First things first, that was the BEST intro the TRS crew has done. Jeff nailed it.

I can't say I really disagree with them. I would have stopped watching too if not for the fact that it's Joss, and his shows do take a while to start up. I can't wait for episode 6 though.

As for TRS, I usually agree with Jeff for the video games and Dan for the movies and TV. Never really agree with Alex all that often though...

whoisfriend | March 11, 09:37 CET

pfff.. Dan didn't like Eliza. Why would he like a show where Eliza was the headliner?

BrownCoat_Tabz | March 11, 16:37 CET

Actually, it seems that none of them dig Eliza all that much. To quote Alex, "I don't buy her as a sexpot." Of course, my response to that is, "Alex, I told you to stop drinking bleach. It's really messing you up, man." :)

kungfubear | March 11, 18:31 CET

kungfubear:

*laughs* thanks for that! a much needed funny :D

Krusher | March 11, 18:41 CET

My prediction is that in 3 weeks time, Dan will say he LOVES it, and that he was wrong (cf. Watchmen, Street Fighter IV, etc.). Alex also says he's getting more into it, and Jeff (never really a fan of Whedon's anyway) will check out the episodes he's missed and agree it's worth checking out (cf. Lost)

I also think their thoughts would have been tarred having watched episode 3 last, who's premise stank of network intervention. I reckon they would have said the same thing after episodes 1-3 of Buffy/Firefly (in fact, probably even more negative on the Buffy front). Something like: it's hokey; Cordellia's really annoying and shallow; Xander's fancying of Buffy will get old really quickly; Angel (cf. Bollard) seems surplus to requirements; Giles is just dull. And Buffy's hot but a bit whiney.
Essentially they're saying "I'm waiting for all the pieces to fall into place". Thinking about it, I think Whedon's work is very like solving a complicated puzzle. You have to put in a very hard slog in order to make very slow progress and then BOOM: everything starts to pay off, and you're sprinting to completion. My prediction for episode 6: Bollard's a vampire with a soul, or Echo accidentally gets married.

applie | March 11, 19:09 CET

I just hope that Bollard can break out of the rigid and lumpen straitjacket connoted by his name. ;-)

SoddingNancyTribe | March 11, 19:14 CET

If only he could catch a break in scifi television.

Sunfire | March 11, 19:49 CET

I oddly found this review to have put my mind most at ease with the future of the show because it reminded me what it is I consistently love about "Whedon" shows. My roommate had to force me to watch Buffy, and even then, it took me nearly half way into season 2 before I was "hooked". (The same goes for Firefly - it took me about six eps. in before I was hooked) As in real life, you don't form close bonds with people until after you get to know them - then the bond becomes inseparable.

With DH, however, I find myself already "hooked" because I find the primes so darn interesting that I can feed off of that until the characters are better fleshed out.

As for his comments regarding Eliza's performance, I have to completely disagree. I think she is one of the strongest actresses on TV - and has been since season one of Angel; the scene where she is begging angel to kill her still gives me chills! From that point onward, I think Eliza has earned her salt as a "leading lady". Her performance as Echo in ep. 4 left me breathless and wanting more, and I see some very interesting dilemmas arising for both her character and for the audience later on.

To summarize: I don't see this show as teetering on the edge of its own potential, I think (for the most part) it has met it - I just think that the stuff people keep hoping to see more of would be inappropriate, be forced, and wouldn't have nearly the impact if it was placed in the early-on eps. So far, I love the show.

[ edited by crhobbs42 on 2009-03-11 21:38 ]

[ edited by crhobbs42 on 2009-03-11 21:38 ]

[ edited by crhobbs42 on 2009-03-11 21:39 ]

crhobbs42 | March 11, 21:37 CET

Ballard/Bollard; Angel/Angelus.
I rest my case.

applie | March 13, 00:17 CET