Musings of the Obsessive Kind

So, after a measly break of two months, I've restarted my Veronica Mars rewatch, which I abandoned temporarily before getting to 'Kanes and Abel.' Perfect timing as now I have S2 so can watch at a stretch.

I haven't finished rewatching the ep so far, but what I find interesting is that for an ep that is pretty low on my rewatch list (it's a solid ep, but not a favorite), it really deals with a lot of themes so prevalent and crucial in the VM universe. K&A is Veronica's lowest moral point IMO. I find her not mentioning to Amelia that her father is dying, in order to get her way and solve Lilly's murder, quite despicable. Probably the worst (morally) thing she's done. This ep showcases both Veronica's flaws and darkness (that is a messed up girl) and her obsession levels. And in the ep mystery, we return yet again to the theme of parents and children, especially fathers and children, that is so central in the VM universe. We deal with flawed but loving parent in this case (Hamilton Cho's father), a sort of in the middle of continuum between the amazing Daddy Keith, and dreadful enough to be in a dorama Aaron. Next up, 'Weapons of Class Destruction' and unless the aliens abduct me tonight, I am getting to it no matter what. I still remember my screaming at that Camelot kiss. I said that I've seen the spinning camera during a clinch mainly in Bollywood and doramas (and it's my favorite thing), but the Camelot kiss is the exception, as they do that there too, and it really adds to the swept in the moment, passionate feel.

Also, Battlestar Galactica S3 promo pics came out. To see all the pics, go here, but I've posted a few behind cut, with comments on them.

( BSG eyecandy )

fivil wrote an incredible, long and spoilery review of the best Bollywood movie of the year, Omkara. Go read it.

I've started my watch of ep 9 of Tokyo Juliet (it's subbed up to 10 now) and OMG. More angst! Yay! This is sick of me, but I find Liang by far the prettiest when he angsts. He does it so well.

And because you can never have too much hotness in a single post, behind the cut is a pic I stole from je12_vz09, of Matsumoto Jun, Domyouji in Hana Yori Dango and Shin in Gokusen

( Enter at your own peril as worksafe but still unbearable hotness is behind cut )

Also, I saw a plushie of Kenshin (!!!!) at Borders yesterday, plushy scar and sword included. You have no idea how hard it was to resist buying it.

So, after a measly break of two months, I've restarted my Veronica Mars rewatch, which I abandoned temporarily before getting to 'Kanes and Abel.' Perfect timing as now I have S2 so can watch at a stretch.

I haven't finished rewatching the ep so far, but what I find interesting is that for an ep that is pretty low on my rewatch list (it's a solid ep, but not a favorite), it really deals with a lot of themes so prevalent and crucial in the VM universe. K&A is Veronica's lowest moral point IMO. I find her not mentioning to Amelia that her father is dying, in order to get her way and solve Lilly's murder, quite despicable. Probably the worst (morally) thing she's done. This ep showcases both Veronica's flaws and darkness (that is a messed up girl) and her obsession levels. And in the ep mystery, we return yet again to the theme of parents and children, especially fathers and children, that is so central in the VM universe. We deal with flawed but loving parent in this case (Hamilton Cho's father), a sort of in the middle of continuum between the amazing Daddy Keith, and dreadful enough to be in a dorama Aaron. Next up, 'Weapons of Class Destruction' and unless the aliens abduct me tonight, I am getting to it no matter what. I still remember my screaming at that Camelot kiss. I said that I've seen the spinning camera during a clinch mainly in Bollywood and doramas (and it's my favorite thing), but the Camelot kiss is the exception, as they do that there too, and it really adds to the swept in the moment, passionate feel.

Also, Battlestar Galactica S3 promo pics came out. To see all the pics, go here, but I've posted a few behind cut, with comments on them.

( BSG eyecandy )

fivil wrote an incredible, long and spoilery review of the best Bollywood movie of the year, Omkara. Go read it.

I've started my watch of ep 9 of Tokyo Juliet (it's subbed up to 10 now) and OMG. More angst! Yay! This is sick of me, but I find Liang by far the prettiest when he angsts. He does it so well.

And because you can never have too much hotness in a single post, behind the cut is a pic I stole from je12_vz09, of Matsumoto Jun, Domyouji in Hana Yori Dango and Shin in Gokusen

( Enter at your own peril as worksafe but still unbearable hotness is behind cut )

Also, I saw a plushie of Kenshin (!!!!) at Borders yesterday, plushy scar and sword included. You have no idea how hard it was to resist buying it.

I know Veronica has been compared to Buffy, and it's no secret that RT loves Buffy and that Joss returns the compliment and loves VM. And true, both shows revolve (revolved) around a short blonde who possesses skills those in her peer group do not. But I think this is where it ends. I don't think that Veronica and Buffy have too much in common. In fact, someone like Max from Dark Angel (who has supernatural fighting abilities she must hide and a special destiny) has more in common with Buffy than does Veronica. Both Neptune and Sunnydale are hyper-real, unreal worlds. But in a very different fashion.

Let's compare and contrast. Buffy is a girl who has a destiny. She is the "Chosen One" who really can't 'retire' because if she does, the world ends. Veronica has no special significance in the world. And she can certainly let go of her sleuthing any time she wants. Veronica is a more acid-tongued and messed up version of an average girl. Not Buffy. Buffy, btw, longs for normalcy throughout and the destiny she can't shake keeps her from it. Veronica, who is 'abnormal' by choice, finds average normalcy overrated, probably because she got to choose. Of course, unlike Buffy, she doesn't have to live with the daily reality that today might be the last day of her life. She is also much more of an outcast than Buffy who has her group of friends in high school and while no Miss Popularity, is not reviled, shunned, mocked.

Their guy tastes are different too. Buffy seems to be drawn to 'dangerous men' (Spike is clearly a bad boy and Angel, ensouled and helping the helpless or not, has some severe issues and a dark side and is not someone you want to cross). When she tries it with nice guy Riley, the relationship goes nowhere. And she never even notices Xander as a man. And she always needs a man on her arm. Veronica, who is happily single for long stretches, doesn't have the whole dangerous=sexy thing. She is no slayer running through dark cemeteries with a thin wooden stick looking for a fight. She falls for Logan because she likes his other characteristics, and his issues/dangers are actually a drawback, one that makes her break up with him. I think it has to do with the differences between her and Veronica's priorities. Veronica wants someone who can keep up with her mentally and let her do her detectiving. Buffy needs someone who is good enough in a fight to have her back (she can defeat both Angel and Spike but it takes some doing).

They do both come from broken homes and backgrounds. Both have rather unsatisfactory mothers (I will never forget Joyce kicking Buffy out at the end of S2), though of course Joyce, clueless or not, is a much much better mother than the awful Lianne. And both find compensation for that in their father figures: in Veronica's case it's her real father, and in Buffy's it's her father figure Giles. They are close to them in a more equal relationship than the usual father-child one.

Veronica is more emotionally mature, but less emotionally open of the two. No matter the zingers life throws Buffy (hello, first time with love of life resulting in said love turning evil! dying! Twice! etc), Buffy remains emotionally open, where Veronica builds walls. They both use snark as their shields, but what hides behind those shields is different: Buffy is afraid of all the darkness, of being a freak, of loss of friends and loved ones, Veronica is afraid of hoping and being hurt again.

And of course, detectiving and killing demons? Not really similar activities at all...

Watched Supernatural's "Phantom Traveler." About five minutes in, I'd realized that this is the only SPN ep I've seen before (I am usually never home when SPN is on at normal time on WB). My thought back then was that it was nice, but not enough for me to tape, and true to form, it's my least fave ep so far, though quite enjoyable. I like me my angst. Still, the usually unflappable Dean being scared of flying was hilarious. And Sam being he voice of reason and focus. Cute. But my favorite bit was at the end, when they call that voice number and get Dad's voicemail message, saying that he is unavailable and that if it's an emergency, contact 'my son Dean.' What really struck me about that scene was the look on Dean's face. It was such a mix of emotions. What struck me the most was the look on his face when the message referred to him. Was it some sort of pride that his father thought he was good enough to call instead, or missing his father a lot, or just some starving need for attention from Dad being partially fed? What? crumpeteer indicated that Sam is the 'special' child (and the demon they destroyed in this one seemed to know about Sam's gf, so spirit world seems to keep tabs on him, too), so I wonder if Dean knows about it and feels second class, in respect to how their father views them. No idea, but I just thought it was such a messed up, starving look. Dean actually fits the mold of characters I like quite perfectly: incredibly strong walls to hide the fact that once you are in, all defenses are made of paper.

Also, this show has one heck of a body count, doesn't it? Buffy levels. Ooooh, Dean/Faith. I can see that. Someone on my flist was reccing some fic that involved that (I think it was femmenerd) and I must go see if there are any links.

I've also been continuing my rewatch of Veronica Mars and am now through "Betty and Veronica." And for once, what I want to talk about in RB and B&V is not Logan *gasp* but Leo and Veronica. Leo is that nice guy who has little chemistry or excitement with V. I think, in some ways, he is antithesis to Troy who was witty, charming, and untrustworthy. I do think in some ways that is why V picks him: she knows he is thoroughly a good guy (and of course, you get the sense of her and Duncan mutually and gradually letting each other go and being at peace with this throughout these eps). But that is the problem. He is good, he is nice, and there is no spark. It's significant that their whole interaction is so based on her asking him for favors (great character continuity with second season btw. Here, Leo has no problem 'borrowing' evidence tapes because V asks him. For him, rules are flexible and personal comes first so it fits perfectly into OAV) and always being able to keep the case first. Just compare it to her and Logan, no rational logic for getting together, being giddy and swept away and concentrating on the chemistry to the exclusion of other things, completely bowled over. And of course, the ultimate fact is that Leo is a nice guy. Veronica, amazingly cool as she is, is not a nice girl. Meg is a nice girl. V 1.0 is a nice girl. V 2.0? Not so much.

And also, quite indicative that when Logan is grieving for his mother, he acts out by being exhibitionist drunk and hiding his real emotion: that is such a pattern for so much of his actions throughout the season.

Watched Supernatural's "Phantom Traveler." About five minutes in, I'd realized that this is the only SPN ep I've seen before (I am usually never home when SPN is on at normal time on WB). My thought back then was that it was nice, but not enough for me to tape, and true to form, it's my least fave ep so far, though quite enjoyable. I like me my angst. Still, the usually unflappable Dean being scared of flying was hilarious. And Sam being he voice of reason and focus. Cute. But my favorite bit was at the end, when they call that voice number and get Dad's voicemail message, saying that he is unavailable and that if it's an emergency, contact 'my son Dean.' What really struck me about that scene was the look on Dean's face. It was such a mix of emotions. What struck me the most was the look on his face when the message referred to him. Was it some sort of pride that his father thought he was good enough to call instead, or missing his father a lot, or just some starving need for attention from Dad being partially fed? What? crumpeteer indicated that Sam is the 'special' child (and the demon they destroyed in this one seemed to know about Sam's gf, so spirit world seems to keep tabs on him, too), so I wonder if Dean knows about it and feels second class, in respect to how their father views them. No idea, but I just thought it was such a messed up, starving look. Dean actually fits the mold of characters I like quite perfectly: incredibly strong walls to hide the fact that once you are in, all defenses are made of paper.

Also, this show has one heck of a body count, doesn't it? Buffy levels. Ooooh, Dean/Faith. I can see that. Someone on my flist was reccing some fic that involved that (I think it was femmenerd) and I must go see if there are any links.

I've also been continuing my rewatch of Veronica Mars and am now through "Betty and Veronica." And for once, what I want to talk about in RB and B&V is not Logan *gasp* but Leo and Veronica. Leo is that nice guy who has little chemistry or excitement with V. I think, in some ways, he is antithesis to Troy who was witty, charming, and untrustworthy. I do think in some ways that is why V picks him: she knows he is thoroughly a good guy (and of course, you get the sense of her and Duncan mutually and gradually letting each other go and being at peace with this throughout these eps). But that is the problem. He is good, he is nice, and there is no spark. It's significant that their whole interaction is so based on her asking him for favors (great character continuity with second season btw. Here, Leo has no problem 'borrowing' evidence tapes because V asks him. For him, rules are flexible and personal comes first so it fits perfectly into OAV) and always being able to keep the case first. Just compare it to her and Logan, no rational logic for getting together, being giddy and swept away and concentrating on the chemistry to the exclusion of other things, completely bowled over. And of course, the ultimate fact is that Leo is a nice guy. Veronica, amazingly cool as she is, is not a nice girl. Meg is a nice girl. V 1.0 is a nice girl. V 2.0? Not so much.

And also, quite indicative that when Logan is grieving for his mother, he acts out by being exhibitionist drunk and hiding his real emotion: that is such a pattern for so much of his actions throughout the season.

Saw "Dead in the Water." Oh. Dean broke my heart in this ep. You really begin to find out how FUBAR he is. When he talks to that kid about watching his Mom die and how he thinks every day about her wanting him to be brave and his voice breaks. OMG. I am a sap but I am kind of crying.

He is just so vulnerable there. And I love Sam beginning to realize all that. And then of course Dean's shields go right back up. But it's fascinating to me that so much of Dean seems to be built right on that horrible damage of watching your mother burn and of growing up in this crazy warrior family and having to take care of Sam. And I get the feeling he tries not to think about all this too much because otherwise he won't be able to function. And he so sees himself in that little boy and it so brings everything back.

Also, "Must be hard, with your sense of direction. Never being able to find your way to a decent pick-up line" is a great put down line I need to remember for the future.

I also rewatched Ruskie Business and I do have in-depth thoughts about it, but the scene that stuck with me is when Logan crumples in V's arms. I want to look away, because it just looks as if he is folding in on himself and cannot hold his grief any longer. And what a horrible thing that he can't find any comfort with his sister but just more pain and barbs and horribleness (mutual). Whoa.

And, in unrelated news, I guess after watching Krrish, I have a minor case of Hrithikmania. For those who don't know but are interested, when Hrithik Roshan debuted in 2000 in the (IMO) utterly forgettable Kaho Na Pyar Hai (which nontheless made a gazillion), people in India went nuts. He was making women swoon in the aisles, Valentino style.

But for me, the reason for liking him is simple. It's this. This is a dance number from Lakshya. The movie itself is a mess, IMO. But I've never seen anyone move like this and I can watch him dance forever. For anyone wondering about the odd choreography and context, Hrithik plays a slacker imagining not wanting to do anything in life and that is what the number is about. Actually, I don't even like watching him dance with heroines, because they never can keep up and I just want them to get out of the frame so I can concentrate on him.

Plus, there is the fact that he looks ( Like This )

First off, I think I am a dork but I watched this waaaay too many times. (Scroll all the way down and to the right and click on the VM link for the video).

Secondly, the rest of this post is meta on Mars versus Mars. I love the A-plot on this one: Keith pitted against Veronica, and they are both right and both wrong (yes, Rooke is a slimebag, no, he didn't sleep with Carrie). Of course, since Rooke is an excellent teacher, I guess the best place for him is at an all-boys academy.

But forget all that, because I want to talk about the B-plot, L & V's search for Lynn. I love that 2.14 starts exactly where 2.13 leaves off. The expression on Logan's face as he stands outside's V's door? It's incredibly hard for him to ask, and he knows he has no right, but he is desperate. And a bit too strongly in denial (why do people think she is dead? Let's see, Logan. She ditched her car with open doors in the middle of a bridge and left a suicide note). But Logan is so fragile and desperate here, because despite how lousy Lynn was as a mother, if she is gone he has nothing left but Aaron. *shudder* And the fact that he doesn't want to locate her, just wants to know she is OK, even if it means she abandoned him is heartbreaking. So is his comment to V that if his Mom would have killed herself, she would have used Chardonnay and sleeping pills. No kid should be able to say that about his Mom as if he knew this for a fact. Wow.

And I love that V, who knows what it's like to have a parent abandon you, agrees to help so readily. It's not that Logan used to be a friend, it's because she can so well imagine herself in his place. Though she is differently deluded: she thinks her Mom really cares for her.

And so we get V and L working together. I love the scene in the parking lot when she tells him about her plan about the white trash woman talking about seeing Lynn jump. Teamwork and snark make their appearance. Yay. And they are definitely on the same wavelength in the sheriff's office: they just have this incredible chemistry and vibe which makes me grin every time I see them have scenes together. I'd forgotten how wonderful it feels. And then of course, poor Logan, having to listen to that woman say that she will say anything to tabloids, and making money and fame off his mother's death. No wonder he blows up. And that horrible moment when he realizes that the woman who claims she saw Lynn alive is a deluded fan and you can tell by the slump of his shoulders that the weight of the world just dropped on him and he wanders out of there without even looking where he is going (and how typical that Weevil is, ultimately, willing to help). And then of course when he watches that video of his Mother's body falling. And he stumbles out and I feel like he can't even see at that moment and he is so in shock he is just looking for a place to hide.

I also love how he is trying to keep V at a distance throughout all this, make it a professional job, because if it's not, if she is doing it because she feels sorry for him or for old times sake, it opens a whole can of worms he is not willing to deal with, it brings in emotions and makes V his friend and he isn't ready to open himself up like that. But that scene in her office when he teases and they talk back and forth about tabloids and 'you mean the girl with the pig arm can't really bowl?" And his crack about penicillin (ahhh, irony in light of S2). That is chemistry. Can't bottle it, can't fake it, but when it's there...I love LV lighthearted moments. And then of course we get to next ep which I haven't rewatched yet, but I remember his touching her arm and holding it, and it's the first voluntary physical contact he's made with her, and it shows their growing awareness of each other and him opening up. Yay.

Also, I started watching Supernatural Pilot (about 10 minutes in) and it's very good. In fact, I am hooked, hooked, hooked! Sam's desire for normalcy and Dean's acceptance of his role (because what else can he do? Someone's got to do it) is good. Eye candy isn't good though. It's AMAZING.

First off, I think I am a dork but I watched this waaaay too many times. (Scroll all the way down and to the right and click on the VM link for the video).

Secondly, the rest of this post is meta on Mars versus Mars. I love the A-plot on this one: Keith pitted against Veronica, and they are both right and both wrong (yes, Rooke is a slimebag, no, he didn't sleep with Carrie). Of course, since Rooke is an excellent teacher, I guess the best place for him is at an all-boys academy.

But forget all that, because I want to talk about the B-plot, L & V's search for Lynn. I love that 2.14 starts exactly where 2.13 leaves off. The expression on Logan's face as he stands outside's V's door? It's incredibly hard for him to ask, and he knows he has no right, but he is desperate. And a bit too strongly in denial (why do people think she is dead? Let's see, Logan. She ditched her car with open doors in the middle of a bridge and left a suicide note). But Logan is so fragile and desperate here, because despite how lousy Lynn was as a mother, if she is gone he has nothing left but Aaron. *shudder* And the fact that he doesn't want to locate her, just wants to know she is OK, even if it means she abandoned him is heartbreaking. So is his comment to V that if his Mom would have killed herself, she would have used Chardonnay and sleeping pills. No kid should be able to say that about his Mom as if he knew this for a fact. Wow.

And I love that V, who knows what it's like to have a parent abandon you, agrees to help so readily. It's not that Logan used to be a friend, it's because she can so well imagine herself in his place. Though she is differently deluded: she thinks her Mom really cares for her.

And so we get V and L working together. I love the scene in the parking lot when she tells him about her plan about the white trash woman talking about seeing Lynn jump. Teamwork and snark make their appearance. Yay. And they are definitely on the same wavelength in the sheriff's office: they just have this incredible chemistry and vibe which makes me grin every time I see them have scenes together. I'd forgotten how wonderful it feels. And then of course, poor Logan, having to listen to that woman say that she will say anything to tabloids, and making money and fame off his mother's death. No wonder he blows up. And that horrible moment when he realizes that the woman who claims she saw Lynn alive is a deluded fan and you can tell by the slump of his shoulders that the weight of the world just dropped on him and he wanders out of there without even looking where he is going (and how typical that Weevil is, ultimately, willing to help). And then of course when he watches that video of his Mother's body falling. And he stumbles out and I feel like he can't even see at that moment and he is so in shock he is just looking for a place to hide.

I also love how he is trying to keep V at a distance throughout all this, make it a professional job, because if it's not, if she is doing it because she feels sorry for him or for old times sake, it opens a whole can of worms he is not willing to deal with, it brings in emotions and makes V his friend and he isn't ready to open himself up like that. But that scene in her office when he teases and they talk back and forth about tabloids and 'you mean the girl with the pig arm can't really bowl?" And his crack about penicillin (ahhh, irony in light of S2). That is chemistry. Can't bottle it, can't fake it, but when it's there...I love LV lighthearted moments. And then of course we get to next ep which I haven't rewatched yet, but I remember his touching her arm and holding it, and it's the first voluntary physical contact he's made with her, and it shows their growing awareness of each other and him opening up. Yay.

Also, I started watching Supernatural Pilot (about 10 minutes in) and it's very good. In fact, I am hooked, hooked, hooked! Sam's desire for normalcy and Dean's acceptance of his role (because what else can he do? Someone's got to do it) is good. Eye candy isn't good though. It's AMAZING.

It's an ep where the A-plot doesn't hold my interest much (though I love Keith and V working together), but the rest of the stuff is fascinating. Bone Hamilton contiues the theme of fathers and how important they are (gosh, this season is incredibly tightly written). We find out more about Lilly which makes her even less of a dream princess: she is shallow and spoiled (fleet week? chasing sailors with jailbait? Way to go. Ugh) and her comments about Logan being jealous look quite different in retrospect. We don't see him jealous with V (until she is sleeping with Duncan, and I think that's justifiable grounds) or at any other time (he idly checks out Caitlin's phone when he thinks she is cheating). Every time he suspects something it's because he is right: Lilly WAS cheating, Caitlin was cheating, and hey, D/V are clearly dating. It's not being jealous to believe that something is happening whe it's really happening. It's just not being an idiot. But with Lilly, she quite led him a dance, didn't she? Lilly strikes me as someone who'd goad you into being jealous so she could feel powerful and wanted (and of course part of it is girl exaggeration: 'my guy loves me THIS much. Look how jealous he is') which is where her jealousy comes in: she might not want Logan herself, but he is her property and should not get away. I bet if she didn't die, they would have gotten together again and it would hav been a mess again. L/L sounds SO dysfunctional.

But in the whole ep, it's the Logan theater of angst that makes this ep. All the scenes between Aaron and Logan just crackle. You get the sense that Logan is acting out, as if he is trying to push Aaron's buttons so Aaron would punish him because I think in some oblique way he feels he deserved pain because he failed his mother, and also because that's the only kind of attention he gets at home. If Aaron hits him, means Aaron notices, means he matters. And oh, the ferocious, angry 'good cheer' he puts on at the funeral. And I love the Duncan-Logan scene. Duncan is really being a good friend to Logan, and Logan is coping by not coping and denial and of course I know how it's all going to end up and it's just heart-breaking. I also noticed that during that whole talk, there is a pic of Logan and his Mom on the dresser. And I love that Duncan looks so worried for Logan's denial but doesn't know what to say. And poor Logan, hanging on to shreds and 'signs.' He'd rather his Mom abandoned him to his horrible father than she died (and abandoned him this way instead).

And that bit about his 10th bday and the milkshake, I love that he is just resigned to Aaron remembering it differently. It's spoken like someone who knows no one will believe him and who knows that he will never be able to convince Aaron (Aaron is perfect at self-delusion). His matter of fact resignation of the topic as even not worth arguing about is horrible. I wonder how it ties in to the fact of Trina later saying that he used to 'tell stories' about 'cigarette burns and broken noses.' I get the feeling he might have complained when he was younger and no one believed him and he eventually stopped. So he never really tries for the truth any more.

And of course the final scene SQUEE with Logan asking for V's help looking so vulnerable.

First off, I simply LOVE the title for "Clash of the Tritons." One of my fave titles ever. I have the bad taste to like puns.

Another ep where I find B-plot (Veronica eavesdropping on people's confidences about Lilly, Echolls family falling apart) more interesting than the A plot even though I really like A plot.

( Thoughts on Clash of the Tritons )

And in non-VM news, I'd like to rec two excellent Kara/Anders (from BSG) fics, by lyssie. In fact they are so real about relationships and happiness without glamour, I'd rec them even if you don't watch BSG. Pornapalooza and Not a World of Magic Shows

And lunasky has amazing, half-nekkid picspam of Italy's Football team that is to die for. Potentially not work-safe.