Tuesday, December 20, 2005

You don't want a hungry dove down your pants


Yet another incredible episode of Arrested development last night. I almost temporarily changed the name from Damfinoblog to the Bob LobLaw Law Blog but I think that might be overstepping my bounds. We can only hope that someone at another network sees our candlelight vigil and picks up the series so we can continue our time with the Bluth family.


No new communication with Jed to report, I suspect that we won't be hearing much from him till he's back. But in other news, today is a good day in my life. Why? Because Serenity comes out on DVD today. You see, I have watched Buffy and Angel for years, at first I was ridiculed and told that I must be watching them for Sarah Michelle (please, if that were true it would be Alyson Hannigan, or maybe Charisma Carpenter. Oh and I can't forget about Eliza Dushku, wait I'm not helping my case with this line of thought, Anyway back to the subject). But eventually some other friends started watching them and found out that there are good stories and a good sense of humor to them. So now after several years I was justified in my enjoyment of the two series. Of course by now I had seen every episode a dozen times. So what is a guy to do, get off the couch and pursue a real life? No, pick up Joss's third show FireFly.

A co-worker loaned me his copy of the complete series on DVD and after a tough first two episodes I was hooked. I think it took me about 24 hours from the time I put in the first disc to the final special feature. I can honestly say I was a little disheartened when I put in the last disc because I knew it was the end. I spent a few weeks bummed and then found out that a movie was being made, Serenity. At that point I made a construction paper chain and every night I tore off a link waiting for the opening. And I loved it. And it bombed. This pretty much tolls the death bell for any sequels and that is tragic. I had heard Joss had a trilogy in mind to complete the crew’s journey but sadly this is not to be. So I will buy the DVD immediately following work and I will put it beside my copy of Firefly. And I will watch them often and remember the good times. At least until the next obsession comes along.

13 comments:

Kern said...

I think The Bob Loblaw Law Blog has a nice ring to it, actually.

I have to say that I came to Buffy and Angel late in life. A real shame, too, because I had been basing most of my unjustified hate of the show on the movie which I despised. What I didn't realize until I actually sat down and watched an episode(I think it was the Thanksgiving one, after Spike was neutered)was that the show was covering such different territory and that it was amazing! Man did I feel like a dope.

I feel like a dope about Serenity bombing too, because I didn't see it because I hadn't had a chance to watch Firefly yet. Believe me, there has been much self-flagellation since that point. I hope that whatever Joss chooses to do next, I will finally be smart enough to get in on the ground floor this time.

/geek on

Oh, and Joss also writes the best X-Men ever, which is saying something, because by and large the X-Universe in Marvel has been a bloated corpse for years, and they are just now getting it under control. His is one of the few X-Men titles I buy. Although everyone should read the new X-Factor that Peter David is writing.

/geek off

Kern said...

I think that TV shows allow us a certain manner of storytelling that if left unfettered, has no actual equivalent in any other medium. I say this because though it is technically film, series allow for a decompressed narrative to unfurl at an appropriate pace. Some stories just can't be told in two hours.

This also leads to the other aspect, which is when one watches characters for several years(take the Gilmore Girls for example), you really begin to care about the characters if the writing is worth a damn, and so we get kind of sucked in.

I think one of the best current examples of a story being told in a series that would be inferior anywhere else is The Wire on HBO. To some degree, the cases the task force work are self contained through the season, but there are ties to the older seasons, as well as seeds being laid for new ones. Because it's not a film, The Wire really takes its time in the first few eps to establish a really solid groundwork of characters and plot. While this means it starts slow, the amount of groundwork laid allows for a depth in character development and storytelling that couldn't be done in a mere two hour film.

I kind of feel the same way about the Shield, as well. I think in the past few years, they are a couple of the only shows that have been consistently solid and not lagged in quality, not even an off season of note.

Check them out if you aren't already...

Kern said...

Deit-As far as Joss' X Men run, there are two trade paperbacks collecting the first year of his run. I don't know who decided to couple him with John Cassaday's art, but that person is a bloody genius.

Speaking to the mutant overpopulation, I don't know if you've heard what's going on in the X titles now, but it's a really smart move that counteracts that bloar you were talking about. Essentially Magneto's daughter the Scarlet Witch's powers got really wonky and since she can affect reality completely, for a while she kind of switched it so humans were the minority. After some other things happened(I didn't read House of M), she basically said no more mutants, and 90 percent of the mutant population turned normal. So it gets back to the root of X-Men which is mutants being a misunderstood and feared minority, which to me is where all the drama is anyway.

Kern said...

Wow, that was one convoluted post...

Ain't Right said...

I don't hold any hope for a return of FireFly. The movie pretty much ended that hope. Not because it bombed but because of some of the events in the movie. I won't say anything more because I plan on watching the movie tonight with at least one person who has never seen it. But Deit makes a very good point, it was an unusual concept and it didn't have mass appeal. A show that takes place in outer space and the old west. I actually enjoyed the mix but many people didn't, including some people that I forced to watch it. I do think Joss would have started putting in a season-long arc in the second season though. He was laying the groundwork with the blue handed men and a few other details so you could tell he had much more in mind but never got the chance to explore them fully. I too am looking forward to Joss' next project whatever it might be. By the way Kern, that Thanksgiving episode still ranks really high on my list of Buffy Episodes

"You didn't hear Ceaser say 'I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it'"

Kern said...

I keep forgetting this but isn't Joss working on Wonder Woman right now?

Kern said...

Deit, was that when Chris Claremont was still writing it?

I never read much of the X-Men, but from what I understand Claremont's run was one of the standouts in comic writing history. Though he's returned, and everyone says that it's been majorly disappointing.

Just to clarify the specific title for everyone Joss writes Astonishing X-Men, so you know what to ask for if you go to the comic book store.

I bet they have it at Cup O' Kryptonite(plug, plug!).

Sheriff Officer Greg the Bunny said...

"I'm thirsty"

"We need to start production on 'Revenge of Gange' right now.

"agreed"

Kern said...

"Boy, Bob Loblaw, you're a real mouthful!"

And while Tobias was trying to get his mouth around Bob Loblaw...

Ain't Right said...

Dad, are they strippers?

If I know your uncle, they’re at least strippers.

Sheriff Officer Greg the Bunny said...

"I won't cave in dad!"

"Well, you just did"

"I know but you asked me too..."



gold.

Kern said...

It would have been funny to Yellow Submarine, but who could afford that?

Kern said...

Bob Loblaw: "Lindsay, I think it's best that you don't tell anyone about us seeing each other"

Lindsay: "Oh right, because of the conflict of interest!"

Bob Loblaw:"Um, yeah, that too."