Castle Season 1, Chuck Season 2
Apr. 6th, 2010 10:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreIf ever I doubted that Nathan Fillon only ever really played one character (said character pretty much being Nathan Fillon) Castle would have removed that doubt. Thankfully, I rather like Nathan Fillon as he plays the same guy in new situations, over and over. Though I normally don’t like the character type?
Anyway, this series seems designed to appeal to fans of the old 80s “bickering detectives” shows like Moonlighting and Remington Steele, which is shorthand for “I like it.”
The pilot, though enjoyable, made me cringe as it fell into the trope of “Serious Career Woman is Wrong when she plays by the books and Free Spirited Man is Right despite having no real experience,” and added to it by just saying “it’s more interesting that way.” Thankfully, that doesn’t last long and the rest of the series is more balanced, with Castle frequently learning that Real Life doesn’t always come with fun twists and reveals, and that actual detectives also have to put up with all sorts of boring things, and Beckett is serious about her job, but seems to happily cut loose in other situations.
One thing I particularly like is how Castle seems to almost be actively depressed when not talking to or about women, and not in an objectifying way, much as I roll my eyes at some bits. The guy just seriously likes being around women in any context. But then, his mother, despite not really being a good mother, is pretty much a force of nature, and his daughter is essentially raising him. (I have no idea how Alexis turned out so normal and well adjusted. Girl defies genetics.) Guy probably feels lost if a woman isn’t around, calling the shots in some context.
I’m not particularly thrilled with how a subplot involving Castle prying into Beckett’s past is developing at the end of the season, but I’ll wait until I see how that plays out to cast judgment.
I also watched the second season of Chuck, which I’ve been told is the best of the series. Not having seen any of S3 yet, I would agree, as it starts out having it’s footing well in hand, instead of spending half the season floundering like the first season. I particularly liked the Jill plotline (despite initial misgivings), Alex (show, why do the awesome lady spies who aren’t Sarah and who Casey has the hots for only stay for one episode?) and the Awesome wedding jitters. I feel like I’m being punished, though, every time there’s a Buy More plotline. Hollywood, when will you stop upholding sexist pervs as the pinnacle of humor? Like, I’m pretty sure Jeff and Lester’s character descriptions are “geeky sexist perv” and Morgan’s is “Geeky, slightly less sexist (in isolation) slightly less pervy (unless Ellie is involved) but loyal.” I have to resist the urge to FF every time they come on screen. Though at least Big Mike is fairly entertaining. The only redeeming value they have, though, is Anna, who isn’t even in half the episodes. But heaven forbid Jeff, Lester and Morgan don’t get a plot each episode.
Spoilers:
I seriously cannot decide what I think about Bryce. Mostly I think I like him more as an idea than as a character. I liked his plotline in season 1, then hated him when he showed up again early in season 2, then liked him again at the end. Or I may only like him when he’s being protective of Chuck (who I tend to view as a human puppy), and not when he’s quasi-tormenting Chuck, or not getting the message about Sarah dumping him.
I thought Orion’s identity was really obvious, as soon as there was that plotline and the missing father plotline, but was ok until suddenly we had Chuck, Awesome AND Papa Bartowski hiding Secret Spy Lives (ok, Awesome isn’t hiding his own, just others’, but…) from Ellie. I mean, I was fine when it was just Chuck (and Sarah and Casey) and it was hiding it from everyone, but now it’s getting close to Men Protecting The Little Woman. Though I’ll be eternally charmed by Chuck’s always freaking out over her and shamelessly using government resources to make her happy. Ok, I shouldn’t enjoy the second, really. Casey would be ashamed of me.
I like the “level up” of the Intersect at the end (especially since one of my least favorite tropes is how no one thinks to teach self defense to The One Who Must Be Protected) but there’s no way Chuck would still be standing after doing that. Just because he suddenly has the skills doesn’t mean his body has the conditioning or experience. Boy should be writhing in agony from never having used his muscles that way before after that stunt.
And who else got a laugh out of Bruce Boxleitner (aka, Sheridan in Babylon 5)showing up as Papa Awesome, and what’s-his-face-the-annoying-captain-from Crusade showing up as Sarah’s father in the next episode?
Anyway, this series seems designed to appeal to fans of the old 80s “bickering detectives” shows like Moonlighting and Remington Steele, which is shorthand for “I like it.”
The pilot, though enjoyable, made me cringe as it fell into the trope of “Serious Career Woman is Wrong when she plays by the books and Free Spirited Man is Right despite having no real experience,” and added to it by just saying “it’s more interesting that way.” Thankfully, that doesn’t last long and the rest of the series is more balanced, with Castle frequently learning that Real Life doesn’t always come with fun twists and reveals, and that actual detectives also have to put up with all sorts of boring things, and Beckett is serious about her job, but seems to happily cut loose in other situations.
One thing I particularly like is how Castle seems to almost be actively depressed when not talking to or about women, and not in an objectifying way, much as I roll my eyes at some bits. The guy just seriously likes being around women in any context. But then, his mother, despite not really being a good mother, is pretty much a force of nature, and his daughter is essentially raising him. (I have no idea how Alexis turned out so normal and well adjusted. Girl defies genetics.) Guy probably feels lost if a woman isn’t around, calling the shots in some context.
I’m not particularly thrilled with how a subplot involving Castle prying into Beckett’s past is developing at the end of the season, but I’ll wait until I see how that plays out to cast judgment.
I also watched the second season of Chuck, which I’ve been told is the best of the series. Not having seen any of S3 yet, I would agree, as it starts out having it’s footing well in hand, instead of spending half the season floundering like the first season. I particularly liked the Jill plotline (despite initial misgivings), Alex (show, why do the awesome lady spies who aren’t Sarah and who Casey has the hots for only stay for one episode?) and the Awesome wedding jitters. I feel like I’m being punished, though, every time there’s a Buy More plotline. Hollywood, when will you stop upholding sexist pervs as the pinnacle of humor? Like, I’m pretty sure Jeff and Lester’s character descriptions are “geeky sexist perv” and Morgan’s is “Geeky, slightly less sexist (in isolation) slightly less pervy (unless Ellie is involved) but loyal.” I have to resist the urge to FF every time they come on screen. Though at least Big Mike is fairly entertaining. The only redeeming value they have, though, is Anna, who isn’t even in half the episodes. But heaven forbid Jeff, Lester and Morgan don’t get a plot each episode.
Spoilers:
I seriously cannot decide what I think about Bryce. Mostly I think I like him more as an idea than as a character. I liked his plotline in season 1, then hated him when he showed up again early in season 2, then liked him again at the end. Or I may only like him when he’s being protective of Chuck (who I tend to view as a human puppy), and not when he’s quasi-tormenting Chuck, or not getting the message about Sarah dumping him.
I thought Orion’s identity was really obvious, as soon as there was that plotline and the missing father plotline, but was ok until suddenly we had Chuck, Awesome AND Papa Bartowski hiding Secret Spy Lives (ok, Awesome isn’t hiding his own, just others’, but…) from Ellie. I mean, I was fine when it was just Chuck (and Sarah and Casey) and it was hiding it from everyone, but now it’s getting close to Men Protecting The Little Woman. Though I’ll be eternally charmed by Chuck’s always freaking out over her and shamelessly using government resources to make her happy. Ok, I shouldn’t enjoy the second, really. Casey would be ashamed of me.
I like the “level up” of the Intersect at the end (especially since one of my least favorite tropes is how no one thinks to teach self defense to The One Who Must Be Protected) but there’s no way Chuck would still be standing after doing that. Just because he suddenly has the skills doesn’t mean his body has the conditioning or experience. Boy should be writhing in agony from never having used his muscles that way before after that stunt.
And who else got a laugh out of Bruce Boxleitner (aka, Sheridan in Babylon 5)showing up as Papa Awesome, and what’s-his-face-the-annoying-captain-from Crusade showing up as Sarah’s father in the next episode?