Thursday 11 February 2010

Let's Hear it For The (Bad) Boys

So The Vampire Diaries and Caprica both started in the UK over the past couple of weeks. And believe it or not these two programmes have something in common (for me anyway) - the fact that the main reason to watch them is because of the bad guy.

The Vampire Diaries.

Oh dear. It's really not that great is it? Kind of Twilight Light if that isn't too much of an oxymoron. But it has one redeeming prospect - Ian Somerhalder who plays bad vampire Damon, and seems to be acting on a completely different level to everyone else in the cast. He has a sexual chemistry with whoever he's in a scene with regardless of gender. Though he does have that slight look on his face that he might lose it at any moment, like he's aware of the joke but it's okay. Even so, I'm not sure if his character will be enough to sustain my interest in the show.


Caprica

I have to admit I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to watch this. I loved Battlestar Galactica right up until it went to crap in the last episode. There is the benefit in watching Caprica that you know where this is going so you can look out for various signposts but in a way that's also the handicap. And I know that I should be invested in the whole loss of father/daughter relationships that seem to be the main thrust of the show at the moment but I'm finding it hard to care about any of that.

However, what is holding my interest is the character of Sam Adama played by Sasha Roiz. I love his relationship with the young William. And I also love how we're finding out about the Tauron culture through this, and also through his relationship with his brother Joseph. Okay, he's a gay hitman (if he had a skull trim I'm sure that I would be picturing him as D, but he doesn't, so that doesn't work).

I was a little bit meh about the pilot when I started watching it. To begin with I didn't have the faintest idea what was going on. But I decided to stick with it at least til the end of the opener and I'm glad I did. In one of the most powerful scenes we have images of Joseph grieving for his wife, juxtaposed with scenes of Daniel making love to his wife, whilst at the same time a shirtless Sam Adama ascends the stairs of a government minister's house and assassinates him.

What's most interesting is all the little pieces of knowledge that Sam is passing on to the young William. You're thinking when you hear these phrases - that's how he learned to deal with the Cylons in BSG. Their relationship is just fascinating and worth tuning in for alone.

And unlike The Vampire Diaries I know I will be sticking with Caprica as long as they don't kill Sam Adama off.


In other TV watching news.

Still loving Glee. (So light and fluffy compared to everything else I'm watching)

And the second series of Being Human has gone very dark - very good, but very dark. I'm currently an episode behind because I have to be in the mood to watch it. Loving the bromance between George and Mitchell. :) And loved the original way they dealt with George repressing his wolf - the fact that it then manifested as a form of Tourette's. I like the fact that there is still some humour there especially as it's become more disturbing for want of a better word.

2 comments:

Nicole said...

Hmm, very interesting to read about what's going on in the TV world. I don't watch much TV... which is to say, I'm enjoying watching "Chuck" - but season 2, on DVD. I haven't watched anything as it was broadcast on TV for over 2 years.

Still, it's something that it's good for a writer (of contemporary fiction) to keep up with...

LesleyW said...

Nicole - to be honest on the whole you're probably not missing much. :)

I am a terrible sci-fi geek, and if there is a new sci-fi show going I have to tune in to see what it's about.