Game of Thrones - episode 1

I finally got around to check out the first episode. I liked some of it, had problems with other parts (more below). It's not instant love but not instant loathing so I will check out eps 2-4 and see if they click. So, likes and dislikes (keep in mind I have never read the books).

1. Like: it's gorgeously filmed but also conveys the sense of time and place well. It's fantasy that is very close to real world.

2. Like: all the actors are excellent.

3. Like: Despite lack of familiarity with the characters and the large cast, I had no trouble keeping them apart or following storylines.

4. Dislike: the treatment of women. Except for Catelyn, every other woman who had a speaking part and hit puberty was shown in context of sex (willing or un) with an 'important' male character. WTF! I don't mean the female character did a bunch of things including have sex, no, I mean they were pretty much defined by their sex scenes. Gender treatment fail!

5. Dislike: I am not emotionally invested at all in these people nor am I particularly interested in them. In fact, the only strong feeling I had the whole episode was at the end and it was "ugh, please someone, kill Jaime Lannister" but then, throwing a child out of a window is pretty much designed to get an emotional response from almost any body. Unlike most viewers on my flist, I don't have the book background which would mean that after reading 3+ books you know these characters well and develop feelings for them. I can only go on what is in the pilot and the characters are paper-thin - there is just not much there (or even much time devoted to them) to hook me. Of course, you don't always need ample screentime (I was hooked on Jeremy Irons' Alexander VI in The Borgias in about two minutes) but this instant connection is not here either.

Point five is my biggest problem and that is why I am giving the show more time. It may develop the characters to my satisfaction giving more time.

In conclusion, prettily shot this is:



(Yes, of course, this woman gets raped too. Why do you ask?)

Game of Thrones - episode 1

I finally got around to check out the first episode. I liked some of it, had problems with other parts (more below). It's not instant love but not instant loathing so I will check out eps 2-4 and see if they click. So, likes and dislikes (keep in mind I have never read the books).

1. Like: it's gorgeously filmed but also conveys the sense of time and place well. It's fantasy that is very close to real world.

2. Like: all the actors are excellent.

3. Like: Despite lack of familiarity with the characters and the large cast, I had no trouble keeping them apart or following storylines.

4. Dislike: the treatment of women. Except for Catelyn, every other woman who had a speaking part and hit puberty was shown in context of sex (willing or un) with an 'important' male character. WTF! I don't mean the female character did a bunch of things including have sex, no, I mean they were pretty much defined by their sex scenes. Gender treatment fail!

5. Dislike: I am not emotionally invested at all in these people nor am I particularly interested in them. In fact, the only strong feeling I had the whole episode was at the end and it was "ugh, please someone, kill Jaime Lannister" but then, throwing a child out of a window is pretty much designed to get an emotional response from almost any body. Unlike most viewers on my flist, I don't have the book background which would mean that after reading 3+ books you know these characters well and develop feelings for them. I can only go on what is in the pilot and the characters are paper-thin - there is just not much there (or even much time devoted to them) to hook me. Of course, you don't always need ample screentime (I was hooked on Jeremy Irons' Alexander VI in The Borgias in about two minutes) but this instant connection is not here either.

Point five is my biggest problem and that is why I am giving the show more time. It may develop the characters to my satisfaction giving more time.

In conclusion, prettily shot this is:



(Yes, of course, this woman gets raped too. Why do you ask?)

Game of Thrones - episode 1

I finally got around to check out the first episode. I liked some of it, had problems with other parts (more below). It's not instant love but not instant loathing so I will check out eps 2-4 and see if they click. So, likes and dislikes (keep in mind I have never read the books).

1. Like: it's gorgeously filmed but also conveys the sense of time and place well. It's fantasy that is very close to real world.

2. Like: all the actors are excellent.

3. Like: Despite lack of familiarity with the characters and the large cast, I had no trouble keeping them apart or following storylines.

4. Dislike: the treatment of women. Except for Catelyn, every other woman who had a speaking part and hit puberty was shown in context of sex (willing or un) with an 'important' male character. WTF! I don't mean the female character did a bunch of things including have sex, no, I mean they were pretty much defined by their sex scenes. Gender treatment fail!

5. Dislike: I am not emotionally invested at all in these people nor am I particularly interested in them. In fact, the only strong feeling I had the whole episode was at the end and it was "ugh, please someone, kill Jaime Lannister" but then, throwing a child out of a window is pretty much designed to get an emotional response from almost any body. Unlike most viewers on my flist, I don't have the book background which would mean that after reading 3+ books you know these characters well and develop feelings for them. I can only go on what is in the pilot and the characters are paper-thin - there is just not much there (or even much time devoted to them) to hook me. Of course, you don't always need ample screentime (I was hooked on Jeremy Irons' Alexander VI in The Borgias in about two minutes) but this instant connection is not here either.

Point five is my biggest problem and that is why I am giving the show more time. It may develop the characters to my satisfaction giving more time.

In conclusion, prettily shot this is:



(Yes, of course, this woman gets raped too. Why do you ask?)

Oh, for goodness' sake!

Hong Sisters, are you telling me that a 40-yr-old man who is not developmentally disabled needs a heart monitor to inform him whether he is in love or not???? He is not five, for God's sake!!! The whole "my heart monitor is going fast, I must be in love. Oh wait, it's not going fast, so I am not, even though my emotions are the same as when monitor was going into overdrive" are not cute or interesting. They are insane!

If we are supposed to feel bad that he may lose AJ over this, the writers are insane - if he had IQ above fridge temperature or a modicum of emotional sensitivity, this wouldn't have happened - his rote stupidity and self-absorbtion makes it hard for me to care.

I think this is why romcom is my least favorite kdrama genre - there are usually little plot or genuine obstacles so the writers are often tempted to create heroes with the emotional maturity of a cucumber as a source of conflict. In a period drama, they'd last about two minutes flat.

Oh, for goodness' sake!

Hong Sisters, are you telling me that a 40-yr-old man who is not developmentally disabled needs a heart monitor to inform him whether he is in love or not???? He is not five, for God's sake!!! The whole "my heart monitor is going fast, I must be in love. Oh wait, it's not going fast, so I am not, even though my emotions are the same as when monitor was going into overdrive" are not cute or interesting. They are insane!

If we are supposed to feel bad that he may lose AJ over this, the writers are insane - if he had IQ above fridge temperature or a modicum of emotional sensitivity, this wouldn't have happened - his rote stupidity and self-absorbtion makes it hard for me to care.

I think this is why romcom is my least favorite kdrama genre - there are usually little plot or genuine obstacles so the writers are often tempted to create heroes with the emotional maturity of a cucumber as a source of conflict. In a period drama, they'd last about two minutes flat.

Oh, for goodness' sake!

Hong Sisters, are you telling me that a 40-yr-old man who is not developmentally disabled needs a heart monitor to inform him whether he is in love or not???? He is not five, for God's sake!!! The whole "my heart monitor is going fast, I must be in love. Oh wait, it's not going fast, so I am not, even though my emotions are the same as when monitor was going into overdrive" are not cute or interesting. They are insane!

If we are supposed to feel bad that he may lose AJ over this, the writers are insane - if he had IQ above fridge temperature or a modicum of emotional sensitivity, this wouldn't have happened - his rote stupidity and self-absorbtion makes it hard for me to care.

I think this is why romcom is my least favorite kdrama genre - there are usually little plot or genuine obstacles so the writers are often tempted to create heroes with the emotional maturity of a cucumber as a source of conflict. In a period drama, they'd last about two minutes flat.

My Love Letter to Lie To Me

I was about ready to write off kdrama romcoms entirely, as a genre.

And then LtM happened.



In both the ratings and fandom love romcom three-way battle this season, Best Love is a clear winner and Romance Town seems to be the alterna-quirky choice. As to LtM, even its few fans find many a flaw in it.

Not me.

Best Love actively annoys me, and while I enjoyed Romance Town's vibe, ultimately it didn't grab me. But when it comes to Lie to Me? I love love love love love love love love it!!! I am currently ensconced in my bed, marathonning it as if the world is ending tomorrow and it's making me so very happy even if my eyes are about to fall out after I watched 5 eps straight.



LtM has the slimmest of plots but it does not matter (since when has anyone watched a romcom for the plot?) because the leads and their interactions are sheer perfection - I could watch those two brush teeth for hours on end.



It really doesn't remind me of any kdrama as much as it does of my favorite twdrama romcoms - with their slim plots, ridiculous co-star chemistry, free physical affection, a certain romantic realism and utter, crack-level addiction. But if I had to pick a kdrama it makes me think of, it would be Marry Me Mary, one of the very few recent kdrama romcoms that clicked for me. At least until it derailed into a flaming trainwreck, which hopefully LtM will avoid, I adored MMM, flaws and all, due to the fact that I felt I was peeking on two awesome, in-love, insane chemistry real people.



Part of my adoration is, undoubtedly, my love for its stars Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye, but that cannot be just it - I like the actors in both BL and RT too. I think a large part of it that unlike wholly artificial worlds and characters of the other two, the world and leads of LtM feel real to me, even if seen through a romcom lens. I can imagine a person like YEH and KJH's characters actually existing and I can imagine the world around them existing too. It helps that neither is immature or incompetent. I am interested and invested in them. More than that, I adore them, adore them to bits, separately and together - I'd love to hang out with Ah Jung and I am crushing on Gi Joon, and together they are pure awesomeness and puppies and rainbows and kittens and snark and a vibe so intense I am surprised things don't combust when they they are within ten feet of each other.



For yes - then there is the chemistry.

Ahhhhh, the chemistry. The insane, ridiculous, 'I have rarely seen the like' chemistry.

So, thank you, LtM, for restoring my faith in kdrama romcoms!

You make me laugh and swoon and, much more importantly, you make me cry - that means I really do love these characters.



Oh, and I do wonder - Gi Joon gave up his previous fiancee because of his younger brother having a thing for her (side note - if I were the fiancee, I'd go on a flipping rampage after that sort of thing. I confess if it wasn't for my YEH love and KJH/YEH chemistry, I'd totally ship him with ex-fiancee because I am a sucker for emotionally messy relationships and angst). But it's being made slowly clear that younger bro really digs Ah Jung now - is history going to repeat itself or is he actually going to fight for her this time? (Honestly - GJ loved the fiancee but gave her up and his bro doesn't seem to have had any problem getting over her - surely that should teach GJ a lesson that his brother is emotionally fickle and that sort of sacrifice is not worth it).

I am through ep 5 (I watched the second half of 1 and then 2-5 in one day (!!!!)) and if it wasn't for the fact that I had to be functional in the morning, I would not stop even now.

Oh, and as always, I am behind on replies. I apologize and will get to them ASAP.

Also, any LtM fans on my flist, if you haven't already, you should check out Ockoala's amazing blog, Koala's Playground, for recaps, fangirling, and utter and amazing meta and squee.

My Love Letter to Lie To Me

I was about ready to write off kdrama romcoms entirely, as a genre.

And then LtM happened.



In both the ratings and fandom love romcom three-way battle this season, Best Love is a clear winner and Romance Town seems to be the alterna-quirky choice. As to LtM, even its few fans find many a flaw in it.

Not me.

Best Love actively annoys me, and while I enjoyed Romance Town's vibe, ultimately it didn't grab me. But when it comes to Lie to Me? I love love love love love love love love it!!! I am currently ensconced in my bed, marathonning it as if the world is ending tomorrow and it's making me so very happy even if my eyes are about to fall out after I watched 5 eps straight.



LtM has the slimmest of plots but it does not matter (since when has anyone watched a romcom for the plot?) because the leads and their interactions are sheer perfection - I could watch those two brush teeth for hours on end.



It really doesn't remind me of any kdrama as much as it does of my favorite twdrama romcoms - with their slim plots, ridiculous co-star chemistry, free physical affection, a certain romantic realism and utter, crack-level addiction. But if I had to pick a kdrama it makes me think of, it would be Marry Me Mary, one of the very few recent kdrama romcoms that clicked for me. At least until it derailed into a flaming trainwreck, which hopefully LtM will avoid, I adored MMM, flaws and all, due to the fact that I felt I was peeking on two awesome, in-love, insane chemistry real people.



Part of my adoration is, undoubtedly, my love for its stars Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye, but that cannot be just it - I like the actors in both BL and RT too. I think a large part of it that unlike wholly artificial worlds and characters of the other two, the world and leads of LtM feel real to me, even if seen through a romcom lens. I can imagine a person like YEH and KJH's characters actually existing and I can imagine the world around them existing too. It helps that neither is immature or incompetent. I am interested and invested in them. More than that, I adore them, adore them to bits, separately and together - I'd love to hang out with Ah Jung and I am crushing on Gi Joon, and together they are pure awesomeness and puppies and rainbows and kittens and snark and a vibe so intense I am surprised things don't combust when they they are within ten feet of each other.



For yes - then there is the chemistry.

Ahhhhh, the chemistry. The insane, ridiculous, 'I have rarely seen the like' chemistry.

So, thank you, LtM, for restoring my faith in kdrama romcoms!

You make me laugh and swoon and, much more importantly, you make me cry - that means I really do love these characters.



Oh, and I do wonder - Gi Joon gave up his previous fiancee because of his younger brother having a thing for her (side note - if I were the fiancee, I'd go on a flipping rampage after that sort of thing. I confess if it wasn't for my YEH love and KJH/YEH chemistry, I'd totally ship him with ex-fiancee because I am a sucker for emotionally messy relationships and angst). But it's being made slowly clear that younger bro really digs Ah Jung now - is history going to repeat itself or is he actually going to fight for her this time? (Honestly - GJ loved the fiancee but gave her up and his bro doesn't seem to have had any problem getting over her - surely that should teach GJ a lesson that his brother is emotionally fickle and that sort of sacrifice is not worth it).

I am through ep 5 (I watched the second half of 1 and then 2-5 in one day (!!!!)) and if it wasn't for the fact that I had to be functional in the morning, I would not stop even now.

Oh, and as always, I am behind on replies. I apologize and will get to them ASAP.

Also, any LtM fans on my flist, if you haven't already, you should check out Ockoala's amazing blog, Koala's Playground, for recaps, fangirling, and utter and amazing meta and squee.

My Love Letter to Lie To Me

I was about ready to write off kdrama romcoms entirely, as a genre.

And then LtM happened.



In both the ratings and fandom love romcom three-way battle this season, Best Love is a clear winner and Romance Town seems to be the alterna-quirky choice. As to LtM, even its few fans find many a flaw in it.

Not me.

Best Love actively annoys me, and while I enjoyed Romance Town's vibe, ultimately it didn't grab me. But when it comes to Lie to Me? I love love love love love love love love it!!! I am currently ensconced in my bed, marathonning it as if the world is ending tomorrow and it's making me so very happy even if my eyes are about to fall out after I watched 5 eps straight.



LtM has the slimmest of plots but it does not matter (since when has anyone watched a romcom for the plot?) because the leads and their interactions are sheer perfection - I could watch those two brush teeth for hours on end.



It really doesn't remind me of any kdrama as much as it does of my favorite twdrama romcoms - with their slim plots, ridiculous co-star chemistry, free physical affection, a certain romantic realism and utter, crack-level addiction. But if I had to pick a kdrama it makes me think of, it would be Marry Me Mary, one of the very few recent kdrama romcoms that clicked for me. At least until it derailed into a flaming trainwreck, which hopefully LtM will avoid, I adored MMM, flaws and all, due to the fact that I felt I was peeking on two awesome, in-love, insane chemistry real people.



Part of my adoration is, undoubtedly, my love for its stars Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye, but that cannot be just it - I like the actors in both BL and RT too. I think a large part of it that unlike wholly artificial worlds and characters of the other two, the world and leads of LtM feel real to me, even if seen through a romcom lens. I can imagine a person like YEH and KJH's characters actually existing and I can imagine the world around them existing too. It helps that neither is immature or incompetent. I am interested and invested in them. More than that, I adore them, adore them to bits, separately and together - I'd love to hang out with Ah Jung and I am crushing on Gi Joon, and together they are pure awesomeness and puppies and rainbows and kittens and snark and a vibe so intense I am surprised things don't combust when they they are within ten feet of each other.



For yes - then there is the chemistry.

Ahhhhh, the chemistry. The insane, ridiculous, 'I have rarely seen the like' chemistry.

So, thank you, LtM, for restoring my faith in kdrama romcoms!

You make me laugh and swoon and, much more importantly, you make me cry - that means I really do love these characters.



Oh, and I do wonder - Gi Joon gave up his previous fiancee because of his younger brother having a thing for her (side note - if I were the fiancee, I'd go on a flipping rampage after that sort of thing. I confess if it wasn't for my YEH love and KJH/YEH chemistry, I'd totally ship him with ex-fiancee because I am a sucker for emotionally messy relationships and angst). But it's being made slowly clear that younger bro really digs Ah Jung now - is history going to repeat itself or is he actually going to fight for her this time? (Honestly - GJ loved the fiancee but gave her up and his bro doesn't seem to have had any problem getting over her - surely that should teach GJ a lesson that his brother is emotionally fickle and that sort of sacrifice is not worth it).

I am through ep 5 (I watched the second half of 1 and then 2-5 in one day (!!!!)) and if it wasn't for the fact that I had to be functional in the morning, I would not stop even now.

Oh, and as always, I am behind on replies. I apologize and will get to them ASAP.

Also, any LtM fans on my flist, if you haven't already, you should check out Ockoala's amazing blog, Koala's Playground, for recaps, fangirling, and utter and amazing meta and squee.