just watched Castle...
May. 17th, 2011 05:37 pm...oh. my god.
Things that are making me happy!
Apr. 22nd, 2011 05:51 pmBecause there's not enough uncomplicated yay! in my life, here's some things that are making me happy right now:
* Archer, which is hilarious and oddly addictive, and could teach lessons on how to make edgy comedy that's not wall-to-wall offensive.
* Castle, my viewing of which fell by the wayside a year or more ago, and after my TV-watching buddy acknowledged last week that we weren't going to have time to watch it, I mainlined over a season of it, and I love so much about it. I don't remember any of the plots, but they're not the joy of a show like this.
* Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, the prequel telemovie which aired a few days ago. OMG SAM. "El Barbia!" "You really want to kiss me right now, don't you!" Beatriz! I love Sam Axe a ridiculous amount, I can tell you, and the whole thing was great. (And Sam's execution of the Michael Westen Voice Over - awesome.)
* The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells, recced by![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mollyamory. It's smart, clever fantasy with excellent characterisation and worldbuilding, and an intriguing plot. Amazon refused to sell me a Kindle version of it (SCREW YOU, ARTIFICIAL DIGITAL SCARCITY) so a friend hooked me up with an ebook version while I order a hardcopy. (I am not a patient person.)
* DS9,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
ds9_rewatch and the friending meme. I am really hooked on Trek at the moment, and very glad to have people to talk about it with... to... at... whatever. :)
* Archer, which is hilarious and oddly addictive, and could teach lessons on how to make edgy comedy that's not wall-to-wall offensive.
* Castle, my viewing of which fell by the wayside a year or more ago, and after my TV-watching buddy acknowledged last week that we weren't going to have time to watch it, I mainlined over a season of it, and I love so much about it. I don't remember any of the plots, but they're not the joy of a show like this.
* Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, the prequel telemovie which aired a few days ago. OMG SAM. "El Barbia!" "You really want to kiss me right now, don't you!" Beatriz! I love Sam Axe a ridiculous amount, I can tell you, and the whole thing was great. (And Sam's execution of the Michael Westen Voice Over - awesome.)
* The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells, recced by
mollyamory. It's smart, clever fantasy with excellent characterisation and worldbuilding, and an intriguing plot. Amazon refused to sell me a Kindle version of it (SCREW YOU, ARTIFICIAL DIGITAL SCARCITY) so a friend hooked me up with an ebook version while I order a hardcopy. (I am not a patient person.)* DS9,
ds9_rewatch and the friending meme. I am really hooked on Trek at the moment, and very glad to have people to talk about it with... to... at... whatever. :)Ur Doin' It Rite
Apr. 15th, 2011 04:43 pmSo I'm catching up on Castle, since I'm about a year behind (or I was until today's marathon episode binge) and one thing has really struck me:
They do modernity really well.
That is, they're constantly referencing modern communications technology - not in the super-secret espionage sense, but they're constantly referring to blogs, Twitter, social media, in a way that makes it very clear that the writers get it. It doesn't feel forced, or hammered in in an attempt to prove they're hip to what's groovy, daddio.
I can't help but compare it with the other procedural I watch, NCIS (and NCIS: LA, but they're informed by the same principles so for arguments like this it's the same show, really) and it's so obvious that their writers don't get it. They make laboured references to things like "MyFace" and other artificial thinly-disguised real-world analogues; they run the occasional blog-related storyline that inevitably depicts all bloggers as failed, frustrated, obsessive wannabe-journalists. And social media as a dangerous, scary world that inevitably gets you killed because it's full of psychos.
And then there's Castle, where Beckett routinely instructs Ryan or Esposito to check social media for chatter on the topic du jour; where Rick Castle routinely does Twitter searches from his smartphone; where Castle mentions leveraging the power of his social media fanbase positively.
It's nice to know there are some TV writers (on shows aimed at adults) that do understand their audience, because despite its success I can't help but think NCIS really doesn't any more.
They do modernity really well.
That is, they're constantly referencing modern communications technology - not in the super-secret espionage sense, but they're constantly referring to blogs, Twitter, social media, in a way that makes it very clear that the writers get it. It doesn't feel forced, or hammered in in an attempt to prove they're hip to what's groovy, daddio.
I can't help but compare it with the other procedural I watch, NCIS (and NCIS: LA, but they're informed by the same principles so for arguments like this it's the same show, really) and it's so obvious that their writers don't get it. They make laboured references to things like "MyFace" and other artificial thinly-disguised real-world analogues; they run the occasional blog-related storyline that inevitably depicts all bloggers as failed, frustrated, obsessive wannabe-journalists. And social media as a dangerous, scary world that inevitably gets you killed because it's full of psychos.
And then there's Castle, where Beckett routinely instructs Ryan or Esposito to check social media for chatter on the topic du jour; where Rick Castle routinely does Twitter searches from his smartphone; where Castle mentions leveraging the power of his social media fanbase positively.
It's nice to know there are some TV writers (on shows aimed at adults) that do understand their audience, because despite its success I can't help but think NCIS really doesn't any more.
That 30 Day TV meme thing.
Jun. 11th, 2010 10:03 amDay 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
I don't actually have an obvious answer for this. Most of the stuff that I really love at the moment tends to be fairly mainstream and popular; it's not so obscure that I think "oh, people would love this if they only knew about it". (My current dedicated TV-watching roster is: NCIS, Castle, Burn Notice, and QI, plus I'm less dedicated about but still interested in NCIS:LA (though I fast-forward through the Emo Manpain episodes), Bones, Dr Who, Spicks and Specks, and Leverage.)
If this was last year, I'd say The Middleman, to try and save it from cancellation - but it's too late now. So I think I'll say Castle, just to keep it safe, since it's the one in most danger.
---
Right, that's that done, now back to wrestling with WordPress templates for my new blog.
I don't actually have an obvious answer for this. Most of the stuff that I really love at the moment tends to be fairly mainstream and popular; it's not so obscure that I think "oh, people would love this if they only knew about it". (My current dedicated TV-watching roster is: NCIS, Castle, Burn Notice, and QI, plus I'm less dedicated about but still interested in NCIS:LA (though I fast-forward through the Emo Manpain episodes), Bones, Dr Who, Spicks and Specks, and Leverage.)
If this was last year, I'd say The Middleman, to try and save it from cancellation - but it's too late now. So I think I'll say Castle, just to keep it safe, since it's the one in most danger.
---
Right, that's that done, now back to wrestling with WordPress templates for my new blog.
Fridayish.
Apr. 24th, 2010 04:46 amToday's ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fannish5:
Name 5 characters you think would have a good time hanging out with you and your friends - in your world, not theirs.
1. Tim McGee (NCIS), because he's basically just like my friends, except for the day job. (If any of my friends are federal agents, they haven't told me...)
2. Marten Reed (Questionable Content), because we're just like his friends, only less crazy and therefore somewhat more relaxing. :)
3. Sam Axe (Burn Notice), because he's incredibly laid-back, and easy-to-please, and this part of the world entirely understands the 'gentleman of leisure' lifestyle he aims for.
4. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter), because, well, birds of a feather flock together.
5. Abby Sciuto (NCIS), because she could have a good time hanging out with anybody.
*
And now for a weekly roundup, since I'm trying to shake myself out of this uncommunicative rut I'm in.
( This week in Eleanorland: )
fannish5:Name 5 characters you think would have a good time hanging out with you and your friends - in your world, not theirs.
1. Tim McGee (NCIS), because he's basically just like my friends, except for the day job. (If any of my friends are federal agents, they haven't told me...)
2. Marten Reed (Questionable Content), because we're just like his friends, only less crazy and therefore somewhat more relaxing. :)
3. Sam Axe (Burn Notice), because he's incredibly laid-back, and easy-to-please, and this part of the world entirely understands the 'gentleman of leisure' lifestyle he aims for.
4. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter), because, well, birds of a feather flock together.
5. Abby Sciuto (NCIS), because she could have a good time hanging out with anybody.
*
And now for a weekly roundup, since I'm trying to shake myself out of this uncommunicative rut I'm in.
( This week in Eleanorland: )
A TV meeeeeme.
Apr. 14th, 2010 11:35 pmSwiped from helens78 and a couple of other places ;)
Here's a theme that goes "post your five favorite TV shows in no particular order, and answer questions!"
I'm going to answer this for 'my five favourite shows ever', not 'right now', so:
a. Farscape (OH MY HEART)
b. Futurama
c. Star Trek: The Next Generation
d. NCIS
e. Castle
( Fun stuff here! )
helens78 and a couple of other places ;)Here's a theme that goes "post your five favorite TV shows in no particular order, and answer questions!"
I'm going to answer this for 'my five favourite shows ever', not 'right now', so:
a. Farscape (OH MY HEART)
b. Futurama
c. Star Trek: The Next Generation
d. NCIS
e. Castle
( Fun stuff here! )
