Tokusatsu

Thoughts on Tsukasa after Decade finale (2 years old)

I was going through Google Docs and I found something I meant to post long ago but somehow never got around to. It was a little over two years, about a week after the final episode of Kamen Rider Decade. The caveat is this was before the 2010 movie, when those few seconds of teaser footage that were never actually used in the movie created a lot of false expectations about what the movie would be like. Basically what that timeframe means is that some of my opinions were rendered moot points once the real movie came out, and the movie did force me to change some of my perceptions (reluctantly, I might add). But I don’t know, it’s interesting to read this and put myself in that mindframe again.

Kamen Rider Decade had a lot of faults, but I did love it. I have to love any show that makes me overthink it as much as this one did.

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TV

Fringe’s Garden of Forking Paths

A lot of people have felt that Fringe has not been at its best this season, for various reasons. One specific complaint has been about spending time in a world in which the fact that Peter Bishop drowned in Reiden Lake rendered everyone slightly different from the versions we know. Not radically different, as in Earth 2, but still not quite the same.

When introducing Fauxlivia and Walternate’s world, Fringe had the advantage of stepping into a world that was very clearly, very obviously, different from ours. Blimps in the sky. The World Trade Center still standing. Olivia’s red hair. Everything about the world said, this is different, and the audience could approach it as such. The problem facing Fringe this season is that we have no clear indicators of how to approach the reality we’re watching. Neither Here Nor There indeed. The problem has been, I suppose, that we weren’t quite sure whether we were supposed to take this as OUR Earth, rendered different enough for it to be unfamiliar after whatever Peter did, or as an entirely different timeline. I think the writers definitely knew all along, but we didn’t, and I think it’s caused a certain unease.

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Kalinda, Joan and Abed
Tokusatsu | TV

Over 3 months of stuff?

Work happened. Then vacation happened, and I just got back to my regular routine a week ago. In any case, quick rundown of what I’ve been watching:

The stuff I’ve gotten into in the past 3 months, and that I’ve been playing catch up with…

Community – I’d watched Advanced Dungeons and Dragons last year and always meant to watch more. Took advantage of long plane flights to watch the first season and wow, how have I not gotten into this show before now? Best. TV show. Ever. My favorites are Abed and Troy. I’m more than halfway through season 2 and have already caught up on the new season; and I know this is just echoing what everyone else has been saying, but Remedial Chaos Theory was amazing.

Mad Men – I’d been watching the 4th season as it aired earlier this year, and about 2 months went back to the first season. Love it. I love how seeds planted in an episode bear fruit 10 episodes later. I love the characterization, and I particularly love the female characters, and how each navigates the male-dominated world they live in in their own way… some better than others, obviously.

The Good Wife – Watched the second half of last season and then went and watched what I’d missed in the summer hiatus. I’ve already caught up on new episodes. Kalinda and Eli are one fabulous team, and I’m really enjoying seeing Lisa Edelstein play a character so different from Cuddy.

Downton Abbey – I still have a couple of episodes left from series 1, and have been really enjoying the soapy period drama. I understand things get darker in series 2…

The Hour – Was also about halfway through when I went on vacation. It’s not Mad Men, but I like it a lot. Loved the episode where everyone was invited to Hector’s in-laws’ country estate. Love Freddie Lyon.

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