Bones, NCIS and SPN - playing in different leagues

[starbright73]

Last night I sat down and watched all three series and wow! there's such a difference in quality of writing that it's staggering.

What can I say, I loved the episode. I was baffled that no one picked up the fact that OCD doesn't include regression in the service of the ego which was clearly visible in Jared's case. Sweets should have. I still love the man, he so growing on me with the psycho-babble. I admit that I loved the puzzle of the case, that's the way it should be done folk. Details, people, details! And Zach was back, nerdy as ever. And they showed him how much they loved him, despite all. That just warmed my heart. Wendell's obvious discomfort was actually a perfect showcase of how hard it is to try and fit in to a work group. Bones is one of those show where I love everybody, some just a bit more than the others. And it's the sidekicks I really heart.

The writing for this show is just excellent: researched, concise and detailed.

A+

Way to set an arc for the upcoming season! How many are involved? Didn't see that one coming, not from Lee! Perfect. I love how women kept calling Tony even if he wasn't there any longer. Abby counting the days, Probie sitting in the cellar, poor guy. I love how Gibbs goes to get his peeps when the things get rough. It's balance, it is detailed and the anvils do not fall hard enough to give you bruises. And there's always the element of surprise. The only thing I didn't like was too little Tony in this ep, but Palmer kinda made up for it. Poor pup, I wanna take him home and feed him cookies! Look forward to see how the new director will react to Gibbs' very groomed staff. I already see a chink between Gibbs and Leon, this is going to be interesting.
A

And then Where the writing really is getting worse, it's reminding me of # already, that season we were told about dean's fear of hell, now we are (again) being told about his self-esteem issues. And the writing is so concentrated on throwing anvils without showing anything that I get bored. Meg, the hard-edged demon comes back to accuse Sm of not sending Ruby back to heel for possessing people. because suddenly Meg confesses to remembering all, whilst Sam stated that he just remembered parts when he was possessed with the same demon! And the fact that the demon and the possessed girl have the same name is just fricken lousy writing! And the fact that this girl remembers things after she died while for Sam it's a black hole? Details peeps, details! Two discussions about the same theme (Dean's belief-system) is not good, it just feels like a filler, add to that the self.esteem and I'm rolling my eyes.

Good thing thou' that Kripke lets Ackles do what he does best. There's a reason why he's type-casted; he does the badass with a soft/damaged core best. In season 3 they tried to have him turn into a more Sammish character. That fell flat on its face. Jared managed the switch better but Jensen has found his favorite character to play and he excels in playing it. Don't force him to become anything he isn't comfortable with. I give Kripke props or realizing this and bringing Dean back, giving him the one liners and the attitude. He was all his lovable, and bossy *g* self, in this ep. It is clear that it's going to be another Dean-season but at least it's the Dean we know.

Jared has taken his character so far, I'm sorry to see Sam dumped in favor of Saint Dean. I hardly doubt the majority cheers this, they will at some point miss the brotherhood. And I don't think I can take another Dean-season if the writing is a crappy as in S3. and I know I can't take an entire re-writing of earlier canon. Kripke couldn't handle the demon arc, and now he sets out for an apocalypse arc? Pardon me Kripke, but I don't think you are up to it.

Noticed that Peter Johnson was listed as co-producer. Maybe it will help but at this point I doubt it. I also think this is the last season of SPN. You can't go on much further after the Apocalypse and you can't drag it out too long with Dean's insecurities and self-esteem before it dies in your hand. Especially when you now have only one lead. SPN has survived thanks to the charisma between Dean and Sam, if you take that away, I am not so sure the audience will stay with you.

And Gawd, Henrickson (pure love) bashing Sam's head on the sink twice and the dude ups and walks with only a tiny scratch? An attack like that is possibly lethal! Pace yourself Kripke! Love Jared's sounds when he's being whacked around, they are really realistic in the higher pitched, breathless way he expresses pain. Lovely.

I'm sorry Kripke, you lose big time in comparison. You only get a C, and much of that is based on your 4.1.

Comments

[ilovemycsi.livejournal.com]

I didn't get to see all of Bones, but I did love it when Zack just showed up at the Jeffersonian to help them - very well done! I love the way the whole cast interacts with one another - unlike a certain CBS show where apparently only two members of the cast are supposed to interact well with one another and they are the only two who have ZERO chemistry with one another...where was I, oh yeah Bones - I missed most of last season, because I never knew when it was on - f'ing American Idol. I'm going to have to buy the DVD set when it's released to get the whole story. It's so nice to watch a show and enjoy it.

NCIS - I LOVED the premier!! I felt bad for Palmer too and the coversation with Tony was priceless. I was confused about Ziva's father though - I thought he was supposed to be a bad guy. I loved the little twist at the end too. I wondered if Gibbs was onto her after the look he gave her when he was hugging Ziva. I can't wait for Tony to get back and to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

[starbright73.livejournal.com]

yes, the famous balance! It's been missing from CSI the last two years and it seems that most shows do lose it at some point. If it is because it's easier to write for some characters? I have no idea. I can only look at my own writing and if I start out with one story, I bring it an end, without suddenly tweaking it into become something else.

Bones keeps it right there. on crime solving and science. The characters react to the crimes, they don't have their own little private soap in the middle of it. I hope Bones keeps it that way, If there's an on-screen romance between Bones and Booth, I'll have to jump ship immediately. Nothing good has ever come out of such a tilt of POV. Ever!

Palmer is such a pup! *hugs* I do think Gibbs suspects something, that look wasn't good. I love the fact that on NCIS all isn't back/white, there' a lot of greys and I really like the ambiguity of it. And I wonder if Ziva's loyalty will be questioned this season? it' been done before, but with her own family in the picture? Wow!

[rojaji.livejournal.com]

I'm sure we'll see more of sam, hon. its focused on dean right now, which makes sense since he just got out of hell. besides, they need to introduce the castiel character and this is the way to do it. sam has powers finally! I swear, when he was blocked in by that desk and those girls, it looked like he was seriously considering using them, but was relieved when dean pulled the hail mary so he wouldn't have to explain them.

btw, sam was having such a good hair ep the other night! and I love how he was all happy and relieved that an angel pulled dean out, he looked young again and happy to believe in something good.

I didn't care for ruby's performance in ep 1, but she did better this time. what do you think of the is sam doing ruby or not debate? I'm pretty sure he wouldn't, no matter how much he's grieving. I figured maybe she's closer to sam while deans gone, maybe to the point of cohabitation even. or borrowing his shower or something. or even leaving the bra as a false trail for dean so he doesn't suspect her.

I love the dean and castiel scenes, the new guy is pretty good. and yay!! hendrickson!! I liked megs performance, she even made me a little teary eyed at some point. and omg! those little girls were sooo creepy. where do they find all those creepy little girls, is it a canadian thing? and which writer is so creeped out by little girls that if its a scary ghost and its a kid, then 9/10 times it will be a girl?

heh, anyway, those girls did a bang up job. they freaked me out anyway.

as for whether or not this is the last season? judging by a few interviews I've seen with the boys, they're going all out this year. and what kind of storyline can follow the apocalypse? even though kripke signed on for five years, they've only got a show as long as they've got a network. maybe kripke has some insider knowledge, or maybe he's just using common sense, but when times get hard like this the weakest players in every industry usually go belly up. I doubt cw is going to last another year, and obviously, so does kripke. and he doesn't want to leave his story unfinished, which I totally appreciate.


too bad you're not liking the new spn season, but at least you're liking the other shows. I've always thought that ncis show was one I could get into, I jsut haven't really had the opportunity to watch it. I'm still considering house... but these last few years I got out of the habit of watching tv because of school, that now I still find myself opening up a book instead of turning on the tube. I think its the noise - I love my kids, but between the three of them and my noisy italian hubby, its such a relief to have quiet when they're gone or asleep that I don't want to disturb the silence, y'know?

[starbright73.livejournal.com]

I seriously think that bringing Sam's 'Destiny' up again after S3 is overdue. They had the perfect time in S3 but they chose to put all attention on Dean's deal. And now he's the mytharc and the emotional arc (his self-esteem and dealing with being chosen by God) so really, there's no room for Sam other than a side-kick. Which next ep will clearly point out. If they want to bring this show into a 5th season, they need to let Jared go and concentrate on the good side fighting the evil, with Jensen and Mischa as leads. I don't think they can pull it off with only Jensen as the lead, if they try, the story better be awfully good and captivating.

I wouldn't be surprised if Sam's into necrophilia by now *g* I hope not, it's just about bordering on silliness with the vilifying already. The anvil of his evilness are heavy and frequent. Did you see how many times they filmed him stepping over salt lines and the Devil's trap? Kripke is in no way subtle about it. And fandom is demanding evil!Sam so they will get it. Sam is fast being vilified, heck he even slept on the couch while his angelic bro had to sleep on the floor! *g* Yes, it seems to be a big thing in fandom.

I miss when everything wasn't that black white and I'm cringing at the misogyny that keeps increasing. Dean slapping the female demon in 4-01? Never seen a male demon being treated with such disdain! Sam seems to only kill female demons too. Yikes. Not to even talk about the fact that the demon are all females (even Sam is much less macho than Dean) and the angels are males? I swear, it creeps me out! Same thing with the small girls, which were fricken creepy!)

One thing they could explain about dean is why he'scapable of symphatiing with some and absolutely not with others. That just boggles my mind at times. Maybe they'll get there in S5? Because the boat has sailed for Sam, he's becoming the EVOL. And that's just not interesting enough for me.

I swear I have been trying to read novels, but the new ones bore me stiff. I rather reread a classic than even bother with the new generation of 'fast-food' of literature. There's only a few, and most of them have been journalistic works rather than pure prose. And TV is clearly taking the same route. Easy being the main word. *sigh*

[pishposh.livejournal.com]

NCIS claimed my heart this summer. I've caught up on almost all the old episodes, so I was more than ready for the new season. Like you, I loved the story arc set up with Lee. And though I wanted more Denozo, I kinda like that the others will have a smidgen more time to miss him. There's not a character I don't adore. I love me some NCIS!

I've only recently started watching Bones, so I haven't got to know the chars well enough yet to get attached, but it's obvious that I can, and likely will. I plan to get the old seasons on Netflix and have a marathon.

I've never watched Supernatural, and based on your journal entries, I'm okay with that.

Did you see The Mentalist preview? Completely over-the-top, unrealistic camp criminalism, but brain candy! It doesn't hurt that Simon Baker is pretty to look at. You might enjoy giving it a look.

I'll stop fangirling now. :D

[starbright73.livejournal.com]

yes, avoid SPN because I know you'd fall for Sam and us Sam!girls are being royally screwed over. *g*

Yes, you'll love Bones, it's such a brainy little show an still no MarySues in sight. Just lovely.

Oh yea, Tony was sorely missed, by everybody! He's really the first 'badboy' I totally see something else than the typical setup in in. I guess it's that I know that MW is not typecast, he's played plenty of other roles and thus, I know he can pull out other sides to Tony than the usual hard-edged badboy. And gawd, I love him for not being afraid to have Tony act silly!

I'm going to have to check out mentalist. Thanks for the tip! *glomps*

[imjustso.livejournal.com]

Even tho he didn't get much screen time, I think Tony's scene was - well - that quality not quantity thing. Loved the part where he kept telling "dad" not to let Tim drive his car.

[imjustso.livejournal.com]

I just watched The Mentalist online today. It was a well done show with what looks to have a complex and thought out story line. We'll see how it goes. I can't help but compare it to Psych, since the main characters are basically doing the same thing to solve crimes (at least, the mentalist used to play psychic and psych still lets people think he is one) but really the similarities end there. SB *is* quite pretty.

[starbright73.livejournal.com]

I too was struck with how similar to Phych the general idea was! Well, we'll see because Psych didn't pull me in.

[imjustso.livejournal.com]

I came in late to Psych - only seen about 4 episodes. It's a different feel. It's supposed to be kind of silly. I think the two main characters play off each other well. Have you managed to see The Mentalist yet?

[imjustso.livejournal.com]

I just saw NCIS last night/this morning. Had been waiting for it to be available online. It was great. I liked how McGee had his staff calling him boss, then got embarrassed about it when Gibbs showed up and heard them calling him that.

Bones . . . well, I'm just kind of sick of Zack. At the end of last season, I was annoyed that they had him under the influence of Gorgonzola. He was too smart to fall for that crap. But once he went all "ooh, the master rocks," I was prepared for him to leave the show. OK, so it turns out he didn't stab anyone, but he's still calling the guy master. It just annoyed me that he conveniently was able to bust out of a facility for for criminal crazies. I annoyed me that they were all so happy to see him. meh . . . I guess I never really cared for him all that much.

I do like how Bones has a different intern ever week. It kind of reminds me of (don't laugh at me) Murphy Brown having a different secretary every week.

[starbright73.livejournal.com]

I took Zack for being one of those with faulty wiring in the sense that his intelligence is really hindering him in RL. His lack in social skills is adamant and that would readily put him in the claws of a manipulating psychopath. It totally rang true to me. The boy wanted nothing more than to 'belong'. I think they love him for his shortcomings, and from Hodges' part it's guilt too.

Oh Probie, I do love him when he makes his bitch faces! *g*