randomness, mostly veronica mars related

[rusty_halo]

Oh my god. It's a Colbert Report/Harry Potter crossover. Awesome.

Veronica Mars. The last few episodes haven't sucked nearly as much as the beginning of the season, so I'll post some thoughts, in no real order.

* Why is Duncan still in the credits? God, every time I see his hideous zombie face I just want to kill someone. Make him go away!!!

* This show's hottest resource is the chemistry between Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring. So it makes perfect sense to give them completely separate storylines in which they interact perhaps once per episode if we're lucky, and to keep Veronica's attitude cold, bitter, and judgmental.

Oh wait--actually it makes no sense whatsoever! What the hell are they thinking? Are they trying to convince me that Veronica has absolutely no feelings for Logan whatsoever? Okay, done. She doesn't give a shit. I'm not going to play that whole Buffy game of "she treats him horribly but she's really just repressing her strong feelings about their deep connection" or whatever. That way lies madness.

But it's Veronica's show, so either get rid of Logan or give him some meaningful relationship to the lead. Right now it's like he exists in some alternate universe, which gets about 5 minutes per episode and has nothing to do with anything else that's happening. (Frankly, it's the only part of the show I'm interested in, but the tiny scraps they're tossing Logan fans are really not worth my sitting through the inane mysteries of the week and Veronica's condescending judgmentalism.)

* Speaking of Veronica--I don't know who she is anymore, and I don't care. Is she the swooning delusional fool who really thinks that Duncan was her twu wuv? Or the bitter cynical bitch who tasers a guy for tastelessly hitting on women at a frat party?

Why is she so nasty and judgmental toward Logan? Is it the idea that a "strong women" must counter the stereotype of the empathetic woman by overcompensating in the bitch direction? Is it just that heroes have to be moralizing assholes who go around judging everyone who doesn't measure up to their impossible moral standards? (As if Veronica is so moral, with all the sneaking and manipulating and lying...) Or is it back to the whole Buffyverse "she's repressing her attraction by being a raging bitch"?

So count me off the V/L ship. As far as Veronica herself... if she quits her barista job and goes back to being a private detective, maybe we can talk. Until then, whatever.

* And Logan. The thing that boggles my mind is that for all the judgment and condescension, all the hate that pours at Logan from every direction, both in the show and from the writers, all the talk about how he's morally flawed and doesn't measure up--he's just not that bad. At all. He's a kid who's suffered immensely, who lashes out, but who clearly struggles with ethics and generally tries to do the right thing when it matters. Perfect example--look at how he struggled over the whole Hannah issue. A true asshole would have used her, gotten what he wanted, and not cared. Logan was tormented over the whole thing.

And another issue--I keep hearing how Logan's a "bad boyfriend" and he treats girls horribly. Um, what? He worshipped Lilly. He worshipped Veronica, to the point of choosing her over his friends and telling them to get out if they didn't accept her. He was ready to give Hannah the time of her life. This is NOT a bad boyfriend! So he had some fun, consensual, no-strings-attached sex with Charisma Carpenter. Who wouldn't? It's not a sign of deep moral failure.

It's pretty much impossible to really invest in this show when I'm so clearly on such a different page from the people creating it.

So, Logan's story--fun angst, fun hoyay with Dick... and I liked the whole Hannah story. Pure crackalicious hurt/comfort; Hannah is every Mary Sue that the 12-year-olds write to "fix" Logan. She's open and sweet and funny and she's the only person in the whole world who believes in his inner goodness and she even forgives him after she knows that he was using her. Christ. It's so silly, and yet, the appeal is obvious--why not have a strong female character who isn't a vicious cynical bitch? And isn't it lovely to see someone believing in Logan? That's why all the Spike fans worshipped the Spike/Dawn S5 relationship, even though they really only had like three good scenes together. (Although thank god the Spike/Dawn story skipped the oral sex part.)

Anyway, so it was nice to see someone caring about Logan, and now he's got his own pure-true-love-who-got-away to complement Veronica's.

Other stuff...

* I had a strange dream last night, in which I was back in my 12th grade history class with Ms. Moran as the mean scary teacher. I didn't bring my books, because they were heavy and I thought we wouldn't need them, so she snapped at me and then handed out a memo to everyone which included a note about how irresponsible I was for not bringing the books. And for some reason, ros_fod was sitting at the desk next to mine, and kita0610 was sitting behind her. And then there was a fire drill, and I was in trouble because we were supposed to stash our books somewhere, but I hadn't brought any books to stash. And then ros_fod was feeling faint, but Ms. Moran was mean and made her go to the nurse alone, even though kita0610 offered to go with her.

Yeah, don't ask me to explain dreamlogic.

* I randomly flipped over to NIN's "Closer" video on VH1 Classics last night. I'd actually forgotten that Trent used to be skinny and fucked-up and leather clad and hot, instead of looking like your friend's uncle who works as a bouncer. *sigh* Wish I'd seen them live back then.

* South Park hovers in this weird territory between unbelievably funny and just ... stupid. The last two episodes were quite a contrast, as the return of Chef episode was fucking brilliant, and the San Francisco episode was just... so lame. As if those "heartland" folks proclaiming their superiority over the gays and atheists on the coasts aren't just as smug? Way to completely miss the obvious. But, whatever, it's South Park; if you get offended, you're giving them exactly what they want. (I think they mostly just get off on the "subversiveness" of offending as many people as possible, especially the groups that Hollywood usually overlooks.)

I'm too busy:

* Friday night - V for Vendetta with drujan and jaydk

* Saturday night - marathon of Jonathan from Guiding Light with jaydk (and she's agreed to let me force PIG videos on her! Whoo!!)

* Sunday night - WriterCon meeting

* Monday night - I'm going to the Daily Show! I can't wait. :)

* Wednesday - I have jury duty. Yuck.

And somewhere in the midst of all this, I'm working on this other thing, a really cool, really complex project that is supposed to launch in a week. I have a feeling I'm not going to be getting very much sleep in the upcoming days. *deep breath* But I can do it. And it will be cool.

(And on top of it all--I'm still sick from San Francisco! Damn West Coast germs. :P)

Comments

[fallen-fizzgig.livejournal.com]

I'd actually forgotten that Trent used to be skinny and fucked-up and leather clad and hot, instead of looking like your friend's uncle who works as a bouncer. *sigh* Wish I'd seen them live back then.

HAHA I remember those days, too bad I was like 10 back then =(

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Me too. I missed all my favorite bands on account of me being too young. This is why I'm so excited about the PIG tour--I'm as passionately into this band as I've been for any band, and I'm actually going to be able to see him live!

[fallen-fizzgig.livejournal.com]

oh I know, I didn't get to see manson til I was almost 17, NIN til I was 21. I'm really excited for you to see PIG, maybe you'll get to meet them =P

[chase820.livejournal.com]

I agree the last couple of episodes of VM have been better than those clunkly lame ones that aired in December and February.

My take on the lack of V/L is that Rob Thomas is trying to go long-term with the relationship. He seems very supportive of the pairing, but he doesn't want to give us too much too soon for fear of Ross/Rachel syndrome.

Problem is, it's the best thing about the show. If he doesn't give the audience at least some of what we want now, there may not be future seasons to develop.

I think VM will probably get a third season, and we'll get more V/L then. Though honestly, at this point JM is so charismatic (I tune in for his plotlines too) that RT may as well give him his own spin-off, ala Angel

Hey, Logan could get turned! I would so watch a show where Logan was a vampire and went around in a black leather coat fighting crime.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Though honestly, at this point JM is so charismatic

Hehehe. We are so coming at this from a Buffyverse angle. I assume you mean JD?

Dude, Logan as a vampire fighting crime! No wait, even better--Logan as a vampire having hot angsty sex with Brian Kinney! Yes, that's a spinoff I would watch.

You may be right about them dragging it out, but I sort of get the feeling they're doing it out of obligation rather than out of any interest they actually have in writing the pairing. I don't feel passion or chemistry or connection or anything between Logan and Veronica anymore. And what's the basis for a relationship when one partner clearly thinks the other is a morality-lacking creep? If they want to keep us wanting, they need to throw us a few bones now and then. *sigh*

[chase820.livejournal.com]

Hee--yeah, JD. I absolutely meant JD. Though JM still has his moments too, at least in re-runs.

Logan Echolls and Brian Kinney as leather-clad vampires fighting crime. (Or committing it--I'm flexible.) Yeah, I wouldn't be too obsessed by that story.

I don't think RT ever expected Logan and Veronica to be the big marquee romance. He put all his efforts into the Duncan/Veronica ship, and when that went down like the Titanic he was something at a loss. I think he likes L/V, he just doesn't quite know what to do with it.

Honestly, I don't care that much either way. I like VM, but I'm nowhere near as obsessed with it as I was with BtVS or Spike/Buffy at its height. It makes it, it doesn't make it, I'll live.

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

No wait, even better--Logan as a vampire having hot angsty sex with Brian Kinney! Yes, that's a spinoff I would watch.

You and me both. In fact, I'd pay big dollars to watch that.

And wow, am I glad I'm not watching VM anymore.

[ww1614.livejournal.com]

Sing it, sister!!!!! Re VM, of course. Though I am intrigued by the discussion of Jonathan on GL (should I be watching?) and jealous of your Daily Show tickets. :)

I "think" they'll go back in the direction of Logan and Veronica by, oh, I'd "guess" episode 20 or so. But I'm not sure that would really make sense unless you're Rob Thomas. But I'm also not sure I would care because I am that easy.

*sigh*

The line about Spike/Dawn and oral sex reminds me of that story "My Heart and a Pen" where Spike tells Dawn that oral sex is like eating ice cream. Messy but good.

And I have no idea where that memory came from. :)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Oh, you'd like Jonathan. He's totally the Logan of Guiding Light. He starts out bringing chaos and evil, but of course it's really because he's deeply tormented by all his tragic inner demons. Then he falls in love and gets kinda-redeemed but is still fucked up and tortured and ... yeah, you'd like it. :)

(Caveat: I haven't actually seen most of this. But jaydk talks about it constantly and she has good taste.)

WHY wait until episode 20 to bring back the Logan/Veronica? That's like waiting until season six was over to make Buffy stop being a horrific miserable bitch; by then the damage was done. We watch television to see stuff that's interesting, not to endure a million dull MotWs while the interesting stuff goes unexplored.

[ww1614.livejournal.com]

I don't know! It's just a "guess"! I guess I'm "assuming" they think they have to build back up the relationship. It does look like there are at least 3 L/V scenes in the next ep (oh man, please tell me that's not "too" spoiled for unspoiled people reading).

If you want me to summarize the 18 sides for you, which you may find intriguing, let me know via email so as not to spoil the potentially unspoiled here.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

The line about Spike/Dawn and oral sex reminds me of that story "My Heart and a Pen" where Spike tells Dawn that oral sex is like eating ice cream. Messy but good.

Did you mean "This Messy Life" by Kalima? Or is that another fic with a similar conversation? And if so, any idea where I might be able to find it?

[paratti.livejournal.com]

I haven't even downloaded VM yet. It's sad what's happened to the show and what's been done with the titular character.

[witling.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Our coast made you sick! That's awful! I apologize wholeheartedly.

Also, your dream is almost as anxiety-plagued as mine tend to be. Not sure that's a real bonus, though.

Hi hi!

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I don't watch Veronica Mars but whenever I read descriptions of the things going on in the Marsverse and the complaints about how Logan is treated, I have horrible flashbacks and the desire to say "Run! For the sake of your sanity, run!"

I the real problem has to do with some writer setting out, they think, tell tell the story of a spunky 'heroic' girl only to discover that snarky, screwed-up boy has the potential to steal the spotlight and therefore must be set in his place... repeatedly... until fans either agree with the proper order of the writer's universe or stop caring. Whichever comes first.

But then, that might just be cynicism from a bitter experience talking.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

After the season opener this year, I moved the VM 'ship to the realm of Spuffy in my mind... it's a great idea in fic, but I'm no longer interested in seeing it on the screen. I love it when they get to snark at each other, but I so do not want to see them as a couple.

Actually, as the season progresses, it's becoming even more like Spuffy... in that I'm starting to think that the supposedly too-good-for-the-bad-boy heroine is nowhere near good enough for him. I will never understand why writers think it's a good idea to make the female lead into an absolute bitch to the guy she's got the most chemistry with.

[toysdream.livejournal.com]

And on top of it all--I'm still sick from San Francisco!

Must be all the smug. (groan)

Can't say I'm impressed with the current South Park season thus far, and even the season opener struck me as kinda mean-spirited. Isaac Hayes has previously been pretty mellow about them picking on Scientology, and it's starting to sound like that whole "I quit" announcement was released by the church on his so-called behalf while poor old Isaac was recovering from a stroke. I guess that makes him a prisoner of Scientology in a certain sense, but it's not too classy to have the guy's character get set on fire and eaten by bears before he can recuperate enough to set the record straight. I think Stone and Parker may have gotten a little too self-important for their own good.

The recently ended season of Drawn Together, on the other hand, was pretty hilarious. :-)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I thought the premiere was pretty good. They paid tribute to Hayes and to the character, and made it clear that he'd meant a lot and that they blamed the cult, not him. And yeah, okay, the hideous death was maybe a bit much, but it led the way for that awesome Darth Vader moment!

Stone and Parker have always been self-important--they're eternal 15-year-old boys! But, yeah, I do think their more "political" episodes have taken on an irritating smugness of their own. I always like the less political episodes better (remember when Cartman got that kid to eat his own dead parents? Awesome.)

Drawn Together? Really? I haven't seen much of it, but everything I've seen has led me to conclude that I'd rather gnaw off my own arm than watch that show on a regular basis. But I could be wrong.

[toysdream.livejournal.com]

remember when Cartman got that kid to eat his own dead parents? Awesome.

Aw, the tears of unfathomable sadness... Sweeeeeet...

As for Drawn Together... I'm sure it's a mean, horrible show, and that Hooks and I are mean and horrible for finding it hysterically funny. But aside from maybe one or two episodes that fell kinda flat, we thought the second season was pretty great, which is a better batting average than South Park's had recently. It looks like they're playing a block of four episodes between 2 and 4 AM next Friday morning, and if you were going to select one for VCR or TiVo purposes, I'd recommend the one in the 2:30 slot for its insane spiral of recursive meta-roleplaying. :-)