mimi
Detective
Posts: 231
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Post by mimi on May 2, 2007 11:55:03 GMT -5
What's good for Balcer is also good for Leight. Balcer did reuse old elements from past episodes to concoct a new one. I still think Acts of contrition feels like reheated leftovers from The Faithful.
If people want to do some "Leight-bashing" they should be fair and bash Balcer equally.
I believe the simplistic storyline and dialogues combined with the dumbing-down of the characters got me angrier than the rest. CI needs an external proof-reader who would notice the discrepancies in the story and the weaknesses in dialogue. The writing team is obviously too invested/inexperienced to notice them. Can someone tell me who overlooked the fact that Goren states that Sandie is too meticulous to have flown to NY but is then presented as the ultimate ninny when Goren finds out she left the diaper, the loose change, the pepper spray, the wig, the sunglasses in her car?
And to tell I chose CI over House yesterday.
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Post by SarahIvy on May 2, 2007 11:58:38 GMT -5
Hmmmm, well I certainly didn't find it so horrible that I no longer want the show renewed. It was not a great episode, but not the worst by any means. I found the story to be flat, but otherwise a run-of-the-mill offering.
On the positive side, I really enjoyed the interaction between Goren and Eames...it felt like they were back on track compared to the last few episodes. I was very happy to see them sharing their little reaction glances and smiles. Honestly, that little reminder of how great their partnership used to be probably went a long way toward helping me enjoy the episode.
I felt they were engaged with each other AND with the case itself. It was really their joint charisma, plus the fun little Type A banter with Ross that kept me engaged.
Also helpful was the fact that my expectations were *really* low. I was honestly sort of dreading this episode (and I am dreading the Anna episode next week even more). I am sick to death of ripped from the headlines nonsense, it has nothing to do with what made LOCI a fantastic show back in the day. What made it a fantastic show was the one-two punch of incredible acting paired with equally incredible, detailed, thought-provoking writing.
While I am still on board with the performances of the actors, there is only so much that can be done with flat out bad writing.
Count me among those who cannot believe Warren Leight made those comments about hitting the wall at episode 18...sheesh. I'm normally all for honestly, but he should have kept that as his own little shameful secret.
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Post by Sirenna on May 2, 2007 12:03:43 GMT -5
External proof reader. Sigh. That used to be Rene's job.
The plot sucked but there were some things I liked about it. well one thing. For instance I enjoy watching Ross and Goren interact. It's not sugar-sweet but I don't think it's meant to be mean-spirited either. It's a tough world they inhabit and and their vibe works for me.
I thought the sniffing thing and the fever song and even the comment about angerwas more just 'stuff' slapped onto the collage to give the illusion of depth. Pretty much like the english lit student who hasn't read the book but knows bringing in certain themes of death or love has got to fit in his essay somewhere. Really empty and superficial - nothing else but emperor's clothes
I'm hoping Gibbsfandan wil feel free to post on this one. I'd like to hear his thoughts.
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Post by Patcat on May 2, 2007 12:56:25 GMT -5
I think any aberrations in Sandie's character can be laid at the feet of the drugs she was being fed via the lotion.
Look, I'd love to see Rene Balcer back, but I don't think we should bash Warren Leight over the head with Mr. Balcer.
Patcat
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Post by mikeyrocks on May 2, 2007 13:06:18 GMT -5
Hey I've liked season 6 more than the past seasons - guess I'm in the minority there LOL!!
So I won't be bashing anybody over the head with anyone!!
Balcer OR Leight - Their both GREAT showrunners in my book.
As I have said many times - even at its worst CI is so much better than anything on T.V - For me at least!!
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Post by DonnaJo on May 2, 2007 13:53:25 GMT -5
As I have said many times - even at its worst CI is so much better than anything on T.V - For me at least!! That goes for me too, mikeyrocks. I'll even watch The View From Up Here instead of anything else! And yes, gibbsfandan, please post if you are out there somewhere, OK?
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Post by jethro on May 2, 2007 14:00:37 GMT -5
This is the episode discussion thread for "Rocket Man".
Please take the off topic discussions comparing the various seasons and the showrunners to the general discussion area.
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Post by NikkiGreen on May 2, 2007 14:14:35 GMT -5
Simply put... the episode was a snooze fest.
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Post by hannah on May 2, 2007 14:23:56 GMT -5
I think WL is just trying to please the majority and get their attention. Majority does like the flashy aspects. I mean, look at SVU's ratings. I'm not making fun of SVU. I like it, but I like having one show be the more professional (CI) and then next I get the drama. Its a nice variation and balance for me. Well it was. And WL is under plenty of pressure at a hard enough job. I do think that comment he made was ignorant and very much unnecessary. He really shouldn't admit that stuff out loud. But I do not wish death upon CI because of a bad season or episode because there are plenty of people who still love it. Maybe if it gets renewed some of the pressure to please the majority, being most likely channel surfers and SVU fans, and just maybe he'll just concentrate on the true CI fans and their needs. Well, obviously we don't all want the same thing. Some want the drama, some don't, but maybe he wont make that bad of an episode. With some pressure removed he wont be in such a time crunch to get a flashy story and just let the ideas come naturally instead of taking them from the paper. I write in my spare time and I decided to sign up for a class. I thought I was good at coming up with ideas for stories, poems, fiction, etc, but its a lot harder when you have to be done in a certain amount of time and when you have that pressure that you have to please someone and succeed. I think he is a good writer or else he wouldn't have gotten so far in his career. But I do not believe we have seen his talent and maybe if we give him another season he'll come up with something better than ROCKETMAN. But for me the difference between the flashy ripped ROCKETMAN and an episode of SVU is that when I watch a SVU it stays interesting and flashy, but for ROCKETMAN, it looks flashy in previews, but it's really just a blob on the inside... I mean if your gonna have a flashy, dramatic, recent story you should go all way. Don't just make them come. Make them stay!
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Post by hannah on May 2, 2007 14:29:06 GMT -5
Oh sorry jethro. I was typing when you posted that. No more. I promise I'll be good! ;D I was just trying to justify (not the best word for it) on why it was so poorly written to many people here. He really could have done more with a story so big. I was kind of on topic, right? I went astray... *sighs*
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Post by Metella on May 2, 2007 14:33:17 GMT -5
.... and what's with the bland titles lately? ..... Rocketman - I don't see any subtext/submeaning to this one. The took a main character's occupation & picked a song title that reflected it. I don't see any of member googling "rocketman" history etc..... I can say that the titles are even getting lame. DonnaJo - I would not stop watching due just to one episode - as that may fall to my odd taste & not quality. I WILL stop watching due to consistant shallow plots and stalker cams and unnecessary violence & blood some of this has faded - and so I'm still there on the fence ... but this one put both legs on the "jump & run" side.
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Post by Techguy on May 2, 2007 16:16:51 GMT -5
DonnaJo, I don't feel I'm picked on, and I'm OK with disagreeing--there's NO hard feelings on my part.
My wavering loyalty to CI and disgust with the show isn't just based on "Rocket Man." After enduring meh episodes plus the truly offensive TWAH and "Siren Call" I have been hoping for some redemption, some sign that CI will right itself with the G/E episodes to bring me back. Unfortunately that has not happened, and I find myself drifting further away.
To keep this focused on "Rocket Man"--this episode is an example of the bankruptcy of ideas that I see as a pattern that has developed over the course of Season 6 in the G/E episodes. Someone upthread, I think it was Sirenna, commented about how NASA astronauts are supposed to be examples of the best and the brightest of this country, individuals with the "right stuff." There was NONE of that in "Rocket Man," just horny psychodrama cardboard cutout characters with no charisma or appeal. The story was dumbed down tripe--trite and pedestrian nonsense. Needless to say, I derived NO insight into the culture at NASA, learned absolutely nothing about why an astronaut like Lisa Nowak, the astronaut whose story RM is based on, would do the things she did.
I won't give CI a pass just because it hasn't reached the "crap and drek" level of SVU, CSI, or any other show. My standards are what CI has been and stood for in the past, and based on this criteria, it has reached crap and drek all on its own without the need to compare it to any other show. In the almighty quest for ratings, CI has become an empty shell, a shadow of its former self. And the de-volution of Goren has been symbolic and symptomatic of the deterioration in quality of the show. I don't know what it is needed to get CI off life support and re-energized again. But my willingness to wait for that to happen has slowly and irrevocably evaporated over the course of Season 6. "Rocket Man" is just the latest and most recent example of the deterioration of CI and its legacy.
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Post by Sirenna on May 2, 2007 17:01:40 GMT -5
Techguy, I feel your pain.
I did like Goren's final expression as the wife was led away in handcuffs and the husband's were taken off. He looked sorry for the guy who looked devastated as he realized, more than just losing his career and his reputation, he'd lost his wife and his family. It seemed during the episode, for all his rambles through the panties, that he never really wanted to leave his wife. Goren's look gave the episode a smigden of depth and pathos and added a bit of closure to the story.
there was one other thing I think I liked but I've forgotten what it was at the moment. hmm.
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Post by DonnaJo on May 2, 2007 17:18:35 GMT -5
Hmmm. This is interesting. Sirenna, I had a totally different take on that very last scene. Actually, I failed to mention in my critique how much I liked the ending, especially when Goren abruptly turns & walks away from the wife after she confesses & says in disgust to the cops "Arrest Her." Also, after the handcuffs are taken off the Commander, I took Goren's penetrating stare at him as more one of disdain, not pity. It seemed as if he was looking at him with a "You're to blame as well for this. Don't think we don't know that."
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spits
Detective
Posts: 224
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Post by spits on May 2, 2007 19:19:18 GMT -5
To keep this focused on "Rocket Man"--this episode is an example of the bankruptcy of ideas that I see as a pattern that has developed over the course of Season 6 in the G/E episodes. Someone upthread, I think it was Sirenna, commented about how NASA astronauts are supposed to be examples of the best and the brightest of this country, individuals with the "right stuff." There was NONE of that in "Rocket Man," just horny psychodrama cardboard cutout characters with no charisma or appeal. The story was dumbed down tripe--trite and pedestrian nonsense. Needless to say, I derived NO insight into the culture at NASA, learned absolutely nothing about why an astronaut like Lisa Nowak, the astronaut whose story RM is based on, would do the things she did. The more I thought about it, the more I have to agree with this point - I felt that the NASA culture was most likely not accurately portrayed. What gets me is that this episode could have taken that element and spun it into something entirely original. Despite the "twists", I almost felt that I was watching extended coverage of the actual story. That would be a criticism for this episode on my part (this episode inspired me to pull out The Right Stuff again, to say the least...). While again, I liked it, I think that like SarahIvy pointed out my expectations were also probably not as high for this one and it was the small moments that carried the episode through for me.
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