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Lord love a duck, I lost a comment! I meant to reply in Suz' journal (I think - damn my inability to reply from email!) but had so many windows open, who knows where it went! So, if you see something odd from me, just point and laugh.
I don't normally do this...
Hey, maybe I'm just in a crabby mood. Or something. But I *am* ever so qualified to armchair critique this episode because of my many long years as *mumble mumble* See? Plenty of qualifications.
Okay. So. Was this trip really necessary? *reaches for the wine*
The direction...
I'm not sure if I'm being ultra critical because AT was a first-time director and knew this going in, or if I just picked up on this stuff naturally. I didn't have any intent to critique it. Seriously. But...I noticed things.
I guess it's that old film school stuff kicking in. She wasn't horrible at it by any means, just a novice. Everyone has to start somewhere. (Yes, with my many directing credits, I could have done better - yeah, right.)
The staging. Hmm. Okay, there's not a lot to work with when the whole ep's talking heads in a non-descript warehouse, but... Well, just as an example, the first interrogation room scene was static and a bit confusing. Why did they stand all the way across the room from him...in the doorway...not moving whatsoever? Well, I know why - it was to get the wide shot of Barrett moving onto the table and then the pan. Which brings me to another point - why isn't it until the middle of the scene that we realize that there's another person in the room? Ack! It felt like a reveal when it wasn't.
Actually, a lot of the shots were...um... But hey! I liked the boom/crane/whatever shot of the cell and last pull-away steady-cam shot! Woo!
Pacing. Again, I swear I didn't go looking for this. I actually *don't* want to be noticing this when I'm watching a tv show or movie. I guess all I'll say (I could be writing all night) is that there were parts that were slow that should have been sped up and parts that raced by should have been slowed down.
The plot...
They caught on way too slowly. Okay, they needed to fill time, but still, Sam should have clued in way quicker than that. Hell, I caught on way quicker than that and I ain't no rocket scientist. I tend to get peevish when characters have to temporarily dumb down in order to make the plot work.
I really wanted the dialogue in the interrogation scenes to be so much smarter. Barret was like the worst interrogator ever. I'm thinking that all the other NID agents will be taking turns kicking his ass for being so cheesy.
Did not feel the ticking clock pressure at all. Maybe because none of the characters seemed overly concerned. Bomb? Meh. No biggie.
Why *wasn't* Sam working on the bomb? They said, but for the life of me I don't remember. Nor care.
Is it a requirement that all guards are rock stupid? *hits head* That's right - it is!
The acting...
Nothing ultra noteworthy, although I feel like the scientist guy could have given a lot better performance if properly poked with a stick. Damn. I keep going over and over it and keep coming back to thinking he should have had better direction. He should have been reigned in a bit.
The characters...
I remain unimpressed by Agent Barrett. He's just so...cartoonish, but in a dull knob kinda way. That Blues Brothers quote comes to mind: "I'll have some toasted white bread please." "You want any jam on that honey?" "No ma'am, dry."
Why must slightly interesting new characters die at the end? Why? Sidenote - it's like that Goa'uld in that Jonas episode recently. I thought it would have been *way* more interesting if the snake had lived. But who wants complications when you can wrap things up neatly?
Ooo...I'm getting that bitter tone. I better stop now.
The part that made me laugh...
One lone palm tree = LA. Of course, maybe it was one lone cell tree. Now *that* I'd believe.
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poohmusings, I not only laugh at trees in trucks, I laugh at cell trees.
It's 10 p.m. already? Wow! Where does the time go? Well, there's no way I'm going to even start catching up on LJ now. :(
I don't normally do this...
Hey, maybe I'm just in a crabby mood. Or something. But I *am* ever so qualified to armchair critique this episode because of my many long years as *mumble mumble* See? Plenty of qualifications.
Okay. So. Was this trip really necessary? *reaches for the wine*
The direction...
I'm not sure if I'm being ultra critical because AT was a first-time director and knew this going in, or if I just picked up on this stuff naturally. I didn't have any intent to critique it. Seriously. But...I noticed things.
I guess it's that old film school stuff kicking in. She wasn't horrible at it by any means, just a novice. Everyone has to start somewhere. (Yes, with my many directing credits, I could have done better - yeah, right.)
The staging. Hmm. Okay, there's not a lot to work with when the whole ep's talking heads in a non-descript warehouse, but... Well, just as an example, the first interrogation room scene was static and a bit confusing. Why did they stand all the way across the room from him...in the doorway...not moving whatsoever? Well, I know why - it was to get the wide shot of Barrett moving onto the table and then the pan. Which brings me to another point - why isn't it until the middle of the scene that we realize that there's another person in the room? Ack! It felt like a reveal when it wasn't.
Actually, a lot of the shots were...um... But hey! I liked the boom/crane/whatever shot of the cell and last pull-away steady-cam shot! Woo!
Pacing. Again, I swear I didn't go looking for this. I actually *don't* want to be noticing this when I'm watching a tv show or movie. I guess all I'll say (I could be writing all night) is that there were parts that were slow that should have been sped up and parts that raced by should have been slowed down.
The plot...
They caught on way too slowly. Okay, they needed to fill time, but still, Sam should have clued in way quicker than that. Hell, I caught on way quicker than that and I ain't no rocket scientist. I tend to get peevish when characters have to temporarily dumb down in order to make the plot work.
I really wanted the dialogue in the interrogation scenes to be so much smarter. Barret was like the worst interrogator ever. I'm thinking that all the other NID agents will be taking turns kicking his ass for being so cheesy.
Did not feel the ticking clock pressure at all. Maybe because none of the characters seemed overly concerned. Bomb? Meh. No biggie.
Why *wasn't* Sam working on the bomb? They said, but for the life of me I don't remember. Nor care.
Is it a requirement that all guards are rock stupid? *hits head* That's right - it is!
The acting...
Nothing ultra noteworthy, although I feel like the scientist guy could have given a lot better performance if properly poked with a stick. Damn. I keep going over and over it and keep coming back to thinking he should have had better direction. He should have been reigned in a bit.
The characters...
I remain unimpressed by Agent Barrett. He's just so...cartoonish, but in a dull knob kinda way. That Blues Brothers quote comes to mind: "I'll have some toasted white bread please." "You want any jam on that honey?" "No ma'am, dry."
Why must slightly interesting new characters die at the end? Why? Sidenote - it's like that Goa'uld in that Jonas episode recently. I thought it would have been *way* more interesting if the snake had lived. But who wants complications when you can wrap things up neatly?
Ooo...I'm getting that bitter tone. I better stop now.
The part that made me laugh...
One lone palm tree = LA. Of course, maybe it was one lone cell tree. Now *that* I'd believe.
poohmusings, I not only laugh at trees in trucks, I laugh at cell trees.It's 10 p.m. already? Wow! Where does the time go? Well, there's no way I'm going to even start catching up on LJ now. :(