Rants and Weekly Raves #146 (RAWR)
JoAnne: Sigh.
kakashi: I'll be interviewed on live TV on Tuesday evening and I'm SO NERVOUS.
Ooooh, is it a long interview? You've done at least short ones before, right? You'll be great, I know it - anyway to work the blog into it?
I've never done a live one! It's a news show, so not long, about 3mins plus a second segment of 1.5mins. And no, there is NO way I can work the blog in, ahahahahaha. The topic is "Fake News".
Trotwood: But you could work something in about peaches, right? You are going to be great, and people will start wanting you to be their "expert" commentator all the time. Please remember us when you are famous.
a) of course I love Ae Ra and Dong Man's progression.
b) Hye-Ran, go away
c) Did I miss something? Are we supposed to believe that the landlady is Ae Ra's long lost mother?
Yep, I don't feel sorry for Joo Man at all. He did some really stupid and disrespectful things to Seol Hee and I'm glad she did what was necessary. I still think they've both got some responsibility in the death of the relationship although of course, the most direct actions were taken by Joo Man-and I'm not entirely sure they're done forever, although I'd be fine if they were. That pink girl deserved the water and more, little bitch. As for Landlady...I feel like I missed something that explained how COACH knew her before she went away to Japan, and the little hints, to me, point at Dong Man rather than Ae Ra - although I can't figure out why she'd have anything to do with him, since he has two parents and there doesn't seem to be a secret there, and Ae Ra has a missing mother. Why make things difficult?
I had stopped watching at about half through 4 because if you were going to continue I was just going to watch along with the posts - I hate watching too early and then having to try and remember stuff. I will try a few more episodes at least, I think.
kakashi: I'll be interviewed on live TV on Tuesday evening and I'm SO NERVOUS.
Ooooh, is it a long interview? You've done at least short ones before, right? You'll be great, I know it - anyway to work the blog into it?
I've never done a live one! It's a news show, so not long, about 3mins plus a second segment of 1.5mins. And no, there is NO way I can work the blog in, ahahahahaha. The topic is "Fake News".
Trotwood: But you could work something in about peaches, right? You are going to be great, and people will start wanting you to be their "expert" commentator all the time. Please remember us when you are famous.
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just an ultra cool gif I found when searching for "cave adventures" |
KOREA
Fight My Way
Here is another man crying this weak that gave me pleasure while also causing annoyance. Joo Man: am I supposed to feel sorry for you when I have been wanting Seol Hee to break up with you since the day I met the two of you? You don't say anything but cry because there isn't anything to say about that. I know people have blames Seol Hee for being a doormat and for smothering him, etc. But I have never had any patience for that. Seol Hee has been what she has been forever. It was very poignant to see her back story with Ae Ra because it shows us that she really has always wanted to be a mother and is a good one even as a child. She has felt as though she has raised both Ae Ra and Dong Man, and in many ways she has been a mother figure to these two. She has always jokes about raising Dong Man, but we see this week that she really did all the small mom things. Doing someone's hair every single day is no joke (I've done it), but it's all those other silent things that moms do that make living easier and warmer. She did that for them all. In addition to that she was Joo Man's lover. He's the one that made moves on her first. If he had grown out of her, he should have walked away. Apparently some people thought this ep's behavior was out of character for her, but that just means that people have not seen the ferocity of those kind and loving mothers. Also, Ae Ra and she are friends, neither would have put up with the other all these years if there was fight in both.a) of course I love Ae Ra and Dong Man's progression.
b) Hye-Ran, go away
c) Did I miss something? Are we supposed to believe that the landlady is Ae Ra's long lost mother?
Yep, I don't feel sorry for Joo Man at all. He did some really stupid and disrespectful things to Seol Hee and I'm glad she did what was necessary. I still think they've both got some responsibility in the death of the relationship although of course, the most direct actions were taken by Joo Man-and I'm not entirely sure they're done forever, although I'd be fine if they were. That pink girl deserved the water and more, little bitch. As for Landlady...I feel like I missed something that explained how COACH knew her before she went away to Japan, and the little hints, to me, point at Dong Man rather than Ae Ra - although I can't figure out why she'd have anything to do with him, since he has two parents and there doesn't seem to be a secret there, and Ae Ra has a missing mother. Why make things difficult?
Lookout
This show has always made me anxious, but now I am super anxious. Creepy murdering prep-student boy is playing his game with immunity, and I feel like our gang has laid out their hands on this and on his dad way too early. The performances, though, have been consistently stellar. And I get surprised quite a bit. For example, I did not expect Eun Joong to turn himself in on false charges.
I loved that. His whole thing all along has been that he wants to show Soo Ji that there's a right way to go after justice, and he believed that wholeheartedly. Then that politician lady showed her ass and finally he's on Team Vigilante, although you can tell he still thinks he's better than Do Han. God, Do Han. How will you ever live with the guilt of that baby girl's death?
I loved that. His whole thing all along has been that he wants to show Soo Ji that there's a right way to go after justice, and he believed that wholeheartedly. Then that politician lady showed her ass and finally he's on Team Vigilante, although you can tell he still thinks he's better than Do Han. God, Do Han. How will you ever live with the guilt of that baby girl's death?
Circle (Finale)
I liked it. They wisely sidestepped nearly every bit of the alien stuff so that it colored the story but didn't really drive it - our own very human behavior did that quite nicely. I'm glad that Dad turned out to be a good guy, very glad - his idea to use the technology for trauma does have a lot to recommend it, but the way that it would be perverted by others means it's really too scary to use. And as for whether Woo Jin is really Woo Jin, or if a clone is just a thing to be used and discarded? To me, we are what life makes us. I am not my body, I am the sum of my experiences. So yes, Woo Jin's clone is Woo Jin for me. And anyway...didn't they have him suddenly remembering new things? What was that about? And do you think the aliens landing at the very end would be bringing more advances? Okay, I guess I do want to know why Byul was there in the first place, dammit.
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| This screencap is the definition of 'I do not give one flying fuck' |
Suspicious Partner
You know Prosecutor Cha is going to end up working with Ji and Noh, right? You can't keep saying you'll always be a prosecutor without us eventually assuming that someday you aren't going to be one anymore, and they cleared up the whole cheating thing - no actual sexy happened so in KDrama rules they can all be besties again. I'm afraid for what will happen when everyone finds out that the old guy planted the knife. Since she obviously now knows it was, I was afraid that the info she gave Ji would be false in return. But she's actually a pretty nice person. I do understand why Bong Hee broke up with Ji Wook despite loving him. Sure, he made a decision to ignore the situation with her father and his parents - how magnanimous of him. From her perspective, though, her father is innocent, and it's a tragedy for them BOTH. How would she be able to face him knowing what he thinks of her father?
The thing is that I liked Prosecutor Cha from when we first met her and so did Bong Hee. It was a very interesting choice to introduce us to her the way the show did. It made it difficult to play her out as the traditional entitled ex-girlfriend. They are also clearly setting her up in contrast with the real cheater in all of this--Ji Hae. However, I'm also feeling a bit sorry for her since she is creating a whole world in her mind about Eun-Hyuk liking her. My fav part of this week's episodes was not about them but really about the connection Ji Wook made with the little kid (who has GOT to be the cutest thing on the planet). It made me think what a good dad he will be.
The thing is that I liked Prosecutor Cha from when we first met her and so did Bong Hee. It was a very interesting choice to introduce us to her the way the show did. It made it difficult to play her out as the traditional entitled ex-girlfriend. They are also clearly setting her up in contrast with the real cheater in all of this--Ji Hae. However, I'm also feeling a bit sorry for her since she is creating a whole world in her mind about Eun-Hyuk liking her. My fav part of this week's episodes was not about them but really about the connection Ji Wook made with the little kid (who has GOT to be the cutest thing on the planet). It made me think what a good dad he will be.
Seven Day Queen
I love them so much. The sad, lonely, suspicious king; the betrayed young prince, the caring maiden with the fate of destroying everything. I can't hate the king because they keep showing us how he was treated as an outcast when all he wanted was to be with his family - how else would he grow up, than to be this paranoid, jealous man? I can't fault Yeok for wanting to set aside his brother, who is clearly not stable - especially when he thinks that beloved brother tried to kill him. My heart aches for the conflict in Chae Kyung's heart: she loves Yeok and cares about Yoon and would only ever want for them all to be together as a family, so she trusts Yeok's insistence that the prophecy is ridiculous. And now we watching can see that the love both brothers feel for her will, indeed, be the thing that destroys them and helps to fuel a rebellion that will have repercussions for the entire country. It's exactly the kind of story that will break my heart.
Ruler: Master of the Mask
Seeing the fake king now makes my skin crawl. L is a good looking guy, generally, but I loathe both the character and his portrayal of the character so much that I cringe when I see him. The hunching, the whining, the bug eyes, the creepy attempts to be romantic...ugh. We definitely have good work from everyone else, though. Well, the Queen Dowager is over the top a lot, but everyone else after that. It's a pretty good story just on its own merits so I'm enjoying it over all - it dragged for a little bit but has definitely picked up this last week. I did have to laugh though, when Chung Woon goes from hanging by his hands, severely tortured for days and weeks, blind in one eye with what looked to be an infected wound to kicking complete ass and not only ON the run, but leading it, in about 5 minutes. Along those same lines, the real crown prince is poisoned and then tossed in a field, mostly dead. He lies there for days under the beating sun with no food or water, no shelter from the elements, no antidote for the poison that made him spit up significant amounts of blood - and yet he just wakes up fine one day. Okay.
Father is Strange
Ooooh, Joong Hee is putting two and two together about his father, and to his credit: he's more worried that Dad isn't Dad and that he might be losing this family that he loves than anything else; it hasn't crossed his mind to think they might have a bad motive (that's a relief) and it has not yet occurred to him that this would mean his beloved Judo isn't a little sister. In the battle of wits going on across town, our little bride is definitely more than a match for her whiny MIL, but it is to the show's credit that they've made it clear this woman is insecure and lonely, not actually MEAN...and they did it before they made her sick and somehow forced us to feel some sympathy. Hye Young is more than willing to meet her half-way and has recognized good qualities on several occasions, so it's just a matter of time before they have a true rapport. Pregnant bully is still being stupid about taking care of herself. Ra Young lost her job and is about to do some growing up. Grandma lost on the quiz show. Lots going on in that little family!
Bad Thief, Good Thief
Happily dropped this from the list of recaps. I just can't do it. Sorry. It's the first show I drop, though in my defense, I haven't really started it.I had stopped watching at about half through 4 because if you were going to continue I was just going to watch along with the posts - I hate watching too early and then having to try and remember stuff. I will try a few more episodes at least, I think.
The Best Hit
This is still making me laugh with the little throw away bits, and care about every person living in that house, such a makeshift little family. What's interesting to me is how low-key they are, leading up to some fairly big reveals that must be coming soon: who is the father of Bong-Hee's baby? Hyun Jae didn't feel a thing when he looked at her and has no memory of them being in a relationship. I do like how he just approaches all his interactions with Ji Hoon as if he really is the father though, just in case. I also like that there's reasonable doubt about which of the young folk will end up with which - I mean, Ji Hoon DID say he wasn't giving up on anything any more so that makes me think it will be him and Woo Seung in the end, but it wouldn't be far fetched to have it be him with the trainee and her with Hyun Jae, either.
Duel
Finally, we sort of have the lay of the land: Sung Joon is out to collect back - and I can't believe I'm saying this - all of his organs that were stolen 24 years ago. Well, not his, but the original man that he must be a clone of. And Sung Hoon also; I'm looking forward to understanding why Sung Joon thinks that Sung Hoon is not the same as he is. And it's not like that original man was a saint, either. He was using prisoners for medical experiments without their consent. The cute reporter girl's nurse mom was totally in on it, too. I wonder how that will go over?
Forest of Secrets
I want to, but I don't think I'll be able to catch up before this is posted.
Honestly, I'm not sure what's happening here. I don't know who's killing people. Is it one person with an overarching plan or do we have multiple actors and then people who are just taking advantage of/trying to protect themselves from them? I really don't know. I should pay more attention. Seems like we've got the young ex-couple, the FIL/SIL pair...and then that guy who keeps showing up seems suspicious, plus the army grandson, and really, even the daughter/wife for the FIL/SIL pair.
So I have just finished watching episode 7 and I want to comment because I'm afraid that I won't get through the next long ep before you want to post this. I can't tell you how much I LOVE the Shi-Mok and Yeo-Jin partnership. They are so good together. I was cheering at the end because of the way they figured things out. I have to say that I also loved that Eun Soo got to play a role in this as well; I still don't trust her, and I find her attachment to Shi-Mok ordinary and sort of boring, but at least the writers are letting characters surprise us. And did I say how much I LOVE her (see pic below)? Shi-Mok is getting much of the love in the online universe, and rightly so, but Bae Doo Na is playing Yeo-Jin perfectly. I want to be this character's best friend.
Honestly, I'm not sure what's happening here. I don't know who's killing people. Is it one person with an overarching plan or do we have multiple actors and then people who are just taking advantage of/trying to protect themselves from them? I really don't know. I should pay more attention. Seems like we've got the young ex-couple, the FIL/SIL pair...and then that guy who keeps showing up seems suspicious, plus the army grandson, and really, even the daughter/wife for the FIL/SIL pair.
So I have just finished watching episode 7 and I want to comment because I'm afraid that I won't get through the next long ep before you want to post this. I can't tell you how much I LOVE the Shi-Mok and Yeo-Jin partnership. They are so good together. I was cheering at the end because of the way they figured things out. I have to say that I also loved that Eun Soo got to play a role in this as well; I still don't trust her, and I find her attachment to Shi-Mok ordinary and sort of boring, but at least the writers are letting characters surprise us. And did I say how much I LOVE her (see pic below)? Shi-Mok is getting much of the love in the online universe, and rightly so, but Bae Doo Na is playing Yeo-Jin perfectly. I want to be this character's best friend.
Teacher Oh Soon Nam
So the craziness continues, and I was right. Well at least halfway, right. The daughter does die, but the grandmother didn't: she's in a coma, though. So there is definitely the crazy soon 2nd lead who never wants her to wake up again. I love how these characters feel all sorts of self-righteous indignation.
Evil Red (as we call her), keeps asking herself why "this" is never ending, and I want to say "because it's a daily!" but also because she had fallen in love with a man whose only positive thing is to donate DNA to a child who was impossibly good and thus needed to die for plot purposes. Soo Nam's hair still has those crazy wire bangs, but I'm really starting to warm up to the 2nd male lead who adores her but is just being a real friend. Real friends tell you about yourself like he does here when she is still doing nothing but mourn:
I'm also starting to warm up to her slighty crazy friend. You always need one whose not afraid of physical entanglements:
Soo Nam's friend says this to Red after she returns from her romantic getaway with Elf Ears while his daughter is dying. Yup he's sad, but none of the Elf Ear scruffy hotness makes up for how horrible he has become. And no, Elf Ears, you can't decide now that you are going to stall on divorcing the woman you scorned just because she is the only one who will talk to you about your dead daughter. You were trying to get sole custody AND you announced your engagement to someone else already. even though your divorce isn't final yet. I'm eager to hear what SakiVI thinks about him now.
NOT-KOREA
Chao You Like Me Now?
Who has seen Yang Mi's "Reset" yet?
Fear the Walking Dead
You know, I've often thought that I don't really like Madison a whole lot, but I respect the hell out of her. She will do whatever she needs to do to keep her family safe. Travis was a moderating influence, I think. Without him, I can see her getting pretty savage. So to see her developing a relationship , particularly one where she can act as an influencer for Troy, doesn't surprise me. She knows that his particular brand of crazy is better on her side than against her side. I find this season's set up to be a bit too obvious on the cowboys and indians front given the current climate but we'll see. It is certainly a logical direction to take and I'm not sure what else could have been done anyway. Zombie genre has always been pretty political anyway.
Glow
A Netflix Original just released recently - I watched all ten episodes this weekend. I was a fan within minutes. GLOW stands for Glamorous Ladies of Wrestling; it's set in the 80s and this first season covers selection of the ladies, their training and development of personas, and how they come together as a team. It ends with the taping of their first show. This isn't a mockumentary or anything like that - it's not sly or sarcastic in that way, but the show still has a lot to say, and if you watch, like me you'll probably fall for all them. Even Sheila the Wolf. Watch it!