I guess it's about time... a random update

[thepeopleseason]

You know, years ago, for some obligatory teen-angst, nihilist reason, I thought I would never make it to this age. I also used to say, "I'm not getting married until I'm 30, and then I'll start looking."

I guess it's time to start lookin'...

Like just about everybody else, I went to see Return of the King. Aside from the 20-minute film malfunction right at the climactic Mt. Doom scene, it was awesome. Kick-ass. Moving. So many others have said just about the same thing, so I won't clutter up the friends lists with more gushing.

Tru Calling last night actually had the potential to break away from the same formula that it's been using for every episode it's aired since the beginning, but sadly, the second half was pretty much lacking in new plot structure. C'mon, writers, how about an episode where Tru actually gets stuff wrong or learns more about why she can do this?

I remember liking the few Early Edition episodes I watched, and I think I've figured out the difference between these largely similar shows. With Gary, he has one day to solve a problem that where both he and the audience know no details beyond what's in the paper.

With Tru, however, the plot conveniently includes the day she needs to correct within the first fifteen minutes of the show. Not only do we know that she's going to solve everything, but we also have a strong notion of how she's going to do it. Sometimes the writers explicitly tell us what she needs to do before they show us (like last night's "invite the troublesome neighbor to the party" problem). It's insipid and tiresome.

Comments

[glenn66.livejournal.com]

>I remember liking the few Early Edition episodes I watched, and I
>think I've figured out the difference between these largely similar
>shows. With Gary, he has one day to solve a problem that where both
>he and the audience know no details beyond what's in the paper. \

The Fox executives would translate that into "Lets Have Tru Get A Cute Cat like they had in Early Edition" :D

[nwhepcat.livejournal.com]

I am weak like veal, and watched again too. But it's wearing thin, and you've nailed why.

And yeah, I loved Early Edition, though I was always vaguely embarrassed about it.

[nwhepcat.livejournal.com]

Oh, and EE started out with the device of the narration by the cynical friend.

[thepeopleseason.livejournal.com]

I am weak like veal, and watched again too. But it's wearing thin, and you've nailed why.

I suppose they might have been better served in putting the Ben Afflek-lookalike fireman episode later, so there's a better gauge of some sort of failure, but that might ruin some of the rather-boring Luc/Luke (how are we spelling it this week on the closed captioning??) love interest subplot.

If the producers really want a show with compelling supernatural elements like Buffy, they should really start working some manner of non-relationship B-plot threads into the show. Like what ever happened to her mother's autopsy report that she got a hold of right before Davis told her he knew her secret? There's a B-plot ripe for the picking.

And yeah, I loved Early Edition, though I was always vaguely embarrassed about it.

Isn't that kind of weird? I think part of it was thinking that watching a show on the same channel that aired Touched by an Angel was like giving in to some kind of feel-good tripe, or that perhaps the lack of a significant story arc made it something less than worthy to spend your time on.

[(Anonymous)]

Happy Birthday! You survived (we thought you might....)!

Becky & Scott

[thepeopleseason.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)

Now to get on that marriage business. My dad's been barking at me for a while to find a nice girl (not like the wrong kind of woman he told me to stay away from when I went to Vegas).