Saturday, 27 March 2010
Of Kick-Ass
Long time no review. I haven't written a film review since the release of Jennifer's Body, but I'm glad my first review is for a movie as brilliant as this one. First off Kick-Ass is just a hell of a lot of fun. This isn't Oscar as I'm sure you'll realise from the purple haired girl saying the word "cunt" in the trailer. Kick-Ass is a new breed of superhero movies, it's completely irreverent and pays homage to so many comic book series which just makes it fun to watch.
On a very basic level, Kick-Ass shares some similarities with Watchmen, despite being tonally completely different. Both focus on a world in which there are no superheroes and real people, influenced by comic books decide to dress up and fight crime. However the first difference is that Watchmen takes place in a world in which superheroes have been around for decades and being one is now a criminal offence, Kick-Ass takes place at the very beginning with the obsession with superheroes. Plus the whole not actually taking itself very seriously idea.
If you've seen the trailers you know that this film is gory as hell, but what is seen very slightly in the trailers is just how well choreographed the fight scenes are. Seriously the fights are just a joy to behold, with bullets and knives flying everywhere.* Also whilst there is so much swearing and violence the movie still manages to fit in some adult themes and comments on the world at large (particularly the idea of social media). So we have swearing, violence, themes and of course due to some scenes set in high school, banter! And such glorious banter it is. Maybe it's the British writers, with a background in 90s gangster films, but the gangsters sparkle with wit, as well as the high school students which in some ways feels like an extension of what was found in Superbad (and not just because of McLovin).
It feels odd to say but Kick-Ass is maybe one of the most realistic superhero movies ever. Yes the final fight scene does take a lot of liberties but up until this point it feels like it could happen. Someone may very well eventually dress up as a superhero and try and fight crime (and it would probably end up in the same way that the Kick-Ass's own first attempt ends). It probably sounds stupid to say the movie feels realistic but it really does in a lot of key areas, but it's also a stupid amount of fun because of how over the top it is. It's a weird but awesome mix of "maybe this could happen, but it could never look as fucking awesome as we're making it look".
The main performances in the film are also uniformly great. Aaron Johnson plays Kick-Ass to perfection. He might not steal the show but he plays the everyman well and you root for him throughout, which is all that is needed. He's a geeky everyman character and you understand his motivations, even if they're not as melodramatic as say Peter Parker's. Mark Strong as the villain is superb, but if you've seen any film such as Sunshine or Sherlock Holmes then you know that Mark Strong can play a villain superbly. Chrisopher Mintz-Plasse as Red Mist is probably the weakest but still offers a great performance. It's clear he's trying to branch away from his role as McLovin which admirably but he doesn't get as much to chew on as the other actors, however by the final reels of the film it's clear they're setting his character up for bigger things in a potential sequel.
However far and away the scene stealers in Kick-Ass are Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz. Nicolas Cage puts in his best performances since Adaptation as the unhinged Big-Daddy. He swaps between this gleeful naivety when in civilian dress, but the moment he dresses up as a superhero he's a supreme bad-ass killing people left and right. The costume is clearly taking infulence from Batman, however you'll also notice that he's putting on a weird voice when dressed up, until it clicks he's impersonating Adam West. It's a surprise and just makes his performance that much more enjoyable. And then we have Hit-Girl. The one thing EVERYONE will be talking about when they leave the cinema. She swears and she's got no qualms with killing you. If you've seen the red band trailer you know what I mean. Chloe Moretz is a revelation and I can't wait to see what she goes on to do, but it's quite clear she's got a long career ahead of her.
Also a quick shout out to the Kick-Ass soundtrack, it fits the scenese perfectly and I now need to find the remix of the Sunshine theme that is used for one of the films action scenes. It's so epic and fits it perfectly.
Overall Kick-Ass is a hell of a lot of fun. Easily the best film that I've seen so far in 2010 and just a great thrill ride. It's not trying to be Oscar fodder, but it's just a great film. Everything from the acting, directing, editing and choreography come together to make a great whole. Sure it's over the top, incredibly violent and features an 11 year old girl saying the word "cunt" but when the movie around it this enjoyable, I couldn't give two shits because of how well it works. Apart from some green screen issues during the final scenes, the film is a near perfect comic book adaptation. It not be as brilliant as The Dark Knight, but it doesn't try to be. Kick-Ass is fun, irreverent and chock a block with geeky reference. The benchmark for 2010 comic book movies has been set high, so we'll see if Iron-Man 2 and Scott Pilgrim can live up to it.
9/10
*of note, same choreographers are working on Scott Pilgrim, just makes me more excited for it!
Monday, 1 March 2010
Of March 2010
March! In one month I'm eighteen! Not that it really matters because I already do a lot of things that shouldn't be legal until then. Like going to the pub or seeing 18s. But still it's a big event in my life that should be celebrated
I anticipated this being a really angry blog post full of how I hated the hapless twats that run my school IT Department. But I've had a really good day so I'll let them off. Also, it's helped me actually do some work which will be really good in the long run. Specially after a godawful report.
So instead I'm just going to say HAPPY MARCH and then return to trying to think of what to put in my yearbook.
Oh and Lost is still awesome, especially because we got what looks like the worst episode of the season out of the way at episode 3. Plus all the awesome shows are coming back this week, and whilst I won't be able to watch in school, it's something to do which is always nice.
Currently Listening to: Common People - Pulp/Machine Gun - Portishead
Currently Watching (TV): Glee!
Currently Reading: The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Klay
Currently Playing: Super Mario Galaxy (in preparation for number 2 in May)
I anticipated this being a really angry blog post full of how I hated the hapless twats that run my school IT Department. But I've had a really good day so I'll let them off. Also, it's helped me actually do some work which will be really good in the long run. Specially after a godawful report.
So instead I'm just going to say HAPPY MARCH and then return to trying to think of what to put in my yearbook.
Oh and Lost is still awesome, especially because we got what looks like the worst episode of the season out of the way at episode 3. Plus all the awesome shows are coming back this week, and whilst I won't be able to watch in school, it's something to do which is always nice.
Currently Listening to: Common People - Pulp/Machine Gun - Portishead
Currently Watching (TV): Glee!
Currently Reading: The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Klay
Currently Playing: Super Mario Galaxy (in preparation for number 2 in May)
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Chuck versus the Apocalypse
If you've been on the internet today, particularly the TV-centric parts, you may have notice something. That fans were in uproar because of Chuck. Apparently this episode of Chuck was so offensive it has now led countless people to boycott the show entirely, or at least they say they will.
All I can say is that some people are quite deluded. Was Chuck last night a great episode? Not really, it was OK but nothing special. Did it make me want to drop the show like a hot potato? NO! I still find Chuck to be one of the most refreshing shows on television. I'm sticking with it till the end.
And yet the episode is getting responses like this:
- "that was the worst episode ever they killed the characters. A comment for one poster on NBC was "The show runners finally killed Chuck..."
- "If we can bring the number of on air viewers below 1 million, the advertisers will take note. You can count on that. You can also bet the advertisers will be on the phone to NBC and the producers of Chuck. Money talks after all."
- "Our sad decision to remove Chuck from our viewing schedule came from the abhorrently low-grade soap opera style this program has delved into. Specifically, forcing characters to behave in stark contrast to their established norms. And all for nothing more grand or "progressive" than cheap shock value."
These just seem completely over the top reactions. Luckily some sane people have been able to speak sense during all of this, particularly the person who doesn't seem to understand that any show with sub-1 million viewers is going to get cancelled fairly quickly, no matter the level of online support.
My main issue is that so many people are planning to jump off of Chuck just because they don't agree with the relationship issues. Whilst indeed the Chuck/Sarah chemistry has been an important part, it's just one of many parts that make up this great show. I think Alan Sepinwall put it best:
"If you're only watching the show for the chance of Chuck and Sarah getting together, you've spent more than two years missing an awful lot of other good stuff happening on this show."
There's a lot to love about Chuck and so many people seem to be shocked that Sarah has decided to hook up with Shaw that they've decided to completely abandon the show despite this being one small flaw, that is probably only a road block on the inevitable coupling of Chuck and Sarah. If you think that Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak are stupid enough to keep them apart forever then clearly there's something wrong or you've simply never seen a "will they, won't they" relationship"
I see no problem with them being a pairing. Chuck and Sarah have drifted apart because Chuck is becoming a spy and less of the man that Sarah had fallen in love with. He hurt her extremely badly, leaving her at the train station alone. So what has she done? She's gone back to her "type", people like Bryce, Cole and Shaw. Manly spies because she knows they won't her, at least not in the same way that Chuck did.
Chuck on the other hand had been pining over Sarah for years and now she hates him. He clearly still loves her but a gorgeous girl has fallen head over hells for him and Sarah is showing no signs of forgiving him. Both characters are in weird headspaces and yet they apparently aren't allowed to be in a relationship unless it's with each other?
I'm not going to say the leap to relationship was handled perfectly. I will admit that the Shaw/Sarah thing could have done with an extra episode just to put it across more but still when you only have Brandon Routh for a set number of episodes and a story to tell in that time, I don't mind if some corners are cut, just as long as the end result is great. Looking at Chuck's track record they're setting up for something epic but the fans on the blogs seem to be forgetting that.
For them this hook-up is the last straw. They don't care to see the inevitable failure of both relationships due to the fact that they're only contracted for a little while. They don't care about the Ring story. They don't care about the great supporting characters. They care about the now and the fact they aren't getting what they want NOW. All good things come to those who wait, but apparently a lot of Chuck fans seem incapable of waiting.
Interesting Reading
I'm just going to include a few links for some more background and comments from people on the matter
Alan Sepinwall's Review
Maureen Ryan's review
Linda Holmes brilliant outline of events for NPR
NBC Board postings (will need to skip to page 10 or so)
And some indivdual comments:
Alan Sepinwall's comment on Shipping in TV
SerendipityWAF (who helped save the show last year)
Overall I thought the episode was OK, about a 7 or 7.5 But honestly nothing that makes me feel like they've jumped the shark or have made a mistake they can never come back from. Whilst the fans did help Chuck back last year, they don't have a say in how the story goes, that's the writer's job. Let's just hope the fans who are up in arms don't enact upon any of their crazy schemes because that could kill what has up until now been a fantastic show. The show is still on the bubble and one weak episode shouldn't mark the end for it.
All I can say is that some people are quite deluded. Was Chuck last night a great episode? Not really, it was OK but nothing special. Did it make me want to drop the show like a hot potato? NO! I still find Chuck to be one of the most refreshing shows on television. I'm sticking with it till the end.
And yet the episode is getting responses like this:
- "that was the worst episode ever they killed the characters. A comment for one poster on NBC was "The show runners finally killed Chuck..."
- "If we can bring the number of on air viewers below 1 million, the advertisers will take note. You can count on that. You can also bet the advertisers will be on the phone to NBC and the producers of Chuck. Money talks after all."
- "Our sad decision to remove Chuck from our viewing schedule came from the abhorrently low-grade soap opera style this program has delved into. Specifically, forcing characters to behave in stark contrast to their established norms. And all for nothing more grand or "progressive" than cheap shock value."
These just seem completely over the top reactions. Luckily some sane people have been able to speak sense during all of this, particularly the person who doesn't seem to understand that any show with sub-1 million viewers is going to get cancelled fairly quickly, no matter the level of online support.
My main issue is that so many people are planning to jump off of Chuck just because they don't agree with the relationship issues. Whilst indeed the Chuck/Sarah chemistry has been an important part, it's just one of many parts that make up this great show. I think Alan Sepinwall put it best:
"If you're only watching the show for the chance of Chuck and Sarah getting together, you've spent more than two years missing an awful lot of other good stuff happening on this show."
There's a lot to love about Chuck and so many people seem to be shocked that Sarah has decided to hook up with Shaw that they've decided to completely abandon the show despite this being one small flaw, that is probably only a road block on the inevitable coupling of Chuck and Sarah. If you think that Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak are stupid enough to keep them apart forever then clearly there's something wrong or you've simply never seen a "will they, won't they" relationship"
I see no problem with them being a pairing. Chuck and Sarah have drifted apart because Chuck is becoming a spy and less of the man that Sarah had fallen in love with. He hurt her extremely badly, leaving her at the train station alone. So what has she done? She's gone back to her "type", people like Bryce, Cole and Shaw. Manly spies because she knows they won't her, at least not in the same way that Chuck did.
Chuck on the other hand had been pining over Sarah for years and now she hates him. He clearly still loves her but a gorgeous girl has fallen head over hells for him and Sarah is showing no signs of forgiving him. Both characters are in weird headspaces and yet they apparently aren't allowed to be in a relationship unless it's with each other?
I'm not going to say the leap to relationship was handled perfectly. I will admit that the Shaw/Sarah thing could have done with an extra episode just to put it across more but still when you only have Brandon Routh for a set number of episodes and a story to tell in that time, I don't mind if some corners are cut, just as long as the end result is great. Looking at Chuck's track record they're setting up for something epic but the fans on the blogs seem to be forgetting that.
For them this hook-up is the last straw. They don't care to see the inevitable failure of both relationships due to the fact that they're only contracted for a little while. They don't care about the Ring story. They don't care about the great supporting characters. They care about the now and the fact they aren't getting what they want NOW. All good things come to those who wait, but apparently a lot of Chuck fans seem incapable of waiting.
Interesting Reading
I'm just going to include a few links for some more background and comments from people on the matter
Alan Sepinwall's Review
Maureen Ryan's review
Linda Holmes brilliant outline of events for NPR
NBC Board postings (will need to skip to page 10 or so)
And some indivdual comments:
Alan Sepinwall's comment on Shipping in TV
SerendipityWAF (who helped save the show last year)
Overall I thought the episode was OK, about a 7 or 7.5 But honestly nothing that makes me feel like they've jumped the shark or have made a mistake they can never come back from. Whilst the fans did help Chuck back last year, they don't have a say in how the story goes, that's the writer's job. Let's just hope the fans who are up in arms don't enact upon any of their crazy schemes because that could kill what has up until now been a fantastic show. The show is still on the bubble and one weak episode shouldn't mark the end for it.
Of February 2010
Apologies for lateness but this is only a quickie blog post (for now, I will come back later with some extended thoughts on the current Chuck-pocalypse)
Well it's February and not much is going to happen, you'll get some Lost ravings as well as possibly some film musings but I plan on spending much of the half term break being drunk so don't expect too much thoughtfulness. Definitely helps that not much is happening, no really big films and no returning shows or shows ending (apart from Heroes so I'll need to catch up on that). The big stuff is happening in March and April so for now this blog will be snooze-ville (unless I do my Lost review posts).
Stuff Coming Soon
- Heroes Season 4 Review
- Chuck-pocalypse thoughts
Currently Listening to: In Rainbows - Radiohead
Currently Watching (TV): Chuck versus the Mask
Currently Reading: The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Klay (amazing read)
Well it's February and not much is going to happen, you'll get some Lost ravings as well as possibly some film musings but I plan on spending much of the half term break being drunk so don't expect too much thoughtfulness. Definitely helps that not much is happening, no really big films and no returning shows or shows ending (apart from Heroes so I'll need to catch up on that). The big stuff is happening in March and April so for now this blog will be snooze-ville (unless I do my Lost review posts).
Stuff Coming Soon
- Heroes Season 4 Review
- Chuck-pocalypse thoughts
Currently Listening to: In Rainbows - Radiohead
Currently Watching (TV): Chuck versus the Mask
Currently Reading: The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Klay (amazing read)
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Top 10 Lost Episodes
A bit late, I watched the premiere. Damn was it good. I actually debated about putting it on this list, but I feel that the time for Season 6 will come in May when it's all over and we can look back on the show as a whole and say whether it was a success or not, but I still think Lost will go down in history as a show which took narrative to new and exciting places. Even if the final episode sucks, it'll just be three hours of a 120 hour show, which has put out so many good hours. Sadly a lot of people will focus on the finale as to whether the show was good or not, something that a lot of people are still doing about The Sopranos' ending.
But anyway, my personal favourite episodes of Lost from the first 103 hours of the show.
10. The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham - Season 5
We'd been waiting two seasons for this episode, why exactly was Locke off the island and why was he using a different name? Luckily this episode delivered in spades and gave us a lot too chew on. Plus the scene where Ben choked Locke using the wire was one of the best scenes Lost has created. Biggest complaint? Possibly the last time we will ever see Walt.
9. The Incident - Season 5
Season 5 was probably one of the weaker seasons of Lost but luckily the finale delivered in spades. It was action packed, romantic and we got a nuclear bomb. Oh and we finally met Jacob. To Lost fans, that's pretty much reason enough to put this episode in any Top 10 list.
8. Man of Science, Man of Faith - Season 2
This was probably the last time we saw Jack as a truly sympathetic character. It also kicked Season 2 off with a bang and whilst it fizzled towards the middle, this episode is one of my favourite ever and also contains my favourite single Lost scene ever. Damn is that opening just a great piece of misdirection, character introduction and an awesome song choice.
7. The Shape of Things to Come - Season 4
This was the first episode of Lost we got after the writers strike and damn was it amazing. First it was payoff to the reveal that Ben was off the island in the future and it was sooo good. But it was confusing as all hell, why was he in Tunisia? In a Dharma jacket? Plus his conversation where he promised Charles Widmore he'd kill Penny! because Widmore's men had killed his daughter (another shocking scene from the episode). On top of all that we got some smoke monster ownage. Yup this episode is pure Lost at its best.
6. The Man From Tallahassee - Season 3
Another episode that we'd been waiting for 2 seasons. It was in this episode we finally found out why John Locke was in a wheelchair and it was just such an amazing payoff. Of course it was down to his father (who would go onto play a pivotal role in another Season 3 doozy 'The Brig' along with Sawyer). And Season 3 added to its explosion quota with that submarine
5. Pilot - Season 1
It couldn't not be on the list, it started it all and is one of the most filmic hours of television ever. You just need to show someone those first 10 minutes and they're hooked for ever. Strong characters, monsters, polar bears and weird French transmissions were just the start of the epic narrative web that is Lost.
4. There's No Place Like Home - Season 4
It came at the end of an epic season and gave us so much to ponder over the hiatus. Why was Locke in a coffin? How did that Donkey Wheel make the island move? What happened to all the people left on the island? Plus storylines came to a close such as the Oceanic 6 story and a cherry on the cake? Desmond and Penny were reunited after 3 years apart!!! I know I'm a sap, but it's my favourite fictional relationship ever and it came as such an awesome surprise I actually cried (I know)
3. Walkabout - Season 1
I could talk about Terry O'Quinn's masterful performance or the cool hunting story on the island, but really there is one reason this episode is seen as a definitive Lost episode. It's that end scene, we've spent an hour with this hunter Locke, with his knives and cool demeanor. But then we find out that off-island he was wheelchair bound. The definitive Lost WTF moment, and if you weren't hooked before hand, then you definitely were now.
2. Through The Looking Glass - Season 3
It's another definitive Lost episode that throws one of the biggest curve balls in Lost history. Not only was there a lot to love in the episode, twists, Dharma Stations, war with the Others, ghost Walt and of course the scenes with Charlie down in the Looking Glass. It's another of Lost's best scenes, had me in tears and is easily the most affecting death the show has done so far. Oh and a little thing in the shape of the flashforward.
1. The Constant - Season 4
The best single hour has ever produced and I know I'm boring for saying so. Simply the best acted, directed, scored, edited and just generally put together episode of Lost in existence. It's where the idea of time travel was properly explored plus we had Desmond and Penny and THAT phone call which like so many other scenes already mentioned is one of the best scenes that the show has produced. But also this could be my favourite scene ever put to any sort of film, movies or TV. It's just that damn good and you're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't seen it.
But anyway, my personal favourite episodes of Lost from the first 103 hours of the show.
10. The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham - Season 5
We'd been waiting two seasons for this episode, why exactly was Locke off the island and why was he using a different name? Luckily this episode delivered in spades and gave us a lot too chew on. Plus the scene where Ben choked Locke using the wire was one of the best scenes Lost has created. Biggest complaint? Possibly the last time we will ever see Walt.
9. The Incident - Season 5
Season 5 was probably one of the weaker seasons of Lost but luckily the finale delivered in spades. It was action packed, romantic and we got a nuclear bomb. Oh and we finally met Jacob. To Lost fans, that's pretty much reason enough to put this episode in any Top 10 list.
8. Man of Science, Man of Faith - Season 2
This was probably the last time we saw Jack as a truly sympathetic character. It also kicked Season 2 off with a bang and whilst it fizzled towards the middle, this episode is one of my favourite ever and also contains my favourite single Lost scene ever. Damn is that opening just a great piece of misdirection, character introduction and an awesome song choice.
7. The Shape of Things to Come - Season 4
This was the first episode of Lost we got after the writers strike and damn was it amazing. First it was payoff to the reveal that Ben was off the island in the future and it was sooo good. But it was confusing as all hell, why was he in Tunisia? In a Dharma jacket? Plus his conversation where he promised Charles Widmore he'd kill Penny! because Widmore's men had killed his daughter (another shocking scene from the episode). On top of all that we got some smoke monster ownage. Yup this episode is pure Lost at its best.
6. The Man From Tallahassee - Season 3
Another episode that we'd been waiting for 2 seasons. It was in this episode we finally found out why John Locke was in a wheelchair and it was just such an amazing payoff. Of course it was down to his father (who would go onto play a pivotal role in another Season 3 doozy 'The Brig' along with Sawyer). And Season 3 added to its explosion quota with that submarine
5. Pilot - Season 1
It couldn't not be on the list, it started it all and is one of the most filmic hours of television ever. You just need to show someone those first 10 minutes and they're hooked for ever. Strong characters, monsters, polar bears and weird French transmissions were just the start of the epic narrative web that is Lost.
4. There's No Place Like Home - Season 4
It came at the end of an epic season and gave us so much to ponder over the hiatus. Why was Locke in a coffin? How did that Donkey Wheel make the island move? What happened to all the people left on the island? Plus storylines came to a close such as the Oceanic 6 story and a cherry on the cake? Desmond and Penny were reunited after 3 years apart!!! I know I'm a sap, but it's my favourite fictional relationship ever and it came as such an awesome surprise I actually cried (I know)
3. Walkabout - Season 1
I could talk about Terry O'Quinn's masterful performance or the cool hunting story on the island, but really there is one reason this episode is seen as a definitive Lost episode. It's that end scene, we've spent an hour with this hunter Locke, with his knives and cool demeanor. But then we find out that off-island he was wheelchair bound. The definitive Lost WTF moment, and if you weren't hooked before hand, then you definitely were now.
2. Through The Looking Glass - Season 3
It's another definitive Lost episode that throws one of the biggest curve balls in Lost history. Not only was there a lot to love in the episode, twists, Dharma Stations, war with the Others, ghost Walt and of course the scenes with Charlie down in the Looking Glass. It's another of Lost's best scenes, had me in tears and is easily the most affecting death the show has done so far. Oh and a little thing in the shape of the flashforward.
1. The Constant - Season 4
The best single hour has ever produced and I know I'm boring for saying so. Simply the best acted, directed, scored, edited and just generally put together episode of Lost in existence. It's where the idea of time travel was properly explored plus we had Desmond and Penny and THAT phone call which like so many other scenes already mentioned is one of the best scenes that the show has produced. But also this could be my favourite scene ever put to any sort of film, movies or TV. It's just that damn good and you're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't seen it.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Top 10 Lost Characters
Well the Lost premiere is in two days and I've decided to celebrate w hat is one of the greatest television shows ever by giving my personal list of the best episodes and the best characters. Because of the sheer amount of great characters on Lost, I decided to limit myself to only Series Regulars, so no Penny, Mikhail, Keamy, Rousseau, Charles Widmore, Eloise Hawking, Rose, Bernard or Arzt. So what I feel we're left with is a fairly definitive list of the best characters, which is oddly very male skewed. But that's mostly because the male characters are normally a lot better written, or in the case of Kate, get bogged down in a very boring love triangle and soap opera back story.
So let's delve into Lost's best Characters
***WARNING SPOILERS BELOW***
Honourable Mentions
Charlie Pace
Charlie was probably seen by many people as one of the main characters in Season 1, especially considering that Dominic Monaghan was coming to the show fresh off the success of Lord of the Rings. If we could include the Season 1 and Season 3 Charlie only, then he would have probably made it into the top 10, but sadly the characterisation of Charlie in Season 2 drags the character down with a very boring addict storyline. Luckily Season 3 redeemed Charlie so much that when he died in the third season finale it resulted in what still remains the most touching and emotional death the show has produced (and of my favourite scenes from the show as a whole)
Richard Alpert
Richard Alpert is still a mystery but it's such a compelling mystery. For 3 Seasons we slowly found out more about Richard, he's been off island and hired Juliet, he seemingly doesn't age, he's worked for both Charles Widmore and Benjamin Linus, he was behind the murder of the Dharma Initiative and is one of the only people on the island who has interacted with Jacob. Season 6 is going to be a big season for Richard and I'm sure by the shows end he may have cracked my personal Top 10
Frank Lapidus
Probably the character who has appeared in the least episodes and is arguably one of the least pivotal, but damn is he awesome. In Season 4 he was the only one of the freighter characters who wasn't classed as a regular and yet he made such a great lasting impression. Effortlessly cool and a helicopter pilot, he got a great deal of laughs near the end of Season 4 and was the reason why the Oceanic 6 got off the island. But then it seemed his job was over. He appeared briefly at the start of Season 5 in flashbacks to the aftermath of Season 4 but then it seemed like he was gone forever. But then they got on Ajira 316 and possibly the coolest part of the episode was the reveal that Lapidus was the pilot and as he looked out at the passengers on his flight he uttered the immortal words "We're not going to Guam, are we?". Since then we saw bits and pieces of him landing a plane on a tiny island as well as playing a big part in the final reveal of the season. Being bumped up to a Series Regular means that we'll only get more of Lapidus' awesomeness in Season 6 and I couldn't be more happy for that.
10. Jack Shephard
Jack is the closest that Lost has to a main character. He was also supposed to be killed off at the end of the first episode, but because they didn't get a big name star (they originally wanted Michael Keaton) and it distressed the audience too much they decided to keep him around. Whilst Jack has had some of the best episodes centered around him, he's also had some of the worst which keeps him from climbing up the list any higher. If it hadn't been for the tattoo episode or the love triangle he would be a lot higher, based purely on episodes like 'Through the Looking Glass' and 'Man of Science, Man of Faith'. But I guess the fact that we've almost overdosed on Jack Shephard (he's had the most centric episodes and has appeared in the most episodes) means that he just doesn't feel like the strongest character that the show has to offer.
9. Mr. Eko
If Mr. Eko had been around for more than a Season then I'm sure that he would have been a lot higher. However because the actor who played him wanted to leave the show due to his parents dying whilst filming, so sadly Mr. Eko's was cut short and he was unceremoniously killed by the Smoke Monster in Season 3 and most of his story moved over to Desmond (presumably). But for Season 2 he was a triumph, he was quiet and stoic but also scary. He was the character who first met the Smoke Monster on screen and had one of the cooler flashback stories. He quickly became a fan favourite and was easily my favourite character through most of Season 2. If only he'd stuck around longer he would have only been even more fleshed out and could have quite easily have topped this list.
8. Sayid Jarrah
Sayid is an Iraqi soldier and also the shows resident badass. Of all the characters on the show he probably has the most "Crowning Moments of Awesome". From killing someone using a dishwasher to breaking someones legs using his thighs whilst in handcuffs. He's just awesome. Whilst he doesn't have the most interesting backstory, it still builds on a more emotional side to the character and adds even more to him when eventually he becomes morally compromised after the death of his love, Nadia. It's this that feeds him to work for Benjamin Linus in Season 4 as well as his attempted assassination of Benjamin Linus during the 1970s to prevent the events in the future from happening. It's this dark sided character, mixed with the more romantic side that make Sayid such an interesting character. Every time he thinks he's escaped his dark past as a torturer for the Republican Guard than he is dragged back into this life be it as a torturer or professional hitman. Last we saw of Sayid he was bleeding from a gunshot would to the chest, so let's just hope he survives into most of Season 6.
7. Juliet Burke
Juliet is the only female character on this list for good reason. Whilst when she was introduced in Season 3 she wasn't the most interesting, partly because of coming in during a storyline which just seemed to drag along for 6 weeks, she made up for it with 2 great flashback stories. Whilst her episode in Season 4 took away from the far more interesting Oceanic 6 storyline, she still made an impact in Season 4, but it was her relationship with Sawyer in Season 5 which pushed her over the top. Before hand she was just there to kind of act as a buffer between Jack and Kate, but once they were off island, she was left alone with Sawyer and the two started to show some great chemistry. It quickly became one of the shows better romances (similar to Charlie and Claire and Desmond and Penny) and is one of the better parts of Season 5. But of course Kate comes along to screw this up and by the end of the Season Juliet wants to forget everything and ends up bashing a nuclear device with a rock to reset the time-line. A strong but understandable reaction to Jack-Kate-Sawayer Love Triangle
6. Daniel Faraday
Daniel Faraday was the best character introduced in Season 4, mostly because he was mysterious, he was a tiny bit insane and seemed like he'd be able to give so answers. He did experiments with time which led us to find out that island time is different to off island time. He was able to explain the shows concept of time travel and for most of the early part of Season 5 when it came to the jumping in time. He was using Desmond as his constant and got some really cool scenes of him interacting with past versions of characters. He had an awesome part in Jughead and then his reappearance in the Variable seemingly cemented the fact that "What happened, happened" when he is ultimately murdered by his own mother. He may have been around for only two seasons, but he's had a massive impact on the show and with news that he'll be appearing in Season 6, I can't wait to see what answers and more story that he has to bring to the show.
5. James 'Sawyer' Ford
Whilst Sawyer is probably well liked within the non-hardcore members of the fanbase, he's also very popular within the hardcore fanbase. When the show started he was a bit of a jerk and was probably the least liked character on the show and it wasn't until the flashback episode where we found out that his mother had been conned by a man named 'Sawyer' which led to his father murdering his mother and committing suicide in front of him. What makes this story even more interesting is that the real 'Sawyer' (a man he has vowed to kill) turns out to be Locke's dad as well. It's a great backstory for the character and if that weren't enough, his on island persona is just as good. His long con in Season 2 was a great part of the story, his fights with Jack over leadership, nicknames, occasional comic relief episodes and relationship with Juliet are some of the lasting memories of the show. Plus Josh Holloway portrays him to tee, just watch Season 3 episode 'The Brig' to see some of the best acting that that the show has produced
4. Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes
Hurley for the most part is comic relief. Most of his episodes are often lighthearted and don't really stand up against the shows best. But Hurley is a stealth player. There's always something funny for him to say or react to. His reaction to Arzt blowing up in Season 1 is one of the funniest single moments in the entire show, plus he's inextricably linked to the Numbers which is only a plus. Whilst Hurley's centric episodes aren't great, he is used amazingly in other peoples peoples episodes which makes him such a strong part of the show. He may just be the shows most recognisable character, because everyone knows about the fat guy but really Hurley is so much more than that. Plus he saved the day once by running over the Others in the Dharma Van, in what was probably one of the shows best single scenes (but we'll talk about that more in my favourite episodes list)
3. Desmond Hume
Desmond is probably my overall favourite character on the show. He's got the story I love the most, the best romance, the best single episode that the show has produced and I love every second that he's on screen. Especially since he was introduced in my absolute favourite Lost scene ever. He gave us time travel, emotional grounding, Charles Widmore, the death of Charlie and so many great things about Lost. However he isn't the shows best character, there undoubtedly two characters better than him but Desmond is such a fan favourite that he's always top 5, no question. It's so hard to imagine the show without everyone's favourite Scottish "brother" and it's sad to see him not being a series regular for his last year, but he'll still be back occasionally, so I just hope he makes a big impact this year and gets the happy ending that his character has deserved from the beginning. But knowing the way good television works, that almost wouldn't seem fair...
2. Benjamin Linus
Introduced to the viewers as Henry Gale, we didn't know whether he was good or bad. All we knew was that he was a riveting character. Michael Emerson was originally only brought on for 3 episodes but he was received so well that his stay got extended, then he became a series regular in Season 3 and now he's one of the most important players on the show. Michael Emerson is perfect as Benjamin Linus, every scene is stunning and whenever he's on screen it's hard to take your eyes off of him. He's weaselly and cunning and has done so many bad deeds on the show but he's had such a tragic past. Blamed by his father for his mothers death then practically ignored by the leader of the island. All he wants is recognition and whilst his methods are dubious you can't help but feel sorry for him. Ultimately though, it seems inevitably that something bad is going to happen to him in Season 6 which is probably the only way that his character can leave the show, because he is the closest thing that we've had to a villain for three years.
1. John Locke
Undoubtedly the shows best creation is the character of John Locke. He's the shows most tragic and interesting character. He's been abused by his parents, by the island, by co-workers, lovers, friends, enemies and people he's never met. He was put in a wheelchair for four years after his dad (the same one who Sawyer wanted to murder) pushed him out of a window and ultimately regained the power of his legs on island, which seemed to enjoy taking them taking them away every so often, just because it could. He lost faith pushing the button for months, was shot in the stomach and left for dead, briefly became leader of the island until eventually he moved the island to save it, but not before losing the use of his legs again. On his quest to send everyone back, he was ignored and turned to suicide. Whilst he may have been talked out of it, he was then choked to death by Benjamin Linus and set up to look like a suicide. Then we're led to believe that when his body was brought back to the island he came back to life, but that's not the case. John Locke in fact died halfway through Season 5 and now the mysterious Man in Black has possessed his body. For such an interesting and tragic character it was the perfect way for him to go. Whilst Terry O'Quinn is still on the show, John Locke shall be missed even if he was essentially never anything more than a puppet from the very beginning of the show, he was a puppet who was never anything less than engrossing even during his lowest moments and when Lost is looked back upon in the years to come, will probably be seen as the single greatest achievement of the show. More so than the complex story, amazing writing and direction, Locke is the embodiment of Lost and no other character comes close to matching the impact that he has had.
So let's delve into Lost's best Characters
***WARNING SPOILERS BELOW***
Honourable Mentions
Charlie Pace
Charlie was probably seen by many people as one of the main characters in Season 1, especially considering that Dominic Monaghan was coming to the show fresh off the success of Lord of the Rings. If we could include the Season 1 and Season 3 Charlie only, then he would have probably made it into the top 10, but sadly the characterisation of Charlie in Season 2 drags the character down with a very boring addict storyline. Luckily Season 3 redeemed Charlie so much that when he died in the third season finale it resulted in what still remains the most touching and emotional death the show has produced (and of my favourite scenes from the show as a whole)
Richard Alpert
Richard Alpert is still a mystery but it's such a compelling mystery. For 3 Seasons we slowly found out more about Richard, he's been off island and hired Juliet, he seemingly doesn't age, he's worked for both Charles Widmore and Benjamin Linus, he was behind the murder of the Dharma Initiative and is one of the only people on the island who has interacted with Jacob. Season 6 is going to be a big season for Richard and I'm sure by the shows end he may have cracked my personal Top 10
Frank Lapidus
Probably the character who has appeared in the least episodes and is arguably one of the least pivotal, but damn is he awesome. In Season 4 he was the only one of the freighter characters who wasn't classed as a regular and yet he made such a great lasting impression. Effortlessly cool and a helicopter pilot, he got a great deal of laughs near the end of Season 4 and was the reason why the Oceanic 6 got off the island. But then it seemed his job was over. He appeared briefly at the start of Season 5 in flashbacks to the aftermath of Season 4 but then it seemed like he was gone forever. But then they got on Ajira 316 and possibly the coolest part of the episode was the reveal that Lapidus was the pilot and as he looked out at the passengers on his flight he uttered the immortal words "We're not going to Guam, are we?". Since then we saw bits and pieces of him landing a plane on a tiny island as well as playing a big part in the final reveal of the season. Being bumped up to a Series Regular means that we'll only get more of Lapidus' awesomeness in Season 6 and I couldn't be more happy for that.
10. Jack Shephard
Jack is the closest that Lost has to a main character. He was also supposed to be killed off at the end of the first episode, but because they didn't get a big name star (they originally wanted Michael Keaton) and it distressed the audience too much they decided to keep him around. Whilst Jack has had some of the best episodes centered around him, he's also had some of the worst which keeps him from climbing up the list any higher. If it hadn't been for the tattoo episode or the love triangle he would be a lot higher, based purely on episodes like 'Through the Looking Glass' and 'Man of Science, Man of Faith'. But I guess the fact that we've almost overdosed on Jack Shephard (he's had the most centric episodes and has appeared in the most episodes) means that he just doesn't feel like the strongest character that the show has to offer.
9. Mr. Eko
If Mr. Eko had been around for more than a Season then I'm sure that he would have been a lot higher. However because the actor who played him wanted to leave the show due to his parents dying whilst filming, so sadly Mr. Eko's was cut short and he was unceremoniously killed by the Smoke Monster in Season 3 and most of his story moved over to Desmond (presumably). But for Season 2 he was a triumph, he was quiet and stoic but also scary. He was the character who first met the Smoke Monster on screen and had one of the cooler flashback stories. He quickly became a fan favourite and was easily my favourite character through most of Season 2. If only he'd stuck around longer he would have only been even more fleshed out and could have quite easily have topped this list.
8. Sayid Jarrah
Sayid is an Iraqi soldier and also the shows resident badass. Of all the characters on the show he probably has the most "Crowning Moments of Awesome". From killing someone using a dishwasher to breaking someones legs using his thighs whilst in handcuffs. He's just awesome. Whilst he doesn't have the most interesting backstory, it still builds on a more emotional side to the character and adds even more to him when eventually he becomes morally compromised after the death of his love, Nadia. It's this that feeds him to work for Benjamin Linus in Season 4 as well as his attempted assassination of Benjamin Linus during the 1970s to prevent the events in the future from happening. It's this dark sided character, mixed with the more romantic side that make Sayid such an interesting character. Every time he thinks he's escaped his dark past as a torturer for the Republican Guard than he is dragged back into this life be it as a torturer or professional hitman. Last we saw of Sayid he was bleeding from a gunshot would to the chest, so let's just hope he survives into most of Season 6.
7. Juliet Burke
Juliet is the only female character on this list for good reason. Whilst when she was introduced in Season 3 she wasn't the most interesting, partly because of coming in during a storyline which just seemed to drag along for 6 weeks, she made up for it with 2 great flashback stories. Whilst her episode in Season 4 took away from the far more interesting Oceanic 6 storyline, she still made an impact in Season 4, but it was her relationship with Sawyer in Season 5 which pushed her over the top. Before hand she was just there to kind of act as a buffer between Jack and Kate, but once they were off island, she was left alone with Sawyer and the two started to show some great chemistry. It quickly became one of the shows better romances (similar to Charlie and Claire and Desmond and Penny) and is one of the better parts of Season 5. But of course Kate comes along to screw this up and by the end of the Season Juliet wants to forget everything and ends up bashing a nuclear device with a rock to reset the time-line. A strong but understandable reaction to Jack-Kate-Sawayer Love Triangle
6. Daniel Faraday
Daniel Faraday was the best character introduced in Season 4, mostly because he was mysterious, he was a tiny bit insane and seemed like he'd be able to give so answers. He did experiments with time which led us to find out that island time is different to off island time. He was able to explain the shows concept of time travel and for most of the early part of Season 5 when it came to the jumping in time. He was using Desmond as his constant and got some really cool scenes of him interacting with past versions of characters. He had an awesome part in Jughead and then his reappearance in the Variable seemingly cemented the fact that "What happened, happened" when he is ultimately murdered by his own mother. He may have been around for only two seasons, but he's had a massive impact on the show and with news that he'll be appearing in Season 6, I can't wait to see what answers and more story that he has to bring to the show.
5. James 'Sawyer' Ford
Whilst Sawyer is probably well liked within the non-hardcore members of the fanbase, he's also very popular within the hardcore fanbase. When the show started he was a bit of a jerk and was probably the least liked character on the show and it wasn't until the flashback episode where we found out that his mother had been conned by a man named 'Sawyer' which led to his father murdering his mother and committing suicide in front of him. What makes this story even more interesting is that the real 'Sawyer' (a man he has vowed to kill) turns out to be Locke's dad as well. It's a great backstory for the character and if that weren't enough, his on island persona is just as good. His long con in Season 2 was a great part of the story, his fights with Jack over leadership, nicknames, occasional comic relief episodes and relationship with Juliet are some of the lasting memories of the show. Plus Josh Holloway portrays him to tee, just watch Season 3 episode 'The Brig' to see some of the best acting that that the show has produced
4. Hugo 'Hurley' Reyes
Hurley for the most part is comic relief. Most of his episodes are often lighthearted and don't really stand up against the shows best. But Hurley is a stealth player. There's always something funny for him to say or react to. His reaction to Arzt blowing up in Season 1 is one of the funniest single moments in the entire show, plus he's inextricably linked to the Numbers which is only a plus. Whilst Hurley's centric episodes aren't great, he is used amazingly in other peoples peoples episodes which makes him such a strong part of the show. He may just be the shows most recognisable character, because everyone knows about the fat guy but really Hurley is so much more than that. Plus he saved the day once by running over the Others in the Dharma Van, in what was probably one of the shows best single scenes (but we'll talk about that more in my favourite episodes list)
3. Desmond Hume
Desmond is probably my overall favourite character on the show. He's got the story I love the most, the best romance, the best single episode that the show has produced and I love every second that he's on screen. Especially since he was introduced in my absolute favourite Lost scene ever. He gave us time travel, emotional grounding, Charles Widmore, the death of Charlie and so many great things about Lost. However he isn't the shows best character, there undoubtedly two characters better than him but Desmond is such a fan favourite that he's always top 5, no question. It's so hard to imagine the show without everyone's favourite Scottish "brother" and it's sad to see him not being a series regular for his last year, but he'll still be back occasionally, so I just hope he makes a big impact this year and gets the happy ending that his character has deserved from the beginning. But knowing the way good television works, that almost wouldn't seem fair...
2. Benjamin Linus
Introduced to the viewers as Henry Gale, we didn't know whether he was good or bad. All we knew was that he was a riveting character. Michael Emerson was originally only brought on for 3 episodes but he was received so well that his stay got extended, then he became a series regular in Season 3 and now he's one of the most important players on the show. Michael Emerson is perfect as Benjamin Linus, every scene is stunning and whenever he's on screen it's hard to take your eyes off of him. He's weaselly and cunning and has done so many bad deeds on the show but he's had such a tragic past. Blamed by his father for his mothers death then practically ignored by the leader of the island. All he wants is recognition and whilst his methods are dubious you can't help but feel sorry for him. Ultimately though, it seems inevitably that something bad is going to happen to him in Season 6 which is probably the only way that his character can leave the show, because he is the closest thing that we've had to a villain for three years.
1. John Locke
Undoubtedly the shows best creation is the character of John Locke. He's the shows most tragic and interesting character. He's been abused by his parents, by the island, by co-workers, lovers, friends, enemies and people he's never met. He was put in a wheelchair for four years after his dad (the same one who Sawyer wanted to murder) pushed him out of a window and ultimately regained the power of his legs on island, which seemed to enjoy taking them taking them away every so often, just because it could. He lost faith pushing the button for months, was shot in the stomach and left for dead, briefly became leader of the island until eventually he moved the island to save it, but not before losing the use of his legs again. On his quest to send everyone back, he was ignored and turned to suicide. Whilst he may have been talked out of it, he was then choked to death by Benjamin Linus and set up to look like a suicide. Then we're led to believe that when his body was brought back to the island he came back to life, but that's not the case. John Locke in fact died halfway through Season 5 and now the mysterious Man in Black has possessed his body. For such an interesting and tragic character it was the perfect way for him to go. Whilst Terry O'Quinn is still on the show, John Locke shall be missed even if he was essentially never anything more than a puppet from the very beginning of the show, he was a puppet who was never anything less than engrossing even during his lowest moments and when Lost is looked back upon in the years to come, will probably be seen as the single greatest achievement of the show. More so than the complex story, amazing writing and direction, Locke is the embodiment of Lost and no other character comes close to matching the impact that he has had.
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Of Dollhouse Season 2
Well here we are, the end of Dollhouse. It also looks like this is the end of Joss Whedon's involvement with network television. Whilst we might get a cable show out of him, it seems more likely that we'll be getting a lot more internet content from him in the future. But before I launch into the review, it must be said that my Top 10 Lost Characters and Episodes will be up over the next two days. I may need to discuss some placements (there are a lot of characters and over 100 episodes to choose from).
But now we must go into mourning of Dollhouse... kind of.
Dollhouse was a show that never truly worked. I will say that a lot of the actors were superb, Enver Gjokaj was a revelation and an actor that needs a long and healthy career after this show. The very definition of a character actor, he just his body stance, accent and mannerism for each different character that he played. Then there were many single episodes of Dollhouse which were great. My personal favourites from Season 2 were 'Belonging', 'The Attic' and 'Getting Closer' and they definitely stand as some of my favourite episodes from last year, and maybe even this year. But ultimately, it never came together as a cohesive whole. All the elements were there for something truly great, I mean it's a Joss Whedon show, so obviously there's something there! But when you compare Dollhouse to something like Firefly there a lot of differences. Whilst Firefly was dicked around by Fox, it had an identity from the pilot and you could tell the cast meshed well together. On Dollhouse, the two leads feel miscast and the show suffers for it, whilst the story and the strength of supporting characters do buoy some of the problems, they sadly don't make up for them.
I'm not saying Dollhouse is a bad show though, I gave Season 1 a 7/10 and Season 2 was better, but sadly it's also incredibly flawed and whilst a string of later episodes, like in Season 1 do help make the show feel better, they sadly don't erase the missteps from existence. Like in Season 1, Season 2 of Dollhouse opened with a string of standalone episodes and whilst the first episode had some great moments between Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) and Topher (Fran Kranz), the "Assignment of the week" wasn't really engrossing. The same can be said of the following two episodes, 'Instinct' (in which Echo becomes a crazy mother in what was easily the worst episode of the season) and 'Belle Chose' (which had a cool serial killer element but sadly just a shone a massive spotlight on Eliza Dushku's lack of range). But after this the season stepped into high gear.
We got the episode 'Belonging' early in the season (which I've already reviewed) which still stands as one of the best hours the show has put out and the show just keeps going in this fashion. We get a two part episode focusing on different Dollhouse's, featuring Summer Glau (Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Alexis Denisof (Angel), which was then fully rounded into a four part story arc. Sadly after a string of strong episodes, I felt episode 9 'Stop-Loss' was the weakest episode in the second half of the season, but then we got the incredible 'Attic' and 'Getting Closer'.
These were the two trippiest and twistiest episodes that Dollhouse has produced, 'The Attic was visually stunning and took us around the insides of various employees of the Dollhouse as well as setting up the final conflict of the season. This was quickly followed by 'Getting Closer' which took all of our safe assumptions and turned them on theirs heads by making probably the friendliest character into an insane Big Bad of the season of the entire show (a move which many believe didn't come to proper fruition in the following episode). Plus the normal Whedonism that whenever someone is truly happy, that has to be ended fairly quickly.
Finally the final two episodes were the wrap up which whilst too many didn't feel overly satisfying, I did feel they did their jobs admirably. Whilst episode 12 seemingly wasted the shows final use of Amy Acker, and the biggest twist was ultimately not so fleshed out but I still enjoyed the pay off that was given to many of the characters over the course of the show. Same can be said of 13, whilst it should have probably been longer due to the amount of plot that needed to be filled in, it still did it admirably.
The shows cancellation was a double edged sword. Whilst it meant that the writers knew it was ending so they could build towards a conclusion. This increase in momentum definitely helped the show as a whole because we got that terrific string of episodes. But sadly we also got too little time to tell the story in, both of the last episodes would have been better if their content had been fleshed out more (especially episode 12 where the first 10 minutes are spent recapping the end to episode 11).
Ultimately Season 2 was a great improvement over Season 1, but sadly it was still a mixed bag of a show. Some terrific episodes, writing and supporting characters don't make up for the miscast lead actors, subpar standalone episodes and a concept which from the beginning was flawed and tampered with. Whilst there are many single episode I loved a lot, they were always balanced out with something that didn't mesh completely. But in the end those great episodes are too good to ignore and luckily the show isn't horrendous, just flawed. I would recommend that people should watch Dollhouse, it did a lot right but a lot wrong. As long as you go in not expecting a perfect show, a lot of fun can be had. In the end however, I will await Joss Whedon's next project with baited breathe, especially if the Dollhouse experience is what leads him to start looking for creative freedom. Because we all want to see what he can come up with given complete control and little input from executives is surely going to help.
However we're here to talk about Dollhouse Season 2. I'm not sure I'll miss it the same I do other shows, partly because it feels like a complete run. Season 2 was good season of television, with enough great episodes to elevate that much higher. The fact that it has an endpoint is a definite plus but ultimately a lot of the show is still frustrating, but that shouldn't put potential watchers off from what is a very cool idea for a show with some superb performances (and some mixed) along with great episodes and writing (for the most part).
8/10
But now we must go into mourning of Dollhouse... kind of.
Dollhouse was a show that never truly worked. I will say that a lot of the actors were superb, Enver Gjokaj was a revelation and an actor that needs a long and healthy career after this show. The very definition of a character actor, he just his body stance, accent and mannerism for each different character that he played. Then there were many single episodes of Dollhouse which were great. My personal favourites from Season 2 were 'Belonging', 'The Attic' and 'Getting Closer' and they definitely stand as some of my favourite episodes from last year, and maybe even this year. But ultimately, it never came together as a cohesive whole. All the elements were there for something truly great, I mean it's a Joss Whedon show, so obviously there's something there! But when you compare Dollhouse to something like Firefly there a lot of differences. Whilst Firefly was dicked around by Fox, it had an identity from the pilot and you could tell the cast meshed well together. On Dollhouse, the two leads feel miscast and the show suffers for it, whilst the story and the strength of supporting characters do buoy some of the problems, they sadly don't make up for them.
I'm not saying Dollhouse is a bad show though, I gave Season 1 a 7/10 and Season 2 was better, but sadly it's also incredibly flawed and whilst a string of later episodes, like in Season 1 do help make the show feel better, they sadly don't erase the missteps from existence. Like in Season 1, Season 2 of Dollhouse opened with a string of standalone episodes and whilst the first episode had some great moments between Dr. Saunders (Amy Acker) and Topher (Fran Kranz), the "Assignment of the week" wasn't really engrossing. The same can be said of the following two episodes, 'Instinct' (in which Echo becomes a crazy mother in what was easily the worst episode of the season) and 'Belle Chose' (which had a cool serial killer element but sadly just a shone a massive spotlight on Eliza Dushku's lack of range). But after this the season stepped into high gear.
We got the episode 'Belonging' early in the season (which I've already reviewed) which still stands as one of the best hours the show has put out and the show just keeps going in this fashion. We get a two part episode focusing on different Dollhouse's, featuring Summer Glau (Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Alexis Denisof (Angel), which was then fully rounded into a four part story arc. Sadly after a string of strong episodes, I felt episode 9 'Stop-Loss' was the weakest episode in the second half of the season, but then we got the incredible 'Attic' and 'Getting Closer'.
These were the two trippiest and twistiest episodes that Dollhouse has produced, 'The Attic was visually stunning and took us around the insides of various employees of the Dollhouse as well as setting up the final conflict of the season. This was quickly followed by 'Getting Closer' which took all of our safe assumptions and turned them on theirs heads by making probably the friendliest character into an insane Big Bad of the season of the entire show (a move which many believe didn't come to proper fruition in the following episode). Plus the normal Whedonism that whenever someone is truly happy, that has to be ended fairly quickly.
Finally the final two episodes were the wrap up which whilst too many didn't feel overly satisfying, I did feel they did their jobs admirably. Whilst episode 12 seemingly wasted the shows final use of Amy Acker, and the biggest twist was ultimately not so fleshed out but I still enjoyed the pay off that was given to many of the characters over the course of the show. Same can be said of 13, whilst it should have probably been longer due to the amount of plot that needed to be filled in, it still did it admirably.
The shows cancellation was a double edged sword. Whilst it meant that the writers knew it was ending so they could build towards a conclusion. This increase in momentum definitely helped the show as a whole because we got that terrific string of episodes. But sadly we also got too little time to tell the story in, both of the last episodes would have been better if their content had been fleshed out more (especially episode 12 where the first 10 minutes are spent recapping the end to episode 11).
Ultimately Season 2 was a great improvement over Season 1, but sadly it was still a mixed bag of a show. Some terrific episodes, writing and supporting characters don't make up for the miscast lead actors, subpar standalone episodes and a concept which from the beginning was flawed and tampered with. Whilst there are many single episode I loved a lot, they were always balanced out with something that didn't mesh completely. But in the end those great episodes are too good to ignore and luckily the show isn't horrendous, just flawed. I would recommend that people should watch Dollhouse, it did a lot right but a lot wrong. As long as you go in not expecting a perfect show, a lot of fun can be had. In the end however, I will await Joss Whedon's next project with baited breathe, especially if the Dollhouse experience is what leads him to start looking for creative freedom. Because we all want to see what he can come up with given complete control and little input from executives is surely going to help.
However we're here to talk about Dollhouse Season 2. I'm not sure I'll miss it the same I do other shows, partly because it feels like a complete run. Season 2 was good season of television, with enough great episodes to elevate that much higher. The fact that it has an endpoint is a definite plus but ultimately a lot of the show is still frustrating, but that shouldn't put potential watchers off from what is a very cool idea for a show with some superb performances (and some mixed) along with great episodes and writing (for the most part).
8/10
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