11/06/2008
Gone Fishin'
Many apologies for the lack of activity recently. Unfortunately my blogging has taken a bit of a back seat to the two-game-a-day rush of Euro 2008 as well as the 24-hour televisual assault of Big Brother. Suffice to say, I will catch up on a few things in the near future, including a general review of last season's new shows, sporadic BB commentary and some other stuff. I promise.
09/06/2008
Losing Faith
When I take a step back and look at it objectively, I know that Lost's fourth season finale was a good 90 minutes of television. There was action, romance, mystery, intrigue; answers we've long been waiting for and enough new questions to keep us scuttling around message boards until next February. What more could a fan ask for, right? Yet as I watched it, I couldn't help but feel a little bit cold, and as I see it, there are two main reasons why.
The first is no surprise. I have expressed my distaste for the flash-forwards in the past and the finale is a place in which they were always going to have a negative impact. As I've said before, the knowledge of the future we've been given naturally diminishes some of the drama set in the present - it's unavoidable - but that's only a small gripe. More notable was the fact that working so overtly toward a long-term goal really detracted from the sense of finale this year. We got some answers, yes, but there was little in the way of real satisfaction. And though Lost has frustrated audiences with its finales before (hello, Season One), at least on those occasions we felt an answer was immediately forthcoming on the show's return. At the end of Season Four all we've been left with is a dismantled format and vague allusions. It's as if the show has stopped trying to hook us in to what happens next, and is instead choosing to lean entirely on the audience's interest in what happens in the end. Sadly, the result is that I feel a bit detached from it all. For the first time ever, the destination feels more important the the journey.
Secondly, I think in this finale we saw Lost officially (and lamentably) turn into a science fiction show. One of the show's great positives for so long was the ambiguity about which genre it belonged to, and that ambiguity seems to be slowly dwindling. Admittedly some people have always thought of Lost as sci-fi, but for at least two and a half seasons it was a claim that could not be definitively substantiated. There were elements, certainly, but there was deliberate and exciting ambiguity about the source of the Island's power, and Lost therefore became a show that allowed viewers to see what they wanted to in it. As the characters were divided, so were the audience with regards to their hopes and expectations for the series; the divide between Locke and Jack encapsulating the two major theoretical explanations of science and mysticism. We had a choice: Man of Science or Man of Faith, and we were invited to invest in what we wanted to be responsible for the miracles of the Island. But now, the opportunity for such speculation seems to be disappearing.
Even with certain unresolved mysteries, the balance seems to have tipped definitively in the favour of science. In the finale's big closing set-piece the Island was successfully moved (we assume via time travel) and therefore saved by science. And John Locke, so long presented to us as the figurehead of belief in the Island's apparent mysticism, has been shown in flashback to have some natural calling to science, suggesting a possible repositioning of his character. The goalposts feel like they are being slowly moved.
Of course, it's impossible to speak with any certainty unless you're privy to the secrets of the writer's room, but I can't help but feel that whatever ending the show's creators have decided on has required some subtle reshaping of their original intent. And though that's okay in a sense - it must happen in almost every writer's room - there's something about Lost in which it's more difficult to accept. Perhaps it's the insistence that the writers have always known where they were heading or perhaps it's my personal reaction at things not shaking out like I'd hoped. Either way, the suspected manipulation makes the changes to show feel more prominent and less desirable.
To deliberately misuse a quote here, Nietzsche said that "faith means not wanting to know what is true", and in that sense I've always had great faith in Lost - I was happy just to be along for the ride - and I think its creators felt that way too. But now as the show heads towards its finish line, it seems, as August Comte might say, we are past the age of religion and we heading toward both reason and science. And though it is not a slight on the quality of the show - I'm sure Lost will continue to be one of television's finest shows until its very end - for anyone who chose to believe in the show in the same way that I did, it's a sad truth to face as we wait for Season Five.
The first is no surprise. I have expressed my distaste for the flash-forwards in the past and the finale is a place in which they were always going to have a negative impact. As I've said before, the knowledge of the future we've been given naturally diminishes some of the drama set in the present - it's unavoidable - but that's only a small gripe. More notable was the fact that working so overtly toward a long-term goal really detracted from the sense of finale this year. We got some answers, yes, but there was little in the way of real satisfaction. And though Lost has frustrated audiences with its finales before (hello, Season One), at least on those occasions we felt an answer was immediately forthcoming on the show's return. At the end of Season Four all we've been left with is a dismantled format and vague allusions. It's as if the show has stopped trying to hook us in to what happens next, and is instead choosing to lean entirely on the audience's interest in what happens in the end. Sadly, the result is that I feel a bit detached from it all. For the first time ever, the destination feels more important the the journey.
Secondly, I think in this finale we saw Lost officially (and lamentably) turn into a science fiction show. One of the show's great positives for so long was the ambiguity about which genre it belonged to, and that ambiguity seems to be slowly dwindling. Admittedly some people have always thought of Lost as sci-fi, but for at least two and a half seasons it was a claim that could not be definitively substantiated. There were elements, certainly, but there was deliberate and exciting ambiguity about the source of the Island's power, and Lost therefore became a show that allowed viewers to see what they wanted to in it. As the characters were divided, so were the audience with regards to their hopes and expectations for the series; the divide between Locke and Jack encapsulating the two major theoretical explanations of science and mysticism. We had a choice: Man of Science or Man of Faith, and we were invited to invest in what we wanted to be responsible for the miracles of the Island. But now, the opportunity for such speculation seems to be disappearing.
Even with certain unresolved mysteries, the balance seems to have tipped definitively in the favour of science. In the finale's big closing set-piece the Island was successfully moved (we assume via time travel) and therefore saved by science. And John Locke, so long presented to us as the figurehead of belief in the Island's apparent mysticism, has been shown in flashback to have some natural calling to science, suggesting a possible repositioning of his character. The goalposts feel like they are being slowly moved.
Of course, it's impossible to speak with any certainty unless you're privy to the secrets of the writer's room, but I can't help but feel that whatever ending the show's creators have decided on has required some subtle reshaping of their original intent. And though that's okay in a sense - it must happen in almost every writer's room - there's something about Lost in which it's more difficult to accept. Perhaps it's the insistence that the writers have always known where they were heading or perhaps it's my personal reaction at things not shaking out like I'd hoped. Either way, the suspected manipulation makes the changes to show feel more prominent and less desirable.
To deliberately misuse a quote here, Nietzsche said that "faith means not wanting to know what is true", and in that sense I've always had great faith in Lost - I was happy just to be along for the ride - and I think its creators felt that way too. But now as the show heads towards its finish line, it seems, as August Comte might say, we are past the age of religion and we heading toward both reason and science. And though it is not a slight on the quality of the show - I'm sure Lost will continue to be one of television's finest shows until its very end - for anyone who chose to believe in the show in the same way that I did, it's a sad truth to face as we wait for Season Five.
Set Your Sky+: One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (Season 5)
Premiere
Tonight at 9:00pm on E4
Repeated
Slightly screwed by BB's dominating presence,
E4+1 is your only option for now.
Premiere
Tonight at 9:00pm on E4
Repeated
Slightly screwed by BB's dominating presence,
E4+1 is your only option for now.
Despite forever languishing in the shadows of more glamourous teen shows like The O.C. and Gossip Girl, the more involving and generally better One Tree Hill returns to UK screens tonight for the start of its much-anticpated fifth season.
Jumping four years in to the future from the gang's graduation from Tree Hill High, the show is making a bold move. Hoping to avoid both the awkward college years and eliminating the external complaint that none of the cast can pass for 18, it's going to be an interesting experiment; one that, if successful, could alter the template for long-running teen drama. It should be interesting.
08/06/2008
Aussie Soap Round-Up (w/e 6th June 2008)
° Do you ever get the feeling that God just doesn't like Home and Away's Ric Dalby? I'm sure he must. This week everyone's favourite young rageaholic found out his next fight was against a member of Johnny Cooper's gang, collapsed with pneumonia during the fight and then found out that his illegitimate child would be born with physical and mental disabilities if Viv does choose to go ahead with the pregnancy. Ouch. And if that's not enough, devious Noel is going to use his wife's condition to manipulate Ric into fighting again. I'm surprised he hasn't come down with the same soap-world anxiety his girlfriend suffers.
° Tony and Rachel suddenly got engaged despite their continued insistence on taking things slow up to this point. It's strange. It's like the show built them up to having sex and then, once they had, marriage was the obvious next step. Hah! So there you go, kids. If you feel strongly enough to have sex with someone, there is no reason you shouldn't get married as well.
° One of the more subtle highlights of the week was Geoff's hesitance to take Melody out on a date. Fretting that he had only asked out the "plain" Melody as a reaction to the bad behaviour of the "hot" Nicole, Geoff's dilemma was a nice piece of teen neuroses. And it all had a happy ending anyway - Geoff and Melody both enjoying the date very much - so all is good in the hood, as one might say.
Elsewhere in Summer Bay: Jazz caught Bartlett at Ric's illegal fight and later celebrated by making out with Miles on their lovely first-date picnic. Aden confronted the ghost of his grandfather by turning up for the Anzac Day service. Jack and Martha fled town to avoid the accusing eyes of those small-minded town folk who think it's inappropriate to start banging your ex-wife on the day of you current wife's funeral. Those damn rubes.
° Harold's departure feels imminent. Despite Lou's initial attempts to trick him into staying, Harold has agreed to rent his house to Carmella and Marco while he travels around Australia. Neighbours without Harold is going to be strange. Hell, television with Harold is going to be strange. The man's an institution.
° Oliver and Marco got into an embarrassingly bad fight at Chloe's christening, forcing Oliver to make the ridiculous decision to sue for sole custody of his daughter. This storyline is one of those that sucks because you just can't empathise with Oliver at all. And in fact, when I think about it, even though I don't dislike him as a character, it's hard to think of any real positive contribution from Oliver during his stint in Neighbours, so behaviour like this isn't easily forgivable. So, note to writers: don't have regular characters act like irrational morons unless they've cached enough good moments to make up for it or they're about to go down in flames.
Elsewhere in Erinsborough: Kirsten turned down $50,000 hush money for the opportunity to be a successful business woman. Crazy. Libby felt embarrassed after confessing her feelings to the concussed Daniel and not having them immediately reciprocated. Steve and Miranda took a cleaning job at the school because they are broke.
° Tony and Rachel suddenly got engaged despite their continued insistence on taking things slow up to this point. It's strange. It's like the show built them up to having sex and then, once they had, marriage was the obvious next step. Hah! So there you go, kids. If you feel strongly enough to have sex with someone, there is no reason you shouldn't get married as well.
° One of the more subtle highlights of the week was Geoff's hesitance to take Melody out on a date. Fretting that he had only asked out the "plain" Melody as a reaction to the bad behaviour of the "hot" Nicole, Geoff's dilemma was a nice piece of teen neuroses. And it all had a happy ending anyway - Geoff and Melody both enjoying the date very much - so all is good in the hood, as one might say.
Elsewhere in Summer Bay: Jazz caught Bartlett at Ric's illegal fight and later celebrated by making out with Miles on their lovely first-date picnic. Aden confronted the ghost of his grandfather by turning up for the Anzac Day service. Jack and Martha fled town to avoid the accusing eyes of those small-minded town folk who think it's inappropriate to start banging your ex-wife on the day of you current wife's funeral. Those damn rubes.
° Harold's departure feels imminent. Despite Lou's initial attempts to trick him into staying, Harold has agreed to rent his house to Carmella and Marco while he travels around Australia. Neighbours without Harold is going to be strange. Hell, television with Harold is going to be strange. The man's an institution.
° Oliver and Marco got into an embarrassingly bad fight at Chloe's christening, forcing Oliver to make the ridiculous decision to sue for sole custody of his daughter. This storyline is one of those that sucks because you just can't empathise with Oliver at all. And in fact, when I think about it, even though I don't dislike him as a character, it's hard to think of any real positive contribution from Oliver during his stint in Neighbours, so behaviour like this isn't easily forgivable. So, note to writers: don't have regular characters act like irrational morons unless they've cached enough good moments to make up for it or they're about to go down in flames.
Elsewhere in Erinsborough: Kirsten turned down $50,000 hush money for the opportunity to be a successful business woman. Crazy. Libby felt embarrassed after confessing her feelings to the concussed Daniel and not having them immediately reciprocated. Steve and Miranda took a cleaning job at the school because they are broke.
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