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fembuckThe show is still moving forward, there were elements of this I liked better than last week, but the overall nature of the "haunted house" was so ridiculous that I can't say this episode surpassed the last one for me because of it.
First of all, Kristanna Loken was amazing this episode. Her acting is often attacked because of the robotic nature of her performance in T3 (she was playing a robot for goodness sake!), and for the overall awfulness of BloodRayne (and, um, well I have no defense for that one), but when given somewhat decent material the woman can act. And this episode she showed off the acting chops.
The scenes involving the "ghost" of her mother were really effecting. I loved seeing her try to pull herself together after the first vision, her voice strong for McBride as she angled her head away from him while tears streamed down her face. And then the scene where her "mother" voices all of Jane's fears about herself, the look of devastation on her face, and then retreat into herself as she sat at the foot of the bed were really well done.
PKJ also continued this weeks trend of giving with one hand and taking away with the other, when Jane and Mo were assigned to sleep in the same room. I mean, come on subtext! But then they didn't even show them in the room together *cries* I mean, I can imagine a sexy scenario were Mo comforts Jane after her painful day, but still people, I don't think that asking for Mo to like place her hand on Jane's shoulder after her freakout or something that indicates these two are supposedly friends would be too much to ask.
There was much more McBride this episode, which was good in the sense that the members of the team actually got a little bit of character development and we actually got to see a bit of why they might be on the team, but it was bad in the sense that it was more screentime for McBride. I kind of hate that they're setting up McBride as Jane's confidant, not just because I hate McBride (which I do), but because he's playing the role in many episodes that should be played by Mo. I mean, why did the show even bother establishing that Jane and Mo knew each other before being recruited to the team if they weren't going to show any kind of relationship between them after the pilot. I mean, Mo was crying her eyes out in Jane's apartment in the first episode, yet it's McBride that goes to comfort her when they find her at the foot of the bed? Come on! If they weren't going to show a friendship, then they just should have had Mo be a member of Team McBride from the get go, they would have had their other female lead that way, and there would have be no expectation of Jane and Mo being particularly close. But as it is now, it just bugs that Jane would go to McBride instead of the friend and partner she's worked with for years for advice.
Riley was a little much this episode, though I will admit I liked his rant about being sent down into the basement. It reminded me of the "Don't" trailer, 'if you're thinking about sending your teammate into the basement ... DON'T!' And how when he heard the baby cry, it was like "the spirit of little children are always the worst!" because it's true. That thingie on his head really needed to have never been on my computer screen though.
Wow, the Ugly One actually served a purpose. Nice to see why Connor is actually on the team. Thanks writers. Though I have to say, when Connor was first looking at the picture of Robson being taken into the house and was all like "yeah, that might mean something to me", I was seriously pissed off at the double standard of McBride basically shrugging his shoulders and not pressing Connor to elaborate on that, when he had kicked Jane off of the mission for not sharing her feelings. It's like, Connor possibly has information that could lead them to people who were there when the problems with the house first starts but that's a 'whatever', while Jane being aloof gets her suspended. WTF?
Mo's vision was kind of stupid. It's didn't seem 'out of control' to me so much as 'fucking crazy'. I was expecting a reveal that there was mental illness in her family and she was afraid of going crazy or something, not that she fears being out of control.
Also, I know that psychic energy is used to explain haunted houses a lot and everything, but for some reason the explanation of the weird visions being from Robson psychic energy carried through the wiring of the house just really bothered me for some reason. What's next a neuro-vampire episode, or a neuro-werewolf? Me no likey.
Overall, I'd say that watching this show is no longer painful, and it is actually approaching being genuinely entertaining.
P.S.: Was that Kari Matchett playing Jane's mom?
First of all, Kristanna Loken was amazing this episode. Her acting is often attacked because of the robotic nature of her performance in T3 (she was playing a robot for goodness sake!), and for the overall awfulness of BloodRayne (and, um, well I have no defense for that one), but when given somewhat decent material the woman can act. And this episode she showed off the acting chops.
The scenes involving the "ghost" of her mother were really effecting. I loved seeing her try to pull herself together after the first vision, her voice strong for McBride as she angled her head away from him while tears streamed down her face. And then the scene where her "mother" voices all of Jane's fears about herself, the look of devastation on her face, and then retreat into herself as she sat at the foot of the bed were really well done.
PKJ also continued this weeks trend of giving with one hand and taking away with the other, when Jane and Mo were assigned to sleep in the same room. I mean, come on subtext! But then they didn't even show them in the room together *cries* I mean, I can imagine a sexy scenario were Mo comforts Jane after her painful day, but still people, I don't think that asking for Mo to like place her hand on Jane's shoulder after her freakout or something that indicates these two are supposedly friends would be too much to ask.
There was much more McBride this episode, which was good in the sense that the members of the team actually got a little bit of character development and we actually got to see a bit of why they might be on the team, but it was bad in the sense that it was more screentime for McBride. I kind of hate that they're setting up McBride as Jane's confidant, not just because I hate McBride (which I do), but because he's playing the role in many episodes that should be played by Mo. I mean, why did the show even bother establishing that Jane and Mo knew each other before being recruited to the team if they weren't going to show any kind of relationship between them after the pilot. I mean, Mo was crying her eyes out in Jane's apartment in the first episode, yet it's McBride that goes to comfort her when they find her at the foot of the bed? Come on! If they weren't going to show a friendship, then they just should have had Mo be a member of Team McBride from the get go, they would have had their other female lead that way, and there would have be no expectation of Jane and Mo being particularly close. But as it is now, it just bugs that Jane would go to McBride instead of the friend and partner she's worked with for years for advice.
Riley was a little much this episode, though I will admit I liked his rant about being sent down into the basement. It reminded me of the "Don't" trailer, 'if you're thinking about sending your teammate into the basement ... DON'T!' And how when he heard the baby cry, it was like "the spirit of little children are always the worst!" because it's true. That thingie on his head really needed to have never been on my computer screen though.
Wow, the Ugly One actually served a purpose. Nice to see why Connor is actually on the team. Thanks writers. Though I have to say, when Connor was first looking at the picture of Robson being taken into the house and was all like "yeah, that might mean something to me", I was seriously pissed off at the double standard of McBride basically shrugging his shoulders and not pressing Connor to elaborate on that, when he had kicked Jane off of the mission for not sharing her feelings. It's like, Connor possibly has information that could lead them to people who were there when the problems with the house first starts but that's a 'whatever', while Jane being aloof gets her suspended. WTF?
Mo's vision was kind of stupid. It's didn't seem 'out of control' to me so much as 'fucking crazy'. I was expecting a reveal that there was mental illness in her family and she was afraid of going crazy or something, not that she fears being out of control.
Also, I know that psychic energy is used to explain haunted houses a lot and everything, but for some reason the explanation of the weird visions being from Robson psychic energy carried through the wiring of the house just really bothered me for some reason. What's next a neuro-vampire episode, or a neuro-werewolf? Me no likey.
Overall, I'd say that watching this show is no longer painful, and it is actually approaching being genuinely entertaining.
P.S.: Was that Kari Matchett playing Jane's mom?
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-13 10:21 pm (UTC)And a big 'Ditto' to everything you wrote. So many wasted opportunities with Jane & Mo... even just to further establish their friendship. I'm too lazy to go watch the pilot episode again... was there any mention of how many years they were partners at the DEA? Had to be at least a few. Shouldn't they work well together... consult with each other... depend on each other?
Like you, I'm finding the inconsistencies bothersome. Because we have been shown, more than once, that JaMo not only care about one another... they're also pretty familiar with each other's ways.
Damn that McBride! I was so looking forward to Mo getting scared and jumping into Jane's bed. Or, ya know, just something a little bit more along the lines of The Haunting. But instead, poor Mo probably ended up spending most of her night with Mrs. Ghost. And I can't believe that Mo wouldn't get a little bit pushy (and touchy feely) trying to help Jane.
Why turn to McBride? The only excuse that works for me is that deep down Jane desperately wants a surrogate father-figure, without the baggage that must come with her real one.
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Date: 2007-05-13 11:09 pm (UTC)LOL.
So many wasted opportunities with Jane & Mo... even just to further establish their friendship. I'm too lazy to go watch the pilot episode again... was there any mention of how many years they were partners at the DEA? Had to be at least a few. Shouldn't they work well together... consult with each other... depend on each other?
Exactly. We were never given an exact date for how long they worked together, but in Jane's monologue for the mission at the club, they way she talked about how she and Mo work together indicates that they were partners for a while. It's just plain bad writing that they don't have them supporting each other. I'm not saying the need to be the new Xena/Gabrielle, but they should at least be Barbara/Helena, or Elliot/Olivia or something. As it is they're practically like strangers right now, which sucks and is really sloppy.
Damn that McBride! I was so looking forward to Mo getting scared and jumping into Jane's bed. Or, ya know, just something a little bit more along the lines of The Haunting.
Oh, how much do I love you for mentioning "The Haunting". One of my all-time guilty pleasure movies. I love it. And I would have totally loved to see Mo pulling a Theo and brushing Jane's hair, telling her that the world has missed her. *sigh* When The Haunting pwns your show in terms of character development and relationships, it's really time to call a meeting or something. *Mmm, Theo/Nell ... *note to self: watch The Haunting again*
And I can't believe that Mo wouldn't get a little bit pushy (and touchy feely) trying to help Jane.
It really got me how awkward it was for her just to be standing there. I mean, just the rules of tv tell you that if there are two women in the room one of the women will comfort the other one. Not only did having McBride try to comfort Jane go against Jane and Mo being friends, it went against the hurt/comfort rules of tv!!! So stupid!
Why turn to McBride? The only excuse that works for me is that deep down Jane desperately wants a surrogate father-figure, without the baggage that must come with her real one.
You know, with Jane's voice-over at the end, I really DID think that she was going to see her father. And when an old man opened the door I thought it was her father until I got a good look at his face and realized it was McBride. *sigh* Just another thing to hate. Why not just show her real father? *head desk*
Still, overall I enjoyed this episode.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-14 11:33 am (UTC)And I really, really want to like this show. They're not making this easy for us. It's a good thing I'm hopelessly shallow and can't resist watching Kristanna on the flat panel TV ;).
no subject
Date: 2007-05-14 09:36 pm (UTC)Maureen's fear of not being in control made sense too based on her bossiness in the pilot, if not the visuals they used to convey it.
So sad we missed out on the Jane/Mo bonding, first in their room, then at the end of the ep before Jane goes to Andre's. They obviously talked from what we hear in Jane's monologue. I could so ship these too. Every time Alainna is on screen I want to pet her hair, she's so cute with that short do. Too bad they don't give her anything to do.
I'm afraid this is going to go like SG-1 in terms of subtext, we're going to have to fill in the missing scenes to make it happen. It's too bad because many of these scenes would be the right choice based on character history and to create the most development instead of the Jane/Andre bonding they're trying to push so hard.
Jane going to visit Andre at his house while telling herself he's one of the strongest guys she's known is so inorganic. There's an example of telling not showing. We have sure not seen Andre being exceptionally strong on screen. Who is Jane comparing him against?
The pseudo scientific explanation of the haunting was embarrassingly silly, poor man's scifi. They should have cut those explanations and given us more on the characters fears and post-mortem.
Not sure where the show is going to end if they don't up the writing level considerably soon. Any idea how the ratings are doing? It's always very easy to get the eps so I assume there are lot of Lokinator fanboys and girls out there.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-18 01:48 pm (UTC)http://mondoshawan555.livejournal.com/6783.html