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Post by CosmicCavalcade on Mar 18, 2015 4:11:54 GMT
Edna is cute and I like her, but unless George is leaving I don't expect them to last. Anymore than I expect Emily and Lillian to, the fact they were ignored this episode shows they aren't more than a plot device. I think they have chemistry but I can't say I have any attachment to their romance. It hasn't been developed enough for that. Though I'd support any romance that wasn't George and Emily, I think they're awful together. This season has at least shown us that they are better with other people. Whoever that may be. I'd be all for Emily getting another girlfriend once Lillian is inevitably out of the picture. I don't expect Lillian/ Emily to last but I do expect Emily to find a less radical girlfriend (probably in season 10). I actually like Gedna, they seem sweet but they also seem like the most seamless relationship. George is too young to completely settle down but he's already taken a fatherly role with Simon and spends most of his time with them. Unlike William and Enid, where he was settling for a bargain version of his eventual future with Julia and they didn't really feel like a family, George fits into the family man role and they seem to compliment each other. George is like 35. Do you mean mentally speaking he's not old enough to completely settle down? Cuz yeah, he sometimes has the mentality of an eight year old...but then so too does Murdoch, ie. fart gags. Anyway, yeah, I'm liking them more and more every time I see them together. |
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Post by Hodge on Mar 18, 2015 4:13:36 GMT
William is also lacking a promotion. So I can see William getting a promotion, and then George taking the regular Detective slot. Is "Assistant Inspector" a thing?  I don't see William getting a promotion in his lifetime. He doesn't really participate in politics like Brackenreid and the anti-Catholic mentality is always going to be in the way of any promotion's he is considered for. I think George will somehow end up coming back to the station as a lowly constable and eventually surpass Murdoch as Station Chief or move to another station (but not anytime soon). William is quite capable of participating in politics however he chooses not to. He's shown himself to be quite astute where politics are concerned, moreso than Brackenreid. However there's no chance he will ever get a promotion given the Orange Lodge hold over all Toronto politics at the time. In fact it would be a couple of decades before a Catholic would get anywhere. George stands a better chance of becoming Chief Constable than Wiliam becoming an inspector. |
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Post by humanmachinery on Mar 18, 2015 7:25:44 GMT
This season has most definitely been "manhandled". Or perhaps "man-fumbled". I really hate to say it because I don't want anything blamed on the "wedding curse" if MM starts to lose audience share after this season. Because it will have NOTHING to do with the wedding if people do lose interest. The problem, as Fallenbelle has neatly put it, was the construction of separate male and female storylines. This not only subtracted a lot of Jilliam from the series (when everyone was expecting at least a little "romance within marriage"), it subtracted from the time the writers were able to give to the mysteries as well. While suffrage was an important historical note to hit, this structural idea was an utter Lose-Lose, and I do worry it's going to be labeled as a "wedding curse" in retrospect when it was just bad (male-think) season planning. I totally agree with what you wrote, at some point I was thinking that this season had a bit of misogynic flair because of how little and inconsequent the women have been involved this season; however it is not the right word as I don't think the writers are against women but this season (even though we know that at least 2 writers are women: Michelle Ricci & Carol Hay) has a very masculine atmosphere and it appears that the writers have forgotten what was making the charm of the show in the first place, as Helene Joy mentioned regarding Julia "the grace" of her character is missing (as Emily time and time again has been showing a colder side imo as well as youthful impertinence and sometimes arrogance which made me not connect with the character much or at all). This season is missing it's spark because the charm and grace are gone and I bet (even though it is still an assumption) that a table surrounded by mostly male writers do not get that at all!!!! For the rest also, the separation between men and women throughout the season has been a wrong move, whatever the writers were hoping for, it didn't work. Sure you can have characters developing and changing but do not change the foundation of something that is working (the entire team working to solve the case, Julia & William in professional and personal situations etc….) Also someone posted above that maybe the writers don't pay much attention to our comments because the ratings are still good. I'm part of one of the main FB group about MM and writers are part of it and they do read our comments and sometimes they participate in conversations, so they do know what's going on regarding our main complaints and if they know what's good for them they will pay attention. After all, why going to all these boards, FB groups, twitter etc…if you don't care what the fans think. That is why I'm staying hopeful that there will be some fixing in season 9 (cross fingers), however and for me this will be different than in previous seasons, the break between season 8 & season 9 will surely be a nice reprieve from my disappointment rather than an agonizing wait :/ I believe you make several excellent points. While Emily and Julia hold the potential for an excellent proto-feminist plot, this season has largely wasted their opportunity to contribute in a professional capacity. I spent the first five or six episodes wondering if Julia was forced to give up her job at the mental hospital (as married women were often forced to do in those days), because we NEVER saw her at her office or being called on to give criminal profiling advice to William. That aspect of her character was utterly discarded. Whenever the writing staff says "we need something for these characters to do," you've got a serious problem with priorities and empathy. In this case, it reflects on the failure to understand that traits like culture, race, gender, and sexuality should inform rather than define a person. |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:26:01 GMT
I wonder if they were trying something new this season, perhaps trying to take it in a different direction thinking it was getting stale after 7 seasons. I don't happen to think so but they did say they were making changes and change for change sake isn't always good. Unfortunately those changes certainly have NOT worked out for the better. Hopefully they look back and do a post mortem on what went wrong. Though I suspect they don't think anything went wrong as viewship rose, therefore it MUST have been fine mustn't it! However I think viewship rose because people tuned in to this series that's been on so long they must be doing something right and of course they won't see anything wrong if they didn't watch any of the earlier seasons. Rather than change things they need to go back and look at seasons 1-4 and see what they were doing right back then. I know one thing that's different right off the top of my head! Time to go back to the look, feel and types of storylines they were doing back at the start. It may not have been as slick but it was certainly edgy. I agree that viewership rose off the momentum from previous seasons. I do recall some article talking about "big changes" coming this season, though. Even though PM denied it, I think it was an experiment in how to handle the "marriage curse". The basic idea of "William and Julia show they are a modern couple by doing their own thing" is pretty good - the writers just forgot to keep continuous tabs on the fact William and Julia were married at the same time. If William and Julia were going to be kept apart, they had to mark their absence somehow. A picture on a desk, a letter, a packed lunch, a memento - those sorts of things. Jilliam still had to be present in their lives even if William and Julia couldn't be together. Otherwise, what's the point of them being married? |
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Post by humanmachinery on Mar 18, 2015 7:28:10 GMT
I don't see William getting a promotion in his lifetime. He doesn't really participate in politics like Brackenreid and the anti-Catholic mentality is always going to be in the way of any promotion's he is considered for. I think George will somehow end up coming back to the station as a lowly constable and eventually surpass Murdoch as Station Chief or move to another station (but not anytime soon). William is quite capable of participating in politics however he chooses not to. He's shown himself to be quite astute where politics are concerned, moreso that Brackenreid. However there's no chance he will ever get a promotion given the Orange Lodge hold over all Toronto politics at the time. In fact it would be a couple of decades before a Catholic would get anywhere. George stands a better chance of becoming Chief Constable than Wiliam becoming an inspector. I'm wondering if William would have better luck getting promoted in some other part of Canada, perhaps Montreal, Winnipeg, or Vancouver? That might be an interesting conclusion for the show. |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:29:44 GMT
If she dies soon, can I sing "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead"? Can I join in? Haven't you guys read Wicked? The Wicked Witch of the West was just misunderstood.  |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:35:41 GMT
We're bound to have some W/J next week. I don't think MM are trying to substitute George or Emily's background romances for W/J. The writers just don't have a relationship based storyline for them atm. I'm fine with them not having a big storyline as a couple, I just wish they wouldn't go an episode without at least one scene. It always makes MM feel flat. Edna is cute and I like her, but unless George is leaving I don't expect them to last. Anymore than I expect Emily and Lillian to, the fact they were ignored this episode shows they aren't more than a plot device. I think they have chemistry but I can't say I have any attachment to their romance. It hasn't been developed enough for that. Though I'd support any romance that wasn't George and Emily, I think they're awful together. This season has at least shown us that they are better with other people. Whoever that may be. I'd be all for Emily getting another girlfriend once Lillian is inevitably out of the picture. I completely agree with what the women are doing and saying, it's just the election storyline itself isn't very interesting and it's sidelining Julia and Emily too much. Next season they both better be back in the thick of the crimes. That way they'd be used more and W/J would have reasons to interact on screen. I can't see an honorable way for George to lose Edna unless her husband came back. Oops.  While I can see ways for Emily to lose Lillian, I'd rather see her become a semi-regular like Margaret. I think her character had a ton of potential. You can't say she's boring! She might make an interesting replacement for that reporter Paddy Glenn - always getting in everyone's face's about police corruption and abhorrent conditions in the city!  |
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Post by humanmachinery on Mar 18, 2015 7:42:11 GMT
I can foresee Lillian as a tragic character who gets Emily into a boatload of trouble. If handled very smartly, this could be both brilliant and heartbreaking.
I imagine some scenario in or near the season finale where I say "well, she's not wrong, but that's really not helping."
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:46:50 GMT
I'm a bit late to the party on this one but alas! I am here now! "I think that Constable Crabtree should be encouraged to follow his instincts."* *but only when supernatural elements are not invovled and he follows a more rational line of thinking. i.e no werewolves, zombies, mummies and martians. I loved how quickly Julia and the girls hid those wine glasses. (and how Julia so quickly drowned hers) Oh my goodness. That was a well paced pole. I have a feeling the barber's running a scam. This cannot end well for the Brackenrieds. (maybe they end up living in the suite next to the Murdoch's in the hotel?) That would be funny/awkward. Oh Murdoch making innuendos. You can tell someone is married now. Murdoch is not good with Simon. Like not at all. Ugh. I wish Miss Hamiltion would remove herself from that fox she is wearing. OOHH Margaret Haile's face when she saw those pamphlets USE YOUR KUNG FU SKILLS GEORGE "He'll be fine" *RUN AWAY RUN AWAY* d'awww GENDA! oh my goodness that cheezy music awwww yeesss Murdoch undercover shotsshotsshotsshotsshotsshotsshotsshots George looked somewhat concerned, with both Brackenreid and Murdoch touching him. d'aww he looked so flabbergasted. I want Crabtree to get the position, but I want him to continue at Stationhouse No. 4. IM SO TORN *sobs* It seems like everyone thought the wine glasses were the height of the episode! Those women be scene-stealing! Good point about William and Simon. I spotted some tension there, too. I wonder why, since William is usually good with kids. The only previous example was in Child's Play where William suspected the boy was taking advantage of Julia's maternal instincts. Does he think George is too close to Simon and he will be "trapped" into fatherhood? I was expecting to see some Kung Fu Crabtree in the wrestling ring, too! But alas, George seems to have forgotten his China Town Training Day! |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:50:19 GMT
Unless what they meant by this is that George took the lead and William stood back. In the past George has only taken on a case when William wasn't there. On another note, this was the first time I agreed with Lillian! Still don't like her though.... I feel that Lillian would be one of *those* suffragettes who went to extreame measures ie-the hunger campagins, and the chaining themselves places. I agree. That's why I think one possible way the show will get rid of her will be to send her to join the Pankhursts in England to engage in more radical activities. For a while I thought they might do a hunger strike episode on the show, and use Lillian so they wouldn't have to use one of the main characters. However, now the season's almost over, so I guess not. Lillian's radicalism is limited to throwing bricks. Bleh. |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:53:56 GMT
OMG, you're a GODDESS! I didn't even notice you were approaching deityhood! What temple are you choosing, oh mighty one? |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 7:57:59 GMT
For the rest also, the separation between men and women throughout the season has been a wrong move, whatever the writers were hoping for, it didn't work. Sure you can have characters developing and changing but do not change the foundation of something that is working (the entire team working to solve the case, Julia & William in professional and personal situations etc….) Also someone posted above that maybe the writers don't pay much attention to our comments because the ratings are still good. I'm part of one of the main FB group about MM and writers are part of it and they do read our comments and sometimes they participate in conversations, so they do know what's going on regarding our main complaints and if they know what's good for them they will pay attention. After all, why going to all these boards, FB groups, twitter etc…if you don't care what the fans think. That is why I'm staying hopeful that there will be some fixing in season 9 (cross fingers), however and for me this will be different than in previous seasons, the break between season 8 & season 9 will surely be a nice reprieve from my disappointment rather than an agonizing wait :/ The writers are probably already planning Season 9 - so now is the time to let them know what you think!  |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 8:04:51 GMT
William is also lacking a promotion. So I can see William getting a promotion, and then George taking the regular Detective slot. Is "Assistant Inspector" a thing? I don't see William getting a promotion in his lifetime. He doesn't really participate in politics like Brackenreid and the anti-Catholic mentality is always going to be in the way of any promotion's he is considered for. I think George will somehow end up coming back to the station as a lowly constable and eventually surpass Murdoch as Station Chief or move to another station (but not anytime soon). The end of the interview is promising an exciting new chapter in George's life. If he comes back to Station House 4, though, William has to get some sort of promotion. ...or does William get busted back down to constable. Now, now, William, what did you do this time...
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 8:07:23 GMT
I think the only people who don't like Gedna are some who are still hung up on Gemily for some reason. I still don't get that ship at all. Emily was outright mean to George! What was there to ship! |
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Post by snacky on Mar 18, 2015 8:09:14 GMT
George may seem younger than he is because he's been stuck in a constable's job for a decade longer than he should have been... |
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