Watching series

[salinea]

I've finished watching Samourai Shampoo

I found it pretty uneven, starting on a high crackful note, then going through a phase were I was mostly bored with episodes, before picking up speed at last for the finale. My favourite episodes were the most crackful and crazy ones, especially the ones with commentary from the police officer guy, like the Tagging episode or the Gay Dutch episode, which let the stylistic qualities shine through without being slowed down by the lack of plot or any real characterizations. I got pretty annoyed by the Kidnapped Damsel routine of Fuu (even if it only happened, what, 5 times?...) and her general uselessness. Of course all the characters obviously used Intelligence as their dump stat. :p Overall it's got it's fun moments and some graphic qualities, but I won't remember it as a shining moment.

I've started watching Battlestar Galactica
So far I've seen the pilot/miniseries and the first season, and I'm really liking it.


It's not very original in any way, but it's quite well done. Visually and dramatically the show works and is fairly immersive, and very well paced. The characters are decently written and very well acted, with just enough flaws to make them appealing. I like that the stories often focus on logistic and strategic challenges rather than pure action, and the emphasis on hard choices.

In terms of characters I'm loving Starbuck of course, she's wonderfully acted and very hot and generally awesome ♥ I'm also adoring Baltar... he's just the kind of slimy, cowardly, narcissic scums which I occasionally take a contrarian liking to, and it's very nice to see such a character developed as he is, and he's generally hilarious. Again, major kudos to the actor because he could easily have been more annoying than funny.

I'm liking most of the other characters. Secondary characters like Dualla, Billy, Calli, Gaeta the Chief, etc. are fairly appealing and cute and I hope we'll see them more developed in the future. I like Roslyn. Adama makes it just barely because he's well acted despite being too classical a figure for my taste. Tigh is fun for the explosive bickering with Kara. Boomer's stories are intriguing even if I don't know if I like her as such or not. In general I appreciate the development of a lot of different kinds of relationship between characters.

On the other hand, I'm really annoyed at Number 6 fanservice nature.
I look forward to watching the S2 as soon as possible. If you have old posts talking about the S1, I'd love to see them, but, please, no spoilers ^^

Comments

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

It's not that I dislike Six, although I suppose I would like her better if she appealed to my own taste in women (I never minded Inara being fanservice, for exemple ^^), it's more being annoyed with how the show uses her.

Sadly I feel like season 1 is really the best the show has ever been.
awww, well :( that's the problem with some series.

[novin-ha.livejournal.com]

She's nowhere near my taste in women, and yet I find her appealing. It's all about the scariness, I guess.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I do like the scariness ^^

(♥ Bree!)

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

Ahhh. I sort of like how Six... being a robot after all... is sort of this almost outdated sort of attractive. I mean Tricia Helfer is a beautiful woman, but the costuming and makeup choices make her seem less organically beautiful and more artificially perfect.

Indeed (see icon)

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I mean Tricia Helfer is a beautiful woman, but the costuming and makeup choices make her seem less organically beautiful and more artificially perfect.
Very good point, and part of what I don't like about her! XD

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

That's valid. I just really like the sort of scary and depressing realization of this ideal that one would think would be appealing. Also I feel like Six is one of the hungriest characters on the show. She is is drawn to life like the kid that grabs the butterfly and accidentally destroys it.

[novin-ha.livejournal.com]

I love the way you put it!

And yes. When I saw the first episode of the show (which was 45 minutes of the miniseries on Polish TV) I summed it up to my Uni friend next day - there's this woman on this show, whose lipstick makes her a femme fatale and a villain.

I love this quality about her.

(Hee! Hunger is a major theme of my Wesley/Illyria/Faith fic that's currently suffering from my writer's block, but which will be finished one day!)

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

Someone should write a Six/Illyria crossover.

[novin-ha.livejournal.com]

"Your kinds knows nothing about Gods."

"You are not God."

They meet at a place of prayer, on a planet, in a world. Blue and brown and blond and blue. They don't try to stare down one another. Each one knows she would win.

"I led armies to death."

"I almost wiped out the human race."

"A just cause."

One of them is older than Earth. The other is one of humanity's children.

"How did you come here?"

"I heard you worlds away."

"What worlds?"

Illyria tilts her head, as though listening to something far away. She does not answer the question.

So human, to use one's physical receptors to try to learn about something. So human, to be curious and unsure.

Six, despite herself, extends a hand to touch Illyria.

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

Awww! Thank you!

This totally sends shivers down my spine in just the right way.

I particularly love this:

They don't try to stare down one another. Each one knows she would win.

And the simultaneous disdain and hunger for humanity.

[novin-ha.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And for the recommendation. :D

My mind works in strange ways.

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

Strange and wonderful