I'm Alice and this is a multifandom, multicontent blog (on its better days). I use tags to rant. Don't hold it against me. Greek. This user is the owner of strong opinions, often correct ones :P
I'd prefer it if minors didn't follow because when I write the post, I won't think, "Is this content suitable for minors?" at all. I might think to censor my posts but for other reasons. I also frequently use curse words. Having said that, I can't do anything to stop you and I rarely check ages on bios.
My normal tv content is crime shows.
Every time I write my opinion on something relevant to Greek mythology, you should mentally add a "speaking as a Greek" in front of every sentence. And I will be annoying about it. I have spent way more time on the subject than a lot of you have. That doesn't make me right all the time. Just most of the time.
PS: If you came here with questions, from getting a like/reblog from me when your post wasn't tagged, I use the old tumblr search system. Like a weirdo. It gives me search results and not tag results.
Okay, here we go. Let me preface this by saying this is reviewed by a human, so I'll be biased, and I don't really want to watch these. Also, I'm not watching this twice so I'll go off of what I remember.
I cannot believe that they actually put the promo's training session in the episode. Like, who actually wants that? Also the editing is unbelievably choppy in that scene. Comparatively, the promo is edited better lol
The scene with the "team" gathering and Jesse playing a song. I don't know what the purpose of this is, honestly, and it's later explained that Mark connected with the song because of his heartache but it more seems like they were trying to make a tribute to Charlie, everyone was sad, Mark looked miles away while the rest of them looked present in the moment. I might be reading too much into it but it was as if they'd cut lines where it would be made clear that this gathering was for Charlie.
Once again, it is abhorrent that Rex lives in a trailer. The "Rex prefers to be close to nature" excuse is ridiculous. If we're talking what Rex likes, an actual dog who had just lost his partner would be distraught over that fact and not have preferences over living arrangements.
The actor who played the criminal they were trying to convince the whole time to tattle on the rest, was pretty good. The only bright spot in an otherwise mediocre premiere of a poor season I don't want to watch. His daughter did nothing for me in terms of evoking emotion. The rest of the "gang" seemed funny more than actually believable. These aren't elements that the show hasn't exhibited before but in the absence of anything substantial, even errors that I'd let slide before become more glaring.
No one's particularly happy but no one's saying why. Their faces are solemn most of the time. This episode does not make people excited for the rest of the season.
I remember some of the corridors in the SJPD which were painted white, now being painted black. I honestly do not comprehend why they made changes like that. It's as if they decided to mourn Charlie in anything other than the actual story.
The gunfight scenes are more than a little ridiculous. You mean to tell me that Mark, with an army background, just sat in the middle of a gunfight instead of seeking cover? And he was shot twice and none of the shots (from what I recall they were by a semi-automatic) threw him on his ass? What is he made of, granite?
Also, how much time did the shooter allow Mark to set up his "trap"? The shooter who, at one point, was right on his trail? This is unrealistic. Not to mention editing is somehow worse than previous seasons, and it was already the worst part of the show. Random speedups in the workout at the start, holding the scene too much later.
Tactically, Mark is a mess. Which is why they shouldn't have had his background be in the army. No one knows how to write that, and no one cares to either get a consultant or do the research themselves. When you write a guy like Charlie, who just has tactical training as a cop, you can get away with it. Mark doesn't have that excuse.
I used to be able to tell what Rex wanted to say with his expression when he'd communication with Charlie. Now with Mark, I found myself wondering what Rex wanted to say or do. I'm not sure who to attribute that to, honestly.
They wasted money on helicopter shots on this episode. Unreal.
At this point I need to mention that around the time this episode had finished filming, Sherri Davis was already boasting about how great the bond was between Mark and Rex. Well, in my humble opinion, none of whatever that was made it on-screen, at least comparatively to Charlie and Rex's bond. And I'm not comparing it to Charlie and Rex's bond in later seasons because that would be unfair. The best scenes of Rex are the ones where he is alone. When he wasn't alone, he was largely overshadowed by the show's need to show that Mark is, in fact, competent. Of course there was a need for that but I think that not only does the show fail to actually show why Mark is special or worth paying attention to but at the same time as I said, Rex takes a backseat in this episode.
The episode relies a lot in Newfoundland scenery which on a show in its 8th season is once again not the point for a premiere. I had the same complaint in the S6 premiere, this isn't new.
In an aging show in its eighth season which has gone through drastic changes, this episode was supposed to show people why they should keep tuning in after the show practically ripped its heart out. Not only does it fail at that but it also makes a strong case of why the show was better with Charlie. The atmosphere has rightly been described as pensive, I noticed that myself. It's a mixture of things, from acting choices to directorial ones, to even lighting and design. And I have to point out again how a character like Mark does not fit in a show like this because he drags the atmosphere down and the show itself has to go darker to meet him. And this happens not because Mark has bigger demons than Charlie, Charlie has earned the right to have more than a few emotional scars which the show refused to acknowledge, it happens... just because. Because they decided on it and then decided to hire an actor that would fit that character description.
So, I'd love to say that the ratings dropping was entirely because of the way the production handled John Reardon's exit, but it's not like they did any better with the actual show. The production never concerned themselves with how Mark would be accepted by the audience, they just were presented with a narrative solution (if we can call it that) that looked and acted slightly different than Charlie, and were like yes, this is Mark Hudson, proceed. The changes were so jarring that they were rejected by a general audience which would have been more than happy with a mediocre show. That is, if the show had managed to stay mediocre.
It's worth noting once again that if this was a show like Kommissar Rex where it had never made a particular effort to market itself as a show about a specific partnership nor did it put said partnership on the title (Kommissar Rex means Inspector Rex), then treatment of the effort to reboot the show would be different. But as it's this show, as I said before, any attempt to change the premise should be dealt with severe scrutiny, as it did by a lot of people, and as I'm doing now. I would not scrutinize the show and Mark and Rex's partnership if that was the first season of a show, but it's not, and I have a point of reference and six years of partnership to compare it to.
One mistake that ironically the show repeated from introducing characters which goes way back to S1: Back then they'd shot Jesse, and now they shot Mark. In both instances, the audience doesn't know the characters so people largely don't care. I can remember one time on a show where it made me care about a character in the span of two episodes and then shot them which was actually significant, but Hudson and Rex would have had to devote a significant amount of time within the episode in showing me who the character was before doing that, and in both instances they didn't do that.
I didn't speak about the whole weirdness of the show skipping grief completely because we've analyzed that ad nauseam. Obviously it bothers me but I have nothing to add that I haven't said before.
Pairing the characters within the investigation is also not done as it would have been traditionally. Before, Charlie would have either gone to search the witness only with Rex, or with Sarah and Rex. Now, Mark takes Jesse and Rex with him. That leaves Sarah and Joe in interrogation, with Joe doing most of the questioning, and Sarah observing from behind the glass. None of their scenes held any particular interest for me. And honestly, Hudson and Rex is the show where I'll probably go over the case in my second watch, but in this season there won't be one.
I wrote in the comments what my sister's reaction was and then told my sister and she wanted to add that she understands why fans of the show had a gazillion things to compare to the Charlie-era, which as a casual viewer she has not. She also pointed out herself that Rex wasn't that much of a protagonist in that one, nor did he have any scenes to show off which given the Sherri Davis discourse (which I've kept her updated on lol) she found odd. Now, I think episode two sounded more focused on Rex, but we'll see. And we'll see when we'll watch it because, not only do we not have the time right now but it's honestly not motivating for either of us to watch this season. I think my sister was kinda hoping that somehow we were all delusional and that upon watching she'd find that there was a decent effort to reboot the show but she found out herself that was not the case lol
I really dislike the idea of two unrelated Hudsons. How likely is it do you think that they will keep the character of Mark on past the premiere?
Well, I don't know this season's structure. The premiere might even end up being a two-parter for all I know. Certainly, if I was in charge, I'd want two episodes to sort out all this mess.
I genuinely think that the show is anxious to get back to a normal rhythm and to the regular format, though. They don't know how to write long arcs or anything lasting. I can tell you from what I saw of the first episode of S8 that if the atmosphere was more solemn, any of that came from the actors (acting, I'm not implying they were projecting their feelings on the screen) and not really anything that was written. Charlie's "death" should have had an impact on the characters but nothing was written, therefore I can imagine that S9 will also largely ignore the consequences of one more change, because the format is "cop and dog solve crimes" in favor of getting back on track. Whatever the track looks like to them.
And that's why I believe that this includes the show getting rid of the extra Hudson.
And again, the budget is not infinite. John Reardon was brought back, so the show would want to get rid of any excess costs. Having a second Hudson around is the wrong way for a show to spend its money. The production is aware of that, they were the ones who got Luke Roberts as a replacement. When the original character gets back, there's no reason to also keep the replacement.
✨ Please reblog the polls to make them reach out to as many people as possible, but KEEP IT SPOILER-FREE to make people listen to the music with an open mind 💖
✨ Artists and titles will be revealed with the full song after the poll's conclusion, check the original post for an update!
⚠️➡️ Yes, spoilers includes posting the lyrics. Please don't spoil. There are other ways to have fun with the post if you reblog it, maybe be sneaky/witty about it with obscure references. Have fun while following the rules! 😄💖 Fandom blogs/communities are welcome to reblog, but please keep that as far as it goes with spoilers!
✨ Please reblog the polls to make them reach out to as many people as possible, but KEEP IT SPOILER-FREE to make people listen to the music with an open mind 💖
✨ Artists and titles will be revealed with the full song after the poll's conclusion, check the original post for an update!
⚠️➡️ Yes, spoilers includes posting the lyrics. Please don't spoil. There are other ways to have fun with the post if you reblog it, maybe be sneaky/witty about it with obscure references. Have fun while following the rules! 😄💖 Fandom blogs/communities are welcome to reblog, but please keep that as far as it goes with spoilers!
I just want you all to know, that if and when this site does experience a real exodus and/or get sunsetted for good, even if we don't keep in touch I'll remember you so fondly. You're the online equivalent of the other kid on the beach where we built sandcastles together; the girl at the campsite where we explored the trees. You're the drunk person who shared kind words in the bathroom at the club, you're the talented artists at the life drawing class or the poetry night in a city where I don't live anymore. It makes me sad that maybe in the future our paths won't cross so easily, but even when we leave this little shared piece of cyberspace, carried away on our briefly intersecting trajectories, just know I still love you
Okay, here we go. Let me preface this by saying this is reviewed by a human, so I'll be biased, and I don't really want to watch these. Also, I'm not watching this twice so I'll go off of what I remember.
I cannot believe that they actually put the promo's training session in the episode. Like, who actually wants that? Also the editing is unbelievably choppy in that scene. Comparatively, the promo is edited better lol
The scene with the "team" gathering and Jesse playing a song. I don't know what the purpose of this is, honestly, and it's later explained that Mark connected with the song because of his heartache but it more seems like they were trying to make a tribute to Charlie, everyone was sad, Mark looked miles away while the rest of them looked present in the moment. I might be reading too much into it but it was as if they'd cut lines where it would be made clear that this gathering was for Charlie.
Once again, it is abhorrent that Rex lives in a trailer. The "Rex prefers to be close to nature" excuse is ridiculous. If we're talking what Rex likes, an actual dog who had just lost his partner would be distraught over that fact and not have preferences over living arrangements.
The actor who played the criminal they were trying to convince the whole time to tattle on the rest, was pretty good. The only bright spot in an otherwise mediocre premiere of a poor season I don't want to watch. His daughter did nothing for me in terms of evoking emotion. The rest of the "gang" seemed funny more than actually believable. These aren't elements that the show hasn't exhibited before but in the absence of anything substantial, even errors that I'd let slide before become more glaring.
No one's particularly happy but no one's saying why. Their faces are solemn most of the time. This episode does not make people excited for the rest of the season.
I remember some of the corridors in the SJPD which were painted white, now being painted black. I honestly do not comprehend why they made changes like that. It's as if they decided to mourn Charlie in anything other than the actual story.
The gunfight scenes are more than a little ridiculous. You mean to tell me that Mark, with an army background, just sat in the middle of a gunfight instead of seeking cover? And he was shot twice and none of the shots (from what I recall they were by a semi-automatic) threw him on his ass? What is he made of, granite?
Also, how much time did the shooter allow Mark to set up his "trap"? The shooter who, at one point, was right on his trail? This is unrealistic. Not to mention editing is somehow worse than previous seasons, and it was already the worst part of the show. Random speedups in the workout at the start, holding the scene too much later.
Tactically, Mark is a mess. Which is why they shouldn't have had his background be in the army. No one knows how to write that, and no one cares to either get a consultant or do the research themselves. When you write a guy like Charlie, who just has tactical training as a cop, you can get away with it. Mark doesn't have that excuse.
I used to be able to tell what Rex wanted to say with his expression when he'd communication with Charlie. Now with Mark, I found myself wondering what Rex wanted to say or do. I'm not sure who to attribute that to, honestly.
They wasted money on helicopter shots on this episode. Unreal.
At this point I need to mention that around the time this episode had finished filming, Sherri Davis was already boasting about how great the bond was between Mark and Rex. Well, in my humble opinion, none of whatever that was made it on-screen, at least comparatively to Charlie and Rex's bond. And I'm not comparing it to Charlie and Rex's bond in later seasons because that would be unfair. The best scenes of Rex are the ones where he is alone. When he wasn't alone, he was largely overshadowed by the show's need to show that Mark is, in fact, competent. Of course there was a need for that but I think that not only does the show fail to actually show why Mark is special or worth paying attention to but at the same time as I said, Rex takes a backseat in this episode.
The episode relies a lot in Newfoundland scenery which on a show in its 8th season is once again not the point for a premiere. I had the same complaint in the S6 premiere, this isn't new.
In an aging show in its eighth season which has gone through drastic changes, this episode was supposed to show people why they should keep tuning in after the show practically ripped its heart out. Not only does it fail at that but it also makes a strong case of why the show was better with Charlie. The atmosphere has rightly been described as pensive, I noticed that myself. It's a mixture of things, from acting choices to directorial ones, to even lighting and design. And I have to point out again how a character like Mark does not fit in a show like this because he drags the atmosphere down and the show itself has to go darker to meet him. And this happens not because Mark has bigger demons than Charlie, Charlie has earned the right to have more than a few emotional scars which the show refused to acknowledge, it happens... just because. Because they decided on it and then decided to hire an actor that would fit that character description.
So, I'd love to say that the ratings dropping was entirely because of the way the production handled John Reardon's exit, but it's not like they did any better with the actual show. The production never concerned themselves with how Mark would be accepted by the audience, they just were presented with a narrative solution (if we can call it that) that looked and acted slightly different than Charlie, and were like yes, this is Mark Hudson, proceed. The changes were so jarring that they were rejected by a general audience which would have been more than happy with a mediocre show. That is, if the show had managed to stay mediocre.
One of the things that bears repeating before the hot weather takes over is that once your body reaches a certain temperature you can no longer count on making good decisions that you would normally make and you can no longer count on your physical coordination.
Keeping yourself as cool as possible isn't being weak or wimpy. It's protecting your capacity to think and move well if you need to.
In France and other countries last week it was clear that some people died from doing things they never would have done had they been thinking clearly. That confusion can happen to anyone and it comes sooner than people expect. Please, my Tumblr friends in places that will be getting very hot this week, be safe! Don't tough it out and don't take chances. Go somewhere cool if you can and of course, hydrate!
I think that the most logical path for the show is to get back to how it was before S8. And that includes Charlie and Sarah.
Charah solves a big logistical problem, which I've mentioned before. It gives Mayko Nguyen more screentime which the show would otherwise have to give her either way because she's an actress and not a background lamp, but they don't want to do that separately from Rex. So, having Charlie and Sarah together solves that problem without taking time away from Rex.
Now, since they got John Reardon back I assume he negotiated a better contract. More screentime is probably impossible because Charlie always had a lot of screentime. What he didn't have was a lot of meaningful screentime. So, that makes Charah scenes paramount for me, otherwise we'd have to bring a relative of Charlie's for each episode.
And since it's this show, the focus of Charlie's return will be on how Rex will react. So, to me that gives less chances to them wanting to damage Charah for the drama. Now, as I've said before, it wouldn't be weird for some temporary drama to happen but that's different from ruining the ship. That would be normal.
Keep in mind that there may be any number of new writers with any number of new ideas. Just because they got John Reardon back, doesn't mean they'll actually get old writers back. It doesn't even mean that S8 writers will be there. My opinion is that writers who know these characters would want for Charlie and Sarah's relationship to survive.
Hey, Bandcamp users. You have probably already heard, but Bandcamp was bought by a music licensing firm, and laid off half its staff "as a cost cutting measure."
I will be downloading everything I purchased from Bandcamp and keeping an eye on it.
In a significant shift of ownership, Bandcamp, the renowned digital music marketplace, has officially transitioned from its previous owner,
