Life 1x01-1x02

[oyceter]

Charlie Crews was a cop who was imprisoned for twelve years for a crime he didn't commit. Now he's been exonerated, and he's back on the force. His partner and superior officer is Dani Reese, an ex-addict. Together, they fight crime!

So, vonnie_k has already warned that the first few episodes aren't so great, and coffeeandink has been full of Dani love. I too am full of Dani love, but my problem is: every single time Charlie Crews is onscreen, I want to hit him over the head with a giant stick. I hate his quirkiness, his incredibly annoying Zen Buddhism quotes that sound like he's learned Buddhism from fortune cookies, the way he miraculously gets to solve all the crimes, and just... arrrgh. I did not realize that rogue cops who are all genius-like and show up other people by being so creative and so unbiased by things like evidence were a pet peeve of mine, but apparently they are. Like, the scene where he gets the kid away from Dani and gets the kid to talk? ARGH!

Also, I want to bash him over the head for sleeping with everything that walks and for being insanely rich and for not talking to his father. I am sure much of this is unreasonable, but there you have it. It's the quirkiness! And the Zen aphorisms! I hate them so much!

That said, is it worth my watching more episodes? I love Dani, and I love watching her and the lieutenant together in particular, but Charlie is driving me crazy. I do not care about him or his daddy issues or his attempts to solve the murders that got him imprisoned. At all. And seriously, the next time he chants "I am not attached" to himself, I will throw Buddhist monks at him.

Comments

[hederahelix.livejournal.com]

I may not be the best source of advice on this because I am pretty much in the place of "Oh, hey, look, hot Dani on my television screen," but, I think that the later episodes begin to challenge the idea that his Buddhism is anything but a veneer. Without spoiling too much (I hope) later episodes begin to suggest (or at least seem to allow readers to figure out and read in on their own) other possible reasons that he's sort of television's equivalent of an unreliable narrator.

I'm not sure how the series is going to resolve those issues, and I'm going to keep watching just to keep watching Sarah Shahi, but I do think that later eps show that his alleged Buddhist self isn't all it appears to be.

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

... other possible reasons that he's sort of television's equivalent of an unreliable narrator.

I'm really, really hoping they're going to take it in that direction as well. (I'm just wary because, well, TV has burned me before.)

[oyceter]

She is so hot! I would totally watch if it were just The Dani Show.

[unusualmusic.livejournal.com]

"I will throw Buddhist monks at him."

*snickers* That, I would LOVE to see.Speaking of quirky, how come there are never any quirky POC? They always have to be playing straight guy or girl to the individual unique Caucasian...sorry I saw a monk advert last night and the question won't leave me alone...

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

There *are* quirky characters of color in American TV and film. Off the top of my head, here are four currently-running (American) shows which feature "quirky" characters of color: Pushing Daisies, Heroes, Everybody Hates Chris, and Ugly Betty.

However, with the exception of Pushing Daisies, these are all shows in which a significant (say, over 40%) fraction of the characters are people of color. I think it's the same old "diversity of representation" issue--if there's only one, say, black character on a show, then that character bears the burden of representing black people in the world of the show. On the other hand, if there are multiple black characters, then it's possible to have quirky characters, straight-person characters, mean characters, and nice characters.

There is also a danger of "quirky" spilling over into "racial stereotype," and creators may be wary of aiming for the first but veering into the second. At least, I hope they would be.

I think Emerson on Pushing Daisies is a pretty good example of avoiding that pitfall, but I don't know if he'd come off so well in a show that wasn't made of pure quirk, with quirk frosting and a side of quirk.

[oyceter]

Yeah! I was thinking of Emerson and trying to decide if he counted as quirky or not, since he's definitely the voice of sanity (in a way) in the show.

I forget where I saw it, but there was an article floating around about the sassy black best friend/sidekick, and that's what this reminds me of. I mean, it is a step up from the side character who is a POC and completely made up of quirks (Haha, look at their funny hair! Look at their funny culture!), but still not POC as lead or multiple POC in a show, like you mention.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of Emerson and trying to decide if he counted as quirky or not, since he's definitely the voice of sanity (in a way) in the show.

In a way, I think that makes him especially quirky. At least within the context of the "Pushing Daisies" world.

(Also, a PI who knits gun cozies is automatically quirky, no matter what else he does.)

[oyceter]

Heh, yes! I was thinking: "But he's so sane! But that's so abnormal in the show! But he's so practical! But he knits GUN COZIES and pretends to get phone calls from his money!"

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

Also: _is_ Monk white? This is an honest question; I haven't seen a lot of the show, so I don't know what family and cultural background they've given the character. But the actor who plays him is Lebanese-American.

[unusualmusic.livejournal.com]

Oh? That I didn't know.

[oyceter]

Hrm, interesting! I do keep feeling that the POC end up either being completely composed of quirks (look at the funny Asian guy!) or they end up being the straight-shooting, practical best friend, a la every romantic comedy ever. Of course, that would be mitigated if there were more POC and more POC in lead roles...

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

That said, is it worth my watching more episodes?

No, stop there.

Well, watch the sixth episode, "Powerless," which is a fantastic Dani-centric story with probably her most badass hour to date.

But the focus of the show really is Charlie and all the quirks you hate. They're writing Dani as a fascinating and worthwhile character in her own right, but I'm not sure they know what to do with her yet. (Or maybe they're just taking it slow?) Despite all her kickass, she doesn't really have an established plot line to call her very own.

(She truly is kickass -- and hates the quirks as much as you do. She has a great line where she threatens Crews that if he mentions it again she will "hunt down that damn butterfly and kill it.")

But this really is a Path of the Hero-type story, where actual police procedure is given a wash and near-magical insight into the souls of others, in which Crews is the Hero and everybody else is either a helper or a deterrent. If you can accept that, though, they're telling a really interesting and complex story within those slightly dubious parameters.

[oyceter]

Hrm, ok. I think I may try one or two more, depending on my blood pressure, and not hold my breath. And watch ep. 6, because Dani kicking ass is always awesome.

[vonnie-k.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. Heh.

Much as I love the show, if you hate Charlie, you're not going to enjoy the show, I'm afraid. I adore Dani, but it's the Crews/Reese partnership that has me enthralled the most, along with the ongoing arc. Dani has her own storyline and motivations and is unendingly awesome, but Charlie really is the front and center of the show, and if you can't stand one half of the partnership, that's pretty much it, I think.

You might want to try the 1x03, as that's the episode where I think the partnership really starts gelling (and the writers start toning down some of Charlie's irritating mannerisms a bit by then) but I wouldn't recommend forcing yourself past that if it doesn't work for you.

And seriously, the next time he chants "I am not attached" to himself, I will throw Buddhist monks at him.

HAHAHAHAHA!

[oyceter]

Hrm, yeah. I mean, it is all the things I had a problem with in the Mulder/Scully dynamic, only dialed up because they are not investigating supernatural cases! I think Homicide has spoiled me for police procedurals...

I think I will try one or two more (and maybe ep. 6, which is apparently about Dani!) and then see how I feel about Crews.

[maerhys.livejournal.com]

Awwww, I like Charlie but then again I am a huge Monk fan too. But Dani is definitely the reason to watch and I love her interactions with CC.

[oyceter]

Dani is made of awesome! I only wish there were more of her!

[maerhys.livejournal.com]

I am hoping... she has a great backstory and sparkles with everyone.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Heh. You got farther than I did; I gave up in it halfway through episode 1! (I worry sometimes about the fact that the only live-action TV I can tolerate now is Spooks.)

[oyceter]

Hrm... I think I am watching Pushing Daisies now. And horribly behind on Spooks again (how does the season go so fast?). And then.... I am aheming kdramas at a frightening rate even though I have only watched one complete series before! But still! The lure of historical swordfighting...