April Showers
Apr. 21st, 2004 10:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
liptonrm_backupYou know, I like the rain, I really, really do. I suppose that's good for someone who lives in MI. With the unseasonably warm weather we had this past weekend I was a little worried at the lack of precipitation. I'm not much of a gardener, but that little bit of me that thinks in terms of growing things was anxious for some rain. I was, therefore, not disappointed when I woke up to grey skies and wet lawns. I could happily live in Spring forever.
HA! Got the term paper back yesterday (in rough draft form) and the only revision the Professor had was something I was planning on revising myself. She even mentioned that she really enjoyed the last part where I talked about the Charles DeLint story that I chose. Hee hee, my university career is finally over! I go to commencement next week and then BOOM! No more homework, no more tests, no more classes, no more stupid topics, no more stupid students, no more stupid professors, no more stupidity in general! It is rather strange to not have anything hanging over my head in the evenings anymore, but I'm sure I'll adjust just fine;-).
I've been watching Babylon 5 season one this past week and a half (I borrowed it from Andrea in GR). Wow. I'd forgotten why I loved this show in the first place.
My only beef has ever been, why oh why can't they cast decent actors in the commanding roles? All of the other people fill their roles admirably and some just shine (I'm looking at you Andreas Katsulas, Peter Jurasik, Jerry Doyle and Claudia Christian). I haven't gotten to the horror that is Bruce Boxleitner in a commanding role yet, but Michael O'Hare is bad enough. His voice is good, but, but, but, overall his whole performance is just lacking in every conceivable way. I always loved B5 for its great, intricate, plot-driven storylines and hated it for its mediocre casting.
The good, though, is amazingly good. I just finished watching "Signs and Portents" the middle episode in the first season where JM Straczynski really starts bringing in the major plot threads that will carry the whole series along. Morden showed up and I wanted to grind him into paste, I wanted to stick his head on a pike and wave at it *like this* and I wanted to eviscerate him for taking Londo's deepest desires and twisting them. Gah, I know what happens in the future for these characters and it made watching everything begin to crumble even worse.
Watching a show that knew where it was going from its very first moments really is amazing. It's great to see how everything is subtly introduced, how characters are being put into the right situations to become who the will eventually be, to see how the tiniest occurences will have big consequences in the seasons that are coming. I adore how there are never any moral absolutes, that people make mistakes and people can't forgive and people are people, whether they have hair that touches the ceiling or bone crests that wrap around the backs of their heads. Of course, I see everything through the lens of 'I know what's coming' but, I've realized, that a good show will always entertain and surprise you, whether you're spoiled or not. It's the mediocre shows that have to rely on surprise revelations to keep the audience interested. /rant
And I must agree with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
gentlehobbit who pointed out how influenced B5 is by Tolkien and Middle-earth. The Minbari are so Elf-like it's almost frightening (them with their Halls of Mandos and spirituality) and everytime I hear "It was the Dawn of the Third Age of Mankind" I just start giggling. I wonder if JM Straczynski did a little fanboy dance of glee when he cast the guy that played Sam Gamgee to be in his latest show Jeremiah. I bet he did;-).
One last thing, I can't believe that people actually say that the people at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine copied story ideas from B5. I love them both and the only thing I can tell that they have in common is that they take place on a big ol' space station. And wars happen. And all of the actors on DS9 can actually act;-).
So, now I can't wait to beg, borrow, or 'acquire legally' the second season of Babylon 5. Wow, like I need another season DVD set to put on my wish list. *sigh* These TV addictions cost a whole lot of money. I wonder if being a heroin junkie is any cheaper?
Going to A2 tonight, gonna watch some TV. Hope the angst won't make me want to tear my hair out.
HA! Got the term paper back yesterday (in rough draft form) and the only revision the Professor had was something I was planning on revising myself. She even mentioned that she really enjoyed the last part where I talked about the Charles DeLint story that I chose. Hee hee, my university career is finally over! I go to commencement next week and then BOOM! No more homework, no more tests, no more classes, no more stupid topics, no more stupid students, no more stupid professors, no more stupidity in general! It is rather strange to not have anything hanging over my head in the evenings anymore, but I'm sure I'll adjust just fine;-).
I've been watching Babylon 5 season one this past week and a half (I borrowed it from Andrea in GR). Wow. I'd forgotten why I loved this show in the first place.
My only beef has ever been, why oh why can't they cast decent actors in the commanding roles? All of the other people fill their roles admirably and some just shine (I'm looking at you Andreas Katsulas, Peter Jurasik, Jerry Doyle and Claudia Christian). I haven't gotten to the horror that is Bruce Boxleitner in a commanding role yet, but Michael O'Hare is bad enough. His voice is good, but, but, but, overall his whole performance is just lacking in every conceivable way. I always loved B5 for its great, intricate, plot-driven storylines and hated it for its mediocre casting.
The good, though, is amazingly good. I just finished watching "Signs and Portents" the middle episode in the first season where JM Straczynski really starts bringing in the major plot threads that will carry the whole series along. Morden showed up and I wanted to grind him into paste, I wanted to stick his head on a pike and wave at it *like this* and I wanted to eviscerate him for taking Londo's deepest desires and twisting them. Gah, I know what happens in the future for these characters and it made watching everything begin to crumble even worse.
Watching a show that knew where it was going from its very first moments really is amazing. It's great to see how everything is subtly introduced, how characters are being put into the right situations to become who the will eventually be, to see how the tiniest occurences will have big consequences in the seasons that are coming. I adore how there are never any moral absolutes, that people make mistakes and people can't forgive and people are people, whether they have hair that touches the ceiling or bone crests that wrap around the backs of their heads. Of course, I see everything through the lens of 'I know what's coming' but, I've realized, that a good show will always entertain and surprise you, whether you're spoiled or not. It's the mediocre shows that have to rely on surprise revelations to keep the audience interested. /rant
And I must agree with
gentlehobbit who pointed out how influenced B5 is by Tolkien and Middle-earth. The Minbari are so Elf-like it's almost frightening (them with their Halls of Mandos and spirituality) and everytime I hear "It was the Dawn of the Third Age of Mankind" I just start giggling. I wonder if JM Straczynski did a little fanboy dance of glee when he cast the guy that played Sam Gamgee to be in his latest show Jeremiah. I bet he did;-).One last thing, I can't believe that people actually say that the people at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine copied story ideas from B5. I love them both and the only thing I can tell that they have in common is that they take place on a big ol' space station. And wars happen. And all of the actors on DS9 can actually act;-).
So, now I can't wait to beg, borrow, or 'acquire legally' the second season of Babylon 5. Wow, like I need another season DVD set to put on my wish list. *sigh* These TV addictions cost a whole lot of money. I wonder if being a heroin junkie is any cheaper?
Going to A2 tonight, gonna watch some TV. Hope the angst won't make me want to tear my hair out.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Congrats!
Date: 2004-04-21 09:10 am (UTC)I noticed that my lawn is already growing out of hand. I didn't think I'd have to get out the lawn mower already!
Re: Congrats!
Date: 2004-04-22 12:40 pm (UTC)Though, there's nothing wrong with always being in school, it's always fun to learn new things and they don't even, necessarily, have to have anything to do with what else is going on in one's life;-).
Ugh. Lawn mowing. My lawn's the same. Thankfully I have a lackey to do it for me, this year. I feel you're pain.
no subject
Date: 2004-04-21 10:23 am (UTC)B5 is awesome. I agree with you, some of the actors aren't great but I hardly even care because the story is so incredible. I once heard someone say B5 is like a five-year-long novel, and that's totally what it feels like. I wouldn't mind investing in all those seasons on DVD, myself, if I had some nice piles of money lying around... :-\
no subject
Date: 2004-04-22 12:42 pm (UTC)Aaah B5, my love for you knows no bounds. It's such a shame that they don't make TV like that anymore (and when did I start sounding like a grandmother. I'm not that old yet!;-). If you find those piles of money, please feel free to share with the rest of us!
no subject
Date: 2004-04-23 11:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-04-24 04:36 pm (UTC)