Let's Fold Scarves

Kurt’s a homo

Mad Men – “The Jet Set” (Matthew Weiner)

I think I get Matthew Weiner’s intentions for “The Jet Set” but I felt a growing sense of disbelief as the episode progressed. It just didn’t work at all. The bohemians felt so phoney that it took me ages to realise that they weren’t actually con artists or something of that ilk (or maybe they were – sometimes I think I watch through a fog of incomprehension). The actor playing Willy was the least convincing and Joy with Don felt forced and unnatural.

I may be misinterpreting this but I felt they were also trying to present Pete as an awkward and somewhat repellent figure. He may be a bit of an idiot (maybe) but he’s not so instantly dislikeable and certainly has not been depicted in that way before.

All the focus on Don and his failure to connect to people who have cracked glasses poolside meant no Betty time and I did want to see how she was getting on while he was away.

I loved Kurt’s coming out which certainly didn’t seem implausible to me. Not everyone was terrified of upsetting conventions and he is (pointing to Scandinavia maybe) European… I am disappointed his makeover of Peggy didn’t do something with her fringe but everything involving Kurt and Peggy made me laugh. She also wore two lovely outfits: a cream dress with red flowers and a green and black suit.

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I got so much strength, I’m giving it away

Same Time, Same Place (Jane Espenson)

This is more like the Buffy I love. It felt like an old fashioned earlier episode in which valuable lessons are learned and wrapped up in an interesting MOTW with the bonus of Gnarl being really nasty looking and really nasty behaving. Moreover, it is no coincidence that it was a Willow-centric episode in which Alyson Hannigan gets to play sweet, lost, perturbed, vulnerable, confused and adorable, and that is what she does brilliantly.

The funniest part of this was Dawn falling off the sofa with a squeal. Poseable Dawn was a treat even if people should have cared a tiny bit more.

Buffy’s total lack of concern over Dawn’s paralysis make me think of the lack of concern over Xander’s syphilis in “Pangs”. Both episodes were written by Jane Espenson…

There was evidence of the episode being cut (or a lack of concern about continuity) when Buffy and co appeared in the cave just like that despite the fact they had previously blocked it up.

I liked Anya interactions with Willow. I liked her telling Willow she was the one responsible for the mayhem.

I love Jane’s dialogue here:

Oh, at the new high school, probably. Everyone’s all about the high school. Buffy’s got some kind of job there helping junior deviants, Spike’s insane in the basement, Xander’s there doing construction on the new gym—

Wait, Spike’s what in the whatment?

Insane. Base. Xander does construction. He likes to start early, so he’s probably there by now.

And here:

This isn’t going to get all sexy, is it?

I’d be shocked. OK, do you have your powder?

Oh, I ate that. I have it.

And here:

I don’t know. Sounds pretty thin to me.

Well, that’s why you teleport over there real quick like a bunn—real quick and, uh, see if I’m right.

No. Sorry. You damaged my carpet.

Anya, you’re a vengeance demon. Just teleport!

…because that bunny reference is just for the fanatics.

Unfortunately, Anya doing spells with Willow highlighted the loss of Tara. The Scoobies conversation at the airport would have been a good moment to mention Tara. So far we have had no dialogue that mentions her by name and no other character (apart from Willow) has alluded to her at all. Not that I am obsessed in noticing this or anything.

Nobody should be at be worried that Willow made her friends go away by  “just by thinking it”, should they?

Posted in Buffy Season 7, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Television | 10 Comments »

From beneath you, it devours

Beneath You (Douglas Petrie)

For some people the last five minutes of this are some of the best minutes of Buffy ever. For others, they might have been some of the most interminable. Apparently the scene was written by Joss Whedon himself.

I’m struggling to find much to say about this episode.

I like DB Woodside as Principal Wood. He’s handsome and appealing.

I like Emma Caulfield and she makes Anya, the unrepentant vengeance demon, far more likeable than she should be. She was the highlight of this episode particularly when she realises the truth about Spike.

And how much better would the scene at the end have been if we hadn’t known about Spike’s soul?

This is the one that begins with a homage to an early episode of Alias which itself was a homage to Run Lola Run. Dollhouse played Beck’s cover of “Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime” which itself was used at the end of the similarly themed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Nothing original there, is there?

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I came to rescue you

Mad Men – “The Inheritance” (Lisa Albert & Marti Noxon and Matthew Weiner)

I was shocked when Betty’s dad grabbed her boob. I think she recovered more quickly than I did.

It’s a shame that the actor playing Glen isn’t very good. I really didn’t believe him when he told Betty that he hated her. Betty has been triggered at last. She needs to take charge and with Don away she really has to step up.

Despite Don’s advertising acumen he just cannot work out how to talk to his wife (though I suspect a confession and a heartfelt sorry might work) and he has now run away (he also tried to run away with Rachel).

Joan was unnecessarily mean to Paul even if he is a pompous bore.

When Betty seduced Don on the bedroom floor I was convinced it was a dream just because the episode had been co-written by Marti “Buffy” Noxon.

Pete is such an arse although no matter how crass and appalling he behaves, he always manages to redeem himself in some way. In this it was his touching conversation with Peggy about his father and mother.

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I thought you can talk anyone into anything

Mad Men – “Six Month Leave” (Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton and Matthew Weiner)

The Mad Men crew are knocking out one excellent episode after another. After the iffy “I’m not sure I want to watch this any more” “The Benefactor” the series has just got better and better. Consequently we are now on a MM marathon weekend and I’ll be trying to produce short practically pointless observations.

When Roger touched Jane on the back I shuddered. He really is the creepiest creep and his wife should be glad he’s leaving her. John Slattery plays him brilliantly.

I’m glad they had Don admit to Roger about relieved about his freedom. Betty has no-one to talk to at the moment. She could talk to Clara but there is too much of a class and racial gap for that to happen.

Freddie Rumsden’s alcoholism was tremendously sad. Nobody knew how to deal with it effectively or even, in some cases, seriously. Freddie is finished because without his work he’s dead. Peggy’s outrage over the Rumsden incident is misplaced. Something had to be done but perhaps six months’ leave isn’t quite the right answer.

Betty’s manipulation of Sarah Beth and Arthur was sneaky. Manipulation seems the wrong word to use in regard to Betty who doesn’t seem to think through things but rather acts instinctively. I think Betty’s journey this season will involve a change from reacting to things to taking charge (oops, I’m getting ahead of myself).

Don and Betty just don’t know how to communicate with each other and it’s painful to watch.

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Random stuff

I thought Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan’s Demo (2005) was a tremendous piece of work: certainly one of the best comics I have read in the last year. It seems that Becky is a pretty good writer too as this creepy MySpace Dark Horse Presents comic called I See The Devil in My Sleep shows. Nathan looks like Alan Tudyk.

I’m listening to Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961) on Spotify at the moment. I own this album on vinyl and so I haven’t listened to it in years. It is really rather good. Garland’s voice is still strong and the song selection is fabulous. She recounts a story about a newspaper article that describes her so: “She’s not plump, she’s not chubby, she’s fat.” – I guess the Daily Mail was around then too.

Talking of Spotify reminds me of The Gadget Show and Gail Porter’s recent stint on the show while Suzi Perry was unwell. Gail and Jason did a comparison between Spotify and iTunes but that is besides my point which is that I can’t tell you how fantastic it was to see a bald, large, unapologetic woman fronting a TV show. I admire how Gail has dealt with her alopecia areata.

I thought this recent post over at Sociological Images about Facebook’s neutral avatar was really interesting. It is a man and so not neutral and goes in the face of Facebook’s demographic. The leaflet that has just come through our door (only eight days after the day I thought we were supposed to get one) called Important Information About Swine Flu has two images of people: a man sneezing on the front cover and an avatar type image of a man inside. I don’t think it would have occurred to me that there was something iffy about that before.

The follow up post is interesting too.

Awesome! Feminists have just been told by a feminist to lighten up. Her exact words are “Chill out everyone, it was a bit of fun!”. Bingo! Julie, get lost.

Posted in Comics, Female thinking, Music, Television | No Comments »

You’re in a lair! An evil lair!

Dollhouse – “Omega” (Tim Minear)

Whatever you say about Dollhouse (and I did) it was certainly different from the average TV show. I think it failed for approximately half the time. Some episodes were terrible. Others were amazing and “A Spy in the House of Love” was one of the best episodes that Joss Whedon has ever produced.

This was an episode chock full of exciting incidents and yet it still managed to be unsatisfactory.

(Poor Dollhouse. No other show I watch is burdened with such scrutiny because even my notes on Buffy, Angel and Mad Men are just reactions rather than criticism. Admittedly that is my style. I’m not analytical enough to get into the substance of a show. That’s what other people are for.)

I liked:

• The performances which, as usual, were on the nose from my favourite cast members. The others were even okay. I think Eliza is perfectly serviceable as Echo. She wasn’t outstanding but she was watchable enough which is fine when you aren’t carrying the whole show on your shoulders. I think that is one of the reasons why Bionic Woman failed, as much as I like Michelle Ryan, she wasn’t strong enough to carry the show (despite being the Bionic Woman, ha ha) and the supporting cast weren’t strong or interesting enough either (maybe they should have promoted Molly Price to joint lead).
• The asking of the question of whether good and evil is innate or, if evolved, then indelible once it’s in your personality (or soul or whatever).
• The Topher and Whisky interactions near the end were mysterious and intriguing.

I didn’t like (and this list is longer):

• The abrupt escape of Alpha and the lack of November and Sierra as bounty hunters (*these important scenes were cut for time).
• The freedom granted to Madeleine. If she has been given back her original personality surely she is still grieving for her child? What was that closure she had back in “Needs”?  Why was she dressed as a frump? I’ll miss Miracle Laurie. I do wonder what she will get cast in next.
• The eye gouging and the torture scene were too graphic for my taste and really rather unnecessarily lengthy.
• Dr Saunders telling Victor he was ugly which is such nonsense and really hurtful.
• The fight between Alpha and Echo wasn’t exciting enough. Whatever else there is to say about Tahmoh Penikett, he knows how to fight.
• Echo knocking off the “wedge” wasn’t handled well. It just looked silly. Though Paul saving Caroline that way was hilarious.
• The fact that the whole series revolved around the fact that Alpha thought Echo was hotter than Whiskey.
• That Alpha was sinister at all times even when he was a doll (I do understand he was gaining self-awareness but he was creepy the whole time).

I didn’t mind:

• Paul joining the Dollhouse because that may make no sense now but it will in the future. Won’t it?
• That we got no further information about Caroline’s past. Something has to be saved for S2.

*Click for larger image

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Looks like Connor’s gonna need someone who cares, like a big sister, or a…Mrs Robinson, if that’s what he’s into

Angel – “Ground State” (Mere Smith)

I thought after viewing this that I had quite enjoyed it as a whole but when I put together a list of pluses and minuses I realised that what I had enjoyed was Gwen: one of the more memorable guest stars.

Minuses:

• too little Cordelia
• I like Amy Acker in Dollhouse but in Angel she is distractingly thin and she plays an annoying character even when she isn’t whining at/to Gunn
• the flip chart scene
• there is zero chemistry between Fred and Gunn
• Wesley and Lilah talking and loving at the same time was icky
• the weird decision to set Angel and Wesley’s important conversation right next to some noisy machinery
• Dinza asking Angel about whether he misses the sound of waves because why would he when he was at the bottom of the ocean?

Pluses:

• it’s nice to see a man going down on a woman in mainstream television
• I’m glad they revealed that Lilah did know what Wesley was up to
• Gwen
• David Boreanaz’s performance was thoroughly likeable throughout

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People were fighting on me

Dollhouse – “Briar Rose” (Jane Espenson)

Poor Victor!

I appear to be in a minority (but not a minority of one) in not particularly liking this episode. I’ll save my complaints until the finale since the two as a whole may hang together better for me. There may even be an explanation for the Dollhouse’s abysmal security but it will have to be good to explain why an organization which is so rich that it is able to set itself up as a self-contained unit has pathetic security systems that allowed Ballard and Alpha such easy access and for them to wander around for ages and with such effectiveness (well, one of them was effective).

The way they attracted the random Doll’s attention in order to nick his clothes was silly too. The dolls have been presented as childlike not zombie-like so at least they could have given the random some dialogue.

Anyway, I do wish Ballard had thought a little harder before shagging Mellie in the last episode. I guess he was supposed to come to his senses in the shower the day after and decide to break up with Mellie so he could pursue her (and once again, great DH security there allowing him to follow them). Still – creep.

And you know, maybe I have moved to the position that is difficult to like this show because there is no one to root for. I’m not totally against moral greyness (though I’m not sure if I can think of anything comparable I do like) but do I like watching it week after week? Not really. And I am mighty fed up with being told that, along with others who don’t like the show, it’s because we need “instant gratification” or lack the brains to give it “hard intellectual and emotional work”. Sigh.

Ballard’s rubbish, the DH staff are compromised by the mere fact of working there plus all their other faults, and there are the dolls who are all blanks and when they are likeable imprints they are doomed to be wiped. And there is Echo but I’m don’t really care about her either.

I do love Olivia Williams, Enver Gjokaj, Amy Acker and Miracle Laurie but liking the actors and their performances isn’t enough to make me love the show.

In the welter of criticism of Eliza Dushku’s acting it has slipped by that there is a worse actor on the show and he was quite awful in “Briar Rose”. He may be the reason that Paul is such a creep.

The Whisky incident is interesting because I assumed Dominic was talking to Dr Saunders but he may have been looking at Boyd. Either way it doesn’t really make obvious sense because why would Dominic address someone who doesn’t know they are a doll by their doll name? But! I do know that it was Saunders he was referring to because she wears high-heeled shoes and, as I know, there is a high-heel fetishist in the costume department.

Enver Gjokaj channelling Reed Diamond

I was spoiled for Alpha’s identity (despite trying not to be) but that didn’t stop me from being completely shocked by what he did to Victor.

Poor Victor.

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And stay away from hyena people, or any lizard-type athletes, you know, or if you see anyone that’s invisible.

“Lessons” (Joss Whedon)

I turned to Andy at the end of this and said “here’s hoping the rest of the season is as good as this”.

My heart sunk when Spike appeared because insane characters don’t entertain me at all.

…I only tolerated Tara in S5 because, you know, Amber Benson.

…and River because, you know, Summer Glau (and because I had seen Serenity first).

…okay, I lied.

…maybe it’s because Spike and Dru don’t entertain me.

…okay, maybe it is just my low Spike tolerance.

I’m not buying that anyone could think that Buffy was Dawn’s mother but it was funny and Michelle Trachtenberg was sweet without being patronising.

Who’s got the power?
He does.
Never forget it. Doesn’t matter how well prepped you are or how well armed you are. You’re a little girl.
Woman.
Little woman
I’m taller than you.

Often Hollywood can’t fake England without it looking like Random Harvest so it was fun seeing genuine English locations.

It’s sad that Xander has moved on to wearing a suit and driving a snazzy car while Anya has coffee while seated on uncomfortable stools with her only friend listening to a drippy duo. I’m sure this is a point that could be developed further.

It was nice having some quippy vampire dusting in the pre-credits sequence and it was nice to have a MOTW episode after the a stretch of breathless arc-y stuff at the end of S6. And you can’t beat a “duck” joke.

The ending with Spike being tormented by Warren, Glory, Adam, The Mayor, Drusilla, The Master and Buffy was a handy S7 mission statement:

And that’s where we’re going…right back to the beginning. Not the Bang. Not the Word. The true beginning. The next few months are going to be quite a ride. And I think we’re all going to learn something about ourselves in the process. You’ll learn you’re a pathetic schmuck, if it hasn’t sunk in already. Look at you. Trying to do what’s right, just like her. You still don’t get it. It’s not about right, not about wrong…it’s about power.

[Spoiler: Dru touches Spike but I remembered that the First couldn’t touch anyone or is it different for vampires?]

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