Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Lost and Found -- Lost Girl finds me happy




Ok, so I was disappointed with the first episode of Once Upon a Time. And maybe I wasn't expecting too much from a major mainstream network attempting to create something relevant to the speculative fiction crowd.

The opposite can be said of a network that specializes in fantasy and sci fi, attempting to create something relevant. I'm not saying that SYFY can always hit the mark in its specialist creations. However, I can say I was not disappointed with the first episode of Lost Girl.

Let me digress a little bit, here. I watched a bit of one episode of The Closer, and smelled too much J D Robb redressed. If you have never read J D Robb, I'm sure the show is wonderful and hits some really nice spots. If you have read her, the show squeaks and squawks and feels like a dollar-store Barbie knock-off. Lost Girl feels like someone mined Jim Butcher's world. Just one tiny corner of it. Now, it might not feel like that to anyone else. I don't read much urban fantasy and he is the only one I remember. Having said that, Lost Girl takes what I like about Butcher's fae--the courts, the mood, the setting--and turns it into something I want to see more of.

What I liked? No backstory. We start in the middle of something familiar and watch it get tweaked, over and over again, until by the end of the episode, we are as turned-around as the main characters are.

In a good way. In a OK, we're back to square one, now what? way.

Another thing about me--I don't go ga-ga over male leads. There are some whose characters I like. LOVE Tom Hanks' character. And, of course, Harrison Ford. But it's not the smokin' kind of attention they get from me. I can't say the same thing about Kris Holden-Ried, who plays Dyson. Just standing there, I'm ready. And there are women who swear their panties by Alan Rickman's voice. Nah. When Dyson appears on the screen, I wait for the first movement of body, letting me know he might, just might say something. Will someone tell me what he is doing so that I can make him stop? Eventually? (I'd probably prefer him more "mature", but--eh! I'll take what I can get)



Fortunately, the story, the action, the characters keep me cooled off. In a good way. Lost Girl is definitely a tough and quirky girl buddy movie. Bo played by Anna Silk is a succubus who refuses to choose which fae alignment she will make. In the opening episode, she doesn't even know she is fae. She just knows she is different and has to keep running. She gets caught by Kenzi, played by Ksenia Solo, carrying the ubiquitous cell phone with near-instant video.

If this were only an Urban Adventure with supernatural characters and hot guys, I wouldn't be so excited. I would even give up Dyson. However, Kenzi? Kenzi stitches it down for me. She is not into girls, so Bo is not of interest to her. She is normal human, so she is vulnerable. And, best of all, she is "connected", so she is resourceful. When we meet her she is picking pockets.

I've mentioned J D Robb. It occors to me that I need to mention one of her characters: Peabody! Kenzi reminds me of Delia Peabody, and if the folks at SYFY know what's good for them, they will do right by her. Otherwise, all they have is another sexy spec fic show.

(and that's a problem, how?)

Anybody watching this? Not like it? Rather have someone else playing Dyson?

M

Edited to Add: Watched another episode, last night. With the sound off. That was really, really bad of me. Felt like a voyeur! And YAY! Kenzi <3 )
m

4 comments:

Beth Caudill said...

I have to say I've loved Once Upon A Time from the beginning. Seeing as I've read and watched Game of Thrones a certain episode of OUAT didn't turn me off. But for me, Rumpelstiltskin makes that show.

Like Kenzi, he is bad but good at times. And I love Kenzi too although Dyson just isn't Alpha enough for me.

If I could only watch one of the two shows Once Upon A Time wins but fortunately I don't have too and can enjoy both.

Now so long as SyFy isn't stupid and cancels this show like they did Dresden Files. They get rid of all the good shows.

Ella Gray said...

Kenzi is the best! When I posted about this show a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure if it would hold my attention based on the pilot, but I was hopeful. Now that it's a few episodes in, I'm really enjoying it.

BTW, Lost Girl is not a SyFy show, it's actually a Canadian import, so there's no worry about the network messing things up, LOL. There are already 2 complete seasons over there, and it's been picked up for a third, so we won't run out any time soon :-)

Christine Rains said...

I really need to watch this show. I'm hearing such great things about it.

Melanie said...

Beth--I'm glad someone loves Once Upon a Time. I liked Rumplestiltskin, too. Just couldn't sit through the rest of the story to get to him.

Ella--Of course you know all the details! Glad to hear it's a Canadian show, too. Means it won't go stupid.

Generally, I watch science shows or cartoons, so having my attention held by a drama of any kind is a nice change of pace.

Christine--Let us know what you think when you get there!
m

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