Marvel Cinematic Universe - Agatha All Along [Spoilers]

Started by garbon, January 30, 2021, 04:42:16 AM

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celedhring

To be frank I thought it was poorly written. I get what they were aiming for, and I think it was a good take, but the writing just wasn't good enough. It felt like discount bin Phoebe-Waller Bridge.

The whole "WOKE CULTURE IS RUINING MARVEL" noise is just ridiculous though. The fact it's not another male fantasy superhero extravaganza is the one saving grace the show has.

The Larch

Quote from: celedhring on October 27, 2022, 04:49:45 AMTo be frank I thought it was poorly written. I get what they were aiming for, and I think it was a good take, but the writing just wasn't good enough. It felt like discount bin Phoebe-Waller Bridge.

Any particular issue of bad writing comes to your mind? Some of the earlier episodes are not great, and the court scenes are pretty cringey and played for laughs mostly (I read that the writers for the show came mostly from sitcoms, and didn't have a good grasp on how to write compelling trial scenes). Or do you means specifically about the 4th wall breaking sections? Did you watch the finale?

And Phoebe Waller Bridge is... :unsure:

garbon

I'm not sure to what extent I'd put She-Hulk in same category as PWB's tragic, quirky, sad girl mode.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

celedhring

#258
Quote from: The Larch on October 27, 2022, 04:55:06 AM
Quote from: celedhring on October 27, 2022, 04:49:45 AMTo be frank I thought it was poorly written. I get what they were aiming for, and I think it was a good take, but the writing just wasn't good enough. It felt like discount bin Phoebe-Waller Bridge.

Any particular issue of bad writing comes to your mind? Some of the earlier episodes are not great, and the court scenes are pretty cringey and played for laughs mostly (I read that the writers for the show came mostly from sitcoms, and didn't have a good grasp on how to write compelling trial scenes). Or do you means specifically about the 4th wall breaking sections? Did you watch the finale?

And Phoebe Waller Bridge is... :unsure:

I watched the finale. It actually encapsulates most of my issues with the show. The whole meta part? Awesome. But then after the critique they just cut to the end and everybody is arrested, some jokes, oh look, Hulk has a son now! All without actually you know, putting in there what they believe the show should be about, or giving us any kind of closure. It's essentially just another joke. It echoes the many, many instances when the show seems to try to get itself into interesting territory (say, She-Hulk's personal life), but everything ends up being played for laughs, an action scene, without any real emotional payoff. Which is... a very Marvel thing to do. You can do comedy and emotion at the same time, but these writers didn't manage it.

celedhring

Quote from: garbon on October 27, 2022, 04:59:42 AMI'm not sure to what extent I'd put She-Hulk in same category as PWB's tragic, quirky, sad girl mode.

The writers have openly said they were inspired by Fleabag (nothing wrong with that, I love that show). I mean, it's pretty obvious. It's Marvel so it's not going to get as sad/tragic as Fleabag, but the whole confessional thing and breaking the 4th wall is there.

garbon

Quote from: celedhring on October 27, 2022, 05:11:39 AM
Quote from: garbon on October 27, 2022, 04:59:42 AMI'm not sure to what extent I'd put She-Hulk in same category as PWB's tragic, quirky, sad girl mode.

The writers have openly said they were inspired by Fleabag (nothing wrong with that, I love that show). I mean, it's pretty obvious. It's Marvel so it's not going to get as sad/tragic as Fleabag, but the whole confessional thing and breaking the 4th wall is there.

Got it if they've cited that as their inspiration. Otherwise, I'd be like the examples you've given as her 'signature' are basically very similar to Michaela Cole's Chewing Gum that came out earlier than Fleabag.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

The Larch

Quote from: celedhring on October 27, 2022, 05:11:39 AM
Quote from: garbon on October 27, 2022, 04:59:42 AMI'm not sure to what extent I'd put She-Hulk in same category as PWB's tragic, quirky, sad girl mode.

The writers have openly said they were inspired by Fleabag (nothing wrong with that, I love that show). I mean, it's pretty obvious. It's Marvel so it's not going to get as sad/tragic as Fleabag, but the whole confessional thing and breaking the 4th wall is there.

She-Hulk has been breaking the 4th wall in her comics since the 90s, it's not something new to the character.

viper37

Quote from: The Larch on October 27, 2022, 04:55:06 AM
Quote from: celedhring on October 27, 2022, 04:49:45 AMTo be frank I thought it was poorly written. I get what they were aiming for, and I think it was a good take, but the writing just wasn't good enough. It felt like discount bin Phoebe-Waller Bridge.

Any particular issue of bad writing comes to your mind?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsw0PleILoA
I don't do meditation.  I drink alcohol to relax, like normal people.

If Microsoft Excel decided to stop working overnight, the world would practically end.

The Larch

Quote from: viper37 on November 01, 2022, 09:26:38 AM
Quote from: The Larch on October 27, 2022, 04:55:06 AM
Quote from: celedhring on October 27, 2022, 04:49:45 AMTo be frank I thought it was poorly written. I get what they were aiming for, and I think it was a good take, but the writing just wasn't good enough. It felt like discount bin Phoebe-Waller Bridge.

Any particular issue of bad writing comes to your mind?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsw0PleILoA


Nah.

The Larch

Last night I watched a "Marvel special presentation" called "Werewolf by night" that I just discovered existed. Apparently it's the first of a series of one off specials that Marvel will start putting out from now on periodically. This is the first one, and it's a sort of Halloween special, with the next one being a Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special.


I personally think it was great! It was nothing like your standard Marvel fare. For starters, it's less than one hour long, and completely disconnected from the rest of the MCU (for the moment), and employs some lesser known characters from the Marvel vaults. The feel is that of a 1930s-40s Universal horror film, with some Del Toro sprinkled around for taste. It is done almost completely in B & W, with some great atmosphere and cinematography, and it's actually much bloodier than your standard Marvel stuff.

It stars Gael GarcĂ­a Bernal as Jack Russell (a legacy Marvel horror character from the 50s that was revived in the 70s once the Comics Code started to loosen up), a monster hunter with a dark secret, and Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone (a newer Marvel character created in 2001 which is a sort of Lara Croft/Buffy crossover), the daughter of a legendary monster hunter from whom she got estranged, who meet at the Bloodstone's manor for the reading of the will of Ulysses Bloodstone, Elsa's late father and worlwide leader of a society of monster hunters.

Being so short, it can feel a bit rushed and lacking in background (for instance, you're barely told anything on how the monster hunter society seems to work), bu it makes sure that doesn't overstay its welcome, and leaves a pretty good (and bloody!) taste in your mouth. If the other one off specials are going to be done this way, then we're in for a few treats.

Josquius

Haven't got around to watching it yet but marvel introducing its "horror" franchises really stinks of a massive shark jump.
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The Larch

Quote from: Josquius on November 05, 2022, 04:06:43 PMHaven't got around to watching it yet but marvel introducing its "horror" franchises really stinks of a massive shark jump.

I know you have no other setting but exceedingly negative, but it doesn't hurt to try to see the good side of things every once in a while.  :P

Josquius

Quote from: The Larch on November 05, 2022, 04:18:27 PM
Quote from: Josquius on November 05, 2022, 04:06:43 PMHaven't got around to watching it yet but marvel introducing its "horror" franchises really stinks of a massive shark jump.

I know you have no other setting but exceedingly negative, but it doesn't hurt to try to see the good side of things every once in a while.  :P

I don't think that's true. I'm just honest and see more value in noting the flaws to be fixed :p

Also my dislike of shared universes is well established.
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Eddie Teach

Moon Knight was the last Marvel content I enjoyed. I already didn't think they were taking themselves seriously enough; She-Hulk and Love and Thunder made it worse.
To sleep, perchance to dream. But in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?

garbon

Saw Black Panther 2 last night. Loved it. Maybe not as much as the first film (which felt a bit more novel) but happy to go back to Afro-futurism where America and the wider West are shunted to the side.

Spoiler:
Only main drawback was it felt like they didn't explore enough the Killmonger piece. Emotionally, I was ready for a bloodbath of vengeance.
"I've never been quite sure what the point of a eunuch is, if truth be told. It seems to me they're only men with the useful bits cut off."
I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.