The Americans season 5
Mar. 24th, 2017 11:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightVery busy with family stuff this weekend, but just a quick post about The Americans, which I completely forgot to mention when I made that post about TV stuff the other day.
Slight season 5 spoilers behind cut. Also very brief mention of Netflix's Iron Fist
I can't understand how I could have forgotten it, to be honest. The first three episodes have been brilliant, as always -though I found the end of the last one a salutary reminder of the fact that, though part of me wants them to not be caught, Philip and Elizabeth are not good people - and poor Randy aside, what about what they're doing to their own daughter, who they love? Philip's quite right. Paige can't handle it. Which is to her credit really (though unlike her parents, she's lucky to have the choice).
I can't wait to see how the Mischa Jnr plot works out (I seem to be rather alone in my love of this development), or what will happen with Oleg in Moscow. Also, I yelled aloud over the Martha cameo. Fantastic! I really didn't think we'd ever see her again.
Great stuff.
Not so great stuff is Netflix's latest Marvel-based offering - Iron Fist. I've got through three episodes and am completely stalled on episode four. I'm bored with it, and I just can't stand the main character. He's sooo annoying! As far as I'm concerned, these series very much suffer from the law of diminishing returns. Daredevil season 1 was well written, but so ultra-violent I didn't even try watching season 2 (the fact that the Punisher was in it would have put me off regardless, I think). Jessica Jones was really good, I thought, but Luke Cage was only so-so, and they were stupid to kill off Mahershala Ali's character so early, given that the villain who replaced him was dull as ditchwater.
As for Iron Fist, the original comic book dates from the days of the Bruce Lee inspired kung fu 'craze.' A blond white kid was the main character because most of them were at the time (though Marvel did have a reasonable amount of diversity back then among the supporting characters at least), and I suppose that was fine back then. Now, it just looks thoughtless and patronising.
I sort of wish that instead of Iron Fist, Netflix had opted to do a live action series about another Marvel character from the kung fu craze days - Shang-chi, Master of Kung Fu (which was actually one of my favourite books for a while way back when). At least the main character was Asian.
On the other hand, he was the son of Fu Manchu, and there was a lot of stuff in the story that would no doubt make me cringe if I re-read it now (I long since got rid of the books), so perhaps not after all.
Slight season 5 spoilers behind cut. Also very brief mention of Netflix's Iron Fist
I can't understand how I could have forgotten it, to be honest. The first three episodes have been brilliant, as always -though I found the end of the last one a salutary reminder of the fact that, though part of me wants them to not be caught, Philip and Elizabeth are not good people - and poor Randy aside, what about what they're doing to their own daughter, who they love? Philip's quite right. Paige can't handle it. Which is to her credit really (though unlike her parents, she's lucky to have the choice).
I can't wait to see how the Mischa Jnr plot works out (I seem to be rather alone in my love of this development), or what will happen with Oleg in Moscow. Also, I yelled aloud over the Martha cameo. Fantastic! I really didn't think we'd ever see her again.
Great stuff.
Not so great stuff is Netflix's latest Marvel-based offering - Iron Fist. I've got through three episodes and am completely stalled on episode four. I'm bored with it, and I just can't stand the main character. He's sooo annoying! As far as I'm concerned, these series very much suffer from the law of diminishing returns. Daredevil season 1 was well written, but so ultra-violent I didn't even try watching season 2 (the fact that the Punisher was in it would have put me off regardless, I think). Jessica Jones was really good, I thought, but Luke Cage was only so-so, and they were stupid to kill off Mahershala Ali's character so early, given that the villain who replaced him was dull as ditchwater.
As for Iron Fist, the original comic book dates from the days of the Bruce Lee inspired kung fu 'craze.' A blond white kid was the main character because most of them were at the time (though Marvel did have a reasonable amount of diversity back then among the supporting characters at least), and I suppose that was fine back then. Now, it just looks thoughtless and patronising.
I sort of wish that instead of Iron Fist, Netflix had opted to do a live action series about another Marvel character from the kung fu craze days - Shang-chi, Master of Kung Fu (which was actually one of my favourite books for a while way back when). At least the main character was Asian.
On the other hand, he was the son of Fu Manchu, and there was a lot of stuff in the story that would no doubt make me cringe if I re-read it now (I long since got rid of the books), so perhaps not after all.
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no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 02:21 pm (UTC)At the time, the really revolutionary part about Iron Fist was that he was, and still is, BFFs with Luke Cage but I'm not sure they even meet in the Iron Fist series?
I understand how the original Danny Rand needed to be a blond surfer looking guy...I always picture young Jason Mewes or the guy on Veronica Mars...but this Danny Rand looks more like the Danny that Rachel fogged on Friends than Jay. They destroyed any reason to have him Caucasian...
So, what they should have done was make him Asian-American but Ward to have been born and had early childhood in China so that would be part of the rift between Ward and Danny and Joy is that Danny and Ward's sister don't understand what it's "really like" to be Chinese.
I laughed when they had the iPhone explained to him. I KNOW Tibetan monks know what iPhones are and we just established in November that Strange's training ground had WiFi because "we're not savages."
I only watched one episode and it was so frustrating but everyone I was with...enjoyed it. They wanted to watch more.
Also, I've heard that a lot about Shang-chi but if Peter Quill's dad can be changed, why can't his dad be changed?
My dream casting would be Donnie Yen but he's probably too expensive and busy.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:14 pm (UTC)Not to mention the martial arts look completely fake when he does them - enough so to make someone like me (who knows nothing about martial arts, just has watched a few Hong Kong movies) cringe,then roll my eyes in disbelief. No way is this guy the greatest martial artist ever (or whatever).
Also, I've heard that a lot about Shang-chi but if Peter Quill's dad can be changed, why can't his dad be changed?
I had to look up who Peter Quill was. Not much of a Guardians of the Galaxy fan. Yes, Shang Chi's dad could be changed, though sadly that would probably also mean getting rid of his sister, Fu Manchu's daughter Fah Lo Suee, who I always liked as a character. Never mind. It's probably best that that story is forgotten (even though parts of it were very good and it's not like Asian comic book heroes with their own books were more than two a penny back then). Far too many problematic things in it.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 08:24 pm (UTC)I am SO PISSED that they are pestering Oleg. I love Oleg. They better not hurt him! He has really grown as a character.
Tim spotted Martha before I did! I am wondering if we will see her again at all since we have Oleg's story in Moscow now. That whole scene between him and the shop owner had me tense.
I'm also really worried about the Vietnamese kid that is working with P&E. I feel like he could snap at any moment, the way he talks about the Russian kid and his family. Gah!
But then that final scene, when Philip said "Should we tell Paige about this?" I laughed but then I was like "yeah, this is the reality and eventually she is going to find out and flip the fuck out."
I have not heard anything about 'Iron Fist' and I have no interest in it at all. Honestly, after watching 'Legion' the bar has been set high for comic book shows. Daredevil was okay, I liked Jessica Jones, but in the end, they didn't do anything different. 'Legion' has made me reevaluate all of the Marvel shows.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:18 pm (UTC)I agree. I wish they would just leave him alone. At least Stan isn't on board with what they're doing (though Oleg doesn't know that, of course).
I agree about Tuan. I kind of wonder if Philip and Elizabeth might not arrive one day at the Russian family's house to pick Tuan up and discover he's killed them all.
I've watched the first episode of Legion and did find it very intriguing - not least because I didn't recognise Dan Stevens at all. What a complete transformation.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-29 11:41 pm (UTC)KEEP WATCHING LEGION! So good!
no subject
Date: 2017-03-30 03:56 pm (UTC)I will. In fact,since writing is a bust today, I think I'll watch episode 2 right now. ;)
no subject
Date: 2017-03-24 09:17 pm (UTC)I love what they're doing with the Vietnamese kid; that they're on the same side but coming at it from so very different angles that they barely understand each other.
And Paige's finger-rubbing-thing is totally going to come back at some very dramatic point. Possibly at the very end of the series.
no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:21 pm (UTC)Yes, she must be so sad and lonely. I feel awful for her parents too. I wonder if she's been able to get in touch with them? But even if she has, the CIA have probably told them Martha's a traitor so they might not want to speak to her. :(
I love what they're doing with the Vietnamese kid; that they're on the same side but coming at it from so very different angles that they barely understand each other.
Yes, that's very interesting, and has the potential to go very bad indeed.
I'm also wondering what on earth is going on with Henry. He's never around. No one seems to expect him to be, yet the actor is still in the titles. Surely something must be brewing with Henry?
no subject
Date: 2017-03-25 04:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-28 04:23 pm (UTC)I do most of the time, but I didn't at the end of episode 3. You'll see why when you watch it.
The show is so timely!
Yes, in a way that I'm sure was completely unexpected by the show writers.