Spontaneous Musings

1. Scans Daily Exchange..

Poster to me: Do you think the teens of Krakoa indulge in IRL Danganronpa/Among Us/hardcore Mafia-esque killing games amongst each other now that death is being peddled as consequence-free?

ME: I don't know. And I am very glad I don't. [Reason 545 for why I'm glad I don't have any kids.] (Also I had a tough time understanding what in the heck they were talking about. Your guess is as good as mine. I've not read the New Mutant comics they are referring to yet - I just know that the New Mutants are teens on Kraokoa in the X-men verse, and that if you die you can come back with better powers, that's it. And I am not sure if they are talking about actual killing games or video games? I'm not a gamer - so am kind of oblivious.)


My reaction to some of my exchanges with fandom on Twitter and Facebook...and DW regarding social justice issues.

Fandom: I'm Superfan! I attack social injustices and raise awareness in comic books and cult television show fandoms with just a keystroke! (An increasingly difficult to discern or understand keystroke.) See!

Me: Okay. When you finally grow out of that phase? You might consider doing something a touch more constructive with your time such as starting a letter writing or phone banking campaign for nationwide police reform, or prison reform, gun restrictions, new drug laws, teen programs and outreach, and reforming or appealing the Second Amendment right to form your own militia and bear arms? Because that would probably be more effective and constructive use of your communication skills and energy resources. Also, while you are at? Do work on your communication skills. (Seriously what are they teaching kids in English these days?)

I should be doing it too - but I'm kind of paralyzed with not caring all that much at the moment. I might care again in few months, but right now, not so much.

2. Superman and Lois

This was the most tightly written, well produced, and cast CW show that I've seen to date. Which is I guess is saying something. The pilot felt like watching a movie.

If it keeps it up - which is unlikely, I'll be hooked. CW is very good at pilots, but their shows kind of lose steam for me after about the second or third season. This happened with Riverdale, Supernatural, Arrow, Supergirl, Flash, DC Legends of Tomorrow, Smallville, Black Lightening, Walker, Nancy Drew....

Although, I will state that Superman & Lois has all of them beat with its pilot. Also, part of the other series problems is a lot of them seem to go on forever. They must be great sets to work on. I thought about catching up with Arrow or Riverdale or even the Flash and DC Legends of Tomorrow, but got kind of overwhelmed by the number of episodes. Plus they are all serialized so you can't just pop in there.

Anyhow, Superman & Lois surprised me by how good it was. Good special effects, good acting, the writing was on target, and it seemed to be lighter in content, less dark. This version of Superman is more similar to the earlier versions of the character. Also the actor looks a lot more like the iconic character.

3. Miss Scarlet & The Duke appears to have completed its season. Shame, I was just beginning to get into it. But the last three episodes were good, even if the banter between leads wearing. Also the mystery seemed to follow most television show mystery formulas - which is, the culprit is usually the first person you suspect. Then you get misdirected, only to realize yes, you were right to begin with. Other than that, I enjoyed it.

4. Nancy Drew - I enjoy these mysteries more - they've fully embraced the horror element now. And the mystery is usually about why a ghost or entity is haunting or coming after people. Which is more interesting and harder to figure out. Also, much like Supernatural before it - it references a lot of urban folk legends. It's kind of Nancy Drew meets Supernatural. With Supernatural being the Hardy Boys version.

Also, I like the diversity in the cast. Casts are more diverse in television shows than they were a scant ten years ago. It's a refreshing change.
[See another way to push for social justice, make it clear you want diverse stories for diverse casts in television shows.]

5. Entertainment Weekly had a long article on filming during the pandemic.
Lights! Camera! And Antibacterial Wipes! which I found online after I read it in Entertainment Weekly. Makes sharing easier.
Then again, maybe not - apparently you have to sign up for the service, so never mind.

So will try to summarize/paraphrase-

It's not cheap to maintain a COVID-free environmental - apparently. If you get a false positive, because that happens, it's faster and easier to just do the 14 day quarantine, because even false positives get reported to the CDC. So instead of jumping through a kajillion hoops - to shoot again, it's easier to just have everyone quarantine for 14 days.

To prevent worst-case scenarios? The TV studios spend anywhere from $250,000 to $1 Million per episode to protect their productions. In addition to outfitting crew and cast with full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) such as face shields, masks, and hand sanitizers - sets are now divided into colored or numbered zones such as red for filming and blue for lighting changes and rehearsal. Green is for drinking and snacking - activities that require mask removal - while sit down meals happen away from the set and six feet apart.

For example? Supermarket Sweep took over an airport hanger in Santa Monica so that they could re-create a grocery store and give everyone enough room to socially distance. According to the host, Leslie Jones, they were getting tested three times a week. No one could come near her without a face mask and shield on their face, and even when they did - they had to wash their hands. Every time she touched anything - they were sanitizing her. The meals - everyone sat six feet away.

Making sure people eat and drink safely has become an issue. One person apparently threw up from heat exposure - because they were fully kitted up running up and down a mountain and hadn't drank enough water. And in order to eat or drink anything - you have to be able to step away to a green zone or a mask relief area.

[I get that - I picked up on that problem when I returned briefly to my workplace for a week back in September. Also going to the doctor's to get blood work after fasting - I have to get them to leave the room, so I can quickly have an energy bar and drink water. I used to just do it, or I'd drink water on the subway or street.]

As a result - we should expect fewer episodes of our favorite shows, most prime time series or streaming series will be lucky to have 16 or 18 episodes for 2020-2021 season rather than the standard (for the US) 22.

But hey at least they were able to create something. Kudos for the ingenuity. I'm impressed. Very impressed with General Hospital and the other shows I've seen - because you can't tell, outside of various characters being recast or missing at various points due to COVID exposure.

Oh and in November the Witcher shut down for the second time due to a Covid infection. As did Chicago Fire.

While in September - Riverdale also had shooting put on hold along with other CW series.


6. Premier Dates for Television series - in case you are interested?

* New Amsterdam - 3/2 - NBC. I guess I should watch the last three episodes of the previous season?

* The Falcon & The Winter Soldier - Disney + - 3/18 (It's just 6 episodes by the way. And not a series. I'm actually very happy about this. The shorter the series the better for my current attention span. I don't want to commit to anything at the moment.)

* Genius - Aretha - National Geographic - 3/21

* Godzilla vs. Kong - HBO Max - (EW:stream or see it in the theater, your call, they hate to pit things against each other. ) This sounds like a film that my best girl-buddy when I was about ten - would have adored. She adored monster movies - I didn't, she did. It caused some friction in our relationship.

Debbie: King Kong is a much better movie than Star Wars.
ME: Uh, how exactly?
Debbie: It at least had monsters and scary villains and a romance, there's nothing in Star Wars!
ME: I don't know we had a romance, Darth Vadar, and the snake monster in the sewage tank.
Debbie: They weren't scary! Let's go see Alien!
Me: Uh, sorry, I'm going have to pass on that. Already talked my father out of it. Beside it's R-rated and you got me into trouble seeing Fun With Dick & Jane.
Debbie: Chicken.
Me: Yep, completely. I wholeheartedly agree.

* Invinceable - on Amazon Prime - 3/26 - its Robert Kirman's animated coming of superhero drama - with JK Simmons, Steven Yeuni, Mahershala Alli, Lauren Cohen, Nicole Byeri, Jon Hamm, Mark Hamill, Zachery Quinto, Clancy Brown, Mae Whitman, Walton Goggins, Andrew Rannells, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Michael...(I have no idea, they left the last name off to make room for items that don't interest me like Alien Nation shows, and shows I've no interest in binging. Also, I'm guessing there's no premiers after the March 26?

Kirkman is the guy behind the comic series the Walking Dead, and television series. So it's guaranteed to be a violent and dark animated television series for adults with an insane voice cast. Hamill is probably the best voice actor on it - he's made a name for himself as a voice actor. It's hard to do voice acting. Not everyone does it well.

It also appears Kirkman cast half the people in the Walking Dead - or rather all of the cast members whose characters he killed off.