

     

    That would probably require microsurgery.

     

    ETA: Well, looks like something finally got a rise out of NuWill. I don't buy this whole Will-takes-Abigail's-side development. Will and his mother have moved on from the grief-sex thing. (Wow, that sounded really gross.) I liked the scene between Sami and Caroline, and I think Sweeney really sold Sami's pain and her inability to move past it. But making Will into a sanctimonious prick is a simplistic and backward choice by the writers.

    • Love 2

    S05.E09: Moving Day

    in Rookie Blue [V]

    I can buy that once Chris went to Oliver, he had no choice to but enroll in a program, and I can well believe that the gossip network in the Division is lightning-fast.

     

    "The failed pales." Bwah! Nick is my favourite character. I hope Erin Karpluk (Cheese Puff Girl) sticks around; chances seem good that Nick will find her to pay her back.

    • Love 1

    S01.E03: Wish You Were Here

    in Extant [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    I recall the theme of "replicating the human/organic learning process as closely as possible" being central to "John Woods"' presentation to the board in the first episode. I would argue that the show is hitting the note that Ethan (and Lucy the Disembodied Head, presumably) needs to learn in human-like ways pretty hard in the episodes since. The idea seems to be to make artificial intelligence more human-like by giving it as much of a parallel experience as possible. I don't doubt that replicating organic modes of being and interacting with the world would be insanely complicated; but then I'm not entirely convinced that "John Woods" (or Julie) is entirely sane.

     

    sjohnson, I like your take on the "Why?" of this show's approach to artificial life forms; and I appreciate the conversation that you and Shrewd.Buddha are having in that regard. The only comment I can add would be that I don't think Data ever wished to be stupid like a human. I think he wanted to be less lonely (leaving aside the "real boy" twee-ness that Spiner's portrayal didn't entirely avoid). 

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    S01.E03: Wish You Were Here

    in Extant [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    *Alan is overseeing, in various capacities (?), twenty (20!) space missions? Even in the future, even footed by private business, is that possible and or needed? 20 at roughly the same time?

     

    Yeah -- who does he think he is, Richard Branson?

     

    Charlie is the least creepy person on the whole show. I hope his fondness for Ethan remains genuine. (I did notice that when Ethan was doing "the dance of [his] ancestors," on the bookshelf behind him was displayed very prominently the spine of a big red book entitled "GENESIS." Very cute, show.)

     

    A couple things that bugged me: If Molly got rid of her monitor retainer, what was telling her to slow down on her jog? And if Sam took such pains to get Molly an ultrasound, why didn't she erase the file in the veterinary clinic? What was point of it if Creepy Retainer Dude (See what I did there?) was just going to open the ultrasound browser history?

    S01.E03: Wish You Were Here

    in Extant [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    And yes, The Velveteen Rabbit, not Hop On Pop or a Berenstein Bears or  Amelia Bedelia (aging myself)? Something a bit more fun and not so flipping obvious? That story wouldn't make a kid nervous about receiving love, not at all! At least Amelia Bedelia would have explained some social interactions to Ethan better?

     

    Personally, I would have liked it if the favoured book had been a Richard Scarry book, like What Do People Do All Day? Lots of social interaction, everyone's a different species but they all get along -- it's perfectly on message! Besides, I'm sure Ethan needs to know what the hell the people in his family do all day!

    • Love 2

    S01.E03: Wish You Were Here

    in Extant [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    Well, that was creepy.

     

    I'm starting think Julie's on the verge of becoming something scary and dangerous.

     

    I thought the company must have arranged for Tim's furlough to persuade her to come in; I never guessed that he was hallucinatory. If he's a projection of the space baby, it would seem the aliens have advanced their grasp of human language significantly.

     

    And where's Kryger?

    • Love 2

    S01.E02: Extinct

    in Extant [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    Heh. Miss Gummer is Robota DeMornay in The Hand that Rockets The Cradle.

     

    I get the feeling that "John Woods" would have refused to instill any of the Laws of Robotics in Ethan or any of the Humanichs (or "human-ish"?). He seems remarkably sanguine about the impossibility of any kind of fail-safe anyway. He seems remarkably chilly-blooded about a lot of things, actually. 

     

    One more thing -- the robot at the museum is wrong about evolution -- it's not always the strong or smart ones that survive. Wolves are much smarter and stronger than pretty much any dog breed.. Dogs were bred for "cute."

     

     

    I'm not sure domesticated animals are evidence for or against evolutionary development; "bred for" is not equivalent to survival, is it?

    Current Plots Discussion: Actually Today's Episode

    in Days Of Our Lives

    I was really (you have no idea how much, really) hoping Caroline would be the one to get Sami to examine and own her feelings, whatever they are. If anyone could get Sami to listen, it's her grandmother. I don't blame Sami for feeling enraged -- but rage can be self-sustaining. Anger burns itself out, but rage is different; it can become its own reason for existing. What if Caroline were to say "You have a right to be angry; but what does all the yelling and screaming accomplish? Figure out why you're so bent on destruction, and what that means for you and your children. Maybe you still love EJ in some measure -- and maybe you don't. But you need to make sure you -- and they -- have a life to move on with."

     

    For whatever it's worth, I think Sami has a right to be angry, but that revenge is a fundamentally self-destructive idea. One can still have empathy without thinking that revenge is the way to go. 

     

    My feeling that the scene could actually go something like that lasted about six seconds, sadly. And I agree with Black Knight's comment upthread that Elvis's behaviour with Kate suggests he does, in fact, care very much about the company, and that he's shining Sami on. Again. I was also really hoping that Sami would cut him down with the fact that she found his little bundle of "insurance policy" evidence against WIll locked in the safe. I hope she still may.

    • Love 3

    Current Plots Discussion: Actually Today's Episode

    in Days Of Our Lives

    · Edited by Sandman

    Did I ski -- erm, miss something important? Don't Get Mad, Get Eve told Paige that "We have a problem, and her name is Jennifer Horton"? On the one hand, Eve, you're just noticing this now? Try to keep up, girl. More importantly, "we"? Are we the audience meant to infer that Paige is somehow in cahoots with her mother? Poor JJ, if so. If not, screw you, Afternoon Shift!

     

    ETA: I was proud of Sami for trying to support her mother, as awkward and strained as that scene in the hospital was.

    • Love 1

    Designing Women - General Discussion

    in Designing Women

    I have to say, Julia's rant above about "the raping and robbing and the killing and the war-mongering" is not my favourite. What Julia says is demonstrably true, I guess, but I found the tone of the whole episode so relentlessly negative. Julia's anger struck me as misdirected -- or maybe the whole thing just depressed me.

     

    The actress who played the insufferable Primmie was Natalija Nogulich -- later featured as Admiral Nechayev in Star Trek: The Next Generation. When I rewatched the episode "Julia's Son" it took me a long time to remember where I knew her from.

    Current Plots Discussion: Actually Today's Episode

    in Days Of Our Lives

    I really wanted Caroline to tell Sami that she was on her side, that she wasn't judging Sami, much as her granddaughter assumed that she was. I'm afraid that Caroline is reading the writing on the wall for Sami, but I don't want to think about Caroline as an Elvis/Sami shipper. Just -- no. I don't even care about payback; I just want them to be done. I don't think I'll get my wish, though.

    • Love 3

    S01.E08: Save Me

    in The Night Shift [V]

    · Edited by Sandman

    I like Jill Flint, most of the time; I do. I don't like how paint-by-numbers Jordan's relationship with TC feels. I don't like how Tragic Consequences' belief in his own superpowers seems to have been shared unthinkingly by everyone around him, even though it seemed clear to me (as a layperson who watched all the same ER episodes as the writing staff of this show, good Lord!) that TC was barely holding it together, and had, to put it mildly, incompletely processed his brother's death.

     

    That said, I actually found Macken's final scene effective. I actually found myself thinking TC might harm himself in the earlier scene in the bathroom -- sure, it would be a cliché, but the scene held the tension efficiently. Macken can do the work, I think, but the writing doesn't support him enough. I like the cast generally. (Also the scene of Dr. Alien and Dr. Mole on the phone with Mary and her mother may have softened me up a good deal.)

     

    But did we really have to drown in the man!pain! to end the season? Tragic Consequences, husband of the English Patient, Drew freaking out over Tee, Topher, No! and Dr. Angry Onion. Oy. Of course Ragosa has a tumour behind his eye. Of course he does!

    S01.E02: Extinct

    in Extant [V]

    ... the internet in my pocket on a phone that could play movies just about anywhere/anytime I want, communicate with various friends, even do a video chat if I want, check security cameras in my home, check the weather forecast, traffic, look up nearby restaurants, get exact turn by turn driving directions, blah blah blah... and YET NO DAMN FLYING CARS.

     

    I'm still bitter about the deplorable lack of flying cars. Hello, it's the twenty-first damn century!

    • Love 3
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