FastFlashForward

[weewarrior]

Why on earth am I still watching this show? The storylines are pedestrian, full of clichés and often painfully stupid, the characters make cardboards look lively and the PTB apparently thought the compelling element to copy of Lost is glacial pacing instead of an intriguing mythology and innovative storytelling techniques. There is precisely one character I like and she is apparently about to be hit by a mindnumbingly offensive plot twist, which I should have seen coming from miles away, because what is obviously the thing to do when you have a lesbian character who out of the blue becomes obsessed with having a baby even though a serious injury makes it medically doubtful? (And if you now guessed adoption or just waiting a bit until artificial insemination is safer, you've been watching a parallel version of this show.) Seriously, not even Norrington is worth sitting through this.

Comments

[yetanothermask.livejournal.com]

I saw the pilot of this show and never went back, the characters were too bland and uninteresting for my taste. I'm not surprised to see it hasn't gotten any better.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Occasional fascinating elements could be glimpsed and there was one storyline that was emotionally devastating, but yeah, that's about it. It's treated in a very unloving way by its writers.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

:((( And here I liked Janis so much. Gahhh.

Won't bother watching, then. I do actually like the women in this show, underused as they are, or were before the break.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

In all fairness, they haven't done the plot I fear yet, but both the way the storyline goes (she wants this baby, for whatever reason, and the fertility clinic wouldn't risk it so shortly after her injury), she'll be going on a trip with Demetri and the hobbit shortly and the actress said we'll see how far Janis is willing to go to get pregnant. Of course, if she and the two guys sit down in Somalia with a handful of straight porn and a turkey baster, I'd be considerably less pissed off (if somewhat squicked).

As for the rest of the women, I simply don't find them overly developed, but in all fairness, neither are the men. If I'm honest, I like Olivia, Zoe, Nicole and Wedeck's ex-wife mostly because I know the actresses from other parts, and Keiko, while awesome, has a really embarrassing storyline that makes me cringe almost as much as what I fear for Janis.

(Funnily enough, the new episodes did one thing right: they've massively toned down Mark. Apparently someone noticed how obnoxious he actually was.)

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Funnily enough, the new episodes did one thing right: they've massively toned down Mark.

Oh my GOD, thank the LORD! ;) Seriously.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

He's still a dick to Lloyd, but that is kind of understandable I'd think.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Since my caring for Lloyd is somewhat limited too - although he's okay, and the fact Davenport can act helps - that's okay. *eg*

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly. It's not helped by the fact that before episode 10, Davenport didn't exactly have to act so much as look adorably dweebish. He can do that just as easily on a show that's more enjoyable to watch.

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

I know! Him in Ultraviolet? Now that was great tv.

::does not have JD icon, uses other British actors::

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I meant to watch that for ages! Isn't Stephen Moyer also in that? (Playing yet again a vampire - poor guy gets typecasted.)

*I think I had a Norrington icon years back, but for now, the Doctor and Marha will have to do*

[snopes-faith.livejournal.com]

Wait - they aren't going to go down the route I originally feared for her, are they???

Because by comparison I'd welcome what looks more likely, that of Dr Suicide listening thoughtfully to her baby wishes by saying something like what the hell, he's got 10 minutes before he's back on shift and so will give it the old college try if she wants.

I missed the first double ep back after the break, btw - I'm not sure if I can bring myself to get fully immersed again. It's surprising how little everyone's developed. I still feel I know about as little about them as I did in the first couple of eps.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Wait - they aren't going to go down the route I originally feared for her, are they???

The situation, as it presents itself so far, is the following: Janis, for whatever reason, wants this baby, and she wants it now. The fertility clinic she consulted advised against getting pregnant now because of her injury and didn't want to help her at this point. To be as pregnant as she was in the flashforward, she'd have to conceive during the week after last episode. Funnily enough, she'll be in Somalia with Demetri and Simon at that point, and she told Demetri about the timeline. Finally, the actress has said we will see how far Janis is willing to go to get a child. It's not difficult to speculate where that scenario is going to lead.

I have no idea what you mean by the old college try, but I find a storyline where a lesbian sleeps with a guy to get a baby deeply contrived and rather offensive. If they want her to sleep with guys, make her bisexual. Don't make her sexuality a contrived "obstacle" that leads to a stupid storyline twist. (I'm sorry if I'm ranting, but this... really pisses me off? It's exactly the sort of deeply ignorant pseudo-progressive writing for gay characters that you don't want on your TV.)

It's surprising how little everyone's developed. I still feel I know about as little about them as I did in the first couple of eps.

I might be cynical, but I think it really would have helped if they had approached the book wanting to tell a story about these particular characters and not to develop the new Lost.

[snopes-faith.livejournal.com]

I swear I only regard the notion of her having sex with a man as something of a relief in the context of my fear they were going to have the character raped. Approached without this alarm, it is indeed not only deeply offensive but just not very plausible. WHY does she need to be pregnant according to the schedule of the vision? why isn't she attempting to draw on the experiences/ advice of countless other lesbian women who also wanted and have children? And indeed considered any of the reasonable suggestions you've outlined?

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

I swear I only regard the notion of her having sex with a man as something of a relief in the context of my fear they were going to have the character raped.

I actually find it pretty telling that so many people were so apprehensive and feared either rape or sex with a guy as soon as it came out she was lesbian. I guess I still have too much trust in TV writers not to go down ridiculous/ ridiculously melodramatic roads (for whatever reason!). Looking at the way they usually treat serious conditions - for instance Bryce's cancer or Sponsor Daughter's missing leg and presumably PTSD from her accident - I suspect one reason why they stayed away from rape is that they don't want to deal with the consequences, specifically not with a storyline dealing with abortion (which this likelier would have brought about rather than a happy ultrasound night session.).

WHY does she need to be pregnant according to the schedule of the vision?

Because if it's in the flashforward it must be true? I don't know, I don't feel like this behaviour fits anything I've seen of this character so far. It really seems contrived writing.

[zahrawithaz.livejournal.com]

I find a storyline where a lesbian sleeps with a guy to get a baby deeply contrived and rather offensive. If they want her to sleep with guys, make her bisexual. Don't make her sexuality a contrived "obstacle" that leads to a stupid storyline twist. (I'm sorry if I'm ranting, but this... really pisses me off? It's exactly the sort of deeply ignorant pseudo-progressive writing for gay characters that you don't want on your TV.)

Amen.

[wee-warrior.livejournal.com]

Judging from episode summaries it appears it actually happened, too. Not a case where I want to congratulate myself on my prediction talents...