The Martian + iZombie
Sep. 11th, 2015 10:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarea
I've stopped reading The Martian and I'm really torn about it. Maybe that makes no sense. :)) The thing is, I really love it, so I kind of want it to last. On the other hand, I don't want to get accidentally spoiled, and I also want to know what happens next!
Meanwhile, I have a gripe about the movie. Two Asian characters from the book have been made non-Asian in the movie. -.- That seriously pisses me off. How often are Asian characters even *written* into a book like this to begin with? And then to change their ethnicity for the movie? Like seriously, fuck you, Hollywood. Don't get me wrong. I love Chiwetel Ejiofor, and yes, at least they still went with a minority. But African Americans (OK, he's British, but doesn't actually change my point) are much better represented in film than Asian Americans, so it still makes me bitter. I mean, the character's name is Venkat Kapoor (changed to "Vincent," because apparently Americans can't handle an ethnic name like Venkat). How often are *Indian Americans* written into stories?? They couldn't fucking find an actor with the appropriate ethnicity? Ugh. The other character is Mindy Park, whose last name (to me) indicates that she's Korean American. But no, in the movie she's a blond woman. UGH UGH UGH.
*******
I finally started watching iZombie. I'm not sure why it took me so long -- it was more about me wanting to "save" it than it was that I wasn't interested (that seems to be the theme for this post). I mean, I love Rob Thomas and I love Bradley James (and I even love David Anders, though I didn't know or had forgotten he was in it!).
I might love Bradley James a little too much. >.> I thought he was on the show by the third episode, but he wasn't. When I started to watch the fourth episode and he STILL wasn't in it, I stopped in disgust to look up when he does actually show up (fifth, naturally).
I'm enjoying it so far. I didn't immediately love the protagonist as I did Kristen Bell, but KB is KB. Liv's okay, though.
I like that she looks properly zombified. I like the premise -- see, just like Lucifer, the set up is basically a detective show, with a protagonist who's unusual in some way, only iZombie is actually interesting and well written, with characters that aren't just cookie cutouts. I'm also enjoying the mythology so far... I like the idea that zombies who eat brains manage to stay "human," while those who are deprived turn into the mindless zombies we're used to in lore. (I have to note, though, that the test they did on the girl who Liv knew from Before was a serious failure. First of all, they reached definitive conclusions after a really lame test. The girl had been stuck for months all alone, without brains to eat. ONE BRAIN was going to solve that? Maybe give it a little more time!)
I'm feeling very blah about Liv's "love interest." I'm not sure if he's a true love interest? He might be Duncan from Veronica Mars. If Rob Thomas follows his old MO, then Major is the guy he WANTS us to ship with Liv, and has created this starcrossed thing between the two of them to make us care, but I JUST DON'T. (Though the series is apparently based on a comic, so this might not be Rob's doing at all. I haven't actually looked into it.) As with Duncan, I find this love interest extremely underwhelming (partly because the guy they cast to play him is so generic). Granted, I'm waiting for Bradley James to show up and be her true love interest, but even without Bradley, I wouldn't be shipping Liv/Major. First of all, his name is Major -- what kind of effing ridiculous name is that? Second of all, he's way too well adjusted for having had his heart broken -- he shouldn't be cheerful or be able to be friends with Liv at all! Not to mention, they were engaged and he's already moving on after six measly months??? I don't know why TV people don't get this, but IT TAKES TIME TO GET OVER A RELATIONSHIP. OK, maybe it's just me, but when you've been in a long-term relationship, especially one in which you were engaged to be married to the other person, I would think a minimum of A YEAR would be required before they should be able to move on. I mean, seriously, six months? And Major's around Liv all the time? How much could he have really loved her??
I like her roommate (sister? Didn't quite catch that initially), though she's a little too gorgeous/successful for my taste, lol. I guess they really wanted to make her the opposite of Liv. I mean, honestly, she and Major should get together -- my bet is that they go that way eventually -- because physically, they match up really well. I hope they don't really get that trite though, with the best friend and ex-fiance getting together. :/
As for Bradley James, I don't hold out much hope that he will be her true wuv on the show, given that he's only a guest star (Jason Dohring was at least a regular cast member), and he's got plenty of other irons in the fire. I'm not sure whether Damien is just a mini series or a full series, but that will keep him busy, so not sure how long he is for iZombie. I just hope he will be enjoyable while on the show -- but not TOO enjoyable, so that I'll regret him having to leave. :)) I just hope that whoever her true love interest turns out to be, it's not Major.
I'm assuming neither her boss nor the detective are viable love interests -- not because they're not cool, but because, well, they're not attractive enough. /shallow They would have cast more attractive guys, imho, if they were. Babineau reminds me of Dixon from Alias. Besides, I'm just really, really glad that her love interest doesn't seem to be the detective she works with. That could not be more tiresome of a trope, even if the sexes are reversed.
Meanwhile, I have a gripe about the movie. Two Asian characters from the book have been made non-Asian in the movie. -.- That seriously pisses me off. How often are Asian characters even *written* into a book like this to begin with? And then to change their ethnicity for the movie? Like seriously, fuck you, Hollywood. Don't get me wrong. I love Chiwetel Ejiofor, and yes, at least they still went with a minority. But African Americans (OK, he's British, but doesn't actually change my point) are much better represented in film than Asian Americans, so it still makes me bitter. I mean, the character's name is Venkat Kapoor (changed to "Vincent," because apparently Americans can't handle an ethnic name like Venkat). How often are *Indian Americans* written into stories?? They couldn't fucking find an actor with the appropriate ethnicity? Ugh. The other character is Mindy Park, whose last name (to me) indicates that she's Korean American. But no, in the movie she's a blond woman. UGH UGH UGH.
*******
I finally started watching iZombie. I'm not sure why it took me so long -- it was more about me wanting to "save" it than it was that I wasn't interested (that seems to be the theme for this post). I mean, I love Rob Thomas and I love Bradley James (and I even love David Anders, though I didn't know or had forgotten he was in it!).
I might love Bradley James a little too much. >.> I thought he was on the show by the third episode, but he wasn't. When I started to watch the fourth episode and he STILL wasn't in it, I stopped in disgust to look up when he does actually show up (fifth, naturally).
I'm enjoying it so far. I didn't immediately love the protagonist as I did Kristen Bell, but KB is KB. Liv's okay, though.
I like that she looks properly zombified. I like the premise -- see, just like Lucifer, the set up is basically a detective show, with a protagonist who's unusual in some way, only iZombie is actually interesting and well written, with characters that aren't just cookie cutouts. I'm also enjoying the mythology so far... I like the idea that zombies who eat brains manage to stay "human," while those who are deprived turn into the mindless zombies we're used to in lore. (I have to note, though, that the test they did on the girl who Liv knew from Before was a serious failure. First of all, they reached definitive conclusions after a really lame test. The girl had been stuck for months all alone, without brains to eat. ONE BRAIN was going to solve that? Maybe give it a little more time!)
I'm feeling very blah about Liv's "love interest." I'm not sure if he's a true love interest? He might be Duncan from Veronica Mars. If Rob Thomas follows his old MO, then Major is the guy he WANTS us to ship with Liv, and has created this starcrossed thing between the two of them to make us care, but I JUST DON'T. (Though the series is apparently based on a comic, so this might not be Rob's doing at all. I haven't actually looked into it.) As with Duncan, I find this love interest extremely underwhelming (partly because the guy they cast to play him is so generic). Granted, I'm waiting for Bradley James to show up and be her true love interest, but even without Bradley, I wouldn't be shipping Liv/Major. First of all, his name is Major -- what kind of effing ridiculous name is that? Second of all, he's way too well adjusted for having had his heart broken -- he shouldn't be cheerful or be able to be friends with Liv at all! Not to mention, they were engaged and he's already moving on after six measly months??? I don't know why TV people don't get this, but IT TAKES TIME TO GET OVER A RELATIONSHIP. OK, maybe it's just me, but when you've been in a long-term relationship, especially one in which you were engaged to be married to the other person, I would think a minimum of A YEAR would be required before they should be able to move on. I mean, seriously, six months? And Major's around Liv all the time? How much could he have really loved her??
I like her roommate (sister? Didn't quite catch that initially), though she's a little too gorgeous/successful for my taste, lol. I guess they really wanted to make her the opposite of Liv. I mean, honestly, she and Major should get together -- my bet is that they go that way eventually -- because physically, they match up really well. I hope they don't really get that trite though, with the best friend and ex-fiance getting together. :/
As for Bradley James, I don't hold out much hope that he will be her true wuv on the show, given that he's only a guest star (Jason Dohring was at least a regular cast member), and he's got plenty of other irons in the fire. I'm not sure whether Damien is just a mini series or a full series, but that will keep him busy, so not sure how long he is for iZombie. I just hope he will be enjoyable while on the show -- but not TOO enjoyable, so that I'll regret him having to leave. :)) I just hope that whoever her true love interest turns out to be, it's not Major.
I'm assuming neither her boss nor the detective are viable love interests -- not because they're not cool, but because, well, they're not attractive enough. /shallow They would have cast more attractive guys, imho, if they were. Babineau reminds me of Dixon from Alias. Besides, I'm just really, really glad that her love interest doesn't seem to be the detective she works with. That could not be more tiresome of a trope, even if the sexes are reversed.
