Operation: Make Use of Hulu & Netflix
Aug. 11th, 2012 03:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kricketsThere are times in my life when I find myself not using the services I pay for, like Hulu Plus and Netflix. And then I feel guilty, so I try and come up with something to watch, because it seems like the morally right thing to do... or whatever.
So basically what I am trying to say is that in the spirit of not wasting money, I ended up giving both The L.A. Complex and Pretty Little Liars a try. The results? Either bad or good, depending on how you look at it.
THE L.A. COMPLEX
I don't know where to file this show in my brain. Some parts of me feel like it's not that great, and then other parts of me are legitimately crying over these characters. Especially Kaldrick and Tariq. I am fully caught up to everything that's aired which is just about 10 episodes (2.04, I think?) and I will probably watch more but I kind of get the sense that it comes with the "If I remember to" clause.
More on Kaldrick. (And Tariq, though it feels like he's been written out?) I kind of can't believe this storyline exists and nobody I know has talked about it: two gay black males in the hip hop industry, hiding who they are, and on top of it dealing with hot button issues like abuse, suicide, and depression. That scene in the hospital where the doctor asked Kaldrick those questions after his suicide attempt kind of gutted me.
I also really liked the storyline with Alicia, especially her brief, and extremely positive experience in the porn industry. I really loved the way that was handled and how she didn't feel the need to apologize for or explain her choices.
So while I still may not know where to file this show, I definitely feel like it's doing some bold and admirable things. A+ for taking chances.
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS
You guys, I am starting to become a little bit of an ABC Family addict. Switched at Birth, Jane by Design, and now Pretty Little Liars. (Plus there's Bunheads, which I haven't watched since the pilot, but still want to give more of a shot, despite the terrible name.) I am not really sure how that happened. They have a lot of really strong female characters/stories and that has kind of taken me by surprise. I have heard a few good things about this show, specifically the lead characters, and the more I heard these kinds of rumblings, I knew I'd eventually give it a shot.
I finished up the first season today (and am starting season 2 as soon as I finish this post) and I am really surprised at just how much I like this show. I feel like the mystery (mysteries?) is (are?) unraveling a bit slowly for the caliber of the show, but I can deal with that. What I'm so impressed with is that the main characters all have truly developed story-lines and lives. Plus it has some good continuity. (I don't know why but random stuff like Aria asking her dad for his dance-a-thon pledge two episodes after the fact just makes me strangely satisfied.) Also Ezra Fitz is just adorable, although I'm trying to figure out how old he's supposed to be if Aria is 16. I root for them, but I hope he's supposed to be closer to 22 than 25. (He seems so much older than 22.) Overall though I really enjoy all the romances the girls are finding themselves in. (I really want to warn Emily that Rebekah is a vampire though -- she clearly has the hots for her.)
I also really find myself loving the pants off of Spencer Hastings. Pretty much this. (And I am so glad that the whole Toby thing worked out and that they're going in that direction with them. I was kind of distressed when Emily went berserk at the dance: TALK ABOUT AN OVERREACTION. One second she's at the dance with the kid, the next she's running in terror for almost no reason whatsoever.)
I wish I had more thoughts that weren't just kind of "blah, word vomit, LOVELY LADIES WITH REAL STORYLINES!, show is unexpectedly good, spencer hastings!, ezra is cute, yay toby, rah rah sis bam boom!" But you know... I have to get back to watching!
So basically what I am trying to say is that in the spirit of not wasting money, I ended up giving both The L.A. Complex and Pretty Little Liars a try. The results? Either bad or good, depending on how you look at it.
THE L.A. COMPLEX
I don't know where to file this show in my brain. Some parts of me feel like it's not that great, and then other parts of me are legitimately crying over these characters. Especially Kaldrick and Tariq. I am fully caught up to everything that's aired which is just about 10 episodes (2.04, I think?) and I will probably watch more but I kind of get the sense that it comes with the "If I remember to" clause.
More on Kaldrick. (And Tariq, though it feels like he's been written out?) I kind of can't believe this storyline exists and nobody I know has talked about it: two gay black males in the hip hop industry, hiding who they are, and on top of it dealing with hot button issues like abuse, suicide, and depression. That scene in the hospital where the doctor asked Kaldrick those questions after his suicide attempt kind of gutted me.
I also really liked the storyline with Alicia, especially her brief, and extremely positive experience in the porn industry. I really loved the way that was handled and how she didn't feel the need to apologize for or explain her choices.
So while I still may not know where to file this show, I definitely feel like it's doing some bold and admirable things. A+ for taking chances.
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS
You guys, I am starting to become a little bit of an ABC Family addict. Switched at Birth, Jane by Design, and now Pretty Little Liars. (Plus there's Bunheads, which I haven't watched since the pilot, but still want to give more of a shot, despite the terrible name.) I am not really sure how that happened. They have a lot of really strong female characters/stories and that has kind of taken me by surprise. I have heard a few good things about this show, specifically the lead characters, and the more I heard these kinds of rumblings, I knew I'd eventually give it a shot.
I finished up the first season today (and am starting season 2 as soon as I finish this post) and I am really surprised at just how much I like this show. I feel like the mystery (mysteries?) is (are?) unraveling a bit slowly for the caliber of the show, but I can deal with that. What I'm so impressed with is that the main characters all have truly developed story-lines and lives. Plus it has some good continuity. (I don't know why but random stuff like Aria asking her dad for his dance-a-thon pledge two episodes after the fact just makes me strangely satisfied.) Also Ezra Fitz is just adorable, although I'm trying to figure out how old he's supposed to be if Aria is 16. I root for them, but I hope he's supposed to be closer to 22 than 25. (He seems so much older than 22.) Overall though I really enjoy all the romances the girls are finding themselves in. (I really want to warn Emily that Rebekah is a vampire though -- she clearly has the hots for her.)
I also really find myself loving the pants off of Spencer Hastings. Pretty much this. (And I am so glad that the whole Toby thing worked out and that they're going in that direction with them. I was kind of distressed when Emily went berserk at the dance: TALK ABOUT AN OVERREACTION. One second she's at the dance with the kid, the next she's running in terror for almost no reason whatsoever.)
I wish I had more thoughts that weren't just kind of "blah, word vomit, LOVELY LADIES WITH REAL STORYLINES!, show is unexpectedly good, spencer hastings!, ezra is cute, yay toby, rah rah sis bam boom!" But you know... I have to get back to watching!
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no subject
Date: 2012-08-12 02:42 am (UTC)Bunheads is getting better with every episode, but it's still Gilmore Girls lite. Which is fine because GG lite is still better than most things on tv, but I'd rather just dig out my GG DVDs and re-watch those.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-17 05:13 pm (UTC)I really do want to keep watching Bunheads. Maybe I should have a little mini marathon this weekend.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-18 03:22 am (UTC)