An article/blog post about building followers/readership/commenters said to remove the word verification from your blog, because people hate it. Doesn't seem like THAT big a deal to me, but I've never had that much problem with spam, so I removed it yesterday.
Today? Only comment was porn spam. *sigh*
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Back from New York! I'll post some pictures soon. Not ones of Lisa, because last time I said I could post it because she doesn't read my blog...and she read my blog. I room with her at RWA National, y'all, I'm not risking it again. :)
But there will be feet. And maybe some pictures with other people I didn't get permission to post. :)
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I could still use input from people who've read my books. Click here to take survey. I'm leaving the survey open indefinitely, so if you've come across this post months later because, say, I mentioned "Harry Potter," and you want to take the survey, feel free! :)
~~~~~~
Picked up tons of books at the conference. I'll be reading print books for a good long while now! :) Won a couple at the YARWA (YA writers group) meeting, and bought some at the Literacy Booksigning (raised over $46,000 in 2 hours!!!), and scored most at the publisher signings. My TBR pile was getting low; now I have so many choices, I can't pick one!
~~~~~~
Firefly was marathoning yesterday. I am DYING to watch the series straight through. Right this moment. But alas, I have copy edits and client edits and client proofing piling up, and too much responsibility.
~~~~~~
So here we are in July. July is Number One's birthday month, and guess what she got this weekend?
Her AAA card.
Ack!
So, yeah, getting her permit will be the big thing. Second only to a weekend at the beach and the last Harry Potter movie. She is very, very sad that it's almost over. I'm not, because I went through it with the last book. THAT was when it was all over for me. :( Anyway, I guess we're doing the midnight show and a sleepover, and she's marathoning the previous movies right before that. So it's a big month.
~~~~~~
Stay tuned for announcements about The Goddess Society and The Film Crew, celebrations of my fall releases, Under the Moon and Behind the Scenes.
Showing posts with label Firefly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Firefly. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Monday, March 29, 2010
Entertaining Me
Whew, I've been absent a while. I actually had some things to talk about, too, and haven't found time or energy to post! Sorry. :(
So, here we go, I think in chronological order...
Life UneXpected
I'm done. Haven't watched the last two eps (three now), because the thought of watching shrill, whiny Kate makes my skin crawl and my stomach heave.
Parenthood
Still in, because I do love the family interactions (as Mary says), but not eager to watch each episode.
Thursday Night
I cannot BELEEEEVE how much I watch (i.e. DVR) on Thursday night. Starting next week, when everything's back, I'll have five shows to watch. Still loving all of them. (FYI, that's Bones, FlashForward, Fringe, Supernatural, The Mentalist; have to make sure there's no misunderstanding about that LOL.)
Anyway, Supernatural...
While I won't put "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" up on my top 10, I loved the episode. I mean, besides the fact that Bobby without a hat is just WRONG. And that as good as the actress playing his wife was, I liked the one from "Dream a Little Dream" much better. This one was too old, really—she matched Bobby's real age, not the age she would have been when he killed her. Still, she did a lovely job.
I won't rehash everything everyone else is talking about (the gore, the funny, the heartbreaking), but I wanted to talk about the thing that a lot of people took at face value and were disappointed with: Death.
Yeah, at first analysis, it seems kind of odd that after War's and Famine's level of power and destruction, Dead seems kind of lame. He raised 20 people? In Bobby's town? To send Bobby a message we never heard? Um...okay. Anticlimactic much?
HOWEVER! I have a theory, borne immediately of that oddness. I wondered if Death's power is diminished because his brothers' is gone. War and Famine aren't dead, as far as we know, but the source of their power (ring, souls) was taken from them. So maybe Death just doesn't have the juice, like if the brothers have a synergistic power relationship.
Plus, we've had hints about Lucifer. He's still powerful, of course, can never doubt that, but his vessel isn't strong, and it's weakening. Zachariah said Lucifer couldn't do much until he found a vessel, so it's almost a no-brainer that if his vessel is deteriorating, so would be his control. Maybe the message to Bobby was desperation, because he needs Sam so badly. Or maybe it's just a taste of what's to come.
So that left me feeling, in the end, like the show wasn't lacking, it was actually chock full of interesting stuff. :)
Friday with Jason Manns
Hot friends, hot music, what more can you ask for? Jason was as good...no, this was definitely the best concert yet. He played "Journey"! I don't think he's done that at any other venue I've attended. That's my definite favorite. He also did "Perfect Spot," my second favorite, and a couple of new ones from the CD, which I of course purchased and had signed.
How to Train Your Dragon
Believe it or not, this is the movie of the year. At least, so far. I have high hopes for Iron Man 2. But really, HtTYD was sweet, and funny, and incredibly rendered (even in 2D—3D is fine, but too expensive for not a big enough difference). The characters were all very well wrought, the storyline nothing really unique but still very well written. The flying scenes and fight sequences were exciting, and I got teary more than once, even letting out an "oh!" near the end. EVERYONE should see this movie.
There was only one thing that was kind of negative, but not enough to ruin the movie, of course. I don't understand why the Viking adults sounded like Scots while the Viking kids sounded like whiny Americans. The voices were all great and fit their characters (or the characters fit the voices), but it was a little weird. I guess we don't know what Vikings sounded like?
Random Comments
Nestor Carbonell is fantabulous.
Felicity totally belonged with Noel.
Human Target gets more interesting every week, especially as they bring back secondary characters from past episodes; love Leila, where's Martin?
Nathan Fillion rocks my socks.
I just remembered, my kid accidentally deleted Modern Family, and it's (hopefully!) sitting on my iPod right now. I'm off to watch it! (Or pout, if it didn't sync properly...)
What has been entertaining YOU lately?
So, here we go, I think in chronological order...
Life UneXpected
I'm done. Haven't watched the last two eps (three now), because the thought of watching shrill, whiny Kate makes my skin crawl and my stomach heave.
Parenthood
Still in, because I do love the family interactions (as Mary says), but not eager to watch each episode.
Thursday Night
I cannot BELEEEEVE how much I watch (i.e. DVR) on Thursday night. Starting next week, when everything's back, I'll have five shows to watch. Still loving all of them. (FYI, that's Bones, FlashForward, Fringe, Supernatural, The Mentalist; have to make sure there's no misunderstanding about that LOL.)
Anyway, Supernatural...
While I won't put "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" up on my top 10, I loved the episode. I mean, besides the fact that Bobby without a hat is just WRONG. And that as good as the actress playing his wife was, I liked the one from "Dream a Little Dream" much better. This one was too old, really—she matched Bobby's real age, not the age she would have been when he killed her. Still, she did a lovely job.
I won't rehash everything everyone else is talking about (the gore, the funny, the heartbreaking), but I wanted to talk about the thing that a lot of people took at face value and were disappointed with: Death.
Yeah, at first analysis, it seems kind of odd that after War's and Famine's level of power and destruction, Dead seems kind of lame. He raised 20 people? In Bobby's town? To send Bobby a message we never heard? Um...okay. Anticlimactic much?
HOWEVER! I have a theory, borne immediately of that oddness. I wondered if Death's power is diminished because his brothers' is gone. War and Famine aren't dead, as far as we know, but the source of their power (ring, souls) was taken from them. So maybe Death just doesn't have the juice, like if the brothers have a synergistic power relationship.
Plus, we've had hints about Lucifer. He's still powerful, of course, can never doubt that, but his vessel isn't strong, and it's weakening. Zachariah said Lucifer couldn't do much until he found a vessel, so it's almost a no-brainer that if his vessel is deteriorating, so would be his control. Maybe the message to Bobby was desperation, because he needs Sam so badly. Or maybe it's just a taste of what's to come.
So that left me feeling, in the end, like the show wasn't lacking, it was actually chock full of interesting stuff. :)
Friday with Jason Manns
Hot friends, hot music, what more can you ask for? Jason was as good...no, this was definitely the best concert yet. He played "Journey"! I don't think he's done that at any other venue I've attended. That's my definite favorite. He also did "Perfect Spot," my second favorite, and a couple of new ones from the CD, which I of course purchased and had signed.
How to Train Your Dragon
Believe it or not, this is the movie of the year. At least, so far. I have high hopes for Iron Man 2. But really, HtTYD was sweet, and funny, and incredibly rendered (even in 2D—3D is fine, but too expensive for not a big enough difference). The characters were all very well wrought, the storyline nothing really unique but still very well written. The flying scenes and fight sequences were exciting, and I got teary more than once, even letting out an "oh!" near the end. EVERYONE should see this movie.
There was only one thing that was kind of negative, but not enough to ruin the movie, of course. I don't understand why the Viking adults sounded like Scots while the Viking kids sounded like whiny Americans. The voices were all great and fit their characters (or the characters fit the voices), but it was a little weird. I guess we don't know what Vikings sounded like?
Random Comments
Nestor Carbonell is fantabulous.
Felicity totally belonged with Noel.
Human Target gets more interesting every week, especially as they bring back secondary characters from past episodes; love Leila, where's Martin?
Nathan Fillion rocks my socks.
I just remembered, my kid accidentally deleted Modern Family, and it's (hopefully!) sitting on my iPod right now. I'm off to watch it! (Or pout, if it didn't sync properly...)
What has been entertaining YOU lately?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Ah, Delusion
So I just took part in this Office Feng Shui class. I've always been too daunted by the scope of Feng Shui to explore it, but this was a basic, focused class, and it gave me some ideas. The biggest was the concept that physical congestion (e.g. clutter) can cause non-physical congestion. Things have been very slow and boggy for me for a while, and I figured hey, what can it hurt? So I decided I'd declutter my office.
It didn't seem that big a deal at first. I mean, sure, it wasn't going to be quick and easy. But I have a haphazard, hodge-podgy collection of "passion symbols"—posters, figurines, trading cards, puzzles, games, you name it—and some of the passions have run their course. Plus, I've been planning for a while to clean out my file cabinets. I had a vague idea I'd get it all done in one day, and I scheduled next Wednesday for it.
When a job is big and non-urgent, I can avoid it forever. But once I decide it has to be done, the need to do it builds in me and distracts from anything else I try to do. So I started the cleaning out today, just planned to get as far as I could. I started in the closet. Ruthlessness dominates. Some stuff is a no-brainer, but I'm getting rid of a lot of things that sentiment, practicality, or that "this would be great for something" feeling that never results in finding what it would be great for have filled up my closet.
Here's what resulted:
1. Two 30-gallon trash bags full to bursting.
2. Half a bag of clothes to be donated.
3. The immediate need to clean out my upstairs closet so I can stuff clothes into it that I don't fit right now but that I want to keep, and that are currently draped across my bed.
4. A trunk full of cardboard to be taken to the recycling bin.
5. A honking big monitor to take to the Computer Ministry.
6. A closet that is now less than half cleaned out.
Let me repeat that last part. Two hours of work cleaned out less than half a closet.
That's a little discouraging. Thinking I could do this in one day or even one week? Totally delusional.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
J and I went to see Legion tonight. Pretty good movie. Small in scope, despite the huge concept. Lacked motivation—no one ever asked why this particular baby, never mind explained it—but good acting can go a long way. The creep factor and the horror elements weren't overwhelming. It was mainly a study of what people do under certain catalysts. Of course, the focus was on Michael, the angel played by Paul Bettany, and he was tremendous. No surprise there.
I've also watched Life Unexpected this weekend. Spruce from "Ghostfacers" has a recurring role. All the reviews compare LU to the old WB shows, especially Gilmore Girls, and it had that vibe, though of course not the snap. I think I'll like it. It will at least get me to watch a couple more episodes. I needed something that "felt" like this on my viewing list.
Speaking of guest stars who were originally on shows I wasobsessed with passionate about...Sean Maher was on The Mentalist this week. Simon from Firefly. Gosh, I've missed him. Oooh, I just looked him up, and he's going to be on Human Target this week! Double dose! There was a scene where SPOILER ALERT he was all covered up except his eyes, and we weren't supposed to know which secondary character he was, but I could tell immediately by his eyes. Jane knew him by his body language and syntax, and of course the voice was distinctive, but I knew him by the eyes before he'd said a word. Yes, I'm very proud.
That same episode had the sheriff from the "Yellow Fever" episode of Supernatural.
Okay, Number Two is ready for bed, so I'll stop there. Wish me luck with the Fenging this week!
It didn't seem that big a deal at first. I mean, sure, it wasn't going to be quick and easy. But I have a haphazard, hodge-podgy collection of "passion symbols"—posters, figurines, trading cards, puzzles, games, you name it—and some of the passions have run their course. Plus, I've been planning for a while to clean out my file cabinets. I had a vague idea I'd get it all done in one day, and I scheduled next Wednesday for it.
When a job is big and non-urgent, I can avoid it forever. But once I decide it has to be done, the need to do it builds in me and distracts from anything else I try to do. So I started the cleaning out today, just planned to get as far as I could. I started in the closet. Ruthlessness dominates. Some stuff is a no-brainer, but I'm getting rid of a lot of things that sentiment, practicality, or that "this would be great for something" feeling that never results in finding what it would be great for have filled up my closet.
Here's what resulted:
1. Two 30-gallon trash bags full to bursting.
2. Half a bag of clothes to be donated.
3. The immediate need to clean out my upstairs closet so I can stuff clothes into it that I don't fit right now but that I want to keep, and that are currently draped across my bed.
4. A trunk full of cardboard to be taken to the recycling bin.
5. A honking big monitor to take to the Computer Ministry.
6. A closet that is now less than half cleaned out.
Let me repeat that last part. Two hours of work cleaned out less than half a closet.
That's a little discouraging. Thinking I could do this in one day or even one week? Totally delusional.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
J and I went to see Legion tonight. Pretty good movie. Small in scope, despite the huge concept. Lacked motivation—no one ever asked why this particular baby, never mind explained it—but good acting can go a long way. The creep factor and the horror elements weren't overwhelming. It was mainly a study of what people do under certain catalysts. Of course, the focus was on Michael, the angel played by Paul Bettany, and he was tremendous. No surprise there.
I've also watched Life Unexpected this weekend. Spruce from "Ghostfacers" has a recurring role. All the reviews compare LU to the old WB shows, especially Gilmore Girls, and it had that vibe, though of course not the snap. I think I'll like it. It will at least get me to watch a couple more episodes. I needed something that "felt" like this on my viewing list.
Speaking of guest stars who were originally on shows I was
That same episode had the sheriff from the "Yellow Fever" episode of Supernatural.
Okay, Number Two is ready for bed, so I'll stop there. Wish me luck with the Fenging this week!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thoughts on "Death Takes a Holiday" and Castle
Thoughts on last week's Supernatural as I watched for a second time:
Some have called Dean passive-aggressive in the diner, when he said "I don't want to hold you back." But it wasn't random. He was triggered by Sam bossing him, telling Dean to get his food to go. It's not just that Dean used to be the one ordering Sam around--it's evidence that Sam really meant what he said and wasn't completely under the siren's influence.
I loved that even with teh undercurrent of animosity toward each other, they still work unerringly well together, sharing a brain. Dean says someone's not dragging souls into the light, Sam immediately thinks of reapers. It's beautiful.
I love the scene in the graveyard. There's so much subtlety in this episode. Sam saying the normal rules don't apply to him and Dean--that's one of the steps to downfall. He starts using power to help people, to banish demons while saving the possessed, but the more he uses it, the more it changes his viewpoint. Yes, they are unique, but they aren't better. Dean sees that. Sam doesn't really anymore.
That said, Sam using his powers--guh.
Dean's so hopeful when he asks Sam why Alistair could chuck him now. I'm glad he called Sam on it, but Sam is pissing me off with his lies and the rift he's putting between them.
Watching for the second time, I'm amused by the irony that Bobby was really Castiel, and right after he called Sam was saying he wished the angels were there. Hee.
Sam's wee bitty hoodie is so right and so wrong.
Sam has to lie angled on the bed when Pam astrally projects them. Guh again.
"Get out of me" is my favorite line of the episode.
When the mother is calling Cole, why does she assume he's on the ceiling? And how can Sam and Dean sit in chairs and lean on the table when they can't touch stuff? (That's always tricky with ghost/spirit stories.)
Tessa looks so different to me. Mary said maybe it's because her hair is longer. It might also be partly because her demeanor is quietly intense instead of earnestly appealing, and she's a little older. But her facial structure looks completely different.
That's a very old iMac on that desk in Cole's bedroom. But I love the overhead camera angles like that, especially on Sam. I wonder if this is the same house they used for "Family Remains." It looks similar.
Sam is breaking my heart with all of his Machiavellian changes.
No guy should look so good in such extreme closeup.
I said this in the Supernatural Sisters comments, but I don't believe Tessa. I think she's stuck doing her job, never able to move on to where the souls she collects go. constantly seeing the pain and sorrow of both the people who are dead and the ones left behind. I think that makes her resentful and bitter, and she told Dean there's nothing better becausu that's what people in pain do--try to ease it by spreading it around. (Plus, the things she says are not mutually exclusive. Something ugly may be coming down the pike, but AFTER that, the angels could have something good in store for Dean.)
Why is a ghost flickering out creepy, but Dean flickering out hot? Never mind. The question answers itself.
Poor old reaper--but then again, pretty easy gig, just lying on the floor for a while, then having your head sliced. Except for the head-slicing part.
I like the angel-proofing thing. It not only explains how they got the gig, but hints at why Castiel pulled Dean in the first place. Not just any human would have the mental or physical ability to fight on the side of the angels. He's a tool, as I've said before, one that can do what the angels can't. The whole angel-demon war is evolutionary, with one side developing new ways to overcome an obstacle presented by the other side.
I love how Tessa is so gentle with taking Cole, both in what she says to him and then the hug to take him over, but then turns so cold with Dean. I'd love to see Tessa back again. (She'd be a good actress to have at a convention.)
I also love how the spirits of Dean and Sam are so washed out, kind of blueish, and when they're back in their bodies, they've got color and vibrancy back.
Someone on another blog said it was weird to have a tribute to Kim Manners at the end of this episode, being all about death, even though it was the first episode back after he died. But from the little I know of Kim Manners, I have a feeling he'd have appreciated it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched the second episode of Castle last night, and it was much better. Still flat and irrelevant secondary cops, but we got more interaction between Rick and his daughter, and I adore their relationship. We also kind of got an answer about the exes. He said the girl's mother was an actress, so she wasn't the publisher that's his ex-wife. I like that.
There was no "Apples! Apples! Apples!" moment, but I loved when he told the tale of 8B and had them all mesmerized. And I love the look on his face when he's writing, even such trite stuff as "she's had her heart broken." (I like his new heroine's name.) Fillion is just tremendous and I'm very happy about his show right now.
Some have called Dean passive-aggressive in the diner, when he said "I don't want to hold you back." But it wasn't random. He was triggered by Sam bossing him, telling Dean to get his food to go. It's not just that Dean used to be the one ordering Sam around--it's evidence that Sam really meant what he said and wasn't completely under the siren's influence.
I loved that even with teh undercurrent of animosity toward each other, they still work unerringly well together, sharing a brain. Dean says someone's not dragging souls into the light, Sam immediately thinks of reapers. It's beautiful.
I love the scene in the graveyard. There's so much subtlety in this episode. Sam saying the normal rules don't apply to him and Dean--that's one of the steps to downfall. He starts using power to help people, to banish demons while saving the possessed, but the more he uses it, the more it changes his viewpoint. Yes, they are unique, but they aren't better. Dean sees that. Sam doesn't really anymore.
That said, Sam using his powers--guh.
Dean's so hopeful when he asks Sam why Alistair could chuck him now. I'm glad he called Sam on it, but Sam is pissing me off with his lies and the rift he's putting between them.
Watching for the second time, I'm amused by the irony that Bobby was really Castiel, and right after he called Sam was saying he wished the angels were there. Hee.
Sam's wee bitty hoodie is so right and so wrong.
Sam has to lie angled on the bed when Pam astrally projects them. Guh again.
"Get out of me" is my favorite line of the episode.
When the mother is calling Cole, why does she assume he's on the ceiling? And how can Sam and Dean sit in chairs and lean on the table when they can't touch stuff? (That's always tricky with ghost/spirit stories.)
Tessa looks so different to me. Mary said maybe it's because her hair is longer. It might also be partly because her demeanor is quietly intense instead of earnestly appealing, and she's a little older. But her facial structure looks completely different.
That's a very old iMac on that desk in Cole's bedroom. But I love the overhead camera angles like that, especially on Sam. I wonder if this is the same house they used for "Family Remains." It looks similar.
Sam is breaking my heart with all of his Machiavellian changes.
No guy should look so good in such extreme closeup.
I said this in the Supernatural Sisters comments, but I don't believe Tessa. I think she's stuck doing her job, never able to move on to where the souls she collects go. constantly seeing the pain and sorrow of both the people who are dead and the ones left behind. I think that makes her resentful and bitter, and she told Dean there's nothing better becausu that's what people in pain do--try to ease it by spreading it around. (Plus, the things she says are not mutually exclusive. Something ugly may be coming down the pike, but AFTER that, the angels could have something good in store for Dean.)
Why is a ghost flickering out creepy, but Dean flickering out hot? Never mind. The question answers itself.
Poor old reaper--but then again, pretty easy gig, just lying on the floor for a while, then having your head sliced. Except for the head-slicing part.
I like the angel-proofing thing. It not only explains how they got the gig, but hints at why Castiel pulled Dean in the first place. Not just any human would have the mental or physical ability to fight on the side of the angels. He's a tool, as I've said before, one that can do what the angels can't. The whole angel-demon war is evolutionary, with one side developing new ways to overcome an obstacle presented by the other side.
I love how Tessa is so gentle with taking Cole, both in what she says to him and then the hug to take him over, but then turns so cold with Dean. I'd love to see Tessa back again. (She'd be a good actress to have at a convention.)
I also love how the spirits of Dean and Sam are so washed out, kind of blueish, and when they're back in their bodies, they've got color and vibrancy back.
Someone on another blog said it was weird to have a tribute to Kim Manners at the end of this episode, being all about death, even though it was the first episode back after he died. But from the little I know of Kim Manners, I have a feeling he'd have appreciated it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I watched the second episode of Castle last night, and it was much better. Still flat and irrelevant secondary cops, but we got more interaction between Rick and his daughter, and I adore their relationship. We also kind of got an answer about the exes. He said the girl's mother was an actress, so she wasn't the publisher that's his ex-wife. I like that.
There was no "Apples! Apples! Apples!" moment, but I loved when he told the tale of 8B and had them all mesmerized. And I love the look on his face when he's writing, even such trite stuff as "she's had her heart broken." (I like his new heroine's name.) Fillion is just tremendous and I'm very happy about his show right now.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Castle
As I'm sure you know, I am a Browncoat, an unabashed 100% lover of Firefly, and Nathan Fillion is a big part of the reason. I was very unhappy with the treatment of/result of the airing of Drive, which I thought was an awesome show. Bottom line: I really, really want Castle to be good.
It's not.
Luckily, it doesn't have to be to survive, because it has enough going for it, in the right way, that it probably will. It fits firmly in the crime drama realm, doesn't deviate from any tropes of the genre, and therefore should get enough eyeballs from the boring mainstream of America to keep it alive.
What Didn't Work
1. The writing.
The plot was dull, overused, flat, unimaginative...shall I go on? The dialogue was just...stupid. I mean, come on. The boy scout line? That was old 40 years ago. The central mystery was not interesting or intriguing or clever or all that difficult to figure out. And I don't WATCH a lot of crime dramas (except Bones and The Mentalist, and Numb3rs--but that's it).
2. The secondary characters.
Unlike those in the three crime dramas I do watch, the cast surrounding the two stars is unmemorable, unimportant, and cliché. The daughter is half an exception. The bright, responsible child is a cliché, but she's well acted and has good chemistry with Fillion. The mother is the opposite--you can't get any more cliché than her, and she added nothing to the show. Ditto the vicious ex-wife who is also his publisher. So she hates him...that doesn't explain why he has apparent custody of his daughter, and why she didn't mention or interact with her mother (unless the ex isn't the mother--never addressed).
What Did Work
1. The writing got much better in the second half.
Not stellar, but the way they had Castle and the cop working things out about the case, but separately, worked very nicely. There was some better (though not much) dialogue--"Apples! Apples! Apples!" went a long way toward keeping us through the end.
2. Fillion and the actress who plays the cop.
Castle's character isn't as one-note as one might have expected. His cockiness didn't cross too far over into obnoxiousness, and he was wrong sometimes, or could have been, which made for a nice balance.
I like the actress playing the cop. She has talent, and there was some subtle acting going on in the scene where Castle used a never-before-seen method (note the sarcasm) of putting her in her place about what kind of person she is. Even though that element has been done to death, both actors made it interesting and both their characters appealing.
I hope they make a bit of a shift into a more Brennan/Bones kind of relationship, with less antagonism and exasperation, which gets tiresome very fast, and more mutual respect.
3. The writing inside the story.
Okay, the conceit of the episode was dull. But one thing that did work was the whole "now that's a story!" factor. Of course, I'm a novelist, so the story stuff is like my geek food. But while some of the fantasy is difficult to buy (his level of celebrity), I identify with the way he thinks. I also loved the moments with Patterson and Cannell and hope they do stuff like that again.
So bottom line is that I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, I will definitely keep watching and praying that others do, too, just so I can keep seeing Nathan Fillion on the job every week.
Who's with me?
It's not.
Luckily, it doesn't have to be to survive, because it has enough going for it, in the right way, that it probably will. It fits firmly in the crime drama realm, doesn't deviate from any tropes of the genre, and therefore should get enough eyeballs from the boring mainstream of America to keep it alive.
What Didn't Work
1. The writing.
The plot was dull, overused, flat, unimaginative...shall I go on? The dialogue was just...stupid. I mean, come on. The boy scout line? That was old 40 years ago. The central mystery was not interesting or intriguing or clever or all that difficult to figure out. And I don't WATCH a lot of crime dramas (except Bones and The Mentalist, and Numb3rs--but that's it).
2. The secondary characters.
Unlike those in the three crime dramas I do watch, the cast surrounding the two stars is unmemorable, unimportant, and cliché. The daughter is half an exception. The bright, responsible child is a cliché, but she's well acted and has good chemistry with Fillion. The mother is the opposite--you can't get any more cliché than her, and she added nothing to the show. Ditto the vicious ex-wife who is also his publisher. So she hates him...that doesn't explain why he has apparent custody of his daughter, and why she didn't mention or interact with her mother (unless the ex isn't the mother--never addressed).
What Did Work
1. The writing got much better in the second half.
Not stellar, but the way they had Castle and the cop working things out about the case, but separately, worked very nicely. There was some better (though not much) dialogue--"Apples! Apples! Apples!" went a long way toward keeping us through the end.
2. Fillion and the actress who plays the cop.
Castle's character isn't as one-note as one might have expected. His cockiness didn't cross too far over into obnoxiousness, and he was wrong sometimes, or could have been, which made for a nice balance.
I like the actress playing the cop. She has talent, and there was some subtle acting going on in the scene where Castle used a never-before-seen method (note the sarcasm) of putting her in her place about what kind of person she is. Even though that element has been done to death, both actors made it interesting and both their characters appealing.
I hope they make a bit of a shift into a more Brennan/Bones kind of relationship, with less antagonism and exasperation, which gets tiresome very fast, and more mutual respect.
3. The writing inside the story.
Okay, the conceit of the episode was dull. But one thing that did work was the whole "now that's a story!" factor. Of course, I'm a novelist, so the story stuff is like my geek food. But while some of the fantasy is difficult to buy (his level of celebrity), I identify with the way he thinks. I also loved the moments with Patterson and Cannell and hope they do stuff like that again.
So bottom line is that I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, I will definitely keep watching and praying that others do, too, just so I can keep seeing Nathan Fillion on the job every week.
Who's with me?
Friday, May 02, 2008
Random Friday
I haven't had a random Friday in a while. Good thing I remember all the things I wanted to say!
Speaking of "I Remember," did anyone catch the Jason Manns song of that title in last night's episode of Supernatural? I totally forgot to listen for it!
Supernatural was fine. I was a little *gasp* disappointed, and I'm thinking that's because the biggest emotional impacts were in the preview and the clip that was circulating around. "And me." "That's all you've got?"--Lame writing, or does Sammy have something up his sleeve? Not a last-minute save, but doing something to try to break the deal so he dies and Dean doesn't go to Hell.
I'm a little confused about next week. It looks horrific and like it doesn't address Dean at all. I'd kinda hoped all these last episodes would be about his deal. Spoilers around the 'Net have indicated that the deadlines arrives in the season finale, even though Kripke had said he needed the full 10 episodes to resolve Dean's situation. But no doubt the season will end on a cliffhanger, now that they have a guaranteed pickup, so maybe the "resolution" won't come until 5 episodes into the fall.
Anyway...on to more important things.
"Jaynestown" from Firefly has been LOL'd in full. What? Funny is important!
Marley Gibson has a new series of books that launched yesterday, Sorority 101. Today, she's doing a Blog Talk Radio interview. Check her out!
But the most important thing I have to say today is that the Brenda Novak Fourth Annual Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research is now in progress!
There is something for everyone in this thing. Jewelry, books, gift baskets, and sports items, collectibles and designer purses. Writers can find 159 editor and agent evaluations, many with AMAZING guaranteed timeframes, and author critiques, as well as over 100 other items including mentorships, meetings, and more. The person who places the most bids, even if you don't win anything, will receive a huge prize package that includes a $1,000 camcorder! You definitely want to check this out, but make sure you have a little (or a lot!) of time to explore.
This year, I'm going for the big prize!
Speaking of "I Remember," did anyone catch the Jason Manns song of that title in last night's episode of Supernatural? I totally forgot to listen for it!
Supernatural was fine. I was a little *gasp* disappointed, and I'm thinking that's because the biggest emotional impacts were in the preview and the clip that was circulating around. "And me." "That's all you've got?"--Lame writing, or does Sammy have something up his sleeve? Not a last-minute save, but doing something to try to break the deal so he dies and Dean doesn't go to Hell.
I'm a little confused about next week. It looks horrific and like it doesn't address Dean at all. I'd kinda hoped all these last episodes would be about his deal. Spoilers around the 'Net have indicated that the deadlines arrives in the season finale, even though Kripke had said he needed the full 10 episodes to resolve Dean's situation. But no doubt the season will end on a cliffhanger, now that they have a guaranteed pickup, so maybe the "resolution" won't come until 5 episodes into the fall.
Anyway...on to more important things.
"Jaynestown" from Firefly has been LOL'd in full. What? Funny is important!
Marley Gibson has a new series of books that launched yesterday, Sorority 101. Today, she's doing a Blog Talk Radio interview. Check her out!
But the most important thing I have to say today is that the Brenda Novak Fourth Annual Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research is now in progress!
There is something for everyone in this thing. Jewelry, books, gift baskets, and sports items, collectibles and designer purses. Writers can find 159 editor and agent evaluations, many with AMAZING guaranteed timeframes, and author critiques, as well as over 100 other items including mentorships, meetings, and more. The person who places the most bids, even if you don't win anything, will receive a huge prize package that includes a $1,000 camcorder! You definitely want to check this out, but make sure you have a little (or a lot!) of time to explore.
This year, I'm going for the big prize!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Comic Perfection
Comics are not my thing. I used to read some when I was a kid, but my taste ran more to Archie and Friends than any of the superheroes, generally speaking. I admire modern comics and graphic novels as artistic wonders, but I find it difficult to concentrate on both visual and story at the same time. So it takes a lot to make me read them.
A lot, like, maybe continuing one of my favorite TV shows?
I wasn't thrilled with the Supernatural: Origins series. The art isn't to my taste (not disparaging the skill, just saying it doesn't speak to me), and the story didn't fit with my interpretation of the mythology. Nor was John Winchester ever the big draw for me. Therefore, I only got about halfway through the series.
A new series, "Rising Son," starts soon, and that looks more to my liking, as the story focuses more on young Sam and Dean. I've subscribed to it at my local comic book store so I can easily get all the issues, so we'll see.
I liked the Serenity comics that came out before the Serenity movie. They filled in gaps between the show and movie. The art was okay, the covers excellent.
The new miniseries blows those away! Called "Better Days," this three-issue series is Spot. On. The art is so true to the actors, and the writing to the original tone of the show. And by writing I mean not just story and dialogue, but layout and reaction. I laughed at about half the panels, and the lovemaking panel...well. Very nice. I can't wait for the third issue, and I'll be very disappointed if they don't do more. I think I read that they are, and that the next set will focus on Book. I know I'm not the only person eager to get his story!
How about you? Anyone reading, say, Buffy Season 8?
A lot, like, maybe continuing one of my favorite TV shows?
I wasn't thrilled with the Supernatural: Origins series. The art isn't to my taste (not disparaging the skill, just saying it doesn't speak to me), and the story didn't fit with my interpretation of the mythology. Nor was John Winchester ever the big draw for me. Therefore, I only got about halfway through the series.
A new series, "Rising Son," starts soon, and that looks more to my liking, as the story focuses more on young Sam and Dean. I've subscribed to it at my local comic book store so I can easily get all the issues, so we'll see.
I liked the Serenity comics that came out before the Serenity movie. They filled in gaps between the show and movie. The art was okay, the covers excellent.
The new miniseries blows those away! Called "Better Days," this three-issue series is Spot. On. The art is so true to the actors, and the writing to the original tone of the show. And by writing I mean not just story and dialogue, but layout and reaction. I laughed at about half the panels, and the lovemaking panel...well. Very nice. I can't wait for the third issue, and I'll be very disappointed if they don't do more. I think I read that they are, and that the next set will focus on Book. I know I'm not the only person eager to get his story!
How about you? Anyone reading, say, Buffy Season 8?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Goals in September
You may notice I have abandoned my usual title, "Goals Progress, September." Progress is just way too optimistic a word.
26170 words for September (not counting whatever few I manage tonight), which is up there, but nowhere near where I needed it to be. I've written 182,377 words this year so far. Again, not bad, but kind of dismal for me.
I have seen my lowest weight all year this month, but it's still less than 12 lbs. overall. Obviously, I'm not trying really hard, so I'm lucky it's that much.
I missed 5 days of exercise this month, though I'm still on track for that. Unfortunately, I think I had a record number of days where I did a little arm work and that's it.
I read six books, which was low because I had a LOT of editing/proofreading/critique projects that took some time I would normally have been reading. I'm 5.5 books behind my goal.
I do expect to finish Hummingbird this week, but I'll spend the rest of October working on my web site and preparing for NaNoWriMo in November. I have a new book planned, and a pretty solid handle on the basics of the story, so I just need to figure out what their powers are and why they can't be together. Anyway, the point is, October won't be a gangbuster writing month, either.
On the other hand...
Supernatural starts on Thursday! \o/ I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this show, and this show alone. Before SPN, there was only one TV show that I actively sought to watch more than once: Firefly. I watched all those episodes, gave the DVDs to a friend to watch, and immediately wanted them back. I've watched them all half a dozen times. And now I've done the same (to a lesser extent) with SPN.
I just deleted four paragraphs of reasons to watch Supernatural. But you don't need them, really. Here are three inspirations for you to TiVo Grey's Anatomy (you're pissed about that whole George/Izzie thing anyway) and watch Supernatural:
Number One (awesome dialogue):
Sam Winchester: Dean, there's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything else we've ever hunted.
Dean Winchester: You know what, there's a ton of lore on unicorns too. In fact, I hear that they ride on silver moonbeams, and that they shoot rainbows out of their ass!
Sam Winchester: Wait, there's no such thing as unicorns?
Number Two :
26170 words for September (not counting whatever few I manage tonight), which is up there, but nowhere near where I needed it to be. I've written 182,377 words this year so far. Again, not bad, but kind of dismal for me.
I have seen my lowest weight all year this month, but it's still less than 12 lbs. overall. Obviously, I'm not trying really hard, so I'm lucky it's that much.
I missed 5 days of exercise this month, though I'm still on track for that. Unfortunately, I think I had a record number of days where I did a little arm work and that's it.
I read six books, which was low because I had a LOT of editing/proofreading/critique projects that took some time I would normally have been reading. I'm 5.5 books behind my goal.
I do expect to finish Hummingbird this week, but I'll spend the rest of October working on my web site and preparing for NaNoWriMo in November. I have a new book planned, and a pretty solid handle on the basics of the story, so I just need to figure out what their powers are and why they can't be together. Anyway, the point is, October won't be a gangbuster writing month, either.
On the other hand...
Supernatural starts on Thursday! \o/ I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this show, and this show alone. Before SPN, there was only one TV show that I actively sought to watch more than once: Firefly. I watched all those episodes, gave the DVDs to a friend to watch, and immediately wanted them back. I've watched them all half a dozen times. And now I've done the same (to a lesser extent) with SPN.
I just deleted four paragraphs of reasons to watch Supernatural. But you don't need them, really. Here are three inspirations for you to TiVo Grey's Anatomy (you're pissed about that whole George/Izzie thing anyway) and watch Supernatural:
Number One (awesome dialogue):
Sam Winchester: Dean, there's ten times as much lore about angels as there is about anything else we've ever hunted.
Dean Winchester: You know what, there's a ton of lore on unicorns too. In fact, I hear that they ride on silver moonbeams, and that they shoot rainbows out of their ass!
Sam Winchester: Wait, there's no such thing as unicorns?
Number Two :
Friday, March 30, 2007
Examining the History of [my] Obsessions
Earlier today anteka was pondering "what trips the wire inside my brain and makes me seek out a fandom?" And inspired by that, gailann discussed how she, too, only engages in one fandom at a time. She called her post "Obsessions R Us."
So of course that got me thinking about the subject, and my passions*. I love the comment grrli made on anteka's post, that the trigger is "Epic depth." She went on very eloquently and you should go over there to see what she had to say. She really describes the trigger perfectly, as it applies to everything *I* get passionate about, anyway.
*I joke about "my obsession...I mean, passion" but I really think passion is a better word for it. Something crosses over into obsession when it takes over parts of your life, or when awareness of fantasy blurs and reality becomes skewed. That doesn't happen for most of us, even when confronted in person with the beauty that is [insert fandom target here]. Nevertheless, I'll use the words interchangeably here.
Anyway, I've been a serial obsessive for about seven years now. "Hi, my name is Natalie, and I'm a serial obsessive." What causes my passion to fade is almost always lack of fuel. What triggers it, makes it more than just interest, varies in its method but comes down to what grrli said: Epic depth, which in turn triggers a desire for moremoremore.
I never used to be obsessive. Not until I met Megan. I don't know if I just became more like her or if being around her triggered something dormant in me. But suddenly, when The Mummy Returns came out, I became obsessed with Brendan Fraser.
Yep. Brendan Fraser. I watched or rewatched everything he made that I could get my hands on. I marveled at his acting ability, at his range, at his gorgeous eyes. I saw Monkeybones. In the theater. And Looney Tunes. In the theater. I started frequenting a message board where we talked about when we got hit by the Brendan bus and shared any news about him we could find. Then he had a dry spell broken only by The Quiet American and my obsession faded.
The next big one was Lord of the Rings. I saw Fellowship of the Ring and was blown away. I started reading articles about it, then books, and the more I read, the more impressed I was. I found theonering.net and went multiple times a day. I watched interviews with cast and crew and fell in professional love with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens. That one went on for a long time. There were three movies, and three DVDs, and extended films. More books and making-of documentaries. I had to see every movie made by every cast member. I bought Sean Astin's audiobook. And I set up my husband and friends for life: obsessives are SO easy to buy gifts for. :) Posters and action figures and puzzles and games and trading cards fill my office.
One obsession led to another. I was really impressed by Orlando Bloom's first feature film performance right out of acting school. He didn't appeal to me as a guy then. First, he was too young. Second, he was icky, with the mohawk and everything. But I loved his performance as Legolas, so I watched his career. As LOTR faded from the front of the public consciousness, Orlando took its place, solidified as an obsession when Pirates of the Caribbean came out.
Now, Pirates came at a very good time. Movies for the previous year had pretty much sucked. This one was clever and fun and over-the-top and smart (I didn't quite get it until the second watching) and full of lines to quote ad nauseum (one day I opened the pantry looking for chips or something and didn't find them. I said plaintively, "but why is the rum gone?" and it took me a couple of minutes to realize I'd said it). A few cheek flickers and some swashbuckling, and I was hooked on Orlando. I still love everything he does (he was impressive in Haven even if the movie itself was lacking). I watch orlandomultimedia.net for news of him, and record any talk show he's on. He's way old enough now to be an object of my interest. But my obsession has moved on.
My three biggest current passions/obsessions (besides the New England Patriots--sports are a whole 'nother thing) are:
1. Harry Potter
2. Firefly
3. Supernatural
They kind of intertwine as far as timeline goes.
I started listening to Harry Potter in 2000 when we had a long, late-night trip. Now all of us in my family have listened to the books on tape multiple times. We own the movies (except Chamber) and my kids have plastered their walls with movie images. But I've listened to the books more than anyone else and I'm the only one actively involved in the fandom.
Which requires me to back up. For six years, my interest in HP was only in the books, with a tangential interest in the movies. Then Serenity came out.
I saw the first episode of Firefly on TV, but back then I wasn't that into television, and though I thought the show was okay and worth watching, I had trouble finding it after that and never saw it on TV again. I had great interest in the movie when it approached, and SciFi started showing episodes again. I saw one more but wanted to wait and Netflix the series to watch in order. But I bought the DVD set the day after we saw the movie instead. I watched it straight through, loaned it to a friend, and immediately wanted it back.
That was a first. I've gone through other TV shows on DVD pretty quickly: Alias and Smallville and Entourage and Arrested Development. And by then, I was mildly obsessed with Lost, enough to go to The Fuselage (which I only started reading because JJ Abrams started it) and I watched a few of those episodes twice to try to see the connections I sometimes missed the first time around. But Firefly was the only TV show I wanted to watch over and over and over.
Until now. But that's jumping ahead.
So I saw Serenity in the theater three times before it was gone, and I watched Firefly over and over. When the movie came out on DVD I bought 9 copies for holiday gifts. And I wanted more. I Googled Firefly/Serenity and found The Signal, a podcast dedicated to bringing back Firefly. And there was born my connection to "fandom."
Now, anything can have fans. Some fans can be intense in their appreciation for a show. But it takes something more to be a "fandom." Fanfic and filk and art. Message boards and dissection and shouting from every possible forum to draw more people into it. I'm a peripheral fan in these communities, kind of on the edge, interested in but not really part of, for the most part. But I have to admit, I love them.
So okay, I started listening to The Signal. And I was all caught up and wanted more podcasts. I realized The Leaky Cauldron had to have one, and found Pottercast only a few weeks after it launched. (I tried Mugglecast [of MuggleNet], too, and I love the boys of Mugglecast, but the format and content of Pottercast grabbed me more.) Pottercast is up to 86 podcasts now, and I've listened to every single one. I love hearing the speculation and debate about what's coming in the final book, and what certain things mean. I am fascinated by discourse by really smart people about the stuff I love. I also enjoy yelling at them in my car. But I don't ever write to them, or participate in the message boards. I'm an observer in that fandom only, except for the stuff I post here on this blog.
Then came Supernatural. I Netflixed the DVDs when I caught up on Smallville. It was a show my husband was interested in last year, and one I would have watched, except we didn't get the WB. There was no local affiliate, and the Philly affiliate offered by Comcast was not also offered by DirecTV. But a few minutes into the pilot I was hooked (luckily, we did have a local UPN affiliate, which is now a CW affiliate). I have used my copies of the DVDs to hook other people, and every week we squee together over the show and make constant references to it and to Sam and Dean. I set up Google alerts for the show so I can read news stories about it, and for the actors so I can watch other things they do going forward (FYI, Cry Wolf is a better movie than Devour, but Jensen is better in Devour--and there's more of him--than Jared in Cry Wolf). Because of these Google alerts, I wound up reading ignipes's "10 things I love" about each episode and friended her on LJ because what she says about the show is so great. Because of my friends who also love the show, I have a series of YouTube videos in my favorites and I found my way to anteka's blog to read her Plastic!Winchester Theater and ended up friending her, too, because I thought what she says about the show is also great. I've friended a couple of other people who showed incredible insight and wit along the way. So I am more of a participant in this fandom than any other--though I don't read or write fanfic about the show, or decorate my blog with Sam and Dean (though Dean does tell me when my cell phone is ringing), and I don't participate in any message boards or communities.
Man, this is long and rambly. If you've made it this far, I apologize. :)
My point is, different things have brought me into fandoms. It usually starts as a driving need for more--the sorrow over the end of Firefly, the long distance between Harry Potter books, the more difficult though much shorter gaps between Supernatural episodes--and grows because of some emotional reaction to what I find out there in the fandom.
What I chose to obsess over, always, is something that has that "epic depth" described by grrli waayyyyy back at the beginning of this stupidly long blog post. Always, there is a world distinct from ours, ripe with relationships and emotion, big stakes, personal and physical journeys, and great wit as well as great drama. They enrich my life, make me dig dipper into the human psyche than day-to-day living does, and I hope that when these fade, there will always be something new to replace them.
I'm interested in hearing how other people feel about this stuff. If, like I was, you've been inspired to explore your own level of obsession in depth, please leave a link in the comments so I can go read it. :) Thanks!
So of course that got me thinking about the subject, and my passions*. I love the comment grrli made on anteka's post, that the trigger is "Epic depth." She went on very eloquently and you should go over there to see what she had to say. She really describes the trigger perfectly, as it applies to everything *I* get passionate about, anyway.
*I joke about "my obsession...I mean, passion" but I really think passion is a better word for it. Something crosses over into obsession when it takes over parts of your life, or when awareness of fantasy blurs and reality becomes skewed. That doesn't happen for most of us, even when confronted in person with the beauty that is [insert fandom target here]. Nevertheless, I'll use the words interchangeably here.
Anyway, I've been a serial obsessive for about seven years now. "Hi, my name is Natalie, and I'm a serial obsessive." What causes my passion to fade is almost always lack of fuel. What triggers it, makes it more than just interest, varies in its method but comes down to what grrli said: Epic depth, which in turn triggers a desire for moremoremore.
I never used to be obsessive. Not until I met Megan. I don't know if I just became more like her or if being around her triggered something dormant in me. But suddenly, when The Mummy Returns came out, I became obsessed with Brendan Fraser.
Yep. Brendan Fraser. I watched or rewatched everything he made that I could get my hands on. I marveled at his acting ability, at his range, at his gorgeous eyes. I saw Monkeybones. In the theater. And Looney Tunes. In the theater. I started frequenting a message board where we talked about when we got hit by the Brendan bus and shared any news about him we could find. Then he had a dry spell broken only by The Quiet American and my obsession faded.
The next big one was Lord of the Rings. I saw Fellowship of the Ring and was blown away. I started reading articles about it, then books, and the more I read, the more impressed I was. I found theonering.net and went multiple times a day. I watched interviews with cast and crew and fell in professional love with Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens. That one went on for a long time. There were three movies, and three DVDs, and extended films. More books and making-of documentaries. I had to see every movie made by every cast member. I bought Sean Astin's audiobook. And I set up my husband and friends for life: obsessives are SO easy to buy gifts for. :) Posters and action figures and puzzles and games and trading cards fill my office.
One obsession led to another. I was really impressed by Orlando Bloom's first feature film performance right out of acting school. He didn't appeal to me as a guy then. First, he was too young. Second, he was icky, with the mohawk and everything. But I loved his performance as Legolas, so I watched his career. As LOTR faded from the front of the public consciousness, Orlando took its place, solidified as an obsession when Pirates of the Caribbean came out.
Now, Pirates came at a very good time. Movies for the previous year had pretty much sucked. This one was clever and fun and over-the-top and smart (I didn't quite get it until the second watching) and full of lines to quote ad nauseum (one day I opened the pantry looking for chips or something and didn't find them. I said plaintively, "but why is the rum gone?" and it took me a couple of minutes to realize I'd said it). A few cheek flickers and some swashbuckling, and I was hooked on Orlando. I still love everything he does (he was impressive in Haven even if the movie itself was lacking). I watch orlandomultimedia.net for news of him, and record any talk show he's on. He's way old enough now to be an object of my interest. But my obsession has moved on.
My three biggest current passions/obsessions (besides the New England Patriots--sports are a whole 'nother thing) are:
1. Harry Potter
2. Firefly
3. Supernatural
They kind of intertwine as far as timeline goes.
I started listening to Harry Potter in 2000 when we had a long, late-night trip. Now all of us in my family have listened to the books on tape multiple times. We own the movies (except Chamber) and my kids have plastered their walls with movie images. But I've listened to the books more than anyone else and I'm the only one actively involved in the fandom.
Which requires me to back up. For six years, my interest in HP was only in the books, with a tangential interest in the movies. Then Serenity came out.
I saw the first episode of Firefly on TV, but back then I wasn't that into television, and though I thought the show was okay and worth watching, I had trouble finding it after that and never saw it on TV again. I had great interest in the movie when it approached, and SciFi started showing episodes again. I saw one more but wanted to wait and Netflix the series to watch in order. But I bought the DVD set the day after we saw the movie instead. I watched it straight through, loaned it to a friend, and immediately wanted it back.
That was a first. I've gone through other TV shows on DVD pretty quickly: Alias and Smallville and Entourage and Arrested Development. And by then, I was mildly obsessed with Lost, enough to go to The Fuselage (which I only started reading because JJ Abrams started it) and I watched a few of those episodes twice to try to see the connections I sometimes missed the first time around. But Firefly was the only TV show I wanted to watch over and over and over.
Until now. But that's jumping ahead.
So I saw Serenity in the theater three times before it was gone, and I watched Firefly over and over. When the movie came out on DVD I bought 9 copies for holiday gifts. And I wanted more. I Googled Firefly/Serenity and found The Signal, a podcast dedicated to bringing back Firefly. And there was born my connection to "fandom."
Now, anything can have fans. Some fans can be intense in their appreciation for a show. But it takes something more to be a "fandom." Fanfic and filk and art. Message boards and dissection and shouting from every possible forum to draw more people into it. I'm a peripheral fan in these communities, kind of on the edge, interested in but not really part of, for the most part. But I have to admit, I love them.
So okay, I started listening to The Signal. And I was all caught up and wanted more podcasts. I realized The Leaky Cauldron had to have one, and found Pottercast only a few weeks after it launched. (I tried Mugglecast [of MuggleNet], too, and I love the boys of Mugglecast, but the format and content of Pottercast grabbed me more.) Pottercast is up to 86 podcasts now, and I've listened to every single one. I love hearing the speculation and debate about what's coming in the final book, and what certain things mean. I am fascinated by discourse by really smart people about the stuff I love. I also enjoy yelling at them in my car. But I don't ever write to them, or participate in the message boards. I'm an observer in that fandom only, except for the stuff I post here on this blog.
Then came Supernatural. I Netflixed the DVDs when I caught up on Smallville. It was a show my husband was interested in last year, and one I would have watched, except we didn't get the WB. There was no local affiliate, and the Philly affiliate offered by Comcast was not also offered by DirecTV. But a few minutes into the pilot I was hooked (luckily, we did have a local UPN affiliate, which is now a CW affiliate). I have used my copies of the DVDs to hook other people, and every week we squee together over the show and make constant references to it and to Sam and Dean. I set up Google alerts for the show so I can read news stories about it, and for the actors so I can watch other things they do going forward (FYI, Cry Wolf is a better movie than Devour, but Jensen is better in Devour--and there's more of him--than Jared in Cry Wolf). Because of these Google alerts, I wound up reading ignipes's "10 things I love" about each episode and friended her on LJ because what she says about the show is so great. Because of my friends who also love the show, I have a series of YouTube videos in my favorites and I found my way to anteka's blog to read her Plastic!Winchester Theater and ended up friending her, too, because I thought what she says about the show is also great. I've friended a couple of other people who showed incredible insight and wit along the way. So I am more of a participant in this fandom than any other--though I don't read or write fanfic about the show, or decorate my blog with Sam and Dean (though Dean does tell me when my cell phone is ringing), and I don't participate in any message boards or communities.
Man, this is long and rambly. If you've made it this far, I apologize. :)
My point is, different things have brought me into fandoms. It usually starts as a driving need for more--the sorrow over the end of Firefly, the long distance between Harry Potter books, the more difficult though much shorter gaps between Supernatural episodes--and grows because of some emotional reaction to what I find out there in the fandom.
What I chose to obsess over, always, is something that has that "epic depth" described by grrli waayyyyy back at the beginning of this stupidly long blog post. Always, there is a world distinct from ours, ripe with relationships and emotion, big stakes, personal and physical journeys, and great wit as well as great drama. They enrich my life, make me dig dipper into the human psyche than day-to-day living does, and I hope that when these fade, there will always be something new to replace them.
I'm interested in hearing how other people feel about this stuff. If, like I was, you've been inspired to explore your own level of obsession in depth, please leave a link in the comments so I can go read it. :) Thanks!
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