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kapuahiSo, I've been festering and percolating over here in my semi padded corner watching and trying not to be dismayed by what I've seen. But, guess what? It's not working. Let me add, that this is just my opinion and by the time the season actually starts things might seem different but at the moment this is how I feel and my fannish heart is bleeding.
I love my Five-0, and by that I mean how they were characterised (and lets not talk about the potential clusterfuck of Rachel's pregnancy) and behaved in Season 1.
Yet there seems to be a revolving door for trick pony guest stars at the get go for Season 2. I'm not saying they're not awesome. I'm not saying they don't add anything because they probably will, but what happened to the team? Look at all the BTS photos you've seen, I can count on both hands the number of times I've seen Chin, and I haven't seen Kono anywhere but at the blessing. That can not be good.
Just remember with everything I am about to say I am sure both actresses are perfectly lovely, talented, charming women, but their characters and placement in MY show, that is what I have issue with.
So while we're on the subject, Lauren, the first new girl? Way to endear her to the fandom TPTB. Every set of photos I've seen she's either the one with Steve, or somewhere near him like she's some sort of unneccessary satellite. The fact that I don't care to seek out her character's name sets off warning bells in my head. I haven't even seen working scenes with her yet and I am finding myself referring to her as 'her'. That, my friends, does not bode well with ongoing endearment. The thing that disturbs me the most is that there is more of her with Steve then there is of Danny with Steve.
She is rapidly attaining Val Kilmer status with me - for those of you who don't know me? I still haven't forgiven the Kilmernator for murdering Goose in Top Gun, for you purists Tom Cruise receives similar affection.
And then there is Danny's new 'girl'. Way to rewrite everything you have taught us about Danny in past episodes CBS. Danny is the team's moral high ground. He has morals and ethics and standards and he's not afraid to wave them in the face of anyone who doesn't measure up. He sure as hell doesn't go around flagrantly violating every moral standard he's thus far proudly upheld. So, in episode 1.23 heconfesses to having an affair with a married woman (that it's Rachel is inconsequential), in 1.24 he's running away with Rachel whom he's apparently impregnated and by episode 2.2 he's already in a place to hit on a new woman? He didn't date at all in Season 1 and how long had he been divorced? I don't care that the pregnancy could all be some big horrible trick she played on him but I'm not sure the Danny we know downshifts quite that fast.
And IF the actress is pregnant, who cares, shoot her from the chest up, stand her behind furniture, hell have him talk to her on the phone not in person. RL pregnancy is no excuse to dick about with characterisation of one of your leads.
I know you all know that I like guest stars (as much as you all hated him I liked Rick Springfield, , and I like semi-regular recurring characters, but each set of new BTS photos makes my heart sink a little bit more.
Take these for instance = Behind the Scenes
AoL never looks happy anymore, and when did he graduate to umbrella holder? Lets see, if someone else needs a brolly, they have two arms and a heartbeat, do it yourself, he's the star FFS, he might not behave like it, at least treat him like it. It's called respect people, thats what the crew is for.
Two things CBS.
1. You can't ramp up the Bromance to the point of adorable Airhearts and then retcon us. It doesn't work that way. You put it out there, you can't take it back. It's the heartbeat of this particular show. Not romance, not even the case of the week. the Steve/Danny relationship is what keeps us all hanging on. We're all mostly sensible adults, we know that Steve and Danny are not going to merrily jump into bed on screen, but who exactly was it harming for them to flirt so outrageously?
Sponsors and narrow minded bigots might have loud voices but you'll find they aren't the bulk of your ratings audience. You'll find that the bulk of your viewers want the bromance and the gay overtones that the redneck schmucks find so offensive. Don't believe me? Fine, let the ratings decide, but don't say I didn't warn you.
2. H50 is not Castle. Never has been and it never will be. Both shows have very different audiences and are very different, whilst both being bloody good shows. Don't try to make 5-0, Castle, you will fail, miserably. So you didn't make the ratings you projected, big deal. You didn't tank and you held your own. By introducing romance you're not attracting the Castle fans, you're actually repelling the fans you had last season.
ETA Just to be clear, I don't mind them having significant others, but if there is any more time spent on hearts and flowers and bed/shagging time with said significant others than Steve had with Catherine in Season 1 then it is TOO much. Double dating and continuing the bromance flirting at the same time? Of this I heartily approve.
So, in short, If it's not broke, don't fucking fix it. The "fix" might just be what breaks it.
I love my Five-0, and by that I mean how they were characterised (and lets not talk about the potential clusterfuck of Rachel's pregnancy) and behaved in Season 1.
Yet there seems to be a revolving door for trick pony guest stars at the get go for Season 2. I'm not saying they're not awesome. I'm not saying they don't add anything because they probably will, but what happened to the team? Look at all the BTS photos you've seen, I can count on both hands the number of times I've seen Chin, and I haven't seen Kono anywhere but at the blessing. That can not be good.
Just remember with everything I am about to say I am sure both actresses are perfectly lovely, talented, charming women, but their characters and placement in MY show, that is what I have issue with.
So while we're on the subject, Lauren, the first new girl? Way to endear her to the fandom TPTB. Every set of photos I've seen she's either the one with Steve, or somewhere near him like she's some sort of unneccessary satellite. The fact that I don't care to seek out her character's name sets off warning bells in my head. I haven't even seen working scenes with her yet and I am finding myself referring to her as 'her'. That, my friends, does not bode well with ongoing endearment. The thing that disturbs me the most is that there is more of her with Steve then there is of Danny with Steve.
She is rapidly attaining Val Kilmer status with me - for those of you who don't know me? I still haven't forgiven the Kilmernator for murdering Goose in Top Gun, for you purists Tom Cruise receives similar affection.
And then there is Danny's new 'girl'. Way to rewrite everything you have taught us about Danny in past episodes CBS. Danny is the team's moral high ground. He has morals and ethics and standards and he's not afraid to wave them in the face of anyone who doesn't measure up. He sure as hell doesn't go around flagrantly violating every moral standard he's thus far proudly upheld. So, in episode 1.23 heconfesses to having an affair with a married woman (that it's Rachel is inconsequential), in 1.24 he's running away with Rachel whom he's apparently impregnated and by episode 2.2 he's already in a place to hit on a new woman? He didn't date at all in Season 1 and how long had he been divorced? I don't care that the pregnancy could all be some big horrible trick she played on him but I'm not sure the Danny we know downshifts quite that fast.
And IF the actress is pregnant, who cares, shoot her from the chest up, stand her behind furniture, hell have him talk to her on the phone not in person. RL pregnancy is no excuse to dick about with characterisation of one of your leads.
I know you all know that I like guest stars (as much as you all hated him I liked Rick Springfield, , and I like semi-regular recurring characters, but each set of new BTS photos makes my heart sink a little bit more.
Take these for instance = Behind the Scenes
AoL never looks happy anymore, and when did he graduate to umbrella holder? Lets see, if someone else needs a brolly, they have two arms and a heartbeat, do it yourself, he's the star FFS, he might not behave like it, at least treat him like it. It's called respect people, thats what the crew is for.
Two things CBS.
1. You can't ramp up the Bromance to the point of adorable Airhearts and then retcon us. It doesn't work that way. You put it out there, you can't take it back. It's the heartbeat of this particular show. Not romance, not even the case of the week. the Steve/Danny relationship is what keeps us all hanging on. We're all mostly sensible adults, we know that Steve and Danny are not going to merrily jump into bed on screen, but who exactly was it harming for them to flirt so outrageously?
Sponsors and narrow minded bigots might have loud voices but you'll find they aren't the bulk of your ratings audience. You'll find that the bulk of your viewers want the bromance and the gay overtones that the redneck schmucks find so offensive. Don't believe me? Fine, let the ratings decide, but don't say I didn't warn you.
2. H50 is not Castle. Never has been and it never will be. Both shows have very different audiences and are very different, whilst both being bloody good shows. Don't try to make 5-0, Castle, you will fail, miserably. So you didn't make the ratings you projected, big deal. You didn't tank and you held your own. By introducing romance you're not attracting the Castle fans, you're actually repelling the fans you had last season.
ETA Just to be clear, I don't mind them having significant others, but if there is any more time spent on hearts and flowers and bed/shagging time with said significant others than Steve had with Catherine in Season 1 then it is TOO much. Double dating and continuing the bromance flirting at the same time? Of this I heartily approve.
So, in short, If it's not broke, don't fucking fix it. The "fix" might just be what breaks it.
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no subject
Date: 2011-08-16 03:53 pm (UTC)A-FUCKING-MEN. Seriously. I've been trying so hard to avoid everything (except for pretty pictures) that has to do with the changes happening next season, but it's almost impossible to get away from. I don't want to dread next season, I want to be excited about it! And I am excited, in a way, because I want the boys and the team back, but then there's all this extra STUFF that's just ugh. Sigh.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-16 10:42 pm (UTC)Warning: rantorama ahead
Date: 2011-08-17 09:02 am (UTC)Seriously, the more I read, the more I worry. Like you, I haven't seen anything of Kono and very little of Chin. I've also seen far too much of the new girl played by Lauren German (I can't actually find her character name). Any time you see Steve and Danny, she's there, and usually standing between them. I know the carguments are filmed inside and wouldn't necessarily be captured by fans, but can you imagine Steve and Danny indulging in their usual banter if she's glued between them? I don't think so.
Like you, I'm also concerned about the forced "promiscuity" (to use a term extremely loosely) - Catherine & Lauren's character for Steve, Rachel and Autumn Reeser's character for Danny. This isn't the 60s, guys. The days of Star Trek and James Bond, when our hero is screwing a different girl every episode, are long gone. This is the new millenium, and commitment is valued by both men and women.
And while I'm ranting, where are the Hawaiians? Of the guests announced so far, six are white and one is black - no Asians, no native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders, and no Filipinos (and they are the largest ancestral group on the islands). What's next - are they going to kill off Chin and Kono and turn it into an all-white task force? - or pretend that non-whites are only there for comic relief or as criminals? They were getting dangerously close to that point at times in the last series, I'd hate to see them adopt it as policy for Season 2.
If the changes are being made to try and force the show into a certain sponsor's demographic and/or to fight off Castle, it's going to backfire. Why? Because the only thing that was comparable between the two shows was the banter between the leads and the UST (Castle)/ bromance (H50) factor. If you take banter and bromance away from H50 the only thing left is action and frankly, that's not enough to hold an audience.
... You know, now I come to think of it, if I were a major sponsor of Castle I'd be rubbing my hands in glee right now. Maybe I've read too many conspiracy novels, but am I the only person here that thinks this could be a case of subtle industrial sabotage?
no subject
Date: 2011-08-19 10:35 am (UTC)I try to avoid spoilers (though most of the time I'm not strong enough to resist the temptation) but what we've got so far and the BTS pics just make me sad :(
There seems to be no Team anymore and no Steve & Danny just that new girl everywhere. Do a seasoned Detective and an accomplished ex Naval Intelligence Officer (at least that's what the pilot tells us) really need a babysitter for every little thing?? And this whole time I'm just thinking: 'Please don't destroy my show! Please don't destroy my show!' Like they destroyed Danno almost beyond repair in the last two episodes of S1 with that whole Rachel mess.
I really don't understand the logic behind that Castle thing. You want to 'steal' viewers from Castle with a... Castle clone. Wtf? If I wanted to watch Castle I would, but I don't, so now I have two Castle-esque shows I don't want to watch. That's completely logical, thank you TPTB.
I'm just clinging to my feeble hope that they'll prove me wrong come September or maybe I'll just have to stick to fanfic.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-19 10:54 am (UTC)They don't need a babysitter any more than we need the romance. I'm really hoping that we have some reason that the last two episodes were so screwed up with Danny. He was so OOC that it was ridiculous.
I'm sure that TPTB think that if Castle is rating if they have what Castle has it will somehow make Castle fans jump ship. I'm certain however what they need is to pull their heads out of their asses.
I'm clinging to that hope right along with you.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-19 03:05 pm (UTC)The season finale left me angst filled for weeks. Now, every time another character is added and I see pics of a miserable Steve--my days are angst filled again. Just because CBS gave H 5-0 a second season doesn't mean they are automatically going to get a third, fourth or more seasons.
Hoping that TPTB do not so screw up this wonderful show that it dies on the vine in its sophomore year.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-20 02:06 am (UTC)Seriously, you have put EVERYTHING I've thought into words and I'm glad I'm not the only one who has been thinking this way.
I should be looking forward to the new season, but so far, all I see is how they're going to totally screw it up.