Sense8

[shapinglight]

Writing going very, very slowly. I'm determined to try and finish and post the story in the next two weeks, though.

Watched the Sense8 Christmas episode last night. Loved it (or mostly).

Spoilers behind cut.



I say mostly because I'm not too sure about the new Capheus. I suppose I'll get used to him, but I'm not yet. It's not just that he looks completely different, he's just...I dunno. Not right. Or not right yet. We'll see. He also didn't have a lot to do in this episode - certainly less than the other characters. I'm hoping that's because the new actor was still 'bedding in', as it were, when this was filmed. Like I said, we'll see.

I also wasn't too keen on the Kala/Rajan scenes (though they looked gorgeous), and the Will/Riley ones were a bit grim at times. That's inevitable, I suppose, and good to see Riley being a bit more proactive.

But I enjoyed the Wolfgang scenes, and every scene with Lito, Hernando and Dani (I love those three to pieces), even the very painful scene with Hernando in the lecture theatre.

And of course I loved the Nomi/Neets scenes. Freema Agyeman is just so good as Neets. I think she's one of my favourite TV characters ever - and no wonder that of all the loved ones of the Eight, Neets is the only one who knows about the others. She just is that cool.

In most ways, it was a typical Sense8 episode - plot stuff, beautiful scenery and some nice montages set to music. I'm really glad it'll be back soon, and if season 2 is the last one, I hope they turn the tables completely on Whispers by the end of it (though if this is JM Straczynski doing another of his five year story arcs, I guess not?)

Anyway, there won't be any more till May.

What's more, much to my horror, I've learned that there are three new Lucifer episodes this month and then no more till May. What?!!! I admit, it's a while since I watched a 22 episode show in real time (watched The Good Wife on DVD, and everything else I watch seems to be no more than 13 episodes at the most these days) but surely when BtVS first aired, you'd get new episodes all through February too, wouldn't you? Or have I got that wrong?

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

To be honest, it's been long enough that I don't remember clearly, but I rather doubt it. Back then re-runs were common, and there were very few shows that aired during summer or outside of the September-May season. So unlike now when shows run continuously until the December break or either end before May or start late so as to end in May, there were frequent breaks to stretch out programming and also, I expect, to allow more production time so that the network didn't catch up to the banked episodes too quickly.

[shapinglight]

Oh okay. One of the producers has been on Twitter assuring fans that it's quite normal and they're on the same schedule as Gotham.

Doesn't US TV do sweeps months any more? I remember there were the February sweeps and the May sweeps, and sometimes you wouldn't find out if your show had been renewed until the end of the May sweeps. Does that no longer apply?

[yourlibrarian]

You're correct about sweeps, and it's exactly because of sweeps that shows continue to be broken up in their return from winter hiatus. Most shows have at least 10 shows on the "backend" sometimes more. But it's not enough to run continuously from January to May. So depending on whether or not the show is expected to be a ratings grabber, it will either be shown during both Feb and May, or else it will be taken off the schedule during the sweeps weeks for other programming that is expected to do better. So that means it could come back in January, take part of Feb off, and then end its run before May.

I'm afraid I'm really unaware of schedules these days (or networks either) because the DVR records stuff automatically. So whatever's on the queue is whatever we watch. Not that it's foolproof -- stuff gets mislabeled all the time, often due to last minute changes. So sometimes we have to go back and catch a missing ep from On Demand or, if it's on a cable network, hope it's being re-run at a different time. One thing that's particularly irritating these days is that Masterpiece Theater and Mystery (now called Masterpiece Mystery) which generally aired a lot of the UK programming here) is now labeled for the particular show, such as Poldark Masterpiece. So unless we know the name of each upcoming series, we can't just have it record all of Masterpiece offerings as a season-long show anymore. I find this extremely stupid since someone looking just for Poldark (or Downton Abbey) could find it, but someone just wanting to be shown the whole season of Masterpiece is out of luck and has to keep adding each title to the DVR.

I've been watching Vikings this week and the first few episodes were recorded all out of order for reasons I can only guess at. (Probably a recording conflict that meant it recorded the earliest episodes a week later). Still, with our hundred+ networks and shows being shown irregularly throughout not just the season but the year, I don't know how anyone keeps up with their shows otherwise.

[shapinglight]

Well, I'm confused just reading this - though I do glean that if you're right, it means that Lucifer is being taken off air during February sweeps to be replaced by a show that Fox think will do better.

On the other hand, it's coming back for the May sweeps, so...

Okay, I'm just confused again.

[yourlibrarian]

Yeah, I'd assume that if it didn't come back until May then it would run all the way into June, right? There must be at least 7 more episodes after the January 3, right?

[shapinglight]

There are two more in January, then there should be another 9. It's meant to be 22 episodes.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

I also loved the Christmas special.

I'm not too happy with the new Capheus, because I really loved the old one, but we'll see. Do you know, why they switched actors?

Hernando, Dani and Lito are the best and cutest thing in all of TV-land.

I think JMS has sad that it should have 5 seasons. No idea if they'll go there. I know, I would love them too.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

I read somewhere that the original actor for Capheus got into a fight with the Wachowskis and quit. Unspecified why. I'm not convinced by the new guy either, but we'll see. I did like the reveal of him, though; "new haircut" indeed.

I liked the episode, and pretty much agree with SL. Though I thought they really worked hard to pad it to 2 hours.

[shapinglight]

I read somewhere that the original actor for Capheus got into a fight with the Wachowskis and quit. Unspecified why. I'm not convinced by the new guy either, but we'll see.

I read that too. I hope he'll gel more with me in the new series, but at the moment I'm finding I'm more interested in Jela than I am in him. ;)

Though I thought they really worked hard to pad it to 2 hours.

They really did. There wasn't that much material there. That said, I always enjoy the musical montage thingies where they all just sit around and gaze at stuff.

[shapinglight]

I'm not too happy with the new Capheus, because I really loved the old one, but we'll see. Do you know, why they switched actors?

I've heard the same story as BGF, also that Lana Wachowski denied emphatically that it was because the old Capheus actor didn't want to do gay sex scenes. So I don't know. I just know that, unlike the old one, the new Capheus just looks completely different from the actress playing his mother and it's weird.

Hernando, Dani and Lito are the best and cutest thing in all of TV-land.

They really are. I think Hernando is the best boyfriend ever. Also, I love how supportive Lito's mother was.

ETA: I meant to include a paragraph about Sun and forgot it. Big oversight on my part. Adding it now.

[empresspatti.livejournal.com]

largest ad revenues for tv are set in August, November, Feb and May. Show arcs were set to reflect this - big moments in Feb and May esp.

Things are different now. Smart tv's give a lot of data about viewership, multiple venues for shows etc. Overnight ratings aren't the only data that matters anymore. Its cheaper to program a 13 ep arc for most shows. Keeps production costs down.

Don't know what counter programming Fox has. Wonder if they are debuting mid season replacements? Is it time for Sleepy Hollow again or something?

[shapinglight]

Wonder if they are debuting mid season replacements? Is it time for Sleepy Hollow again or something?

I really have no idea. I do know that Lucifer got the order for the final nine episodes of season 2 quite late (I assume?) so I suppose they're still in the middle of filming.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

That does seem odd, most of my shows with 22 episodes usually come back around late January time, and then have a few episodes airing each month for the rest of the Spring. Nothing at all between January and May does seem like an unusually long stretch. It might work out as a less annoying way to watch though if the rest of the season will presumably run straight through in May, I hate the pattern of one week on, one week off

[shapinglight]

It might work out as a less annoying way to watch though if the rest of the season will presumably run straight through in May, I hate the pattern of one week on, one week off.

It'll be longer than just through May, because when the show goes off air again at the end of this month it'll only have got to episode 13, so that leaves a whole 9 episodes until the end of the season. It'll be the beginning of July before it ends.

Very odd.

[lyr]

I am not sold on new Capheus. I liked the first one so much; he was so good at projecting a charming sense of wonder and delight in his bond with his cluster. This new one's a little more sober and serious, and I find that less endearing.

[shapinglight]

I know what you mean. I just saw a gif of the old Capheus and found myself missing him dreadfully.

But I realise I'm not being fair to the new Capheus. Have to give him a little longer.

[jerusha]

I seriously want to wrap Will up in a fleecy blanket and feed him milk and cookies. Probably after shooting Whispers in the face. It's been a long time since I hated a villain that much. (He reminds me of Bester from Babylon 5, to be honest.)

Lito, Hernando, and Dani are too precious. And Lito's mom was lovely. Nomi and Neets are awesome, and I adore Sun, although yes, grim. Not sure how I feel about Capheus yet. I did like how they handled the recasting, but I just didn't think the actor quite nailed it. I feel like he might lack some of that innocence that made Capheus so compelling as a character?

[shapinglight]

(He reminds me of Bester from Babylon 5, to be honest.)

Yes, there are definite similarities - though Bester was trying to protect his 'people' and Whispers is doing quite the opposite.

Poor Will! His story was the only one in this episode that didn't have any feelgood factor to it. Unless you count Riley being there to look after him. I'm glad she's being more proactive anyway (though after seeing in season 1 why she was the way she was you couldn't blame her for being so limp and despairing).

I feel like he might lack some of that innocence that made Capheus so compelling as a character?

Yes, I agree. I do feel I'm being a bit unfair to him, though. Have to wait and see how he works out in season 2.

[tinny]

I'm not too sure about the new Capheus

Yeah. I loved how the old Capheus always seemed to smile, whatever he did. It was so much a part of his character. The new one doesn't smile as naturally. I miss that. So much.

though if this is JM Straczynski doing another of his five year story arcs, I guess not?

Oh please, no. Nothing against the Babylon5 storyarc, but Sense8 just doesn't feel like it has 5 seasons in it to me. The Christmas special already felt like nothing at all was happening, plot-wise. (Still loved it to pieces, because I adore the characters, but plot-heavy is not how I'd describe it.)


I admit that the thing I liked the least about this special was the terrible idea of giving Will heroin, and everyone just ignored it and celebrated like before. That felt so heartless to me.

The only reason for this I can come up with is that they just didn't want the plot to advance in this special at all. I am convinced that the cluster would insist on taking this fight to the Whisperer as fast as possible.


But Lito, Hernando, and Dani were precious, Amanita and Nomi were great as usual.

Wolfgang and Kala were supposed to have sex, dammit (I almost started writing it, but then lost momentum...). I like their dilemma, but then I'm always a fan of love triangles. I like that Kala made the wrong decision to stay with Rajan, that was seriously screwed up but very human and in character for her.

[shapinglight]

True, very little happened in the Christmas special, but it was nice to re-connect with the characters. it seems like ages since season 1.

Wolfgang and Kala are a very compelling couple, but I can see why Kala is trying to make a go of it with Rajan. He's a nice guy, and he loves her, and Wolfgang is a whole continent away. Kala can't be sure that she will ever meet him in person.

I guess I warmed to Rajan when he did that Bollywood dance routine with his friends at the pre-wedding party in season 1. ;)