rabid
| Cast&Crew
| 12:11 CET
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13 comments total
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Got to admit, somehow Tru Calling season 1 getting a higher review than season 1,2,4,6 and 7 of Buffy just seems wrong to me. To each their own I guess.
As a slight jibe, I rarely take an interviewer seriously when he/she says something along the lines of "I do have to take points off for the size of Tru's cavernous Boston apartment, though."
Speaking as the guy that wrote most of the Buffy/Angel reviews for IGN, I do have to say that I think Tom McNamara was being a bit too generous. I mean, 9?
I have no problem giving most of Buffy/Angel this since I think they are as close as you can get to 'perfect' television, but 'Tru Calling' a 9 as well?
Is 'Tru Calling' really as bad as it is often claimed to be? I'm just curious because I haven't seen it but the premise always sounded quite interesting.
No, I don't think it's nearly as bad as people say it is.
But it certainly isn't a 9 out of 10. The majority of the first half of the season was written incredibly poorly, on the whole, besides some interesting elements here and there. The second half was a vast improvement, particularly the last 5 episodes or so, but I really think this reviewer has major blinders on, or perhaps started to like the show so much later on that he forgot how uneven it was to begin with. I would personally give this show a 6, or a 7 if I was being really generous. But this was not even close to Buffy or Angel level quality, and not to be overly dramatic, but it almost feels like giving it such a high score demeans those shows. They were art; Tru was popcorn. It was at times fun (although, honestly, a great deal of it bored me) and every now and then good popcorn, but it was still popcorn. And not particularly well-written popcorn, as more times than not, in the first half, any good was of the so-bad-it's-good variety, which, again, does not warrant a 9!!
It's not bad bad, it just isn't terribly good, and a bit of a waste of Eliza seeing as she was offered a Faith show.
I've only seen about half the episodes, the last ones are better, really liked the finale. I have ordered it, it wasn't terribly expensive, and I did enjoy the last batch of episodes.
flip V, I largely consider the IGN Buffy/Angel reviews very fair (although I don't entirely agree with the Firefly one.) I just found that giving a 9 to Tru Calling seems to be pretty generous and forgiving.
I also personally found that the review ignores most of the issues people had, the repetitive nature of the show, the writing. Instead the negative focus is on the size of Tru's apartment.
Looking at it next to the review of most other shows, it's basicly saying that it's on par with Buffy season 3 and 5. Angel season 2 and 3. X-files season 3, Alias season 1 etc. etc.
I will very much enjoy reading youre Angel season 5 review when the new set is released however. :)
Although I have to admit I think Buffy season 2 was worth at least a 9 (But that was an earlier reviewer I believe.)
I thought that Tru Calling really had a lot of good things going towards the end of its run. Jason Priestly was very evil, Eliza was, just, effin hot and the fat, comedian that played her boss was turning into a very good actor. I was really bummed to hear that it got killed. Oh well, we always have "Bring it On" and "Wrong Turn".
Tru Calling's premise was centered around a gimmick and as a result the early episodes felt flat and under developed. The premise was something that shows like The Next Generation had covered in occasional episodes, and shows like Early Edition had done with a slightly different spin for years previous (without major success themselves, I might add). On top of this heritage, the premise is also based around one of the worst things about other shows. Nobody likes when a series has to suddenly buy something back with a sudden time shift - Joss Whedon has said that he hates those sudden, magical, quick, 'shit remove the consequences of what we just did' moments, and I couldn't agree more. Basing an entire series around that premise is as risky as it is uninspiringly unoriginal.
Moving on from the shaky initial premise, the execution wasn't that great either. The writing did nothing to try and bring life to the series until later in the first season, and then it only did so by introducing one huge twist after another to the point where that got frankly ridiculous. Suddenly the producers realised they needed some depth, a more elaborate high concept so they could actually make the show interesting, and they ended up overdoing it with a load of concepts that should have been there from day one or introduced gradually. Watch Buffy 1x01 or Firefly 1x01 and see the lengths it goes to in setting everything up. The first episode of Buffy reveals the depth of the premise by explaining the concepts of watchers, slayers, of vampires and demons, and then goes some way to establishing complex characters with a past. Buffy, coming from an old school she burnt down. Giles, with a huge amount of knowledge and a past filled with inevitable destiny. Then on top of that two friends that are, while not particularly developed in the first episode, both likable and witty from the off. What does Tru have? "Oh, the day repeats itself". Her boss doesn't become relevant or interesting until nine episodes in and the only other immediately obvious recurring character is her two siblings, one of which is a gambling loser and the other of which is a bitchy drug addict. Wow. I mean, those are fine characters to have, but that's not exactly the way to hook and draw people in. Make me care FIRST, then give them problems I can sympathise with them over.
Worst of all about the show is it managed to make Eliza Dushku largely uninteresting. The main selling point of the show is her, of course. She runs a lot, and I'm not above admitting that I think that's just great. But in the show she lacks the charisma she's shown in other things. She lacks wit, personality, and any of the sparkle we've seen her show as Faith, and at times she comes off as being weak-willed. Again, that can be fine in a character, but it doesn't work in a show like this. Eliza isn't just conflicted or anything in the show, she's just dull.
Basically the show suffers from being unoriginal, uninspired, poorly executed, and badly planned due to a lack of foresight on the part of the producers and/or creators. It wasn't bad bad. It wasn't unwatchable. It just wasn't interesting enough. It infuriates me to the ends of the universe to think that Firefly and Wonderfalls got cancelled so quickly while Tru Calling managed to get renewed for another season. I'm not happy it's gone now because I still wish Dushku the best on everything she does, but in this case the networks decision certainly seems justified.
filipv: reviewing for IGN? How did you get that gig?
rabid | December 04, 12:13 CET
mchan | December 04, 13:35 CET
Simon | December 04, 13:40 CET
CLANG!
catalyst2 | December 04, 17:16 CET
phlebotinin | December 04, 19:55 CET
Speaking as the guy that wrote most of the Buffy/Angel reviews for IGN, I do have to say that I think Tom McNamara was being a bit too generous. I mean, 9?
I have no problem giving most of Buffy/Angel this since I think they are as close as you can get to 'perfect' television, but 'Tru Calling' a 9 as well?
Different strokes and all, I suppose.
filipv | December 04, 20:33 CET
prufrock | December 04, 20:49 CET
alien lanes | December 04, 21:02 CET
But it certainly isn't a 9 out of 10. The majority of the first half of the season was written incredibly poorly, on the whole, besides some interesting elements here and there. The second half was a vast improvement, particularly the last 5 episodes or so, but I really think this reviewer has major blinders on, or perhaps started to like the show so much later on that he forgot how uneven it was to begin with. I would personally give this show a 6, or a 7 if I was being really generous. But this was not even close to Buffy or Angel level quality, and not to be overly dramatic, but it almost feels like giving it such a high score demeans those shows. They were art; Tru was popcorn. It was at times fun (although, honestly, a great deal of it bored me) and every now and then good popcorn, but it was still popcorn. And not particularly well-written popcorn, as more times than not, in the first half, any good was of the so-bad-it's-good variety, which, again, does not warrant a 9!!
Rob | December 04, 21:15 CET
I've only seen about half the episodes, the last ones are better, really liked the finale. I have ordered it, it wasn't terribly expensive, and I did enjoy the last batch of episodes.
Ghost Spike | December 04, 21:17 CET
I also personally found that the review ignores most of the issues people had, the repetitive nature of the show, the writing. Instead the negative focus is on the size of Tru's apartment.
Looking at it next to the review of most other shows, it's basicly saying that it's on par with Buffy season 3 and 5. Angel season 2 and 3. X-files season 3, Alias season 1 etc. etc.
I will very much enjoy reading youre Angel season 5 review when the new set is released however. :)
Although I have to admit I think Buffy season 2 was worth at least a 9 (But that was an earlier reviewer I believe.)
[ edited by rabid on 2004-12-04 21:08 ]
rabid | December 04, 23:07 CET
leaveittoreaver | December 04, 23:35 CET
Moving on from the shaky initial premise, the execution wasn't that great either. The writing did nothing to try and bring life to the series until later in the first season, and then it only did so by introducing one huge twist after another to the point where that got frankly ridiculous. Suddenly the producers realised they needed some depth, a more elaborate high concept so they could actually make the show interesting, and they ended up overdoing it with a load of concepts that should have been there from day one or introduced gradually. Watch Buffy 1x01 or Firefly 1x01 and see the lengths it goes to in setting everything up. The first episode of Buffy reveals the depth of the premise by explaining the concepts of watchers, slayers, of vampires and demons, and then goes some way to establishing complex characters with a past. Buffy, coming from an old school she burnt down. Giles, with a huge amount of knowledge and a past filled with inevitable destiny. Then on top of that two friends that are, while not particularly developed in the first episode, both likable and witty from the off. What does Tru have? "Oh, the day repeats itself". Her boss doesn't become relevant or interesting until nine episodes in and the only other immediately obvious recurring character is her two siblings, one of which is a gambling loser and the other of which is a bitchy drug addict. Wow. I mean, those are fine characters to have, but that's not exactly the way to hook and draw people in. Make me care FIRST, then give them problems I can sympathise with them over.
Worst of all about the show is it managed to make Eliza Dushku largely uninteresting. The main selling point of the show is her, of course. She runs a lot, and I'm not above admitting that I think that's just great. But in the show she lacks the charisma she's shown in other things. She lacks wit, personality, and any of the sparkle we've seen her show as Faith, and at times she comes off as being weak-willed. Again, that can be fine in a character, but it doesn't work in a show like this. Eliza isn't just conflicted or anything in the show, she's just dull.
Basically the show suffers from being unoriginal, uninspired, poorly executed, and badly planned due to a lack of foresight on the part of the producers and/or creators. It wasn't bad bad. It wasn't unwatchable. It just wasn't interesting enough. It infuriates me to the ends of the universe to think that Firefly and Wonderfalls got cancelled so quickly while Tru Calling managed to get renewed for another season. I'm not happy it's gone now because I still wish Dushku the best on everything she does, but in this case the networks decision certainly seems justified.
filipv: reviewing for IGN? How did you get that gig?
[ edited by Gonnas on 2004-12-05 06:31 ]
Gonnas | December 05, 08:27 CET