I'm so conflicted about this show. The Civil War is one of the most fascinating eras in American history, and quite literally the hinge on which all of modern American politics rests. I was so excited to watch but after the first few episodes it felt like the writing devolved into historical fanfiction territory. I was really disappointed that the show decided to lean into the conspiracy theory that the entire assassination was a plot by Jefferson Davis, when they'd already established Booth was a racist, delusional narcissist who would have absolutely been insane enough to plot something like this purely out of fanatical devotion to the Confederacy. Given the clear Trump allusion they made in the scene where Stanton talks to Sanders, it would have been a powerful representation of how individuals become radicalized on their own. Not to mention the scene where they throw a party celebrating the publishing of Elizabeth Keckley's tell all book, which in real life led to her ostracization from society and permanent estrangement from the Lincoln family for revealing too much of what she knew about their private affairs. Pure historical fanfic.
At times it felt like the show didn't know if it was trying to be a story about Booth or a story about Stanton. Stanton is obviously the true protagonist, the good guy we root for throughout the show and the one who is carrying the torch of Lincoln's ideals. But Anthony Boyle's Booth is such a scene stealer that after he exits the show the final episode feels almost deflated. I could sense that this show was trying to say something bigger about justice and politics and staying true to your ideals, but in my opinion the narrative never really explored any of those themes in a satisfactory way.
And I'm sorry, but I never warmed up to Hamish Linklater's portrayal of Lincoln.
I think this is a fine show if you just want to watch a period drama that has spy and courtroom elements without thinking about it too much, but it's trying to be something deeper and unfortunately not really getting there.
No meme, here are my personal top 5 people (+ reasons) that I think would fit as Data if there was a Star Trek TNG Kelvin movie
Bryan Dechart: I think out of the 5 people on this list, Bryan Dechart would be the best Data mainly due to his experience in playing android character. He even admitted that he took heavy reference from Data while playing Connor
Jonathan Groff: Jonathan Groff is basically Bryan Dechart if he were a boomer. Unlike Dechart, he has never played an android character before but I'm basing this off his performance as Holden Ford from Mindhunter. He delivers Holden's analytical and cold but also awkward and excitable personality well and everytime I see Holden I'd go "wow he's so Data-coded". Also Groff is a Theatre actor which would do great with Data's art interest
Eddie Redmayne: Basing my opinion on him as Newt Scamander, I think Newt is very Data-coded
Hamish Linklater: I admit this is biased due to me getting into Midnight Mass recently but hear me out- Father Paul's sopping wet cat nature would fit Data's flop era ngl. Also the way Linklater did those random hand movements as Paul/Pruitt = Data's little hand movements whenever he's about to work on the console
Lee Pace: I just think it'd be funny. He also works as Lore
Wait, what was before Paul Dano, cause I was here whay before that and now I’m curious just how long😂
I was just reminiscing on the blorbo timeline lmao
IN THE BEGINNING (early 2020) it was the witcher and henry cavill characters, then it was marvel and bucky/steve/sam with other sebstan and cevans characters, then it was zemo and daniel brühl, then there was a hamish linklater phase (which I sequestered mostly to my ao3) and THEN the dano era before we arrived here in quinnville
if you remember my cavill phase you’re an og and I’m glad you stuck around this long! if you just got here for the eddie era we’re glad you could make it <3