agapanthus-22545 Reviews

Tales from the Loop (2020)

Jamais vu

[8/10 · 2 October 2022]

A rare example of what science fiction can achieve, with a subtlety in its thoughtful pacing that is rarer still. Almost certainly this was what failed to appeal to the mass market, since its languorous tempo will drive the mainstream attention-deficit audience out of their tiny minds.

Some well-worn and yet timeless themes are refreshed by gentle treatment.

Unspoken secrets (episode 1) Jealousy (episode 2) Conformity, Fear of responsibility / not wanting to grow up / peter pan syndrome? (episode 3) Existentialism (episode 4) Desire for control / overprotectiveness (episode 5) Forbidden love / possessiveness and the pleasure of its unattainability (episode 6) Guilt and Alienation (episode 7) Grief, nostalgia and the death of innocence (episode 8)

Understated, powerful performances and sympathetic acting.

Inevitably a product of its times, and so occasionally lacking in subtlety plus somewhat heavy handed in its treatment of gender politics. And there are a couple of sex scenes that are unnecessary and were better left to the imagination, not least of all because the majority of the story is suggestive instead of explicit. Perhaps it is a matter of taste.

Supposedly the series was inspired by a painting, which under normal circumstance would not be a recommendation in its favour however for those that are able to work their way through it all, you may be able to appreciate the metaphor in terms of a backdrop for powerful yet restrained drama - as in a theatre where a small number of actors demand your concentration.

Superb.

The story-writers and production team deserve great praise, and whoever it was at Amazon that made the case to purchase the series or - it is almost unimaginable to contemplate - commissioned it rather than relying on The Market to spew it out: we can all hope you get more opportunities to exercise your talents.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

Adventure! Excitement! Superficial people emoting at each other, relentlessly! Plus even more exclamation marks!!

[3/10 · 22 November 2021]

Yet another example of the triumph of those that know how to sell, over those that know how to create. With no irony whatsoever regarding the impressive number of genuinely talented and creative people that were required to fabricate this ... thing. Excluding, sad to say, the majority of the cast as most of them show little or no evidence of their talent. One only has to glance at the 'headshots' provided by them to Amazon to promote themselves on IMDB in order to see how many appear to be brimmed with constipated self-importance, and are taking themselves far too seriously. Presumably influenced by their dimly grasped idea of future posterity due to the (laughable) comparisons being made between this series and 'Game of Thrones'. Mind you, 'Game of Thrones' became ridiculous in its later seasons... So, what have we got? An expensive yet genuinely bad adaptation, of a mediocre story, by a prolific and popular - yet mediocre - writer, with the fans of the books being upset because this series is a travesty. As with so many other TV 'adaptations', no-one should be using phrases such as "based upon the books written by #insert name of author#" but instead should use the more appropriate "containing some of the same words found in the books written by #insert name of author#".

If you have read the books, most likely you will be on a spectrum somewhere ranging from deeply unhappy to foaming at the mouth and searching for medication. If you have not read the books, you will be either going along with the mass-media flow and worshipping the expectations created for you, or reacting to the rants from those above. And then going with the mass-media flow. In both cases, there is nothing for you here that is worth as much as the time you may spend picking lint out of your belly button.

To the fans: why do you think the producers chose to adapt a book the author of which is dead? No-one to 'interfere' and to whine about the destruction of their handiwork. The producers will instead be dealing with a trust or other such mindless legal entity that will care only about: how much money will this thing make for us? You're going to change the story, you say? And the characters? And much else besides? Of course we care about the author; of course we care about the integrity of their writing; we exist to defend their memory and the sanctity of their creative output until the last breath leaves our bodies and the universe ends in a cold, entropy-crowned desolation ... did we mention the money thing?

It's a product. To be sold. Like any other.

It doesn't have to be good, nor memorable, nor have any of those other qualities that might make it a worthwhile product. It just has to sell If you don't like it; so what? You will be in the minority of a few tens of thousands of viewers. Some millions of others do and will like it. They will watch the associated advertising, buy the associated products, get the appropriate tattoos and spray their purposeless nothings all over the social media networks. Do you note that almost all of the negative reviewers are 'fans' of the books? To them I say: perhaps you should try to get over it. Re-read your books. Enjoy them. Start a cult.

The producers know how popular their product is going to be, because of the number of people that liked - and bought - the books. News flash for the book fans: you're not the audience they want. Book fans almost always hate a TV or movie adaptation of 'their' book. Why do you think this is yet another product bearing almost no resemblance to its source material? Why do you think so many ugly, clumsy, and genuinely stupid changes were made? Why the pandering to the infantile pseudo-politics of the never-ending gender/race warfare and clown-fight that is popular culture?

Because the audience the producers want to attract, will EAT IT UP with large spoons and no need for a Foie gras funnel.

Also noteworthy and much discussed elsewhere is the extraordinarily low quality of the outcome compared to the money spent on it. One has to be impressed in an odd and oblique way that Amazon invested so much, and delivered such a second-rate series. It requires some kind of negative genius to achieve that. Well done.

The conclusion. Is it worth watching?

Hmm. Do you want to watch something that will allow you to be passively entertained (shiny!); require no thought on your part (exciting!); that is without any challenge to any meaningful ideal or principle that you may hold - if indeed you have any (look! Diversity! Strong Women! People of Colour! Doing Strong Woman and People of Colour stuff!); that will pander to your prejudices and satisfy your appetite for conformity plus your ability to participate in mindless chatter and trivia on social media?

Go for it. Wallow in it. Enjoy.

Alternatively: Do you want to watch something that will require you to engage a functioning brain-cell; have an original idea; experience an emotion of your own rather than one pre-masticated and digested for your consumption?

Move on. Take a breath. Press 'delete'.

The only challenge created by this dreadful waste-product is where to rank it in the pantheon of similar ordure that has been squeezed out onto the carpet.