shallowness (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shallowness) wrote2018-06-29 07:26 am
shallowness) wrote2018-06-29 07:26 am
Entry tags:
Oddly linked by recasting
Poldark 4.2 (via catch up, I know I'm still behind)
That got proper emotional by the end, but there was a lot of talking between Ross and Demelza, mainly instigated by him.
Lots of men getting overinvested in Tom Harry and Sam’s fight. I queried Emma’s love for Sam in getting him to fight with Tom Harry, because I fully expected the latter to cheat, only he went for the eyes instead of carrying a blade. Also, George’s claims for might were hilarious given that we all know Ross would beat him in a fight (although I don’t know how much of a Mr Myagi he was for a wrestling match against someone of Tom Harry’s bulk) and he only had hired muscle as long as he could or would deal with him.
Elizabeth and Morwenna had to manage their husbands.
Ross and Demelza had much bigger problems, and again, the political/public drama meshed beautifully with the personal. I still felt Ross saw a triangle, when Demelza rightly felt it was a more complex shape, given the whole Jeremy and Valentine befriending.
Anyway, her beautiful poet sickened away as his uncle tried to make him the next MP. Also, while it was implied that it was Demelza’s love that would have been his life force in lieu of whatever physically ailed him, he did a bit of what I see as emotional blackmail. Falmouth was oblivious that Ross’s old army chum had cuckolded him. He did grasp that Dr Choate’s treatments were not helping, and all chuffed because he’s going to be a daddy, Dwight forgave them for ditching him.
I was glad Demelza turned him down. Ross is indeed never going to write her poetry, but he does look good wet, and is capable of learning from his mistakes. Prudie gave good advice to Ross on waiting for Demelza to come back to him, although it was difficult, and they explored every beat of the emotional terrain.
In the midst of all this, Caroline and Demelza sorted out the county’s politics – ha! Ross didn’t know she’d done that. Of course, if this wasn’t all those centuries ago, they would both be running Cornwall/the UK spectacularly well.
Also, what I felt was missing in this episode was George realising that turning on Basset in his term of office had put Basset right off. This was never explicitly raised. But then George missed the point as to why Basset voted for Ross and all the other men did too. All the viewers hissed when his uncle (hi you, been a while) claimed George stood against corruption. As Elizabeth’s wiles hadn’t got him elected, she had to fall back on sex and a kid who will look nothing like Valentine to try to prove she’d been a valid bargain.
Around George and Elizabeth, Morwenna’s thought bubble might have been ‘you forced me to marry him’ when ‘Ozzy’ informed them he’d be competing against Ross. Perfect delivery from the actor, also perfectly unimpressed face from the only prostitute in the village. They’ve recast Rowella, right? The actress looks more like Morwenna, actually.
Finally, Ross goes to London, (cue angst at the separation) although the teaser for the next episode suggests he spends a lot of time in Cornwall. But then, time passes strangely in Poldark – apparently George was an MP for years!?
Gotham 4.12 Pieces of a Broken Mirror (seen live, I don't think it'll directly inspire fic)
Continues to be entertainingly mad, with new ‘alliances’, shifts in old relationships and brilliant encounters – and they didn’t even need to explore the Oswald-Jerome yet.
Lee tried hard to be an inspiring community organiser in The Narrows, but The Toymaker (such an ingenious idea, the shop was very creepy, and Peel and Steed could give Fox lessons in how to handle a place like that, and I hope the son takes on his father’s mantle) had other ideas. Fortunately she had Grundy as a bodyguard (for now?).
I loved that Alfred had descended to the Narrows, and that he (remember how he had a thing for Lee) and Jimbo only just missed her. And they all missed Poison Ivy. (So they’ve recast her again and are brazening it out as part of her transformation into the toxin bearing ecowarrior!? I liked the echo of the teenager within when she was walking around with the oversized jumper. Okay, it was an oversized skimpy jumper. I have more issues with the line about Selina following her from the club when Selina had clearly changed outfits, because if I think too much about that, my head hurts. Also, when you recast as much as this, the audience is automatically distanced from the character, as they’re thinking about how long this performer will stick around.)
The intersection of all these characters and storylines was cool and rewarding, and it got more so, as Jim went to visit Babs (could not work out the architecture of her hair in this scene), assuming The Doc was a man. She enjoyed herself over it, and I enjoyed her.
Of course, before that, Ivy Mark 3 had seen the most awful/brilliant ad (if Gotham is any good at DVD extras, that ad should be on it) for the Sirens’ Club, so eighties, so tacky, so perfect. I don’t remember/know quite what she had against Tabby and Babs, but I was glad she remembered Selina had tried to be kind. Granted, the whole knowingly poisoning her and then giving her the antidote is not the way to begin a beautiful partnership. It’ll be interesting to see how Selina reacts, because she’s an equalish partner in the club, in as much as Babs will let anyone else have an equal share, and has something to be responsible for. I misdoubt that what Ivy’s offering is going to be that appealing.
As a club owner, she encountered party hard, obnoxious!Bruce. (Also a club owner, but it’s a drop of water for him.) I was expecting eye-rolls. What we got was bluntness about Bruce dumping Alfred. Ha! (I really, really, really want Selina-Alfred interaction now.) She was unimpressed, but for a moment, she got to Bruce, and I was disappointed that their interaction was cut short.
Butch and Tabby had a touching scene, though she couldn’t give him what he wanted (why? This is where I feel the lack of having seen season 3.) He’s plagued by unprocessed memories, so I don’t think Ed can guarantee on Solomon’s support any more, which I look forward to see playing out. But then, in a neat twist (that nagged at my memories, mainly because I half-remembered another encounter in an alley), Ed can’t trust himself, or rather The Riddler (they can’t do much with Harvey Two-Face given that Nygma has his multiple personality storyline). The latter wants to kill Lee because she’s blocking him, the former didn’t remember he’d ordered the hit.
I shouldn’t be enjoying Ed-in-love-with-Lee so much, and as he (Still Here), Lee and Jim reunited, I, at least, remembered Ms Kringle. WHO ED KILLED. After they all had fondue together. That was as awkward and fun as one could have hoped – Jim meeting the refashioned Lee.
Meanwhile, Alfred has rage issues, and what I loved about his storyline was that it showed us how much he needs Bruce and the purpose he gives him, that Bruce is his reason for control. Otherwise, Alfred is also adrift. He handled the abusive boyfriend badly, and as he was a domestic abuser on Gotham, it escalated into murder. Poor Tiffany (so yes I am cheering Babs, Tabby, Selina and Ivy on however problematic their journeys are because of villainy and the show’s faulty relationship with female empowerment. Lee seems to be stuck trying to get men with kids on side?).
Every time Jim barks ‘Harper’ on the phone, I hear ‘Barbara’.
Harvey turned up in the nick of time, and it’d be fun if he gave Alfred a job for a little while, but his conversation with Jim was bittersweet, heavy on the bitter.
Lucius Fox’s ‘Fascinating’ pleased me very much. In fact, I kept being delighted and amused (when not mildly horrified, though by Gotham standards this wasn’t that bad) at the developments in this episode. Keep it going, Gotham.
I watched Humans last night, and will write up my reaction at some point.
That got proper emotional by the end, but there was a lot of talking between Ross and Demelza, mainly instigated by him.
Lots of men getting overinvested in Tom Harry and Sam’s fight. I queried Emma’s love for Sam in getting him to fight with Tom Harry, because I fully expected the latter to cheat, only he went for the eyes instead of carrying a blade. Also, George’s claims for might were hilarious given that we all know Ross would beat him in a fight (although I don’t know how much of a Mr Myagi he was for a wrestling match against someone of Tom Harry’s bulk) and he only had hired muscle as long as he could or would deal with him.
Elizabeth and Morwenna had to manage their husbands.
Ross and Demelza had much bigger problems, and again, the political/public drama meshed beautifully with the personal. I still felt Ross saw a triangle, when Demelza rightly felt it was a more complex shape, given the whole Jeremy and Valentine befriending.
Anyway, her beautiful poet sickened away as his uncle tried to make him the next MP. Also, while it was implied that it was Demelza’s love that would have been his life force in lieu of whatever physically ailed him, he did a bit of what I see as emotional blackmail. Falmouth was oblivious that Ross’s old army chum had cuckolded him. He did grasp that Dr Choate’s treatments were not helping, and all chuffed because he’s going to be a daddy, Dwight forgave them for ditching him.
I was glad Demelza turned him down. Ross is indeed never going to write her poetry, but he does look good wet, and is capable of learning from his mistakes. Prudie gave good advice to Ross on waiting for Demelza to come back to him, although it was difficult, and they explored every beat of the emotional terrain.
In the midst of all this, Caroline and Demelza sorted out the county’s politics – ha! Ross didn’t know she’d done that. Of course, if this wasn’t all those centuries ago, they would both be running Cornwall/the UK spectacularly well.
Also, what I felt was missing in this episode was George realising that turning on Basset in his term of office had put Basset right off. This was never explicitly raised. But then George missed the point as to why Basset voted for Ross and all the other men did too. All the viewers hissed when his uncle (hi you, been a while) claimed George stood against corruption. As Elizabeth’s wiles hadn’t got him elected, she had to fall back on sex and a kid who will look nothing like Valentine to try to prove she’d been a valid bargain.
Around George and Elizabeth, Morwenna’s thought bubble might have been ‘you forced me to marry him’ when ‘Ozzy’ informed them he’d be competing against Ross. Perfect delivery from the actor, also perfectly unimpressed face from the only prostitute in the village. They’ve recast Rowella, right? The actress looks more like Morwenna, actually.
Finally, Ross goes to London, (cue angst at the separation) although the teaser for the next episode suggests he spends a lot of time in Cornwall. But then, time passes strangely in Poldark – apparently George was an MP for years!?
Gotham 4.12 Pieces of a Broken Mirror (seen live, I don't think it'll directly inspire fic)
Continues to be entertainingly mad, with new ‘alliances’, shifts in old relationships and brilliant encounters – and they didn’t even need to explore the Oswald-Jerome yet.
Lee tried hard to be an inspiring community organiser in The Narrows, but The Toymaker (such an ingenious idea, the shop was very creepy, and Peel and Steed could give Fox lessons in how to handle a place like that, and I hope the son takes on his father’s mantle) had other ideas. Fortunately she had Grundy as a bodyguard (for now?).
I loved that Alfred had descended to the Narrows, and that he (remember how he had a thing for Lee) and Jimbo only just missed her. And they all missed Poison Ivy. (So they’ve recast her again and are brazening it out as part of her transformation into the toxin bearing ecowarrior!? I liked the echo of the teenager within when she was walking around with the oversized jumper. Okay, it was an oversized skimpy jumper. I have more issues with the line about Selina following her from the club when Selina had clearly changed outfits, because if I think too much about that, my head hurts. Also, when you recast as much as this, the audience is automatically distanced from the character, as they’re thinking about how long this performer will stick around.)
The intersection of all these characters and storylines was cool and rewarding, and it got more so, as Jim went to visit Babs (could not work out the architecture of her hair in this scene), assuming The Doc was a man. She enjoyed herself over it, and I enjoyed her.
Of course, before that, Ivy Mark 3 had seen the most awful/brilliant ad (if Gotham is any good at DVD extras, that ad should be on it) for the Sirens’ Club, so eighties, so tacky, so perfect. I don’t remember/know quite what she had against Tabby and Babs, but I was glad she remembered Selina had tried to be kind. Granted, the whole knowingly poisoning her and then giving her the antidote is not the way to begin a beautiful partnership. It’ll be interesting to see how Selina reacts, because she’s an equalish partner in the club, in as much as Babs will let anyone else have an equal share, and has something to be responsible for. I misdoubt that what Ivy’s offering is going to be that appealing.
As a club owner, she encountered party hard, obnoxious!Bruce. (Also a club owner, but it’s a drop of water for him.) I was expecting eye-rolls. What we got was bluntness about Bruce dumping Alfred. Ha! (I really, really, really want Selina-Alfred interaction now.) She was unimpressed, but for a moment, she got to Bruce, and I was disappointed that their interaction was cut short.
Butch and Tabby had a touching scene, though she couldn’t give him what he wanted (why? This is where I feel the lack of having seen season 3.) He’s plagued by unprocessed memories, so I don’t think Ed can guarantee on Solomon’s support any more, which I look forward to see playing out. But then, in a neat twist (that nagged at my memories, mainly because I half-remembered another encounter in an alley), Ed can’t trust himself, or rather The Riddler (they can’t do much with Harvey Two-Face given that Nygma has his multiple personality storyline). The latter wants to kill Lee because she’s blocking him, the former didn’t remember he’d ordered the hit.
I shouldn’t be enjoying Ed-in-love-with-Lee so much, and as he (Still Here), Lee and Jim reunited, I, at least, remembered Ms Kringle. WHO ED KILLED. After they all had fondue together. That was as awkward and fun as one could have hoped – Jim meeting the refashioned Lee.
Meanwhile, Alfred has rage issues, and what I loved about his storyline was that it showed us how much he needs Bruce and the purpose he gives him, that Bruce is his reason for control. Otherwise, Alfred is also adrift. He handled the abusive boyfriend badly, and as he was a domestic abuser on Gotham, it escalated into murder. Poor Tiffany (so yes I am cheering Babs, Tabby, Selina and Ivy on however problematic their journeys are because of villainy and the show’s faulty relationship with female empowerment. Lee seems to be stuck trying to get men with kids on side?).
Every time Jim barks ‘Harper’ on the phone, I hear ‘Barbara’.
Harvey turned up in the nick of time, and it’d be fun if he gave Alfred a job for a little while, but his conversation with Jim was bittersweet, heavy on the bitter.
Lucius Fox’s ‘Fascinating’ pleased me very much. In fact, I kept being delighted and amused (when not mildly horrified, though by Gotham standards this wasn’t that bad) at the developments in this episode. Keep it going, Gotham.
I watched Humans last night, and will write up my reaction at some point.