Meandering Musings

Boy, reading this TVGuide "Ask Matt" question brought on a sense of deja vu:

Question: I had a question about the concept of the bad boy. I watch The Vampire Diaries religiously, and I enjoy the character of Damon. I understand that he is a vampire and his very nature is evil, and I also understand that he longs to be more caring and loving, especially with Elena. However, I remain convinced that Elena's best love interest is Stefan. Even though Damon has shown some redeeming qualities, he mostly has tried to kill everyone Elena loves (sometimes accomplishing it), used her friend for blood and sex and forced her to drink his blood so she would turn into a vampire if she died. I am not sure how anyone could root for them as a couple. This trend of wanting the heroine of a show to be with the bad boy instead of the decent guy is upsetting. We see it on True Blood and that show from last year, Life Unexpected. I think it shows young girls that you should strive to be with the bad boy because he is more exciting and overlook all the horrible things he has done to you and others. People may think Stefan is boring, but he respects Elena and would never do anything to intentionally hurt her despite his vampire nature. — Rachel

Okay, here's the thing. I don't have a horse in the "Who wins Sookie" or the "Who wins Elena" debate. Either way, eh. Whatever as far as I'm concerned. And the truth is I seem to like Bill more than most of fandom does... and I've gotten the impression that I like Stefan better than most of fandom does as well.

But, doing a compare and contrast of "my vampire is better than your vampire" contest is always ridiculous be it Stefan/Damon, Bill/Eric, or Angel/Spike. If you want to compare crimes... they're both awful! They have both done terrible things. A whole hell of a lot of them. Just go ahead and admit that you have a preference. The opinion, is based on preference. It just is. Neither are going to win the "perfect boyfriend" award... nor should they because these shows are based on conflict. So no, the one who broods artistically over his sins and cast as hero isn't 'better' than the one who quips sarcastic and hides a woobie heart and is cast as anti-hero. They're both pretty traditional character archetypes and in these cases -- they're both vampires! Okay? Pick the one you like, but a complimentary 'mine-is-the-bestest-and-most-moral vampire' gift with purchase soap box doesn't come with it.

Just sayin'

Or, to quote Roush's reply: "...if you're looking at these characters to be role models for the young audience, you're barking up the wrong genre."

(I also kind of laugh at what qualified as a 'bad boy' for the questioner if it's including Life Unexpected's Baz... whose great sin as far, as I can tell, was to be a self-absorbed jock in high school and lackadaisical bar owner as an adult... one who willingly took on co-parenting responsibility for a 16 year old child that he before never knew that he had. So... not all that 'bad' is what I'm sayin', not when it's placed alongside a couple hundred years of wanton murder...)

Boy, reading this TVGuide "Ask Matt" question brought on a sense of deja vu:

Question: I had a question about the concept of the bad boy. I watch The Vampire Diaries religiously, and I enjoy the character of Damon. I understand that he is a vampire and his very nature is evil, and I also understand that he longs to be more caring and loving, especially with Elena. However, I remain convinced that Elena's best love interest is Stefan. Even though Damon has shown some redeeming qualities, he mostly has tried to kill everyone Elena loves (sometimes accomplishing it), used her friend for blood and sex and forced her to drink his blood so she would turn into a vampire if she died. I am not sure how anyone could root for them as a couple. This trend of wanting the heroine of a show to be with the bad boy instead of the decent guy is upsetting. We see it on True Blood and that show from last year, Life Unexpected. I think it shows young girls that you should strive to be with the bad boy because he is more exciting and overlook all the horrible things he has done to you and others. People may think Stefan is boring, but he respects Elena and would never do anything to intentionally hurt her despite his vampire nature. — Rachel

Okay, here's the thing. I don't have a horse in the "Who wins Sookie" or the "Who wins Elena" debate. Either way, eh. Whatever as far as I'm concerned. And the truth is I seem to like Bill more than most of fandom does... and I've gotten the impression that I like Stefan better than most of fandom does as well.

But, doing a compare and contrast of "my vampire is better than your vampire" contest is always ridiculous be it Stefan/Damon, Bill/Eric, or Angel/Spike. If you want to compare crimes... they're both awful! They have both done terrible things. A whole hell of a lot of them. Just go ahead and admit that you have a preference. The opinion, is based on preference. It just is. Neither are going to win the "perfect boyfriend" award... nor should they because these shows are based on conflict. So no, the one who broods artistically over his sins and cast as hero isn't 'better' than the one who quips sarcastic and hides a woobie heart and is cast as anti-hero. They're both pretty traditional character archetypes and in these cases -- they're both vampires! Okay? Pick the one you like, but a complimentary 'mine-is-the-bestest-and-most-moral vampire' gift with purchase soap box doesn't come with it.

Just sayin'

Or, to quote Roush's reply: "...if you're looking at these characters to be role models for the young audience, you're barking up the wrong genre."

(I also kind of laugh at what qualified as a 'bad boy' for the questioner if it's including Life Unexpected's Baz... whose great sin as far, as I can tell, was to be a self-absorbed jock in high school and lackadaisical bar owner as an adult... one who willingly took on co-parenting responsibility for a 16 year old child that he before never knew that he had. So... not all that 'bad' is what I'm sayin', not when it's placed alongside a couple hundred years of wanton murder...)

So, last night's ep...   I have nothing significant to say to the...er... everything.

I think I'm dusting off my LOST "I'm just here for the ride" t-shirt.

Blind guess without looking -- I'm willing to bet that the book fans and the Eric fans are now *officially* frothing over the differences between the way the book IV (?) played out and the way it's playing out on screen. . .

Blind guess without looking -- I'm willing to bet that the book fans and the Eric fans are now *officially* frothing over the differences between the way the book IV (?) played out and the way it's playing out on screen. . .

* Hope everyone in the U.S. had a nice holiday.

* I got plenty of sleep and I've been eating (somewhat) normally. I haven't been sickened from anything but I find I'm still grossed out really easily.

* Watched all of John Adams over the weekend... seemed a very 4th of July type mini-series.

* Watched True Blood and at least they finally got to the book plot all the Eric fans have been salivating over since the beginning of forever (though I have to say, I read that particular Charlaine Harris book and eh. But, hey, at least it's not Meg Cabot's vampire book (which I saw on Amazon yesterday has a sequel. Holy cow, why?! Book 1 sucked!) With True Blood, I actually enjoy the show more than the books.

* Taking a vacation from "depressing books" GRRMartin style and have begun reading "The Help". I've been enjoying it thus far. And I see there's a movie coming up.

* Watched several eps of Drop Dead Diva since they were replaying by marathon and not much was on. Though I still think they dropped the ball on the "OMG, Grayson almost died" cliffhanger. I tip my hat to their handling of the main character struggling with her ex becoming engaged to someone else and asking her to be 'best man' because -- ouch. Hard not to feel for the protagonist with that one. And good for her, for trying to be a good friend but also not wallow in self pity as she goes out on dates with a new guy who likes the 'new her' just fine.

Skipping Mad Men review for tonight.

True Blood: (Yikes! Forgot the lj-cut. Sorry!) ( Read more... )

Okay, so after reading all the complaints about the way this, that, and the other has played differently in the show than it did in the books (this usually centers on the unending Bill/Sookie/Eric "my vampire is better than your vampire" debates...which are oh-so-exhaustingly familiar and generally pointless to me other than to irritate me because I've yet to see either be as wonderful or as terrible as their supporters and or detractors claim. Now, TB's King Russel on the other hand? He's awesome! Hee!) Anyway, I decided to read Dead to the World. I skipped the first several books (I figured that I had seen the show and, while I realize they are decidedly different, I really didn't want to retread that much) and went for the book that all the Eric/Sookie shippers talk about.

Final conclusion?

I really don't think I'll be reading any more of these novels. I came to that decision when reading the big climactic fight scene and realized that I couldn't remember what it was even about! That's... not a good sign.

When I did finally remember, I couldn't help but think "That many people, weres, and vampires really had to die for that? They couldn't have come up with a more clever solution?" Slightly more spoilery reactions behind the cut ( Read more... )