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I wonder, wonder, why the wonder falls?
Okay, this is the best cat name ever:
Borscht!
Ahem.
I was just about to sit down with my dinner of fresh bread, cheese, cured ham, and wine (with a pastry for dessert!), when I remembered I hadn't yet written today's review. Damn. I thought, just for an instant, that I'd let it go, just for today, but you know how that is, eh? One little slip and it's downhill from there. So a single review, just to stay on the wagon.
Wonderfalls:
I'd heard good things about this series, along with the usual grumbling that it had been cancelled after one season, and I watched it with A-L while she was visiting. We both got addicted to the opening song, and bopped along with it with great gusto.
First off, I have to say that I haven't laughed so hard at anything recently, except for Corner Gas. This is quality comedy, people, and it warmed my heart to see a really weird family being played deadpan, instead of "Oh, look at how QUIRKY and BORDERLINE DISFUNCTIONAL we are!" Sharon, the elder sister, was especially good, and I was sad that we didn't get to see more of her developing relationship with the ex-wife of the delivery guy.
As a main character, Jaye is endearing, albeit in a darkly cynical way. Since we only get one season, there's a lot that goes unanswered, such as whether her attitude is intrinsic to her personality, or due to something in her past. The gimmick of the show, that animal-shaped objects speak to her and give her instructions, is at times really funny, and at times really frustrating: given that the instructions are typically vague, an order such as "Let him go!" could apply to any number of "him"s, and Jaye, wrapped up in herself as she is, has trouble figuring it out. But really, would we be any better, if wax figures and stuffed animals suddenly started speaking to us?
The other main plotline, Jaye's relationship with Eric, left me with a sour taste in my mouth. He seemed like a really sweet guy at the beginning, and I was rooting for Jaye to get past her insecurities and finally admit her attraction, but the last couple of episodes revealed Eric to be an ass. It would be one thing for him to tell her, "I want to date you, but it's up to you to take the first step and tell me you also want this," but it's quite another to basically say, "I'm going back to New Jersey with my wife, unless you tell me you want me to stay." Like, who the hell would want to take that kind of responsibility? Eric has to make his own choice first, he can't expect someone else to make it for him*. If Jaye's been faced with such choices before, no wonder she doesn't want anything to do with the world! And his ex-wife was something else, but I was happy to see Kaylee (of Firefly) again -- even though I think she looked way better with some meat on her bones!
Another (unintentionally) funny bit was that although the show takes place in Niagara Falls, U.S.A., it was filmed on the Canadian side, which is obvious if you've ever been there. At least, all the shots of the falls themselves were taken from the Canadian side. Not our fault we have the better view!
* All right, he did in the end, but still... *nurses resentment*
As for my blitz, I mailed a box of presents to my family today, properly put away my summer clothes, did some cleaning, added two more rows to B2's blanket (6 more to go!), and will finish my mittens (only have the ends left to weave in).
Now, about that cheese...
Borscht!
Ahem.
I was just about to sit down with my dinner of fresh bread, cheese, cured ham, and wine (with a pastry for dessert!), when I remembered I hadn't yet written today's review. Damn. I thought, just for an instant, that I'd let it go, just for today, but you know how that is, eh? One little slip and it's downhill from there. So a single review, just to stay on the wagon.
Wonderfalls:
I'd heard good things about this series, along with the usual grumbling that it had been cancelled after one season, and I watched it with A-L while she was visiting. We both got addicted to the opening song, and bopped along with it with great gusto.
First off, I have to say that I haven't laughed so hard at anything recently, except for Corner Gas. This is quality comedy, people, and it warmed my heart to see a really weird family being played deadpan, instead of "Oh, look at how QUIRKY and BORDERLINE DISFUNCTIONAL we are!" Sharon, the elder sister, was especially good, and I was sad that we didn't get to see more of her developing relationship with the ex-wife of the delivery guy.
As a main character, Jaye is endearing, albeit in a darkly cynical way. Since we only get one season, there's a lot that goes unanswered, such as whether her attitude is intrinsic to her personality, or due to something in her past. The gimmick of the show, that animal-shaped objects speak to her and give her instructions, is at times really funny, and at times really frustrating: given that the instructions are typically vague, an order such as "Let him go!" could apply to any number of "him"s, and Jaye, wrapped up in herself as she is, has trouble figuring it out. But really, would we be any better, if wax figures and stuffed animals suddenly started speaking to us?
The other main plotline, Jaye's relationship with Eric, left me with a sour taste in my mouth. He seemed like a really sweet guy at the beginning, and I was rooting for Jaye to get past her insecurities and finally admit her attraction, but the last couple of episodes revealed Eric to be an ass. It would be one thing for him to tell her, "I want to date you, but it's up to you to take the first step and tell me you also want this," but it's quite another to basically say, "I'm going back to New Jersey with my wife, unless you tell me you want me to stay." Like, who the hell would want to take that kind of responsibility? Eric has to make his own choice first, he can't expect someone else to make it for him*. If Jaye's been faced with such choices before, no wonder she doesn't want anything to do with the world! And his ex-wife was something else, but I was happy to see Kaylee (of Firefly) again -- even though I think she looked way better with some meat on her bones!
Another (unintentionally) funny bit was that although the show takes place in Niagara Falls, U.S.A., it was filmed on the Canadian side, which is obvious if you've ever been there. At least, all the shots of the falls themselves were taken from the Canadian side. Not our fault we have the better view!
* All right, he did in the end, but still... *nurses resentment*
As for my blitz, I mailed a box of presents to my family today, properly put away my summer clothes, did some cleaning, added two more rows to B2's blanket (6 more to go!), and will finish my mittens (only have the ends left to weave in).
Now, about that cheese...