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Post by peach on Feb 22, 2009 2:30:55 GMT
I'll have to watch it again. I think that by introducing a new character, who may be part buffoon and part computer geek, not sure which at this point that it might turn into a something completely different. It just didn't work for me and felt uncomfortable. I think we touched on the humour thing a few threads back, comedy done in small doses is a good thing, too much is overkill. If they're bringing Felix in for comic relief that's a huge mistake, it has to look like a smooth transition, I kept waiting for the rim shot (comedy term), and never found it. While I'm still faithful to the show, I continue to watch and consider changing opinion if it warrants. I hope Rachel's character doesn't get pushed to the side or given the heave ho altogether. Time will tell.
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Post by rueful on Feb 22, 2009 15:36:52 GMT
As regards the attempts at humor, what bugged me most this episode was the "whimsical" music that plinked along at various points, as if to say, "Hey, pay attention, we're being funny now." It kicked in when Felix showed up at the beginning (with the smoldering--and not a Rufus good kind of smoldering--helicopter in the background), when the rashy cop showed up, and at the end again with Felix. It was just so jarring to me, and inappropriate in tone, especially in that first scene. And this complaint is coming from someone who actually liked the episode, so it was probably even more annoying to people who found the whole episode bad.
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Post by tipou on Feb 22, 2009 15:51:21 GMT
that quirky music was actually the same one that made me hate the poodle shooting scene even more.
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Post by rueful on Feb 22, 2009 22:12:57 GMT
I'm sorry, I must disagree. Stupid music aside, I loved the poodle scene. I loved his riff on not shooting the "bad guy."
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Post by tipou on Feb 22, 2009 22:17:49 GMT
i know. i am the only one not liking the poodle shooting scene.
i thought it felt so artificial, and AAARRRGGHHHH that music. like you said: "now is time to laugh, dear viewer, we are telling you a joke. can you say "joke"? i knew you could."
about the scene itself, it felt like it was stolen from "monk". there, it would have been funny.
i'm hard headed that way.
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Post by rueful on Feb 22, 2009 22:35:02 GMT
Hmmm. Would it help if you thought of it (without the music) as Jacob teasing Rachel? Which I think he was. The (extremely mumbled) "Ok, ok, I'll be serious" indicated to me that he thought the whole thing was silly and was not planning to cooperate. Or, if you just are determined to be stubborn about it, then we'll concede that you have the right not to like it.  |
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Post by tipou on Feb 22, 2009 22:42:21 GMT
naaaah. i dont buy that. i see that scene in my head and i see monk.
its not a bad comment either, i love tony shaloub. he's the dark curly type too. smaller though.
cute, in his own way.
that poodle thing was a stolen monk moment.
and i am still quite sure they dont come up with salon-styled poodle boards in shooting ranges. i just cannot get over that one. that and the music made be go arrrrrrghhhh.
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Post by rueful on Feb 22, 2009 23:23:01 GMT
Hey, they have farm animals--I'm pretty sure they can cut out a doggie if they want!  |
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Post by tipou on Feb 22, 2009 23:24:40 GMT
well i'll be... what exactly are police officers trained for these days??? no wonder criminality is so high.
anyway, i dont like that scene. i am so stubborn, even my boss gave up on me when i act this way.
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Post by ambra on Feb 23, 2009 8:36:00 GMT
The only time I've had a problem with the music is in the funeral scene for "Eternal". The midi-muzak version of Pink's "Sober" drives me nuts everytime I watch it and it's just the chorus to the song on top of that, playing over and over and over like a bad cellphone ringtone.
There's really only two things that bug me about this episode. The first concerns the excellent actress who played the widow, Erica. After she goes blind and is admitted to the hospital, they keep her eyes bandaged up, even after they discover there's no physical injury. I think the scenes with her, especially the one with just her and Hood, would've played so much better if her eyes weren't covered up. Even if she was just staring straight ahead, she'd still be able to "act" with her eyes.
The second is the scene where they open the refrigerator on the docks. They suspect it's full of dangerous mercury, wear gas masks to protect themselves, but then open the frig door, just let the stuff spill and splash everywhere, and then they walk through it! They could've put the frig on it's back and opened it up, keeping the liquid fairly contained. I know it was probably done for "dramatic effect" but it still bothers me that someone like Hood especially would just let mercury go spilling all over the place.
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Post by GreenEyesToo on Feb 23, 2009 13:38:15 GMT
i think the strong link between rachel and jacob was only more apparent with the new guy trying to fit in. I totally agree with you, Tip - the new puppy kind of united them, and I think actually gave Marley's character some direction in that she had someone to boss around who had to listen to her, unlike Jacob's somewhat distracted sometime compliance. She kind of grew up in this episode - no longer a handler or bodyguard or sidekick, but a woman in charge. I didn't feel a threat to the Rachel/Hood dynamic <.....> It had been a concern of mine that Shelton and Rufus had to carry the whole show themselves, which is so unusual, and I think the added Felix diversions gave a nice lift to the whole thing. I'm definitely in the "I love Felix" camp. His addition was naturally done, I loved his enthusiastic geekiness and the slightly bemused way both Jacob and Rachel regarded him, and how they'd dug the dirt on how he got the job - and the"oh-please, oh-please-let-me-play-with-you-again" hug at the end was priceless! However, he's going to need to tone that down in future episodes if he's to avoid becoming irritating. I can see why the creators wanted to have this show carried by just two characters - it fits with having to go places at short notice, but also they needed to set it apart from all those other shows based around teams. An occasional appearance by a recurring character could be the perfect compromise. My main gripe about this episode was the predictability of the main storyline - so formulaic. Man dies tragically, widow turns out to be pregnant.......such a cliché. The series tends to lean towards the mawkish too much for my liking, too. BUT.....Rufus!  ! I'm glad they've got the hair thing sorted, and that his under-stated humour is coming through (yes, loved the gull and windscreen bit,, where he just carried on describing the symptoms), but most of all I love the time given to close-ups.....YAY!  |
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Post by rueful on Feb 23, 2009 15:25:40 GMT
I know!!! I fear that factor blinds me to a lot of the legitimate criticism from Peach and others about this episode. Normally I'd be complaining more about a lot of the plot holes or ridiculous coincidences. That fishmeal could have gone anywhere, but it goes to the "only local dairy" that supplies both the milk company's plants, and of all the people who could be affected by and ultimately killed by the poisoning, it's the perpetrator's wife's colleague? Small world.
But I so enjoyed the character interactions that I didn't care, just this one time. It's a weakness, to be so swayed by the adorableness of Rufus. I'll have to work on that.
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Post by peach on Feb 24, 2009 1:12:37 GMT
I had a poodle, and loved that scene, it had me laughing. There are two things that really bug me while watching any episodic tv, phony laugh tracks, it's an insult to the viewer and the writers, funny is funny, I don't need "canned" laughter to tell me when to laugh at a joke. The second is inappropriate music to fill a scene with emotion. It ruins the feel of any scene and most of the time it's not needed. You know when music works in a scene? Any part in Jaws, and MGM musicals, if the music is there to move the scene along fine, if it's there as filler don't use it. Sometimes silence is best.
I've stated this before re: Felix, if he's used in small doses and not forced upon the viewer just as comic relief then fine, cause Ruf is funny on his own, he need not be clown, nor vocal to do so, remember it's the little things, it's that look in his eye or the expression in his face, we are not stupid, we do not need to be hit upon the head to let us know that a humourous part is coming up, perhaps most of America needs to have a clownish sidekick on every drama show. I bet you can think of at least five or straight dramas that showcase a lame most times not funny character thrown in. The producers think and write for the most part to the lowest common denominator. Ruf was right when he said that the Hones Courtesan needed to be re titled to Dangerous Beauty, there is truth to that, just look for what passes for comedy nowadays. I miss the smart humour of Frasier, the Bob Newhart Show and the Mary Tyler Moore show, those were damn funny and smart w/o be preachy.
Yes I will continue to watch even though I hated, truly hated the new dynamic and turn the show has taken. I wish they'd give us some credit, a show that actually may teach you something or at least expose you to use the right side of the brain for a change. What a concept!
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