seriousfic (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
seriousfic) wrote2012-04-26 11:43 am
seriousfic) wrote2012-04-26 11:43 am
Entry tags:
Teevee
Some TV reviews? Some TV reviews.
Fringe
Okay, so I'm prepping a piece on Fringe for Fempop, taking it to task for how after a couple seasons of eschewing the traditional "Big Bad" story arc for a much more compelling "war between the universes," they've retreated to the most uninteresting bits of the show over the story they had been telling. Basically, when they could've been telling a story about bitter enemies forced to work together to stop a disaster, they're back in the "We have to stop Dr. Doom from destroying the world!" well. I'm holding back on that piece until after the season's over, just in case they turn it all around and reveal there's an actual point to all this (like with Henry... remember? How we spent several episodes on Altlivia's pregnancy and then the main consequence of that was Olivia's baby being named after her nonexistent baby?).
Point is, you can see my amusement at how the show's apparent bold new direction is to take a set of genuinely alien characters, who are unknowable and fantastical, and turn them into evil overlords. Who like to pick up hookers and get plastered. And, you know, Le Resistance.
Once Upon A Time
Okay, at this point, Rumpel is the Big Bad and Regina is the Atoner. That's the game plan, right? Because it doesn't make much sense for the much bigger evil to turn around and redeem himself while a comparative small-timer is everyone's worst nightmare. I'm having unpleasant reminders of Smallville and Lionel "Abusive Father" Luthor's redemption arc, where his continued emotional abuse of his son ended up being heroic.
So, the plot development of Rumpel having manipulated Regina into the curse makes perfect sense in the context of her having a "My God, what have I done?" moment and trying to make amends. Thus, her turning to the Light Side is also about her seizing agency, rather than being weakened.
Over/under on Rumpel's son being Henry's father, just to drag Rumpel into the family dynamic?
Fringe
Okay, so I'm prepping a piece on Fringe for Fempop, taking it to task for how after a couple seasons of eschewing the traditional "Big Bad" story arc for a much more compelling "war between the universes," they've retreated to the most uninteresting bits of the show over the story they had been telling. Basically, when they could've been telling a story about bitter enemies forced to work together to stop a disaster, they're back in the "We have to stop Dr. Doom from destroying the world!" well. I'm holding back on that piece until after the season's over, just in case they turn it all around and reveal there's an actual point to all this (like with Henry... remember? How we spent several episodes on Altlivia's pregnancy and then the main consequence of that was Olivia's baby being named after her nonexistent baby?).
Point is, you can see my amusement at how the show's apparent bold new direction is to take a set of genuinely alien characters, who are unknowable and fantastical, and turn them into evil overlords. Who like to pick up hookers and get plastered. And, you know, Le Resistance.
Once Upon A Time
Okay, at this point, Rumpel is the Big Bad and Regina is the Atoner. That's the game plan, right? Because it doesn't make much sense for the much bigger evil to turn around and redeem himself while a comparative small-timer is everyone's worst nightmare. I'm having unpleasant reminders of Smallville and Lionel "Abusive Father" Luthor's redemption arc, where his continued emotional abuse of his son ended up being heroic.
So, the plot development of Rumpel having manipulated Regina into the curse makes perfect sense in the context of her having a "My God, what have I done?" moment and trying to make amends. Thus, her turning to the Light Side is also about her seizing agency, rather than being weakened.
Over/under on Rumpel's son being Henry's father, just to drag Rumpel into the family dynamic?