Being Human 2x03 - Long Live the King
Jul. 7th, 2012 08:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
keep_countingI think this is my favorite season 2 episode this far - and I know that's silly to say when I'm only three episodes in, but everything has just been so powerful and confusing (in a good way) the last two episodes and this... Well, it didn't exactly clean up the messes, but it did provide me with a better grasp of what I think the overall plotline for this season is going to be.
Let's divide it up here:
Annie:
One thing that is especially hitting me in the head this season is how genuinly nice a person Annie is. She, more than anything else, derives happiness from seing the people around her happy. This is an amazing character-trait, especially because Annie is also occasionally bossy, 'needy' and damaged enough to not become a boring or Mary Sue-ish character. Annie is by no means perfect: in fact there were several times, especially in season one, when her overcaring behaviour and general approach to some things in life had me rolling my eyes in mild exasperation. But with this season, one thing has been proven completely: Annie is good. She is so rarely motivated by selfish desires, that everything that happens to her seems doubly unfair. When she was still in denial over the whole Owen-thing, she personally went out of her way to make sure her ex was okay. Yes, she also did this because she thought it was the way to find 'closure' for herself and properly 'die', but the fact remains that all of her approaches to 'passing over' has been made with a foundation of her trying to make other people's lives better. Only this episode, what does she do? Instead of crying and screaming over being invisible to normal humans again, missing out on another chance for love, she not only does her best to make George feel better again (and Mitchell later too), but she also does her very best to make sure that Hugh is happy. Let me repeat that: instead of doing everything in her power to become visible again, she instead focuses her attention on a completely selfless way of making Hugh happy. Is this an annoying and completely out-of-turn way of meddling with people's lives? Yes, it is, but it is still, at its core, a sefless motivation and a need to make others feel better. Annie, bless you so much, you deserve all of the awards because George and Mitchell would be two depressed lonely guys without you.
George:
I've been really angry with George this season, but I figured I would have this kind of behavior from him sooner rather than later: everyone has a breaking point, and George went through a lot of shit. Of course he is torn over what he has done, and it seems like no matter what he does, shit just keeps hitting the fan. He killed Herrick and as a result, now has several crazy vampires breathing down his neck (and only some of them want sex). He's infected his girlfriend. And now his girlfriend has left him, and all he wants is for her to come back. I get that. I want Nina to come back too (actually, I'm pretty sure I want George to become gay with Hugh, but that's for fanficcy-funtimes), but the point of the matter is that she left. This isn't a fairy-tale or a chick-flick. George isn't supposed to run after her, because she isn't having a hissy-fit or being a drama-queen. She's shown genuine disgust over some of the things he's done, and furthermore she is still struggling with her infection and everything it implies, including the fact that it was her boyfriend that did this to her. Of course, both Nina and George know that he didn't - would never - do that on purpose, but that doesn't stop him from feeling guilty and her for resenting him, just a little bit. Added to that THE FACT THAT HE SLEPT WITH DAISY. Which I still haven't forgiven him for. Yes, Daisy is like... insanely attractive. I would do her too. But Sinead Keenan isn't my girlfriend either, so he really has no excuse. Nina doesn't even know about this! No, it's aiding and abetting a murderer that was the final straw for her. Can we turn this around one time, and think about the fact that all of the really messed up things that have happened to our little group, aside from of course death and being turned, has happened because of Mitchell and his violent and dark past?
Mitchell:
Just to make this clear: I love Mitchell. He is a compelling character. He can be so sweet. He's fighting so hard. I want good things to happen to him (one good thing being namely Annie, but I digress). Mitchell is amazing. BUT DAMMIT IS HE A DUMBASS. Where do I start? Mitchell is going on a downwards spiral. It seems like no matter how hard he tries, everything just seems like its getting worse. He gets on and off the blood-wagon about as often as Lady Gaga changes outfits in a single music-video. He's trying to balance these two worlds, but the scales constantly tips in favor of the blood-lusting monster he is so desperately trying not to become. Can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that Mitchell might as well be the villain of this series? One of the misunderstood, genuinly-thinks-they're-doing-the-right-thing kind of villain, but if it wasn't for George and Annie keeping him grounded and in touch with his own conscience, not only would he be darker but I think we would be seeing him from almost a completely amoral point of view. So many times he does things that are deemed wrong by human morals and standards, and seeing as he is living in a human world and actively trying to be a part of that world, he is simply not good. I'm not saying that he's a bad guy. He tries and he tries and he tries, and there is a measure of redemption in the simple act of fighting against these impulses, but that doesn't change the fact that by god, does he lose more than he wins. Finally get control of your bloodlust? Accidentally kill co-worker during sex. Trying to be good friends with a nice kid? Get in a loadshit of trouble and lose all faith in humanity. Trying to constantly apply to and reassing membership of the secret vampire club? Turn your best friend into a murderer. And try to finally clean up the bloody mess your stupid little feud with Herrick has brought? Use extortion and murder and become King of the Vampires. Well done Mitchell. Would you like a virgin sacrifice and some gothic churches to go with that?
THOUGHTS:
- Who the hell ARE those people monitoring our three protagonists? I mean, I get that they're hunters of supernatural beings, but what more exactly? The Watcher's Council from Buffy? Angel Investigations? Dean and Sam's extended family? The Shadow Proclamation? Torchwood? Jedi's? The British Governnment? OMG IS MYCROFT HUNTING MY FAVE PARANORMAL BEINGS?? Seriously, Mycroft, take your frustration about your brother out on someone else, please.
- Nina is going to come back right? And... and her and George are going to be together, again? Right? Oh god, they're not, are they? Why can't I have happy things? I am so worried about Nina guys. We've seen what these people do to werewolves. 'Cure' my ass. Ohgod, please don't let that happen to Nina!
- The whole sequence of the 'house-meeting' was one of the most brilliant moments of television I have ever seen. Annie so desperately trying to fix her boys, George being depressed and uninterested, Mitchell being frustrated and uninterested. And then them being all 'yeah, we've talked it out now, seriously woman, chill, it's all good, we don't need to hug and cry it out, we're not repressing our emotions at all' and then the EPIC FREAK-OUT OVER A MISSED SHOW. I laughed so much! George started weeping and Mitchell turned into a total drama-queen: 'See? I'm doing the DISHES now! ARE YOU HAPPY?!'. And Annie's face.
- 'My heart yearns for your fragrant hair' - George is all I want in a lover. Someone awkward and nerdy who will write me bad poetry when I leave. No, seriously. I want my future someone to write me bad poetry, and try to hide it away and then for me to find it and for them to be all embarrased. I'm serious. You can take your candle-lit dinners and weekends to Paris, I just want bad poetry and I will never let that person go again. (nina please please please come back)
- The subtle shift in dynamics between Annie and George is so well-played. At the very beginning of season 1, it is clear that George is very sceptic about Annie; as she says in the season finale, he hated her at the start. And that's okay, because then we have him being all 'I'll help you get to the door' and the perfect line: 'Just for the record: I don't want you to leave'. And now THIS. Their friendship has really grown so much, and its grown from a solid need and comfort taken in each other, of standing together when everything started to fall apart.
- When Mitchell and Lucy were in that bar, there was totally Florence+The Machine playing in the background. IT MADE ME SO UNSPEAKABLY HAPPY. Like when they all of the sudden used 'Shake it Out' on How I Met Your Mother in S7.
- Can I just say that... this show isn't at all what I expected? It is so different from all of my expectations. I had roommates who just happened to be supernatural beings sort of things in my head. Instead we have supernatural beings who are roommates because of this. And its all fucked up. And I love it so much.
- I never want to see George cry like that again. Never ever ever. Everything inside me just broke.
Let's divide it up here:
Annie:
One thing that is especially hitting me in the head this season is how genuinly nice a person Annie is. She, more than anything else, derives happiness from seing the people around her happy. This is an amazing character-trait, especially because Annie is also occasionally bossy, 'needy' and damaged enough to not become a boring or Mary Sue-ish character. Annie is by no means perfect: in fact there were several times, especially in season one, when her overcaring behaviour and general approach to some things in life had me rolling my eyes in mild exasperation. But with this season, one thing has been proven completely: Annie is good. She is so rarely motivated by selfish desires, that everything that happens to her seems doubly unfair. When she was still in denial over the whole Owen-thing, she personally went out of her way to make sure her ex was okay. Yes, she also did this because she thought it was the way to find 'closure' for herself and properly 'die', but the fact remains that all of her approaches to 'passing over' has been made with a foundation of her trying to make other people's lives better. Only this episode, what does she do? Instead of crying and screaming over being invisible to normal humans again, missing out on another chance for love, she not only does her best to make George feel better again (and Mitchell later too), but she also does her very best to make sure that Hugh is happy. Let me repeat that: instead of doing everything in her power to become visible again, she instead focuses her attention on a completely selfless way of making Hugh happy. Is this an annoying and completely out-of-turn way of meddling with people's lives? Yes, it is, but it is still, at its core, a sefless motivation and a need to make others feel better. Annie, bless you so much, you deserve all of the awards because George and Mitchell would be two depressed lonely guys without you.
George:
I've been really angry with George this season, but I figured I would have this kind of behavior from him sooner rather than later: everyone has a breaking point, and George went through a lot of shit. Of course he is torn over what he has done, and it seems like no matter what he does, shit just keeps hitting the fan. He killed Herrick and as a result, now has several crazy vampires breathing down his neck (and only some of them want sex). He's infected his girlfriend. And now his girlfriend has left him, and all he wants is for her to come back. I get that. I want Nina to come back too (actually, I'm pretty sure I want George to become gay with Hugh, but that's for fanficcy-funtimes), but the point of the matter is that she left. This isn't a fairy-tale or a chick-flick. George isn't supposed to run after her, because she isn't having a hissy-fit or being a drama-queen. She's shown genuine disgust over some of the things he's done, and furthermore she is still struggling with her infection and everything it implies, including the fact that it was her boyfriend that did this to her. Of course, both Nina and George know that he didn't - would never - do that on purpose, but that doesn't stop him from feeling guilty and her for resenting him, just a little bit. Added to that THE FACT THAT HE SLEPT WITH DAISY. Which I still haven't forgiven him for. Yes, Daisy is like... insanely attractive. I would do her too. But Sinead Keenan isn't my girlfriend either, so he really has no excuse. Nina doesn't even know about this! No, it's aiding and abetting a murderer that was the final straw for her. Can we turn this around one time, and think about the fact that all of the really messed up things that have happened to our little group, aside from of course death and being turned, has happened because of Mitchell and his violent and dark past?
Mitchell:
Just to make this clear: I love Mitchell. He is a compelling character. He can be so sweet. He's fighting so hard. I want good things to happen to him (one good thing being namely Annie, but I digress). Mitchell is amazing. BUT DAMMIT IS HE A DUMBASS. Where do I start? Mitchell is going on a downwards spiral. It seems like no matter how hard he tries, everything just seems like its getting worse. He gets on and off the blood-wagon about as often as Lady Gaga changes outfits in a single music-video. He's trying to balance these two worlds, but the scales constantly tips in favor of the blood-lusting monster he is so desperately trying not to become. Can we take a moment to appreciate the fact that Mitchell might as well be the villain of this series? One of the misunderstood, genuinly-thinks-they're-doing-the-right-thing kind of villain, but if it wasn't for George and Annie keeping him grounded and in touch with his own conscience, not only would he be darker but I think we would be seeing him from almost a completely amoral point of view. So many times he does things that are deemed wrong by human morals and standards, and seeing as he is living in a human world and actively trying to be a part of that world, he is simply not good. I'm not saying that he's a bad guy. He tries and he tries and he tries, and there is a measure of redemption in the simple act of fighting against these impulses, but that doesn't change the fact that by god, does he lose more than he wins. Finally get control of your bloodlust? Accidentally kill co-worker during sex. Trying to be good friends with a nice kid? Get in a loadshit of trouble and lose all faith in humanity. Trying to constantly apply to and reassing membership of the secret vampire club? Turn your best friend into a murderer. And try to finally clean up the bloody mess your stupid little feud with Herrick has brought? Use extortion and murder and become King of the Vampires. Well done Mitchell. Would you like a virgin sacrifice and some gothic churches to go with that?
THOUGHTS:
- Who the hell ARE those people monitoring our three protagonists? I mean, I get that they're hunters of supernatural beings, but what more exactly? The Watcher's Council from Buffy? Angel Investigations? Dean and Sam's extended family? The Shadow Proclamation? Torchwood? Jedi's? The British Governnment? OMG IS MYCROFT HUNTING MY FAVE PARANORMAL BEINGS?? Seriously, Mycroft, take your frustration about your brother out on someone else, please.
- Nina is going to come back right? And... and her and George are going to be together, again? Right? Oh god, they're not, are they? Why can't I have happy things? I am so worried about Nina guys. We've seen what these people do to werewolves. 'Cure' my ass. Ohgod, please don't let that happen to Nina!
- The whole sequence of the 'house-meeting' was one of the most brilliant moments of television I have ever seen. Annie so desperately trying to fix her boys, George being depressed and uninterested, Mitchell being frustrated and uninterested. And then them being all 'yeah, we've talked it out now, seriously woman, chill, it's all good, we don't need to hug and cry it out, we're not repressing our emotions at all' and then the EPIC FREAK-OUT OVER A MISSED SHOW. I laughed so much! George started weeping and Mitchell turned into a total drama-queen: 'See? I'm doing the DISHES now! ARE YOU HAPPY?!'. And Annie's face.
- 'My heart yearns for your fragrant hair' - George is all I want in a lover. Someone awkward and nerdy who will write me bad poetry when I leave. No, seriously. I want my future someone to write me bad poetry, and try to hide it away and then for me to find it and for them to be all embarrased. I'm serious. You can take your candle-lit dinners and weekends to Paris, I just want bad poetry and I will never let that person go again. (nina please please please come back)
- The subtle shift in dynamics between Annie and George is so well-played. At the very beginning of season 1, it is clear that George is very sceptic about Annie; as she says in the season finale, he hated her at the start. And that's okay, because then we have him being all 'I'll help you get to the door' and the perfect line: 'Just for the record: I don't want you to leave'. And now THIS. Their friendship has really grown so much, and its grown from a solid need and comfort taken in each other, of standing together when everything started to fall apart.
- When Mitchell and Lucy were in that bar, there was totally Florence+The Machine playing in the background. IT MADE ME SO UNSPEAKABLY HAPPY. Like when they all of the sudden used 'Shake it Out' on How I Met Your Mother in S7.
- Can I just say that... this show isn't at all what I expected? It is so different from all of my expectations. I had roommates who just happened to be supernatural beings sort of things in my head. Instead we have supernatural beings who are roommates because of this. And its all fucked up. And I love it so much.
- I never want to see George cry like that again. Never ever ever. Everything inside me just broke.
