TV nattering
Sep. 29th, 2005 09:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rmDid we learn _anything_ on Lost last night? No, no we did not. Grrrr. I still think the use of that song is the funniest shit ever though.
And now a little bit about Rome. I _love_ this show. And I love the casting. Because everyone is exactly right, despite the fact they often shouldn't be (there are so many things wrong with how they cast Caeser on the surface and yet... and yet... this actor can do no wrong for me, and while not a handsome man I can't stop looking at him).
I suppose though, what's most interesting to me about it is that while some of the characters in the show may be likable, and some we may understand to be heroes through history, absolutely none of them behaves in ways that we (a modern audience, and particularly a modern American audience) would consider heroic or moral or often even explicable. More than that though, I am rivetted by the portrayal we get of Caesar's ambition, because it's the first thing I've ever seen where I feel like the portrayal of the ambition is both honest and yet makes me question my own. The most recent episode wins for showing us its version of the whole "to be a ring bearer is to be alone" thing (to mix entertainment references in a really wack way). The parallels between how Caesar leaves Servilia in Rome (and her reaction to it) and how he leaves Mark Antony in Rome (and his reaction to it) are just lovely. You're never in doubt as to what the nature of those very different relationships are, nor are you in doubt to the fact that Caesar views them both as disposable simply because he must, because it is the test he enjoys setting for himself, because all else about it is bitterness. Also, man, is Mark Antony obnoxious or what? Most of the time I feel like we're getting funny,b ut throwaway writing on that character, which I think is a strategy, because then he'll do something very abruptly, and one is reminded this brat is also a very dangerous man.
And now a little bit about Rome. I _love_ this show. And I love the casting. Because everyone is exactly right, despite the fact they often shouldn't be (there are so many things wrong with how they cast Caeser on the surface and yet... and yet... this actor can do no wrong for me, and while not a handsome man I can't stop looking at him).
I suppose though, what's most interesting to me about it is that while some of the characters in the show may be likable, and some we may understand to be heroes through history, absolutely none of them behaves in ways that we (a modern audience, and particularly a modern American audience) would consider heroic or moral or often even explicable. More than that though, I am rivetted by the portrayal we get of Caesar's ambition, because it's the first thing I've ever seen where I feel like the portrayal of the ambition is both honest and yet makes me question my own. The most recent episode wins for showing us its version of the whole "to be a ring bearer is to be alone" thing (to mix entertainment references in a really wack way). The parallels between how Caesar leaves Servilia in Rome (and her reaction to it) and how he leaves Mark Antony in Rome (and his reaction to it) are just lovely. You're never in doubt as to what the nature of those very different relationships are, nor are you in doubt to the fact that Caesar views them both as disposable simply because he must, because it is the test he enjoys setting for himself, because all else about it is bitterness. Also, man, is Mark Antony obnoxious or what? Most of the time I feel like we're getting funny,b ut throwaway writing on that character, which I think is a strategy, because then he'll do something very abruptly, and one is reminded this brat is also a very dangerous man.
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 02:14 pm (UTC)right now, you're the only person i know of who's even referenced or mentioned the show. and it's the only thing on tv i've been making an effort to catch.
(as an aside, i think i passed you walking down saint marks last weekend, but i wasn't sure because i often don't wear my glasses when i'm in the neighborhood.)
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 02:19 pm (UTC)And you may well have seen me... and I'm the same way about my glasses, I sort of only bother when I need to.
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Date: 2005-09-29 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 03:21 pm (UTC)Bwaaaaaaaaahhahahah!!! Awesome.
And how cool is the "I offer you his limbs, his mouth, his speech, his liver . . I will rejoice and sacrifice to you."
In a squee-religious-fangirl kinda way.
And yeah, Ceaser. All the sexy.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 03:42 pm (UTC)Have you seen him in other roles? He has played in some English productions of Jane Austen movies. You are right, he handsome in the classical sense, but he has quite a presence. It was thus so in other roles that I have seen him in.
As for the casting. I think it is because everyone is mostly character actors, NO BIG PERSONALITIES, and thus, no one is flipping you out of the scenes. They each are very interesting in their own right, both in appearance and tempermant.
As for Marc Anthony. I find him fascinating to watch. THey have characterized him in an interesting light.
A long way to say that I am enjoying the show as well
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 03:46 pm (UTC)And no, I've not seen that dude in anything else, although Kali keeps saying I have to, because it's really odd.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:00 pm (UTC)We know that there are at least four factions on the island: The survivors, the french woman, the Others and Desmond - who works for the Dharma Corporation.
We know of one more connection between the survivors: Jack chose to save the younger woman than the older man - Rutherford... Shannon and Boone's father.
We know that 'something' happens every 108 minutes if Desmond doesn't punch in the numbers.
We know the french woman isn't completely nuts... there is some sort of sickness that is infectious.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:09 pm (UTC)LOST is the only TV show I really watch these days. The rest, I wait for it to come out on DVD, then Netflix it to see if I'll like it.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:09 pm (UTC)I mean there's Locke's paralysis (and Jack's wife's non-paralysis), Jack hurting his ankle when he first meet's Desmond, Walt's Dad has some injury or other and a cane in the cut backs, etc.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:10 pm (UTC)I fucking love this show...
Date: 2005-09-29 04:09 pm (UTC)I think the way that they're playing Octavian is brilliant as well.
I know a little about Roman history, but not enough to know how true they're staying to the facts. I find myself wondering about the historicity of characters such as Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus. I'm tempted to read up on Roman History, but damn it, I don't want to SPOIL anything for myself!!! :D
Re: I fucking love this show...
Date: 2005-09-29 04:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 04:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 05:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 06:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 07:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 07:16 pm (UTC)Atia is out of her mind. (We figure, if we locked her and Bella in a closet together that would go from two lives to one within ten minutes, and only that long because they're both fiesty).
no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-29 11:19 pm (UTC)