Let's Fold Scarves

I think we already know what Lady Hacksaway wants

Sunday 14 June 2009 – 14:24

“Selfless” (Drew Goddard)

This is another excellent episode. It focused on Anya and I think it must be the first one to do so. She had to wait a long time since her first appearance in “The Wish”.

I was snorting with derision when Buffy announced that she had to kill Anya. “Just like all those times she should have killed Spike,” I sneered. However, by the time she had reminded Xander that she did actually kill Angel, she had convinced me.

While she was reminding Xander of that she also mentioned that he and Willow had been rather unsupportive at the time (“Do you remember cheering me on? Both of you. Do you remember giving me Willow’s message: kick his ass.”) Not many other shows would reference something that happened four and a half years of broadcast time ago so casually.  The scene wouldn’t really work at all if you didn’t know anything of Buffy’s relationship with Angel. I felt a bit sorry for Willow. She barely got to defend herself and Buffy had bottled it up for years.

Anyway, moving back to Anya, Emma Caulfield is marvellous again. She gets to be comedy Swedish, anguished vengeance demon, hardened vengeance demon, singing human, resigned and weary demon, and sad lonely human. And she gets to kiss a bunny.

There was a lot of Willow to like, except for grimly angry Willow (Alyson Hannigan just cannot sell that to me), particularly chilling was the way she turned on the terrified woman as she used magic to prevent a spider attack.

I am very sad to see Hallie go although a consequence of that is getting fannish about D’Hoffyn’s remark to Anya and from beneath her, it devours.

Even Spike’s scene didn’t bother me. It was alleviating to see an actual manifestation of his visions (that we think are his visions anyway) in the form of soft-spoken, white-wearing Buffy. [Who, by the way, has been wearing some horrible trousers this season. Were they the fashion back in the day? All the way to 2002!]

“I am Aud.” Best line of the show, perfectly delivered. Best visual of the eppy was the sight of Buffy balancing a pot of pencils on her head.

The fight between Buffy and Anya was pretty good but, I’ll say it again, nothing matches a Buffy/Faith dust-up.

Bold statement: all in all, this was an episode up there with the best. Actually, not that bold, after all.

Posted in Buffy Season 7, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Television | 6 Comments »

Wait. You should take her fuzzy slippers. Her feet get cold.

Thursday 11 June 2009 – 23:50

Angel – “Supersymmetry” (Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain)

I sort of wish that I hadn’t decided to blog about Angel. I dislike myself when I cannot find nice things to say about characters and actors and writers for episode after episode. Suffice to say that Fred, Gunn and Wesley and the actors who played them annoyed me as much as ever. I am also pissed off that the writers had Gunn kill the professor. I am at a loss to understand that. It makes Gunn such an unnecessarily dubious character while whitewashing Fred’s blood lust. She started it so she should have finished it. Though I am aware that the story between these two isn’t over and Gunn’s action will have repercussions, it just seems to me that Gunn has been abruptly pushed in a new direction that I would never had expected. BTW, non-dedicated readers, I am blogging about Angel from a virgin point of view so, in theory, I have no idea what happens next. In theory…but try being unspoiled on the sites I frequent on the Internet.

I have inappropriate feelings towards Vincent Kartheiser. He’s so young looking. It initially seemed plain wrong that he fancies Cordy despite the fact that on the show she is supposed to be about 21 or 22. I love how any mention of Cordy’s youth has been dropped from Angel because Charisma always looked way too old to be a high-schooler on Buffy. Anyway, I think Vincent is endearing. And Charisma is looking pregnant and womanly.

I also think Lilah is endearing though in a completely different way. The writers were really naughty to have Lilah describe Fred as a twig. I was chuckling over that for far too long. I liked her scene with Angel in the car park. “Tragedy struck Gidget? Really? Did she go to that place in the big Texas sky?” “Yeah, yeah, hulk smash…”

I’m no scientist but I’m pretty sure that it would be impossible for Fred to get published and a symposium gig no matter how hidden her work has supposed to have been on the show.

It was a throwaway line but it seemed daft to say that there are forums dedicated to Angel on the Internet. Almost as stupid as the current storyline in Buffy S8.

I quickly sussed out the professor was the bad guy but then I thought that was too obvious. Ah well.

And the least said about “You know what they say about payback? Well, I’m the bitch”, the better.

Posted in Angel, Television | 6 Comments »

Bechdel (again)

Friday 5 June 2009 – 11:04

I just came across this website devoted to the Bechdel Test (via My Buffyholism is Showing).

Why haven’t I seen the Oscar winning film There Will Be Blood? Because a film styled as a “story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business” which has “ Less than two women in [it]” is simply not high on my list.

Posted in Female thinking, Films | 3 Comments »

Writing women (links)

Thursday 4 June 2009 – 22:51

I recently read this rather old interview with the estimable Graham Linehan (Father Ted, The IT Crowd, etc) in which he said,

I would probably be more comfortable writing just two men. I do find it hard to write for woman, as do a lot of male writers.

It reminded me of this article by Richard Warlow who is the only male writer on the BBC’s Mistresses who wrote about writing women in a way that irritated me mainly because he couldn’t resist sentences like,

But, well, women are beautiful, aren’t they? And mysterious and confusing.

The way I look at it is if you are writing sentences like that then you already failing. I’m not beautiful, mysterious or confusing. (Confused, yes.)

That got me thinking about the subject. If some men can say that they find it hard to write women then what does that say about the vast majority of literature ever written?

Not every man agrees. Steve Martin says,

I know the feelings, but I don’t know what’s interesting. So it was really hard to pick and choose. What needs to be known? … But it’s easy to be an observer and appreciator of the opposite sex.

which isn’t much different from Warlow’s,

Most men I know, even the gay ones, are obsessed with women. I think that gives us a compelling qualification to write about them.

but less tiresomely expressed.

I found an interesting discussion at Absolute Write (I guess there are dozens of these discussions around the Internet). Some random quotes:

Write a woman like she is a person first, a woman second. She is an individual person with her own hopes, aspirations, and importantly, flaws, and not just some member of a club called “women”. (Toothpaste and agreed with several times)

You have one thing in common with women… you are of the same species.” “Don’t watch sitcoms and dramas to try to figure out women… if I was a woman I’d be pissed about the way they are often portrayed on TV. Watch them in real life. (KTC)

(The discussion deteriorates from page 2 onwards.)

Finally, some great stuff from Marie Brennan,

We’re people. We’re individuals. We’re not Women, and we’re not types, either — the Cold But Brilliant Scientist, the Nurturing Mother Who Sacrifices All For Her Children, the Whore With A Heart Of Gold.

Seriously, I do have to read one of her books.

Posted in Female thinking, Other people's written work, Quotes | No Comments »

I was a cheerleader, a princess and a warrior

Thursday 4 June 2009 – 16:43

Angel – “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” (Jeffrey Bell)

Cordelia and Charisma are back. And on form in both cases. I really miss the CCs which is odd since I never missed her from Buffy.

This was my favourite episode so far. The story zipped along and the message that telling the truth is more often than not the best policy is one that everyone in the Buffyverse should remember. The demon with the mouth was jolly creepy and I liked Cordy’s hair.

Gunn is getting on my nerves. Dialogue about sidekicks is not helping. I feel towards Gunn as I do towards Topher because I’m not totally convinced it’s just the lines I don’t like. I’m suddenly struck (after several seasons!) by how good Nicholas Brendon is at delivering one-liners even when they aren’t that great.

Posted in Angel, Television | No Comments »

Mad Men randomness

Wednesday 3 June 2009 – 21:34

Now that I am as up-to-date with Mad Men as anyone except Matthew Weiner, I can read Basket of Kisses with gay abandon. It really is a super fansite with great interviews. For example, there is this insightful one with Elisabeth Moss who I was pleased to read did not play her scenes with Father Gill as if she found him attractive.  There is tons of stuff I still haven’t read.

Ages ago I noticed in my Google Reader a post at The Hathor Legacy with the eye-catching line “Betty really was just a hysterical housewife who needed to get laid”. I immediately thought this was a S2 spoiler and quickly skipped the entry and mentally filed it for reading once I had finished S2. Many months later, I was most surprised to find that was what Jennifer Kesler ’s reaction to the conclusion felt was the message the show was sending at the end of S1. lizriz’s responses are close to my opinion and I never once thought that Peggy was stupid for not realising she was pregnant.

As a feminist my feelings about the show are mixed though I do think it has done a great job most of the time. Only occasionally I felt it has “enjoyed” its portrayal of sexism a little too much with lingering shots of Joan’s ample bottom as she bends over and the sleazy remarks by the ad men in “Babylon” as they watch a lipstick testing through a two way mirror. I am also aware that this is a minute slice of life. This a view of the 60s focused on a narrow privileged closed world that the majority of Americans never lived through.

I could get addicted to Mad Men. I wonder if there is any fan fiction? Duh. (NB: I have not read any of them.)

I read about specialised crushes over at The Anti-Room and I can only agree with the examples of Viggo Mortensen and Jon Hamm. VM as Aragorn is a honeypie while JH with “floppy hair and stubble” is just not the same!

January Jones is in the specialised category too. As Betty she looks fantastic but, as herself now, in any photoshoot she looks generic starlet and doesn’t look beautiful at all.

Despite what this says, this is not an extra scene but was shown in the original broadcast. It has been cut from subsequent showings and it was definitely not on the BBC broadcast. I remember noting that I had read the TWop recap that mentioned this scene. I thought then that it was just the BBC version that was cut but that seems not. And Pete was in his pajamas! Are the DVDs complete? I shall soon find out (once we have got through Buffy and Angel).

Posted in Female thinking, Mad Men, Television | 2 Comments »

What if their problems are all weird and tricky?

Monday 1 June 2009 – 21:47

Help (Rebecca Rand Kirshner)

Season 7 is now 3 for 4 which isn’t bad, I suppose. This strongly reminded me of “Reptile Boy” from way, way back. However, it was better than “Reptile Boy” even if it was relatively predictable until Cassie’s death which was totally unexpected and yet satisfying. Buffy cannot help everybody. Actually, that theme may have been touched upon before. Maybe in S5. Oh, anyway, I enjoyed this rehash of old stories and themes with added Amanda (“and I slammed his stupid-ass insecure face right into the pavement”).

Obviously there is still that elephant in the room. Maybe Xander might have mentioned Tara to Willow as they were walking to her grave? Maybe.

Buffy knows an awful lot about the Foreign Legion.

“Have you Googled her yet?”

“Look, all I’m saying is that this is normal teen stuff. You join chat rooms, you write poetry, you post Doogie Howser fan-fic. It’s all normal, right?” – who knew Alyson and Neil would be together in a Friends type environment?

When is Cassie’s dad going to sue Sunnydale High, Buffy’s employer?

We lasted such a long time without Spike in this episode. No Anya at all.

I love it when Buffy catches the bolt (that is some booby trap) and then Cassie dies.

Azura Skye totally looks like…

Posted in Buffy Season 7, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Television | 3 Comments »

Fluffy. Fluffy the dog. The dog you don’t have.

Thursday 28 May 2009 – 19:09

Angel – “The House Always Wins” (David Fury)

I am naughty. I watched “The House Always Wins” ages ago and forgot to blog about it.

Erm, it was a bit rubbish really.

• I like Lorne. I like Andy Hallett but not so keen on the singing going on and on.

• I’m not happy to single out someone (particularly when I’m watching something that is several years old) but Amy Acker is distracting me too much with her thinness. 
  

  The green doesn't help either, I suppose.

• she also has a very pointy nose which is quite endearing.
• which Wesley having telephone sex with Lilah is most decidedly not – is this is the bad-ass Wesley I’m supposed to love?

• Lord help me but I am starting to like David Boreanaz as Angel.

• which is more than I can say about J. August Richards as Gunn – it doesn’t help the poor chap he is often saddled with the unforgivable dialogue such as:

Gunn: Yeah, great work. How you sold Angel out…boy, DeMarco must have wet his pants when you told him what a ripe destiny that was for the pickings. A champion to
save the world or destroy it.
Lorne: You really believe I’d do that?
Gunn: I don’t know, Lorne. I don’t know why you did any of it. What, you were living so large, blaring Tony Bennett so loud in that sweet suite of yours, you couldn’t hear your conscience screaming at you!
Fred: Charles, it doesn’t matter.
Gunn: It does to me. I wanna know, Lorne. Why didn’t you just say no to that piece of…
Lorne: I did! The first time he asked me to, of course I refused. So he blew a girl’s brains out right in front of me. And he said that’s what I could expect every time I said no.

• and finally, I am most glad that Cordelia is back on Earth because Charisma Carpenter’s poor line-readings from Heaven were getting on my nerves (was she bored, I wonder?).

Posted in Angel, Television | 3 Comments »

I’m pregnant

Tuesday 26 May 2009 – 21:12

Mad Men – “Meditations in an Emergency” (Matthew Weiner and Kater Gordon)

This season ender doesn’t have the power of “The Wheel” but it does have the best scene so far when Pete confesses to Peggy that he loves her and she tells him it’s too late.

Pete: I love you. And I want to be with you. What? Didn’t you know that?
Peggy: Pete. I could have had you in my life forever if I wanted to.
Pete: What do you mean?
Peggy: I could have had you. I could have shamed you into being with me. But I didn’t want to.
Pete: I don’t understand.
Peggy: You got me pregnant. I had a baby. And I gave it away.
Pete: What?
Peggy: I had your baby. And I gave it away.

It was utterly gripping and it was this scene (following on from her scene with Father Gill) that has convinced me that Elisabeth Moss is playing Peggy very well indeed. Father Gill is doing his job but I was so relieved that Peggy wasn’t falling for his fearmongering despite the imminent apocalypse.

Father Gill: Hell is serious and very real and unless you unburden yourself you cannot know peace.
Peggy: I understand that, Father, but you’re upsetting me right now.
Father Gill: That is your guilt, Peggy. All that God wants is for you to reconcile with him. Don’t, don’t you understand that this could be the end of the world and you could go to Hell?
Peggy: I can’t believe that’s the way God is. Good night, Father.

Betty spends the whole episode telling everyone she doesn’t want the baby to no avail although the much missed Francine has more advice than most. I love Anne Dudek and I think a re-viewing of The Book Group is required. I also love Lois (Crista Flanagan). She is such a sweet character. I do like how actors in these tiny recurring roles sneak up on you in terms of affection. Pete’s secretary Hildy is another favourite of mine (Julie McNiven – “Stand-in/body double for Lindsay Lohan!” – excellent).

I had written a lot of stuff about casual sex but it doesn’t matter. Betty is pregnant, is confused about her marriage, and is drunk. What would I do?

When Don comes to see Betty at the stables I was in two minds about whether I wanted her to say “it’s okay” or to say what she did say. Damn Don’s charisma. Don’s letter was a marvel and the moment when Joan tells Don that Betty wants him to come home made my heart leap.

What happens next? A jump in time again? I won’t be waiting until 2010 to find out

Posted in Female thinking, Mad Men, Television | No Comments »

You’re definitely in a strange place.

Monday 25 May 2009 – 22:56

Mad Men – “The Mountain King” (Matthew Weiner and Robin Veith)

This was an action-packed episode, well, packed. What with Peggy’s new office, Betty berating Sarah Beth, Don and Anna then and now, Joan’s rape, the Popsicle and Clearasil accounts, and Peggy cracking a joke, there was a ton of great stuff to digest.

We were taken once again away from the New York world that we are used to but unlike “The Jet Set” the scenes in San Pedro, CA, totally worked.  Don’s relationship with Anna was fascinating and the actor (Melinda Page Hamilton) was instantly likeable. Dick/Don’s excitement over meeting Elizabeth was a little overplayed by Jon Hamm but the line “I just like the way she laughs, and the way she looks at me” just killed me with its irony.

I was concerned that the child playing the piano was Don’s son which was a complication I wasn’t interested in seeing.

Peggy scoring Freddy’s office just by asking was fabulous and seeing her behind the desk joking with Pete (“How the hell did you swing this?” “I’m sleeping with Don. It’s really working out.”) and drinking whisky was very exciting.

Betty’s changing relationship with her daughter Sally was a pleasure to see though I was 21st century horrified when she put her in the cupboard as a punishment. However, she treated her better later on by giving her riding boots (and hence riding lessons) and telling her the truth about Don was a great leap forward.

Betty’s words during her phone call to Sarah Beth were harsh but I see disappointment in Betty’s reaction. Sarah Beth failed to be faithful despite what she has said to Betty about her marriage and Betty was disappointed.

Joan’s rape by her perfect fiancé was pretty hard to watch. Her face as she looked away into the distance was heartbreaking – Christina Hendricks is amazing and I was sad that she wasn’t Mrs Reynolds at this point because then she could beat the shit out of him. Sadly, in real-life, kick-ass women don’t exist.

Posted in Mad Men, Television | No Comments »