Riona (
rionaleonhart) wrote2006-08-14 09:28 am
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My Problem Would Rock Your World.
Apparently, BBC America have been stripping a lot of things out of their airings of Life on Mars to make room for adverts. I mention this just so any Americans who may be watching it will know. From what I've heard it seems that Gene's characterisation suffers a lot, which makes me sad.
(It seems that the episodes aren't so cut down on BBC America On Demand, though.)
I'm afraid that
gayjunglefever just might have succeeded in her evil plot to get me addicted to Life on Mars. Oh dear.
I feel that perhaps I may have been focusing too much on Sam/Gene and, you know, Sam being freakishly adorable in my episode-by-episode posts, and not on the actual stories and the time-travel-or-not-time-travel? thing, which was actually the first aspect of it that I fell in love with. I love it when Sam comes across people or places who were significant in his past, or will be significant in his future. I love it when he hears voices, or when 1973 seems to reflect something that may or may not be happening parallel to it in 2006, or when he realises that something in the past affects the future and maybe - maybe - he can stop it. I love it when he's frustrated and upset and tries to bring something of his home into where he is now. The cases and policing (and Sam/Gene) are all very fun, but the time-travel/insanity aspect is a stroke of absolute genius and makes it so much better than it would be otherwise.
Another thing that I really like is the humour in serious situations, or the humour just before a completely unexpected tragic twist that changes the tone utterly. I'm just very impressed by the ability of the show to completely turn around and startle the watcher, or to change its mood in a second. There were similar moments in Doctor Who, but I think that those in Life on Mars actually have more of an impact. That twist near the end of Episode Four? I never saw it coming, and it brought me straight down from utter gleeful elation to sudden shock.
Why, yes, I am posting this in the slightly desperate hope that other people will be intrigued and watch it.
(Did I mention that Gene is hot? He's got a sort of stealthy hotness that you never see coming until suddenly you're an absolute raving Gene fangirl and can't for the life of you work out why you're finding him attractive.)
(It seems that the episodes aren't so cut down on BBC America On Demand, though.)
I'm afraid that
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I feel that perhaps I may have been focusing too much on Sam/Gene and, you know, Sam being freakishly adorable in my episode-by-episode posts, and not on the actual stories and the time-travel-or-not-time-travel? thing, which was actually the first aspect of it that I fell in love with. I love it when Sam comes across people or places who were significant in his past, or will be significant in his future. I love it when he hears voices, or when 1973 seems to reflect something that may or may not be happening parallel to it in 2006, or when he realises that something in the past affects the future and maybe - maybe - he can stop it. I love it when he's frustrated and upset and tries to bring something of his home into where he is now. The cases and policing (and Sam/Gene) are all very fun, but the time-travel/insanity aspect is a stroke of absolute genius and makes it so much better than it would be otherwise.
Another thing that I really like is the humour in serious situations, or the humour just before a completely unexpected tragic twist that changes the tone utterly. I'm just very impressed by the ability of the show to completely turn around and startle the watcher, or to change its mood in a second. There were similar moments in Doctor Who, but I think that those in Life on Mars actually have more of an impact. That twist near the end of Episode Four? I never saw it coming, and it brought me straight down from utter gleeful elation to sudden shock.
Why, yes, I am posting this in the slightly desperate hope that other people will be intrigued and watch it.
(Did I mention that Gene is hot? He's got a sort of stealthy hotness that you never see coming until suddenly you're an absolute raving Gene fangirl and can't for the life of you work out why you're finding him attractive.)
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You basically just described all the reasons I love the programme, so major props to you, and for rec'ing the fandom out. Hurrah! I am very glad you're feeling the Sam love as well, eee.
Another thing that I really like is the humour in serious situations, or the humour just before a completely unexpected tragic twist that changes the tone utterly. I'm just very impressed by the ability of the show to completely turn around and startle the watcher, or to change its mood in a second.
You know, I hadn't actually really noticed that, but you're right. Certainly in episode four, and episode two, indeed. Ooh, how Brechtian! *flails*
Did I mention that Gene is hot?
Well, duh!
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There are all these lovely humorous moments and Sam/Gene moments and while I'm still flailing and going 'eeee!' someone will get horribly injured or killed and suddenly everyone will be flung into deepest misery, especially me.
This is a lie, because it's always especially Sam, but those moments always have a pretty big impact on me regardless.
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More people must see Life on Mars. Sadly, it's hard to describe it in a way that fully does it justice.
Life on Mars is more serious in general, which makes the funnier bits work. And it gets away with a guy hugging a TV and crying, which is weird.
(Hee! I'd just thought it was my liking of cynical people, but it seems I'm right. I always find that the scene with the hat and the fridge tends to help when it gets too worrying.)
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The fandom seems so small and quiet at the moment, which is really rather nice. There's no need to worry about OMG SAM/ANNIE VERSUS SAM/GENE: BATTLE OF THE CENTURY wars, or spoilers being thrown about willy-nilly. I'm a bit worried that it's going to suddenly explode into fandom insanity of Doctor Who-esque proportions at any moment, though.
The balance of humour and angst is absolutely beautiful, seriously. I love this show.
(AND I AM NOT ALONE IN MY HUGELY INAPPROPRIATE GENE-FANCYING. SO HAPPY.)
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(Ever notice how most of the girls Sam likes, apart from Annie, tend to end up hurt? Whoa. Normally, I'd be a bit concerned about feminism and all that, but in this case, I think it's to do with Maya. Chalk one up for Sam's subconscious, in whatever form.
I was going to say there were other characters more of a threat to the ship, though not a long lasting threat.)
I like the fandom being small and quiet, because there is more good fic and discussions, and I'm deathly afraid that it's going to turn into the LoM equivalent of T&C at the drop of a hat, yes.
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That is so brilliant. This is one of the things I love about Life on Mars - there are always little parallels and things you don't notice until you see them a couple of times or someone points them out to you.
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I love your running commentaries about the LoM episodes - mind if I "friend" you?
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Oh, I have no doubt of that. I'm watching Episode Six right now, and halfway through I thought 'OMG THE DOOR NOT OPENING IS A METAPHOR FOR HIS MIND SHUTTING DOWN' and only realised a second later that I was being a complete lunatic.
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I'd have thought the hospital scene with the doors shutting and lights turning off was the mataphor for that, though.
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That thing about BBC America pisses me off. I wonder if I watch it on the Cable on Demand thing if it'll still cut stuff out. How long are the actual episodes (minus commercials) in the UK?
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Well, in the UK they actually air without commercials, because we are awesome like that. Each episode is an hour long.
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Also, Gene is the DCI of me.
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Are there any places (LJ or elsewhere) where I can find more LOM fen or fic? Mmmm, Sam/Gene fic . . .
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Thanks muchly for the links. Will be joining
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and the slash? i mean, c'mon. so gay.
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There are episode transcripts here, if you're interested in seeing what's been cut but don't have any way of seeing the full episodes. They aren't marked, though, and I can understand that you might not be in the mood for trawling through scripts looking for things that were cut.
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Sam is the sort of man who would look disapproving if you had more than two pints while down the pub with him. Gene, on the other hand, is a man who would refuse to buy me a pint if he offered me a drink, but would cheerfully buy me two halves instead.[1]
I've worked with Genes - I've been the young bird in the male-only office and while it's not pleasant at times, it *can* be worked with and can be wildly entertaining at times, particularly at the point at which you just chuck all your principles out the window and play them at their own game. Pillocks, on the other hand, always remain pillocks. Admittedly, the advantage is that you *can* make a formal complaint about the Genes of this world these days if it gets too much, but I've always preferred beating them at their own game.
[1] Yes, I know you don't drink, but it's the best analgoy I can think of.