Blade the Series - 1x11 - "Monsters"

[fembuck]

Some icons to go with post-episode commentary tonight




Commentary

Random note: I loved AsianCamper's hair. It was cool.

Finally we learn about the conclave. But Marcus said something about 1 down 5 to go, so he can't be talking about taking out all of the purebloods. He must be talking about just the Chthon Pureblood Council. So I still have no idea what his overall plan is. Does he want to take over the council? Because his coven in Detriot can't be all there is of Chthon vampires and I'm sure the other Chthonians would be none too please about Marcus gasing everyone and declaring himself King of the Douchebags Castle.

Man, where was that community center located? Mayberry ... or HappyShinyFantasyLand? Oh well, it didn't stay happy and shiny for long. Charlotte on the ceiling was some cool shit however. And the vampire masacre was tres creepy. Also, Charlotte is a total fucking bad-ass, what with the creating her own army of bodyguards out of the community center staff and all. Holy that's an evil little girl. PancakeMom was pretty hilarious too. "You dented my mini-van!" or maybe "Nobody said you could go for seconds!" I will also never get tired of seeing Charlotte crawl around like a little monkey girl all over everything. Awesome. Almost as good as Charlotte crying pretending to be a frightened little girl. For some reason Charlotte saying "Daddy" is creepy as hell.

Charlotte totally read Blade wrong though, she couldn't have been more wrong about him on the most wrongingest day of the year with an electrified wronging machine. R.I.P. Charlotte. I'll miss you. You were way scarier the MoneyBags has ever been.

The Krista/Marcus/Chase triangle is going strong and as effing boring as ever, but OMG! The ZoomInOfDeath on the locket Marcus gave Krista was the BEST! You could practically hear the 'knife stabbing' music to go along with Chase's glare.

Well, at least TPTB aren't shying away from showing Marcus as the bad guy anymore. I liked that they finally had Krista SEE him do something deliciously evil without blinking an eye. It's one thing to know intellectually that he's a bad guy, but after Marcus' 'pity me' visions of angst, I think it was necessary for her to see this side of him. The side of him that kills people just to make a point (it wasn't even to feed to survive, he was just being a bully). I think it's a good thing Marcus got his groove on before that little display because I don't think Krista would have wanted to play after it.

Also, who knew that dragging a mop could be so ominous.

R.I.P Collins ... Blade the Series went there again! Damn, man they kill off like two regular guest star. Boo, but then again that's what Blade the Series does ... it goes there.

Unless it's actually Khase kissage! BOOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOOOO BOOOOOOOOO monu-fucking-mental BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Maybe Marcus is right to be so fucking arrogant because it seems like everything IS about him. Did I already say BOO! Effing misleading promos, they just stayed enemies with more inappropriate touching on Chase's part (though it is kind of amusing how Krista doesn't even react anymore. It's like "being fondled by Chase ... must be a week day).

Also totally not impressed by the fact that Chase was just a stoogie once again cleaning up Marcus' split milk and acting like a jealous housewife. Go eat the women on Westeria Lane, Chase! No more Desperate Housevampires over on Blade the Series, please! K, thanks.

Whatever, the promo for next week looked good but I'm fucking bitter right now. I'm actually gonna go do work for tomorrow *sticks tongue out at Blade the Series*

Quotation Love:

Krista: "Really? I hardly notice when you're gone."
Blade: "And you're not that smart."
Charlotte: "I will be in a moment." Charlotte you are sooooo freaky.
Shen: "He does. They anger him." Shen-erific snark
Blade: "There's me and there's vampires. I kill 'em and they die." Oh Blade, you sure do have a way with words.
Krista: "Yeah, sometimes so much you come to my room unasked." LOL. So true.
Krista: "So this would be you getting to know me better?" BWAH! And then ewwwwwwwwww.
Collins: "Jesus!" Like every one of the times he said it
Charlotte: "Faster. It'll be light soon. Put me down." Oh, so cute her piddly little legs can't walk fast enough
Blade: "How about you see how long you can go without asking me a question."
Blade: [On Collins using the name Jessica to log in to the FBI computer] "Oh unless you had some kind of operation" Blade, oh my god you are on fire tonight!
Blade: [about Familiars] "I call them targets."
Collins: "Hey Lurch!" Love you Collins.
Krista: "Doesn't anyone knock in this place?" Finally she asks the question we've all been wondering about.

Comments

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

I have to say, as a Blade fan, that episode rocked. Blade was snarky, and proactive, and snarky, and asskicking, and did I mention snarky?

Total agreement. I throughly enjoyed Blade this episode. He was totally on fire with the one liners and bad-assness tonight. Blade was my favorite part of this episode and if they can keep up this level of semi-characterization they might actually be able to make their title character the focus of the show instead of MoneyBags and his idiotic plans.

So, let me get this straight, Blade is smart enough to figure out that he needs to make sure everyone on the plane died but Marcus is all '*snooty pout* I planted the bomb, of *course* they're dead! Hey Krista, wanna makeout *snootypout*'!?! Some evil mastermind, yo. At least Charlotte was smart enough to call the House and tell them of Marcus' plans. Sadly, no one's going to put two and two together by next week 'cuz the previews certainly show that Marcus' plan succeeds. And what the Hell happened to Glynis' two assistants? Bad plotting, PTB, bad plotting.

snootypout, lol. And so true. I thought Marcus' gloating to Chase about his brilliant plan to blow up Charlotte's plane was ridiculous. It's like she's a vampire, if she wasn't caught in the initial blast and was still alive when the plane went down its entirely possible she could still be alive. I couldn't believe that he didn't even send like one guy out to check. I mean he's got enough people milling around that place seemingly doing nothing but looking good. Couldn't they look good while checking out the wreckage? And yeah, I agree with you that nothing will come of Charlotte making that phone call. I mean I think the purebloods will be all pissy at Marcus for trying to kill Charlotte but no one it seems has connected him to Damek or Alex (what? how? I don't know) so I don't think they'll be expecting him to try and wipe them all out. In fact, my fear is - because TPTB have such hardon's for Marcus - that the purebloods will like respect his initiative in trying to get rid of Charlotte or something and he'll be rewarded with her position on the council or something. *shudders at the thought*

Plus, why the Hell didn't Charlotte just hide in a locker until sundown?

Good idea. She's tiny enough. She could've sent Thorne to like another building to throw anyone off her scent and just like hung out and took a nap or something until nightfall when he came to get her.

So, is it written in Jill Wagner's contract that she must be either a) in a shower, b) semi-nude or c) walk in slow-motion in the world's most boobtastic top? Not that I'm complaining or anything.

I think so. Let's hope this doesn't get changed when she renegotiates if the series gets picked up (which I still really really want it to despite my bitching)

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

continuation of post above because I rambled too much and LJ yelled at me ...

As for the Khase makeoutage, like you had the promo monkeys at Spiketv not aired that entirely *misleading* promo, it was the kind of scene I totally would have expected.

Exactly! This type of mob/kiss of death/intimidation thing was exactly the type of scene I was expecting this time last week. But then they aired that promo with the lingering romantic shots along with that voice-over and I thought "maybe" and got really on board with the idea. I still would have had a problem with Chase being so pathetically desperate this episode, but at least that scene wouldn't have disappointed me so completely.

I love that Krista doesn't even try to get dressed first before having it out with Chase. And, once again, it's Chase who dresses her.

Chase must do drop by's more often then we've seen because Krista didn't even blink. She didn't eve try to cover up like she's so used to Chase being around her naked that it's a non-issue. I even like how she kinda lifted her arm to help Chase get the robe on like they'd been through the routine dozens of times or something!

Once again, bad plotting PTB, bad plotting. Even then, it's not so much bad plotting because the seeds have been planted since the pilot, it's just soo pedestrian.

Pedestrian is so right. It's like they weren't even trying. They've done so many interesting things with the 'world' of this show, but it's like they're incapable of writing female interactions that aren't based on petty jealousy. It's like I'm not saying that I actually expected them to make Krista and Chase a couple, but there was so much that they could have done with their relationship (which they seemed to start doing with Chase mentoring her) and then it's like they got bored and just went for jealous ex route. Lazy.

Although, I must admit, I did get a kick out of Marcus actually being evil this episode.

Yeah, that was a nice change of pace. But they still had Charlotte be like 5 times as evil. The way Marcus off'd that guy was still really sanitory (no screams of pain or blood or anything messy) and dare I say it human (snapped neck as opposed to feeding off of him, or making Tucker watch them hook him up in one of those clear plastic bags as they bleed him dry).

When Krista remembered that in the shower, maybe it would have been nice if she'd pictured Zach, and Marcus just sitting down and looking at some papers after killing her brother. I just wish we'd seen some frustration from her, like maybe punching the shower wall or something, like she's disgusted with her feelings for him. Anything other than that head shake which is so ambiguous. It could have been a "fuck you marcus you're going down" shake to pump herself up, but it seemed more like a "oh, Marcus. What AM I going to do with you" with kind of shake.

'Crunchy Dude' and 'Crunchy Dudette'

lol. They were hilarious. It was fun watching them stumble into their inevitable demise. Though you'd think they of all people wouldn't hold it against Charlotte for having the munchies, lol

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

They've done so many interesting things with the 'world' of this show, but it's like they're incapable of writing female interactions that aren't based on petty jealousy.

Yep. One of the things I've enjoyed about Blade is the show being way smarter than I totally expected it to be. But, as we draw closer and closer to the finale, the wheels are starting to fall off.. in a *big* way. And I'm like 'damn, and you guys were doing soo well'.

Anything other than that head shake which is so ambiguous.

Yep. Like, if she's tuned into Marcus' memories because of his blood, why can't she see the moment when he shot Zach? Oh that's right because that'd just remind her of why she's *supposed* to hate him and, oh noes!, we can't have that. If they didn't want Krista to really hate Marcus, then they shouldn't have had him kill Zach. Why is the audience, or at least part of them, the only ones who remember that little tidbit? If it's supposed to be a love/hate dichotomy, maybe TPTB should actually concentrate on the 'hate' part. Because right now, Krista's not even conflicted/torn as much as 'inconvenienced'.

I'm not sure which I hate more - Marcus or TPTB's obvious hardon for the character.. who's not that great to begin with. On paper, having the leading lady fall for the villain looks like a good idea but when it's at the expense of a) the actual leading man and b) the expense of the leading lady's character, soo not a good idea.

Imo, the biggest mistake TPTB this season was killing off Boodine Woodard's character. He would have made an awesome nemesis next season, a nemesis with actual ties to the hero, making Blade's fight with the villain about Blade as opposed to tertiary characters he *never* interacts with!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Yep. One of the things I've enjoyed about Blade is the show being way smarter than I totally expected it to be. But...the wheels are starting to fall off.. in a *big* way.

Exactly. It's like they exhausted themselves early in the season or something, and then were like too tired to keep up the same amount of effort. Like a kid that tries really hard in first semester and then tries to coast for the rest of the year. And I'm like "shape up, buddy! I know you can do better this!" They're just being lazy now after working so hard to keep things fresh at the beginning.

Like, if she's tuned into Marcus' memories because of his blood, why can't she see the moment when he shot Zach?

Exactly! I hate this selective memory thing they've got going. If she's in his head she should be able to kind of walk through his memories (like they said on Dr. Who, a door once opened can be walked through in either direction). But instead of Krista seeing something really important we get to see Marcus' memories of woe. They knew that they were going to hook Marcus and Krista up, so if they weren't going to go for a dark fucked up ship, then they shouldn't have had Marcus be the one to fuck up her life. If they needed Krista turned, they could've like had her snooping around and had Chase find her and feed off of her but not finish the job. Then Marcus could've swooped in and been Krista's guide or something and you could see why even though he's an evil bastard she might have feelings for him because he's been nice to her at least. Instead she's all schmoopy about him and he murdered her brother, kidnapped, sort of raped, and then killed her. Oooh, romantic.

Because right now, Krista's not even conflicted/torn as much as 'inconvenienced'.

So true. In fact her undercover work has gotten really half-assed. Like that play she made for the folder. She couldn't have been more obivious. It's like she's going through the motions but doesn't REALLY care anymore.

I'm not sure which I hate more - Marcus or TPTB's obvious hardon for the character.. who's not that great to begin with. On paper, having the leading lady fall for the villain looks like a good idea but when it's at the expense of a) the actual leading man and b) the expense of the leading lady's character, soo not a good idea.

I'd even say 'leading ladies' because Marcus and this storyline isnt' doing Chase any favors either. Krista's coming off as a wishy-washy slut, and Chase as a bitchy, pathetic, jealous ex who needs to realize that its over. They took these two female characters who were extremely strong at the beginning of the series and have just knocked them down until they are now barely recognizable (I mean even phsyically they've been made weaker. Early in the season they were both shown to be tough proficient fighters, but Marcus and Blade in successive episode knocked Krista around like a rag doll, and then Lurch Thorne took Chase out in the blink of an eye). Now they're like these Lifetime movie of the week charcters and I'm like "whaaa ...how, for reals? How did it go wrong so quickly?" It's not at the point of no return yet, but I don't like this slippery slope they've started on,

Imo, the biggest mistake TPTB this season was killing off Boodine Woodard's character. He would have made an awesome nemesis next season, a nemesis with actual ties to the hero

Steppen Razor (I think that was the name of Bokeem's character) was a much better villian for Blade than Marcus has ever been because he was actually an enemy of Blade. I mean Blade isn't even really a concern to Marcus, Blade is actually fucking helping Marcus out. How the hell is that suppose to create dramatic tension? Marcus' enemey are the purebloods NOT Blade, so Blade is really just kinda hanging out. Steppen Razor forming an alliance with maybe one of the other houses and getting some solid resources and going after Blade (and using his knowledge from their time as Bad Bloods to get insight into how Blade will act) on behalf of the vampire nation would have been an awesome arc, that would have allowed for more Blade background and emotion and development etc. But no, we'll probably be subjected to more Marcus.

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

If she's in his head she should be able to kind of walk through his memories (like they said on Dr. Who, a door once opened can be walked through in either direction).

Oooh, I like that (leave it to Who to be totally smarter). And totally makes sense. Like, what if Blade totally fucks up Marcus's plan because Krista used Marcus' memories against him? 'Shove your blood in my mouth!?! Ha, take that beeyoch!'. The Krista/Marcus storyline fails because it was setup on a foundation of pure contrivance. There's been nothing organic about it. Since it's the in-your-face centerpiece of the show, I can't ignore/avoid it. And I really, *really* wish I could.

They took these two female characters who were extremely strong at the beginning of the series and have just knocked them down until they are now barely recognizable

I'd put Charlotte onto that list as well. Felled by trying to appeal to Blade's vampire side and getting punk'd by Marcus? C'mon!

Steppen Razor (I think that was the name of Bokeem's character) was a much better villian for Blade than Marcus has ever been because he was actually an enemy of Blade.

If I were to actually go on the official boards and try and buzz something in the PTB's ears it would be that, ie, 'give your wrists a rest and quit the circle jerk over Marcus and create a villain that's an actual *foil* for Blade'.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I like that (leave it to Who to be totally smarter). And totally makes sense. Like, what if Blade totally fucks up Marcus's plan because Krista used Marcus' memories against him? 'Shove your blood in my mouth!?! Ha, take that beeyoch!'.

Totally it's pure contrivance that he's able to control what she sees. In fact you'd think that his most recent memories would be the most easy to access that could say reveal details about the aurora project that he wouldn't have told her otherwise. It would have been a delicious twist of fate if the connection formed between them after he turned her against her will was the source of his downfall.

Quite frankly the whole vision/ADE experience really makes no sense and was probably only invented to give Marcus a way to make Krista soften towards him. Because honestly how do you explain that scientifically like they try to explain everything on the show? How does a virus allow for people to share their memories?

The Krista/Marcus storyline fails because it was setup on a foundation of pure contrivance. There's been nothing organic about it.

Exactly, it's like we're supposed to think that they're in love or whatever because the writers keep telling us so, instead of being able to show it to us convincingly. And the plot chasms aren't helped by the fact that Jackson and Wagner have absolutely no chemistry together (or I should say Jackson has no chemistry with Wagner, since Jill has shown chemistry with practically every character but Marcus. And Jackson hasn't shown chemistry with anyone - even Gower who once again is a freaking chemistry magnet). They're painful lack of ability to generate any actual heat just makes the ship that much more intolerable.

I'd put Charlotte onto that list as well. Felled by trying to appeal to Blade's vampire side and getting punk'd by Marcus? C'mon!

Yeah, I know. It's like Charlotte is obvious an exception young woman to have a position of so much power at that age. And yet they had Marcus playing her like a fucking fiddle. The thing that made it worse is that Charlotte obviously hated Marcus' fucking guts and thought he was a total douchebag but they had her disregard that and just go along with him. If pureblood were really such bossy bastards Charlotte could've just taken his research/taken over the project and told him to piss off. But no, she's yet another woman on the show who just bows to Marcus' will.

'give your wrists a rest and quit the circle jerk over Marcus and create a villain that's an actual *foil* for Blade'.

lol, so true. You know what Marcus is, he's a fucking canon Mary Sue. The writers are spurting over him because he's good looking (to some), well dressed, rich and has beautiful women fawning all over him. It's like, stop trying to put your fantasy self on screen, and focus on the character the show is actually supposed to be about!

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Ooops, got a little send happy.

Instead she's all schmoopy about him and he murdered her brother, kidnapped, sort of raped, and then killed her..

Totally. If they're gonna go there then, dammit, *go* there. It's like they don't want to admit that their villain is a total asshat and keep whitewashing his actions by making the other vamps around him worse. And no, physically showing Isabelle getting raped* doesn't excuse a damn thing Marcus did to Krista. They want it both ways because they're way too enamoured with their villain, and not being intellectually or narratively honest regarding the character. Like, dammit, if you wanted to do a show called Marcus the Douchebaggery Vampire then you should have had the balls to do so. Rather than suckering the audience into thinking they would be watching a show called Blade. I know I wouldn't have tuned in.

And now that you've put the idea in my mind, if vamping is a metaphor for sex then, yeah, Marcus *did* rape her. Which makes me hate him (and Krista falling for the asshole) even more. Krista should totally be planning to shove a stake up his ass.. repeatedly.

* Another on the list of things TPTB have shown onscreen and still they don't show Krista and Chase making out?

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

And no, physically showing Isabelle getting raped* doesn't excuse a damn thing Marcus did to Krista.

Honestly the Isabelle flashbacks back Marcus an evener bigger asshat to me. I mean the pansy-ass mopey boy still carries around his dead wife's locket, he murders a pure blood to avenge her, and he's planning the destruction of the purebloods because of what was done to her. Obvious HIS family meant a great deal to him and 107 years later he's still obsessed with what happened. So what does he do he goes out and totally fucks up other people's lives the way his was fucked up, and then tells them to get over it. What the fuck ever Marcus. I don't see why we're supposed to feel sorry for what he went through, but then we're supposed to cheer on Krista blowing the guy that did the same thing to her.

Marcus the Douchebaggery Vampire

LOL.

if vamping is a metaphor for sex then, yeah, Marcus *did* rape her. Which makes me hate him (and Krista falling for the asshole) even more. Krista should totally be planning to shove a stake up his ass.. repeatedly.

Total word. This whole relationship is just despicable and makes me wonder if they have one female writer on staff, because honestly, Marcus is being rewarded for being a murdering, raping, abusive dickwad and the writers seem to have no idea that its going on.

Another on the list of things TPTB have shown onscreen and still they don't show Krista and Chase making out?

It amazes me that they REFUSED to go there, when it would have been so easy ... and so hot. Instead of Chase starting out by threatening Krista they could have had her start in with the friendship speech and wanting to get closer to Krista, and they could have had a tender sexy kiss go on. Then Chase could have played at understanding why Krista was attracted to Marcus and pretending to be okay with it. Then she could have slowly revealed violent information to Krista about Marcus and his past (knowing how squimish Krista is) under the guise of girl talk, slowly poisoning Krista against him (brining up Zach as well). Chase totally should have tried killing Krista with "kindness" since it has been demonstrated to her and the audience over and over again that Krista isn't really intimidated by her. But no, same old, same old.

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

lol, so true. You know what Marcus is, he's a fucking canon Mary Sue... Marcus is being rewarded for being a murdering, raping, abusive dickwad and the writers seem to have no idea that its going on.

What totally chaps my ass is I don't mind Marcus being a murderous, raping, abusive dickwad if he'd just *own* it, ya know (or TPTB would let him). Like, in the pilot, when Krista was talking to him through her sniper scope and Marcus was all ' yeah I killed your brother, whatchoo gonna do about it beeyoch'. And I'm like, damn that's cold. But since that moment he turned Krista, it's all been downhill from there.

Right now, it's like you said, he's a Gary Stu. He's not evil, just misunderstood. And, it'd actually be cool if he were actually banging all the women that are falling at his feet. But, we can't have that because his penis is reserved exclusively for his 'twu wuv'. God, excuse me while I puke. I don't want the Diet Coke of Evil for a villain, dammit.

Chase totally should have tried killing Krista with "kindness" since it has been demonstrated to her and the audience over and over again that Krista isn't really intimidated by her.

Or, how about Krista making the moves on Chase since Marcus *still* doesn't trust her after landing on his dick twice and getting nothing in return but some damn cheapass necklace.. and crabs. Heh, wouldn't it rule if Krista were to find out Marcus gave her some vampire STD?

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

What totally chaps my ass is I don't mind Marcus being a murderous, raping, abusive dickwad if he'd just *own* it, ya know (or TPTB would let him)

Totally, it's like you can have him being a murderous, raping, abusive dickwad but the writers have to [Tim Gunn]make it work[/TG] which they haven't. They've carried on, but what they're doing isn't working.

Like, in the pilot, when Krista was talking to him through her sniper scope and Marcus was all ' yeah I killed your brother, whatchoo gonna do about it beeyoch'. And I'm like, damn that's cold. But since that moment he turned Krista, it's all been downhill from there.

You mentioned that moment and I cackled with malicious glee because that was so evil, and douche-y and FUN! If they'd kept that Marcus Van Sciver, having him like taunt Blade, or even like taunting Charlotte through a comm in the sword before blowing up the plane or something he might have been a villian that was fun to hate. Instead we've got EmoManPain with is boring and insulting.

Or, how about Krista making the moves on Chase since Marcus *still* doesn't trust her after landing on his dick twice and getting nothing in return but some damn cheapass necklace.. and crabs

OMG, I love that idea. It's like Krista knows that Chase at least finds her attractive, she would have probably been able to calm Chase's jealousy by hitting on Chase and thereby making her think that she's not as into Marcus as she seems, but just wants some play. And then since Chase is no way near as ass-pole-like controlled as Marcus, Krista totally could have gotten some useful information out of her during pillow talk. Plus, Chase probably would have made an effort to get her off multiple times while Marcus probably got dressed the moment he was finished.

Oh, man that would have been awesome adn it would have shown that Krista wasn't the schmoopy dumbass she's turning into, and it would have allowed Chase to be the sexy bitch that she is. Grrr Argh powers that be!

Heh, wouldn't it rule if Krista were to find out Marcus gave her some vampire STD?

I kinda wish he did, the dirty bastard. Maybe Krista can forgive seeing him break someone's neck, but everytime she has to apply that ointment she'd be cursing Dorkus' name.