HIGHLA-L Digest - 15 Nov 2005 to 18 Nov 2005 (#2005-126)
HIGHLA-L automatic digest system (LISTSERV@lists.psu.edu)
Fri, 18 Nov 2005 22:00:16 -0500
There is 1 message totalling 94 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Season Six DVD Commentaries: Two of Hearts
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Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 13:22:41 -0500
From: Wendy <Immortals_Incorporated@cox.net>
Subject: Re: Season Six DVD Commentaries: Two of Hearts
> COMMENTARY: Writer James Thorpe tells us that this show was
> the closest they came to an ‘audition show’ in that it had a mortal
male
> policemen paired with an Immortal female, bring their history and
values and
> motivations into conflict, and would include some sexual
> heat, and “for what it was, it worked out very well.”
And it's too bad that the "suits" didn't stick with this plot instead of
making the decision to change Katherine into Amanda and make Nick an
ex-cop and possible love interest instead of leaving him an already
committed lover.
> Bill Panzer says that the show might be called “Moonlighting Meets
> Highlander”, which was intentionally written to have a lighter, more
> bantering framework, and that’s what Raven ended up trying to be,
"Trying" being the optimal word. And, I suspect Panzer has never seen
"Moonlighting" because "Two of Hearts" wasn't anything like it. (and
neither was Raven) This episode actually harkened back to the early
days of "Highlander which, as everyone remembers, started out with
Duncan in a long-term committed relationship with Tessa. No boring,
extended UST...they had real sexual heat. While the tone of "Two of
Hearts" is lighter, it still had that nice interplay between the two
leads.
I know that Claudia was never in contention to be the female lead in the
spin-off (more's the pity) but they could have recast the part with
someone who had a similar "presence". I liked the story of the very old
female Immortals and the mortal man who knew her secret and loved her.
yes, it was a kind of reverse HL:TS but that was OK..I liked Highlander
best when Tessa was around. Shows about single people falling in and
out of love are a dime a hundred on TV ... shows about people in
relationships that last are rare. (Insert my standard "Writer's
Moonlighting Anxiety" rant here)
> The wealthy father of the girl they rescued tries to pay
> them, but they refuse, then end up engaging in vigorous sex
> (Kate and Nick, not the father)
Ah..I thought I had missed something <EG>
> MY COMMENTS: Well, as I’ve noted above, there are some annoying plot
> holes in this story,
But what would we have talked about if there weren't any plot holes?
>but by and large it is saved by the charisma and
> strong screen presence of Claudia Christian. The relationship between
> Kate and Nick is pretty well played, as well, and I think
> demonstrates that, ultimately, *all* shows are dependent on
interesting,
> well-portrayed relationships, no matter the premise.
Agreed...which is one of the things that sank "Raven". At no time did I
believe that Amanda and Nick even liked each other, let alone that
either was interested in a relationship. The plot design was
there...written in large crayon letters ... but the feeling was missing.
(Didn't help that the actors were feuding)(Although a off-screen feud
added heat to the on-screen romance on Moonlighting)( I guess Gracen and
Johansson are no Sheppard and Willis) The writers might have been
better off establishing that Amanda and Nick were never going to be
"together" (giving them both on-screen love interest) and then allowing
them to be just partners in their security firm.(of course TPTB would
never have resisted the obvious plots of killing off one of the love
interests or having A and N decide that they really *did* want each
other despite their other partners)
> The plot
> was your standard going-for-the-one-dimensional-bad-guy story, and
the action
> sequences were only so-so. Neither Claudia nor the actor who played B
> were very good with a sword, so the “action” part of the
> action/adventure was pretty uninteresting.
True, but Kate would have had some interesting stories to tell perhaps,
whereas nothing about Amanda's past life really "clicked" ... mostly
because they sanitized her into a whole new (and boring) character.
Wendy( I still cringe every time I see that white bleached out head.)
Immortals Inc.
immortals_incorporated@cox.net
"Weasels for Eternity"
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End of HIGHLA-L Digest - 15 Nov 2005 to 18 Nov 2005 (#2005-126)
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