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Alhazred
Feb 16, 2011




Rap Record Hoarder posted:


They're also pretty inconsistent with how strictly Offred is held to the handmaid rules inside or outside the Waterford residence but that just might be sloppy mistakes or things done for plot convenience.

It's more that there hasn't been a single theocracy where everyone obeyed the rules perfectly.

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Baron Porkface
Jan 22, 2007


precision posted:

I'm relatively sure the Pacific Fleet was in fact specifically mentioned, yeah.

I'm pretty sure the showrunners don't understand how devastating that would be to a revolutionary government.

Motorola 68000
Apr 25, 2014

"Don't be nice. Be good."

Rap Record Hoarder posted:

I don't think the showrunners assume that the audience are stupid, rather that they're doing the absolute most to ensure that the audience takes away one specific message (based on the scene or storyline), which seems a bit egregious and unnecessary given the source material and themes at hand here.

They're also pretty inconsistent with how strictly Offred is held to the handmaid rules inside or outside the Waterford residence but that just might be sloppy mistakes or things done for plot convenience.

One of the main things I hate about some shows is that they dumb down their plot line because they don't think the audience will get it. I didn't feel this way for this series.

Barry Convex
Sep 1, 2005

Think of the good things, Pim! The good things!

Like Jesus, candy, and crackerjacks! Ice cream and cake and lots o'laffs!
Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Joe! Larry, Curly, and brother Moe!

Rap Record Hoarder posted:

I don't have a problem with using contemporary music but I laughed out loud at that scene. The show can show the soul crushing despair that comes with compromising yourself in a hopeless situation but then they undermine that with really overt "rebellious badass girl power" moments? It's just weird and weakens the significance of the scenes that actually hit.

I'd expect this show to be heavy handed but the overuse of slow motion and other framing devices that basically yell "PAY ATTENTION HERE VIEWER" suggests that they don't really have any faith in the audience to figure things out on their own, so everything has to be oversold (I think a lot of current prestige TV does this, FWIW).

The producers are probably weeping with gratitude that Trump won, this show will run as long as he's in office.

Yeah, this show is very good, but easily my least favorite part is the showrunners' weakness for musically underscored, heavy-handed "empowering" mic-drop moments that simply don't fit the overall tone.

I get that it can't be completely, unrelentingly bleak, Offred should be able to take some modest measure of satisfaction in her little subversions of the Gilead regime, but for chrissakes, do it with some loving subtlety next season.

precision
May 7, 2006

by VideoGames
If your criticism is that something isn't subtle, it really hurts your argument if you miss the point of the allegedly unsubtle thing, don't you think?

Mat Cauthon
Jan 2, 2006

The more tragic things get,
the more I feel like laughing.



Do you have any defenses of your favorite show that aren't rhetorical questions insinuating that any criticism is the result of someone just not *~getting it~*?

precision
May 7, 2006

by VideoGames
This isn't my favorite show - it's not even my favorite show this year (that would be Patriot)

You sound like you think I was coming off as a dick, and I'm not meaning to. I'm just trying to get you both to think a bit harder about what you're saying. It's much more rewarding to figure things out for yourself!

For starters, only one song was used in a way that was arguably about "empowerment" - it's pretty odd to base the entire argument against the song choices on that one incident. "Waiting For Something" is not a happy song.

precision fucked around with this message at 16:42 on Jun 24, 2017

Guy Mann
Mar 28, 2016

by Lowtax
In the final episode when Aunt Lydia ran out into the middle of circle during the stoning and started berating everyone and ordering them to throw after telling the guards to stand down I was kind of hoping and half-expecting that they would all just stone her to death instead. Yeah that totally wouldn't fit the story but drat if it wouldn't feel good.

There Bias Two
Jan 13, 2009
I'm not a good person

Guy Mann posted:

In the final episode when Aunt Lydia ran out into the middle of circle during the stoning and started berating everyone and ordering them to throw after telling the guards to stand down I was kind of hoping and half-expecting that they would all just stone her to death instead. Yeah that totally wouldn't fit the story but drat if it wouldn't feel good.

I wish June had told her to cast the first stone instead of just dropping it.

Skizzzer
Sep 27, 2011
bathetic was a good word to describe the feeling that hit me when feeling good came on

Defenestration
Aug 10, 2006

"It wasn't my fault that my first unconscious thought turned out to be-"
"Jesus, kid, what?"
"That something smelled delicious!"


Grimey Drawer

Skizzzer posted:

bathetic was a good word to describe the feeling that hit me when feeling good came on
thanks for teaching me this word. I agree.

Simiain
Dec 13, 2005

"BAM! The ole fork in the eye!!"

precision posted:

This isn't my favorite show - it's not even my favorite show this year (that would be Patriot)

You sound like you think I was coming off as a dick, and I'm not meaning to. I'm just trying to get you both to think a bit harder about what you're saying. It's much more rewarding to figure things out for yourself!

For starters, only one song was used in a way that was arguably about "empowerment" - it's pretty odd to base the entire argument against the song choices on that one incident. "Waiting For Something" is not a happy song.

You do come off a bit of a cock, as well you know.

I dont mind the use of contemporary music to punctuate the drama, I think it provides a pleasingly jarring juxtaposition to the austere context of the story, but I can definitely see how the Reservoir Dogs stroll at the end of the last episode might be a little on the nose to some people, though that at least reflected Offred's current state of mind, so it was cool to me.

What wasnt cool were the slow-motion histrionics at the stoning, that poo poo was just insulting to the intelligence.

The thing that irritated me the most, in this show that I really love, and irritated me more than anything from any show I've watched this year, was the constant burbling radio chatter whenever a goon was in view, god that wore out quick. Talk about not trusting your audience.

Firstborn
Oct 14, 2012

i'm the heckin best
yeah
yeah
yeah
frig all the rest
This was good and lovingly shot. I think the best scene was when Aunt Lydia was nice to the maimed girls who couldn't attend the dinner.

One issue I couldn't get over is how much times lines get to linger. Whenever someone tells Offred to leave, for example, there's an ETERNITY until she answers a meek "yes" and finally leaves. So many lines we are supposed to reflect how much it stings, and the characters just stare at each other waiting for a cursory answer to (usually) a command.

"Will you go get the thing?"
"......................................................."
..........................................................
".............. yes." *walks out curtly*

precision
May 7, 2006

by VideoGames
Yeah, Aunt Lydia was one of the best parts of the show. The tiny glimpses of humanity she gives you only make it so much worse.

Think I'll rewatch the whole thing tomorrow since my entire town is going to be gridlocked by the eclipse.

stev
Jan 22, 2013

Please be excited.



Just finished this. God drat.

Aunt Lydia is one of the most well acted roles in a show in years. God drat.

Thwomp
Apr 10, 2003

BA-DUHHH

Grimey Drawer
Speaking of, Ann Dowd did an interview on the I Think You're Interesting podcast which was really great.

Does contain spoilers for The Leftovers though.

Cojawfee
May 31, 2006
I think the US is dumb for not using Celsius
I found out that Elizabeth Moss is a scientologist, gross.

stev
Jan 22, 2013

Please be excited.



Cojawfee posted:

I found out that Elizabeth Moss is a scientologist, gross.

She was raised into it and afaik hasn't done anything overly gross in connection with it. :shrug:

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Lum_
Jun 5, 2006
Yeah, and not sure how it'd be relevant to enjoying the show anyway, it's not like Offred leans over and whispers into the camera about engrams

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