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Mar. 25th, 2009 09:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lodessaA few days ago, looking through ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
who_daily I came across the vid Mood Rings(Doctor Who: Ten/Martha/Donna/Rose) by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
anagraphic and while watching it I was torn in two for a minute. The vidding itself is very good but I was really bothered by the actual song choice. The id part of me found it adorable and cute, but the thinking rational part of me was extremely aggravated, by the entire premise of the song but specifically in light of Doctor Who and Ten especially. The underlying assumptions were like rubbing salt in an open wound. Because we all know that Martha, Donna, and Rose are OVERLY EMOTIONAL TICKING TIME BOMBS and poor Ten is SO INCAPACITATED BECAUSE THEY ARE PRETTY. Because, guys that is how girls are right? But it's okay, because they are pretty and make nice arm ornaments. And their being crazy people is the problem, not that perhaps THE DOCTOR IS AN ALIEN and maybe doesn't completely get certain things about being human. But seriously, the companions in question are not particularly hysteric, I would even say that the reverse is true, and last time I checked it is Ten who GETS AWAY WITH MURDER because people find him oh so special. Anyway, that the song exists speaks to the existence of this mentality in our culture, but I think we all know that already. It is supposed to be funny and cute to talk about how girls are so pretty but so crazy but... really all it is is more of the last panel of this. And that comic is amazing, but because it is pointing out a ridiculous thing, not being it.
The actual plot for Castle this week was not as amazing, but I still really am enjoying the show and especially the stuff with his daughter.
I continue to love that Castle cannot tell when people are lying a lot of the time, because he's never actually dealt with real people face to face in figuring out crimes before. But I love how it's also a character thing more broadly; because, he totally doesn't get with Beckett is bluffing with suspects (the thing with the prep school skirts!).
Also, I love the bond he has with his daughter and the watching her sleep thing, and how his work bleeds over into that relationship. Although, much as I enjoyed her listing of the "signs your teen might be using drugs" I sort of thought she should have pointed out that if she was going to do anything illicit then she would not have pressured him to chaperone on the trip. And I like that their relationship is kind of messed up, what with her sort of mommying him, but at the same time clearly close as she wanted him to come on the trip and that scene about the turnstile jumping was so vulnerable. Also I like how their dynamic makes sense in light of his relationship with his mother, with also seems parental in the wrong direction.
Love is perhaps the wrong word for the appreciation I have for the fact that they seem to actually deal with the issues facing a woman in law enforcement that a man wouldn't have to deal with. This week Beckett was getting sexualized by the suspect, just like last week they were showing how Castle was "one of the boys" already with the station, whereas she never will be. It's easy to fuck these things up, but I am glad so far they aren't sticking their fingers in their ears and acting like it doesn't exist suddenly like Life has been doing of late.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles continues to be amazing and wow me every week.
I cannot say how much I love this show sometimes. It is everything that BSG liked to pretend to be:epic, gritty, heartbreaking sci-fi with interesting religious flavor and robots that are so self aware and at the same time so limited.
Much as the show's dealing with time travel is something I do not look at closely because it's the least consistent part of the show, I love the idea that people's experiences are different depending on which reality they were sent back from.
I was so happy to see John go and face Jesse himself, instead of Sarah or Cameron doing it, because it finally is starting to feel like he is John Connor and not some whiny kid. I love how it took Jesse to make him realize what his destiny means, and how in some way she serves a purpose on his journey, which is entirely different than her intention but no less relevant. When John cries on his mother's lap he is mourning himself as much as Riley. He is mourning all the people in the future that will be dead because of his choices or because something is trying to get to him. He is mourning the luxury of whining and resentment.
Much as I loved the antagonism between Sarah and Cameron, I felt like the fact that John sent Cameron back in time to himself, not some other mission, sort of disproved Sarah's point... I mean he wanted to spend more time with her that she had existed.
Also, much as I love John Henry and his childish focus, I wish Ellison would start being suspicious again. But still... friends! And John Henry is starting to believe in Ellison's doctrine and wants to protect him against Weaver. Human life is sacred.
The liquid metal in the box was an interesting twist. Obviously, there are factions amongst the terminators, which Future John was trying to use to get more help, but the rebel robots have other ideas. I tend to think that the fact that we have only seen two of the model means that we ARE supposed to connect the dots, and this reinforces my belief that what Catherine Weaver-bot is trying to do is create a better Skynet, one that can coexist with humans, so the future doesn't have to be either or. Which seems to jive with John's shifting awareness in the future and that he is trying to convert robots instead of exterminate them.
Also, telling Cameron is like telling John.
Dollhouse is still problematic but now in an interesting and possibility good way that makes me excited to keep watching, instead of in a waiting for it to be something more than meh way.
The magical sixth episode was indeed magical. The people on the street aired so much of what runs through the viewer's head, but really the same stuff was more interestingly raised with the client calling Spooky Helo out on what has seemed sort of borderline creepy about his investigation and growing obsession with "Caroline". He isn't chasing down Victor, figuring out where he went and why he set him up... because Victor is not a beautiful woman. Of course Alpha is nudging Spooky Helo in this direction, but still.
The thing with Sierra and the temporary handler, well it should have been an obvious thought given that while he was filling in this was happening. I felt bad for Victor, who as a man is easier to read than Echo and Sierra and thus more vulnerable to scrutiny. I am curious to see if there is any fallout to this abuse of trust in security procedures.
I find the concept of the attic interesting, because it makes me think of the "madwoman in the attic" trope in gothic fiction. You have to wonder what it is like and what they do up there.
Also, Boyd I love you. I love how Topher wanted to know how he figured it out and Boyd was like "so not telling you so you know how to avoid me creepy little man".
At the same time, I hope that Boyd is not somehow the Dollhouse inside source. I would like it to be either Adelle (because what is better than the boss being the corrupter) or Topher's assistant whom I would like to see kick him in the face. Both obviously know quite a bit about the equipment, more I would guess than Boyd, and also I feel like for a show "starring" a woman, only two men (Boyd and Spooky Helo) are real characters (not dolls) and not antagonists of some sort currently.
I've seen a lot of stuff asking whether the Dollhouse would provide a client with a dollesque, pliant, active and whether this isn't the same thing? I think the question is actually whether they would cater to rape fantasies. Because if they programmed for the prior the active would WANT for the client to have her do those things, no matter how docile she was. As for the latter, we can only guess. I suspect that they wouldn't send Echo out on such a mission, after what happened to Alpha and her growing weirdness... they'd be afraid of a dead client even if they had no problem with rapists. But that doesn't solve the question in general.
Mellie being an active, well it was awesome on an id level, but less so on a meta one. My initial instinct was to love the idea of Paul having an active right there and not even knowing it and this homey girl being badass and dangerous, but then it really devalues any relationship they might have together. The only way it could be otherwise would be if this was a new development and somehow Mellie was her actual personality and they just embedded an alter ego for circumstances like this. This seems possibly, although not particularly likely, since instead of going from active to blank to active, she switched between two personalities. Until they tell me otherwise though, I will fanwank it this way to make myself happier.
In conclusion, I am excited about this insider thing and for the second week in a row actually looking forward to more of the show.
I found the BSG finale to be better if I didn't connect the dots and just looked at the immediate images and let them resonate in my brain instead of trying to follow the path of the show. I will probably post about it in more detail later.
I finally started to watch Dexter this week after being told to do so for a long time and actually owning season 1 for almost a year. I have watched the first two episodes now, and I am hooked. It is just so bizarrely engrossing.
I also finally gave in to the temptation and ordered my first BPAL. This is allsophia_helix's fault since yesterday she was like "I'm playing with my BPAL, come play with me". And then my wrists smelled like cinnamon honey-sticks. Which of course made me want actual honey-sticks but neither the natural foods store nor Whole Foods had them, (Fuck you Whole Foods; this is just another way in which you are inferior to Wild Oats) Anyway. I ordered a bottle of Bhagdad (which is what I was wearing yesterday) and imps of Frumious Bandersnatch, March Hare, Lady Macbeth, Juke Joint, Bengal, and Siren.
who_daily I came across the vid Mood Rings(Doctor Who: Ten/Martha/Donna/Rose) by anagraphic and while watching it I was torn in two for a minute. The vidding itself is very good but I was really bothered by the actual song choice. The id part of me found it adorable and cute, but the thinking rational part of me was extremely aggravated, by the entire premise of the song but specifically in light of Doctor Who and Ten especially. The underlying assumptions were like rubbing salt in an open wound. Because we all know that Martha, Donna, and Rose are OVERLY EMOTIONAL TICKING TIME BOMBS and poor Ten is SO INCAPACITATED BECAUSE THEY ARE PRETTY. Because, guys that is how girls are right? But it's okay, because they are pretty and make nice arm ornaments. And their being crazy people is the problem, not that perhaps THE DOCTOR IS AN ALIEN and maybe doesn't completely get certain things about being human. But seriously, the companions in question are not particularly hysteric, I would even say that the reverse is true, and last time I checked it is Ten who GETS AWAY WITH MURDER because people find him oh so special. Anyway, that the song exists speaks to the existence of this mentality in our culture, but I think we all know that already. It is supposed to be funny and cute to talk about how girls are so pretty but so crazy but... really all it is is more of the last panel of this. And that comic is amazing, but because it is pointing out a ridiculous thing, not being it. The actual plot for Castle this week was not as amazing, but I still really am enjoying the show and especially the stuff with his daughter.
I continue to love that Castle cannot tell when people are lying a lot of the time, because he's never actually dealt with real people face to face in figuring out crimes before. But I love how it's also a character thing more broadly; because, he totally doesn't get with Beckett is bluffing with suspects (the thing with the prep school skirts!).
Also, I love the bond he has with his daughter and the watching her sleep thing, and how his work bleeds over into that relationship. Although, much as I enjoyed her listing of the "signs your teen might be using drugs" I sort of thought she should have pointed out that if she was going to do anything illicit then she would not have pressured him to chaperone on the trip. And I like that their relationship is kind of messed up, what with her sort of mommying him, but at the same time clearly close as she wanted him to come on the trip and that scene about the turnstile jumping was so vulnerable. Also I like how their dynamic makes sense in light of his relationship with his mother, with also seems parental in the wrong direction.
Love is perhaps the wrong word for the appreciation I have for the fact that they seem to actually deal with the issues facing a woman in law enforcement that a man wouldn't have to deal with. This week Beckett was getting sexualized by the suspect, just like last week they were showing how Castle was "one of the boys" already with the station, whereas she never will be. It's easy to fuck these things up, but I am glad so far they aren't sticking their fingers in their ears and acting like it doesn't exist suddenly like Life has been doing of late.
The Sarah Connor Chronicles continues to be amazing and wow me every week.
I cannot say how much I love this show sometimes. It is everything that BSG liked to pretend to be:epic, gritty, heartbreaking sci-fi with interesting religious flavor and robots that are so self aware and at the same time so limited.
Much as the show's dealing with time travel is something I do not look at closely because it's the least consistent part of the show, I love the idea that people's experiences are different depending on which reality they were sent back from.
I was so happy to see John go and face Jesse himself, instead of Sarah or Cameron doing it, because it finally is starting to feel like he is John Connor and not some whiny kid. I love how it took Jesse to make him realize what his destiny means, and how in some way she serves a purpose on his journey, which is entirely different than her intention but no less relevant. When John cries on his mother's lap he is mourning himself as much as Riley. He is mourning all the people in the future that will be dead because of his choices or because something is trying to get to him. He is mourning the luxury of whining and resentment.
Much as I loved the antagonism between Sarah and Cameron, I felt like the fact that John sent Cameron back in time to himself, not some other mission, sort of disproved Sarah's point... I mean he wanted to spend more time with her that she had existed.
Also, much as I love John Henry and his childish focus, I wish Ellison would start being suspicious again. But still... friends! And John Henry is starting to believe in Ellison's doctrine and wants to protect him against Weaver. Human life is sacred.
The liquid metal in the box was an interesting twist. Obviously, there are factions amongst the terminators, which Future John was trying to use to get more help, but the rebel robots have other ideas. I tend to think that the fact that we have only seen two of the model means that we ARE supposed to connect the dots, and this reinforces my belief that what Catherine Weaver-bot is trying to do is create a better Skynet, one that can coexist with humans, so the future doesn't have to be either or. Which seems to jive with John's shifting awareness in the future and that he is trying to convert robots instead of exterminate them.
Also, telling Cameron is like telling John.
Dollhouse is still problematic but now in an interesting and possibility good way that makes me excited to keep watching, instead of in a waiting for it to be something more than meh way.
The magical sixth episode was indeed magical. The people on the street aired so much of what runs through the viewer's head, but really the same stuff was more interestingly raised with the client calling Spooky Helo out on what has seemed sort of borderline creepy about his investigation and growing obsession with "Caroline". He isn't chasing down Victor, figuring out where he went and why he set him up... because Victor is not a beautiful woman. Of course Alpha is nudging Spooky Helo in this direction, but still.
The thing with Sierra and the temporary handler, well it should have been an obvious thought given that while he was filling in this was happening. I felt bad for Victor, who as a man is easier to read than Echo and Sierra and thus more vulnerable to scrutiny. I am curious to see if there is any fallout to this abuse of trust in security procedures.
I find the concept of the attic interesting, because it makes me think of the "madwoman in the attic" trope in gothic fiction. You have to wonder what it is like and what they do up there.
Also, Boyd I love you. I love how Topher wanted to know how he figured it out and Boyd was like "so not telling you so you know how to avoid me creepy little man".
At the same time, I hope that Boyd is not somehow the Dollhouse inside source. I would like it to be either Adelle (because what is better than the boss being the corrupter) or Topher's assistant whom I would like to see kick him in the face. Both obviously know quite a bit about the equipment, more I would guess than Boyd, and also I feel like for a show "starring" a woman, only two men (Boyd and Spooky Helo) are real characters (not dolls) and not antagonists of some sort currently.
I've seen a lot of stuff asking whether the Dollhouse would provide a client with a dollesque, pliant, active and whether this isn't the same thing? I think the question is actually whether they would cater to rape fantasies. Because if they programmed for the prior the active would WANT for the client to have her do those things, no matter how docile she was. As for the latter, we can only guess. I suspect that they wouldn't send Echo out on such a mission, after what happened to Alpha and her growing weirdness... they'd be afraid of a dead client even if they had no problem with rapists. But that doesn't solve the question in general.
Mellie being an active, well it was awesome on an id level, but less so on a meta one. My initial instinct was to love the idea of Paul having an active right there and not even knowing it and this homey girl being badass and dangerous, but then it really devalues any relationship they might have together. The only way it could be otherwise would be if this was a new development and somehow Mellie was her actual personality and they just embedded an alter ego for circumstances like this. This seems possibly, although not particularly likely, since instead of going from active to blank to active, she switched between two personalities. Until they tell me otherwise though, I will fanwank it this way to make myself happier.
In conclusion, I am excited about this insider thing and for the second week in a row actually looking forward to more of the show.
I found the BSG finale to be better if I didn't connect the dots and just looked at the immediate images and let them resonate in my brain instead of trying to follow the path of the show. I will probably post about it in more detail later.
I finally started to watch Dexter this week after being told to do so for a long time and actually owning season 1 for almost a year. I have watched the first two episodes now, and I am hooked. It is just so bizarrely engrossing.
I also finally gave in to the temptation and ordered my first BPAL. This is all
sophia_helix's fault since yesterday she was like "I'm playing with my BPAL, come play with me". And then my wrists smelled like cinnamon honey-sticks. Which of course made me want actual honey-sticks but neither the natural foods store nor Whole Foods had them, (Fuck you Whole Foods; this is just another way in which you are inferior to Wild Oats) Anyway. I ordered a bottle of Bhagdad (which is what I was wearing yesterday) and imps of Frumious Bandersnatch, March Hare, Lady Macbeth, Juke Joint, Bengal, and Siren.
