I just watched 2.04 and my unease with season 2 deepens. I can see what you mean re: Southerness - that family was very much a debile Southern horror cliché, complete with Klu Klux Klan association. (Though the later is interesting in making it clear that Ben doesn't come from a line of good, pure knights (well, not THAT kind). Anyway - I miss the subtlety of season 1. Babylon was evil and creepy in a way that had nothing to do with such clichés.
Justin has inner conflict coming. I'm not sure what will happen to the conflict after 2.05 (the last episode to air) but it is certainly there in 2.04 & 2.05.
Where do you see the inner conflict in 2.04? Perhaps a flash when he angrily says to Iris "the door has already been opened", but that's it. Because the conversation with Tommy Dolan and "I need more proof" struck me as a calculated move, pointing towards wanting to get rid of Iris via Dolan. Otherwise, he, too, is much more of a cliché than last season. Not just because of missing signs of inner conflict and struggle, but did we need the Rosemary's Baby thing? (I.e. he doesn't just have sex with Celeste, he rapes her and abuses her and we hear demonic animal noises, and then moves on to the next servant?) Again, when the first season wanted to show Justin do something evil and/or display his power, we got the man in the mental asylum almost dashing his brains out after a little conversation, or him correcting the doctor's spelling, or the child abuser shooting himself. Far, far more effective, and not resorting to horror movie clichés.
I suspect it's the missing R. Moore that makes the difference now. Don't get me wrong, it's still an interesting show, but... it lost something. At least the first four episodes gave me that impression.
On the bright side, there are elements like Ruthie being able to see dead people, but more about that later.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2005-02-08 06:09 pm (UTC)Justin has inner conflict coming. I'm not sure what will happen to the conflict after 2.05 (the last episode to air) but it is certainly there in 2.04 & 2.05.
Where do you see the inner conflict in 2.04? Perhaps a flash when he angrily says to Iris "the door has already been opened", but that's it. Because the conversation with Tommy Dolan and "I need more proof" struck me as a calculated move, pointing towards wanting to get rid of Iris via Dolan. Otherwise, he, too, is much more of a cliché than last season. Not just because of missing signs of inner conflict and struggle, but did we need the Rosemary's Baby thing? (I.e. he doesn't just have sex with Celeste, he rapes her and abuses her and we hear demonic animal noises, and then moves on to the next servant?) Again, when the first season wanted to show Justin do something evil and/or display his power, we got the man in the mental asylum almost dashing his brains out after a little conversation, or him correcting the doctor's spelling, or the child abuser shooting himself. Far, far more effective, and not resorting to horror movie clichés.
I suspect it's the missing R. Moore that makes the difference now. Don't get me wrong, it's still an interesting show, but... it lost something. At least the first four episodes gave me that impression.
On the bright side, there are elements like Ruthie being able to see dead people, but more about that later.