September TV shows

[dolorosa_12]

There are a few days left of the month, but I don't think it's likely that I will finish any other TV shows in that time, so writing my monthly round-up now makes sense. This month, I watched four(ish) TV shows, two that I really loved, and two that I felt were a bit self-indulgent. Those shows were:

Good Omens, or rather the second season of it. The first season of the show covered the events of the book in their entirety, so anything following was going to be new material, and to be honest, I'm not sure it was a great decision to make it. The showrunners took the thing that was most popular in both the book and the previous season — the bickering, not-very-ideologically-convinced spies/will-they-won't-they couple Crowley and Aziraphale — and built an entire season of TV around them, with a handwavy bit of plot as scaffolding. There were some fun (and funny) individual moments, the chemistry between David Tennant and Michael Sheen in the lead roles was as good as ever (and did most of the work carrying the show), but I was left feeling that the second season was unnecessary and cynical, and wishing that things could have been left complete after one very good individual season.

Deadloch, an Australian mystery that hovers on the line between drama and black comedy. The tone is similar to shows involving Taika Waititi, but with much darker moments, being at once an unsubtle parody of atmospheric Scandi noir crime shows (and their antipodean immitators, of which there have been several) and a show trying to make some serious points about misogyny. The titular Tasmanian town is a very deliberate parody of the sorts of picturesque struggling regional towns in Australia that undergo very specific gentrification when a large community of lesbians moves there (yes, this is a genuine cultural phenonemon in Australia; one of my (lesbian) great aunts and her partner, and my mother's (lesbian) colleague and her partner all ended up living in just such a place), as well as being the stereotypical crime drama small town in which everyone knows everyone's secrets, and a murder sparks a series of revelations rendering every resident somewhat culpable. The twist here (in addition to the comedic elements) is that unlike most grim crime series, the murder victims are all men, and the mismatched pair of detectives trying to solve the mystery are both women — with a lot of the stereotypical baggage that you'd normally expect to see in fictional male police officers. I really, really loved this, and particularly enjoyed its extremely Australian sensibility, cultural references, and overall vibe. It's perfect with just one season, and I hope they showrunners leave it at that!

Warrior, one of my favourite shows, which — after network cancellation and an extremely fierce social media campaign to get it picked up again — returned for a fantastic third season. This is a martial arts drama set in 19th-century San Fransisco Chinatown, and it has always reminded me a lot of Peaky Blinders — similar social commentary, similar types of characters, similar slow-motion stylised violence. It's a story about 19th-century American politics, immigration (and the racist anti-immigration backlash), industrial capitalism and labour rights, as well as a family saga about a community of Chinese migrants who find a kind of home and safety within rival underworld gangs — and every so often, this drama gives way for an exquisitely choreographed martial arts sequence. As in Peaky Blinders, it's also the story of people who were made to feel vulnerable and frightened once, and who respond to this by singlemindedly creating a situation in which they will never feel fear or vulnerability again, even if they have to burn down the world and destroy all their relationships to do it. Unlike the other shows I'm criticising for going beyond one season (or hoping they won't make more than one season), Warrior is still going strong after three seasons, and the showrunners have said they have at least two seasons' more stories to tell. I'm happy to carry on the journey with them.

Only Murders in the Building has also reached its third season, although here I feel it's gone on for too long. The first season — a motley trio of true crime podcast-loving New Yorkers find themselves solving a bizarre murder mystery that took place in their apartment building — was delightful, sparkling with clever writing that brilliantly parodied both true crime podcast conventions and New Yorkers both fictional and real, and carried along by a great cast. Its success meant that the show inevitably returned to solve two more murders, and while the elements of the winning formula remain (great cast of both core and secondary characters, quippy one liners, and an expansion of the targets of its parody to encompass the world of Broadway and musical theatre), I can't help but feel that the show has outstayed its welcome.

Comments

[nerakrose]

I liked deadloch! it took a while to grow on me as the first three episodes in particular had so much shouting and shouting on top of each other and *also* people being wrong shoutingly and i very nearly turned the whole thing off. my jaw was grinding so much over it i had actual tension pain for two days before i picked it up again. anyway. after that it turned good - agreed, it's perfect with only one season! much as i'd like to see what eddie and dulcie (and cath) get up to in darwin, i feel like the ending was enough of a hint that i'm happy to just cackle about it in my imagination (and possibly fanfic) forever.

[dolorosa_12]

I felt the same about the first few episodes — Eddie was so grating in the beginning (deliberately so) and everyone was refusing to listen to each other, but after they got over that hurdle, the show really hit its stride.

much as i'd like to see what eddie and dulcie (and cath) get up to in darwin, i feel like the ending was enough of a hint that i'm happy to just cackle about it in my imagination (and possibly fanfic) forever.

Same!

[muccamukk]

How violent is Warrior? I've been eyeing it for a while, but don't do well with Gangs of New York style stuff. Like Daredevil season one was borderline too much graphic violence.

Good Omens, yeah... I hope the next season has like a plot? A plot would be nice. I'm vaguely optimistic because PTerry and Gaiman plotted it out when he was alive, but...

[dolorosa_12]

If Daredevil was too much, I'd advise against Warrior — there's a lot of visible blood, broken limbs etc on screen, along with the requisite sound effects. It's stylised in the sense that it's all caused by elaborately choreographed martial arts sequences, but you see (and hear) the consequences of every blow landed, in all the gory details.

I wasn't aware that the third season of Good Omens was going to adapt previously existing (if not published) written material, so that piece of information may cause me to give it one final chance, whereas I was going to abandon it after the second season.

[muccamukk]

Would you say the first few episodes of Warrior are typical to the show?

Someone described GO2 as "fans expected Pride and Prejudice and got the *prequel* to Persuasion" which more or less sums it up.

[kore]

Hah I thought it was more like part 1 of Wuthering Heights! "It would SHAME ME to love Heathcliff," Aziraphale books to marry Linton Metatron, there's going to be a big ugly reunion later and a struggle over a baby (again).

[muccamukk]

I've blocked most of that psychotic book out of my head. I do think Persuasion works with the Metatron as Lady Whatsit and Aziraphale as Ann. Next season, featuring Crowley NOT CARING AT ALL! NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT!

[kore]

HEY, you say "psychotic," I say "awesome!" (And, well, yeah, "psychotic"! LOL)

Poor Crowley. Where is he going to live? What is he going to do? Is he going to hang around the bookshop and try to monitor Muriel or will that just be too angsty? Or is he going to love the angst? He'll probably drink a lot about it.

[dolorosa_12]

I had to look up episode summaries to remind myself exactly what happened in the first few episodes, but going by those summaries (and my own memory) — yes, they're pretty representative.

[kore]

I wonder how much of it they plotted out together? I had the feeling it was more brainstorming sessions, but Gaiman has said all of S3 is planned and plotted already and he just has to start writing it, which makes me think again it's going to be a lot more Gaiman than Pterry.

[muccamukk]

I'm not in the fandom enough to care about the nuts and bolts. I'm of the impression that at most it was a detailed outline, and was probably more like how I outline things (i.e. paragraphs roughly describing what happens with notes on themes). However, I think NOT HAVING A PLOT was the main problem with this season, so hopefully that helps!

[kore]

Yeah IDK, I'm just cynical about how much plot was actually gotten down, especially with how fluid their writing process was, but a big problem with S2 was indeed nearly all vibes and not so much plot. I just don't like a lot of Gaiman's plots (he typically sacrifices the interesting women characters for the lead's manpain, and he always, ALWAYS uses the Two-Man Con. Well not ALWAYS but omg so many times).

[muccamukk]

Yeah, well see. I'm mostly fine with vibes, given my investment is low, so if the next season doesn't have the stupid flashback episodes, I'll call it an improvement, and watch happily, lol.

[kore]

OH GOD THE FLASHBACK EPISODES

T said during the whole Job debacle "This is like listening to teenage atheists congratulate themselves," lol.

[kore]

Yeah, I had one of those great moments of feeling completely out of step with fandom again, because T and I loved season one and REALLY didn't like season two, and fandom is apparently having the very opposite reaction. Season two is apparently some kind of "bridge" between the way they adapted the book in season one and whatever Gaiman has in mind for season three, and I thought it was just poorly done all around. "Cynical and unnecessary" is a good way to describe it.

I've heard a lot of good things about Deadloch! and I believe it's on a streaming service I actually get, lol. I've heard Warrior really is good too. We just blew through Killjoys and are about to finish up Ahsoka so I need to find an engaging show that isn't too long (nowadays I just curl up and die at the idea of shows with 22-ep-long seasons, which is wild because I saw so many of them before streaming).

[dolorosa_12]

I hadn't known that background about season 3, and that might persuade me to give it a final chance, but (other than some humerous individual moments), season 2 really felt like a wasted opportunity to me.

Deadloch is great, as is Warrior — just fantastic all around. I'm glad you enjoyed Killjoys — I watched that a few years ago and really loved it. I wish there was more TV space opera with that kind of vibe and tone.

[kore]

I hadn't known that background about season 3, and that might persuade me to give it a final chance

I should have been clear that's a little bit of a fandom theory! Just because, S1 drew a lot from the book but also ended up with them in a very united space, and I'm guessing S3 is going to be the war between Heaven+Hell vs. humanity that Aziraphale mentions, so they have to be wrenched around to opposite sides. Some of my great dislike for S2 is just personal -- I loathe John Hamm, I liked S1 Beezelbub better, I LOATHE (REALLY loathe) cliffhanger endings, especially ones that split up couples....probably due to being a kid seeing Empire Strikes Back in the theatre when it first came out, lol. But it also felt fanficcy in, well, a bad way, or at least a way that doesn't appeal to me...."we're going to MASH these characters together and then we're going to TEAR them apart," is just not my thing. But I truly could complain about S2 all day so I'll shut up now.

I LOVED Killjoys, just absolutely adored it. Maybe a couple of years ago some of the anachronisms and jokes would have bugged me but I just really wanted something FUN but also GOOD and boy, it delivered. They went for the found family feels with a vengeance, especially in that last run of final episodes, and everyone had neat moral arcs, and everyone was also really flawed! The acting was great, and it got surprisingly emotional a lot of times. And of course, DUTCH. It was The Dutch Show for me (like Rings of Power was The Galadriel Show, and Fringe was The Olivia Show, you get the idea) and Hannah John-Kamen just absolutely made it for me. She was funny and sexy and badass and damaged and hopeful and is one of those actors who just pops off the screen. It's not just charisma, I don't know exactly what it is -- but like when Eliza Dushku first appeared on Buffy, or Florence Pugh in nearly anything. (now I'm kind of mad MCU wasted her so badly as a tiny Ghost appearance, and is she going to get to be in T-bolts or not? Arghghggh)

It reminded me a bit of Farscape -- with a lot more diversity and a lot more focus on the core cast (I LOVED that show but I got very tired of the John and Aeryn constant breakups, and John literally holding everyone's fate in his hands one too many times) and all the relationships -- it had that same zany edge, tipping sometimes into outright nuttiness, and people who originally really don't get along forming a team and in the end a loving if fucked-up family. (It was also great the two major queer couples were JUST FINE at the end.) I'm not quite sure I bought "somehow, Pippin returned" at the very end (and he still has the bug in his brain??) but it meant Zeph wasn't heartbroken and I loved Zeph, so whatever. And also a lot less of the bodily fluids, altho really no show is ever going to match Farscape in terms of bodily fluids.

but (other than some humerous individual moments), season 2 really felt like a wasted opportunity to me.

It seemed kind of....thin to me? But at the same time, some of the bits felt really drawn out past enduring (the endless thing about Job's children, the trick shooting during WWII, everything with John Hamm lol). I honestly think a lot of streaming shows haven't got the handle of pacing yet, especially since TV writing was ossified for decades into "four acts, rising action here, room for commercials there, wrap it up in 45 minutes". IDK.

[kore]

LOL apparently I was selling fandom and myself short re the "connecting tissue" thing --

https://screenrant.com/good-omens-season-3-story-sequel-book-neil-gaiman/

The story in Good Omens season 2 is entirely original, unlike season 1 which was based on Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's book of the same name.

Now, Neil Gaiman has confirmed on Twitter that Good Omens season 3 would be based on a planned sequel to the Good Omens novel he and Pratchett wanted to write.

No, Season 3 would be based on the sequel. Season 2 was how we get to the beginning of the sequel story. https://t.co/LlZahlAmNm — Neil Gaiman (neilhimself) July 29, 2023

In the above post, Gaiman reveals Good Omens season 2 is a bridge to the planned sequel, setting up the plot of season 3. If Good Omens season 3 comes to fruition, it means the planned sequel will finally come to life.

So S2 was more of a way to get to S3, which means Metatron (Derek Jacobi) wants Aziraphale to set up the Second Coming, AKA Armageddon Part Deux. (Which confuses me because I thought Adam kind of had that role already in the book and S1? But I guess not. I also can't see how we get the Second Coming without Jesus which makes me just want to flee into the night.)

[scintilla10]

I really enjoyed Deadloch, too! Also, oh gosh, I did not know that the lesbian gentrification of picturesque small towns is an actual cultural phenomenon in Australia. XD

I don't disagree with you about Only Murders in the Building straining a bit with the murder plots, etc., but I still enjoy the main cast and their chemistry so much that I can't be sad about getting to spend more episodes with them!

I've heard good things about Warrior - I'm interested to check it out. :D

[dolorosa_12]

Also, oh gosh, I did not know that the lesbian gentrification of picturesque small towns is an actual cultural phenomenon in Australia.

Yep, it's a real thing, which the show took and ran with to extreme and parodic levels (with great affection, though).

The cast in Only Murders do have great chemistry, and there have been some hilarious quips and one-liners, so I haven't minded watching it too much, it's more that if seasons 2 and 3 didn't exist, I wouldn't feel the lack.

[meteordust]

I found Season 2 of Good Omens disappointing too, so I've been feeling out of step with the fandom. Season 1 ended in a perfect place for me, so I feel like Season 2 is doing that thing that happens when you hastily expand a standalone into a trilogy - reversing the progress you made on plot and character, so that you can stretch out the arc to conclude at the new endpoint. I think Aziraphale particularly suffered from character arc regression.

[dolorosa_12]

You'll see from the comments here that you're far from alone in this opinion, but I suspect the louder, more enthusiastic voices in the fandom are drowning others out. I totally agree with everything you say here, and would honestly have preferred the show to have remained a single season.

[spikedluv]

I haven't read all the comments, so perhaps someone already mentioned this, but I've read that s2 of Good Omens was a 'bridge' season to the second book they never wrote, which would be s3 if it ever gets made.

[dolorosa_12]

Yes, a lot of comments are mentioning that. I have to say that the Good Omens book is a work of fiction that I think is complete as it is, so although I was intrigued to see how the showrunners would attempt to expand it, I remain unpersuaded that it was necessary to do so (and what we got in season 2 felt like fanfic — material I would have been happy to see in individual fics, but which felt a bit unfinished when viewed as a whole).