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yestolerancepro · 1 year ago

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My dear girl, there are some things that just aren't done, such as drinking Dom Perignon '53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That's just as bad as listening to The Beatles without earmuffs!” A blog inspired by the music world of James Bond Part 2 My Top 3 Favourite Bond films

Introduction

Hello and welcome to the 2nd chapter of the extended version of a blog that looked at James Bonds musical taste over the last 60 years.

Part 2 of this blog covers some of the James Bond music I love the most this part of the blog was inspired by an article I read on Yahoo news which covered James Bond music taste over the years.

After reading this article on the Yahoo news website I decided to write my own blog about what I thought about James Bond musical taste this is what I wrote feel free to disagree with me.

My Word is my Bond Roger Moore is James Bond

First of all I want to talk about a James Bond film that meant a lot to me as a child that film was Live and let Die from 1973. Roger Moores debut as James Bond was based on the 1954 novel by Ian Fleming Screenrant published an article which ranked all 14 of Fleming James Bond novels Live and let Die landed at number 7 in their list this is what they said about the book

Live and Let Die had the tough job of following Fleming's excellent debut, Casino Royale. Though it doesn't quite rise to the challenge, there are still plenty of things to like about the 1954 book. The plot sees Bond on the trail of Mr Big, a SMERSH agent and practitioner of voodoo. For this reason, Live and Let Die is one of Fleming's darker, grittier, and more violent works. Though the novel isn't lacking in intrigue or stakes, it ultimately doesn't pack the same kind of emotional or exhilarating punch as its predecessor.

As for the film Live and Let Die It was one of the first Bond films I saw and it also marked the debut of Roger Moore as James Bond. I saw a lot of Roger Moore’s James Bond growing as a child of the 1980s as a result I think that’s why I liked him more than any of the others.

The film website Screenrant recently published an article called How all 6 James Bond actors compare to the Ian Fleming Iconic Book spy they said this about Roger Moores Bond

Roger Moore’s take on Bond was infamously campy, with the screen veteran leaning into the character’s smarmy charm and all but abandoning his dark side. This was a significant departure from the Bond of Fleming’s novels, but as Moore’s movies sent Bond to space and on a Blaxploitation-inspired adventure, it became clear that the franchise was taking the lead character of the book series in a new direction. Fittingly, Moore also didn't look much like Fleming’s description of Bond. In the novels, Bond’s physical appearance was canonically compared to singer Hoagy Carmichael, a sharp-faced crooner whose severe brand of good looks didn't resemble Moore’s round-faced, smiley persona at all.

James Bond is a bit like Dr who another great passion of mine is that you end up liking the Bond you watched most and for me that's Roger Moore.

For me Live and let Die is a great film and I am not saying just as a fan it has a great a mix of action and comedy which the James Bond franchise had been heading towards starting with the previous film Diamonds are for Forever.

Not only is the film well written by Tom Mankiewicz it also features a great trio of villains in the shape of Mr Big/Dr Kananga Tee Hee and Baron Samedi. I mention these as two of the 3 villians from live and Let Die namely Mr Big Dr Kananga and Baron Samedi featured in the Collider film website article the 10 most underated Bond villans, Mr Big Dr Kananga landed on the chart at number 6 and Barron Samedi was number 4 .

6 Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big — 'Live and Let Die' (1973)

As the owner of the fictional Caribbean island San Monique with a strong pull in the UN who also happens to be a major American crime lord under the alias Mr. Big, Dr. Kananga (Yaphet Kotto) is one of Bond’s most ruthless enemies. Using his political immunities to his advantage, he plans to flood the U.S. drug market with two tons of heroin in a bid to increase the number of addicts while running rival dealers out of business.

The double life he leads sees Kananga sometimes present as an unflustered politician and, at other times, as a ruthless, cold-blooded criminal. No matter which guise he presented, the villain was always a commanding presence and remains one of the few characters to cut off 007 mid-introduction.

4 Baron Samedi — 'Live and Let Die' (1973)

While many Bond villains have flaunted an improbable survivalist instinct, none have been so death-defying as to be labeled supernatural, that is none except for Baron Samedi (Geoffrey Holder). The second underrated antagonist to come from Live and Let Die, Samedi presents as Kananga’s theatrical henchman and, steeped in voodoo mysticism, makes for a striking figure.

Able to outwit 007 with clay figures of himself, Samedi seemed a goner when Bond heaved him into a coffin full of snakes. However, the villain reappears in the final shot of the film, laughing maniacally at the camera and seemingly proving his bold claims of immortality.

He also rated highly in another Bond article by the Screenrant.com website this one rated James Bond villians by their magic powers Baron Samedi landed at number 8 in their list for using cult magic

Roger Moore's first outing as 007, Live and Let Die, is a unique entry in the series. Inspired by the Blaxploitation movement of the time, the film focuses on Bond going up against a drug empire that uses "voodoo" magic to stop anyone who gets in their way. Baron Samedi is the Voodoo priest at the center of this organization. He uses his occult magic to perform sacrifices and curses. While many aspects of Samedi's character, and much of the film, can be seen as culturally insensitive, his design and presence give the film a uniquely dark and haunting atmosphere, that sets Live and Let Die apart from the other Moore Bond films.

Tee Hee played by american actor Julius Harris also landed on the same list at number 7 for his robotic arm but if I was being critical of the writers of the article I wouldn’t call a Robotic arm a magic power.

While most of Live and Let Die is radically different from any other James Bond movie, Tee Hee fits right in among the pantheon of Bond villains. Tee Hee's right arm was bitten off by a crocodile and was replaced with a robotic arm. The robotic arm, as well as Julius Harris' fantastic performance, make Tee Hee a real threat to Bond, and their final fight on the train is one of the most tense scenes in the film.

The film also features a strong Bond girl Solitaire played by Jane Seymour in her first film role.

In another Bond article on their website called the Best Bond girls 16 Badass women who redifined the franchise. Solitaire as played By Jane Seymour landed at number 7 in their chart. This is what they had to say about Jane Seymour’s performance.

7 Solitaire – ‘Live and Let Die’ (1973)

The first of Roger Moore’s Bond films is viewed as one of his best, with the story’s embracing of paranormal elements one of its most engaging aspects. The major beneficiary of this commitment was Jane Seymour’s Solitaire, a powerful psychic working for Dr. Kananga.

She lends the film many of its more remarkable qualities, from its dabbling in voodoo magic and superstition to the villain’s ability to pre-determine Bond’s actions. While the scene in which she and Bond make love is prefaced by a glaringly problematic ploy from 007, it does little to tarnish her impact as one of the most unique and engrossing Bond women, as well as one of the most book-accurate characters from the films.

On the production side of the film Live and let Die is nicely directored by Guy Hamilton, who gets some excellent performances out of everyone involved in the film. and the action sequences in the film are also nicely handled at the flying school and the boat chase in the film being a really good example and these were highlighted in The Yard Barker website article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films in which they made these comments

Director Guy Hamilton makes ample, inventive use of his Louisiana locations with this wild speedboat chase that finds Bond evading Kananga’s henchmen by hopping, skipping, and jumping every obstacle in his way. This sequence introduces redneck Sheriff J.W. Pepper (Clifton James), who single-handedly sets the cartoonish tone for Roger Moore’s 007 run going forward. It’s funny, thrilling, and far more entertaining than anything in its wretched predecessor, “Diamonds Are Forever”.

Live and let die also includes one of the best gadgets in the Roger Moore era the watch which had at the touch of a button featured a high intesenty magnet as well as mini chain saw.

The film is also unique for it being the only Bond film one not to feature Desmond Lewelyn as Q as was unavailable at the time as he was doing a promotional tour for Diamonds are Forever in the United States.

The Music

One can not talk about Live and let Die with talking about the music indeed this is what this blog is all about. Live and let Die by Paul McCartney and Wings is one of the best Bond songs ever The What Culture included it as the Best moment of the film on their website here are there comments:

18. Live And Let Die - THAT Theme Song

In some ways, it's a bit unfair to name a theme song as the greatest part of what is actually a really fun, unique entry into the series but then again, when the song in question is Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die, it inevitably overshadows the rest of the movie.

Live and Let Die is a charismatic, captivating and stunningly cool slice of pop-rock heaven that has become, quite arguably, the most iconic and recognizable Bond theme of them all. It's easily one of the highlights of Sir Paul McCartney's post-Beatles career, and it still stands tall and mighty as one of the finest Bond theme songs ever.

It's a damn shame it lost the Best Original Song Oscar to Barbara Streisand's 'The Way we Were', a song that isn't nearly as good as this one, but that certainly doesn't take away from this song's classic status.

Roger Moore's first outing as Bond is largely successful, and definitely one of the better entries in this rather hit-or-miss era of the franchise, but in the decades since it has undeniably been overshadowed by the song.

Upon release, "Live and Let Die" was the most successful Bond theme up to that point, reaching No. 1 on two of the three major US charts (though it only reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100) and No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart.[2][3] The song also received positive reviews from music critics and continues to be praised as one of McCartney's best songs. It became the first Bond theme song to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, but ultimately lost the award to Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were". It won the Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) at the 16th Annual Grammy Awards in 1974

The soundtrack of the 1973 film has been re issued twice with aditional music first in 2003 with 7 new tracks added.La La records an American record label reissued the Live and Let die Soundtrack by George Martin in January 2023 as a double album CD release this new version included Just under 14 mins of new material with new sleave notes by author Jon Burlingame and sharp art design by Dan Goldwasser.

to watch a trailer for Live and let Die Click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTzsm9-XWQo&list=PL17vqAEJv6CUxmeZBk3JGDLBbcPEd4CDp&index=6

The theme song to Live and Let die recently topped a Radio Times poll for the Best James Bond Theme of all time to celebrate 70 years since Casino Royale was first published you can read about the Poll here https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/live-and-let-die-best-james-bond-theme-song-bond-at-70-exclusive-newsupdate/

Spy Who loved me a rather differant Bond Novel

the Spy Who Loved Me is the ninth novel and tenth book in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, first published by Jonathan Cape on 16 April 1962. It is the shortest and most sexually explicit of Fleming's novels, as well as a clear departure from previous Bond novels in that the story is told in the first person by a young Canadian woman, Vivienne Michel. Bond himself does not appear until two-thirds of the way through the book. Fleming wrote a prologue to the novel giving Michel credit as a co-author.

Due to the reactions by critics and fans, Fleming was not happy with the book and attempted to suppress elements of it where he could: he blocked a paperback edition in the United Kingdom and only gave permission for the title to be used when he sold the film rights to Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli, rather than any aspects of the plot. However, the character of Jaws is loosely based on one of the characters in the book and a British paperback edition was published after his death

Undoubtedly the James Bond film that differs the most from its literary counterpart, The Spy Who Loved Me bears almost no resemblance to Fleming's original work. Though this might seem dismissive of the film's makers, there's a good reason why the movie made so many alterations. The original 1962 novel is widely regarded as the worst in the series. Not only did it garner terrible reviews at the time of its publication, but even Fleming himself was embarrassed by it, so much so that he refused to sell the rights to the novel's plot, only its title.

When it came to adapting The Spy Who Loved Me for the screen, Bond producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli had to start from scratch. This proved to be a good thing, however. The book employs an unconventional structure that doesn't see Bond himself showing up until two-thirds of the way through. Additionally, it is all told from the perspective of a young Canadian woman. The movie abandons this in favor of a more traditional James Bond story.

The 1977 film does, however, retain one aspect of the novel; Jaws. A man of huge stature and strength, Jaws gets his name from the fact that he has a set of metal teeth. The film version of the character, who also makes an appearance in Moonraker, is one of the best James Bond henchmen of all time. In the novel, he's called Horror, but his main traits are the same. By shedding every aspect of Fleming's book except for Jaws, The Spy Who Loved Me turned the worst James Bond novel into the best 007 film.

Screenrant added this to say about the book the Spy who loved me when they ranked all 14 of the James Bond books Spy came in at the bottom of their list

With The Spy Who Loved Me, Fleming chose to stray from the formula he had established in his nine previous Bond novels. Unfortunately, this decision didn't pay off. A contained story told from the perspective of a young Canadian woman, the novel doesn't feature Bond himself until two-thirds of the way in. Needless to say, Fleming, who wasn't exactly known for his progressive views towards women, struggled to write convincingly for a female protagonist. It's messy, odd, and at times cringe-inducing. At least the film version of The Spy Who Loved Me improved on the book.

Nobody does it Better the Spy who loved me

Perharps it comes as no surprise but my 2nd favourite bond song is another one from the Roger Moore era of the James Bond Franchise from the 1977 film the spy who loved me titled Nobody does it Better.

Spy is classed as one of the Best of the Bond films ever made Roger Moore has also said it was his favourite of the 7 Bond films his made.

The Music

Composed by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, the song was produced by Richard Perry and performed by Carly Simon. It was the first Bond theme song to be titled differently from the name of the film since Dr. No (1962), although the phrase "the spy who loved me" is included in the lyrics. The song was released as a single from the film's soundtrack album, and became a major worldwide hit.

Among the most successful Bond themes, the song spent three weeks at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, kept out of the top spot by Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life". It hit No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, where it stayed for seven weeks,[1] becoming the No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit of 1977.[2] The song was certified Gold by the RIAA, signifying sales of one million copies in the US.[3] It also reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, and was certified Silver by the BPI.[4][5] The song received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Original Song in 1978, losing both to "You Light Up My Life" from the 1977 film of the same title. At the 20th Annual Grammy Awards held in 1978, "Nobody Does It Better" received a nomination for Song of the Year, and Simon was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female

But what of the film itself ?

Roger Moore is quite right its his best Bond film by a country Mile the 3 year gap between this film and the Man with the Golden Gun seems to have brought out the best in Mr Bond. one again the script is well written with a good mix of action and comedy and is well directored by Lewis Gilbert its very well shot and the performances in the film are excellent .

The What Culture website made the action sequences in the Spy who loved me there best moments of the film this is what they had to say:

After The Man with the Golden Gun underperformed both critically and commercially, some felt that the series had run its course. As such, Eon threw everything into making The Spy Who Loved Me the most epic, action-packed extravaganza possible.

The Yard Barker website also highlighted the action scenes with the pre title sequence and the the tanker sequence drawing high priase when they were included in their 25 best set peice sequences in the Bond films article landing at numbers 19 and 17 in their chart these are their comments

The pre title sequence

But James, I need you.” “So does England.” A more brightly lit, less frenetic variation on the ski chase from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, does feature some nifty, ski-bound shots through tight, icy corridors, and concludes with Bond sailing off the end of a cliff. As his skis fall away and he plummets to his seeming death, a Union Jack parachute flutters out of his backpack. Cue Carly Simon with the best Bond theme of ‘em all!

The Pre title sequence from the Spy who Loved me was also included in the Screenrant James Bond article the 10 Greatest James Bond scenes ranked from worst to best with the ski chase landing at number 6 in their list this is what they had to say:

Roger Moore’s time as James Bond is divisive, but even viewers who laugh at the likes of Moonraker and A View to a Kill would be hard-pressed to deny the appeal of The Spy Who Loved Me. An in-name-only adaptation of the novel of the same name, The Spy Who Loved Me began with a goofy but undeniably impressive and striking downhill ski chase. As Moore’s 007 dispatches a series of henchmen while navigating the slopes, all mere moments after kissing his latest duplicitous love interest goodbye, The Spy Who Loved Me proves that the franchise’s campiest elements remain iconic.

Tanker shootout the Spy who l loved me

This is a pretty standard-issue gunfight save for the location: a massive tanker that can dock multiple submarines. It’s an outsized finale in a set so massive that Stanley Kubrick was consulted as to its lighting. Director John Glen orchestrates the mayhem skillfully enough, but the real fun is in watching loads of extras run around and fall off this gargantuan, waterlogged set.

What Makes the Spy who loved me so good ?

Well, since The Spy Who Loved Me is a staggering, intoxicatingly fun all-you-can-eat buffet of mad, gloriously insane action sequences that more or less saved the entire series, it's safe to say that's a definite 'Yes'.

From the legendary opening ski jump, to the infectiously fun underwater car chase to the jaw-dropping, wondrously epic finale, The Spy Who Loved Me offers up thrill after thrill after thrill all the way through its lengthy run-time.

Not only is this a glorious roller coaster of a movie, but it's also the occasion when the Bond series really got OTT action absolutely right. The film smartly balances out the bigger set-pieces with smaller ones, and even though the film consistently swings for the fences, it just about toes the line and never becomes too stupid to take seriously.

It's a shame most of the rest of the Roger Moore era failed to do OTT action this well, put it that way. In particular, this movie's immediate successor could've taken notes from it...

The Villains in the film are also very good Curt Jurgens is very good as Stromberg who brings with him a nice type of quite menace to the role.

Stromberg was number 8 in the 10 most underated James Bond Villian list on the Collider Website that had this to say about Kurt Jurgens turn as Stomberg in The Spy who loved me.

The vast majority of the franchise’s underrated villains have been great characters who appeared in otherwise forgotten movies. Given that The Spy Who Loved Me is widely regarded as the best of Roger Moore’s Bond films, Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) presents as something of an anomaly.

The character had the perfect amount of camp to excel as a Moore-era Bond villain, as he was a wealthy Swedish entrepreneur who plotted to eradicate human life and start a new civilization under the sea. Whether he was overshadowed by the debut of Jaws (Richard Kiel) or simply lost among 007’s antagonistic plot with Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach), Stromberg seems to be the most forgotten element of the film despite being a brilliant, nefarious villain.

Did you know that the great Stanley Kubrick helped with the lighting of the Villians massive underwater sea back to find out more click here https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-james-bond-movie-that-stanley-kubrick-helped-to-make/

Jaws The Bond Villian not the Great White Shark

Richard Kiel very good as the steel toothed Jaws I am glad he came back for Moonraker just 2 years later.

Talking about Richard Kiel he was also included in Screen Rants list titled top 10 James Bond Movie villians with magic powers he landed in the chart at Number 6 due to those matalic teeth of his here are their comments

One of the most creative and famous bad guys in the Bond Pantheon, Jaws gets his name from the metallic teeth in his mouth that can bite through anything. He is a tall and intimidating foe, who has had several run-ins with 007. Richard Kiel first appeared as the character in The Spy who Loved Me, and was so popular that he was brought back for the sequel, Moonraker, where he not only received a redemption arc, but also a love interest. Jaws stand out not only because of his abilities but also as one of the few Bond bad guys to get an arch over multiple films. Jaws has remained a staple of the franchise ever since, appearing in several video games.

Richard Kiel’s Jaws was also included in a Screenrants article Every James Bond most Iconic Villian ranked in this article they commented

The larger-than-life nature of Roger Moore’s Bond films meant that Moore’s 007 had plenty of great villains. Live and Let Die’s Mr. Big is a spot-on homage to the villains of blaxploitation movies. A View to a Kill’s Max Zorin is delightfully eccentric (too eccentric, according to some). Christopher Lee gave a compelling turn as Francisco Scaramanga, the title character in The Man with the Golden Gun, essentially characterized as the anti-James Bond. Like Bond, he’s a sharpshooting, cold-blooded killer, but unlike Bond, he’s not on the right side of justice. They’re all fantastic villains – especially Scaramanga – but none of them are Moore’s most iconic villain.

Moore is the only Bond actor whose most iconic villain is a henchman who stole the show from their employer. Jaws, the metal-toothed menace played by Richard Kiel, proved to be so popular among fans that he was brought back for a second movie, which is unheard of for henchmen. After working for Karl Stromberg in The Spy Who Loved Me (and taking a bite out of his shark), Jaws reappeared on the staff of Hugo Drax’s space station in Moonraker. A huge, hulking henchman with metal teeth was perfect for the Moore movies; he suits the films’ quirky, tongue-in-cheek comedic sensibility, but he’s also genuinely intimidating.

Barbara Bach is also excellent as the Russian spy known as Triple XXX and is more than a match for James Bond on the Collider film website in their the Best Bond girls Triple XXx was number 6 on their countdown they had this to say about the Russian secret services best spy.

Anya Amasova, aka Agent XXX – ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ (1977)

While her aforementioned competition is compelling, Barbara Bach’s KGB operative Anya Amasova is convincingly the best Bond Girl to come from Moore’s era. The pair had a palpable tension as they were forced to work together to investigate missing submarines from Russia and Britain while, at the same time, trying to outwit each other.

The film handled the relationship dynamic rather well, especially through the first half where Amasova is shown to be Bond’s intellectual equal as their spy rivalry transpires. The raising of the stakes when Amasova vows revenge on 007 for killing her lover imbued the second half of the film with a dramatic tension which elevated Anya to be one of the best-balanced Bond female characters of the franchise.

Q Branch

The film also featured one of the best cars 007 has ever had in the Lotus Espirt the car made the the top 3 in Den of the Geeks top 10 list of James Bond gadgets here is what they had to say about that special car.

3. Lotus Esprit S1 Submarine Car

Just like the watches, another signature of the James Bond series is influenced by the cars that he drives. There are a small range of British manufacturers that follow 007 around on screen, including Aston Martin and Bentley. But one of Bond’s most iconic rides can’t be found on store floors in quite the same configuration. For The Spy Who Loved Me vehicle, the production turned to a custom-built British-made Lotus Esprit S1, a classic and classy, genuine model which was nicknamed Wet Nellie.

Bond can’t go driving a regular Lotus though. With the spy requiring transport that would submerge him beneath the waves, Roger Moore’s Bond utilized the on-board technology of the Esprit S1 to transform the car into a submarine. It was a gadgetry display that continued to keep the magic of the movies alive!

During a major chase scene through the streets of Costa Smeralda, the car leap from the edge of a peer into the sea. Inside the car, the dashboard flipped to signify the change in functionality. The wheels fold in, and a radar system is engaged, which is consequently used to fire a missile at the pursuing helicopter. The sequence personifies the action-packed spectacle of Bond and the otherworldly kit he uses while on the job.

The Yard Barker website also had this to say about the lotus Esprit Submarine sequence when it featured in their article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

This sequence caused a splash in 1977 with its Lotus Esprit that converts into a submarine, and, well, it’s a pretty impressive piece of gadget showmanship. The car has to do more than simply drive underwater, so a submersible appears out of nowhere to fire off a torpedo or two. Once the sub is neutralized, we get the money shot: Bond driving ashore on a crowded beach where onlookers gawk at the automotive marvel. You expect a bit more from the sequence, but Moore’s Bond movies weren’t big on setup/payoff.

For the Screenrant article the 6 moments that defined bond it was the submarine Lotus espirt car that defined Roger Moores era

From running across the backs of alligators in Live and Let Die to doing a barrel roll in a car (ruined by a silly slide whistle sound effect) in The Man with the Golden Gun, Roger Moore was the wackiest Bond actor by far. He became renowned – and, in some corners of the fan base, notorious – for the slapstick gags and wry tongue-in-cheek humor of his Bond films. Arguably the greatest moment from Moore’s Bond tenure is the opening Union Jack parachute jump from The Spy Who Loved Me, but that was pulled off by a stunt double, not by Moore himself.

The definitive moment from Moore’s Bond tenure is also from The Spy Who Loved Me, which is easily the greatest Bond movie from the Moore era. He’s driving a Lotus Esprit with his partner and love interest Anya Amasova, and they’re being chased by a helicopter. As he drives towards the end of a boardwalk, he dryly asks his passenger, “Can you swim?” before plunging the car into the ocean. There, the car transforms into a submarine and they escape the pursuing helicopter. This moment perfectly encapsulates the dry humor, far-fetched plotting, and pure escapism of Moore-era Bond movies.

To watch a trailer for the Spy Who loved Me click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBxG_TJvYTg&list=PL17vqAEJv6CUxmeZBk3JGDLBbcPEd4CDp&index=7

Me and my brother Matthew even played the Spy who loved me computer game which he got for christmas. It was very good like The Living Daylights computer game we couldn’t complete it the furthest we could get is level 4 the underwater level we always got distroyed by strombergs submarine,

Timothy Dalton a new take on Ian Flemings James Bond

Another song that produced a strong memory for me was The Living Daylights by a-ha a great song to an excellent Bond film that provided new Bond Timothy Dalton with an excellent début so much so that the What Culture website named it the best moment of the film here are there comments.

Timothy Dalton's James Bond was actually great, and the fact that he only did the part for two films is possibly the worst missed opportunity in a franchise whose history is filled with those.

With a superbly-judged mixture of charm, rage, darkness, charisma and wit, Dalton established a very different kind of Bond; he still felt like the hero viewers had come to know and love, but added new layers to him. Furthermore, fans of the books will especially appreciate this portrayal since he's actually the most similar on-screen Bond to the literary character.

The Living Daylights, with its overly convoluted plot, terrible villains, total lack of charm and tiresome Bond Girl, is definitely a film many fans go far, far too easy on, but Dalton carries the entire thing just as well as Connery did on his first outing all those years earlier, and he's definitely the best thing in it by a country mile.

The film website Screenrant recently published an article called How all 6 James Bond actors compare to the Ian Fleming Iconic Book spy they said this about Timothy Daltons Bond

Timothy Dalton won full marks for his resemblance to Hoagy Carmichael, and his similarities to Fleming’s take on Bond didn't end there. Dalton’s brief two-movie tenure saw the actor granting Bond a level of moral ambiguity that wasn’t seen in earlier franchise outings, as well as a mean, impersonal edge. Both of these qualities were taken directly from Fleming’s novels, where Bond was often called cruel and was notably capable of killing in cold blood without much of an emotional reaction. Craig’s Bond reinvented 007 as a tortured soul, but Dalton’s darker, colder take on the spy was arguably as close as the series came to Fleming’s vision.

I think it helped as well that the film was backed up by some beefed up publicity with the film also landing on the 25th Anniversary of Dr No’s release in 1962

other plus points for The Living Daylights include one of the best pre title sequences ever for a new Bond. this is what the Yard Barker website said about The Living Daylights pre title sequence for their website article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

Bond badly needed a shot of adrenaline after two too many sluggish installments with an aging Roger Moore, so watching Timothy Dalton (and his stunt double) sprint across the elevated side of a mountain road and fight his way into a truck with a rogue double-0 agent with the two-fisted grit of Indiana Jones was a welcome change of pace (that probably saved the franchise). The parachute stunt out the back of a plummeting vehicle is terrific, and it’s nice to see our new Bond alleviate the boredom of a rich woman drifting aimlessly on her yacht. There should’ve been more Dalton Bonds.

The Return of the of The Aston Martin for the first time since the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. again highlighted by the Yard Barker website for their article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

The Aston Martin makes its triumphant return to the Bond franchise with this highly modified V8 Vantage, which gets shown off in all its lethal glory during this snowbound car chase in Bratislava. Bond uses a laser to slice off the undercarriage of a police car, breaks up a roadblock with grille-mounted missiles, drives around in a barn (!?!), saws a circle in an iced-over river with an exposed rim, convert the auto into a ski-borne vehicle and rocket-launches his way into non-communist Austria. This is the platonic ideal of a Bond car chase

This Icey car chase was also included in the Screenrant list of 10 greatest James Bond scenes ranked from worst to best landing at number 9 in their list these are there comments about the car chase sequence.

Timothy Dalton’s time as James Bond was marked by a distinctly downbeat, grounded atmosphere. Bond always had darker elements, but Dalton’s movies pumped these up to 11 so that the series could compete with the action movies of the '80s. Despite this, The Living Daylights did include a typically superb, far-fetched action sequence when Dalton’s 007 veered onto an icy lake during a car chase. This wildly ambitious scene is further elevated by Dalton’s hilarious one-liners and Bond’s eventual decision to convert a cello into a sled out of necessity.

And a truely gripping fight that James Bond has with one of the Villians aboard a cargo plane again highlighted by the Yard Barker website for their article the 25 best Set peice sequences from the Bond films

Yes, you’re really watching two stuntmen (B.J. Worth and Jake Lombard) hanging from a cargo net over the Mojave Desert outside of a cargo jet in this thrilling sequence from the most underrated of Bond movies. The John Barry score (his 007 swan song) heightens the tension as Maryam d’Abo hopes to hell the right guy winds up plummeting to his death. Oh, and there’s a timebomb in the mix.

To watch a trailer for The Living Daylights click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO2_yM_pE00

To watch a tribuite video for The Living Daylights click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vwvCS2wnWI

As a 10 year old in 1987 I went a bit mad for The Living Daylights I bought the 24 page story book that came with a read along cassette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKBbxIDk2Gc&t=11s

I also bought the tie in computer game I bought it for my birthday and it was the ZX Spectrum 2 version meaning you had to load it via a cassette on to your computer.

I played the game for sometime though I could never get beyond level 2 which was a shame as the other levels in the game sounded interesting

There was also also an offer with the Trio Choclate biscuits to get a set of free Living Daylights stickers so I had to have some of those here is the TV advert for the give away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKazRMvK7jY

The Music

The title song of the film, "The Living Daylights", was co-written with Pål Waaktaar of the Norwegian pop-music group A-ha and recorded by the band. The group and Barry did not collaborate well, resulting in two versions of the theme song.[46] Barry's film mix is heard on the soundtrack (and on A-ha's later compilation album Headlines and Deadlines). The version preferred by the band can be heard on the A-ha album Stay on These Roads, released in 1988. However, in 2006, Waaktaar complimented Barry's contributions: "I loved the stuff he added to the track, I mean it gave it this really cool string arrangement. That's when for me it started to sound like a Bond thing".[46] The title song is one of the few 007 title songs not performed or written by a British or American performer.

There are 2 versions of the title track the orignal one from the 1987 film which you can listen to here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z61NEfYK0fc&list=RDz61NEfYK0fc&start_radio=1

Or a revamped Album version that featured on their album Stay on These Roads which you can listen to by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfFbiFoAWjM

Q Branch

The film has some good pretty gadgets featured in it too including a Ghetto Blaster which is what sounds like a Stereo radio cassette player that Q has turned into a Rocket Launcher. A key ring with a number of features including a stun gas pellet a mini grenade and a skeleton key which Q tells us will open 97% of the worlds locks.

As well a sofa that eats people yes you heard right and here’s the proof The Den of the Geek website added it to their top 10 of the best gadgets seen in the Bond films

10. The Attack Sofa

A James Bond release wouldn’t feel complete without a hint of some of the other gadgets that Q has in development. There are always odd experiments happening in the background of his scenes; his lab usually transforms into an erratic display of testing and occasional accidents. That’s the only way the team can put together some of the equipment that the agents have demonstrated in their work. The Living Daylights contains one of the most hilarious examples though.

When Bond tours the facility, as has become the custom, he is treated to a look at a man-eating sofa. The Quartermaster asks one of his lab assistants to take a seat. The couch then rapidly moves, consuming the scientist before anyone has a chance to stop it. The application for this device is never quite certain, and Bond himself never gets to use it in any capacity. But perhaps the agent should be more careful about where he sits next while visiting Q’s house for a martini.

If you have liked reading this blog please consider giving a donation to the Tolerance project by clicking here https://www.gofundme.com/gnk3ww

Pictures

1) James Bond and Mr Big

2) Baron Sameidi

3) Tee Hee

4) Solitare

5) Bond on a Boat

6) Live and let Die poster from 1973

7 ) The Spy who loved me Book cover

8) The Spy who loved me film poster from 1977

9) Bond in Ski gear from the pre title sequence of the Spy who loved me 1977

10) inside Strombergs Supertanker from the Spy who loved me

11) Carl Stromberg

12) Jaws

13) Agent XXX

14) Lotus Esprit on Dry land

15) The Spy who loved me computer game cover

16 )Exploding Jeep from the Living Daylights pre title sequence

17) James Bonds new Aston Martin

18) Cargo plane flight

19) Living Daylights soundtrack cover

20) The Living Daylights storybook and tape

Notes

Thanks to Wikipedia for the background information on the songs Live and let Die Nobody does it Better and the Living Daylights Thanks to the What Culture website for the Bonds greatest moments website quotes Den of the geek for Top 10 best James Bond Gadgets Collider website for their best Bond girl article quotes and the 1O Best underated Bond Villians also thank you to the Yard Barker website for their 25 best set peice sequences from the james bond films

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denimbex1986 · 1 year ago

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'...our Gold Derby combined odds had “Dune: Part Two” in sixth for best picture, fifth in director, and fifth in adapted screenplay, with stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya as longshots for acting nominations and below-the-line categories not yet available on the site. Now that the flick is out of the running, it begs the question: which films stand to gain the most from “Dune Two’s” departure from the 2024 Oscar race?

The easiest answer is “Oppenheimer,” which was poised to be “Dune 2’s” direct competitor in the tech categories. The Christopher Nolan biopic is surely in the running for each of the categories previously won by “Dune,” especially sound, score and editing. Sound seems like one category that has become a one-horse race after “Dune’s delay, while Ludwig Göransson no longer needs to compete with two-time winner Hans Zimmer in score. Film editing, on the other hand, will still likely be a tight race between “Oppenheimer” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but at least they won’t have to compete with Joe Walker, who returned for the sequel after his Oscar win for “Dune.” Similarly, best director will now likely be awarded to Nolan or Scorsese...

One category which already seemed locked for “Dune Two” was visual effects, especially since the other big tech player this year, “Oppenheimer,” famously uses a limited amount of CGI (the Trinity explosion effect is said to have been shot practically). Now that the sci-fi epic has been delayed, the category seems completely wide open. Will “Oppenheimer’s use of practical effects appeal to Oscar voters? After all, three of Nolan’s previous films have won this category. A win here for “Oppenheimer” would be akin to when “First Man,” another dialogue-driven drama biopic with few VFX-heavy scenes, took home the award in 2019...'

#Dune Part Two #Christopher Nolan #Killers of the Flower Moon #Ludwig Goransson #Martin Scorsese

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nctsjiho · 4 years ago

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JiHo vs Geo (NCT JiHo’s Duality)

Fan Video by ‘NeoVerse’ on Youtube

(indented text = comments added by the maker of the video, in this case NeoVerse) So we all know JiHo. One of NCT’s rappers and dancers. She’s always portrayed as cool, confident, intimidating, so for today, let me introduce you to Geo.

The cute, easily embarrassed 00 liner, whom everyone in NCT (and the fandom) has a soft spot for. Though whenever Geo comes out she’s usually getting teased by the boys...

^^ Let’s get started!

[JiHo Vlive ft. Taeyong & Taeil 190407]

“So we’ll be in America soon for the second leg of the Tour.” Taeyong said. “Are you excited?” JiHo asked looking at the oldest of the three. “Yes, we’ll finally get to see all our overseas fans. And we’re even going to see Johnny’s home-”The 3 of them looked off camera once loud noise started to fill the room. The voices obviously belonged to Dream. Taeil and Taeyong shrugged it off and Taeil continued to talk. The noise wasn’t too loud, but it was still a bit distracting non the less.

JiHo continued looking off camera every once in a while. It looked like she finally made eye contact with one of the young boys, because she squinted her eyes a bit more and suddenly the room became silent besides for Taeil talking. The girl gave the tinniest nod before looking back at the camera and joining the two other men in their conversation.

In the background you could hear a door close just after a few silent “sorry’s” were heard.

JiHo: the NCT member who can make Dream, who never stop talking, shut up without even saying anything. The power this girl has

[‘NCT - RESONANCE Pt. 2’ Departure Ver. Jacket Behind the Scene]

Loud cheers filled the echo-y room as JiHo walked in. All the 23 boys were already in their spots, but the girl had walked in late (for an unknown reason). She hides her face in embarrassment as she approaches Renjun who was standing on the far right side of the bleacher-like structure. “JiHo needs to go up one level!” One of the staff members yelled.

JiHo gets up on the structure a hand helping her up, it was Johnny. As she stands up completely she notices she is standing between Johnny and Sungchan. “Please tell my I’m not standing between these two giants.” She looks in the direction of the staff, face full of concern. Her comment causing almost everyone to laugh. “Why? Don’t you like standing between us?” Johnny teased poking at her side. She squints her eyes at the taller man, triggering a few more laughs out of him.

The director instructs the girl to stand between Ten and Shotaro on the other side of the structure and she quickly walks over to them, almost tripping on her way over, where Ten greets her with a big hug. “Ah so cute~” Mark cooed, looking at the embarrassed girl.

[NCT World 2.0 ep 4]

It’s really no secret that JiHo is a very athletic person. She works out and tries out new sports for fun. So even though she might not have the strength as her male colleagues (well most of them, sorry Kun), she was definitely one of, if not the most, agile members in the group.

When they announced the next game, JiHo’s team mates had look slightly worried. The vault was already at 1.70 m which was already taller than her, though JiHo would never openly admit that.

It’s only when the vault is at 2 m high that the members realise the smaller girl had cleared all the previous heights successfully. She’s now standing at a couple meters away to sprint towards the vault.

“We didn’t expect JiHo to make it this far.” Defconn commented. “She’s definitely an ace.” Kim Hwan, the other presenter, added.

We’re talking about the same JiHo right? This girl can literally carry her members on her back!

“Wow~ Look at noona’s face.” Jisung pointed out to his team mates, who unfortunately didn’t make it. The girl had her eyes set on the vault. Completely focused she put up her fist. “JiHo, challenge!” Her first few steps were big but slow, then her pace started picking up, until she had reached the vault.

“Ji-” The camera picks up the shocked faces of the boys as her team members jump to her aid. JiHo was laying on her back on the blue mat, the vault in pieces all around her, with one of the pieces almost making its way towards the girl’s face. Thankfully because of the concerned boys’ fast reflexes they helped avoid a big accident.

“Are you okay?” Johnny asked now that they were standing again. “I think I can make it though...” She furrowed her brow, shocking the boys with her comment. Despite all the boys’ protest JiHo was one again standing at the starting position to run towards the vault.

Taeyong stood up in a panic. “She isn’t going to try again right-” “JiHo, challenge!” And without a second of hesitation she ran towards the vault, 5 boys ready to save her in case she was to fail again. Once her feet hit the mat she looked at the camera with a smirk on her face and a fist in the air. She had cleared the vault.

“I swear to God her confidence is going to be the dead of me.” Taeyong let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

[NCT World 2.0 ep 2]

JiHo’s challenge was to do a rope skipping routine. Since she has been rope skipping for as long as she can remember, it wasn’t really that hard. The challenging part came from that she had to learn a specific routine and execute it perfectly within 10 minutes.

After 3 minutes she had the short routine down, some moves were slightly more difficult, but nothing she couldn’t do.

“JiHo, challenge!” She yelled out. She pulled of the routine effortlessly. Or that’s what she thought at least. Everyone had jumped to their feet, cheering JiHo on those who never saw JiHo rope skipping completely in awe at what she just pulled off. “Let’s go-” Mark had yelled, just before the lights turned red. “Mission failed.” The deep voice boomed over the speakers. Everyone stunned, they could’ve sworn she just did it right. But after review JiHo realised her mistake.

She stood closely to Jaemin’s seat who asked her if she got the routine down now. JiHo nodded while she absentmindedly swung around the jump rope. A particularly hard swing causing the rope to round her back and hit her left arm harshly. The loud sound of the rope hitting her skin was accompanied with a wince at the sting. Jaemin had jumped up asking if JiHo was okay. The girl had slapped her hand against her reddening skin before she started whining that it hurt.

Jaemin took the opportunity to baby her. “Aigoo~ You need to be more careful.” He said rubbing her arms, before pulling her into a hug. The boys who sat a bit further away had started laughing once they realised the girl was okay. “Jaemin-ah, they are laughing at my pain.” She pouted and the boy pulled her closer, glaring at the other members.

Yangyang... I saw you laughing at our baby girl...

[NCT JiHo notices SASEANG at the Airport]

In the shaky fan video with not much context you could see NCT at the airport. The reason why they weren’t moving unknown. The only thing you could tell from the first half of the video was that NCT was standing in the middle of a clearing in the airport with tons of fans surrounding them.

Jeno and JiHo were standing next together, being filmed by the fan. She kept on glancing in a particular direction. At some point Jeno leaned in to whisper something in her ear and she shrugged in response, her body seemed a bit tense.

After another couple of seconds went by, JiHo suddenly starts moving in the direction of the fans - the same direction she kept glancing at. This caused the fans to start screaming and a body guard to quickly try and catch up with her.

It isn’t clear what’s being said, but JiHo exchanges some words with a male fan. She then puts her hand out, the fans around her going quiet. The man hands JiHo his unlocked phone and she starts scrolling through it. With a bitter look she hands the phone back, grabs her own, takes a picture of the man and then leaves. Once she reaches the boys again an indifferent expression remains on her face. Jeno’s hand massages the girl’s shoulder but she doesn’t seem to relax until they are able to leave the airport.

Apparently the male “fan” was a sasaeng and on his phone were pictures he had taken of JiHo and the rest of NCT (?) during their overseas schedules in places no fans were allowed. She deleted them and taken a picture of him for the security, possibly also for the authorities.

[NCT 127 fan event @ Capitol Records]

After everyone had gathered on stage, it was time for each member to introduce themselves. JiHo was last in line and when she started talking in her mic, it was clear that her mic did not work. The girl looked back at the staff, but they didn’t seem to notice directly, so she turned to her right and grabbed Doyoung’s mic. He didn’t let go of it, causing the girl to lean in towards Doyoung and start introducing herself. “Hi! I’m JiHo.” She giggled slightly embarrassed, which emitted a chorus of “awe’s” from the fans.

Later on in the interview, now with a working mic, the question “Who is the most attractive member of the group?” had been asked. Some members had answered already but the interviewer asked JiHo’s opinion. “Uhm...” She hummed as she looked over her members. “I think everyone is very attractive.” She gave as her final answer which left everyone a bit “disappointed”. A fan interjected, yelling, “We all know you think it’s Jungwoo!” JiHo’s face turned the brightest shade of red as she looked at the audience in shock. Everyone at the event had burst out laughing and JiHo sank back in her chair.

[NCT JIHO Choreography | More Than That (Lauren Jauregui)]

JiHo’s know as a bit of a tomboy. I mean she hangs out with dudes pretty much 24/7. So when she dropped this video, let me tell you, we NCTzens were shook.

As the music starts playing the lights slowly turn on. JiHo is sat in the middle of a dance practise room in a chair, head tilted slightly backwards, exposing her neck.

The camera comes closer and JiHo makes eye contact with it, her mouth is slightly agape and she stands up. She hits every beat, dancing in her own, cool style, nothing very girly or sexy, until a certain line comes up.

“I got a situation, I can tell you wanna know“

She brings her clasped hands up, stretching them out above her hand, before pushing her right hip out circling it from the front to the side. She lets her hands drop back down.

“How you can take an honest girl and turn her to a”

Her facial expression turns more cocky. Her left hand goes down the side of her body onto her left thigh while she moves down to an almost squat position. Her right hand comes up from her chest to her neck at the end of the line where the singer lets out a gasp.

Turn her to a WHAT? Explain Lim Jiho! Into a what exactly?!

Stan twitter of course went crazy at the sight of their tomboyish, innocent girl choreographing such a seductive dance. Besides those two lines, most of the dance was just her usual boyish hip-hop style. But the whole vibe of the song, along with her facial expressions had caused such beautiful chaos. Also JiHo in those sweatpants and a sports bra/crop top was something NCTzens weren’t ready for yet.

[Weekly Idol ep 410]

This is probably my favourite JiHo moment ever. For a bit of context. The people sitting down on pillows have to come forward for the members they want to be partnered with and show their charm. After everyone has “seduced” the sitting member, they must close their eyes and if their rose gets picked they are partnered up.

The reason I like this so much is because JiHo was already pouty since Doyoung and Yuta were both seducers as well so there was no chance of partnering with them, but she really wanted to team up with either of them.

After Mark danced to ‘Pick Me’ (and JiHo did everything in her power not to cringe, she failed), he turned around to see which members would come over. When he turned around he saw 4 faces. Those of Doyoung, Jaehyun, Yuta and JiHo. The last two he didn’t expect to come.

One by one they all had to explain why they picked Mark. “Dude, honestly I just don’t want to be picked last.” The girl said in English sending Mark into a fit of laughter. They than had to show show their charm through singing, dancing or acting cute. Once it was Doyoung’s turn, he started dancing to ‘Pick Me’, just like Mark did earlier. “Oppa! I wanted to do that.” She said annoyed to which Doyoung looked shocked. “You were going to dance to a girl group song?” She just rolled her eyes.

Once it was her turn the host had encouraged her to dance to ‘Pick Me’ like she initially planned. “If you do it better than Doyoung, you will have a better chance.” One of the boys had reasoned, that was enough for JiHo to stand up.

She patted down her sweater before getting “in the zone” and she started dancing and singing the song as if it was her own. Some of the boys started cringing at the unfamiliar sight of their female member acting girly and cute, willingly. Then the camera shows Yuta and Jungwoo who were clearly enjoying the show and Taeil smiling fondly as well.

omg this is peak Geo behaviour <3 How is she this cute? Is she really a member of a mostly male group?

Cut to JiHo getting rejected right after Doyoung gets rejected. They sit back next to Johnny, the girl’s head resting on Doyoung’s shoulder. “I guess dancing to that song wasn’t the way to go.” She sighed.

This time it’s Jungwoo’s time to choose a member. He danced to ‘Havana’ to which everyone joins in. Once seated it’s time to start the next round. When Jungwoo faced the group again everyone, including JiHo has come forward.

Johnny danced and Jaehyun and Doyoung sang for Jungwoo, then it’s the girl’s turn. “JiHo! Aegyo!” Haechan yelled and before she can say anything, Yuta agrees. She looks at Jungwoo with a sigh. “Oh it doesn’t look like JiHo really wants to team up with Jungwoo.” Doyoung teased. JiHo quickly dismissed his claim, poking his side which had him twitch.

“Oppa... I think we could make a really good team.” She said with her face rested in her hands. Than she points at her heart. “It would really hurt right here if you reject me.” At the end of her sentence she stands up and throws her rose away. Everyone is dying from laughter or second hand embarrassment. The girl takes a few deep breaths to calm down and she sits back down.

ngl even though that was very cringy, how is JiHo this good at aegyo? I’m sure Jaemin would love it...

They have to make eye contact with the Jungwoo now and once it’s JiHo’s turn she locks eyes with him with ease. Her eyes never faltering which intimidates Jungwoo a bit. “JiHo, you’re supposed to make a connection, not scare him away.” She swats Doyoung’s arm at his remark.

Guess what. Our poor girl was rejected once again

JiHo stands up with her cushion and walks back behind the line. “I danced for you!” She points at Mark. “I acted cute for you!” She points at Jungwoo. “And this is what I get?” The girl actually looks a little agitated which prompted in Jungwoo hugging her and apologising, but she pushes him away. “Whoever my partner is, he and I will end your team.” She threatened while raising her brow. But she only manages to look cute, because she still has a pout very evident on her lips. The tall boy cooed at her and patted her head before walking back to his chair.

Finally Taeyong takes his place on the seat. Once he turned around he could only see Jaehyun and Doyoung sitting back at the line, making a heart with their arms together. A look of despair washed over his face for a quick second before he realises JiHo wasn’t there anymore.

“Where’s JiHo?” He asked and the boys motioned him to turn around once again. When he does he finds JiHo holding her hands up in a heart above her head. “I’ve been rejected twice by those men there.” She points towards Jungwoo and Mark. “And now Doyoung has betrayed me as well. So please be my partner.” Her tone is slightly sad and Taeyong nods and pulls her into a hug.

My heart! :’( She wanted to be in a team with Doyoung from the start, how could he betray JiHo like that!

“Let’s win this!” JiHo yelled, a smile finally finding it’s way back on her face after she found a partner.

That was all for today’s video! Thank you so much for watching!

---

Side Note: This post is inspired by a post by @nct-aria. They’re an amazing NCT addition blog, which I definitely recommend you check out.

#jiho.video #nct 24th member #nct addition #nct fluff #nct imagines #nct scenarios #nct female member #nct extra member #nct additional member #kpop!addition #kpop!oc

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morethanaloveinterest · 3 years ago

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A Thorough Review of the Black Widow Costumes Through the Years

Let's look at how the design has changed from IM2 to finally getting her own movie. (no spoilers)

We'll talk about what features each one has, how it works as representation for the (usually) sole female Avenger, and how they compare to each other. Plus what I personally feel about her different hair styles because they are very important to me (as a redhead).

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Features:

- Utility belt

- Garrote

- Black Widow symbol on high waist belt

- Fingerless gloves

- Thigh holster

- Flat-soled boots

- Smoke bomb discs

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (blue)

Hair rating: 9/10

Crazy impractical and with weird implications (her real hair is a wig but her fake hair is real??), but I love it

Female representation:

So, as I mentioned in my other analysis, this is a definite departure from what she's wearing in the comics. As her first appearance, that is really all we have to compare to. Those costumes tended to look more like a bodysuit with limited practicality, and was often depicted as unzipped significantly. The translation to screen might have disappointed some dudebros, but I love it. This looks like an actually useful thing to wear into a fight. It may be figure-hugging, but it doesn't emphasize any T&A or whatever. The shoes are even not heeled for once! It reminds me of the armor in Wonder Woman (vs that of Justice League) - it was clearly designed from a place of usefulness instead of solely how it would look on screen.

I know that her role in IM2 has been called a sexist caricature, but I don't think it is (something I talked about here). Compared to many of her depictions in the comics prior to 2010 and other representations of her archetype (female spy), this is top notch work.

Compared to other suits:

This suit is blue while the rest are black (or white). They talked in the special features about that decision, apparently as a way to make it less sexy. I don't know if that worked out, but props for thinking about it. The metallic gray of her accoutrements looks really good in contrast with the blue.

It clearly establishes things that all of them have - the BW symbol on a belt, a utility belt, thigh holster(s), Widow's Bites. It is less complicated than some of the others, but it gives her the opportunity to use every gadget in her arsenal (something the others tend not to do as well). It also (seems) to have flat soles on the boots, which we won't see again for a long time.

In terms of fabric, it seems to be all faux leather. It has piping down the center of each side all the way down, which many of the futures ones will feature. The collar is a bit longer and more open than we'll see until the BW movie. She does have two guns in one scene, but only appears to have one holster for some reason.

The Avengers (2012)

Features:

- Utility belt

- Black Widow symbol on high-waist belt

- Fingerless gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Wedge-heeled boots

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (blue)

Hair rating: 6/10

Shorter is more practical potentially, but I feel like this just gets in her eyes even more. Plus it's the least realistic color, which may match the brighter colors of this film, but I'm not a big fan.

Female representation:

As with the previous one, this is a great change from the comics. And while some promotional material may have featured, um, interesting angles for her, the suit itself is not especially objectifying. The zipper is undone perhaps more in this one than in the others, but it's not like it becomes more so as the movie progresses.

As well as being impractical, the wedge heels do feel like a step down in representation as well. I can't imagine that fighting is easier in wedges than with flat soles. So I might rate this lower than the previous one, but not by much.

Compared to other suits:

As with the original, the suit is all the same fabric. This time it is black, which will continue to be the case. There is now a distinct high color (that will also be a staple going forward). The boots are now wedges, something that has the misfortune of continuing. I realize that she is fairly short and has to share the screen with much taller men (unlike the previous appearance, where it was a solo scene), but still. They aren't practical for fighting.

The low-waist utility belt and high-waist Black Widow symbol combo is repeated here, as are the fingerless gloves and thigh holsters (though now with a second one). The chest now has v-shaped details, while the lines down her legs look to have made a reappearance.

This one seems to be the most uncomfortable, if you ask me. She moves more stiffly in it (especially in the interrogation scene) and the fabric doesn't move with her as much as the previous or subsequent versions. It's my least favorite, as iconic as it is.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Features:

- Utility belt

- Garrote (presumed; she has it when in civilian clothes)

- Grappling hook

- Black Widow symbol on high-waist inset

- Fingerless gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (very small)

- Wedge-heeled boots (I think?)

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (blue)

Hair rating: 7/10

I love the color but I would rather it be longer. And it's too straight - I like the scene where it's a little damp and curlier.

Female representation:

First, it's important to note how little of the movie she is wearing this suit. For the vast majority of her screen time (and she has a LOT of screen time in this movie), she is wearing casual clothes. I talk about them individually here, but none of them are objectifying or anything. Because of that, it really adds to the practical and realistic vibe that this movie has (which is good representation).

The suit itself also looks far more practical, just based on the fabric. It moves easily and looks like it actually breathes (how hot were the last two??). The leather look from the comics is reduced for something more useful - leather accents to allow movement as well as protection. The double-belt situation is similarly left for a more practical approach - wearing multiple belts has to be complicated if not uncomfortable.

I think the wedge heels continue, though it is hard to tell. The leather accents could easily have emphasized her chest but they don't (despite how it might look on certain posters). The high collar looks like it might actually protect her neck and she now has (small) knee pads. While the previous two were a good departure from the comics in terms of representation/practicality, this feels like it starts to come into its own as what an Agent of SHIELD might actually wear.

Compared to other suits:

As mentioned, it keeps the staples of thigh holster, Widow's Bites, utility belt, and fingerless gloves. The gadgets she uses are also used when she's wearing her regular clothes, so must be easily detachable to wear all the time. The leather is used as an accent instead of the whole, which will continue going forward. I assume it made it more comfortable and was subsequently insisted on.

Other than that, it has little screen time and is fairly simple. We see her use much of her arsenal in the opening scene on the Lumerian Star, but then we don't see it again until the almost the very end. Most of her arsenal is seen later without the suit, which is a unique feature of this film (it happens briefly in CACW as well but I don't think it does otherwise).

The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Features:

- Utility belt with Black Widow symbol

- Batons

- Blue piping

- Full gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (regular-sized)

- Wedge-heeled boots

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (unused)

Hair rating: 7/10

Basically the same as Avengers, but I do like it slightly better. The color is a bit more natural, so it gets a higher rating.

Female representation:

She wears this suit for a lot of the screen time of this movie despite not really using her arsenal very much. I'm pretty sure she never uses her Widow's Bites at all, let alone her other staples (garrote, grappling hook, etc.). It all kind of adds to the fact that she spends little time doing any actual fighting - she brings down like 3 dudes and then babysits Clint in the opening battle. She fights like 3-4 more in South Africa before being brainwashed. She does fight a number of Ultrons in the final battle, but not for very much time. So this suit, despite definitely standing out in terms of design, doesn't really get much action and emphasizes how pared down her role on the team is (something I talk more about here).

Additionally, this is the only suit where there are obvious cups on the chest. Maybe because of her real-life pregnancy, I don't know. But I do find it off-putting, especially in the scene where she's laying on her back (in Tony's vision). The camera angles really emphasize her chest in this movie and the outfit does nothing to help refocus the gaze onto her as a person. Which is a shame because otherwise I really like the direction this one takes the idea of her suit in. But, as a curvy person myself, I can guarantee that 1) she is wearing a bra under this and 2) wearing cups over cups is horrible. So this was not done with her in mind and just really ends up reinforcing how she's barely more than a love interest in this movie.

Compared to other suits:

This suit is much more complicated than the previous one and adds a few new staples for the concept of her suits. First, it has batons - they are glowing and blue, which will not continue, but it is something she is shown as having for the rest of the movies. It makes sense for this one and the next movie (Civil War) especially as a way to give her a main weapon that is nonlethal. She can't be shooting her teammates in Civil War, obviously, and the same goes for Age of Ultron. The rest of the heroes tend to be able to knock out their enemies (even if the impact trauma would likely result in death, we can PG-13 our way to saying everyone fine). And her signature weapon being Glocks is... not great for that. It works in CATWS because that was a gritty movie where people were definitely dying in fights, but this movie has a more cartoonish (or comic-book-y) approach to combat. And Natasha being the only one straight-up murdering folks wasn't going to fly. Hence, batons.

She also has substantial knee pads, which I'm sure Heidi Moneymaker appreciates! There were some slight ones in the CATWS suit, but now they're more obvious and will continue to be so for the rest of the films. She also has real gloves that cover her fingers instead of fingerless gloves. Now, in IM2 and CATWs, she needed her fingers for hacking into computers, I imagine. But regular gloves are generally more helpful, I think. The Widow's Bites also look to have been upgraded, though I can't think of a moment when they're actually used to show it. The utility belt now has the BW symbol on it instead of it being an additional symbol on her waist, which makes sense. Finally, it has gone back to the more leathery look, though now looking a bit more like kevlar than just leather (or pleather). It helps make sense for her to be able to hold her own with the rest of the Avengers as it is a definitely jump upward in defense and offense.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Features:

- Utility belt

- Batons

- Black Widow symbol on high-waist inset

- Full gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (armor)

- Wedge-heeled boots

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (blue; now with projectiles)

Hair rating: 9/10

Again, I know it's not practical. It's probably more practical than her initial appearance, but it's definitely one of my favorites. The color is perfect, the style is the most flattering we've seen, I love it.

Female representation:

Thankfully, the cups are gone. Sadly the wedges remain. The leather is gone almost entirely, so this looks very breathable and practical. the knee pads are still here, despite the rest of the suit being much less complicated than the AOU version.

This one is a lot like the one in CATWS, so I don't have much to add here that I didn't say up there. I would say this one feels more feminine in the design than the CATWS suit, likely due to the seams being more central and emphasizing her wasp waist (instead of just being at the edges of her torso). I don't feel like that is objectifying, but ymmv.

Compared to other suits:

The vertical seams from the IM2 and CATWS suits have returned, now more pronounced. The BW symbol being inset with a separate utility belt has also returned. It does make sense to compare the IM2, CATWS, and CACW with each other, as they appear to follow a continuum. The Avengers and AOU suits are somewhat similar to each other but definite diverge from these others.

As mentioned above, she retains her batons and they are very important in a battle against her teammates. I don't remember her Glocks being used at all, actually (correct me in the replies if I'm wrong!). She does use much of her arsenal in other scenes, including her Widow's Bites on Crossbones and on T'Challa. For the first, we see that she has her gadgets despite being in civilian clothes. For the second, we see that now her Bites include a projectile so she can still do ranged attacks.

The Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Features:

- Utility belt with Black Widow symbol

- Utility vest

- Batons/staff (with backpack)

- Shoulder armor

- Fingerless gloves

- Elbow guards (armor)

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (armor)

- Wedge-heeled boots

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (unused)

Hair Rating: 0/10

No longer red. Where are her eyebrows? I hate this. It is a bit better in Endgame, where she at least has eyebrows. But I'm very happy when it grows out.

Female representation:

This is probably best best we've seen. She and Steve both have their old suits from CACW and are obviously worn down a bit and modified to reflect the last few years they've been Secret Avengers. And that also importantly puts them both visually on the same footing - they are co-leads of the team and they dress like it as well as act like it.

There is basically nothing about this outfit that isn't utilitarian, except for her boots (which I think are wedges, but honestly I'm not sure). The vest doesn't even emphasize her chest as much as any of the previous costumes (and many of them didn't really, but this is less so). I know I'm not thrilled about the hair (which obviously also has a utilitarian purpose), but this really is the top of the list for representation. She looks great but nothing is designed to make her - any male character could be wearing the same thing.

Compared to other suits:

Definitely the most war-like of her suits. She is a spy, after all, so it needed some modifications to be ready for battle. Her knee pads are even more substantial, and she know has bits of armor on her shoulders and elbows as well. She can still move easily, but has some actual protection from attacks that she hasn't really had before.

Her batons make a staff now and she has a little armored backpack for them, which is nice. There are lot of details to make this a more substantial costume than she has been wearing, taking cues from her AOU suit but also looking like it might be something she put together on the run. The vest looks great - you could probably put so much stuff in there, you wouldn't even know.

Anyway, this looks like it is the CACW suit with the AOU utility belt, new batons, new pads, same boots, some previous iteration of fingerless gloves (CATWS?). I really like all those touches to make it look like what she could do while lacking the resources of being an Avenger.

The Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Features:

- Utility Belt with Black Widow symbol

- Grappling hook

- Batons (with backpack)

- Shoulder armor

- Fingerless gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (armor)

- Wedge-heeled boots

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (unused)

Hair rating: 10/10

I love the color, with red going into blond. Very pretty and not something you see often. I love braids, and it's great she actually has her hair out of her face for once.

Female representation:

I'd say this is a step down from IW, but definitely better than AOU. The front details clearly outline her bust, even if they then cut through it so that it is not overly emphasized. It is still more than I would prefer, with no clear reason to exist. The plates on her stomach are presumably to allow movement as well as protection, but why is her chest basically bare of these? Not the greatest.

She continues to wear wedges, which is unfortunate. However, she does still have many of the pads she had in IW (shoulder and knee) which are large enough to be useful. But I don't know - she doesn't really do any fighting in this outfit (just briefly against Clint, where the stakes are much more emotional than related to combat). And the detailing on the chest and thighs seems a little weird to me, so I might rate this the same as the AOU suit.

Compared to other suits:

We're back to a more Kevlar look like in AOU. The belt is the same as IW or AOU as well, with the symbol on it. I'm not sure the utility belt serves much utility, though - it doesn't look like it has much ability to store things. We now have red accents, especially with the Widow's Bites, which is fun. Her batons are different from IW but still have a backpack for them.

Visually, this one does look pretty different from the others. It has no leather and appears to be Kevlar, perhaps like AOU. But the silhouette and the detailing are pretty different and unique to this suit. The staples are still there (high collar, wedge boots, thigh holsters, etc.), but the bodysuit itself is unique for this appearance.

Black Widow (2021)

Features:

- Utility belt with Black Widow symbol

- Batons/staff (with backpack)

- Shoulder armor

- Fingerless gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (armor)

- Flat boots with tread

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (unused)

Hair rating: 10/10

Best color, great style. I LOVE braids! Especially as a way to get her hair out of her face.

Female representation:

Chronologically, this comes right after CACW and before IW. The shape of the chest on both this and the next one are pretty different from the CACW suit and more reminiscent of the vest in IW. As far as representation goes, I think that's a step up. Especially given the fact that she is wearing white - it is never see-through or gives an excuse to ogle her.

She actually has flat soles on the boots again, at last. Overall, it is very practical - maybe not as practical as IW, but very close to it. She has bits of armor again and her utility belt and backpack look very useful.

The comics also feature Natasha in a white suit. And it is... well, not always the most empowering, shall we say. Unlike this one - I really like how the detail on the chest breaks up the white space, which could otherwise be pretty easily draw the eye to her breasts. There is a change in the style to fit around her chest but it doesn't draw the attention to them. So I think it's great, and especially for something that is all white.

Compared to other suits:

Again, given the chronology, it makes sense for her to have a belt similar to the AOU or IW versions. It also has the armored parts that the IW one does. Basically, this takes a lot of inspiration from the IW suit and seems like a pretty reasonable suit to have at about the same time (slightly before). The collar is more like her original IM2 outfit, though. I can't say much more without getting into spoiler territory, but I think it takes the best parts of her previous suits and puts them all together.

Features:

- Utility belt with Black Widow symbol

- Batons/staff (with backpack)

- Knife

- Shoulder armor

- Fingerless gloves

- Thigh holsters

- Knee pads (armor)

- Flat boots with tread

- Two Glock 26s

- Widow's Bites (red)

Hair rating: 11/10

Love it, this is what she should have been doing (or some version of it) for all of the movies. It's feminine but also perfect for the fight situation. By far my favorite.

Female representation:

This seems like her most detailed suit, especially with the grey and black outlined in white. It's a definitely departure from the rest and I think it is in the best possible way. It doesn't look exactly gender-less, but there is nothing about it to emphasize that a woman is wearing it. Or, rather, to emphasize the woman as being made up of parts - it's a cohesive whole.

It looks at least close to as practical as her IW suit, though less prepared for open combat and more for spycraft (which makes sense). I especially like the strap across her chest, given that it is a perfectly good place for a strap to go when securing things on your back but is something generally avoided by her other costumes. For some reason...

Compared to other suits:

The design is a lot like her white suit. While it has a lot of the detailing that her Endgame suit had, that one felt a little off to me. A little too much emphasis on her feminine form. But this one seems almost designed to distract from that - or at least with her being female as low on the list of reasons for its design. I would still put the IW suit above it, but only very slightly. I again can't get into too much more with this one because the movie is barely out, but it's a great suit.

So, overall, she has a lot of the same features consistently throughout her suits. We might not see all of her gadgets in each appearance, but pretty much what was established in IM2 continues to exist throughout the MCU. The batons are the only real addition in AOU, replacing her Glocks as her primary weapon. The base fabric changes a lot in the suit itself, but the shape tends to be the same overall with some different details on the torso to set them apart from each other. Here are my final rankings:

Best hair: Black Widow (2021) in the black suit

Best representation: Infinity War (2018), followed by the ones where she has flat shoes (IM2, BW)

Suits from least favorite to favorite:

#9 Age of Ultron

#8 Endgame

#7 Avengers

#6 Iron Man 2

#5 Captain America: Winter Soldier

#4 Captain America: Civil War

#3 Black Widow white suit

#2 Infinity War

#1 Black Widow black suit

Thanks for reading! Check out my other costume ratings here

Please come check out my 10 Part Series on Natasha Romanoff

#natasha romanoff #black widow #natalia romanova #costume reviews #mcu: misc

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nileqt87 · 4 years ago

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Thoughts on WandaVision by a non-Marvel fan

As someone who had only seen a single Marvel movie (The Avengers) and only watched Jessica Jones season 1 for David Tennant (while hating nearly every other character in it), which had none of these characters, I only watched WandaVision precisely because it dared to break the mold and be even remotely ambitious instead of doing the same old CGI cartoon fest over and over. And somewhat because of what Marvel has done to the film industry, television has completely and utterly overtaken film as where emotional, dramatic storytelling now happens.

And okay, I happen to have had a major TVLand addiction growing up and binged a ton of the shows referenced in WandaVision long ago (yep, those very same '50s-'80s sitcoms). I couldn't pass up the retro. Love at first sight. Combine that with what promised to be a tragic, human/non-human romance. Sold. I knew little else about the characters.

For a long time, I've seen female fans (in particular) comment on how part of the reason they write fanfiction for Marvel is that they have to read between the lines just to add the implied dramatic content of the relationship focus variety that never quite gets developed in canon (certainly not up to the standard of what a fic reader expects). I saw a few comments that pretty much described WandaVision as exactly that: a fix-it fanfic before tragic reality invaded Pleasantville. Wanda's whole Hex was essentially a glorified fix-it fanfic.

For this reason alone, I can only hope the success of WandaVision gets them to create a season 2 that is dedicated solely to Wanda trying to put her family (Vision) back together that does the tragic romance justice in a way that giving them side parts in other people's movies just isn't going to cut it.

I feel like Vision's ultimate resurrection or even Wanda's struggle with her grief is better left to her own headline story, whether be it film or television. Television is the only medium that is going to allow the actors to really sink their teeth into this sort of star-crossed, tragic drama and not have it relegated to a minor side-character plot. Either give Wanda and Vision their own movie (hopefully, with heightened focus on character development as a lesson learned from television) or wait to integrate the mind and body of Vision in another season that gives both of them center stage with room to develop it.

Them having their twins for real might also be worth a season 2 in a way that probably wouldn't even work on film, as showing such a feminine pregnancy storyline would be a helluva departure for a Marvel movie that goes from action set piece to action set piece.

I wouldn't even hate it if Wanda's sitcom comfort zone made a few more appearances, even if it is merely the occasional domestic fantasy or dream/nightmare, so there is a way to not completely divorce a potential season 2 from season 1's "gimmick". It could be merely as simple as her pointedly doing something Sam/Jeannie-esque with her magic. Cooking with floating kitchen items would be an easy nod.

Probably not what Marvel is thinking of doing, but as a non-Marvel fan, WandaVision has a real opportunity to pull in new viewers with very different tastes that have so far managed to give the films a wide berth. It would do so much better as a show.

Go the route of giving these characters their own headlined projects and Marvel could have a real juggernaut of a 'ship, as well. My impression was that WandaVision got a lot of fans talking about the characters and their relationship in a way that the previous films and comics had not; some even making comments they had barely paid attention to the characters before the show.

IMO, the mere character descriptions sound like some of the most interesting and fleshed-out characters Marvel has got right now with real opportunity for real dramatic depth. And that's putting aside that Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful characters on the entire Marvel roster. Making a whole television season about a character going through the stages of grief and about a woman who just wants the family she lost back (a woman who desperately wants a husband and children, no less) was very different territory for Marvel. Human/non-human, in addition to having the level of doom that makes tragedies very, very memorable.

There's tropey drama potential there that hasn't been mined with the non-human who becomes more and more "human" (it's the stuff of fairy tales and sci-fi both). Hayward or someone like him could easily be used as a character who doesn't see Vision as equal to humans, for example. Delve into the sort of existential questions about artificial life achieving consciousness no less feeling than a human's that stories like Data on Star Trek, Blade Runner and Bicentennial Man pose. That species difference without the magic of sitcoms could be mined for a gorgeously dramatic plotline. What it means to be human explored through the non-human--one of my favorite tropes.

And of course, it's the stuff of fairy tales--most notably Pinocchio (the once-inanimate learning to and desiring to become real by proving himself worthy and because it fulfills the greatest wish of the person who loves them most), combined with the interspecies romance elements of The Little Mermaid (tragic ending or not--see also the desperate acts taken to achieve this cosmically-denied togetherness, only for such a tragic ending to come of it in the original work).

Given that the MCU movies just lost a bunch of their A-listers, they need something big like this. Marvel needs philosophical and character-driven meat on its meager dramatic bones. Here are two actors who could carry something more ambitious and pick up an entirely different audience. Marvel could get an even bigger female audience with these two, IMO. And it wouldn't be cheap girl power pandering either (I say this as a girl). These characters are legit with incredibly warm, likable, endearing performances behind them. This chemistry works 100%.

I think White Vision having an existential crisis where he's questioning what he is if he has all the memories of a being who clearly can feel every human emotion (the idea that we are our memories), but at the same time knowing that he's only artificial life, would be an interesting lead-up to Vision being fully restored with his full consciousness in addition to the added memories of what he experienced inside the Hex.

A restored Vision would have to reconcile what Wanda did in her grief over him and her family. It's also a glimpse at the life Wanda wants with him, which included something that isn't biologically possible, though it likely is through her own abilities of creation. There's also the idea of balance that he's the one who might hold her back from the brink of going down any further dark paths as a figure of ordered stability for her, while she is key in the chaos of his becoming more "human". The to-be parenthood story is obviously hanging over them.

The situation with Hayward intending for White Vision to remain a mere machine that can be manipulated and used as a weapon in a way that an independently-thinking Vision can't be is also a path to go down. As I said, there's a potential storyline about prejudice regarding artificial intelligence, even if it has all the emotional capability of humans.

And on top of that, Vision is in a relationship with a human, even if it's one who could potentially be the key to restoring his consciousness through her own link with the original Mind Stone. It also furthers Wanda's role as a mother and creator if she can give him back his life in this way. While the heroic Avengers might not question them being "an unusual couple", who says everyone else would be so kind?

I really think he needs to be brought back. Wanda desperately needs him for her story to continue.

#wandavision #wanda maximoff #scarlet witch #vision #scarlet vision #wanda x vision #elizabeth olsen #paul bettany #marvel

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otterskin · 4 years ago

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Inverted Mobius, Mr. Tesseract and The Avatar of Truth

The mystery of the weird collar has deepened, thanks to @nebulousfishgills - by which I mean they totally solved it.

To those just joining me, I noticed this in my previous breakdown of the Loki trailer here.

Mr. Mobius, played by Owen Wilson, has an ‘inverted suit’. His collar is an indentation in his suit, rather than going on top of it.

So, first, a scene from Endgame that I seriously did think of when we learned there was a character called ‘Mobius M. Mobius’ in Loki (played by Owen Wilson). And yet I didn’t put this together. Thanks again to nebulousfish for making me realize that these things might not be coincidences.

When Mr. Stark is inventing time travel, he asks his AI to create a depiction of a Mobius Strip, inverted.

Which gets him this:

Anyway, what is a Mobius Strip, and who is Mobius M. Mobius? (Not to be confused with Morbius the Living Vampire, though wouldn’t it be funny if he was mistaken for Mobius M. if this show gets big first?)

I am not a quantum theorist or comic book aficionado by trade, so let’s do a Wikipedia-Fu on it.

In mathematics, a Möbius strip, band, or loop (US: /ˈmoʊbiəs, ˈmeɪ-/ MOH-bee-əs, MAY-, UK: /ˈmɜːbiəs/;[1]German: [ˈmøːbi̯ʊs]), also spelled Mobius or Moebius, is a surface with only one side (when embedded in three-dimensional Euclidean space) and only one boundary curve. The Möbius strip is the simplest non-orientable surface.

An example of a Möbius strip can be created by taking a strip of paper and giving one end a half-twist, then joining the ends to form a loop; its boundary is a simple closed curve which can be traced by a single unknotted string. Any topological space homeomorphic to this example is also called a Möbius strip, allowing for a very wide variety of geometric realizations as surfaces with a definite size and shape. For example, any rectangle can be glued left-edge to right-edge with a reversal of orientation. Some, but not all, of these can be smoothly modeled as surfaces in Euclidean space. A closely related, but not homeomorphic, surface is the complete open Möbius band, a boundaryless surface in which the width of the strip is extended infinitely to become a Euclidean line.A half-twist clockwise gives an embedding of the Möbius strip which cannot be moved or stretched to give the half-twist counterclockwise; thus, a Möbius strip embedded in Euclidean space is a chiral object with right- or left-handedness. The Möbius strip can also be embedded by twisting the strip any odd number of times, or by knotting and twisting the strip before joining its ends.

A Möbius strip does not self-intersect but its projection in 2 dimensions does.

Uh....right. Well, that clears everything up, doesn’t it?

Let’s crib off someone else’s work. Thanks to Thomas Wong on Medium, I was able to understand this a little better.

A Möbius strip is just a strip of paper, turned and taped together. It it only has one side, so an ant walking along the strip eventually returns to where he started. If we metaphorically interpret the ant, not as returning to a point in space, but a point in time, then it alludes to time travel.

...

As previously discussed, after a measurement, the quantum mixture (half born and half never born) becomes a definite state (born or never born). Finding the “spectral decomposition” is to find all the possible energies (eigenvalues) and states. Using these, one can determine how a quantum object evolves with time.

Combining this with the metaphoric interpretation of the Möbius strip, it could be that Stark found how to make quantum objects evolve such that they revisit a point in time, hence time travel.

Okay, that’s a little easier to understand. So how does this relate to the character Mobius M. Mobius, aside from him being named after the strip and the (apparently antiquated) ideas about time travel?

Well, he was based on Marvel Comics Legend Mark Gruenwald, a guy known for his passion for the lore of the comics, which he knew in innate detail. He even wrote the Official Handbooks and whatnot. Likewise, Mr. Mobius is a stickler for detail and one of the few members of the TVA even allowed a face - although it is off the rack, as he’s one an infinite number of clones (god I love the TVA so much already, it’s heaven for a Douglas Addams fan like me).

Despite being a clone, he rose through the ranks and is nearly the top guy, serving only underneath Mr. Alternity (and I am not familiar with these comics so feel free to correct me). Mr. Alternity has almost no comics history, but is based on editor Tom Brevoort.

There are several other misters, all of them near-identical to ‘Moby’. Mr. Orobourous, Mr. Paradox, Mr. Tesseract (!) and Mr. Oburos. They are also minor characters, but let’s look at all these names.

Clearly they are named after quantum theories of some-sort or another.

Mr. Mobius: Mobius Strip Theory - the idea that, essentially, is about the shape of time itself and the theory of traveling along that shape.

Mr. Alternity : Alternative universes

Mr. Ouroboros: A divine figure representing the beginning and the end of time in an endless cycle of death and rebirth.

Mr. Oburos - I’m not sure, but I think this is a variant of Ouroboros.

Mr. Paradox - Temporal paradox, causal loops - ex. The Grandfather Paradox

Mr. Tesseract - An object that exists in 4 dimensions. Time is often called the fourth dimension.

Obviously that last one is interesting, considering how the Tesseract will be the start of our adventure. The Cosmic Cube was renamed for the MCU, and in the comics has no relation to this minor character.

But what if it now does?

What if Tony has caused a change in the very appearance of Mr. Mobius when he inverted the Mobius Strip - literally inverting his clothing because he changed the shape of the Mobius - does that mean that these seemingly human-looking misters are in fact some sort of avatars for aspects of time itself? And if Mr. Tesseract is representative of how space and time intersect in the fourth dimension, wouldn’t a rogue god twisting space and time with the device that shares his name cause him some affect? Perhaps why the TVA noticed something was amiss to begin with.

This would be a departure from the comics, but the characters have almost no history there. They are ripe for new ideas.

Or, then again, since Loki will be working for the TVA - perhaps he’s the one who becomes ‘Mr. Tesseract’?

But continuing with that ‘Avatar of Aspects’ idea, let’s get away from this sausagefest for a second and visit my next newest favourite character -

I’m guessing she’s one of the Justices of the TVA. What gives it away? The imperious look, the giant oaken table, or the fact that I’m suddenly self-conscious when she looks at me? It’s the last one, of course. She’s a natural judge.

Of the named TVA judges, there’s :

Justice Goodwill, Justice Hope, Justice Liberty, Justice Love, Justice Might, Justice Mills, Justice Peace and Justice Truth.

Could they also possibly be avatars of their respective aspects?

If I had to guess, I’d say this is Justice Truth, as pairing up Loki with an avatar of Truth seems like it’d be a smashing good time, similar to how he was paired with Verity Willis in the comics. She might even be a composite character with Verity.

Verity’s power is detecting and seeing through all lies and illusions. I think this powerset will be given to Justice Truth, except instead of deriving it from a magic ring that she swallowed, she’d simply be the actual ‘Embodiment of Truth’ - and let’s get real here, when I said ‘Avatars of Aspects’, I was using that clunky phrase because the more obvious one - God of - is already ‘taken’. So Justice Truth may well be the ‘God of Truth’, as it were.

I think she’ll end up in something of a buddy-comedy with Loki, giving him someone to bounce off against who literally cuts through his carefully crafted veneer.

I’m reminded of a great quote from Taika Waititi when he was talking about what he wanted to do with Loki in Ragnarok:

“(He’s) someone who tries so hard to embody this idea of the tortured artist, this tortured, gothy orphan...It’s too tiring trying to be like that,” he says. “And, most humans, we get over ourselves, we get to that point where we’re like, ‘man, being a tortured artist is actually, like, a lot of work. Maybe I should just be real and present, and just be me, and I don’t have to be a tortured artist to be interesting, I can just be a f*cking weird New Zealander and that’s enough.”

...I think Taika is a living Loki, tbh, ha ha. No wonder he gets it.

Waititi, Yost, Pearson and Kyle did great work to cut through Loki’s illusions, both with dialogue and the visual allegory of his projections being dispelled by handy thrown objects, culminating in the very sweet ‘I’m here,’ scene at the end of the film. Loki seems to be much more open and expressive at the end of that film, and it seems like a weight has lifted off his shoulders.

But while this new Loki (Loki 2.0? Loki’s Show’s Loki? Loki II? Lokii? Lokii.) is shown a clip show of Ragnarok (one I previously theorized will be deliberately incomplete), that’s quite different from actually experiencing it, and he’ll be as performative as he was in Avengers and Thor 2. Instead of processing that ‘lack of presence’ as he did in Ragnarok, which came about as a result of Thor finally seeing through Loki’s illusions (guess he doesn’t fall for it anymore) as a result of their long history together, I suspect the band-aid will be torn off much more harshly by a total stranger who nonetheless simply sees through him.

Loki in general has a bad relationship with the truth (see the famous Vault Confrontation scene), and literally putting him on trial before the Truth Herself would certainly be enough to get him to switch from this phony expression:

To this one:

That’s not much of a facade there.

It’s not the same character arc as Ragnarok, but it does get us to a similar place, albeit in a darker and less healing way for Loki. I mean Lokii.

Anyhow. That’s what I got out of this thing.

#tva #loki #mobius #mobius m mobius #mobius strip #THE COLLAR #trailer #anaylsis #theory #loki trailer theory #justice truth #verity willis #loki trailer #loki trailer analysis #lokii

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amateurfilmopinions · 3 years ago

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The Sound of Music (1965)

"When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window."

Finally! After a little more than two weeks, I finally finished this movie. Let's just say this is a big departure from our last film review. This is the quintessential musical.

Introduction (Who are our characters and why do we care)

We start the film by seeing our lead perform the titular song. She lives in the abbey and is on her way to becoming a nun, or not since her rambunctiousness is getting on the sisters' last nerves. Maria is a free-spirit who just oozes happiness and sunshine all day every day. If she were played by any other actress, I probably would've had a migraine from all the times I would roll my eyes. However, Julie Andrews brings such a charisma and purity to the role that I actually embrace Maria's eternal wonderfulness. The warmth and naiveté she brings to the role is big contrast to her star-making role of Mary Poppins, which came out just a year earlier. From the moment she is rushing to make it to the abbey on time, I find myself actually rooting for her character.

Back to the story, Maria's adventurous spirit and shenanigans prompt the Mother Superior to suggest that she try to get a taste a life... by becoming a governess to the children of a naval officer. Whoa, calm down Mother. Is that what people need to do to experience life? If so, I will happily continue being a hermit.

She is then lead to the house of Captain Greorg Von Trapp, played flawlessly by Christopher Plummer who ironically later expressed his distaste for the film (RIP). Captain Von Trapp is a stern man who has a reputation of discipline and order. He summons his children with a whistle and has different whistle patterns for each child (RIP my ears). Well if that is the case, why have his children (SEVEN of them) gone through four or five governesses? So much disciplined parenting. Maria enters their lives to put brighten it up and fill the missing part of their lives and hearts (sound familiar?). While the children are resistant at first, they warm up to her and provide the audience with some of the best songs in the movie. While the family does have obstacles from a potential stepmother, known as the Baroness, to actual Nazis, they must triumph in the end because this is a happy musical and Maria needs to get her happily ever after!

Maria + Greorg = <3

I would be lying if I said that I did not notice the chemistry between Maria and Captain Von Trapp, which is a testament to the brilliant performances of Andrews and Plummer. They have all of the makings of a musical romance couple: singing, conflict, and not to mention the drama! This drama takes the form of the Baronness, a woman who fought for the man she loved by causing Maria's initial departure from the Von Trapp home, yet gracefully conceded when Greorg broke off their engagement.

All of this buildup finally culminated in a declaration of love... in the dark. Yep, that's right. After 2+ hours of will they/won't they, we barely get to see when they actually do. It's not like the dialogue is any source of comfort. She's loved him since the first time he blew his whistle - sure!

At least their wedding was nice. However, I don't understand why the nuns could not go past the gate to actually be a part of the wedding party. Went to Catholic school for more than ten years and yet I was so confused about that.

Nazi Takeover (We all knew Rolfe was trouble)

Okay, we all saw this part coming. The rise of the Nazi party was hinted in the beginning and came out in full force in the end, just like in Cabaret (see previous film post). However, I felt that Cabaret did a better job in balancing the story of the two leads with the rise of Nazism. In this movie, it kind of sneaks up on you because it is initially treated as an afterthought. It kind of felt as if I was watching two different movies: 1) a story about a single father of seven who meets a free-spirit turned governess and 2) the story of a family trying to resist and eventually escape the Nazis. Maybe that was the purpose of the movie. The story of a family coming together and then they face the ultimate obstacle in the form of the Nazis. I am not sure, but I felt it could have been done better. At least we have this iconic shot:

Onto the transition and one of its players: Rolfe. I was not shocked at all about his devotion to the party. He already gave me shady vibes in the beginning and also the overall feeling that he could be the ideal candidate for any cult. That scene where he is facing off with Captain Von Trapp and desperate to show his toughness just makes you realize how much of a coward he really is. He was not willing to fight for Liesl or her family. Yet, I could not empathize with Liesl. Yes, being in love hurts, but in this case, there are actual problems in the world that take precedent. I had no patience for the teenage angst, as harsh as it sounds. What she said about her love life did not help: "Sometimes I feel the world is coming to an end.."

So long, farewell!

Okay, we are in the final part of the film. The Von Trapps are trying to get away from the Nazis. It all comes to a head... at a festival where they have to sing for the lives basically (#onlyinamusical). Granted, I did feel emotional when they were performing. They were expressing their love for their homeland and saying goodbye. I could appreciate that sentiment. However, the real heroes here were the sisters at the abbey. It was not for them they would have never gotten away. The ending, though, left me feeling a little bit unsatisfied. I understand that they were able to get away and make their way out of Austria in the real story. However, would an audience member realize this without knowing the history beforehand? Maybe, if we would have seen a flag or sign, or even heard a quote that indicated that they made it out of the country. Yes, we're brought back to the hills Maria we're singing to. However, that basically loses its meaning when you learn that they were no where near that when the real-life family escaped. The real person who Maria was based on says that one would not be able to cross the Alps to get to Switzerland, in other words it is geographically not possible. Oh well, its for the love of sentimentality and the cinematic experience. Yay?

Worth the Awards?

The movie won five Oscars, including best picture. Did it deserve the major prize? When compared to the films of that year, I'm not sure. I'll admit that I have not seen most of the films that were nominated. Granted, I have seen Dr. Zhivago and while it can be described epic, I was not fond of the pacing nor was I captivated by the story. However, let it be known that it won Best Adapted Screenplay, while The Sound of Music was not even nominated for any writing awards. Whether Robert Wise deserved the directing Oscar over David Lean could also be debated. However, I cannot say without a doubt that this was the best movie of that year. Even if I disliked all of the movies nominated, I think the story is too simplistic to be given an award that is supposedly the "most prestigious in film." The film feels like a Disney movie meant to teach children that Nazis are bad, which obviously, but there is so much more to the lesson. I think the following quote from the youngest Von Trapp sums it up best: "Maybe the flag with the black spider makes people nervous?"

Final Thoughts

The movie's impact in undeniable. I mean why else would there be tribute after tribute and an NBC live special. If you love musicals, then this is a must-see. The songs are amazing and the acting is stellar. However, if you are a musical-averse individual, skip it. Julie Andrews fans: the movie is a must. Her performance is amazing and I even think it is better than Mary Poppins (please don't come at me).

What do you think? Do you think the Sound of Music is worth the hype? Leave your take in the comments!

#the sound of music #julie andrews #christopher plummer #robert wise #rogers and hammerstein #captain von trapp #maria von trapp #best picture #1960s movies #musicals #turner classic movies #disney plus #austria #the alps #20th century #catholiscism #wwii #academy awards

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mostlymovieswithmax · 3 years ago

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Movies I watched in September

I skipped a month again. But not to worry. This is a wrap-up of all the movies I watched in the month of September (2021). I think I maintained a steady ratio throughout but perhaps there’s not as much on the list this time because I wanted to get on with other things, be that work-wise or just trying to get out to the beach as much as possible and make the most of the last dregs of summertime. I went swimming in the sea a lot! But I also got to catch the new James Wan movie, Malignant (twice!) as well as the new James Bond, No Time To Die. Not to mention a couple of classics! My hope again with this list is to introduce people to new movies that they may otherwise not have seen or perhaps have never have heard of. These short reviews are my own subjective opinions on each individual movie. I’m thinking maybe a more informal approach to movie criticism can help include others who are just passing through. So here is every film I watched from the 1st to the 30th of September.

Fanny and Alexander (1982) - 8/10

Coming from Ingmar Bergman, I was surprised to see just how warm this was. I’m a big fan of the Swedish director and while this isn’t my favourite from him (perhaps due to it needing a second watch, or the fact I watched it in three chunks because it’s about three hours long and I overestimated how much time I had in the day) it’s still an interesting departure from what I’ve come to expect from him. Fanny and Alexander is a dreamy Christmassy movie that presents an overarching theme of love, spending a large portion of its runtime just hanging out with this big family on Christmas and showing how close they are. I would love to watch this again at some point in December and see how my opinion shifts but for now, while it could meandre in places, I can’t deny how unique a movie it is.

Another Round (2021) - 10/10

I had seen Thomas Vinterberg’s latest film before this point but this was the first time I got to see it in a cinema. Luckily for me my local independent cinema was showing it one night and while they had a few technical hiccups with setting everything up, the movie itself was still fantastic. Following a handful of school teachers who experiment with whether they can maintain a certain level of blood alcohol throughout the day, Another Round demonstrates a sense of unease and sadness throughout an otherwise comedic tone. These emotions are balanced perfectly, boosting an already intriguing concept that examines our relationship with alcohol from every angle.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) - 4/10

Straight after Another Round, I made my way to the chain cinema to meet up with friends to see the new Marvel movie. At this point, having had my second dose of the Covid vaccine that morning, I was starting to feel the effects and I was not doing well. But I watched the movie anyway, all the while wanting to be in bed. Shang-Chi was massively underwhelming and I’d go as far as to say it was even incompetent. Truth be told, I like the Marvel Cinematic Universe but from the get-go I already wasn’t hyped for this movie and I was expecting it to be about mediocre but what I got was something a lot worse. I won’t rehash what I’ve already said on this film so if you want to hear me rant about it a bit then I would recommend checking out episode 47 of my podcast, The Sunday Movie Marathon.

Your Name. (2016) - 6/10

Ultimately this was a fun little romance movie but I can’t say I understand why people adore it, nor do I understand why it needed to be animated. For what it’s worth, I found it cute and entertaining but nothing much jumped out to me.

Phil Wang: Philly Philly Wang Wang (2021) - 7/10

I’m always stumped on what to say about stand-up shows. It was good! I enjoyed Phil Wang talking about different things in a funny way and it got some laughs out of me. Admittedly I’m writing this a couple of weeks after watching it but it’s certainly a decent way to spend an hour if you’re looking for something light and fun.

The Lego Batman Movie (2017) - 6/10

I remember seeing this in the cinema with two of my friends and the theatre wasn’t exactly packed but those that were there were either children or parents. But I like The Lego Batman Movie! Clearly this was made by fans of the character as it’s packed with a lot of details and references from old comic runs but as someone who has never read the comics or seen those older movies, it still managed to be entertaining and while I won’t say it’s quite as good as The Lego Movie, the animation is still top notch and the voice actors are certainly giving it their all, especially Will Arnett as the titular character. It’s just a bit of fun!

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - 10/10

A friend of mine told me to go to the screening of Terminator 2 at my local because they themselves weren’t able to attend. The first Terminator movie is a real gem and one of the most 80’s-type movies I’ve ever seen. I was excited to watch T2, remembering next to nothing about what I watched of it when I was a child. So it was just me in this screening, with one person in a row in front of me, and one other person behind me. If I had it my way, I would have been the only person there because this is honestly one of the best movies I’ve ever seen and it was very hard not to yell out every time something incredible happened, especially when it’s so action-packed and basically goes all out at every opportunity to deliver some of the most jaw-dropping effects or choreography. Truly there is never a dull moment and I was grinning like a lunatic the entire time. This film rocks!

Mirror (1975) - 7/10

Andrei Tarkovsky is one of my favourite directors and the new Criterion release of his film, Mirror, had been on my shelf for a while. My friend and fellow podcast co-host, Chris, was also interested in watching this movie so we decided we’d give it a watch and review it on the podcast. But this is such a weirdly structured film that the entire way through, neither of us knew what on earth was happening. What we got from the experience is reflected in the episode we made and I would love to watch this again at some point, hopefully with more context and a better understanding of what I’m in for. But in the meantime, you can hear the discussion on episode 46 of the podcast.

The Night House (2021) - 6/10

The Night House is David Bruckner’s follow-up to his previous movie, The Ritual and while I’ll say I prefer The Ritual, this is still a decent watch, just don’t go in expecting horror. More of my thoughts can be found in episode 46 of the podcast.

The Ritual (2017) - 7/10

After watching The Night House, I decided to go back to the director’s previous film, The Ritual and I got a lot more out of it this time around. Themes of guilt and grief permeate the movie and the result is this weird and unnerving film about a group of guys who go hiking in Sweden after the death of one of their friends and encounter dark forces beyond their comprehension. It can be drawn out at times and probably could have been boosted with a better script but there are so many interesting and strange ideas presented that culminate in a haunting third act that it’s worth watching just to see what on earth they’re being hunted by.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - 10/10

Straight after recording an episode about our favourite movies on the podcast, I returned to one of my all-time favourites. Holy Grail is such a fantastically funny movie with so many memorable lines and moments that it’s become a staple in the comedy genre. Setting it in Arthurian England is a surefire way to make sure it stands the test of time, making use of the budget in a way that heightens the comedy, for example: not being able to get horses and so resorting to having a man banging two coconut halves together as they skip through the grassy terrain. It’s the writing that really takes centre stage here; the guys from Monty Python were/are geniuses. A couple more points were made on my podcast so please do listen to that to hear more: Episode 46 of The Sunday Movie Marathon

Malignant (2021) - 7/10

The new James Wan movie was bonkers! I saw this one twice in quick succession without hesitation. To find out why I love it so much, listen to episode 47 of the podcast.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - 8/10

We got a marathon of the first three Nightmare on Elm Street movies on the podcast so we watched them in quick succession within a day. This first movie is a true masterpiece of its time. For more insight, listen to episode 47 of the podcast.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) - 2/10

Quite an embarrassing departure from the genius and fun of the original. Elm Street 2 is not only technically unfulfilling but a wholly unentertaining movie to boot. More thoughts in episode 47 of the podcast.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) - 3/10

While only a few hairs better than its predecessor, Elm Street 3 is still a mere shadow of the original. All in all, these second and third instalments in the franchise have put me off watching any of the others. More thoughts in episode 47 of the podcast.

Her (2013) - 10/10

Her is at once a beautiful love story between a man and an AI, and a scarily accurate look at how technology is expanding and moving forward. It uses warm colours and smooth camera work to create something that feels homely and safe, juxtaposing the often cold and dark feeling of science-fiction films to tell an intrinsically human story. What would it be like to go through this and what are the hurdles that need to be overcome? Her is a masterpiece of filmmaking and it left me emotionally exhausted in all the right ways.

Alien (1979) - 10/10

First time I’ve seen Alien in the cinema (as I was too busy not being born yet to see it on an initial release) and it was amazing! This is cosmic horror at its best. With all the eerie sound design, slow and deliberate camera movement, and outstanding effects, there’s no wonder as to why this is considered one of the greats and seeing it on the big screen was enthralling.

Aliens (1986) - 8/10

I had never seen Aliens before so the opportunity to see it for the first time in a cinema was one I could not pass up, especially since I was able to see it straight after the first. This is more of an action movie than the first one and as that, it was really something to see. While I don’t think it quite measures up to the original, James Cameron does bring a style to it that makes it something completely different while still feeling in line with its predecessor. A problem I’ve found as time goes on is that I don’t find myself thinking much about Aliens whatsoever and that’s probably down to its characters who generally I found quite weak. I’m already not big on standard action flicks and this is a clear cut above those but it does still fall victim to the trappings. That being said, I would in no way call this bad or even mediocre because it was a lot fun and being able to see it in the cinema is an experience I’m very grateful for.

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021) - 6/10

Gunpowder Milkshake is trying very hard to be John Wick and although it never really manages it, there is still fun to be had with its action (because really that’s all this movie has to offer). There’s a very creative scene in which Karen Gillan has to fight some goons in a hospital with a gun taped to one hand and a scalpel taped to the other, with the caveat being that her arms don’t work. Despite that and a good enough performance from Gillan, the rest is very goofy, with a villain about as intriguing as an advert for life insurance and a story that to say the least, leaves much to be desired.

I Lost My Body (2019) - 10/10

Another one for the podcast, I Lost My Body is a glorious cerebral animated piece that hits every nerve in my body. Listen to episode 48 for more.

Alice In Wonderland (1951) - 10/10

Perhaps the best early Disney movie in my humble opinion. Alice In Wonderland is complete insanity, doing things simply for the sake of it in a beguiling dreamlike take on Lewis Carroll’s classic book. Listen to episode 48 of The Sunday Movie Marathon for more.

WALL-E (2008) - 9/10

WALL-E is one of Pixar’s best. It is a cautionary tale of where the world is headed wrapped in a sweet story about going to the ends of the solar system in order to help those you love. I do however have one big problem with this movie and you can find out more in episode 48 of the podcast.

Killing Them Softly (2012) - 6/10

A lot about America’s economy at the time, Killing Them Softly goes about showing the lengths people will go to for money and yes it is generally solid with a fantastic speech by Brad Pitt to cap it off, but it cannot avoid meandering scenes of listless dialogue that neither engage me nor make me care about the characters it presents.

The Dirties (2013) - 6/10

Funny! The Dirties is a mockumentary about two guys making a movie about bullies in their school. While often it was generally chugging along and making me laugh, it tended to err on the side of plain as regards its presentation. A lot of scenes happen for the sake of it and in a movie that’s around an hour and twenty, it’s amazing I still managed to dip out in the latter half. More thoughts in episode 49 of the podcast.

Telstar: The Joe Meek Story (2009) - 3/10

Ah, I really hated this. I don’t even want to talk about it anymore. Just listen to episode 49 of the podcast to hear what I had to say.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - 10/10

This is my favourite movie! I got to talk about it on my podcast! Listen to episode 49 of The Sunday Movie Marathon to hear what I have to say!

No Time To Die (2021) - 8/10

Best Bond movie? Perhaps. I’ve not seen every Bond movie but of the ones I have seen (which does include all of Daniel Craig’s run), this is as good as it gets. Despite a near three hour runtime, No Time To Die felt as though it wasted very little. I’ve always complained that I could never follow the plot to these movies because often I simply didn’t care about it; for me it’s more about the action and seeing Daniel Craig be James Bond. No Time To Die does not escape some of the general tropes that often don’t leave me thinking I’ve watched something masterful but what I will say in its favour is that it’s fucking fun! Don’t expect to love it if you already dislike these movies because generally it stays in the same vein as the others before it, but for Bond fans it’s something totally enjoyable. Captivating cinematography, biting fight choreography and action set-pieces, a core struggle for James who actually goes through relatable hardships his time round, coping with being part of a family and trying to keep them safe.

I was happy to see a bit more attention paid to female characters this go round; in a franchise that often glamorizes Bond’s sexual promiscuity and ability to woo any woman he likes, it was much more refreshing to see that he often did need help from a lot of badass, well written female characters.

No Time To Die has been waiting to be released for a long time now and now it’s actually out, I’m pleased it’s not hot garbage. In fact, quite the opposite is true. The final swan song for Craig’s fifteen-year tenure as one of cinema’s most recognisable heroes outdoes all that came before it. Bravo.

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bedlamsbard · 4 years ago

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@comentter asked about the TCW series finale

Sorry if I don't remember, but did you ever talk about the last 2 episodes of TCW? I only remember the motion capture thing from the first 2 of the arc. I was annoyed at the changes to the story they previously established in the novel and Rebels (which included Rex and Ahsoka splitting up) and for some reason I can't figure out, it didn't feel like a real ending to me...

I don’t think I’ve talked about it past expressing my annoyance about using Sam Jackson!Mace and Hayden Christensen!Anakin during Ahsoka’s vision. (WHICH I AM VERY ANNOYED ABOUT.)

I don’t have particularly strong feelings about Shattered/Victory & Death -- I think they’re two of the better episodes of S7, but I think S7 is honestly the weakest of all TCW as far as theme and story arc go. They are also, unfortunately, probably the most aggravating case in S7 of throwing out previously established canon from Johnston’s Ahsoka novel and from Rebels. And like, there’s not really all that much to throw out! So you mostly have to work to do it!

(Under a cut because this got long and honestly I probably forgot stuff since I haven’t rewatched in a while.)

The big difference is, obviously, the change in location from Mandalore (I believe the novel either strongly implies or outright states it’s in the middle of the battle?) to the ship. Putting aside Filoni’s comments from SWCE a few years ago about Ahsoka teaming up with giant wolves (I think it’s extremely likely that that was wistful thinking and concept art on his part, rather than George Lucas’s actual plan), the advantage of putting Order 66 on a star destroyer in hyperspace is that it’s about as confined a space as you can get with no escape. And that works pretty well in the actual episodes -- it’s a nice callback to “Brain Invaders,” as well, though I’m not sure it was done deliberately. It also limits the number of moving parts available, so rather than having to worry about Mandalorians on both sides (and civilians...would have liked to see those in the Siege eps...that’s a different rant), all that the audience has to worry about are Ahsoka (and Rex, later on), the clones, and the wild card, Maul. Which admittedly is done very well -- like, the way the clones turn on Ahsoka? Terrifying! I don’t think they really played into the claustrophobic atmosphere of being trapped on a ship in hyperspace with no way out enough; I actually do think Brain Invaders and A Test of Strength, and even the flashback scenes in Jedi Fallen Order, did it better. (Not even ONE scene of crawling through the vents? are you even Star Wars?) On the one hand, it’s been done before, do you really have to do it again? On the other...y’all made the decision to do this.

I actually hate that Ahsoka has the ~vision of Anakin’s fall -- it’s very jarring, it makes no continuity sense (in all honesty, it’s the sort of thing I’d expect from the ST, so maybe in that context it does make continuity sense, lol), and I think to some extent that it weakens her later reaction to Vader/Anakin? Also, as I’ve said before I’m very, very aural and pretty sensitive to character voices: the decision to use Jackson!Mace and Christensen!Anakin, even with Hayden transitioning into Matt Lanter, threw me out so badly that the scene lost all emotional impact. This is a me problem. Most people I know were just happy that Hayden was getting acknowledged. Which is honestly not a great storytelling method, we want to tell the story and not acknowledge other actors. But again: this is a me problem.

I really do love the rising sense of tension from the beginning of the episode to the actual Order 66 moment. It’s just genuinely terrifying, since the audience knows what’s coming all along.

Maul -- *flips hand* I love Maul. I think these two eps did a really good job at showing how terrifying Maul can be, even without a lightsaber -- especially without a lightsaber, rather. I was a little hesitant initially about Maul being able to destroy the hyperdrive with the Force alone, but after thinking about it for a day or so (back when the ep aired, last May) I was fine with it. I think Maul’s the one character for whom that kind of sheer power is believable, going back to his TCW debut -- if you ever look at spider-Maul closely (and Sam and Dave talk about this in the commentary to that arc), you’ll notice that some of the pieces of metal on his spider body aren’t actually attached, they’re hovering nearby; he’s holding his spider body together with the Force itself.

Rex. The other big departure from canon, because of his “we all had a choice / I didn’t betray my Jedi” comments in Rebels. From a storytelling POV, this is the most dramatic possible route to go, and it makes sense that they did it. I think it was either @alexkablob or @mylordshesacactus who said back when that it works well that Rex can’t shake off the command from the chip, that none of the clones are immune to it, because otherwise it looks like none of the other clones cared as much about their Jedi as Rex did about Ahsoka. I do genuinely wonder if back in the original plan for the remaining two seasons of TCW, there was a scene where Rex had his chip removed, given that comment from Rebels. (And I’ve talked before about changes made from the ~original TCW scripts used for the Rebels backstory to the actual S7 and Mando, though admittedly in that context it was about Ahsoka.) If originally the plan was for the Order 66 sequence to take place on Mandalore, then that suggests the unlikelihood (though not impossiblity) of Rex and Ahsoka removing his chip. Given the arcs that we actually got in S7 there was no place to do it...I really do wonder what was in some of the scripts that have been talked about elsewhere but didn’t make the cut for S7.

(God, the one I actually really wanted was the Rex and Artoo’s Excellent Adventure one, I’ll be bitter about this forever.)

I assume Ahsoka and Rex split up afterwards -- the fake grave from Ahsoka was kind of weird to me, tbh, so I’m fine with them not going that way, but. *shrug* It is what it is.

The end is...fine. Like, emotional! I had an emotion! They wanted me to have an emotion! My TCW and Ahsoka feelings have been broken for a while now so my emotions definitely were not what they would have been even two or three years ago. (And I mean this by when the ep actually aired, not what my emotions are now; they haven’t really changed that much. Well, my resentment grew, but it is what it is.)

I think...I just recently saw again the comment from Filoni about this, so it’s on my mind -- one of the major problems with S7 across the board, and honestly highlighted in the finale (which, again, is great), is that according to Filoni, TCW was always about Rex and Ahsoka, so S7 had to be about Rex, then about Ahsoka, then about Rex and Ahsoka, together.

TCW is not about Rex and Ahsoka.

That’s not to say that Rex and Ahsoka aren’t main characters, because manifestly they are, but the previous six seasons of TCW are not about Rex and Ahsoka. At its core, TCW is about Anakin Skywalker, in the same way that the PT is about Anakin Skywalker (and the OT, to a different extent); TCW’s big strength compared to the films, however, has always been that it has the space to go beyond Anakin’s immediate story and deal with everything else going on in the galaxy, some of which overlaps with Anakin and some of which doesn’t. The choice to make S7 three four-episode arcs has the side effect of narrowing the universe and limiting the stories told -- S6 is, I think, only one ep longer but feels like it’s a full season, because it’s a mixed bag of arcs of varying lengths, with a number of different foci. Some of the claustrophobic feel of the focus on Rex and Ahsoka works for the finale because of the actual setting of the episodes, on the very claustrophobic ship, but on the other hand...thematically the whole season feels off because Filoni’s interests are very different from Lucas’s (and while we all love to give Filoni credit for everything in TCW, Lucas was showrunning it and all the really weird and controversial stuff in TCW, including Ahsoka, Satine, Mortis, and Maul, all came straight from George Lucas). The finale feels aggressively narrow as a result -- which on the one hand, works, because yeah, it’s kind of neat and makes sense that Rex and Ahsoka don’t know anything else about what’s going on in the larger galaxy or if anyone else is alive. On the other hand, it...doesn’t work. (For me, obvs! Your mileage will vary!)

#comentter #bedlam replies #bedlam watches tcw #tcw shattered #tcw victory and death

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soveryanon · 4 years ago

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Reviewing time for MAG183!

- I’m not sure I can manage to put it into words quite right but: sounds-wise, this episode’s domain didn’t feel mind-blowingly new, it wasn’t something that felt “Oh! I’ve never heard something like this before!”? But the echoes, grinding and scratching were timed so well, giving so much strength and gravitas to the conversations, that it perfectly scratched an itch. I could hear that there was something close to Jon and Martin, that it was big, and mostly deserted, that it stood eerily in the overall wasteland, that they were two people alone against a whole world, a whole machine with gears and a mechanism ready to crush anyone?

- I LIVE for artist!Martin giving his commentary and overall throwing shade at the Fears’ taking of artistic licence liberties:

(MAG183) MARTIN: Oh, bugger off! ARCHIVIST: Everything all right? MARTIN: Oh, no, what e–, what e–, what even is that? It, it’s like Escher ate a bad cathedral and threw up everywhere.

He had shown interest in the Stranger’s carousel upon learning that the statements had been a poem, but shots fired for that tower, uh.

- Jon and Martin were so cute starting the episode! Their quick banter was adorable!

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: It’s a building. A tower. … In a sense. MARTIN: Oh yeah? A–and what sense might that be? ARCHIVIST: [FAINTLY OMINOUS] … The Tarot sense. MARTIN: [SPLUTTERS WITH LAUGHTER] Really? ARCHIVIST: Wha–? No? Sorry, it… felt like a good line…! MARTIN: No, no, it was, I just… I dunno, I… [FOND EXHALE] You did the look, and…! It’s fine, sorry.

Martin being IN LOVE and appreciating Jon’s cuteness! The return of Jon showing that he’s an occult/horror nerd! We had seen in season 2 that he was generally very knowledgeable about anything related to the supernatural, and in season 4 that he was into Neil Lagorio’s movies, I’m happy to get another trace of it!

(MAG076) MELANIE: So I came here to dig a bit deeper. ARCHIVIST: Really? Our… our library is extensive, but it’s hardly focused on the Second World War. MELANIE: No, but the most detailed description of the crash that I could find came from the report of a man called William W. Hay. And later in life William Hay… ARCHIVIST: Became a noted occultist, whose memoirs and researches were only ever published in a heavily edited form. And we have unexpurgated copies. MELANIE: Exactly.

(MAG136) ARCHIVIST: [INHALE] Statement ends. Hm. Neil Lagorio… You ever see any of his work? DAISY: No. Not really into films. ARCHIVIST: Oh, they were… Well, let’s just say that it’s not a complete shock there was something unnatural to them. Didn’t know we had copies in the Institute, though; let alone original cuts. [CHUCKLE] Records indicate they [PAPER RUSTLING] ended up in… Artefact Storage. DAISY: Probably best that they stay there. ARCHIVIST: … Yeah. Yes, of course.

But SOB x2 since:

* Tower-in-the-tarot-sense meaning ominous stuff… and change. (While Jon knew they would soon come face to face with the choice to take the route through Martin’s domain.)

* Crying over the fact that we’ve seen and learned quite a few outside-of-the-job aspects of Jon this season, comparatively to the previous ones? He’s cute! He’s making jokes! He mentioned his student days a bit in MAG165, and visiting Upton House as a kid in MAG180! And this is happening when the world has been forked over and Jon&Martin certainly won’t survive together past MAG200, which means they have at most seventeen episodes together remaining. Martin, and we alongside him, are seeing so many different, more casual aspects of Jon, and it’s at the end of things…

- I really like how information bounced around in this episode? It felt even more dynamic than usual, quickly shifting depending on some reaction, or going from an association to another:

(MAG183) MARTIN: What, what’s the deal, though? Parts of it almost look like– ARCHIVIST: The Institute. MARTIN: Yeah…! ARCHIVIST: Yes. [INHALE] It makes sense, after all it was… built on the ruins of what Robert Smirke constructed…! MARTIN: Smirke? … What, no! But, but, surely he’s– ARCHIVIST: Dead, yeah, I mean, yes. [CHUCKLING] Very much so! This place is… an homage, shall we say. A monument. To him, and those like him, who tried to… categorise the world with themselves at the centre. In so doing, constructed the architecture of its suffering…!

Ohohoh about Martin feeling like the tower looked a bit like the Institute, and Jon drawing similarities through Smirke – the Institute being built on the ruins of a Smirke building, and the current domain being dedicated to people like him. The Institute is coming closer and weighing on their minds, isn’t it? I really like that Martin immediately worried about Smirke potentially being alive-ish, since:

(MAG138) MARTIN: “The Eye has marked me for something, of this I have no doubt. My… humble hope is that it may be a swift death, an accidental effect of your own researches, which I once again implore you to abandon. It is likely too late for me, but I will not…” [PAPER RUSTLE] Uh… [INHALE] The, hum… The letter ends there. Uh… Ap–apparently Robert Smirke was found collapsed in his study that evening, dead of, uh… [FLIPPING THROUGH PAPERS] Apoplexy. Mm. I–I don’t know how the letter reached the Archives, I mean… Well, I can guess, but…

… he had read Smirke’s last words before he died. (But Martin has seen enough by now to know that there is always a risk for people to not have actually died; on that front, we’re safe, Jon confirmed! Loving Jon’s chuckle: ah yeah, no, Smirke, “very much so” dead from Jonah.)

(Also loved the “[those] who tried to categorise the world with themselves at the centre” shade: yep! That’s West-Eurocentrism and Smirke’s little gang for you!)

- About the way the world works now since the Change, I’m curious about Jon’s wording as “the architecture of [the world’s] suffering”, since it’s echoing the title of Smirke’s statement, “The Architecture of Fear”: my understanding is that right now, the world is mostly running on a loop of people’s fears => feeding and shaping the landscape => which hurts people by turning those realised fears against them => squeezing the fear out of them => feeding the landscape, etc.

What is quite curious is the status of Smirke’s taxonomy in the current world. Jon went off on a rant about how Smirke and people who attempted to classify had been wrong all along because it was meant to fail… while he himself has persistently been using the very same classifications during this very season:

(MAG166) ARCHIVIST: Look, we can talk about it later, we’re– coming to a… “domain of The Buried”, and [STATIC RISES] I would really rather… […] God, I hate The Buried. [DEEP BREATHS] … End recording.

(MAG172) ARCHIVIST: [SIGH] “Knowing”, “seeing”… i–it’s not the same thing as… understanding. Every time I try to know what The Web’s plan is, if it can even be called a plan, I see… a hundred thousand events and causes and links, an impossibly intricate pattern of consequences and subtle nudges, but I–I can’t…! … I can’t hold them all in my head at the same time. There’s no way to see the “whole”, the, the point of it all. I can see all the details, but it doesn’t… provide… context or… intention. I suppose The Web doesn’t work in knowledge, not in the same way.

(MAG173) MARTIN: That’s the avatar for this place? ARCHIVIST: Callum Brodie, thirteen years old. He guides the children through their fears of The Dark.

(MAG174) ARCHIVIST: I’m not entirely sure what you were expecting, it’s The Vast. The clue is in the name! MARTIN: Yes, all right…!

(MAG176) MARTIN: … Besides, I thought The Hunt was meant to make you go faster. ARCHIVIST: Depends on the type of pursuit. [INHALE] Besides, the chase isn’t… really the point of this particular place.

(MAG177) ARCHIVIST: [SIGH] Bad therapists. Let’s just say it’s the fear of bad therapists, filtered through The Spiral. BASIRA: That’s… a lot more nuance than I’ve gotten used to since everything went wrong. ARCHIVIST: Yes, well. The Spiral is nothing if not insidious. […] You just heard what The Spiral does to people, you can’t… trust her.

“constructed the architecture of [the world’s] suffering” kind of implies that they did manage something, even if it doomed the world? Is it specifically about Jonah using the division into 14 in his incantation? We’ve seen that that one had limitations, since The Extinction also got there anyway… But at the same time, true that at this point, we would still force-apply Smirke’s labels to anything anyway.

- Loved Jon sounding awfully pedantic and (fake-)poetic at the same time:

(MAG183) MARTIN: [SIGH] Bit of a mouthful. ARCHIVIST: Would you prefer I described it as a… “cascading recursion of shifting arrogance and hubristic dead-ends”? [STATIC RISES] [THE DOOR CREAKS OPEN] [CONSTANT HIGH-PITCHED FREQUENCY] HELEN: I would. [FOOTSTEPS] [THE DOOR SHUTS] [STATIC FADES] MARTIN: [SIGH] Hello, Helen.

AND HELEN HAVING THE BEST ENTRANCES. It also cleared up something for me (unless I had already realised it and forgot about it since then): the high-pitched sound we hear when she’s around is the mark of Helen and Michael, not of the corridors – if the door is open or characters are inside of the hallways, we’ll hear some of the usual crackling static, but we heard it rise when Helen arrived and fade when the door shut behind her (and same thing with her departure, it was briefly heard when she opened the door).

- Shots fired, MARTIN PLEASE:

(MAG183) MARTIN: [SIGH] Hello, Helen. Might have guessed you’d be into weird architecture. Very much your area of expertise, no? HELEN: Hmm, depends! Would you describe “petulant poet” as your area of expertise? I am weird architecture.

And Helen went equally incisive on that one, but also UUUUUH WAS IT A SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO PETER’S COMMENT ABOUT MARTIN…

(MAG158) MARTIN: I’m… saying no. I refuse! Game over. [KNIFE CLATTERING ON THE GROUND] PETER: Martin, this is not the time for petulance; there are bigger things at stake, here.

This was the only time someone referred to Martin as (acting) petulant… I mean, Helen not missing one second of MAG158 wouldn’t be surprising (she did tell Jon at the end of MAG157 that she would be enjoying the show), but ;; Little chilling when remembering Elias-Peter-Martin in the Panopticon and Martin refusing to kill Jonah there…

- I was right to suspect that Helen might have been unable to know where Jon&Martin were over their stay at Upton House, and that she wouldn’t be pleased about it!

(MAG183) HELEN: Anyway, where have you been? I’ve been looking for you, but you both just vanished. ARCHIVIST: Aaah… Right, I see…! HELEN: I was so looking forward to catching up after that whole Basira and Daisy thing, but then, pfft! You both disappear. I’d be very keen to know how you managed that little trick. MARTIN: Why, it caught us by surprise too, I mean, we, we actually ended– ARCHIVIST: [FIRMLY] We found somewhere to rest. That’s all. MARTIN: … Oh, yeah. Ah, yes, hm. HELEN: Fine. Be like that. I can appreciate the particular pleasure of a kept secret. ARCHIVIST: I’m sure you can.

* Salesa’s zone seems to be protected as long as you don’t physically find it? I wonder how Annabelle managed to find it, still, since Jon only become aware of that blind spot when they arrived nearby; how did she become aware of it in the first place? Did it feel like a hole in the world’s web?

* Awww for Jon keeping the secret and conveying to Martin that they should keep quiet about it ;w;

* AHAHAHHAHA for Jon’s “aaah”, which was absolutely a mischievous grandpa sound. Jon ready to cause trouble, with a smug smile on his face.

- … I love how Helen could observe that the dynamic of the exchange was slipping out of her control (Jon&Martin knew something that she didn’t, didn’t feel threatened by her, and Jon was amused to keep it out of her reach) and immediately tried to go for the throat again:

(MAG183) HELEN: Anyway. Such a shame about Basira and Daisy. I was really rooting for them to make up. MARTIN: [SPLUTTERS] Since when? What happened to– I mean, how did you put it… a, “a quick shot to the back of her head, and then back in time for tea”, or whatever?

Martin: Forgive and forget? NO, RESENT AND REMEMBER AHAHAHAHAH.

Direct reference to the fact that Helen indeed ~offered her door to Basira~ to quickly get to Daisy and execute her:

(MAG177) HELEN: I can offer a shortcut. Take you right to that murder machine you call a partner. MARTIN: Basira… Jon can’t go through Helen’s doors, we, we couldn’t come with you. HELEN: Basira is a strong, independent woman. She doesn’t need you two holding her hand. Anyway, it’ll be dead quick. Two minutes, door-to-door, quick shot to the back of Daisy’s head, and we’ll be home before you know it!

Laughing that Martin added the tea mention (Martin, you single-track minded tea-aficionado), but I’m glad that he remembered it full well to throw it in her face; it wasn’t even a personal attack towards Martin, it was something Helen tried to do to Basira, I’m glad that Martin is still absolutely offended about it ;w;

- I felt like Jon and Helen had two definitions of “what we want”: Helen potentially talking about quick, short-term wants (even if they turn out to be self-destructive), while Jon was more about well-thought decisions and choices?

(MAG183) HELEN: [EXASPERATED SIGH] Oh, give over. I was obviously just prodding her, trying to make a point. She didn’t want to kill her. ARCHIVIST: What we want doesn’t matter much these days. HELEN: Oh, [RASPBERRY NOISE], nonsense. What we want is the only thing that matters these days. And Basira wanted to join Daisy. ARCHIVIST: She made her choice. HELEN: With your assistance. ARCHIVIST: It was still her choice. HELEN: [SIGH] What a waste. ARCHIVIST: No. [INHALE] It wasn’t.

There have been a lot of discussions about “choices” and “wants” throughout the series (with big moments in MAG092, MAG117 and MAG147), so it felt a bit nice that Jon seems to have reached a point where he could draw a line between both? Jon, Martin and Basira didn’t want this world, don’t want the way it operates and what it inflicts on them; it doesn’t mean they can’t weigh options and make specific decisions – Basira, to honour her promise to Daisy and kill the monster she had become; Jon, to not smite for revenge (and Martin, to face his own domain).

I LOVE HOW JON WAS FIRM ABOUT BASIRA’S CHOICE MATTERING ;w; It once again reminds me of Martin’s line to Simon: “I think our experience of the universe has value. Even if it disappears forever.” (MAG151); the little things, the individual existences and choices, their own stories, still having value in the expanse of the universe…

- Martin! It’s a delight to see him so firm, having faith in Basira although he’s been so worried for her:

(MAG179) ARCHIVIST: Martin, this is what she needs. MARTIN: No, no! I–it’s…! BASIRA: It’ll… MARTIN: It’s completely– […] … We’re not doing this. BASIRA: [SOFTLY] Martin. Please. [SILENCE] MARTIN: … [SIGH] You’d better look after yourself. BASIRA: I will.

(MAG180) ARCHIVIST: How are you doing? About… MARTIN: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I’m… I don’t know. I’m–I’m not sure how to feel; just… pressing on, you know? ARCHIVIST: I do. [SILENCE] MARTIN: Do you think she’ll be okay without us? ARCHIVIST: Oh, she’s made it this far. MARTIN: … Yeah. I just worry.

(MAG183) MARTIN: Basira is… She’s going to be okay.

And then pointing out that he was involved in the discussion too and that he wanted to know what the other two knew already and not be kept out of the loop:

(MAG183) HELEN: Oh. Is she? Do you want me to tell you what she’s been up to while you were “resting”? Where she is right now? ARCHIVIST: You don’t need to. I already know. MARTIN: I don’t. [STATIC RISES] ARCHIVIST: She’s currently moving through, uh… “The Void.” [STATIC FADES] Hungry shadows drifting in the dark. She’s been there a long time now, struggling to find the path. MARTIN: But she will? ARCHIVIST: I think so. HELEN: Yeah, she does always seem to manage, doesn’t she? It’s impressive. Although a little bit… tempting at times.

I’m not absoooolutely sure about Basira’s status: is “the void” a space between domains, or is it a Dark domain that Basira is having trouble finding the exit of, since unlike Jon, she can’t just “know” the paths? I suspect the latter but I’m not 100% certain. If it’s indeed The Dark, that’s a close to home one for her, since she had a few brushes with it over the course of the show – the Section 31 expedition to save Callum Brodie, leading to Rayner’s death and Basira’s decision to quit the police, her research to find out more about the People’s Church of the Divine Host (as shown in season 3) and her overall worry about them, which allowed Elias to convince her that they would attempt another ritual in Ny-Ålesund, leading to her discovering what “Rayner” was and travelling there with Jon, finding Manuela and the Dark Sun mid-season 4…

;ww; for Jon having faith in Basira, too… And the fact that once again, Basira has it a bit rougher than Jon&Martin (Jon had already told Martin that it had been a difficult journey for her, before they reunited). Helen does have a point that Basira seems to manage to find her way out in general: she had successfully escaped The Unknowing on her own, she had survived The Flesh’s attack on the Institute, she had pursued Daisy in the apocalypse… Basira has already gone through Helen’s corridors (offscreen at the end of MAG143, to return to the Institute), I’m YIKES about Helen implying that it would be “tempting” to grab her. (… But at the same time, why hasn’t she done it already, if she is capable of doing it? It might be a bit more complicated than that?)

- … I love Martin, I love that he was RIGHT to point out that Helen had just waltzed in to try and steer chaos:

(MAG183) MARTIN: Look, Helen, what do you even want? Okay, you keep turning up like a bad penny and, honestly, it, it seems like it’s… it’s just to be a dick! HELEN: Gasp! I am trying to be friends, Martin. Forever is a long time. And I occasionally like to have some company that isn’t… screaming. MARTIN: … What do you even think friendship is? HELEN: I dunno, do I? The only personhood I have is from someone I ate.

It feels like Helen has REALLY tried hard to make up for the weeks(?) she couldn’t find Jon and Martin? She went extra-hard on them: first with Basira, then implying to Jon that he had manipulated her into killing Daisy, then pointing out that Basira was not safe at the moment and still at risk of falling prey to other Fears (including herself), then trying to mock Martin about his domain, trying to guilt-trip Jon for not having told him about it yet, and when she finally managed to get Martin shocked and upset… job done, byebye.

Is it that she’s trying to get Jon so riled up he ends her? “Helen” used to like Jon and to turn to him (MAG101: “Helen liked you so… there’s a lot to consider. But I will help you leave.” / MAG115: “Before, talking to you made Helen feel better.”), before she was absolutely Down With Doors And Murders (MAG146: “We do what we need to do when it comes to feeding, don’t we? … Don’t we, Archivist?”), is it a remnant of that? Or is it really just an attempt at confusing Jon and Martin further, feeding from them Spiral-style?

- More about Martin’s domain later, but the reveal was BRUTAL, and yet not coming out of nowhere; we knew he had one, we knew he had almost been trapped in the Lonely house in MAG170 and the question was whether or not it had been (/was still) his domain once Martin got freed from it, but there was also the question of how Martin was able to walk in the apocalypse unharmed (was it due to Jon’s proximity, Martin’s connection to The Eye as an assistant, etc.), and Basira’s own status after Daisy’s death… so, yay! Answers and clarifications, and as usual, nothing feeling like a plot-twist, just things that make sense, and that we already had most of the information about!

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: Martin… MARTIN: Are there people, Jon? ARCHIVIST: What? MARTIN: Are there people in my domain? ARCHIVIST: Not many. [SILENCE] MARTIN: Do you need to do your… your thing? Make a statement about whatever’s going on in there? … I could use a moment to think. ARCHIVIST: Sure thing. Yeah, I–I’ll… [INHALE] Yeah. [EXHALE] [BAG JOSTLING] [DEPARTING FOOTSTEPS]

Sobbing a bit about Martin’s priorities (“Are there people, Jon?”) and Martin asking for a quick me-time. It wasn’t ice-cold, Martin turned it into something useful for both of them (expecting that Jon would have to give his statement anyway), but aouch, he sounded absolutely shattered inside while blank on the surface…

- Yes, yes, yes, reminder that Smirke’s categorisation is arbitrary and just like the Doctor’s theory, sometimes just doesn’t work, because it’s trying to force-apply rules and a classification over something that resists it (and because the classification is not perfect from the start), but hey, that’s most theories and classifications out there anyway, so: Escher reference, the functioning of the Tower reminding me of the Great Twisting, and the reasonings sometimes reminding me of Gabriel’s work (MAG126), plus Helen popping by – it was Spiral stuff, right?

Well! I felt like it looks like Spiral, but the Doctor’s fears by themselves:

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: “But it is not the fall that terrifies him, not the pain of the impacts, but the fact that none of them should be there. That it doesn’t make sense, and it must make sense, there must be a system, there must be, because if there isn’t– [THE BODY LANDS WETLY] He lands with a heavy smack onto rough limestone, and lies still, his body twisted and broken. He knows it will knit itself back together, slowly, painfully, as it always has before. But the thought of starting over, of composing yet another theory, fills him with a deep dread.”

… are more something I would identify as Eye (fear of a truth) and Hunt (fear of having to return to the start, to have to elaborate a new theory from scratch, again and again, of being trapped forever)?

It was really reminiscent of Smirke thinking back over his life, his hubris and the pride of being the one who would have found the answer, to the point where he would reject reality if it didn’t match his taxonomy (refusing to, well… do what you do with a theory: change, or evolve and perfect it when its flaws are pointed out):

(MAG138, Robert Smirke) “I believed then, as I still believe now, that these places I saw were the Powers themselves, expressed in their truest form, far more entirely than any ‘secret book’ can claim. And if, as I came to believe, the Dread Powers were themselves places of a sort, then surely with the right space, the right architecture, they could be contained. Channelled. Harnessed. So yes. Hubris. Not simply in that, I suppose, but in believing that those I brought into my confidence shared my lofty goals. […] Would you have me separate The Corruption between insects, dirt and disease? To, to divide the fungal bloom from the maggot? No. No, I… stand by my work. And thus, we must conclude that the only explanation is a new Power, created from what was once others, yet also distinct. And if such change is possible, how then can any “true balance” be achieved through immutable, unchanging stone…?”

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: “If they are feeling very confident, they may lean down and stretch a curious tongue beyond their chipped teeth and rotten gums, desperate to add another sense to their observances – more evidence to support their declaration of what the world must be. […] They must simply study and learn, if they are to escape the labyrinth. They will be the first to escape. The one who sits in the central chamber cannot remember his name. But he knows that people called him “doctor”. He made sure of that; to ignore it would have been the greatest disrespect, and he will not be disrespected. […] He knows, for a fact, that this is the central chamber because he is the one sat here. […] They’ll all remember him forever, the first to escape the Monument. His name will be hallowed with the greats: Doctor, uh… Doctor…”

Same old pride, Leitner knew that well too (MAG080: “But I think, in my heart, I dreamed of my work becoming known. That ‘The Library of Jurgen Leitner’ would stand as a symbol of courage and protection. Hubris.”) and Gerry didn’t have many nice things to say about it (MAG111: “Flamsteed, Smirke, Leitner. Idiots who destroyed themselves chasing a secret that wasn’t worth knowing.”). Loved how the statements came for Smirke’s life and was absolutely ruthless about it – but maayyybe a bit too ruthless, even? Jon didn’t express much sympathy for “fools like Smirke” either, and this is a rare case in season 5 where I find that the statement was a bit lacking in empathy for… people who were technically victims. I mean! Insufferable pedantic academics sure are a type, they’re really not having the worst life out there, but it makes me feel a bit weird, with season 5’s overall tone, that the episode had that vibe of “serves them well, they’re insufferable” about people who were technically still trapped in a domain and suffering from it?

… I still laughed a lot about the Doctor vs. Professor rivalry and how they solved their argument:

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: “The doctor that lies on the floor has recovered, just enough to laugh. ‘You’re still working on mineral theory? How painfully outdated.’ A flash of genuine fear crosses the face of the professor at this dismissal, before he picks up his chunk of granite, and begins to smash the doctor’s head in, yet again.” [SOUNDS OF BRUTAL PEER REVIEW]

Academia unleashed.

(- OKAY, I HAVE TO CONFESS that when the character could only remember his title as “Doctor”, with Smirke having been mentioned earlier, my mind just jumped to Doctor Fanshawe… ;; He had left a strong impression on me, okay.)

- ;w; Over the fact that Martin got his me-time and that it was enough: he was clearly tense, but he came back with direct questions and knew what he wanted cleared up…

(MAG183) MARTIN: Finished? ARCHIVIST: Yes. MARTIN: Good. … I need you to explain something to me. ARCHIVIST: All right.

- I can’t believe that Martin Global Heartthrob Blackwood made The Eye FALL FOR HIM too:

(MAG183) MARTIN: How do I have a domain? That doesn’t make any sense. ARCHIVIST: It’s like I said. [INHALE] Everything here is either watcher, or watched. MARTIN: [SIGH] Subject or object, yes, I know, we’ve been over this. ARCHIVIST: Well, you’re a watcher, Martin. You worked for the Institute, you read statements, The Eye is… fond of you. You’re not getting thrown into your own personal hell, which means…

Jane, Peter, Simon, Elias, Salesa, Annabelle, now Beholding – do you have any limit, Martin.

!! I’m excited over the fact that Martin’s entanglement with Beholding stuff was acknowledged! Comparatively, Melanie had read 2 statements (MAG086, MAG106) and Basira 1 (MAG112). Meanwhile, Martin had read 12; plus, although Tim, Melanie, Martin and Basira had taken (… or tried to take) one live statement each in MAG100, Martin had also taken 3 additional full statements:

MAG084, Adrian Weiss (Corruption) MAG088, Enrique MacMillan (Buried) MAG090, Ross Davenport (Flesh) MAG095, Luca Moretti (Slaughter) MAG098, Doctor Algernon Moss (Dark) MAG100 (live), Lynne Hammond (Desolation) MAG104 (live), Tim Stoker (Stranger) MAG108, Adonis Biros (Lonely) MAG110, Alexia Crawley (Web) MAG134, Adelard Dekker (Extinction) MAG138, Robert Smirke (Eye) MAG142 (live), Jess Tyrell (Buried, Eye) MAG144, Gary Boylan (Extinction) MAG149, Judith O’Neill (Extinction) MAG151 (live), Simon Fairchild (Vast) MAG156, Adelard Dekker (Extinction)

With Simon highlighting that Beholding had compelled him through Martin:

(MAG151) SIMON: Hm! No wonder I’m so sympathetic to The Lonely. You know: this really is a place for self-discovery, isn’t it? [CHUCKLE] “Statement ends”, I suppose! MARTIN: Uh… I’m sorry? SIMON: Oh! Nothing, just my own hubris. I should have known. When I came here, I said to myself: “Simon,” I said, “you’re going to answer this young man’s questions, but you’re not going to give The Watcher a statement. You’re better than that.” But it’s a hard one to resist, isn’t it? You get in the flow of talking about yourself, and it all just… tumbles out. MARTIN: Mm, does seem like it.

Elias might have been eyeing him as back-up Archivist, too (although since then, we’ve learned of his bet with Peter which would have already been running at the time – it might have been that Elias mostly wanted to ensure that Martin wouldn’t die during the Unknowing because he’d be needing him afterwards):

(MAG116) ARCHIVIST: [SIGH] What about Martin? MARTIN: What about me? ARCHIVIST: He should stay behind. MARTIN: What?! ELIAS: Really. MARTIN: Why? ARCHIVIST: Too many people might attract attention. MARTIN: No, no, I can help, I’ve been reading the statements! ELIAS: … Quite right, er, probably best he does stay behind. BASIRA: What, so you have a backup if Jon doesn’t make it? ELIAS: I’m sure that won’t be necessary.

Martin did a lot of research, read these statements aloud, took live statements, was hinted as a potential replacement; tape recorders have spawned around him like they do with Jon, even outside of statements, and Martin had been exceptionally kind towards them on multiple occasions; there had been that little moment of Martin somehow knowing that Jon was alive back in season 3 (MAG088: “It’s the not knowing, you know? I mean, Jon’s still alive. Not sure why, but I’m sure of that. But Sasha, I…”), shortly before we had learned about Jon’s own Knowing powers developing; we don’t know why and whether that was Beholding or The Web or something else, but Martin had been able to know how to get Jon out of the Coffin in season 4:

(MAG134) PETER: What does puzzle me, though, and I mean that genuinely, is… why you were piling tape recorders onto the coffin, while Jon was in there. [PAUSE] It’s a question, Martin, it’s– it’s not an accusation. MARTIN: I don’t know. And I just… felt like it might help. He’s always recording, I thought… it–it might help him… find his way out. PETER: Interesting. Were you compelled? MARTIN: [SULLEN] … I don’t know. … M–maybe? I–I, I definitely wanted to do it… PETER: But? MARTIN: I’m… I’m not sure where the idea came from. PETER: You should watch out for that. Could be something dangerous. MARTIN: Sure.

… And Peter’s whole plan relied on the fact that Martin was initially touched by Beholding:

(MAG134) PETER: [BREATHES] I’m still working out some of the kinks. But I believe I have a plan. However, it requires this place, and it requires someone touched by The Beholding. Elias was, perhaps unsurprisingly, unwilling to help.

(MAG158) PETER: It’s quite simple, really…! I want to use the powers of this place to learn about The Extinction: what it’s doing, where it’s manifesting. Then we can stop it. MARTIN: And you need me for this? PETER: Correct! Without a connection to The Eye, any attempt to use it would likely end… very messily indeed! But thankfully, it just so happens that you hold such a connection. MARTIN: So that’s it… Both “lonely” and “watching”. PETER: You must admit you’re the perfect candidate. MARTIN: I suppose I am.

Beholding baby!! Now coming in an additional Lonely flavour.

- Mmmmmmmm… The way Jon put it, it seems that Beholding is consciously rewarding its servant and:

* It could be Jon trying to make sense of something else, that he doesn’t understand? Gertrude didn’t think that the Fears were able to “think” at all (MAG145: “Sometimes, I think They understand us as… little as we understand Them. We don’t think like They do.” “I’m not actually convinced they “think” at all.”); reward&affection could be primitive enough feelings for a blob of terrors to work out (Martin fed Beholding as an assistant by reading statements => Beholding grants him things in the hope of getting fed even more?), but I don’t know, I can’t help but wonder if this is just Jon humanising the Fears a bit too much? It’s curious that Beholding got “fond” of Martin precisely when Jon himself fell in love with him – could Jon’s feelings have influenced Martin’s position in the apocalypse, could Jon be having a bit more power over the landscape than he realises?

* … If Beholding is rewarding its servants, that doesn’t bode well for Elias. WELL, no, I mean: it might mean that Elias is having a Great Time as a Beholding acolyte, which means it doesn’t bode well for my desire to see Elias get absolutely wrecked and wrong about being the “king of a ruined world”. I want him to have miscalculated, damnit! x’D

- I’m having so many feelings over Martin himself being unsure of what he wants, whether it’s better to know or to remain ignorant…

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: It’s like I said. [INHALE] Everything here is either watcher, or watched. MARTIN: [SIGH] Subject or object, yes, I know, we’ve been over this. ARCHIVIST: Well, you’re a watcher, Martin. You worked for the Institute, you read statements, The Eye is… fond of you. You’re not getting thrown into your own personal hell, which means… MARTIN: [QUIETLY] That one of them belongs to me. But that’s… Ho–how can I be a “Watcher”? I, I didn’t even know it existed! ARCHIVIST: But you’ve suspected for a while now, haven’t you? MARTIN: Maybe? But that’s not “watching”! ARCHIVIST: Do you want me to tell you about it? MARTIN: No. … Yes. N–no, no, I don’t know, I don’t know. [SIGH]

Is it a remnant of his discussions with Tim in season 3? He’s basically gone the reverse of Tim about it:

(MAG098) MARTIN: Y’know, I think he thinks that the distance keeps us safe, you know? Like, like, if he just makes sure that we’re not involved, we’re somehow fine. TIM: He’s an idiot. Look, we didn’t know what that door was, and it still trapped us. Ignorance isn’t going to save anyone. MARTIN: No, I mean, you’re right, I guess.

Martin has seen enough to know now that ignorance doesn’t protect anyone, but also that knowledge can be used as a weapon – that the horrors are just made to hurt. I feel like, in his situation, noping out of Jon’s statements was one of his only ways to assert his boundaries (which had been denied from him — and from others — for a long time)? But here, the situation is different; it’s about Martin’s own involvement, he knew the knowledge would hurt anyway… but it’s also his load to bear? To at least face what is happening, since he’s benefitting from it, since he’s been made complicit (without ever wanting to)? It still goes perfectly with the exploration of exploitative and oppressive systems: Martin, unknowingly and unwillingly inflicting hurt, still being in a better situation than others… while not being directly responsible for it, not wanting to benefit from it. It really makes me want to see Jon&Martin find a way to reverse or improve things, to get people out of the domains or giving them the keys to escape them, and I don’t know if I can even hope something about this ;; (On the Jon&Martin front, things are so good; but it still feels so unfair for… everyone else.)

- Martin having a domain and being classified as a “watcher” finally explains why he hadn’t been impacted by the apocalypse since the Change! He had been able to get out of the domains’ grasp even when he wasn’t around Jon (he had fallen behind at the end of MAG163, he wandered around in the Web’s theatre, he left Jon alone for most of the statements), and there was still the question of… how he was still surviving without eating, and at the same time wasn’t (at least as far as we knew) trapped in a domain:

(MAG161) MARTIN: [MIRTHLESS HUFF] What about food? ARCHIVIST: What about it? When’s the last time you thought to eat, o–or even felt hungry? MARTIN: [FAINT] What…? Wha… Uh… I don’t know. ARCHIVIST: No. Whatever is sustaining us now doesn’t need us to eat. MARTIN: That… that can’t be possible– ARCHIVIST: It’s a new world, Martin, the natural laws are whatever they want them to be. And I suspect they don’t much care to keep humanity fed and watered.

I was wondering if it was Jon’s influence, or Martin being “trapped” in Jon’s domain, and Jon had also alluded to the possibility that they were themselves trapped in their quest towards the Panopticon:

(MAG169) ARCHIVIST: “Free” doesn’t really exist in this place. MARTIN: Apart from us. ARCHIVIST: I suppose. I–in a sense, though… [CHUCKLING] how much of that is because we are trapped in our own quest to– MARTIN: Okay, let’s, let’s not dive into another… ontological debate right now, not here. ARCHIVIST: Fair enough.

And Jon had even specifically told Martin that he had a domain, shortly before Martin got almost imprisoned in the Lonely house:

(MAG167) ARCHIVIST: We all have a domain here, Martin. The place that feeds us. MARTIN: Oh. [PAUSE] Where’s yours? ARCHIVIST: [MIRTHLESS CHUCKLE] I mean, we’re… traveling towards it. MARTIN: Oh! Right, obviously. [CHUCKLING] Duh. Hum… What about me? ARCHIVIST: … Would you… like me to… ? MARTIN: No, no. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. ARCHIVIST: … Okay!

(MAG170) ARCHIVIST: I, I didn’t want to… look too ha–, I–I–I promised I wouldn’t… know you, and, and with the fog in all–all the rooms, I’ll, I just, I lost y–, I… I–I’m sorry. MARTIN: It’s okay. ARCHIVIST: … No, I… I tried to use the… to know where you were, but… it was… You–you were faint. It was so strange, i–it took me so long just to find you…! [RUSTLING OF CLOTHES] MARTIN: Jon, it’s… okay. I promise it’s okay. This place tried, it really did, and honestly I… I wanted to believe it. But I didn’t. ARCHIVIST: This… “place”, i–it… [STATIC] My god…! […] I, I just… I wanted to make sure that you knew what this place was. MARTIN: It’s The Lonely, Jon. It’s me. ARCHIVIST: [INHALE] Not anymore. MARTIN: Hm! No. [LONG INHALE, EXHALE] No…! Not anymore.

And alright, that finally answers it: the Lonely house wasn’t his domain, wasn’t meant to be (but he was susceptible to it, got almost trapped in it as a “watched” although he eventually managed to reject and break free from it). His own domain was elsewhere, and Martin himself was amongst the “watchers” all along; Martin is living a bit like Helen in this apocalypse, having a fixed domain, but able to navigate elsewhere.

Aouch for Martin, since he had been encouraging Jon to smite domains’ rulers as soon as he discovered that Jon could do it; it was already murky territory for Jon himself (if the “avatars” and “monsters” just deserve to die, what about Jon?), it was awful with Callum (Martin himself drew the line at smiting a kid)… but now, we know it was directly including him, too, and that he had been fed through people’s pain all along. No wonder Helen had encouraged the smiting so hard, if she already knew they were kind of neighbours…

… Double-aouch for Jon, because he had offered twice the option for Martin to stay elsewhere, permanently:

(MAG170) ARCHIVIST: M–Martin, if you… did; i–if you wanted to forget… a–all of it, stay here and just… escape. I… I would understand. MARTIN: … N–no…! It’s comforting here, leaving all those… painful memories behind, but… It’s not a good comfort, it’s… I–it’s the kind that makes you fade, makes you… dim and… distant.

(MAG181) ARCHIVIST: I’m sorry, I… It would have been nice to stay. MARTIN: [WISTFULLY] Yeah… I’d almost forgotten what it was like, you know? A bit of peace, eh! ARCHIVIST: I mean, you could have… MARTIN: No, don’t say it, Jon. You know I never would. I–I can’t just “forget” about all the people out here! Besides, I’d rather be trapped in a post-apocalyptic wasteland with you than spend one more moment in paradise with her.

And Jon probably didn’t know what Martin’s domain was exactly, back then, since we heard the knowing static kick in when he described the domain in this episode? But he probably knew, already, that Martin having a domain didn’t mean that he belonged to it as a victim, but as a ruler, and that it would hurt Martin so much. (“No one gets what they deserve. Not in this place. They just get whatever hurts them the most! … Even me.”, indeed ;;)

- I AM HAVING SO MANY FEELINGS OVER THE DESCRIPTION OF MARTIN’S DOMAIN…

(MAG183) [STATIC RISES] ARCHIVIST: It’s a small domain. A swirling mix of The Eye and The Lonely. Inhabited by a few lost souls whose fear is not of their isolation or their agonies, but that no-one… will ever know of them. That they shall suffer in silence, and be mourned by nobody. That’s why you can’t really see it. It’s why even if we do travel through it, you won’t be able to see… any of the people trapped there.

… It reminds me so much of what Martin probably experienced in his own flat, when Prentiss besieged him for two weeks and Martin was unable to contact anyone, and nobody came to check on him? Did Martin’s domain grow from his own old fears…?

It also reminds me a bit of Naomi’s brush with The Lonely:

(MAG013) NAOMI: The fog seemed to follow me as went and seemed to swirl around with a strange, deliberate motion. You’ll probably think me an idiot, but it felt almost malicious. I don’t know what it wanted, but somehow I was sure it wanted something. There was no presence to it, though, it wasn’t as though another person was there, it was… It made me feel utterly forsaken.

Overall, the description is extremely… typical from what we’ve seen of The Lonely: there was Naomi’s misadventure, Ethan disappeared and nobody even claimed his backpack (MAG048), Yetunde Uthman had “disappeared a year ago. And nobody noticed” (MAG150)…

(But from that description alone, it doesn’t sound very Beholding, despite what Jon said? I’m curious about the Eye aspect of it…)

- Can’t believe that Martin canonically turns out to be the Lonely Eyes love(hate)child, gdi. It really was a custody battle in MAG158.

- Extra-sad that Jon warned Martin that there was meaning in the fact that Martin didn’t know anything about his domain, and wouldn’t even be able to see people in there… It’s just so cruel, both for them, and for Martin, to learn that he’s been unknowingly contributing to their misery (because they fed him and he didn’t even know about them)?

Pretty sure that Martin will stay with Jon to hear that statement, at the very least ;; (Or could he ask for something more? We’ve seen Jon extracting Breekon’s statement in MAG128, I wonder if he could put something into someone’s head like Elias had done, allowing Martin to give that statement himself…)

- I’m wondering about Jon’s own domain, too, now! He said they were heading towards it, so it’s either the Panopticon, the Institute or the Archives, or a mix of those… or something close to it, on their way to it. If Martin’s domain is a mix of Lonely&Eye, is Jon’s pure Eye? A mix of the 14/15? A Web&Eye mix, given Jon’s own personal fears?

I know that Jonny (lovingly) called out the obsessive classification in this episode through Jon, who went off on a rant about the “neat little boxes”, but he’s still using the Smirke classification this season:

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: It’s a small domain. A swirling mix of The Eye and The Lonely.

(AND IN THIS VERY EPISODE… Jon…)

- On the one hand: feeling directly called out by Jon’s rant about how the divisions between avatars/monsters/humans/victims wasn’t and isn’t working, that reality escapes that division because it’s much more complicated than this:

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: [HEATED] Avatar isn’t a thing, Martin, it’s not–! It’s just a word. A word used by… fools like Smirke to try and sort everything into neat little boxes, to reduce the messy spray of human fear into a checklist: Human, avatar, monster, victim. Only now, now, there’s a binary. There’s finally a clear dividing line and… [SIGH] Well. I’m sorry you’re not happy with which side you’ve ended up on.

(It felt especially relevant with Callum Brodie: could we really tell that he was an “avatar” when he was still a freshly wounded kid, even if a tormentor himself?)

On the other hand, well, that was still a useful distinction to have to identify servants, and mostly, I’m not extremely convinced by Jon arguing that there is now a Clear BinaryTM in the new world, between the “watchers” and the “watched”, since:

1°) Helen herself explained the dichotomy to Martin (MAG166: “And so, there are now exactly two roles available in this new world of ours: the watcher, and the watched. Subject, and object. Those who are feared, and those who are afraid.”). Given that she mostly tries to confuse them… that’s a red flag.

2°) Despite Jon defending that binary, we’ve run into plenty of examples of things… not fitting into that new classification. He himself acknowledged that Basira’s status wasn’t established yet; we’ve seen Salesa, protected by his camera from the chaos; Jon has been unable to know about Georgie and Melanie, only hypothesising that they might in what-used-to-be-London; Martin, a watcher, could still have fallen prey to another domain… That’s already a lot of special cases around that “clear dividing line”…

3°) Somethingsomethingsomething about how it’s in Beholding’s best interest that Jon believes in a clear, unchangeable, dividing line which serves Beholding’s own interests. If things feel fixed and unchangeable, then there is no point trying to fight against it or find a loophole, right?

Given that a Watcher can get trapped in another domain… does that mean that it could be the case for Jon, too? We got a threat of it in MAG172, when Jon began to give the statement of the following act – if Martin hadn’t interrupted him, would Jon have ever been able to stop?

- Confirmation that Daisy had “trapped” Basira in her Hunt! I was suspecting it since Jon’s first wording:

(MAG164) MARTIN: Is Basira alive? ARCHIVIST: [INHALE] MARTIN: Is she… in… o–one of these places? [STATIC RISES] ARCHIVIST: She’s alive. Out there, not… trapped in a–a hellscape, but… moving. [STATIC DECREASES] Hunting. She’s… she’s looking for Daisy. She’s a few steps behind.

(MAG183) MARTIN: … What about Daisy? Or Basira? ARCHIVIST: Daisy carved through the domains of others. Basira… well… In a very real way she was a sufferer in Daisy’s domain. Maybe the only one. Hunting, following, hurting. Now Daisy’s dead, she’s… free. Sort of. She’s inherited something of Daisy’s ability to move through the other domains. For now, she’ll… feed off what she sees in them. As to whether the Eye ultimately gives her a domain of her own… I don’t know yet.

* And now, Basira seems to have a peculiar status… Is it because she killed Daisy? Is it because she killed the ruler of her domain? Jon explained that a ruler’s death didn’t change much for the domain itself, but maybe it operates differently if a victim kills a ruler (… they become the new ruler?)

* Another reminder that Jon cannot see the future.

* Big Eyeball didn’t immediately give Basira a domain, but Martin got one. I see that favouritism, uh. (Joke, it does make sense given how Martin recorded a lot of statements and had worked at the Institute for years and years.)

- I love how Jon managed to explain why he hadn’t told Martin everything, and how Martin… indeed agreed that Jon had been mostly trying to respect his wishes about not knowing ;; It’s true that Martin had been adamant about not hearing much of the horror:

(MAG163) MARTIN: J–Jon, enough! Enough! [STATIC FADES] … Please don’t tell me these things. ARCHIVIST: I… I’m sorry, I– There’s just so much! There’s so much, Martin, and I know all of it, I can see all of it, and I– It’s filling me up, I need to let it out! MARTIN: I’m sorry, but tough. Okay? Tha–that’s not what I’m here for. [VOICE IN THE DISTANCE: “No… No!”] MARTIN: I can’t be that for you, I–I just can’t.

(MAG167) MARTIN: Oh! Right, obviously. [CHUCKLING] Duh. Hum… What about me? ARCHIVIST: … Would you… like me to… ? MARTIN: No, no. Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. ARCHIVIST: … Okay!

(MAG183) MARTIN: You didn’t tell her any of that. ARCHIVIST: I didn’t think the metaphysics of her place in the fear ecosystem was something she’d be particularly interested in at that moment. MARTIN: Fair. But you seem very reluctant to tell anyone any of this stuff. ARCHIVIST: [SIGH] I did try, right at the start, but y–you didn’t seem to want to talk about it, so I didn’t push it. It’s hard, I have so much knowledge but… how do I decide what people want me to share, and what they never want to know?. MARTIN: I guess that makes sense.

But Martin seems to acknowledge that indeed, Jon had been trying his best about it…

(And now, I wonder if there is still other stuff that Jon hadn’t told Martin, in the same vein…)

- First choice for Martin:

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: [SIGH] I was going to bring it up at the crossroads. Inside. I only just realised we would be going this way. […] MARTIN: I guess that makes sense. … So what did you mean about the crossroads? When you were talking to Helen. ARCHIVIST: It’s a maze in there, something between a, a Rubik’s Cube and a Magic Eye picture. I can find us the way through easily enough but… well. For us, there are two ways out. Two paths to London. MARTIN: What are the choices? ARCHIVIST: One would be a long, winding route, we’d see a lot of horrors, but remain… personally untouched. MARTIN: And the other is my domain. ARCHIVIST: Eventually. It’s a shorter path, with faces we know along the way. Including Helen. MARTIN: I thought Helen was her domain, wi–with all the doors and that? ARCHIVIST: She is, but she has a… position within this pseudo-landscape, like any other. MARTIN: O–okay. [INHALE] So, so, I mean, I suppose we’ve got to do that one, right? ARCHIVIST: We don’t have to, w–we–we could just– MARTIN: What, what? We could, we could dodge around it? Take the path of denial? I guess, but… what is it you keep harping on about? “The journey will be the journey”? [SIGH] I mean… It’s pretty obvious that this one is my journey.

! Glad that Martin didn’t hesitate and immediately understood what it was about – that it mattered to do it that way, that Martin had to face it, that this is how this world works. No hesitation about it. He got a demonstration with Basira, but still, he was quick to accept it.

I’m expecting a few episodes before Martin’s domain, so… with the overall rhythm of the season, they might reach the Institute by MAG189? And Hill Top Road during Act III?

- Since Jon mentioned that the path Martin ended up choosing had:

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: Eventually. It’s a shorter path, with faces we know along the way. Including Helen.

I wonder about those “faces we know”, since we’re running super-low on ~avatars~. Different options:

* Institute staff. Rosiiiie?

* Melanie&Georgie. A bit unlikely, given that Jon had trouble knowing what was the deal with them, I feel?

* Since Helen will be there, people who gave live statements to Jon and were trapped in his nightmare zoo. I’m mostly thinking about this one, especially since Jon’s “No one gets what they deserve. Not in this place. They just get whatever hurts them the most! … Even me.”… (And if it’s about an internal and metaphorical journey, I feel like having to face people that Jon hurt, first unaware (he didn’t know about the nightmare zoo when he signed to become the Head Archivist), then partially unwilling but still doing it (he felt guilty about it but still hid it, still chose self-preservation instead of warning the others about it), would have its place…)

- In the same fashion, who is trapped in Martin’s domain? Unrelated people? Live statement-givers? (;; I’m thinking of Jess, who had the misfortune of being compelled by Jon and of giving a statement to Martin…)

… Given that it’s confirmed to be a “journey” for Martin too, I can’t help but squint at Jon’s wording, because. “Faces we know”. The only thing we know of Martin’s father is the fact that he looks like Martin… (MAG118: “The thing is, though, Martin: if you ever do want to know exactly what your father looked like… all you have to do is look in a mirror~ The resemblance is quite uncanny. The face of the man she hates, who destroyed her life, watching over her, feeding her, cleaning her, looking down on her with such pity–”)

- I’ll be having Annabelle’s words stuck in my head (ha) for a long time but:

(MAG181) ANNABELLE: Don’t worry, Martin. We’ll meet again. Hopefully when you’re feeling a little bit more… open-minded…! MARTIN: I wouldn’t count on it. ANNABELLE: I would. MARTIN: [SIGH]

… Was it a reference to Martin learning about his own domain and about how the world operates, his place in it? I think that Martin might be even more resolved to turn the world back at whatever cost, now that he knows that he is himself sustained by fear…

(LISTEN, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY HOW WEB!MARTIN CAN STILL WI–)

- !! Footage of Martin saying “I love you” for the first time ;w; I love how it was the thing he was certain about, both a slight decompressing joke and a true statement, a reminder that he has faith in Jon, that he has something to cling to?

(MAG183) ARCHIVIST: If you’re sure. MARTIN: … I’m sure I love you. [FOOTSTEPS] ARCHIVIST: I love you too. [FABRIC RUSTLES] Let’s go.

(He had mentioned that he was “in love” in MAG170, I’m happy to hear him telling Jon, too!) And the fabric RUSTLED, SO LONG AND SO HARD, AND AT LEAST TWICE!! I love how the tension from right before and after the statement had faded by the end of the episode ;w; Rollercoaster of little emotions…

MAG184’s makes me think of something Leitner had said (more lore about the Fearpocalypse?), and of Vast and Corruption… with very different vibes. If Corruption, and keeping in mind that Jon has announced that they will be encountering “faces [they] know along the way”, it cooould contain Jordan Kennedy, the exterminator from Pest Control…? Especially given that both Jon and Martin had met him (Jon took his live statement, and Martin pleaded offscreen for him to get them the jar of Prentiss’s ashes to comfort Jon).

(Yessss, I am absolutely aware of the irony of still using Smirke’s categorisation after another episode in which we were told again that it is bollocks, but if Jon himself still occasionally labels the domain as one of the 15, so can I ♥)

#long post/#tma liveblog #mag183 #tma season 5 #the magnus archives #tma spoilers/

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addictedtostorytelling · 4 years ago

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So I had some time off from work recently and I got watching CSI season 10 - now I had watched previous season but when Grissom left I kinda stopped. Hence why I didn’t watch it when it aired.Anyway I just wondered what your thoughts were on that season? From watching it, I felt the writing was kinda lazy...I mean most the cases ended up being connected if it was a two case episode. And the whole Langston thing, just irritated me ?! All of a sudden this new level 2 CSI is more experienced than the long term level 3s (Nick, Sara and Greg). I get that LF was the main lead for S9&10 but why make him a newly qualified CSI and then be so knowledgeable? Sorry for rambling but this season has confused me 🤷🏻‍♀️

hey, anon!

i am right there with you in not enjoying s10.

or s11 through the finale, for that matter.

i’ll put my explanation of why—and talk about the issues you raised in your ask—after the “keep reading,” if you’re interested.

warning: here be an entire salt mine regarding the later seasons of csi. if these seasons are meaningful or enjoyable to you, i'd recommend passing on this post. i don’t necessarily try to be mean—and i do attempt to give credit when credit is due—but i also don’t pull any punches, either. i talk about what i view as the writing and production mistakes of this era at length. read at your own risk.

_____________

a lot changed for csi both inside the universe of the show and outside of it between s9 and s10.

of course, the most obvious and visible change was the departure of the show’s original lead actor/main character, billy petersen/gil grissom, and the arrival of his replacement, laurence fishburne/ray langston.

but that turnover was not the only significant one csi experienced around this time.

in fact, one of the more monumental changes for the show occurred in the season prior to his departure, between november 2007 and february 2008, during the infamous wga writers strike.

while much has been made of how this strike precipitated the rise of reality television as well as the fall of the “big four” national broadcast networks, its effects weren’t only of the systemic and sweeping variety; it also significantly impacted csi as an individual television property.

the most immediate impact was in shortening csi s8, which had only completed and filmed eleven episodes prior to the strike and only completed and filmed six more afterward. however, the strike also influenced the development of the show behind the scenes, as many long-time csi writers (e.g., richard j. lewis, kenneth fink, douglas petrie) either left the show entirely during the strike or in its aftermath, later being replaced by new hires, or else were “promoted” out of writing and into production.

though csi had always had a revolving door on its writers room and often worked off of scripts written by committee, this “changing of the writerly guard” was unlike anything the show had ever experienced before.

that the staff changes were both so wide-scale and largely coincided with the end of csi’s “grissom era” had the net effect of making all the material that came before the changes feel strikingly different—in terms of its composition and narrative values—from what came after.

there exists a very clear divide between the grissom episodes and everything subsequent to them.

while i cannot substantiate this claim, my sense is that, had the writing staff mostly remained the same around and after the time of billy/grissom’s departure, there would not have been such a noticeable shift in the show’s feel, all other factors considered.

just by virtue of being new to the show and coming in at a time when the production was already in transition, the new writing staff felt compelled to switch things up, changing the fabric of what had formerly been “classic csi.”

one of the biggest changes they instituted was to largely do away with the a plot, b plot episode construction that had long been a show staple.

this post talks about that change at length.

suffice it to say that i believe very strongly that much of that “laziness” you describe in your ask stems from the oversimplification of the traditional csi narrative structure; doing away with the b plot not only cuts down on the amount of cases there are for the characters to work, putting “all hands on deck” for the singular case-of-the-week, often without enough meaningful involvement to go around for everyone, but it also eliminates opportunities to develop emotional character threads.

while there were certainly reasons why the new writers moved away from the old structure—they were trying to achieve the difficult end of integrating new characters into a show with a core cast that had remained relatively stable for a very long period of time, and they thought that keeping everyone together, focused on the same activities, would afford them more chances to establish relationships between the new characters and the old—my sense is that they ultimately forewent more than they gained, particularly in the long run.

another move they made was to for the most part give up on serialization.

whereas in the past, csi had often incorporated multi-episode or even season- or seasons-long arcs focused on particular cases (such as the paul millander, blue paint killer, and miniature killer cases) and/or character development (such as sara’s depression arc between s4 and s5 or greg’s transition from lab rat to field mouse between s3 and s5), except for in a few notable instances (such as with the djk arc of s9 to s11 and the gig harbor killer arc of s15) the later seasons of csi eschewed this kind of continuity, making most cases self-contained within single episodes and largely doing away with lasting character development.

i mean, is there any notable difference between s9 and s15 greg?

why the new writers made this change, i can’t say for certain, but i suspect that it may have been done somewhat in ignorance of what people actually liked about csi.

with the success of spinoffs ny and miami, tptb may have erroneously assumed that people were tuning in because they enjoyed the csi formula; of course, the truth was that many of us—and particularly the show’s most dedicated fans—were there for the characters much more than we ever were for the “csi shots” and tv forensics (or at least were there for the characters equally as much).

we wanted to see development and change in how these characters behaved and responded to their environment based on their accumulating experiences over time. instead, we saw much more in the changing of the technologies available at and internal structure of the lab than we typically did with character composition.

and this was particularly true where it concerned our long-time favorite characters who had been there from the beginning.

while new characters such as ray and eventually db, finn, and morgan did receive occasional (albeit sporadic) character development and mini-arcs focused on them, first catherine and later nick, sara, and greg after her were often relegated to side-character status.

(@bartramcat has a lovely post articulating this problem specifically in regards to catherine, which you can read here.)

—and that brings us, in s10, to the problem of ray.

simply put, the csi writers badly bungled how they integrated ray into the main cast of the show.

to be fair to them, the narrative situation they were writing into was a complicated one.

they had a cast of established characters who had known each other and been developing relationships with one another for nine full years prior to ray’s arrival. the original team graveyard had been through thick and thin together. they had experienced the hard loss of one of their own in warrick, been scrutinized and broken up and eventually put back together by their superiors, and undergone all sorts of personal and team traumas over the course of nine seasons. they had also been at one another’s sides as they solved big cases, overcame meddling administrations, and helped one another through personal troubles. they were, in short, a family—and a family that had just seen the departure of their rock and patriarch, grissom, no less.

and ray was coming into that as the new guy.

and not just the new guy, but the de facto “grissom replacement.”

not only did he have big shoes to fill, but he also had a lot of ground to cover, in terms of developing relationships with his new team members and becoming an integral part of the show’s overall dynamic.

the writers couldn’t just snap their fingers and make ray “part of the family” overnight.

—and yet that’s kind of the task they had in front of them, because the continued success of the show depended on whether or not it could “survive without grissom” and transition into this new “langston era.”

from the sounds of things, the character who would go on to be named “ray langston” was written with fishburne already in mind for the role.

how much fishburne’s eventual hiring influenced the final shape of the character is unknown, but what is known is that having an a-list actor join their cast to “replace” billy petersen undoubtedly influenced the way tptb wielded his character from a production standpoint.

in respect to fishburne’s stature as an actor and the expectations which surrounded his casting, they had an obligation to “make the most out of him.”

and that meant they not only had to have him on screen a lot but also had to place central focus on his character.

and here is where they made some sizable missteps.

the writers were very aware of the fact that with the departure of billy/grissom, they were losing more than just their headliner.

grissom was the father of the team family—a partner to catherine and mentor to nick and greg, a font of experiential wisdom both professional and personal, whose individual charisma propelled the show.

with him gone, there was no one left to play the role of “team dad”—and while there is no hard and fast writing rule that says that every team needs a dad, in the csi universe, that there will be a team dad is basically a foregone conclusion.

gil grissom.

mac taylor.

horatio caine.

that's just how the csi franchise operates.

while there can also be “team moms”—catherine willows, stella bonasera, and (originally) kim delaney—they are typically relegated to a kind of secondary support role, in terms of mentoring the team.

despite having well-rounded female characters in general, csi’s is a very patriarchal fictional universe in terms of hierarchy; even patricia arquette wasn’t allowed to retain an independent leadership role on cyber before having ted danson brought in to copilot.

so even though catherine was taking over as team supervisor, grissom’s replacement was always going to be male and always going to have to fill that “team dad” role; the showrunners were very much looking for that new male lead.

in my eyes, this need to cast ray as grissom’s “team lead” spiritual successor represents tptb’s first serious mistake in conceptualizing and wielding ray.

the team didn’t need a new dad.

it needed the eldest son to step up and fill dad’s shoes.

while the show certainly could have brought in a new character—and even a new male character—that character should have been cast firmly in the “little brother” role, replacing greg (who was no longer himself a trainee) as the young guy in need of mentorship and guidance.

meanwhile, nick should have stepped into role of the heart and soul of the team, the one who gives pep talks and teaches hard-won lessons, who struggles making serious leadership decisions, and who partners with catherine to head up the graveyard shift. while he didn’t need to leap over catherine in line to actually become the shift supervisor—having him as the assistant supervisor was just fine—he did need to more fully assume the role of the man.

and one of his primary responsibilities should have been to mentor the new character in the same way he was himself mentored previously by grissom.

that’s the cycle of life.

that’s how you transition the show.

nick was certainly up to the task.

like grissom, he had been part of the cast of characters since the pilot. he was for all intents and purposes grissom’s eldest surviving son, the heir presumptive whom grissom had mentored until he was ready to “assume the throne.” while his personality differed greatly from grissom’s, he was like grissom in that he could hold a storyline all of his own. (that’s one reason why when after billy became unavailable to film episode 06x05 “gum drops” nick was slotted in to the “believer csi” role in grissom’s place.) moreover, he was charismatic, and he enjoyed meaningful relationships with every other character on the show. furthermore, some of the show’s most memorable moments—including the unforgettable two-parter “grave danger” episodes—centered on him. his was a recognizable face. his was a likeable character.

he wouldn’t have been the “team dad,” but he easily could have been the “team big brother” and male lead—and he very much should have been, if the csi writers had known what they were doing.

if you’ll allow me a comparison to another series:

my favorite show of all time is er, which, like csi, was a long-running drama that underwent several significant cast turnovers during its prodigious fifteen-season run.

unlike csi, er got the formula for dealing with these turnovers down to a science.

the first and most notable of them occurred when anthony edwards/mark greene, who had been the male lead on the show since the pilot, left the production after eight seasons. much as in the case of billy/grissom, tony/mark had been the heart and soul of the show and its central focus for forever; he really was the face of er and synonymous with many of its most memorable moments to that point.

losing him was a huge blow.

but the way er weathered the blow was not by replacing tony/mark with an outsider but rather by promoting from within, very literally and in no uncertain terms naming noah wyle/john carter as the successor to the franchise.

while carter was not the most senior doctor in the department, he was the character who had been on the show the longest to that point, and, moreover, he had been very much a son to mark—the young, impressionable med student whom mark had mentored until he became a competent doctor and fine leader in his own right. like mark, he was charismatic and could hold a storyline all on his own. he also enjoyed dynamic relationships with the other characters around him. he had been there for many of those same memorable moments as mark and was nearly as synonymous with the franchise property as mark was.

so carter became the show’s male lead.

and as carter was “promoted” out of the role of the mentee and into the role of the mentor, his vacant mentee role was then filled by a new, green-to-the-world, young med student named michael gallant, who was introduced just a few episodes prior to mark’s death and carter’s “assumption of the throne.”

as carter became the new greene, gallant became the new carter.

this cycle was one er repeated multiple times throughout the rest of the series, always with the successor to the lead character being promoted from within. whenever the previous lead character left the show, their replacement came in the form of someone you, as a viewer, already knew and loved, so you trusted that you’d be in good hands and that the story would continue to be anchored and compelling going forward.

csi should have taken a similar tack in replacing grissom.

nick should have been promoted to the male lead.

then there should have been some new hire to train.

and those two narrative moves should have been distinctive: the enthronement of the new male lead on the one hand and the introduction of the new mentee character on the other.

but instead the csi writers split the difference with ray.

while nick was nominally given the promotion to assistant shift supervisor and catherine’s right-hand man, he wasn’t allowed to truly function in the role of the show’s male lead.

ray got that job.

—and the problem was that ray also got the job of being the new kid on the block simultaneously.

rather than writing ray as an established csi with credentials to match grissom’s (or at least put him on par with the rest of the team, all of whom were at this point csi level iiis, as greg was promoted in episode 09x09 “19 down…”), they for some reason opted to make him a newcomer to the profession.

they may have done so because they felt that with greg’s maturation, they were in need of a new “audience stand-in” to see the world of field forensics from the outside, or maybe they teed things up that way because they didn’t want to run the risk of making langston a carbon copy of grissom or setting him up to directly compete with grissom’s legacy.

but whatever their motivations, the call was a bad one—because theory aside, in function, what it did was place langston’s role as “sage team patriarch”/new male lead at odds with his relative inexperience and rookie status.

literally everyone on the team—tiny greg included!—had more knowledge and perspective than he did.

while he was older than most of his other coworkers with the probable exception of catherine—catherine was born in ’59, and fishburne’s real life birthday is in ’61—and had more general life experience than them, having him dispense grissomesque wisdom to the team regarding the harsh realities of criminalistics and their work in law enforcement nevertheless felt disingenuous, given that while they had all been working in the field for over a decade at least, he was still in training and had yet to attain even csi level ii status.

to their credit, the writers seemed to realize this error in making ray both the go-to guy for advice and the guy on the team most in need of advice fairly quickly.

by the end of s9, they recognized that the center could not hold.

unfortunately, even after realizing the error, they had no idea how to fix it.

they had written themselves into a corner by making langston a csi level i when they needed him to be the team dad.

so instead of easing off of the dad thing and allowing catherine and/or nick to more naturally fill the mentor role while langston acted as just a straight-up rookie, as the tv storytelling gods intended, never mind his chronological age, they instead awkwardly and unrealistically accelerated langston’s development so that they could then justify having him dispense experiential wisdom.

and, oh boy, did that tactic backfire!

like a child character on a soap opera, langston was made to develop overnight.

he went from csi level i to csi level ii in record time—remember how it took greg two seasons to even make csi level i after he began his field training? remember how he remained at csi level i for multiple seasons before being promoted to level ii?—and then was treated like a csi level iii anyhow, being allowed to work cases with minimal or no supervision and take point on the haskell serial, which typically would be considered a “career case.”

he was also treated by the narrative as if he was in the position to give professional advice to nick, sara, and greg—even though they all still technically outranked him and would always have more experience than he did, no matter how many courses he took or certifications he completed.

fans, rightfully, found this inflation of his character both unrealistic and obnoxious, and particularly as he quickly became the central focus of the show and eclipsed even catherine in terms of his leadership role.

having him as the new guy in itself probably would have been fine.

his character was viable and could have with the right treatment been relatively interesting; unlike riley adams who was patently unlikable by construction, ray langston was someone that the audience could, under the appropriate circumstances, have come to sympathize with and even enjoy.

but the writers essentially rammed him down viewers’ throats and did so at the expense of other characters’ developments—and that sin is a cardinal one on a long-running ensemble show like csi.

because of the way the writers wielded langston and the other characters by comparison around him, neither catherine nor nick were allowed to thrive in their new supervisory roles in the ways that they ought to have done.

for years, we’d heard from none other than grissom himself that catherine had all of the makings of an excellent supervisor and that the only reason why she hadn’t yet attained such a position (aside from her brief stint as one during the “divided team” days of s5) was due to her own stubborn loyalty to him. then, with his departure, she finally got to be the supervisor, and, lo and behold, suddenly she was being written as just north of incompetent, and all to prop up ray by comparison—to make him seem needed and central to the team—as if she would, by any measure, be unable to manage the team she had been a part of and helped grissom to head for nine years to that point; as if there were any skill or aptitude that she would, in reality, after her 20+ year career in law enforcement, lack. frankly, the way they showed her struggling to keep track of her people and to provide strong, central leadership for her team was both egregious and ooc. it was a slap in the face to both her character and to marg helgenberger, who absolutely should have been given the keys to the franchise once billy walked away, both as a matter of seniority and because she absolutely deserved it. let laurence fishburne get a billing next to marg’s if you must, but make no mistake that the team belongs to catherine. don’t drag her down to build him up.

because of the way the writers wielded langston and the other characters by comparison around him, characters who had already been proven to be smart and capable were made to look far less competent than they were.

because of the way the writers wielded langston and the other characters by comparison around him, longstanding relationships among the other characters were neglected in favor of creating new relationships with him.

because of the way the writers wielded langston and the other characters by comparison around him, the whole landscape of the csi narrative changed to focus mostly on his character.

—which then created a “focus vacuum” when, after proving roundly unpopular, his character eventually flamed out and fishburne left the show at the end of s11.

from the sounds of your ask, you haven’t made it through s11-s15 yet, if ever you will, so without belaboring the point or delving into too many spoilers, suffice it to say that the problems which began at grissom’s departure and became more prominent during the langston days only get worse as the later seasons roll on.

the a plot, b plot structure becomes less and less utilized over time, and the serialization of the show drops off severely after the conclusion of the haskell arc.

consistent character development is never again a regular practice.

even with the departures of both ray and catherine, nick, sara, and greg never reclaim the focus they deserve.

worse yet, despite being given more focus than the remaining original character cast, the incoming characters of db, finn, and morgan are also shortchanged and ultimately underdeveloped, never truly given a chance to grow on the show’s longtime fans.

while the writers do at least learn from the “mentor-rookie” mistake they made with ray and have all of the new characters after him come into the show already at csi level iii, they fail to create cohesion between the old and the new in so many other ways that that small accomplishment is ultimately nullified.

so changed is the csi of s10-s15 to what it was in the beginning that in many ways it is the same show in name only.

even nick, sara, and greg don’t feel quite like themselves in the later seasons.

they’re like caricatures.

so while there were fans who came into the show during this era (or even a few old-timers who somehow came to prefer it), i am certainly not among them.

in my life outside of the internet, i am a college english professor, and one of the things i tell my students is that if you’re working on a writing project governed by a thesis statement, you need to make sure that the content of your project matches up with what’s laid out in your thesis statement all the way through the project.

you can’t start out arguing one thing and then “switch lanes” midway into your argument—not without confusing and potentially alienating your readers.

pro tip: when you’re working on an essay, write a “dummy thesis” first. then, once you finish your essay and have all of your arguments laid out, go back and write a real thesis which matches the actual content of your essay.

if we understand “readers” to be “viewers” in this context, then deviating from their originally-proposed thesis statement is pretty much exactly what tptb at csi did midway through the show.

in s1-s9 of csi, their thesis-contract with the viewers was something along the lines of: “this show will be about a team of flawed people, all intelligent at the genius level and possessed of a base skillset but with differing strengths and aptitudes between them. they will work together to solve crimes not through behavioral analysis or gut feelings or beating the snot out of informants a la what happens on most cop shows but instead by processing empirical evidence. the crimes they will solve will be ones which, with only minimal suspension of disbelief necessary, could for the most part be thought to take place in ‘real life.’ (in fact, many of them will be ‘ripped from the headlines.’) the victims, bystanders, persons-of-interest, and criminals they encounter will often be ‘regular people,’ of the kind one might actually meet on the street. the csis will always be shown to have a different function from the cops and detectives with whom they work. the show itself will be a drama, punctuated by occasional instances (beats, scenes, or even the rare full episode) of comedy. while the show will ostensibly be a crime procedural, it will also at its heart be character- rather than formula-driven, featuring season-spanning arcs which depict the members of the team developing and changing, both for better and for worse, in response to their experiences on and around their jobs. oftentimes, these seasons will have a unifying theme or central case to ground them. oftentimes, there will be callbacks in later episodes to events that happened in earlier ones. lessons and developments will, for the most part, carry over from week to week (and season to season). where possible, the show will be narratively innovative, experimenting with the conventions of television storytelling. viewers will be asked to apply both their attention and intelligence to the show in order to fully understand what is happening, and particularly as many of the character and plot developments will take place ‘between the lines’ on a subtextual level. the show will demand that its viewers be willing to fill in the blanks where necessary, and in turn it will promise to always provide at least enough textual evidence to make taking educated guesses possible (even if it never fully reveals a prevailing ‘right answer’).”

but in the later s10-s15 seasons, that thesis-contract shifted to something more like: “this show will be about a team of flawed people, all supposedly intelligent at the genius level, who have identical skillsets and mostly the same strengths and aptitudes between them. (their personalities may not even be that notably distinct from one another, depending on which writers are at the table for each given episode.) there will be the vague implication that they solve crimes based on empirical evidence, but the longer the show goes on, the less important the ins-and-outs of their investigations will become, and the less grounded in reality both the cases and the criminalistics will be. some behavioral-analysis, gut-feeling, beat-the-snot-out-of-the-informant shenanigans will start to sneak through whenever it is narratively convenient to play things that way. the crimes investigated will become increasingly convoluted and spectacular, to the point where many of them will defy suspension of disbelief. almost every other week, the csis will encounter a fringe group, fetish club, cult, or group of social pariahs with a bizarre way of life. the csis will not be functionally different than cops or detectives. the show will primarily be a comedy, punctuated by occasional instances (beats, scenes, or even the rare full episode) of drama. it will also be, straightforwardly, a crime procedural, with minimal interest in developing its characters. while characters may experience in-episode development, that development will rarely follow them beyond the episode in question; arcs are a thing of the past, and particularly of the season-spanning variety. the characters will not much change or develop, either for better or for worse, over the course of the show. the seasons will not have unifying themes, though they may occasionally feature central cases. callbacks will happen only sporadically and seldom be used to propel forward narrative progress. lessons and developments will remain tied to individual episodes and not carry over; characters will, in fact, often ‘relearn’ the same lessons multiple times over the course of various episodes or seasons without ever having those lessons ‘stick.’ the show will mostly adhere to its same tried-and-true television storytelling conventions. it will not attempt to innovate. it also will not ask much of its viewers in terms of their intellectual involvement. stories will take place on a surface-level; there will no longer be much or any subtext. everything will either be narratively spelled out or left blank not for the purpose of allowing for between-the-lines readings but simply due to writerly neglect or outright laziness. there will be glaring holes in the narrative that are never either satisfactorily filled-in or explained.”

of course, that’s not to say that a dramedy crime procedural about gun-toting “science cops” who mainly investigate spectacular crimes perpetrated at glitzy fetish clubs and do so using an admixture of their gut-instincts and state-of-the-art forensics technology couldn’t be a fun, viable television property or that there wouldn’t be an audience for such a program.

as is evidenced by the many people who did enjoy the later seasons of csi—and the csi sister properties miami and cyber, which very much fitted this same paradigm—there was/is an audience for this kind of show.

it's just not what i—or, from the sounds of things, you, anon—signed up for as a fan of the earlier seasons of csi.

it changes the rules too much.

it is television of a completely different quality.

and while not every meal needs to be fine dining in order to be tasty and there is certainly a place for junk in the buffet that is television viewing—we all have shows we watch that we know, objectively, are mediocre or even bad, and yet we still enjoy them, either in part or in full—that this particular show went from gourmet to fast food in such short order is truly disappointing.

because when csi was good, it was really good.

after thirteen years, the miniature killer arc of s7 remains one of the best-told stories i've had the pleasure to watch on network television, truly the definition of “must-see” and innovative in so many ways.

the characters who had been there since the beginning deserved so much better than what they ended up as.

now.

lest anyone mistake my meaning here, none of what i've said is meant as a dig at the actors who worked on this show, whether from among the original cast or the new additions; they all made the most of whatever material they were given and remained the most enjoyable part of the whole production, both in the prosperous times and the lean.

also, i remain very aware that while it is easy for me, with the benefit of hindsight, to criticize the various mistakes the writers and producers of the show made as they dealt with cast turnovers and shifting production realities, they themselves were writing and creating in real-time, and they couldn’t always anticipate what the long-term effects of their decisions would be.

i am sympathetic to them, acknowledging that they were often in a position where they were reacting instead of acting—dealing with the fallout from cast departures and struggling to account for cast additions, responding to fluctuating budgets and shifts in public tastes over the fifteen years that their show was on the air.

i certainly don’t think they set out to lower the quality of the show.

but, in the end, i do think that’s what happened.

the later seasons of csi are just not as well-written as the earlier seasons.

so, yeah, i'm right there with you, anon.

thanks for the question! feel welcome to send another any time.

#answered #anon #asks: csi #let's talk shop #**#my meta #meta: csi #meta: production #season ten #csi #later seasons #csiverse

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