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fluffyllama, you might be happy to hear that I finally watched Ultraviolet - all six episodes in a row. I should get a life. I should go back to having a life. Hm, maybe next week.
Unsurprisingly, I liked it a lot. I actually managed not to spoil myself (much), and so I knew nothing about where the plot was going and who would survive. Which was excellent, because I fully expected some people to die who then made it in the end.
However, it is not possible to watch anything which has to do with Code 5-ers without thinking of Terry Pratchett and the b-vord. Honestly, I found myself expecting Otto Chriek to emerge from some dark corner or other, clutching a black ribbon and chanting a sing-song about cocoa and buns. And now, for some first impressions:
- Frances kicks ass. My favourite character in the series, no competition.
- Jack Davenport still doesn't do anything for me. I like the voice, though. If he ever reads an audiobook, I'll be the first one in line to buy it.
- I'm not sure whether I find the concept of avoiding the V-word and calling them Code 5-ers instead clever or pretentious. Okay, so it's makes sense from the story creators' point of view, as it sets Ultraviolet apart from other vampire tales, but from the characters' point of view, it is quite pretentious. "Oh, we don't hold with the old wives' tales about vampires," they seem to say, "we're above such superstition. We gave them a fancy scientific name instead." It's a bit like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in HP.
- Very nice, bleak overall look. It quite fooled me. The nihilistic feel of the entire setting made me expect at least some of the main characters to be killed or turned, because nothing about the series felt as though they were going for a positive ending at all.
- Yes, the ending felt positive. I know there's a war afoot, but a war is no problem in fiction. Characters losing their faith and going over to the wrong side are a problem.
- Speaking of right and wrong: I really liked how the first vampire character was introduced as a shadowy, menacing killing machine, and how the later ones were presented as more multi-faceted and perhaps-not-entirely-evil.
- The entire conflict was, of course, excellent: What does loss of humanity really mean, and is not the scientist performing an autopsy on aliving breathing sentient person the one who's dehumanised? Don't the undead have rights, too? Undead - yes. Unperson - no. It's hard to shake off the Pratchett influence.
- However: for it to really, truly work, the vampires should have been presented a little bit less deranged. Jack should have come across as a sympathetic character in the first place; he could have fooled me. Jacob was positively menacing, performing in full MoviePsychopath!Mode, and then Corin Redgrave went all Hannibal Lecter on Father Harman, and I didn't believe him one word. I wanted to believe that the vampires wanted peace.
- But nevertheless, I was on tenterhooks from the fourth episode on. The scene where Vaughan Rice is locked up with the four vampires was a brillliant piece of suspense television, and this is when I fully expected him to die.
- Michael's paranoia with regard to Kirsty was brilliant, too. Great idea to use the old "I don't drink... wine" line and to adapt it for the Michael/Kristy conversation.
- I knew that it was Jack whom Michael brings back to life during the final confrontation, because I had spoiled myself to the actor's returning in the final episode. Shame, that. It would have come as a surprise.
- The ending was both, satisfying and dissatisfying. Intellectually, I would have wished for the characters' internal conflict to continue, because the bleak feel of the entire show implied that there are no answers and that "good" and "evil" are interchangeable, depending on the point of view. The ground for a nihilistic ending was laid throughout all episodes, and when it was finally resolved, it felt very satisfying emotionally - because I generally do root for the good guys - and I could breathe. At the same time I knew that an open ending would have been a punch in the gut, and I was kinda hoping for it. I should make up my mind already.
- The ending screams for a sequel, but it would only destroy the whole series, as it's concept is not so much the fight good against evil, but the question of morality, and as this question has been resolved, there is nothing left to explore.
- I'm repeating myself and will shut up now.
Totally unrelated, but it gives me an excuse to use the Ten icon: I've got this idea for a Captain Jack/Ten fic with porn (with some kinky tie action). It's been ages since I've written any porn. I should get down to it directly, before the idea fades away *kicks self*
fluffyllama, you might be happy to hear that I finally watched Ultraviolet - all six episodes in a row. I should get a life. I should go back to having a life. Hm, maybe next week.Unsurprisingly, I liked it a lot. I actually managed not to spoil myself (much), and so I knew nothing about where the plot was going and who would survive. Which was excellent, because I fully expected some people to die who then made it in the end.
However, it is not possible to watch anything which has to do with Code 5-ers without thinking of Terry Pratchett and the b-vord. Honestly, I found myself expecting Otto Chriek to emerge from some dark corner or other, clutching a black ribbon and chanting a sing-song about cocoa and buns. And now, for some first impressions:
- Frances kicks ass. My favourite character in the series, no competition.
- Jack Davenport still doesn't do anything for me. I like the voice, though. If he ever reads an audiobook, I'll be the first one in line to buy it.
- I'm not sure whether I find the concept of avoiding the V-word and calling them Code 5-ers instead clever or pretentious. Okay, so it's makes sense from the story creators' point of view, as it sets Ultraviolet apart from other vampire tales, but from the characters' point of view, it is quite pretentious. "Oh, we don't hold with the old wives' tales about vampires," they seem to say, "we're above such superstition. We gave them a fancy scientific name instead." It's a bit like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in HP.
- Very nice, bleak overall look. It quite fooled me. The nihilistic feel of the entire setting made me expect at least some of the main characters to be killed or turned, because nothing about the series felt as though they were going for a positive ending at all.
- Yes, the ending felt positive. I know there's a war afoot, but a war is no problem in fiction. Characters losing their faith and going over to the wrong side are a problem.
- Speaking of right and wrong: I really liked how the first vampire character was introduced as a shadowy, menacing killing machine, and how the later ones were presented as more multi-faceted and perhaps-not-entirely-evil.
- The entire conflict was, of course, excellent: What does loss of humanity really mean, and is not the scientist performing an autopsy on a
- However: for it to really, truly work, the vampires should have been presented a little bit less deranged. Jack should have come across as a sympathetic character in the first place; he could have fooled me. Jacob was positively menacing, performing in full MoviePsychopath!Mode, and then Corin Redgrave went all Hannibal Lecter on Father Harman, and I didn't believe him one word. I wanted to believe that the vampires wanted peace.
- But nevertheless, I was on tenterhooks from the fourth episode on. The scene where Vaughan Rice is locked up with the four vampires was a brillliant piece of suspense television, and this is when I fully expected him to die.
- Michael's paranoia with regard to Kirsty was brilliant, too. Great idea to use the old "I don't drink... wine" line and to adapt it for the Michael/Kristy conversation.
- I knew that it was Jack whom Michael brings back to life during the final confrontation, because I had spoiled myself to the actor's returning in the final episode. Shame, that. It would have come as a surprise.
- The ending was both, satisfying and dissatisfying. Intellectually, I would have wished for the characters' internal conflict to continue, because the bleak feel of the entire show implied that there are no answers and that "good" and "evil" are interchangeable, depending on the point of view. The ground for a nihilistic ending was laid throughout all episodes, and when it was finally resolved, it felt very satisfying emotionally - because I generally do root for the good guys - and I could breathe. At the same time I knew that an open ending would have been a punch in the gut, and I was kinda hoping for it. I should make up my mind already.
- The ending screams for a sequel, but it would only destroy the whole series, as it's concept is not so much the fight good against evil, but the question of morality, and as this question has been resolved, there is nothing left to explore.
- I'm repeating myself and will shut up now.
Totally unrelated, but it gives me an excuse to use the Ten icon: I've got this idea for a Captain Jack/Ten fic with porn (with some kinky tie action). It's been ages since I've written any porn. I should get down to it directly, before the idea fades away *kicks self*
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 09:53 am (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed it, and yep, those are all valid comments. The Vaughan in the warehouse ep is my favourite by far, and you are the only other person I know who liked Frances that much! I thought she was great.
I hope you're enjoying Casanova!
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:16 am (UTC)Sadly, no Casanova yet :-( I'm downloading it via a file sharing programme and it was going so well for a while, but alas, not any longer! It's sitting there, flaunting its almost-completeness and taunting me. Woe!