Monday Media Musings - 8/5/19

[owlmoose]

I don't miss much about Tumblr, but it was so much easier to meet people in brand new fandoms there. It seems clear that no one currently reading this journal knows or cares much about Arrowverse, and it's a bit of a bummer that I don't really have anyone to chatter at about it. The lack of active communities on DW is one of its biggest downsides. (I haven't wandered over to Tumblr, beyond trawling for Nia/Brainy content a couple of weeks ago, because I'm sure the tags would be chock-a-block with spoilers, and although I know a fair amount of big-picture info from having seen Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and the major crossovers already, there have still been a number of surprises, and I want to preserve as many of them as possible.)

Anyway! Three guesses what I spent my time watching this week.

Arrow, Season 3: I haven't quite finished this yet -- it's harder to watch a season in a week when I'm alternating with another show, and it's going to get even worse when I start filing in selected Legends and Supergirl episodes, but oh well. This season is as compelling as it is frustrating, as it feels like people are going out of their way to hurt each other, think the worst of each others, and avoid communication at the most obtuse moments. I was actually kind of thrilled with Thea's reaction to the revelation that Oliver is the Arrow. While it's natural for people to react with shock, anger, and feelings of betrayal, Thea's pride in his accomplishments and understanding of why he kept the truth from her felt really in character for her and also highlighted the strengths of their relationship. To my surprise, Thea and Oliver's sibling relationship has developed into one of my favorites on the show. Not a surprise: my joy at having Ray Palmer as a recurring character in this season. He started out as sort of a bland corporate jerk, but very soon he developed into the lovable dork I know from Legends, and I'm so happy. Less happy: my impatience at waiting for Sara to come back from the dead already.

The Flash, Season 1: Not quite done with this yet, either -- I think I have three episodes to go in each show. As expected, I'm enjoying the lighter tone of this show -- Barry is cute and fun, much less heavy than Oliver despite his own tragic backstory, and the comic relief (mostly from Cisco and his friendship with Barry) is more frequent and more comic than Arrow's comic relief (primarily Felicity). I'm not quite as invested in the story or the characters yet, but I expect that will come with time. One of the above-mentioned spoilers was Harrison Wells's true identity as Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash. I knew of Thawne from his turn as a big bad in Legends, but I hadn't realized his origins, and watching all that develop has been pretty exciting. I think I jumped out of my chair the first time he summoned Gideon.

Comments

[ladythmpr]

GB and I were watching Arrow on date nights (we're currently in early season 4), but he's been in more of a "Game the WHOLE time"! lately, and I don't think we've watched but 3 or 4 episodes since January. BB and I have watched Supergirl since the beginning, and we've watched all the crossovers since Supergirl began. And I think we got 3-4 episodes into Flash at one time, but haven't gone any further.

IMO, the biggest problem in Arrow is that people don't tell each other things so that the person they don't tell doesn't come to harm, but the not telling ends up BEING the thing that causes harm. Over and Over and Over. You'd think that people would have learned by now! Communicate, dammit! (and oops, wrote this before I read your spoiler!) :)

[owlmoose]

IMO, the biggest problem in Arrow is that people don't tell each other things so that the person they don't tell doesn't come to harm, but the not telling ends up BEING the thing that causes harm. Over and Over and Over. You'd think that people would have learned by now! Communicate, dammit! (and oops, wrote this before I read your spoiler!) :)

That's totally fine, because I am pleased to know that this frustration is not just mine. :) There's a minor crossover in one Flash episode where Cisco and Joe West go to Starling City and meet Captain Lance during the time that Lance and Laurel are estranged because she lied about Sara's death; Joe asks Lance why his relationship with Laurel is strained, and Lance explains it's because Laurel lied about something important. I enjoyed watching Joe squirm a little -- because he's been so adamant that Iris not learn Barry's superhero identity, and it's SO OBVIOUS that Iris needs to know. (But of course Joe doesn't then immediately go home and tell her, sigh.)

[lassarina]

I honestly have not watched any TV for the last year Because Depression, so I am sadly no help here.

[owlmoose]

No worries! I certainly don't *fault* anyone for not watching this (somewhat silly, although pleasantly diverse, especially as compared to the MCU) superhero universe. :) I just wish it were easier to expand my community into a new area.

[zen_monk]

I had marathoned Arrow a few years ago on Netflix up until, I think, Season 5, and I had enjoyed it in spite of several misgivings that continued throughout the entire duration. I also watched The Flash up to the middle of Season 3 before I went to London for grad school and it's not licensed in UK Netflix there. I enjoyed The Flash infinitely more and it was more up to my tastes and in the spirit of superhero shows I grew up with. I thought that Flash had a good balance of comedy and drama, and that the science team dynamic was utterly charming. Eobard Thawne was an incredibly good character, and I thought his role had very good pathos with Barry.

I also watched Supergirl up to Season 2, and I enjoyed Season 2 more than the first; I expected bumps in the first season, and while I think they grounded their narrative and voice in the second one, I can't help but feel annoyed by how Season 2 started and ignored some precedents set by Season 1. It felt very much like a whiplash course correction based on what the show runners felt the fans wanted, and it felt like it tossed out both internal and external logic for the sake of it.