Moving Past Stereotypes

Sorry for the break - I've just not felt the spark to splurge forth any opinions, but this weekend I have been at a convention (Hallowhedon) with some of the bestest people and this has reignited my spark! As you can imagine, at a convention with lots of other TV fans, much was discussed over the weekend. One of the things that I did discuss was the use of stereotypes in writing and shows that I think have given us characters that move past this. 

I find stereotypes really frustrating. I know that they are based in reality (they have to come from somewhere right?) but I do get frustrated with the amount of writers that use them. I understand that sometimes, they HAVE to be used and can be used to change our views of a stereotype, but when it's every character in a show - that's not good. 

For me there have been 3 shows that have really gone past the use of stereotypes and given us well-rounded and believable characters. If you can think of any others, please comment.

Battlestar Galactica (2004 - 2009)

This was the first show that stands out to me as not using gender stereotypes. I think you could take out any of the actors and replace them with an actor of the opposite sex and very little would need to be changed. The characters are so well written and have not been attributed 'gender' characteristics that mean they are then tied to a particular sex. A female Gaius? No problem! A male Roslin? Go ahead!  

Spartacus (2010 - 2013)

Image from: http://images.wikia.com/spartacus/images/1/13/Bscap0011.jpg

The one area that BSG didn't really venture into was having many gay characters. Spartacus did and I dare you to say that any of them are stereotypes! From Agron and Nasir to Barca and Pietros, the show gave us a range of relationships. In a poll of the Top 50 Greatest Gay TV characters, thebacklot.com recently placed Agron at number 5, describing him as a "breath of fresh air". But the beauty for me was that any of the heterosexual relationships could have been changed to a gay relationship and vice versa. Because the characters are not stereotypes in any way (gender, sexuality, etc), they can be played by men or women, gay or straight. The only restrictions placed on the characters are possible historical restrictions given by the time period of the show. This felt like the first time a show genuinely saw past the sexuality of the character.

Scandal (2012 - )

One of the final frontiers of US TV seems to be having actors and actresses of colour playing leads, as it seems that the networks have believed for so long that audiences would not watch these shows.

And then there was Scandal with the enigmatic Kerry Washington in the lead. 

The characters in Scandal represent a range of ethnicities and not a one of them is a stereotype. For this reason, any of the actors, could be taken out and another actor of both a different colour and gender could play that role. It is superbly written. But one of the triumphs of the show has been to have a storyline involving 2 of the main characters in a relationship that clearly has implications due to the colour of their skin, but to never really directly mention it. The writers treat the audience with respect, not like idiots.

(I've got a feeling that as it grows, Sleepy Hollow may well fit in to this category too!)

This just goes to show, write characters, not stereotypes and the audience will love them. Makes me wonder if that is why some shows that we expect to do well, aren't??

 

A Holiday of Reading

I've just come back from a 10 day holibob in Egypt and while I was there I read a whopping total of 9 books. So, I thought I would share with you all my thoughts on these books - especially as one of them was a real corker! 

1. The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen - the story of Louis Drax is very intriguing and, narratively, is told from 2 perspectives. This took a little while to get used to especially as the voice of Louis is quite erratic, but it is definitely worth sticking with. Not a great book, but a solid one.
2. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - this is the 3rd book by Neil Gaiman that I have read (after The Graveyard Book and Stardust) and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It was such a quick and easy read. By this I mean that Neil Gaiman's "voice" is so easy to follow and pulls you into the story that you just HAVE to read the next page and before you know it, you've finished the book! I was engrossed, both in the characters and the story, from pretty much the first page. Highly recommend.
3. Life Of Pi by Yann Martel - I was really looking forward to this book and I'm sorry to say, I was really disappointed. The characters and the storyline were very interesting, but the constant talk of religion, I personally found too much. I am sure that if I were in a book club or studying this book in depth, I would find many layers that I missed on the first read. I also found the "twist" ending really annoying. After putting so much faith into the book, it was a bit of a slap in the face.

   

   Taken from: http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Divergent-Veronica-Roth/?isbn13=9780062024022&tctid=100

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth - This is the first book in a trilogy. As a fan of the Hunger Games and the fact that Jai Courtney (Varro in Spartacus) is going to be in the movie (me? Shallow?!), I decided to give this book a go. I'm really pleased I did. I like the main character and it has definitely sparked my interest enough to get the other books in the series. I'm really looking forward to seeing where the series goes in the aftermath of the ending of this book. Definitely recommend this.
5. A Scanner Darkly by Philip K Dick - this was my first Philip K Dick book so I was looking forward to it. It was a tough read as the style of writing reflects the minds of the characters - messed up. It is an extremely honest story of drug taking. It is definitely worth sticking with though. I found the author's note extremely poignant and added a reality to the story.
6. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - this is the first book in a series and I thoroughly enjoyed it (I've already got books 2 and 3 ready to go). The main character is fantastic and I was really pleased to see a British fantasy series and one in which the main character is mixed race. I was recommended this series due to my love of the Dresden Files series, and although they are very different there are similarities. Definitely recommend this series. 
7. The Extinction Club by Jeffrey Moore - an excellent book, again told from two different voices, but much easier to follow than Louis Drax. It is set in Canada and covers the topic of hunting, but it is impossibly for me to assign a genre. It is quite graphic in a few places but this adds a definite passion and reality to the book. Highly recommend.
8. Blood Hunt by Christopher Buecheler - this book was a lovely surprise. It is the second in a vampire series. The first book was good - quite erotic in places - but this second book really takes the story on to so much more than the first book hinted at. Thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to get the next book to see where it goes.

   

   Taken from: http://www.ernestcline.com/books/rpo/

9. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - And now for the corker! What a fantastic book. I cannot praise this enough. As a child of the 80's, there is so much in this book, even though it is a future dystopia! Please read it as soon as you can. I actually cried happy tears at the end of the book!

So overall an excellent and eclectic literary feast!

Spartacus. Just Spartacus.

I mentioned last week that I have recently started watching Spartacus. Well, we finished it yesterday. I am in pieces. I can't think of another show that has hit me as hard as this one has. Even Buffy. Spartacus has completely blown me away. It is supreme television - the kind of series that doesn't come along very often.

But, I'll admit, I didn't really want to watch it at first. The main reason I did watch it was because MANY twitter friends were heaping Olympus sized praise on the show. I also wanted to watch because of the creator, Steven S DeKnight. He has written and produced many of my favourite shows, including Buffy and Angel, and I like to support writers/producers from these favourite shows. But when the programme began airing in the UK, we missed it starting and decided that we would wait until it had finished completely and watch it in one hit - which is what we did.

But why am I blogging about it? BECAUSE I WANT EVERYONE IN THE WORLD TO WATCH THIS SHOW! And I will tell you why (no spoilers in this post but some of the links I've included may contain spoilers).

image from: http://spartacus.wikia.com/wiki/File:Spartacus-blood-sand-kill-them-all.jpg

1. Let's get the obvious out of the way. This is a show for adults. There is glorious, technicolour violence. There are sensual and bawdy sex scenes. There is a full vocabulary of language from the sublime to the vulgar (By Jupiter's Cock!). This is one of the reasons I love it. It has not been distilled down for teenagers, as so much is nowadays. 

It is for adults.


2. The sex scenes. I know this was mentioned already but the sex scenes in the show serve more than the obvious purpose. As with the demons in Buffy representing Buffy's real life issues, the sex in Spartacus symbolises other aspects of the storyline.

3. The cast. The cast is perfect. From Andy Whitfield and Liam Mcintyre as Spartacus; to Manu Bennett as Crixus; Peter Mensah as Oenomaus: John Hannah as Batiatus; Dustin Clare as Gannicus; and on and on and on. For me, there is not a single mis-step in any of the casting.

4. The baddies. From Batiatus to Glaber to Crassus, the baddies are each different and driven by their individual motives, with none falling to the moustache twirling baddie tropes. My particular favourite is Ashur, played by the wonderful Nick Tarabay. What a bastard!

Image from: http://images.wikia.com/spartacus/images/1/13/Bscap0011.jpg

5. The friendships. The Brotherhood of the Gladiators has some of the most interesting and layered friendships on TV, but the standout has to be Spartacus and Crixus (although my personal favourite is between Spartacus and Varro).


6. The sexuality. Honestly, I'm not obsessed! In the show, all types of relationships are shown, but one of the most loving is between 2 of the rebels. They are both men. And it doesn't matter a jot. Where the new Battlestar Galactica created roles that could be played by either men or women (they wrote people not genders), Spartacus has characters that have relationships. Not GAY relationships, or STRAIGHT relationships. Just relationships. No fuss, no muss. So refreshing.

7.  The central idea of what Spartacus stands for. Freedom. Freedom to choose. Even if that choice leads to pain, it is still a choice.

"I have done this thing because it is just. Blood demands blood. We have lived and lost at the whims of our masters for too long. I would not have it so. I would not see the passing of a brother, for the purpose of sport. I would not see another heart ripped from chest, or breath forfeit for no cause. I know not all of you wish this, yet it is done. It is done. Your lives are your own. Forge your own path, or join with us, and together 

WE SHALL SEE ROME TREMBLE."

And there we have it. I'm sure that as soon as I publish this I will think of another lost of reasons that will wish I had included. The trouble is, how do you define what makes something as good as this and not miss something out? If you would like to comment, please do so but PLEASE no spoilers.

If you do watch the show please come back and let me know what you think.

Characters Are People Too

I am currently watching Spartacus for the first time. My plan was to watch one episode per week and blog about it. I started watching it two weeks ago and have just finished 'Vengeance'. We are going to start watching the final series 'War of the Damned' tonight. It is because of this programme that I haven't blogged the last two weeks because EVERY SPARE MOMENT IS SPENT WITH THIS SHOW!! If I'm not watching it, I can't get it out of my bloody head!!!

Anyhoo. As I've been watching it, the sheer excellence of the writing made me think of something done by lesser shows that really annoys me. And that is treating characters as plot devices instead of living breathing things (I know they're not but stay with me a minute!).

The desire of any show is to draw in the viewer. To have them buy into that show. And the main way in which this is done is through the characters. We need to believe in them - their motives, their actions, their desires, etc.

One of the quickest ways to stop your viewers buying into the characters is to have them behave in such a way that goes completely against the very essences that you have spent X amount of episodes building.

For example - Heroes.

Series one of Heroes is one of the best seasons of anything. Ever. So why then, did it turn to shit after that? Here is my theory.

I remember reading that the creator planned to have each season be a completely new story with completely new cast. Maybe the odd character from previous seasons would pop up, but other than that it would be a new cast. Fantastic! I then remember reading that as the show built in popularity the studio "requested" that this didn't happen as the cast had become quite famous/popular and they felt audiences wouldn't like the change. So they didn't. 

So, during season one the writers had spent a lot of time breathing life in to Hiro, Peter, Nathan, etc. Then from season two onwards they then seemed to trample all over these characters - having them behave in ways that the 'people' we had grown to love/hate in series one would NEVER have behaved in! Personally, this was the main reason I stopped watching at the start of series three. I didn't believe in them anymore.

PS - Spartacus DOES NOT do this!

Are you 'avin a larf? Apparently not!

Have you noticed, in real life, one of the things that us humans always do?

We laugh. 

Even in the darkest of times. We laugh.

So why don't characters in TV and film laugh? It has become a real bug-bear for me. Humans make jokes to get through trying times. They don't do this in TV & film. This has a big affect on the reality of the premise.

There have been many shows that are guilty of this, but one show in particular was 24. They never made a joke about the crap they were dealing with and Jack really could have done with a smile! and having friends who are in the Police or Medical professions, I know this not to be true. They have the darkest sense of humour. This is what allows them to deal with the depravity and damage they see. 

With the increase in the extra serious Scandinavian-esque dramas, I think this is only going to get worse.


Now, pull my finger!

Things I Love - Buffy

Two days ago it was the 10th anniversary of the last episode of Buffy being shown in the US. Since then, I've been wanting to blog about the show, but didn't want to rush my thoughts. So, after a little rumination, I am ready to spurt forth my thoughts on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This is without a doubt my favourite TV show, if not one of my favourite things. No other show, film, book, etc has had the same impact on me that Buffy has. Some have come close - Battlestar Galactica and Veronica Mars for example - but none have matched it.

Some people will look at Buffy and they will wonder why this show is so special to me. I think there are many reasons, one of them being my age when the show started. I watched the show when it first aired on BBC2 in 1998. I was 23 at the time - in my first job, trying to find my way in my world.  At the start of the show the characters themselves were 16 and in High School. Although I was a few years older than them, I could see myself in many of their choices and decisions, obviously not including the areas to do with demons and vampires! But this was another beautiful thing about the show - take away the vampires and the demons and the group of people you are left with are some of the most realistically written and portrayed characters I've seen in anything else. They are trying so hard to be "good", but they do make mistakes and sometimes operate in the grey areas. For me this was the first time that a TV show dispensed with the stark white and black hats, allowing the characters to get a little dirty. Isn't that life??

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer

As well as the characters, I also loved the actors that played them - Sarah Michelle Gellar perfect as Buffy; Alyson Hannigan who can cry like no other actress/actor; Nicholas Brendon playing the comedy and pathos of Xander to a tee; Anthony Stewart Head - so suave and handsome playing the father figure of the show with a twinkle in his eye. And there was also the rest of the gang - David Boreanaz, James Marsters, Seth Green, Amber Benson, Emma Caulfield, Michelle Trachtenberg and Kristine Sutherland. The range portrayed by these actors is immense and I think their success is vastly under-rated.

I also loved that the show was never afraid to do what you weren't expecting, keeping you on your toes and not allowing you to relax when a character's life was in danger. I can't remember the first episode I watched, but I saw a few episodes in series one. It didn't blow me away. I remember then seeing a few episodes from series two - including School Hard with Spike and Drusilla's first appearance - and liking where the show was going. And then there was, for me, the game changing two-part episode of Surprise and Innocence, in which the main love interest for Buffy in the show, Angel, was transformed in to the big bad for the series, Angelus. I remember admiring the bravery of a show to do this and to have him then go on to be a REAL baddie, played so superbly by David Boreanaz.

Then there were the other 'brave'/different episodes - The Body, Once More with Feeling (the musical episode) and Hush (the silent episode) among many others. 

Then the character deaths! But not just the deaths but the way in which they were dealt with, giving the characters the time and space to grieve. This doesn't tend to happen in a lot of shows, with characters seemingly springing back from the loss of a loved one.

A lot of these points go back to the quality of the writing and the attention to detail given by the writers and the show's creator, Joss Whedon. For example, at the end of the second episode of series one (The Harvest) the following dialogue takes place:

BUFFY: Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can still get kicked out of school.

XANDER: Hey, that's a plan. 'Cause a lot of schools aren't on Hellmouths. 

WILLOW: Maybe you could blow something up. They're really strict about that.

 BUFFY: I was aiming for a subtle approach, like excessive not studying.

GILES: The earth is doomed. 

In the final episode of the show (series seven's 'Chosen'), as the gang are preparing to face the final battle, this happens:

XANDER: See, it's the eye-patch thing.

BUFFY: Right, do you go with the full black secret agent look?

WILLOW: of the ruffy shirt pirate-slash-poet feel? Sensitive yet manly.

XANDER: Now you're getting a little renassaince fair on me.

GILES: The earth is definitely doomed.

Image from: http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Chosen

But what makes it even better is that the order in which they walk away from Buffy as they go to their battlestations, is the order in which she met them in the very first episode.

Perfect!

Why Can't A Woman Lead?

I recently watched a very interesting BBC 2 series called 'The United States of Television: America in Primetime' (Linky). This was a 4 part series that, each week, examined a different aspect of US primetime TV - Man Of The House, The Misfit, The Independent Woman and The Crusader. It tracked the development of these characters through the last 60 years of television and how these developments reflected wider issues within US society. I really enjoyed this show.

Until the last episode.

This episode looked at the Crusader - the character that is driven to do the right thing, even if by doing the right thing, they have to do the wrong thing. The characters that work in the grey. Here are the characters they discussed:

• Jack Bauer - 24
• Gregory House - House
• Andy Sipowicz - NYPD Blue
• Hawkeye Pierce - M*A*S*H
• Omar Little - The Wire
• Frank Pembleton - Homicide: Life on the Street
• Vic Mackey - The Shield
• Dexter Morgan - Dexter
• Dana Scully - The X Files

Other than the fact that there are some fantastic characters and shows there, notice anything about that list?

ONE WOMAN?

AND NOT EVEN THE LEAD IN THE SHOW?

REALLY??

And this got me to thinking - is there only one woman on that list because this programme in itself was sexist? Or is there only one woman on that list because, for some reason, a female led TV show just isn't accepted by primetime viewers?

If the answer is the second point, then why is this? Why do the majority of viewers struggle with women led, primetime TV shows? And if so, why do these shows tend to well in non-primetime slots - Buffy, Alias, Xena, Scandal, Dollhouse, Dark Angel, Veronica Mars, etc, etc, etc?

What does this say about the majority's view on the role of women? Are people still so entrenched in their view of what a woman should and shouldn't do that they cannot watch her 'kick ass' - physically and/or metaphorically?

As I have no such limitation on my views (thank you Wonder Woman and Col. Wilma Deering), I really don't know the answer to any of these questions.

Things I Love - Conventions

I imagine that some of you just thought "Conventions? Me too!!"

And some of you thought "Conventions? Nerd!"

Yep! And I don't give 2 figs that some of you have just judged me and maybe even stopped reading. You are maybe the people that hear the word "convention" and think of the stereotype images of what happens at a convention and the types of people that go to them.

Allow me to enlighten you.

There are many different types of conventions, but it's fair to say they can be roughly categorised into 2 - the weekend conventions and the signing events. The signing events tend to be larger (such as Collectormania, Sci fi weekender or London Film and Comic Con). They also tend to have a larger selection of guests for you to go along and meet. They are a lot of fun and an equal amount of queueing! The weekend conventions (run by companies such as Starfury and Massive Events in the UK) tend to specialise in one tv show in particular or a certain genre. My personal preference is for the weekend conventions as they have fewer guests and as they focus on one show/genre, I know that all the guests are going to be people I want to meet. But that's just me. 

So at a convention, there are autograph signings, photoshoots with and talks by the guests. I particularly like the talks as you can ask questions and hear anecdotes from your favourites tv shows. The guests are normally very honest and relaxed. I still can't believe some of the people I've been lucky enough to meet - George Takei, Patrick Stewart, James Marsters, J August Richards, Nicholas Brendon, Adam Baldwin, Patricia Quinn, Alex Winter, etc. Talented and SO pretty!! 

But the guests are only part of the reason that I love conventions.

From my first convention 4 years ago for Veronica Mars to my latest, Inva3ion, I have made some amazing friends. I don't just mean acquaintances. I mean FRIENDS. People that have shown me true kindness and support. Last year, for the first time, I was even brave enough to attend 2 conventions by myself, purely because I knew my friends would be there. 

These are people that also fully accept my full on, squeeing, fangirl side! And why? Cos they're as bad as me! It is a fantastic feeling. To know proper friendship with people and to know they aren't judging me.

And don't forget, what happens at the con, stays at the con!

All photos property of me and not to be used without my express permission. Ta

 

The Swindle Hypothesis

I don't watch The Big Bang Theory. I've tried, several times, but just can't get into it. I think this is because . . . .

THEY'RE CONNING US

The show always seems to be laughing AT nerds, not WITH them. I recently saw some of an episode in which Penny (Kaley Kuoco) became addicted to playing online games. She stopped washing, going to work and doing her hair (one joke played on the fact that she had cheetos stuck in her bird-nest like 'do'). What is this saying about the show's writer's opinions of gamers?

Think of all the characters in the show. Then think of the stereotypes of nerds. Now think of the all the characters in the show again. See what I mean?

I have to applaud the writers of this show for this feat. They've managed to create a show that points fun at the very people that sit watching. And then, they've managed to cast certain guest stars who are well known sci fi genre actors!! 

*slow claps*

This is just my opinion.

Things I Love - Somewhere In Time

I can't remember the first time I saw this film. In fact, I can't remember a time in my life when I hadn't seen this film. 

Image from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081534/

I should start by saying, I am not really a fan of soppy, romantic films (except for The Notebook!!), but for some reason this film really captured me. Let me try to explain why.

Somewhere In Time tells the story of a young playwright, Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve). On the opening night of his first play, he is approached by an elderly woman he doesn't recognise. She gives him a pocket-watch and says to him "Come back to me". He is bemused by this encounter. Several years later and, the now successful, Collier is suffering from a severe case of writer's block and decides to leave the city to find some inspiration. His journey takes him to the Grand Hotel, where he sees a photograph of a beautiful young actress, Elise Mckenna (Jane Seymour), who performed in a production at the hotel in 1912. He immediately falls in love and decides to find out everything he can about her. During his investigation, he finds a picture of Elise taken just before her death. Elise Mckenna is the same lady that gave Richard the pocket-watch 8 years previously. This knowledge and his intense feelings for her drive him to travel a strange path.

(I would like to think that anyone that sees this post and hasn't seen this film will give it a watch after reading this, so I won't give any more details)

But why did I love the film?

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somewhere_in_Time_%28film%29

1. Christopher Reeve - he plays this role beautifully - from the bemusement of the original meeting, to the passion and the heartbreak. He is also very handsome. He also has a beautiful chemistry with . . .
2. Jane Seymour - you really do believe they love each other. 
3. The location - the Grand Hotel is the perfect location - so timeless and elegant. It is a character in itself.
4. The story - well written and though fantastical, is believable.
5. The Soundtrack - the music is sublime!! I cannot hear it without crying - it is so evocative. This, too, is a character in its own right. There are two pieces that mean the most to me. The first is a piece by Rachmaninov, Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini. The second is the main theme written by John Barry. Perfect.

The film is based on a book, Bid Time Return, by Richard Matheson. The book has now changed its name to be the same as the film title. I recently read the book for the first time. It too is fantastic. Very cleanly written, with little 'waffle'. It differs slightly from the film in a few places, but overall, the book and the film are very similar. My personal preference is for the film.

I would love to hear thoughts from anyone else who has seen the film and also from anyone who watches the film based on this (fingers crossed maybe one of you will!).

Film (1980)

Starring Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer.

Directed by Jeannot Szwarc

Book (1975)

Author Richard Matheson

Original Title Bid Time Return

D r a g g i n g I t O u t

 

Sometimes, you watch a show and think

 

'Why did they drag it out for so long?'

There have been a few shows over the last few years that would have been greatly improved if they had not stretched the story out for a 22/24 episode series on US TV. A few, in particular, spring to mind - Flashforward, V and the last series of Torchwood. I'll come back to Torchwood but the other two were shows that I was really looking forward to - they had strong casts and interesting premises. But, jeebus, they went on! As for Torchwood, compare, if you will, the last series (Miracle Day) with series 3, Children of Earth.

• Children Of Earth was 5 episodes shown Monday to Friday in the same week. This was incredibly exciting. The characters were developed, but the small number of episodes meant that the pace was what made the show exciting.

• Miracle Day was 10 episodes shown weekly. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and loved the emotional resonance of learning more about Capt Jack's lost love. However, it was WAY too long! They could have easily cut out 2-4 episodes of this and the pacing, which was at best turgid, would have been at the same level of Children of Earth.

Some ideas are not meant to be stretched out over 22/24 episodes and 5 series. And that is OK. 

This is another reason why I like the cable networks approach of doing fewer episodes in a season - True Blood is 12 episodes and Game Of Thrones is 10. 

I don't mean that I don't want any 22/24 episodes seasons. I'd just like them to contain a story that suits that format.

Things I Love - This Life

Image from:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/tvandradioblog/2006/dec/08/ilove1996

BBC Two

32 Episodes (1996 - 1997)

Reunion episode (2007)

I was 21 when This Life first aired in the UK and I watched it from the beginning. This was unusual for me at that time, as I watched very little TV (other than SM:TV on a Saturday morning while hungover!). I can't remember quite WHY I did choose to watch it, but I did.

The story centres on a a group of lawyers in training, sharing a house in London.

• Egg - played by Andrew Lincoln (now the lead in The Walking Dead). Egg is struggling to fit in as a solicitor and is not sure he has taken the right path. He is down to earth, loves football and is in a long-term relationship with. . .
• Milly - played by Amita Dhiri. Milly is very calm and focussed on becoming a solicitor. Some may say she is not a party animal, unlike . . . 
• Anna - played by Daniela Nardini. Anna is a vixen! She is strong and ballsy. And a little bit slutty! She also has her demons. One of them being . . .
• Miles - played by Jack Davenport (went on to star in the Pirates of the Caribbean films and the TV series Smash). Miles is arrogant and scared. Scared of not being perfect. And scared of his Dad. Anna and Miles have a strong attraction that is played on throughout the series. Miles does not have such a happy relationship with . . . . 
• Warren - played by Jason Hughes. Warren is welsh and gay. His openness causes Miles some discomfort along the way, but Warren is an immensely likeable and warm character. He is only in series one, during which he meets . . .
• Ferdy - played by Ramon Tikaram. Ferdy becomes Warren's lover, though he is not openly out and is engaged to be married to a woman. After Warren's departure at the end of series 1, Ferdy moves into the house in his place.

This Life was a quality show, as seen in the cast list. The writing was fantastic. The characters entirely believable and could be related to. It also had a fantastic humour.

But most of all it didn't hold back in the storytelling. The show was aimed squarely at the age group being portrayed by the characters and showing issues affecting them. And it did it in a very believable way - the characters messed up, made mistakes and swore! A lot. And shagged. A lot.

It is also an important show in the depiction of the gay characters within it. With Warren and Ferdy, we were given 2 gay men that weren't the stereotypical mincing queens, as it seems they had previously been depicted as. It showed the gay characters in such a light that showed that (shock horror!) they were just the same as straight characters, going through the same issues, having the same feelings. I found this fantastic.

Adults Only

Last night, I was dragged taken to the cinema by my husband to see the new film Evil Dead. Don't get me wrong, horror is one of my favourite genres. The reason for my lack of enthusiasm for this particular horror was twofold:

1. Getting a little bit sick of remakes.
2. Getting a lot sick of 15 rated films.

I understand the logic behind 15 rated horror and action films and I have enjoyed many of these offerings - in particular The Cabin In The Woods and the Paranormal Activity films. 

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhead_%28Hellraiser%29

But I grew up in a time of Freddie Krueger, Pinhead and Jason. 

A time of proper, bloody, 18 rated, adult films. And not just horror films. Action films too, such as Die Hard, which I recently rewatched. It wasn't until said rewatch that I realised quite how much I am missing 18 rated films. Go and rewatch the first Die Hard, then watch the latest in the franchise and you will see what I mean.

The assumption by the studios that teens are the only demographic with the disposable income to spend at the cinema is insulting and galling. 

And this is why I am so glad to see the return of the 18 rated horror film in Evil Dead. This film is by no means perfect but I found myself engrossed in it. It is tense, grippingly so. Jane Levy in the main role is fantastic and proves her ability to carry the lead in a film as she has proven that she can carry the lead in a tv comedy in Suburgatory. It is beautifully shot, with the use of camera angles adding to the tension. They have managed to add in some backstory to the characters without making it schmalzy - not an easy thing methinks. It also had several nods to fans of the original, including Sam Raimi's Oldsmobile, without excluding newcomers.

I would like to think that Evil Dead being released with an 18 rating in the UK and hopefully being a commercial success will herald a change. 

And so, I would ask you to go and see this film. Make the studios aware that are people over the age of 18 in the world. 

Yippeekayay Motherfucker!

Things I Love - The Dresden Files

By Jim Butcher

I love reading. Always have, but it has only been recently that I have started reading fantasy fiction. I had tried several times, mainly when I was lickle, to read classics such as The Lord Of The Rings and I just couldn't. I think it's an imagination issue - I find it really difficult to take the author's words and translate them in to an image in my mind. So, I've found that I get on better with fantasy that is set on Earth as this doesn't require too much of my poor mind (please don't take this as a slight on this type of fiction! I'm slighting my mind and its slight powers). One such series is The Dresden Files.

The Dresden Files is about a man named Harry Dresden. He lives in Chicago and is a Private Detective. He is also a Wizard.

But my first encounter with The Dresden Files was not with the books. It was with the TV series. Sadly the show only ran for 12 episodes before it was cancelled by the US network it was showing on. As happened with other more famous shows (*cough* Firefly *cough*), the network hadn't treated Dresden too kindly and had shown the episodes out of order. When the show was on air in the UK, we didn't have the channel that it was showing on but we had seen a trailer for it and decided to put it on our DVD rental list. The discs came and we watched. 

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dresden_images_downloads_desktop_cast_800.jpg

And loved.

I loved Paul Blackthorne in the main role as Harry, honourable but slightly goofy. Valerie Cruz as Murphy, the brave policewoman Harry works with. Terrence Mann as Bob, the spirit of a man cursed for eternity to reside in his own skull, never to pass on. The clever twists on oft-used tropes. The humour. The relationships. The possibilities that would never be. We recently rewatched the series and the pain of the cancellation has not lessened. I have tweeted a few times with one of the producers and he has said what he would have done in series two and it made me even sadder.

Anyhoo (wipes away a tear), whilst watching an episode we saw on the credits that the show was based on the series of books by Jim Butcher. I decided that these needed further investigation. So off I went to the library.

I read the books. More than that, I ravaged them. Every page. Then I bought them all. And read them again. The TV show had been my gateway drug. 

If the TV show is a raindrop, the books are an ocean. They start relatively simply, with each book dealing with one of Harry's cases. As they go on, the characters are developed, the scope of the storylines expand and you find yourself moving from the shallows into the Marianas Trench! Characters and storylines that are mentioned, are brought back in later books. This is one series where re-reading definitely pays off. 

One of the main things that I love about The Dresden Files is the author's voice - given to us through Harry - and through him we know that Jim is one of us - a nerd!! The books are littered with Star Wars, Evil Dead and Buffy quotes, creating a real link between the reader and Harry/Jim.

Although the TV show and the books have many differences, there are several things that connect them - Harry's out of date chivalry, the adventure, the fun, Harry's self-doubt, Murphy's frustration with Harry's idiosyncrasies, a world weary Bob, the dutiful Morgan, the duplicitous Bianca, Chicago, etc!

We are currently on the 14th book and Jim Butcher has said that he is expecting to write 20-ish, with a three book, apocalyptic finale. If you would like to know, here is the list of books in order:

Image from: http://www.jim-butcher.com/

Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril
Summer knight
Death Masks
Blood Rites
Dead Beat
Proven Guilty
White Knight
Small Favour
Turn Coat
Changes
Ghost Story
Cold Days
and Side Jobs - a short story anthology.

There are audio books of each of the novels, with all but Ghost Story, being read by James Marsters (Spike from Buffy).

There are also graphic novels:

Storm Front (adaptation of the novel)
Welcome to the Jungle (an original story)
Ghoul Goblin (an original story)

If you would like more information, the best place to go is http://www.jim-butcher.com/ 

Enjoy!! 

Things That Make You Go EWWWWWW

When was the last time that something you watched made you really uncomfortable?

I mean REALLY uncomfortable?

I wonder if you CAN remember? I'm guessing, you can't.

I can. But why does it matter??

It seems to me that we have got too comfortable. Our films and TV shows are crowded with brain numbing offerings. Things that allow you to just sit and turn off. Reels and reels of bad blockbusters about things that were toys when I was little. Hours of endless predictable dramas and procedurals - when was the last time you didn't guess the killer because they'd cast a big name in a guest role?? And I'm not even going to go for the (too easy) target of reality shows.

We do need this, don't get me wrong, I smise with the rest of em when Tyra's on! But at the same time, we also need things that make us feel uncomfortable. That make us think. That hold up a mirror to us and say "Is this you? Would you behave like this? Are you okay with that?". Things that stop us from having these viewing experiences passively happen to us. Sometimes we need something that we can get actively involved with.

I said I could remember the last viewing experience that allowed me to REALLY feel uncomfortable. 

Black Mirror.

A series of films by Charlie Brooker and shown on Channel 4 in the UK. There have been two series, each containing three one hour films. For reasons that will become clear, I'm going to start with the latest episode first. I will try not to spoiler for those that haven't seen the show. But apologise if I have.

Series 2 Episode 3 - The Waldo Moment

This episode tells the story of a young man, Jamie Salter, who provides the voice of a popular animated character, Waldo. Jamie and his team decide to target a particular MP to be the next victim of the foul-mouthed Waldo. In terms of this post, this episode is probably the least ew-making out of the lot. I found it quite hard to connect with the main character and, therefore, less easy to empathise with him. It did have some interesting points but overall the least strong episode.

Series 2 Episode 2 - White Bear

Image from: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/episode-guide/series-2

A young woman, Victoria, wakes up in a strange room with no memory of who she is and why she is there. She stumbles about the house trying to find information. She sees people outside and in other windows looking out at her. They are all holding phones, seemingly photographing her. Yet none of them will help. As the story continues, Victoria has flashbacks, memories of her and her partner and a child. She meets another young woman who tells her that most people have been affected by the transmission of a 'signal' which has turned them into 'zombie-like' people and in order to change anything they must find the transmitter and destroy it. At first, this felt like a similar premise to the Joss Whedon show 'Dollhouse' (link to imdb) where a signal turned the majority of the human population in to 'dolls' - blank canvases on to which a new personality can be painted. However, there is a twist. A BIG one. And you didn't see it coming. But it wasn't until after the episode that I started to feel uncomfortable. The twist will make you see Victoria differently. And you will understand the motives of the 'zombies' and the baying crowds. But I didn't want to think that I would have behaved in the same voyeuristic, pitchfork-y way that they did. The empathy that you are manipulated into feeling for Victoria allows you to see a story from the viewpoint of a character that you wouldn't normally- the baddie. And it is with this empathy that you view the crowd's/society's reactions to Victoria.

Series 2 Episode 1 - Be Right Back

Image from: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/episode-guide/series-2

The first episode of the second series begins with a happy couple (never going to end well!). They have just moved into a picturesque country cottage. Ash has to take the hire van back. You know where this is going. Martha is next seen frantically phoning the hire van offices. She is informed that Ash never returned the van. Then the flashing red and blue lights. Cut to the funeral. Martha is sitting next to a friend and we learn that she too has recently lost a loved one. Almost reluctantly, at first, she tells Martha about an app, a service that allows you to stay in touch with your loved ones. Martha loses her temper with the friend and tells her that she is not interested. Not too long after this, Martha is lonely and desperate. 

Of all the Black Mirror episodes, this is possibly the most predictable. But in no way any less poignant. I have recently lost a loved one and can completely and utterly understand Martha's choice. My head screamed at her not to do it, but if I were in that situation, could I have walked away?

Series 1 Episode 3 - The Entire History Of You

Tonally, this episode feels like the first episode of series two. Set slightly in the future, we can now have an implant embedded in our brains that records EVERYTHING we see. Sounds good. We start with a couple, though we sense, not necessarily a happy one. The husband has suspicions about the wife and her male friend. He then obsessively watches the recordings of them over and over. 

Again, this episode is slightly predictable. And again you can empathise with the husband and his choice to take the path he does. But, again, this IS a choice and what would yours be? 

Series 1 Episode 2 - 15 Million Merits

Image from: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2257207/

imagine a future where reality shows are the big thing and people live their lives around them. Hmmmm. Two shows in particular - a singing competition and a porn show. Society has become the haves and have nots. The have nots go to work every day and literally power the lives of the haves. Their enticement is to earn enough credits that they may one day appear on one of the beloved reality shows and be freed from their drudgery. Bing, our hero, starts to fall for a fellow have not and, after hearing her sing, decides to save his credits to give to her to go onto the singing show. This was one of my favourite episodes, least of all because it stars one of my favourite actors, Daniel Kaluuya. He gives such an honest performance and has a great charm. You really empathise with his character and his search for SOMETHING decent. This is possibly the only of the Black Mirror episodes where you are rooting for the main character. 

However, the main point of the episode seems to be how we use people for entertainment purposes. The reality shows - porn and singing - are one in the same really, with the people involved there purely for our viewing pleasure. I've never been a fan of these types of singing competitions, but it should make you think if you are!

Series 1 Episode 1 - The National Anthem

I saved the best for last. One of the most uncomfortable and thought provoking hours of celluloid I have EVER seen. I dare you to watch this and not be affected.

Image from: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-mirror/episode-guide/series-1

This episode is set in a parallel 'now' and starts with the British Prime Minister being awoken with the news that Princess Susannah has been kidnapped. A video is being shown on You Tube in which the kidnapper makes his demands. In order to free the Princess, the PM must have sex on live TV with a pig. Yes, a pig! What should he do? What will the consequences be of whichever choice he takes?

This episode works on two levels of making you feel uncomfortable. The first is obviously the choice in front of the PM. He is married, with a young baby. If he does this, what will the impact be? I found this incredibly difficult to watch. Can you imagine?

The second level is the reaction to this by the public on social media. The heartless way in which they demand that the PM goes ahead with the ransom demands with NO consideration for what this will do and treating it as pure entertainment. This was the most difficult to watch. I cannot imagine a day, where I would ask this of another human being and therefore could not take part in the online badgering that the public in this episode did. My eternal optimist would hope that the majority would be the same. My head says not.



Comments gratefully appreciated.

Fandom - Or Opinions You Wanted to Give But Were Too Afraid of the Backlash

So fandom. "What is this thing?" I hear you cry. It is TWO things:

1. The name of my friend's cat
2. The collective name of a group of fans for a particular show, such as The Vampire Diaries fandom or the Game of Thrones fandom. Fandoms have tended to thrive online on Facebook, Twitter and Tumbler and are mainly people who are obse care passionately about their fandom.

Image - author's own

I myself am a proud member of several fandoms -the main ones being Buffy the Vampire Slayer (including Angel the series), Firefly and Battlestar Galactica. I also am part of the Prince fandom and the Dresden Files fandom. 

One of my other fandoms, that I am SO happy with right now, is Veronica Mars. I started watching this because Buffy had finished, I wanted something to fill that hole and also some bloke named Joss Whedon had said in an interview that he too loved the show and that Buffy fans should watch it. And as a good fan, I did. 

And I'm so glad I did. WHAT A SHOW!! 

The sassy lead character (played to perfection by Kristen Bell), her (male!) best friend, the cases each week as well as the arc of who killed her BFF, Lilly Kane, LOGAN, the music, the setting, her Dad, LOGAN!! etc, etc.

And the writing? Sublime. So clever and witty but emotional and tender. 

From: https://www.facebook.com/shesamarshmallow?ref=ts&fref=ts

I was devastated by the cancellation of the show after three seasons. Since then, I have waited with baited breath for news of any developments, but alas there were none. Until a few weeks ago when Kristen tweeted that her and the show's creator, Rob Thomas, would be making a big announcement the following day. My battered heart dared not to hope and I genuinely believed that the news would be a cast reunion interview and photoshoot. With joyous laughter and much squeeing I was proved wrong! A Veronica Mars film was to be made IF enough funds could be raised through a Kickstarter appeal. The target was $2 million and this was raised within a few days breaking many Kickstarter records along the way.


I have heard criticisms of this - Why should fans fund a studio movie? The studio will sit back and make the money from it?

And do you know what I say to those people? Fuck off!! 

This is a story about a TV show that was so loved by its creators, cast and fans, that we wouldn't give up. By funding the film we are opening the door for a new way of making entertainment (hopefully) and proving the studios wrong at the same time! So often these nebulous people make decisions in my name, about what shows will be continued and so many times they've cancelled the great ones to leave us with the mediocre ones and the reality shows. By funding this, we are showing that we still have some say (If you haven't donated yet and would like to, you can here, but hurry up as it finishes on April 12th).

You can see from my list of fandoms at the start of this rant blog, that the majority of my fandoms come from Joss Whedon related shows. I have grown up along side Joss' work - starting with Buffy - and they have shaped a lot of the ways I think as an adult. He writes intelligent, thoughtful and funny shows, that show that being 'different' is not a bad thing. That being judgey and bullying is not good. Joss himself has done a lot of work with equality organisations and I like to think that I stand for many of the same things.

I had ME for a long time and we couldn't afford to have a computer or the internet so it has only been over the last 4 years that I have been on the internet with any regularity. Through it, I have met many amazing people, discussed many difficult topics and now taken part in my first podcast with the Rogue Demon Hunters, which I loved (linky). 

However, I have noticed, and it has increasingly PISSED ME OFF, that I only have to mention certain things and it causes certain "FANS" to become extremely rude, to the point of aggressive. In fact, it was only on Saturday I was called 'delusional' because I said I liked a certain character. 

"Tis a mere flesh wound!" I hear you say!

But I'm a 37 year old, strong woman. I'm not a young girl.

That didn't seem to stop a group of "fans" at a screening of Once More With Feeling a few years ago. A young lady, who didn't like the crowd's incessant bullying of Dawn, was shouted at and told to "toughen up"!!!!! BY ADULTS!!! (original post here and follow-up post here)

At what point is it OK to do this??

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good debate and thoroughly enjoy discussing the nuances of characters and plots. But it is not OK to be rude or nasty or BULLY other people because they disagree with your opinion!

If you read the original blog posts in the links above, it is VERY interesting to read the comments. It baffles me just how many of them seem to think that this was OK because the character is annoying!!! And miss the point of it that a young girl was bullied!!

So next time you claim to be a fan or part of fandom, consider which you want to be.

I know where I fall and it would be in front of the young girl at the Once More With Feeling screening - protecting her.