A tv related post. What a surprise.

[usuallyhats]

Got back from my parents in time to watch Sherlock last night on Sunday night, though I missed the very beginning because I was making toast.

• I like Watson SO MUCH MORE now that vilakins has pointed out how Vila-ish he is! :D


• The plot was... rather uncomfortably Orientalist. I wish they had not gone down that route.


• Was pleased by Sarah beating up bad guys with an arrow (I loved how she just jumped into the fight without hesitating) and spotting that Soo Lin had already started the translation. Can we have more of her, please?


• Gemma Chan was pretty good, I thought. She should be in more things. I am picturing her as a companion, adding to the Eleven-Amy-Rory team, and it is making me happy.


• WATSON VERSUS THE SELF CHECKOUT MACHINE.


• Did we really need all the flashbacks to things we have just seen? I am not sure it was really necessary to show Watson borrowing Sherlock's credit card, for example. And flashing back to Sherlock's sword fight would've been hilarious... if we hadn't see it approximately thirty seconds earlier. Comedy flashbacks OR comedy intercutting, not both, please! Also, the person he was fighting seemed to have wandered in from a period version of Sherlock Holmes. That was weird, and not in a good way.


• ...where was Lestrade? It is a little early for characters to be taking the episode off.


• Incidentally, why didn't Watson just explain that he'd fallen asleep because he was helping his detective flatmate solve a string of murders? That is an excellent excuse since it is both true and liable to make him look cooler. Maybe he was trying to appear normal. Silly boy.


• And why were Sherlock and Watson rummaging through those boxes of books all haphazardly? Wouldn't it have made more sense to get them all out, put them in order, and then see which ones were doubled? Much more logical and thorough. Possibly I have been working in a library for too long.

In other TV-ness, I've just started watching Fringe (on persiflage_1's recommendation)! I'm five episodes in and already v. fond of it. It was quite exciting starting to watch with very little idea of the premise or the cast - I didn't see the ending of episode one coming! I love Olivia so much - she's tough, driven, dedicated, open-minded, and just really really good at her job. ♥ I'm also v. fond of Astrid, though she never gets enough screen time. And the Bishops! I adore them and their relationship, and also one day I will stop calling Peter Pacey, honest. The dialogue can be a bit expositiony and clunky at times, but it also cracks me up on a regular basis ("...no, I haven't got any cocaine"). The ridiculous science is so much fun, and I also like the way all the characters are aware that it's a bit ridiculous, like with the pigeons in 1x05 where everyone is all "...what are we doing?" Anyway, I like it a whole lot and am eagerly awaiting the next disc.

In other other TV-ness, The Animals of Farthing Wood has a TV Tropes page. I LOVE THE INTERNET.

Comments

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Many of your thoughts are mine. And I've had trouble with the self check-out where it thought I hadn't put items in the bag. :-P I thought the flashbacks were totally unnecessary too (though the one about him saying he was Holmes was funny), and this ep had an odd old-fashioned feel because of the Tongs and the Chinese number codes. I liked Sarah too.

Hey, how many eps are there? Someone said there are only three, and this is nowhere near enough. Please tell me there are more.

[usuallyhats]

The phrase "unexpected item in the bagging area" is just guaranteed to make me laugh. :D

(though the one about him saying he was Holmes was funny)
Yes, I liked that one too!

Only three for the moment, I'm afraid...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yeah, because what is it? A purple plastic porcupine? That thing has denied I put stuff in the bag and also wanted me to buy my own wallet once. Also you can't go through with fruit or veges, but generally it works fine.

Oh crap. I was looking forward to a whole series. Have they planned more? It seems odd that they chose this rather dated story with its slow pacing when they only have three to tell. :-( I feel rather cheated. And who was Holmes fighting at the beginning? It reminded me of Inspector Clouseau and Kato.

I wonder if Soo Lin was a B7 reference. Because no one here (this city is 25% Asian in our meaning of the word) would spell it like that.

[usuallyhats]

and also wanted me to buy my own wallet once
!!! Silly machines.

It seems odd that they chose this rather dated story with its slow pacing when they only have three to tell. :-(
Yeah, exactly! They can't blame running out of stories, really. I've heard vague murmurings about a second series, but nothing concrete.

And who was Holmes fighting at the beginning?
I have no idea! That was really weird.

I wonder if Soo Lin was a B7 reference.
Oh, I hope so! I haven't seen much of her yet (so behind! again!) but she seems really great.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Some people think she was underwritten, but I like her a lot for her cool logical observation. I've also enjoyed filling in her background and what goes on behaind the cool mask.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Four if you buy the DVD as they're including the unaired pilot!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Oh! Thanks! I wonder why they didn't air it--and why such a short run even needed one.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I've no idea on either score! It's a bit baffling!

[cosmic-llin.livejournal.com]

Not reading the rest of this becasue spoilers, but OMG Farthing Wood!

[usuallyhats]

I can't believe that it not only has a page, but a really in depth one! I was reading it last night and getting all nostalgic.

[cosmic-llin.livejournal.com]

I've just been doing the same! I used to have every single one of the magazines, too...

[usuallyhats]

I still do! And all of the specials. *happysigh*

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

one day I will stop calling Peter Pacey, honest.

Nah, I think we're all still calling him Pacey, even after two seasons. *g*

[usuallyhats]

:D I won't worry too much about trying to call him by the right name, then!

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

WATSON VERSUS THE SELF CHECKOUT MACHINE.

I laughed SO HARD at that - because I do that too - the whole ranting-at-the-machine in Sainsbugs - about once every four visits! Either it nags me too much about putting in the money, or it goes on about me not bagging stuff when basically it's being moronic!

SO agree about the unnecessary flashbacks - really, really poor show there (bad writing, that!). And the pacing was off - dunno what DW guy Euros Lynn was doing but it seemed as if he was trying to send me to sleep!

And YAYS for you getting into Fringe. I LURVE it when my evil oppression pays off! :D

[usuallyhats]

Thank you for recommending it to me! :D

And the pacing was off - dunno what DW guy Euros Lynn was doing but it seemed as if he was trying to send me to sleep!
*nods* I was surprised, because I'm sure I remember him being pretty good on DW...

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Heehee you're quite welcome!

*nods* I was surprised, because I'm sure I remember him being pretty good on DW...

He was usually better than that!