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UK Opinions on Beast

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  • UK Opinions on Beast

    Right, well, I'll go back and post my thoughts on Stiletto a little later, but I'll comment on Beast first, because of got a lot less to say about it.

    On these boards, the term "soap opera" is often used in a derisive reference to poor writing or acting. From a British perspective, this can seem a little harsh: Coronation Street and Eastenders have both employed a number of good writers and actors over the years, and both soaps are capable - on a good day - of producing excellent drama. But equally, both have their share of hackneyed, cliched writing and wooden acting, and although the dreaded Crossroads may be long gone, the rest of the soaps provide ample proof as to why this branch of television drama has been looked down upon for so many years.

    Why the discourse on soaps? Well, because Beast plunged firmly into "bad soap" territory. Actually, before I get into why this episode was so poor, I would like to praise Aaron Ashmore: the "Jimmy is a junkie" storyline is pretty abysmal, but my goodness, he did a sterling job of getting a decent performance out of the garbage he was lumbered with. Elsewhere, it was like watching Hollyoaks during a bad "event" storyline - those strangely improbable episodes when a serial killer is suddenly on the loose, or the build-up to somebody blowing up the pub (killing everbody whose contracts aren't being renewed). A plot that doesn't make sense combined with characters who have less intelligence and emotional depth that a three-year-old. Jimmy goes to Oliver for help - despite the fact that the two barely know each other; Clark and Oliver indulge in some crude posturing over what to do with Davis (at least Clark's idea has some merit); Chloe intervenes to stop Clark throwing Davis into the Phantom Zone on dubious moral grounds, and goes on the run with Davis in a feeble attempt to keep the Doomsday storyline going when it's dead in the water. The trouble is, in the process, all the characters have ceased to be remotely interesting or engaging. Jimmy is a junkie; Ollie is a jerk; Davis has gone from initially likeable to needy and charmless; Chloe's intelligence is dropping in inverse proportion to the rise of her "I know best" attitude; whilst Clark comes up with a good idea, then stands around doing nothing when someone gets in the way. Put it all together, and you get that dreadful final phone call - classic bad soap opera - in which Chloe tries to clobber Clark with bathos ("I must've thrown away a million green rocks, but I've never truly saved you"), whilst he in turn does the superpowered version of the soap "let's show emotional intensity by having the character smash some furniture". Classic bad writing by someone who doesn't realise that having Clark put a fist through a filing cabinet, far from indicating the depth of his despair, merely makes him look like a moron.

    I'm going to watch Stiletto again - it may not have been perfect, but it was way better than the dross that was Beast.

  • #2
    Originally posted by newbaggy
    Right, well, I'll go back and post my thoughts on Stiletto a little later, but I'll comment on Beast first, because of got a lot less to say about it.

    On these boards, the term "soap opera" is often used in a derisive reference to poor writing or acting. From a British perspective, this can seem a little harsh: Coronation Street and Eastenders have both employed a number of good writers and actors over the years, and both soaps are capable - on a good day - of producing excellent drama. But equally, both have their share of hackneyed, cliched writing and wooden acting, and although the dreaded Crossroads may be long gone, the rest of the soaps provide ample proof as to why this branch of television drama has been looked down upon for so many years.

    Why the discourse on soaps? Well, because Beast plunged firmly into "bad soap" territory. Actually, before I get into why this episode was so poor, I would like to praise Aaron Ashmore: the "Jimmy is a junkie" storyline is pretty abysmal, but my goodness, he did a sterling job of getting a decent performance out of the garbage he was lumbered with. Elsewhere, it was like watching Hollyoaks during a bad "event" storyline - those strangely improbable episodes when a serial killer is suddenly on the loose, or the build-up to somebody blowing up the pub (killing everbody whose contracts aren't being renewed). A plot that doesn't make sense combined with characters who have less intelligence and emotional depth that a three-year-old. Jimmy goes to Oliver for help - despite the fact that the two barely know each other; Clark and Oliver indulge in some crude posturing over what to do with Davis (at least Clark's idea has some merit); Chloe intervenes to stop Clark throwing Davis into the Phantom Zone on dubious moral grounds, and goes on the run with Davis in a feeble attempt to keep the Doomsday storyline going when it's dead in the water. The trouble is, in the process, all the characters have ceased to be remotely interesting or engaging. Jimmy is a junkie; Ollie is a jerk; Davis has gone from initially likeable to needy and charmless; Chloe's intelligence is dropping in inverse proportion to the rise of her "I know best" attitude; whilst Clark comes up with a good idea, then stands around doing nothing when someone gets in the way. Put it all together, and you get that dreadful final phone call - classic bad soap opera - in which Chloe tries to clobber Clark with bathos ("I must've thrown away a million green rocks, but I've never truly saved you"), whilst he in turn does the superpowered version of the soap "let's show emotional intensity by having the character smash some furniture". Classic bad writing by someone who doesn't realise that having Clark put a fist through a filing cabinet, far from indicating the depth of his despair, merely makes him look like a moron.

    I'm going to watch Stiletto again - it may not have been perfect, but it was way better than the dross that was Beast.
    Agreed. Especially what you said about stiletto.

    It's funny, chloe used to be my favourite character on the show in the early years, but thanks to the davis storyline she's slipped down to bottom. The only remotley interesting thing about this episode was seeing oliver and jimmy tied up and at davis' mercy. Even knowing they won't be killed, it was still at least a little entertaining. Everything else though was awful.

    Btw... I've been off the board for a while, and I come back to find the UK thoughts threads almost dead! There doesn't even seem to be one for Injustice. Have you all stopped watching, or just stopped discussing?
    Last edited by Pesk; 06-09-2009, 10:42 AM.

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    • #3
      Hi Pesk - sadly the UK threads look like they've slowed down a bit. On my part May, June and July are very busy months (I'm a teacher and it goes crazy after half term!) so I haven't found the time to post at length like I like to in the Episode threads. In fact, some of the recent episodes I didn't get round to watching until last night - all in preparation for Doomsday tonight (although I get the feeling that I'll be watching with my hands over my eyes!) Hopefully when work calms down a bit I'll post my thoughts on the last 4 or 5 episodes of S8.
      Last edited by Lex Dance; 06-09-2009, 01:28 PM.

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      • #4
        So Doomsday is on tonight in the UK? All I can say is brace yourself. There isn't an episode I hate more than Doomsday. I thought nothing could surpass Power, but the end result of Doomsday outdid Power.

        ----- Added 8 Minutes later -----

        Originally posted by Pesk
        Agreed. Especially what you said about stiletto.

        It's funny, chloe used to be my favourite character on the show in the early years, but thanks to the davis storyline she's slipped down to bottom. The only remotley interesting thing about this episode was seeing oliver and jimmy tied up and at davis' mercy. Even knowing they won't be killed, it was still at least a little entertaining. Everything else though was awful.
        My disdain for Chloe began in Arrival. Once they had her knee deep in Kryptonian affairs that only Clark should have been involved with, once they lightswitched her into a hacker, once they turned her into Clark's brain, crutch & solution to all his problems, once they made her smug, and once they turned her into a drama queen with those stupid expressions on her face, which all happened in season 5, the lovable Chloe of the 1st four seasons was gone forever. She was better after she lost her memories in Abyss, but then she acted too much like a "Stepford Wife". So regardless, the original Chloe was gone forever. I liked how she grew & matured as a result of everything that happened to her in season 3. She was still cool in season 4, but they should have never made her find out Clark's secret. Or if she did, they should have made her like Pete, who didn't interfere in Clark's business when he was on the show & knew the secret.
        Last edited by xrayvision; 06-09-2009, 01:18 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

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        • #5
          Lex dance- if you do ever get round to reviewing those season 8 eps, I'll be sure to read them. Though it's been a few weeks since I saw some of them, I dunno how much I could bring to the discussion.

          Originally posted by xrayvision
          My disdain for Chloe began in Arrival. Once they had her knee deep in Kryptonian affairs that only Clark should have been involved with, once they lightswitched her into a hacker, once they turned her into Clark's brain, crutch & solution to all his problems, once they made her smug, and once they turned her into a drama queen with those stupid expressions on her face, which all happened in season 5, the lovable Chloe of the 1st four seasons was gone forever. She was better after she lost her memories in Abyss, but then she acted too much like a "Stepford Wife". So regardless, the original Chloe was gone forever. I liked how she grew & matured as a result of everything that happened to her in season 3. She was still cool in season 4, but they should have never made her find out Clark's secret. Or if she did, they should have made her like Pete, who didn't interfere in Clark's business when he was on the show & knew the secret.
          Totally agree. Chloe became a lot more annoying once she became clark's brain, and continued filling the lois role even after the real lois joined the show. Though it wasn't until season 8 I really started wishing she would be killed off. I wouldn't mind so much her sticking around if it was just as a side character, but they've made her more important than lois, jimmy, green arrow etc and that's not right. And after the way she's been treating jimmy, harbouring murderers, and other bad descisions she's made, well I'm sick of her. And it doesn't help that she's in every single episode, while everyone else except clark has half the appearances. I'd love just once if we could have even a single episode without chloe (or fake chloes).
          Last edited by Pesk; 06-11-2009, 03:40 AM.

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          • #6
            It would have been very noble had they left Chloe to help the meteor freaks and remain as their counselor.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Pesk
              Lex dance- if you do ever get round to reviewing those season 8 eps, I'll be sure to read them.
              Well that's very kind of you to say so, Pesk. The sentiment is mutual!

              xray, I've got to say that I didn't find Doomsday the car wreck that I expected it to be. Yes, there are certainly some very worrying signs about the approach to the show (namely the Jimmy debacle) but I actually found myself enjoying the episode quite a lot. Take a look at the UK Doomsday thread - it's got a bit of a mixed reaction so far.

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