Sense8

[shapinglight]

I am finding it so hard to post anything these days. I have no idea why.

So anyway, some stuff about the first seven episodes of Sense8 behind cut. Please no spoilers for anything later.



At first, I wasn't sure whether I was watching something amazing in Sense8, or just something very pretentious. In fact, I'm still not sure.

Seven episodes in, I do love it, though. I love all eight of the Sense8s (even Riley, though I find her the hardest to like) and am worried sick that one of them is going to die before the end. I really don't want that to happen, and my worry extends not just to the Sense8s but also their nearest and dearest - Neets, her mother, Diego, Hernando and Daniela, Capheus's mum, Riley's dad, Kala's dad etc. Also Jonas (though I'm pretty sure he's toast).

In fact, the only characters I'm not that bothered about dying are Kala's fiance (who is probably going to turn out to be well dodgy anyway), Sun's father and brother (both of them horrible), and Wolfgang's friend Felix (and it's a good thing I didn't care about him too much, since he he just got killed in episode 7).

Still scared there might be some sudden, nasty violence. The plastic bag scene with Riley in episode 6 was pretty horrible. I hope there won't be anything worse. :(

On the plus side, though, I love the diversity of the cast and settings (especially Nomi and Neets - Freema Agyeman looks amazing!), I love the high production values. Can't really speak to the plot yet, because I still don't have a clue what's going on.

Have Netflix decided yet whether they're making another series?

Comments

[shapinglight]

Hmm, I think all the 8 are featured in all the episodes, aren't they? Also, I'm going to watch the whole series before deciding that only the American characters are important to the plot, because that's not really clear yet.

Even if it does turn out to be the case, though, I'm not going to knock the show too much. At least it's trying, which is more than you can say of many shows.

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

Sun Bak and Capheus weren't in the second episode. I remember it pretty well, because I was like: "Uh-oh, they added wounded black boy and their POC screentime quota run out."

Yeah, at least they tried, but trying feels a bit artificial. At times it feels like the only storyline authors are really interested in - Lana Wachowski's. Everything else is secondary.

And we, foreigners, don't think in the funny accents. We don't speak with the funny accents in our native languages.

I think this pet peeve is exactly what's poisoning for me everything else in these series. The notion that even open-minded Americans who honestly try to be inclusive and multicultural, still perceive us as funny foreign people with funny foreign accents... It's even more annoying than usual lack of trying.

[shapinglight]

Yeah, at least they tried, but trying feels a bit artificial. At times it feels like the only storyline authors are really interested in - Lana Wachowski's. Everything else is secondary.

No idea whether this is true or nor. Does Lana Wachowski have some particular agenda?

And we, foreigners, don't think in the funny accents. We don't speak with the funny accents in our native languages.

Well, of course not. On the other hand, we do have particular accents when we speak English, and since the actors involved actually come from non-English speaking countries, they speak English with an accent. I can only speak for the Indian characters really, but Indians do actually speak English with that accent.

It's even more annoying than usual lack of trying.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

I think I finally realized what's another reason that makes these series so annoying for me.
The only characters whose storilines/personalities aren't based on national stereotypes are - tadaaaam - three Americans and London girl (though she is a bit of a Bjork-rip-off).

All others are just walking national cliches.
Funny Latino gay guy who lives in the world of Mexican TV melodrama.
Funny negro with ridiculously outdated Van Damm obsession.
(Half)Russin guy who is from Russian mafia, because all Russians are form Russian mafia.
Indian girl and her arranged marriage trope (ok, kudos for not picturing her fiancee and family as monsters, but still).
And Korean girl slash marital arts expert - wow, we never see that in other movies.

[shapinglight]

Okay, obviously this series has made you very angry and nothing I say is going to persuade you to like it, so I won't even try.

I will just say that I don't agree about the Indian girl. That's not a trope. That's real life.

I also don't agree that the Kenyan guy is depicted as a 'funny negro.'

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I didn't mean to attack you. I actually didn't even intend to pour out such a massive dislike in the comments. It just happened...

There are a lots of things to like about Sense8. Series like that are very rare on TV.
I just really couldn't understand why I can't start liking it. But I shouldn't drop my vocal realization of "oh, that's why!" on you.

[shapinglight]

Well, you haven't finished the series yet. You may still change your mind. ;)

Myself, I'd rather watch something where I feel its heart is in the right place, even if the execution doesn't always work, than something that doesn't even try. YMMV, of course.

[rbfvid.livejournal.com]

I'll probably give it a try some day, when things get better in RL, and I'm in the better mood and not so ready to get offended about the strangest things =)

[shapinglight]

Sure. And don't worry about letting fly. We like what we like.