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summerspn · 6 years

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Charmed (2018)

(Minor spoilers)

I waited a few months, trying to go in this with an open mind. I didn’t google or watch anything about this show since first watching the trailer for the pilot months ago.

Here are my thoughts:

The diversity is great overall. However, I feel like the show is focusing on quantity over quality in that respect. I don’t care if the leads are African American, Latino, Caucasian, Asian, or from Mars. However, the should be able to act! Meaning, have depth / layers.

If any show/movie/or writer is attempting to be diverse, they need to diversify!

While I’m not in show business I hope to publish more stories in the future. So I read whatever I can get my hands on. Books written by Americans, Canadian, British, some from Africa, South America etc. I do this because I’m not only curious but I’m self aware. I want to know what other people do and to gain perspective.

For writers/directors/show runners etc they should watch shows & movies from other countries. British shows are phenomenal in the fact they do everything 100%. The writing feels natural, it’s intelligent, & it flows. The acting is brilliant. Even the people who have 2 lines can act! A couple years ago I watched an old Canadian show (I can’t remember the title) but it was heart wrenching and beautiful. I saw 20 minutes and was in tears...(without knowing who the characters were). The acting was that good. And the cast for many Canadian shows are diverse (though admittedly not ideal), but it feels real. They don’t beat us over the head with it.

- My point is, this 2018 version of Charmed was promoting itself as diverse but that worked for and against itself. Diversity is great but pointing out one’s differences is counterproductive. It’s like saying ‘treat me like everyone else’ and ‘I’m different & unique’ at the same time.

- The CW should have just focused on the actresses/characters being relatable. That’s more about marketing & instructing the actors before they give interviews though.

The special effects are on par with the original Charmed. That’s...not great. 20 years in between the shows. There are better effects out there.

So this tells me the CW was being cheap & didn’t want to pour their money into the special effects. As if the show wasn’t worth it...and if the CW thinks that, I’m not surprised people weren’t happy about the show.

- Also, there are tricks to use less special effects...camera angles etc. From Supernatural (another CW show - the only good one imho) The camera moves around Misha Collins so he can walk out of the frame and poof! Castiel is gone! No special effects required but it still felt real. The CW could do some tricks like that to supplement the budget.

This last episode - the black Smokey demon guys poofed in and out a fair amount. Cool I guess but then the final show down where the sisters slam that staff into the ground and the gate to hell opened, that looked incredibly cheesy. Less poofing earlier = more $ for final showdown special effects. Basic math.

- I actually prefer the original special effects because it was appropriate back then - to the time & technology it was pretty great.

The reboot has constant references to modern technology but it feels like they’re not using modern tech for the special effects.

Female empowerment! Yay! Or rather, what? As a headstrong, independent woman who can hold my own in an argument and that time I got mugged I can honestly say I do NOT support male bashing. Yes there are a lot of rich white men in power that suck but your friends, neighbours, professors, nephews etc have NOTHING to do with that.

This show acts like (well, the way the dialogue is written) every little upset or injustice is because of ‘harassment’ or a rejection of feminism & females. No, one doesn’t have to lead to the other. Your professor is upset with your work or with what you say... it’s possible you’re an idiot. Or maybe you shout the information in a way that’s standoffish which rubs someone the wrong way...

The original Charmed celebrated love. The sisters loved & respected their male friends, brothers-in-law, their father etc. There was an episode where Grams had trouble accepting a male witch into the family but they showed growth & she only felt that way because she was burned by love before. The reboot just tries to create drama where there isn’t any.

Female empowerment is where you feel strong & secure enough to be yourself. To be able to speak your mind, stand up for yourself & be independent. In real life you don’t have to tell people you’re empowered, you just are.

This show distorts that message. Empowerment does not require one to tear down another gender. The sisters from the original Charmed were strong and empowered but they never acted like they were better than anyone else (except demons).

The acting. Oh the acting... so the actors aren’t great. Some are better than others. Unfortunately it’s very distracting and disruptive to the suspension of disbelief. Noticing the poor acting pulls you out of the story so once again people aren’t as invested in the characters or the plot.

The gay characters are fine. I don’t care either way but why the continual reminders? Just BE.

Even on the show Crazy Ex Girlfriend, Daryl’s character is bi and white-Josh (his nickname on the show) is gay. But it’s not annoying and when they talk about it it’s either natural or over the top celebratory. They write it into the show so even the coming out musical number feels authentic. It’s kind of impressive to do that.

- But here on Charmed it’s brought up in a way that feels almost...out of the blue. Difficult to explain but it just doesn’t work. That randomness feels like it was smacking us and going ‘see I’m gay’!

Meanwhile during Crazy Ex girlfriend after 1 episode of Daryl making eyes at White-Josh you root for them. It’s just written so well.

The writing. Sub par. It’s more about the little things but I have predicted the villains a few times.

Whitelighter-that-looks-like-Wesley-from-BTVS-and-Ketch-from-Supernatural...was it necessary to KIDNAP the sisters, bind & confine them to reveal who they are?! And he didn’t get his ass kicked for it?! They were just...okay with it? That’s the first time I felt like they were all idiots. I mean, he could have just...I dunno, had a Conversation with them minus the sketchy kidnapping!

If that had been the OG sisters they’d have been pissed. Prue probably would have sent him flying or hit him with whatever was close by even without her powers.

Most episodes just feel a little...cheesy. So whitelighter (“guardian”) says in an episode ‘you’ll need to use the power of three’. It’s all dramatic and a big show down but it felt cheesy. Looking back I think it was because that actor was probably directed to just act like he was informing them...but because of that it felt like he could care less what happened. It was flat. Plus why did he stand so he was almost pressed against her? Just...awkward.

The actual spells are okay to me and the show has some nice eerie vibes but with the background music, the dialogue and even the title ‘Charmed’ it feels very light. The combo is classic Disney. It’s all fighting against one another.

Another example of minor details which has a big impact. This last episode - cute British guy is like ‘oh!’ And grabs a chair to stop him from being sucked into Hell. Really? That’s gonna do the trick. *sigh* To be fair, the writers go off what the show runners/directors want. So IF they were in a big open room and that was the only thing there, sure grab the chair. However, he was standing next to a door frame!

So I’m guessing the writers either: 1) didn’t know the set design, 2) the powers that be instructed them to ignore that detail, or 3), everyone forgot. Either way it’s sloppy. Not to mention the end result made the whole scene feel very...goofball rather than dramatic.

One of the MOST annoying things about this series is that they throw things in like a checklist. So we talked about...feminism ✔️, LGBTQ ✔️, ethnic minorities ✔️ etc. Seriously CW, you don’t have to squish everything into one episode. It felt too much like name dropping. See, we’re talking about this this and this...see, we’re cool! 😉 it felt so awkward.

If you’re going to go through your checklist at least spread it out. One episode focusing on their long lost sister & new powers. Next episode trouble with being harassed at school, next episode how you navigate your relationship with your girlfriend etc. Everything coming at you while they’re battling a demon is just too much!

The show is entertaining in a way but it was more about seeing if it was going to get better.

After over a decade since the original series ended, the CW still wasn’t prepared for this. Too many issues to like it as anything more than a time filler. Personally I’m not a fan of it and won’t watch anymore.

I also still want the CW to apologize to the original cast & crew for ripping off the show. It won’t make me watch the reboot anymore but it’ll make me feel less guilty for watching my favourite show, Supernatural which is under their control.

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mythmotel · 6 years

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Magicians Fan Questionnaire

TAGGED BY: @alice-quinn (thank you my dear!)

TAGGING: i dont have magicians friend on tumblr besides @alice-quinn skidjdj

1) What’s your name/nickname?

my name is dean but people call me quentin or Q online

2) When did you start watching The Magicians?

after season 1 aired i believe

3) Who’s your favorite character?

quentin (if you cant tell lmao)

4) What’s your favorite season?

oh uhhh either season 1 or 3

5) What’s your favorite episode?

i Cant Chose

6) Any ships?

i basically ship everything and anybody but im partial to q/el and margo/q/el

7) Favorite plot line?

i liked the beginning when they were trying to get to fillory

8) Have you read the books?

im almost done the first book

9) If yes, did you read the books or watch the show first?

show first, as one does

10) What made you start watching the show?

my mom.... was watching it....... and i happened to be sitting there oskhdh

11) What would you like to see in season 4 and what are your predictions?

i want to see more goddess julia and alice character development. i also just want eliot to be HAPPY! i have no predictions except maybe margo and josh know something is up 👀

12) How old are you? (if you feel comfortable sharing)

13) Do you have any pets?

i have a cat! his name is daryl

14) What’s the weirdest thing you own?

pinup art piece of justin trudeau

15) How long have you been on Tumblr?

s- six years. i think its been six fucking years.

16) What are you studying in college? (alternatively: what did you study or what are you planning on studying?)

i plan to get a bachelor of science and major in biology, specialize in marine biology (but maybe also geology.)

17) Favorite band/artist?

not to be that way but probably p!atd

18) Are you more of a fantasy, horror, or science fiction person?

i cant choose between fantast and sci fi

19) What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?

read

20) Do you prefer cooking, baking, or eating?

eating

21) What other TV shows do you love?

fringe, btvs, jane the virgin, etc.

22) What else would you like the fandom to know about you?

uhhhhhhhhhhh im gay

#personal #tag meme

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we-pay-for-everything · 7 years

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Are You Now or Have You Ever Been

@spacelyspace requested this episode, saying it was one of her favorites. It’s one of mine too, so thank you for asking me to review this!

AYNOHYEB is perhaps the most perfect Angel episode ever. It has amazing direction, amazing production, amazing acting, amazing writing, amazing soundtrack, amazing casting, amazing everything. It’s in my top 10 favorite Angel episodes.

I think I’ll explain, point by point, what I find compelling in this episode.

First of all, there’s the story in the present. As it happens with much of seasons 1 and 2, Cordelia and Wesley are the comic relief and ground the flashbacks to the present. They research the hotel and guide the story. I think it works wonderfully because it gives the characters focus, screen time and injects humor into the episode, balancing it out. I particularly like the scenes at the hotel when they’re trying to kill the demon. Gunn and Wesley bicker and Angel, as usual, is stuck as the “father” of the group, which is one of my favorite dynamics. In the beginning, Wesley looked up to Angel and valued his opinion. I find it sweet and amusing that when the demon (don’t really remember its name) told Wes that he was particularly paranoid, Wesley didn’t rest until Angel said he wasn’t:

Wesley: "Angel, you don't find me...especially paranoid, do you?" Angel: "Not especially."

I have to give kudos to the costume and set department for the exquisite job they did with the hotel and the period stuff. Angel looks particularly good!

I think it’s interesting when Tim Minear set the story, at the time of McCarthyism, racist, homophobia, etc. It was the perfect place for a paranoia demon to put down roots. Secrets abound in the hotel: the male, gay prostitute (or so it appeared), Judy and her secrets (her race and the money), etc. The flashbacks can’t be longer than 25min and still the story is so rich! The bellhop and the manager stand out particularly in terms of side characters. Two morally corrupt people that the paranoia demon takes advantage of easily.

I really do like Judy’s character, especially in the present. This story is set about 20 years after Angel rescues a puppy (Orpheus), turns a soldier in the submarine (Why We Fight) and 40 years before he drinks from the dinner owner (Orpheus). Considering the timeline, Angel’s state of mind makes perfect sense. He was lonely, tormented and trying to keep out of society. Naturally, Judy and her insistence in befriending him interest Angel. He finds himself wanting to help. He did help someone when he rescued a lady’s puppy, but that time he wasn’t strong enough to control himself and sent the woman away. This time, he helps Judy as an act of friendship, and perhaps she was his first “friend” ever, It’s quite sad when she betrays him due to her fear of being caught and the influence of the paranoia demon.

I confess that the first time I watched the episode, I expected Angel to kill the demon and save the day. However, it’s a lot more interesting and shocking when he doesn’t. It’s chilly when Angel turns to the paranoia demon and tells him to take everybody. It works as a preview of the Angel we’ll see in the upcoming episodes, especially in Reunion when he traps the lawyers in the cellar. Even Angel looses his faith in humanity and before he met Buffy, he didn’t have much faith to begin with.

I think Tim Menear could’ve ended the story there, but he decided that Angel and old Judy should meet in the presence. I quite liked that decision. Judy was very moving and it was a chance to show how much Angel has changed. Kudos to David Boreanaz for portraying so much warmth and forgiveness in present Angel. I shed a few tears when Judy died with her hand in Angel’s. ("I'm just going to rest. Just for a minute and then I'm going to go out." *tears*)

Angel finally kills the paranoia demon and decides to move in into the hotel. it just goes to show how strong Angel is, to surround himself with shameful memories, of literal and figurative demons. However, like Angel, the hotel is not evil anymore. Kudos again to Tim Minear for making the hotel feel like a real entity that represents Angel.

100/10. Fenomenal episode!

Send me a BtVS/AtS episode and I’ll give you my brutally honest opinion

#ats #aynohyeb #are you now or have you ever been #my episode reviews #spacelyspace #thanks

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