on recent TV-watching

[xparrot]

Regarding Xena (which we're watching now, my first time, minus a couple random mid-season eps way back when they first aired, and "Been There, Done That" which I've seen a dozen times because it is one of the funniest Groundhog's Day time-loop eps I know of), about halfway through s2, and, putting aside the delicious, delicious cheese and camp (honestly, I wish more TV was willing to sacrifice "quality" for the sake of sheer absurd fun):

1. I already knew Lucy Lawless was awesome, but seriously, awesome! Sexy and strong and sarcastic and silly, what more do you want? She could totally be a VA, too, with the number of different wacky voices she can do. So yeah, love Xena (and she's a redemption character, so +100 right there). Having only seen a couple eps before, what I didn't realize was that Gabrielle is just as awesome and funny and I adore her and her bluffing and spirit and loyalty and comic timing to little bits.

2. Girl-girl h/c indeed works for me every bit as well as guy-guy and guy-girl, and will more shows be giving it to me, please? Though I don't know if I'll be fic-seeking for this fandom because it's rather like early SPN was like, in that it already gives me everything I could want from fic (OTP friendship? Check! Presumed dead? Up the wazoo! Insane AUs? Gabrielle is Indiana Jones LOLOLOL!)

3. I <3 Bruce Campbell.

4. New Zealand is awful pretty. As I knew from LotR already but this confirms it in spades. The cinematography isn't much better than anything else of the show, but it doesn't have to be, because pretty much any direction they aim a camera is gorgeous. Definitely high on places I yearn to go to someday.

5. Joke credits FTW!!!

Then, regarding new New Who, ahh, okay, I'm finding it frustrating. Most of the ingredients I've loved are still there, the shiny and the silly and the spooky, but the show itself is falling flat for me, and I'm not even entirely sure why. I like Matt Smith okay, he looks like the Doctor and he's got spirit, but he's just so much like Ten, I can scarcely tell the difference. I don't think he's done anything that I couldn't as easily picture Ten doing. And then Amy Pond is almost the same - I like her actor, too, she's cute and charismatic, but I don't feel the character. I don't dislike her in the least, but I don't like her, either; she comes across as very generic to me, nothing distinguishing her from any other Companion. She's spunky; otherwise I don't have a real sense of what she loves or what she hates or what she wants, (except, apparently, the Doctor, and that was so completely out of left field that I don't know what to think, though I did appreciate the Doctor's reaction of OMGWTFRUNAWAY!) and I find myself not really caring about what happens to her.

And the episodes, too, I find myself not really caring what happens, and again, I'm not sure why. I don't think the plots have been particularly more ridiculous than any before, but it feels like something's missing. It's odd; for all my trepidations about Moffat taking the reins, I never feared that he was going to make it less interesting. But I do think he's largely the problem (whatever the heck the problem actually is). Character is part of it - RTD was a character-centered author; his plots were only there to create emotional scenarios for his characters to explore. What the chars do matters less than who is doing it; a char's actions are significant insofar as they show something about the character (this char will do that; that char won't), or will have consequences for the characters and their relationships. The actual acts aren't the point. And his plots often suffered for it, but he is damn fine at writing characters, at creating people that you quickly come to care about, however implausible or cliche the situations they end up in are. Moffat, on the other hand, seems to be a more plot-centered author; his characters exist and act to further the sequence of events and explore theoretical concepts and themes. Who is acting is less important than what they're doing. Which can make for really interesting ideas (I find the concept of River Song's reversed relationship with the Doctor absolutely fascinating) but the characters lose out (I don't find River Song herself that compelling.) And I watch TV for characters and their relationships. So when he was taking existing characters out for a spin for an ep or two, he did really nifty things with them; but when he's inventing them himself they're lacking a certain crucial depth.

I'm going to keep watching, there's still enough that I do love for me to stick around, and I'm curious where it's going. And I'm still hoping it might pick up for me, but for now, yeah, frustrated.

Comments

[naye]

Isn't Xena amazing?! I had so much fun with it back in the day. Ahh~. ♥ (And I want to go to New Zealand!)

I have noooo idea what was up with the ending of the last ep, and it bugs the hell out of me, because - WHAT?! Just - what?!

That said, I really do love Eleven and Amy a lot. ♥♥♥ I think Eleven is as different from Ten that Ten was from Nine - it's a little harder to notice because they don't look that different, but the way they react to things, the way they angst (or don't), the way they go about being the Doctor... It's different enough for me that it feels like it's the Doctor, but he's not the same man he was.

Anyway. I'm really surprised that there doesn't seem to have been some weird body switch with Amy and an incubus alien or something, but - if we can please not have any more of that (WHY WAS IT THERE?!) then Who will be the happiest thing I have in my fandom life right now. ♥ (Not the best, because - we all know the best is written by Odacchi. But most certainly the happiest!)

...I'm sad you don't feel as excited about it as I do, though. *snuggles*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Xena is awesome! Having so much fun with it. (oh man, if we could go to NZ together!!)

I'm glad you're liking Who! If jealous, too, because I *want* to be liking it - Who's always been a show that I've enjoyed for all its faults, and always have been inclined to overlook any plot holes and things, and the reason I am looking at them now is because I'm honestly trying to figure out why I'm excited after every preview but disappointed at the end of every ep :( But maybe the problem is I'm just too picky. SIGH!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Heee, so do we, that's how we're watching it! XD Really, tho', awesome!

[beege22.livejournal.com]

Interesting thoughts on the new doctor - I don't necessarily disagree but Who plots that hold together in clever ways are such a revelation for me (I *loved* the Doctor's plan in the first ep of the season) that it's not bothering me much yet. Plus, Eleven hasn't necessarily been around long enough to develop a distinctive persona but he's showing little flashes.

Amy was a hell of a lot more interesting as an eight-year-old than she is as an adult . . . which pretty much sums her up.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Eleven/Matt Smith might just need a little more time to come into his own.

Amy was a hell of a lot more interesting as an eight-year-old than she is as an adult . . . which pretty much sums her up.

Heh, true, this...

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

XENA. *_* I watched that as it aired in the '90's. I was about eight years old and she was my HERO. *_* I still have a poster of her on my door.

On Doctor Who - Eleven is ruder than Ten? Eleven was saying how Amy was dying, etc. Ten would have been promising she'd be okay? There's other things too... I mean, I agree, they ARE really similar, but I feel like Smith is finally acting comfortable in the Doctor's shoes and now he'll be able to develop? :S

Also, re: Amy jumping him... it's about time he had a companion who didn't sit around longing, but actually acted like a teenage girl and tried to go for it? XD I mean, she joins the ranks of Astrid and Reinette and Christina as one who just tried to jump his bones. And she didn't try to make it all about looooove, she was just like "HEY HOTNESS. TAKE ME." It was funny. >.>; And I'm glad the Doctor ran away, because I don't want an established relationship, but. It was funny. >.>

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Xena is awesome! Only thing that's bugging me is that why don't we have any shows like that now?

Eleven might just need time to develop, yes, will keep watching.

And Amy jumping him I didn't actually hate, but...hmmm...it didn't make her character make any more sense to me? It didn't feel like development to me so much as jumping tracks entirely. But ymmv!

[rosalui.livejournal.com]

I feel like Amy, even more than Rose, is a bit of a teenager having an adventure? Like... she acts tough and cool but really, she's just very "Ooh! I want to see this! And that!" It's almost like a theme park to her, rather than something to be in awe of, like it is for so many others. And I felt like her jumping him was just another case of, "Oh look at this cool thing, I want it, let's see if I can have it." >.>

[littlehollyleaf.livejournal.com]

Fascinating theory about Rusty being character driven and Moffat being plot driven. I think you have an excellant point there actually.

Trouble is, most of the time Rusty's characters, for me, didn't seem to work. I don't think Rose, for example, was really developed enough as a person - she had a promising set up (shop worker, bored, single mum etc) but then when Ten took over IMO Rusty seemed to throw all that out the window and she just became a carbon copy of the Doctor and lost any/all personality of her own. Making the big, emotional set ups for her and her relationship with the Doc fall flat for ME because they didn't seem to have been set up enough.

Contrast with Amy - because we have NOT been given a big dump of info about her at the start we are learning about her slowly and getting small insights into her character every epsiode, which allows for her character to PROGRESS as the show goes on. This seems a more realistic way of portraying a character to me as much as anything else and she's definitely my favourite new series companion so far because of this, although Donna is still a very close second :p

Just my two cents anyway. I tend not to bother thinking too hard about DW anymore because when I DID start thinking and analysising the new series that was when I found I didn't like it as much as I thought I was liking it, and that was sad for me cos I loved the old series and I was upset to find the new one wasn't matching up like I hoped. Also, discussing this show tends to make me crabby and kind rude, so... sorry about that :/

I think perhaps I'm pre-disposed to disagree as well because, just thinking about it now, the old series probably was, for the most part, what you're calling plot driven, so I guess that's just how I prefer my DW :p I know the always harping on about Jackie and Martha's family bugged the hell out of me most of the time - the TARDIS is something you step into so you can LOSE yourself and your past, you're not supposed to drag that stuff into it with you.

But yeah, I'll stop now, because I'm not supposed to be involving myself in discussions about this anymore. Pffft! :p Sorry again, for having a mini-rant in your LJ and that Moffat is not your cup of tea.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, part of RTD's problem I think is that if you happened to be tuned into his style of characters then they work well for you, but otherwise they have a tendency to piss you off. And I happen to be set to RTD's channel more often than not...but then, I'm like the only fan in existence who actually likes both Rose and Martha equally (Donna is still my fave above all!) So I'm biased. And, too, while I've seen bits of the old series, I saw the new series first, so...

Hmm, yes, another friend suggest that the current season needs to be watched more like the old Who than the new, because of the change to plot-orientation. So maybe that's what I need to do...

And sorry for raising the discussion! I don't usually analyze Who myself, I just relax and go with the flow. It's just that's not working for me this time around - every ep I start out excited and then am disappointed by the time it ends, so I'm trying to work out what's changed...

[littlehollyleaf.livejournal.com]

while I've seen bits of the old series, I saw the new series first, so...

I really wish this didn't make a difference, because it SHOULD be the same show, but it really really DOES.

I'm also really sorry you're not liking this series/Doc as much as you hoped to, especially when TBH I am PSYCHED about this series. I keep telling people it's the show I wish I'd had 4 seasons and a series of specials ago - so I think your friend is right, it IS much more like the old series, hence my enjoyment. I am sad you are dissatisfied when I am so happy :(

[sholio]

Your Who post kind of sounds like my impressions of the first couple episodes ... I still haven't been interested enough to download the last few. I feel a little bad about it because so much of my flist seems to be loving it, but it sounds like the things that I didn't like don't get better. Perhaps this particular Doctor-Companion dynamic just isn't for me, and maybe I'll like it better when they switch out Companions (as they inevitably will, I'm sure), or add more recurring characters to the mix.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wish I was enjoying it as much as everyone else...I've always adored the show, even when at its most absurd, so it's annoying and disconcerting to me to not be liking it as much. (I'm starting to suspect, too, that some of the trouble is that I just don't work with Moffat's style; he's done some good work but I don't think he's as hot stuff as all that. But then, actually liking RTD's writing seems verboten in general Who-fandom, which is why I spend most of my time avoiding general Who-fandom! ^^;)

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

DW: I think my deep irritation with the second and third eps burned out a lot of my reserves, because I quite enjoyed 4 & 5. I still have problems with the series, but the two-parter really felt like a turned corner to me. I'm now cautiously hopeful. That said, I can see where you're coming from.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Here's hoping I start enjoying it - I miss having my Who-squee!

[crashtestskater.livejournal.com]

oh yes, there are some awesome, bizzare, and hillarious eps.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

It's a very special show! XD

[crashtestskater.livejournal.com]

yup. I love the eps where you shake your head and wonder what the writers were on, because that was some good crack.

[e313.livejournal.com]

i agree with what u said when it comes to the new season of Who.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, unfortunately a lot of people seem to feel this way...though a lot of folks are loving the new series, too! There's a big divide...

[sheron]

I had exactly the same reaction to New Who...blah blah blah for a while, but now I'm getting into it. I've rewatched the older eps with the new knowledge and they are a lot smoother now that I know who these characters are a little better.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm still not sure how I feel about this season - I quite enjoyed the last 2 eps I saw (Vincent, and The Lodger, haven't seen the most recent) and I'm definitely feeling Eleven more. OTOH some things have annoyed me...well, I'll see how the season shakes out in the end!