adam807 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, jhlipton said: thought they stressed that quite a bit. The only reason the Duke summoned her was because she was a Capulet. I meant in the play, yes @Kuther2000. Romeo begins the play in love with Rosaline, and the whole reason he goes to the Capulets' party, where he meets Juliet, is because he expects her to be there. In the tv show it's very clear both that she's a Capulet and that Benvolio is a Montague and that their marriage is A Thing. 1 hour ago, jhlipton said: ETA: I disagree with the recap on virtually every point. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Everyone is extremely attractive, we agree there! :) Edited May 31, 2017 by adam807 Edited because I quoted a quote, misattributing the original post. Link to comment
Irlandesa May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 1 hour ago, jhlipton said: Probably a hard choice to make -- you want to make sure non-Shakespeare fans are caught up (if they have to go to Wikipedia, they won't watch), but you don't want to bore those who are familiar with the play. True but couldn't that be done in a five minute montage of their story? Link to comment
adam807 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 Maybe I'm being a snob but do you really have to be a Shakespeare "fan" to know the basics of Romeo and Juliet? Even if you didn't read it in high school, isn't it just in the pop cultural air we breathe in English-speaking countries? I'm really asking. Like not Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio, and Rosaline, but warring families, teenagers in love, dead. It's not Titus Andronicus. 8 Link to comment
legaleagle53 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 (edited) I just watched it, and I like it. I can even overlook the color-blind casting (of which I normally disapprove, since I don't believe in shaking things up just for the sake of shaking them up as an in-your-face show of "diversity"), simply because everything is so well-acted to me. And yes, Lady Capulet is a straight-up, Grade-A bitch. Edited May 31, 2017 by legaleagle53 1 Link to comment
adam807 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 2 hours ago, doram said: previously on Shakespeare Hee. Link to comment
Tara Ariano May 31, 2017 Author Share May 31, 2017 In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode! Will You Fall In Love With Still Star-Crossed Or Take Poison To Avoid It? From forth the fatal loins of Shonda Rhimes, this show may make you want to take your life. Link to comment
LydiaMoon1 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 (edited) 16 hours ago, jhlipton said: ETA: I disagree with the recap on virtually every point. So do I. Anyway, add me to the chorus that liked the show. Secret love, arranged marriages, and love triangle-type shenanigans fall right in my wheelhouse. I love it and I intend to enjoy every minute of this show over the summer. I'm already fascinated with the young women of the show, Rosaline, Olivia, and Isabella. I really liked all three of them. I was also intrigued by Rosaline’s exchange with Isabella at the ball. I was left with the impression that they used to be best friends at one point, until something happened (especially with Isabella being all, Hey girl! and Rosaline reacting like, Girl, BYE! We are NOT friends! Ouch! Wonder what happened there? I also loved how the lovely Olivia said she wanted to find a rich husband and be a wife and mother, then stumbles on a half-dead prince in the basement and immediately volunteers to nurse him back to health. Yeah, girl I see what you did there. Edited May 31, 2017 by LydiaMoon1 10 Link to comment
catray May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 Add me to the "like it!" group! This seems like fun, soapy/tropey summer tv viewing and I'm totally on board. The actors are all extremely attractive and I'm already captivated by Rosalind (as well as her sister, Livia, and the princess Isabelle). Do I expect this to be intellectually stimulating? No. Do I care? Nope! 1 Link to comment
AzureOwl May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 (edited) 17 hours ago, adam807 said: Maybe I'm being a snob but do you really have to be a Shakespeare "fan" to know the basics of Romeo and Juliet? Even if you didn't read it in high school, isn't it just in the pop cultural air we breathe in English-speaking countries? I'm really asking. Like not Tybalt, Mercutio, Benvolio, and Rosaline, but warring families, teenagers in love, dead. It's not Titus Andronicus. Warring families and teenagers in love, yes. But the fact that so many people use the term Romeo and Juliet as a byword for the GreatestLoveStoryEver© leads me to believe that Romeo and Juliet dying at the end of the play is a detail that for some reason pop culture refuses to assimilate. It's even gotten to the point of being a trope. A besotted character compares him or herself and the object of their affection to Romeo and Juliet and another character has to point out to them that the story ends with Romeo and Juliet killing themselves. Just a couple of weeks ago, Supergirl made a joke about that. Mon-El started to compare himself and Kara to Romeo and Juliet and she asked him if he gotten to the end of the play yet. He hadn't. Edited May 31, 2017 by AzureOwl 6 Link to comment
adam807 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 7 minutes ago, AzureOwl said: It's even gotten to the point of being a trope. A besotted character compares him or herself and the object of their affection to Romeo and Juliet and another character has to point out to them that the story ends with Romeo and Juliet killing themselves. SOLID POINT. It's not even a good love story. They're both shallow idiots. And, y'know, children. That's why Mercutio is the best: He basically tells Romeo he's being an idiot. 6 Link to comment
AzureOwl May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 1 hour ago, adam807 said: SOLID POINT. It's not even a good love story. They're both shallow idiots. And, y'know, children. That's why Mercutio is the best: He basically tells Romeo he's being an idiot. That's because most people haven't ever read it. All they know they absorbed from pop culture. 2 Link to comment
LydiaMoon1 May 31, 2017 Share May 31, 2017 (edited) <At the gathering of the Montagues following the double funeral of Romeo and Juliet> Hmmrummph. *clearing the throat in preperation to speak in a loud voice* Okay, I'm going to need somebody to step forward and confess who painted the word "harlot" on that statue of the Capulet girl that we commissioned for the funeral. Y'all know that was foul! Edited May 31, 2017 by LydiaMoon1 6 Link to comment
Last Time Lord June 1, 2017 Share June 1, 2017 Just finished this on Hulu. I... really don't know what to think. It was like, somebody literally did all of the cocaine and then decided to retell the story of Romeo And Juliet, and going off on tangents along the way. The weird thing is I think I liked it, overall. I applaud the literally colorblind casting. I saw in the ending credits this was based on a book. I've not heard of it, before. I had heard of the play After Juliet, but not this. 1 Link to comment
Driad June 1, 2017 Share June 1, 2017 Rosaline had the right idea if she wanted a comparatively long and free life, AIUI. Nuns were spared the whims of husbands and the dangers of childbirth. [obShakespeare] There is a story of a Sherlock Holmes society trying to determine which house was 221B Baker Street, so they could put a plaque on it. The streets had been renumbered, so either of two houses could have been the right one. One member got tired of the argument so he stood up, shouted “A plaque on both your houses!” and left. 6 Link to comment
SimoneS June 1, 2017 Share June 1, 2017 (edited) On 5/30/2017 at 10:03 PM, Scarlett45 said: I've always wanted to be a royal bastard of a favorite mistress. You get invited to all the swanky parties and you're rich, but no one is trying to kill you since you can't inherit anything. Medivial kings used to have their bastard sons lead their armies, because 1. They'd be loyal to the cause as it benefits them, 2. There's still the sibling affection there but 3. No rivarly because of the strict social rules. Yup definately if I was a guy a royal bastard, as a woman, maybe a 2nd or 3rd daughter. Too funny. But really, it depended on whose bastard you were. Lots of illegitimate children of the European aristocracy were legitimized, given titles, property and large inheritances, and then married into powerful royal families which sometimes led to rivalries. The French and British royal families along with the de Medicis in Italy did this all the time. Edited June 1, 2017 by SimoneS 1 Link to comment
Criminey June 1, 2017 Share June 1, 2017 Sword fights, hate/love, revenge, treachery, political intrigue, disfunctional families! I enjoyed it! 1 Link to comment
AzureOwl June 1, 2017 Share June 1, 2017 12 hours ago, SimoneS said: Too funny. But really, it depended on whose bastard you were. Lots of illegitimate children of the European aristocracy were legitimized, given titles, property and large inheritances, and then married into powerful royal families which sometimes led to rivalries. The French and British royal families along with the de Medicis in Italy did this all the time. Yeah, not everyone can be John of Austria. 1 Link to comment
slf June 2, 2017 Share June 2, 2017 The casting is actually pretty good all-around but I have such a hard to time reconciling the dialogue with the fact that this is a continuation of a Shakespeare play. At the same time, tho, I know I'd hate it if they tried to go for more period appropriate Bard-inspired dialogue. I've watched a lot of cheesy shows and I have a soft spot for the arranged marriage trope so I'm going to give this a shot. However here's hoping they don't try to stretch this beyond a season. 1 Link to comment
adam807 June 2, 2017 Share June 2, 2017 Y'all are making me almost want to watch another episode (we only got the one screener) and see if I like it better the more it moves away from R&J, but there's so. much. tv. 22 hours ago, Driad said: There is a story of a Sherlock Holmes society trying to determine which house was 221B Baker Street, so they could put a plaque on it. The streets had been renumbered, so either of two houses could have been the right one. One member got tired of the argument so he stood up, shouted “A plaque on both your houses!” and left. I'm mad at myself for laughing out loud at this. 1 Link to comment
pigs-in-space June 2, 2017 Share June 2, 2017 I love costume dramas, and I really want to see one that features such a diverse cast succeed. And yeah, I'm also totally into the arranged marriage love/hate type of thing. I think it's a feasible jumping off point - the two heirs are dead, I can see how two families that were feuding for so long would blame the other for the end result and continue to try and fight for power. The language is certainly modernized, but I actually appreciate that. This is cheesy eye-candy, and I don't want to have to think too hard while I'm watching it. Not to mention there are few people who I think could match Shakespeare's dialogue, simply because most of us are not up to speed on how people spoke in the 1500s. The tumblr chatter about this has me laughing too - it's been awhile since I've watched a show where I immediately went there. This one might've made me snort out loud. 2 Link to comment
ihavenoidea June 3, 2017 Share June 3, 2017 How cute that Lashana Lynch (Rosaline) was on twitter asking people what shipper meant. Oh to not be obsessed with tv. I wonder what that's like? lol. 2 Link to comment
peachmangosteen June 3, 2017 Share June 3, 2017 (edited) I will keep watching solely because I am trash for hate to love ships. Add in that it's got the arranged marriage trope too and the actors already have great chem and I am already so far gone! Honestly, I enjoyed and am interested in a lot of what I saw so I don't care I liked it and I'm not ashamed! Edited June 3, 2017 by peachmangosteen 2 Link to comment
jhlipton June 3, 2017 Share June 3, 2017 On 6/1/2017 at 10:21 PM, pigs-in-space said: The tumblr chatter about this has me laughing too - it's been awhile since I've watched a show where I immediately went there. This one might've made me snort out loud. This one is awesome -- Rosaline and Benvolio really are made for each other! The intro was good just to show how Mercutio was the best character -- who else makes a pun just before they die? 1 Link to comment
Enero June 3, 2017 Share June 3, 2017 (edited) Add me to the consensus that liked this. I love the diversity, the sets, the costumes and the accents. The acting was hit or miss with some, but overall descent, and almost all the characters are gorgeous. So far I like everyone even Lady Capulet. I wish we could've kept Romeo - who was hot hot hot, a little longer and Juliet too. I liked both even if their story was a little clunky at the start of the episode. The show is mindless cheese, but I didn't expect anything more. This, I think, will make for a great guilty pleasure for the summer. I too like the arranged marriage trope and honestly think Benvolio already has the hots for Rosalind. Forgot to add - One thing I didn't get was why Lady Capulet was hiding the guy to whom Juliet was betrothed in her basement? Why not just openly get him the help he needs? Edited June 3, 2017 by Enero 3 Link to comment
pigs-in-space June 3, 2017 Share June 3, 2017 11 hours ago, Enero said: Forgot to add - One thing I didn't get was why Lady Capulet was hiding the guy to whom Juliet was betrothed in her basement? Why not just openly get him the help he needs? I hope they'll explain this more, too, although I assumed it had something to do with the fact that the Capulets want to ally themselves with him. Perhaps they are worried that the Montagues will try and take the opportunity to insert their sticky fingers where they don't belong? Or they don't want the king to know? IDK, there are a few plausible reasons, but hopefully they'll spell it out. Link to comment
Guest June 5, 2017 Share June 5, 2017 So cheesy. Very, very cheesy. But so is the story of R&J if you think about the fact they were silly, melodramatic children. Lady Capulet is awful. Link to comment
Kuther2000 June 6, 2017 Share June 6, 2017 (edited) On 6/3/2017 at 5:12 PM, pigs-in-space said: I hope they'll explain this more, too, although I assumed it had something to do with the fact that the Capulets want to ally themselves with him. Perhaps they are worried that the Montagues will try and take the opportunity to insert their sticky fingers where they don't belong? Or they don't want the king to know? IDK, there are a few plausible reasons, but hopefully they'll spell it out. When you think of it like this, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. She is also keeping him away from proper better medical treatment. He could die with her keeping him hidden like that. Edited June 6, 2017 by Kuther2000 spelling error Link to comment
Destiny74 June 6, 2017 Share June 6, 2017 On 5/30/2017 at 1:01 AM, thuganomics85 said: Took me a while to place Grant Bowler as Lord Montague. He was so much different clean shaven and with the British accent, compared to the scruff and Southern twang he had on Defiance. Yes! Thank you. I sat there wracking my brain to remember where I knew him from. Thank you! So far, I like it. It's not ground breaking or anything but looks to be summer fun. I like limited series in the summer...loved Galavant but that's over now. The Prince and Rosalind would never have worked out. King Daddy already sent Princey away to break the trist he was having with a Capulet for good reason. The crown can't be seen taking a side in the Montague vs. Capulet crapolla. Poor Rosalind. 1 Link to comment
netlyon2 June 10, 2017 Share June 10, 2017 On 6/3/2017 at 6:41 AM, Enero said: Forgot to add - One thing I didn't get was why Lady Capulet was hiding the guy to whom Juliet was betrothed in her basement? Why not just openly get him the help he needs? I'm not caught up yet (just watched this ep, but don't have time to watch the next), so this is just speculation. I assumed that it's because Paris (1) is a potentially powerful ally, who (2) can testify that Romeo tried to kill him and therefore (3) probably hates (or can be persuaded to hate) all of the Montagues. My impression is that Lady C is all-in on the Montague hate, especially after the "harlot" tag on Juliet's monument.*. If Lord C is willing to endorse this sham marriage to try and calm things down, then she might be worried that he will shut down her plans (or try to kill Paris outright) in order to keep the peace. Just my two cents. * I also acknowledge that Lady C is crazy and conniving enough to have defaced the statue herself so that something would pop off. Link to comment
BaileyMae June 10, 2017 Share June 10, 2017 On 5/31/2017 at 7:27 PM, LydiaMoon1 said: <At the gathering of the Montagues following the double funeral of Romeo and Juliet> Hmmrummph. *clearing the throat in preperation to speak in a loud voice* Okay, I'm going to need somebody to step forward and confess who painted the word "harlot" on that statue of the Capulet girl that we commissioned for the funeral. Y'all know that was foul! LMAO.... to dang funny. Link to comment
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