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5 things is too limiting
Nov. 3rd, 2014 07:06 pm1. Does anyone here watch Devious Maids or am I all alone in that one? I binged on the entire second season over the weekend, and realized I didn't have anyone to talk about it with. They did a Rebecca plot and everything this season. The cliffhanger just was not OK, though.
2. I'm watching season 2 of Orphan Black and very,very over the reproductive focus in this season, which I understand only gets worse as the season continues. The season as a whole, in what I've seen...well, I still like it, but its very much one of those shows that gets success and then becomes to conscious of the fact that people are paying attention to what they're doing and performs to that, instead of just doing its thing.
3. In addition to kdramas and anime (and some cdramas...pretty much most of what Crunchyroll and dramafever have for non-premium accounts) Hulu now has some subtitled telenovelas. They've had non-subbed ones for quite a while, but the only one with English subs that I'd found before was the first season of Gran Hotel, which I've already watched. (Netflix and Hulu actually both have season 2 of Gran Hotel now, I just haven't made it to it yet.) Now added to my neverending queue are a 1990s Zorro series, Aguila Roja/Red Eagle a current Zorro-like series set in Spain in the early 17th century, and Isabel a period romance from the 90s. Because, I mean, I'm going to catch up with everything someday...
4. I can never decide if the Fall daylight savings change is great or awful. (The Spring one is evil. That's all there is to it.)
5. I am reading the latest October Daye and will no doubt have plenty to say about once I've finished, but I do want to say something about something that happened midway through the book.
( spoiler )
6. I had only vaguely heard of Lena Dunham before everyone started hating her book, and now I'm tripping over everyone hating her book and her responses to criticism of it and her because of it.
7. Flight Rising's vault feature is my new favorite thing. I'm squirreling away every single treasure chest I can (from leafy packs to festival chests) except for gilded and iron chests (because they might have familiars I don't have yet) to open at Christmas. Possibly even including the festival chests I've managed to restrain myself from opening.
2. I'm watching season 2 of Orphan Black and very,very over the reproductive focus in this season, which I understand only gets worse as the season continues. The season as a whole, in what I've seen...well, I still like it, but its very much one of those shows that gets success and then becomes to conscious of the fact that people are paying attention to what they're doing and performs to that, instead of just doing its thing.
3. In addition to kdramas and anime (and some cdramas...pretty much most of what Crunchyroll and dramafever have for non-premium accounts) Hulu now has some subtitled telenovelas. They've had non-subbed ones for quite a while, but the only one with English subs that I'd found before was the first season of Gran Hotel, which I've already watched. (Netflix and Hulu actually both have season 2 of Gran Hotel now, I just haven't made it to it yet.) Now added to my neverending queue are a 1990s Zorro series, Aguila Roja/Red Eagle a current Zorro-like series set in Spain in the early 17th century, and Isabel a period romance from the 90s. Because, I mean, I'm going to catch up with everything someday...
4. I can never decide if the Fall daylight savings change is great or awful. (The Spring one is evil. That's all there is to it.)
5. I am reading the latest October Daye and will no doubt have plenty to say about once I've finished, but I do want to say something about something that happened midway through the book.
( spoiler )
6. I had only vaguely heard of Lena Dunham before everyone started hating her book, and now I'm tripping over everyone hating her book and her responses to criticism of it and her because of it.
7. Flight Rising's vault feature is my new favorite thing. I'm squirreling away every single treasure chest I can (from leafy packs to festival chests) except for gilded and iron chests (because they might have familiars I don't have yet) to open at Christmas. Possibly even including the festival chests I've managed to restrain myself from opening.
Devious Maids: Season 1
Mar. 14th, 2014 06:18 pmApparently, I am now a person who watches Lifetime series? Or at least, two of them.
Inspired by a telenovela, Devious Maids is about 5 Latina maids (Marisol, Zoila, Carmen, Rosie and Valentina) who work in Beverly Hills, focusing on their daily lives, along with a mystery about the murder of a 6th maid, Flora. I was a bit leery when I started seeing the previews before it aired, as it looked to be playing into stereotypes about "sexy and scheming Latinas subordinates," but got more hopeful when I learned Eva Longoria was involved. (In general, I loved seeing a higher percentage than usual of female names flash through the production part of the credits, but "Executive Producer Eva Longoria" made me squeal every time. Internally, but still.)
It does play up the stereotype, but it's also openly critical of the stereotypes it uses and has a deconstructive approach to many, despite its exceptionally soapy nature. And it really is very very soapy. It takes a couple episodes to really figure out its vibe, and once it does, there's unsurprisingly a strong feeling of Desperate Housewives at times, but not in a bad way. The POV of the show is also very definitely that of the maids, with their-mostly white-employers being presented from their perspective (sometimes lovable, often infuriating, almost always embracing their own privilege, even in their kindnesses) and I don't think it's an accident that employer consistently presented in the most sympathetic light is a former sex worker.
It's very well cast, but probably very telling that I went "she looks familiar..." with almost all the 5 leads, only to fin that i'd previously only seen them in one or two guest appearances. Granted, the only cast members I was really familiar with going in were Drew Van Acker because of Pretty Little Liars and Susan Lucci due to watching soaps as a teen. Unsurprisingly, Lucci steals almost every scene she's in, but they made a very wise choice of pairing her with Judy Reyes (Zoila) whose steady and commanding presence helps to balance her out.
I don't really have deep thoughts about the show, just a lot of enjoyment and affection, and appreciation for the things it chooses to do, and eagerly await season 2.
Inspired by a telenovela, Devious Maids is about 5 Latina maids (Marisol, Zoila, Carmen, Rosie and Valentina) who work in Beverly Hills, focusing on their daily lives, along with a mystery about the murder of a 6th maid, Flora. I was a bit leery when I started seeing the previews before it aired, as it looked to be playing into stereotypes about "sexy and scheming Latinas subordinates," but got more hopeful when I learned Eva Longoria was involved. (In general, I loved seeing a higher percentage than usual of female names flash through the production part of the credits, but "Executive Producer Eva Longoria" made me squeal every time. Internally, but still.)
It does play up the stereotype, but it's also openly critical of the stereotypes it uses and has a deconstructive approach to many, despite its exceptionally soapy nature. And it really is very very soapy. It takes a couple episodes to really figure out its vibe, and once it does, there's unsurprisingly a strong feeling of Desperate Housewives at times, but not in a bad way. The POV of the show is also very definitely that of the maids, with their-mostly white-employers being presented from their perspective (sometimes lovable, often infuriating, almost always embracing their own privilege, even in their kindnesses) and I don't think it's an accident that employer consistently presented in the most sympathetic light is a former sex worker.
It's very well cast, but probably very telling that I went "she looks familiar..." with almost all the 5 leads, only to fin that i'd previously only seen them in one or two guest appearances. Granted, the only cast members I was really familiar with going in were Drew Van Acker because of Pretty Little Liars and Susan Lucci due to watching soaps as a teen. Unsurprisingly, Lucci steals almost every scene she's in, but they made a very wise choice of pairing her with Judy Reyes (Zoila) whose steady and commanding presence helps to balance her out.
I don't really have deep thoughts about the show, just a lot of enjoyment and affection, and appreciation for the things it chooses to do, and eagerly await season 2.
