What's Up With Me: Fandom Edition
Because what I'm watching and being fannish over is SO much more interesting than what I'm actually doing with most of my time, here goes. Spoilers behind the cuts.
First off, we have Burn Notice, which has quietly become one of the most reliably fantastic shows that I'm actively watching. I've been on board since the first episode, and now, many seasons later, I still get excited every time there's a new episode. The current season, with Nate's death and Card's betrayal has been emotionally rough, but really well done and well acted. That scene with Madeline confronting Grey about Nate last week... whoa. As a matter of fact, ANY scene with Madeline in it this year has been stunningly good. Sharon Gless deserves every award in existence. And so do Jeffrey and Gabrielle. Michael and Fi's relationship has evolved, but it's not static, it's not old hat. It's... perfect. I especially love those little moments where you can SEE Michael getting tired of it all, like when they're stuck in Panama (poor shoe-less Jesse...), and Micheal remembers Ireland and wants to be DONE... that broke me. And then, last week, just when I thought Michael was going to have to work with a monster again for the sake of protecting himself or the people he loved... nope. He's not. When he pulled that trigger... I screeched. It was even more shocking than when he killed Strickler (whose actor, btw, has completely won me over as Jeremiah on Royal Pains... at first, I was calling him "Hank's evil twin" because he looks like a third Lawson brother, and I'd only ever seen him threatening Fi).
So I'm kind of jumping out of my skin waiting for tonight's episode.
Next up is Downton Abbey. If you know me at all, you know how completely not ok I am with what happened in Season 3. We all know I'm a sucker for angst-ridden stories. I revel in Game of Thrones, for heaven's sake. I wallow around in Guy/Marian induced pain. But what Downton did to Sybil? I wasn't ok. For the first time that I can remember, I stopped watching a show that was currently running that I'm really passionate about. I haven't seen the episode where we lose Sybil yet, and I haven't seen any that follow. I know pretty much everything that happens (thanks, tumblr), and I'm ok with how spoiled I am. I know Bates got out of jail. I know Edith is having a.... thing with a married newspaper editor. I know that Thomas was outed. And... this is all very interesting, and maybe someday I'll be able to see past the blinding pain of losing Sybil and care. There's going to be a Christmas special. Maybe I'll catch up and watch it. I just couldn't handle the emotional ordeal of finishing the season and teaching at the same time. (Again... this is coming from someone who blithely watched season 2 of GoT and taught at the same time JUST FINE. Frickin' Julian Fellowes BROKE ME A LOT.) I have a long essay about fandom and disappointment and when shows you love go terribly wrong knocking around in my head, and it's all Fellowes' fault.
With Sundays no longer being Downton Day in our house, they became Once Upon a Time day. I've really been loving the new season. I love the way the show is dealing with the conflicting sets of memories that people have now, I love the slow reveal of who various people are (the doctor as Frankenstein... I didn't see that coming, but it makes sense now...), and I adore all of the new characters. Mulan and Aurora are neat examples how feminine strength manifests itself in different ways, I'm glad we're seeing more of Jefferson, and oh my gods let me tell you about my love for Killian Jones/ Captain Hook. He is SO much fun, and drop dead gorgeous to boot. The part of me that loves Jack Sparrow loves Hook unabashedly, and I hope we haven't seen the last of him. (He is indisputable proof that dashing pirates shouldn't trust women named E. Swan(n) if they want to avoid getting chained up and left behind.) I'm also really digging Regina's complicated redemption arc. One minute, she loves Henry and is trying to be better for him, the next she's as ruthless as ever. And I love Belle... and Ruby/Red... and Emma. And speaking of Emma.... HOLY CRUD THAT FLASHBACK IN TALLAHASSEE... I'm SO angry on her behalf... Let the woman make her own choice, August and Henry's dad! (I got really excited when I realize Henry's dad is played by Rene from True Blood! Good to see him again...)
I started watching this because several irl friends and online fanfriends had recommended it to me. We're four episodes from finishing the first season, and I'm really enjoying it. Some of the high school romance subplots make me roll my eyes and get up and check to see if my tea is steeped yet, but overall, I'm really having a lot of fun. Elena is smart and sweet and compassionate, and I really like her ex/best friend Matt. He seems like an all around good guy, and is my favorite non-Gilbert human. Matt's mom, though? Needs to leave town and not come back. I have zero tolerance for parents who act like children over and over again and put their good kids through a lot of grief. Oh... my other favorite non-Gilbert human is history teacher Alaric. He's super interesting, and I hope he doesn't get himself killed looking for revenge.
When it comes to the vampires... Stefan and Elana's romance is cute. Stefan is adorable and sweet and actually quite interesting. He manages to be a "good" vampire without being a bore. Also, I really liked Lexi, who was only in one episode (stupid Damon...), but she seemed FUN. I'm hoping we might get to see more of her in flashbacks. Anna is pretty interesting, too. I went back and forth about her after I found out she was a vampire and not a weird, quirky homeschooled girl who had a crush on Jeremy, but the hurt in her eyes in this most recent ep we watched when she found out Jeremy just wanted to be a vampire so he could find Vicki? That was sad. (And Pearl? Her mom? WOW. How stunningly gorgeous is SHE?)
I'd be lying, though, if I didn't admit that Damon is the most fun thing on the whole show. His lines are hilarious, he makes every scene he's in, and he's impossibly good looking. I mean... those eyes... GUH. And he's complicated. At first, I thought he was just a bad boy jerk, but as the season progressed and he found out Katherine wasn't in the tomb, and he's been slowly forming ties with Elena, he's getting much more complicated. I think I'm in love.
I can't wait to finish off the first season and watch what comes next.
First off, we have Burn Notice, which has quietly become one of the most reliably fantastic shows that I'm actively watching. I've been on board since the first episode, and now, many seasons later, I still get excited every time there's a new episode. The current season, with Nate's death and Card's betrayal has been emotionally rough, but really well done and well acted. That scene with Madeline confronting Grey about Nate last week... whoa. As a matter of fact, ANY scene with Madeline in it this year has been stunningly good. Sharon Gless deserves every award in existence. And so do Jeffrey and Gabrielle. Michael and Fi's relationship has evolved, but it's not static, it's not old hat. It's... perfect. I especially love those little moments where you can SEE Michael getting tired of it all, like when they're stuck in Panama (poor shoe-less Jesse...), and Micheal remembers Ireland and wants to be DONE... that broke me. And then, last week, just when I thought Michael was going to have to work with a monster again for the sake of protecting himself or the people he loved... nope. He's not. When he pulled that trigger... I screeched. It was even more shocking than when he killed Strickler (whose actor, btw, has completely won me over as Jeremiah on Royal Pains... at first, I was calling him "Hank's evil twin" because he looks like a third Lawson brother, and I'd only ever seen him threatening Fi).
So I'm kind of jumping out of my skin waiting for tonight's episode.
Next up is Downton Abbey. If you know me at all, you know how completely not ok I am with what happened in Season 3. We all know I'm a sucker for angst-ridden stories. I revel in Game of Thrones, for heaven's sake. I wallow around in Guy/Marian induced pain. But what Downton did to Sybil? I wasn't ok. For the first time that I can remember, I stopped watching a show that was currently running that I'm really passionate about. I haven't seen the episode where we lose Sybil yet, and I haven't seen any that follow. I know pretty much everything that happens (thanks, tumblr), and I'm ok with how spoiled I am. I know Bates got out of jail. I know Edith is having a.... thing with a married newspaper editor. I know that Thomas was outed. And... this is all very interesting, and maybe someday I'll be able to see past the blinding pain of losing Sybil and care. There's going to be a Christmas special. Maybe I'll catch up and watch it. I just couldn't handle the emotional ordeal of finishing the season and teaching at the same time. (Again... this is coming from someone who blithely watched season 2 of GoT and taught at the same time JUST FINE. Frickin' Julian Fellowes BROKE ME A LOT.) I have a long essay about fandom and disappointment and when shows you love go terribly wrong knocking around in my head, and it's all Fellowes' fault.
With Sundays no longer being Downton Day in our house, they became Once Upon a Time day. I've really been loving the new season. I love the way the show is dealing with the conflicting sets of memories that people have now, I love the slow reveal of who various people are (the doctor as Frankenstein... I didn't see that coming, but it makes sense now...), and I adore all of the new characters. Mulan and Aurora are neat examples how feminine strength manifests itself in different ways, I'm glad we're seeing more of Jefferson, and oh my gods let me tell you about my love for Killian Jones/ Captain Hook. He is SO much fun, and drop dead gorgeous to boot. The part of me that loves Jack Sparrow loves Hook unabashedly, and I hope we haven't seen the last of him. (He is indisputable proof that dashing pirates shouldn't trust women named E. Swan(n) if they want to avoid getting chained up and left behind.) I'm also really digging Regina's complicated redemption arc. One minute, she loves Henry and is trying to be better for him, the next she's as ruthless as ever. And I love Belle... and Ruby/Red... and Emma. And speaking of Emma.... HOLY CRUD THAT FLASHBACK IN TALLAHASSEE... I'm SO angry on her behalf... Let the woman make her own choice, August and Henry's dad! (I got really excited when I realize Henry's dad is played by Rene from True Blood! Good to see him again...)
I started watching this because several irl friends and online fanfriends had recommended it to me. We're four episodes from finishing the first season, and I'm really enjoying it. Some of the high school romance subplots make me roll my eyes and get up and check to see if my tea is steeped yet, but overall, I'm really having a lot of fun. Elena is smart and sweet and compassionate, and I really like her ex/best friend Matt. He seems like an all around good guy, and is my favorite non-Gilbert human. Matt's mom, though? Needs to leave town and not come back. I have zero tolerance for parents who act like children over and over again and put their good kids through a lot of grief. Oh... my other favorite non-Gilbert human is history teacher Alaric. He's super interesting, and I hope he doesn't get himself killed looking for revenge.
When it comes to the vampires... Stefan and Elana's romance is cute. Stefan is adorable and sweet and actually quite interesting. He manages to be a "good" vampire without being a bore. Also, I really liked Lexi, who was only in one episode (stupid Damon...), but she seemed FUN. I'm hoping we might get to see more of her in flashbacks. Anna is pretty interesting, too. I went back and forth about her after I found out she was a vampire and not a weird, quirky homeschooled girl who had a crush on Jeremy, but the hurt in her eyes in this most recent ep we watched when she found out Jeremy just wanted to be a vampire so he could find Vicki? That was sad. (And Pearl? Her mom? WOW. How stunningly gorgeous is SHE?)
I'd be lying, though, if I didn't admit that Damon is the most fun thing on the whole show. His lines are hilarious, he makes every scene he's in, and he's impossibly good looking. I mean... those eyes... GUH. And he's complicated. At first, I thought he was just a bad boy jerk, but as the season progressed and he found out Katherine wasn't in the tomb, and he's been slowly forming ties with Elena, he's getting much more complicated. I think I'm in love.
I can't wait to finish off the first season and watch what comes next.