Author Topic: What I Learned Today  (Read 1463931 times)

Solid Blake

  • Godfather
  • *****
  • Posts: 5028
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8760 on: May 12, 2010, 10:02:41 AM »
This Joss Whedon guy is apparently highly praised, but from watching the complete series of "Firefly," I'm more inclined to see him as a nice guy with mediocre talent, who creates semi-ambitious projects and is lucky to find great actors to support his cult following.
Yea, "Firefly" is his worst. All his other stuff is varying degrees of good to pure awesomeness.

About half-way through the first season, the series shifts from a space melodrama to a space comedy (and a not a very funny one, at that) and this shift is so very jarring. It's as if they had no idea what they were getting into with this series.  :-\

It's equal parts comedy and drama right from the start.  ???

Nope. I think your memory might be a bit fuzzy. Sure, the characters of Wash and Jayne provide a few moments of laughter; however, the tonal shift of the series completely changes around episodes 5 and 6. The previous episodes were very serious and somewhat foreboding, emphasizing Mal Reynold's pragmatic/tough disposition and previous war history. Then it quickly turns into a show of one-liners and that River girl (by the way, putting in a character that is "shrouded in mystery" that constantly gyrates and moans always annoys the hell out of me!!) running away from the "shepherd" because his hair looked funny.

Seriously, it's as obvious as if they were to insert a laugh-track to the show...

Bill Thompson

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 17561
  • DOOM!!!!
    • Bill's Movie Emporium
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8761 on: May 12, 2010, 10:17:42 AM »
This Joss Whedon guy is apparently highly praised, but from watching the complete series of "Firefly," I'm more inclined to see him as a nice guy with mediocre talent, who creates semi-ambitious projects and is lucky to find great actors to support his cult following.
Yea, "Firefly" is his worst. All his other stuff is varying degrees of good to pure awesomeness.

About half-way through the first season, the series shifts from a space melodrama to a space comedy (and a not a very funny one, at that) and this shift is so very jarring. It's as if they had no idea what they were getting into with this series.  :-\

It's equal parts comedy and drama right from the start.  ???

Nope. I think your memory might be a bit fuzzy. Sure, the characters of Wash and Jayne provide a few moments of laughter; however, the tonal shift of the series completely changes around episodes 5 and 6. The previous episodes were very serious and somewhat foreboding, emphasizing Mal Reynold's pragmatic/tough disposition and previous war history. Then it quickly turns into a show of one-liners and that River girl (by the way, putting in a character that is "shrouded in mystery" that constantly gyrates and moans always annoys the hell out of me!!) running away from the "shepherd" because his hair looked funny.

Seriously, it's as obvious as if they were to insert a laugh-track to the show...

I'm in the middle of watching/reviewing it as we speak, and being four episodes in it's very much equal parts comedy and drama from the start. The harshness of Mal is always on display, but so is his heart and so is his wisecracking nature. That can basically be said for every character, from day one they show dual sides of themselves, one side that is serious and faces the hardships of life with the same seriousness, but then they have their other side, that cracks jokes and laughs at what life decides to toss their way.

ˇKeith!

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 26774
  • Bitch, I been around since LimeWire.
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8762 on: May 12, 2010, 10:21:03 AM »
watching boradcast order or dvd order?

FroHam X

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 17792
  • “By any seeds necessary.”
    • justAtad
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8763 on: May 12, 2010, 10:22:11 AM »
This Joss Whedon guy is apparently highly praised, but from watching the complete series of "Firefly," I'm more inclined to see him as a nice guy with mediocre talent, who creates semi-ambitious projects and is lucky to find great actors to support his cult following.
Yea, "Firefly" is his worst. All his other stuff is varying degrees of good to pure awesomeness.

About half-way through the first season, the series shifts from a space melodrama to a space comedy (and a not a very funny one, at that) and this shift is so very jarring. It's as if they had no idea what they were getting into with this series.  :-\

It's equal parts comedy and drama right from the start.  ???

Nope. I think your memory might be a bit fuzzy. Sure, the characters of Wash and Jayne provide a few moments of laughter; however, the tonal shift of the series completely changes around episodes 5 and 6. The previous episodes were very serious and somewhat foreboding, emphasizing Mal Reynold's pragmatic/tough disposition and previous war history. Then it quickly turns into a show of one-liners and that River girl (by the way, putting in a character that is "shrouded in mystery" that constantly gyrates and moans always annoys the hell out of me!!) running away from the "shepherd" because his hair looked funny.

Seriously, it's as obvious as if they were to insert a laugh-track to the show...

This is really not the case. I've watched an rewatched every episode too many times to count. This really isn't the case. The show was always hilarious and always deeply dramatic. Highlighted in the biggest way by that kick in the engine in episode 2. It's a moment that completely defined what the show was doing. It was a hilarious moment, but also very dark, and it said a lot about what kind of dramatic territory these characters would have to deal with and would have dealt with if the series had gone on longer.
"We didn't clean the hamster's cage, the hamster's cage cleaned us!"

Can't get enough FroHam? Read more of my musings at justAtad

Solid Blake

  • Godfather
  • *****
  • Posts: 5028
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8764 on: May 12, 2010, 10:25:28 AM »
watching boradcast order or dvd order?

Netflix Streaming Order?

Bill Thompson

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 17561
  • DOOM!!!!
    • Bill's Movie Emporium
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8765 on: May 12, 2010, 10:28:37 AM »
watching boradcast order or dvd order?

I always watch DVD order, I tried once in broadcast order and the show made no sense that way.

BlueVoid

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1841
    • Movie Fodder
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8766 on: May 12, 2010, 11:58:50 AM »
My snozberries taste like snozzberries.
Former blog on FlickChart: The Depths of Obscurity
Letterboxd 
iCM
Twitter

Steven O. Selsnik

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1379
  • I don't mind a parasite.Iobject to a cut-rate one
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8767 on: May 12, 2010, 12:06:19 PM »
i don't know shit

oneaprilday

  • FAB
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 13746
  • "What we see and what we seem are but a dream."
    • A Journal of Film
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8768 on: May 12, 2010, 12:06:37 PM »
My snozberries taste like snozzberries.
New wallpaper?

St. Martin the Bald

  • Lurker
  • Global Moderator
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 11205
Re: What I Learned Today
« Reply #8769 on: May 12, 2010, 12:08:49 PM »
I am afraid of vermiscious kinids.
Hey, nice marmot!