ugh i also have a new layout but i don't remember how to have a sidebar, dammit.

[elapses]

Today was that day -- the first true show of spring, when all anyone can seem to talk or think about is how nice it is outside, with an awkward reverence that comes from knowing more ice is just as possible as a string of these days. Somehow we have grass now! That does not even seem possible, and yet. And yet! My French lit class is on the third floor and it has this magnificent view of the flatirons, which is so nice in winter, because you watch the flurries pass the mountain backdrop and thank everything you don't have to go back out there for another thirty minutes. But today we were much too close to the sunshine not to feel jealous of it, and good lord was it every difficult to tear our minds from the windows, back to Flaubert and his métaphores figées.

There was this weird attitude in the FMM comments about Brennan, this idea that she is somehow "less" of a character and Bones is somehow "less" of a show now than it was in seasons one and two. This is not the first time I have seen this said, and I have to say it completely and totally mystifies me. I get that Bones has since season three has devolved into a certain kind of silliness that is only going to appeal to certain people, what I cannot wrap my head around is this idea that Bones was some magnificent show back when it was not this ridiculous. Most of season one of Bones feels to me like the blandest, most mediocre procedural possible, peppered with these incredibly awkward, trying-too-hard character moments that are endearing only if you are looking back on them with season three/four/five eyes. Not completely-- there are a handful of standout moments and a couple of standout episodes, but even the memorable parts are the ones that are more in keeping with the tone of the later seasons. Season two is harder to comment on because I've only watched it the once, the first time, two years ago during the strike, but I will tell you that pretty much what I remember is a) Aliens in a Spaceship (good television), b) the one where they go to Vegas and go undercover as an engaged couple (delightful silly television), c) some stuff with what I think of as Bones' mytharc, which is not actually a mytharc at all I guess but just the ongoing story with Bones' parents, which I actually always liked, and d) the second half of the season was really boring and I just wanted it to end. ANYWAY, outside of the "Aliens in a Spaceship" argument... where the hell are these people coming from? SERIOUSLY I DO NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL, WHY WOULD ANYONE EVER PASSIONATELY MISS SEASON ONE/TWO OF BONES? Where is the greatness? The realism? THERE WAS A HOLOGRAPHIC COMPUTER. Ugh I realize I am being derisive but it genuinely eludes me, it really seems like after two seasons they realized their best moments were the moments when they were taking a page out of the books of ff.net authors everywhere, and then let that formulate how they would continue with the show. I can't even dig into the Brennan idea, I can't tell if it stems from the perception that her social obliviousness got better and that got worse again (which I can't comment on, I guess I haven't paid enough attention) or the idea that she's less ~ass-kicking~, because to be honest I am so okay with that being a backburner part of her character, that moment in the pilot where she kung fus out airport security is so awkwardly written and conceived I sometimes wonder how any of us ended up as fans of this show.

This dress in red was Annie Edison (of Community)'s valentine's day dress, and then two weeks ago Kristin Kreuk wore it on Chuck. I've had it since December in blue and I wear it so much, finally decided the universe was telling me (via television, naturally) to get it in red too. I'M HOLDING IT IN MY HANDS RIGHT NOW, best decision ever.

Comments

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Oh girl, I am probably wrong about season 2 being boring-- like I said, it's been awhile. To be honest I always expected to go back to season 1 and 2 and enjoy them more the second time around, having come around on the characters (it took me a ridiculously long time to really get into it, I think I was on the second-to-last episode of season 1 before I even went "heyyyyyy, I could be into this!"), but when I rewatched season 1 in October and still found it pretty lame, I was too lazy to continue on to season 2.

Anyway ugh, yes, I am so glad they didn't continue along the ~badass~ line for her characterization, because it was so out of place-- it's a lot more interesting to see her decide to come out of the lab because she enjoys investigating than it is to see her come out because she wants to hold a gun. But sometimes it really seems like people think she is less of a character because doesn't break out the action moves these days? Idk, I have always been kind of uncomfortable with the amount of emphasis fandom places on whether or not female characters could physically best you in a fight.

[cantbesilent.livejournal.com]

I have always been kind of uncomfortable with the amount of emphasis fandom places on whether or not female characters could physically best you in a fight.

This is super interesting, and I don't really get that emphasis, either. I mean, I get loving bamf females. It all comes down to an aspect of feminism that I think focuses too much of it's energy on physical strength and power, but that's my own issue. I love badass female characters, people like Scully or Juliet from Lost, but with those ladies they became that hardcore and ass kicking because their circumstances dictated that they become that in order to survive. Brennan doesn't need to carry a gun or punch people or manipulate them or beat them up. That's what Booth does, and him filling that role doesn't make her a weak female or something. Her life just doesn't require these skills as necessity. Her growing emotionally, becoming a more well rounded individual, becoming more comfortable with herself, her family, her relationships, those all make her a way better character, and in no way "less" or "not cool." But that's just me, I'm not as emotionally attached to Bones as others.

I am impulse buying that dress because I just worked two weeks straight and am getting a huge paycheck down the line, woot, woot. In blue, cause they don't have my size in red. Sadface.

[elapses.livejournal.com]

Yeah I was actually just talking about this with my friend captaincatapult, but it's kind of like the concept "strong female character" almost has more to do with physical strength/HBIC... ness than it does with emotional strength of character or whether or not they are well-written? She actually threw out Juliet as an example of someone who does possess the latter two qualities but is almost valued more for being a HBIC, but then there are also the Kara Thraces and River Tams who are not really emotionally together, but still considered strong female characters because of their physical strength and/or masculine characteristics. But what can you say, fandom likes its' ~ladies with guns~. Although okay one of the many things I love about the way Scully is written is that the fact that she is a better shot than Mulder is never explicitly stated or made a big deal out of-- you just kind of infer it. Actually the only time they ever really make a big deal out of her asskicking is that fantasy scene in Kill Switch...

Hahaha SORRY, I think I contributed to them running out of red sizes. But to be honest I think I love the blue one at least as much, I seriously can't tell you how many times I've worn that dress since December.