Terra Nova

Terra Nova had its season finale earlier this week, so I’m gonna talk a bit about that. I really like this show, which isn't surprising at all because 1) it's science fiction, 2) it has dinosaurs in it, and 3) it has Jason O’Mara in it. It also has Stephen Lang but I love this guy so that's a bonus despite the fact he was in the worst movie of all time Avatar. Oh, I haven't done my Avatar rant yet? I'll get to that soon. 

Anyway, for those who don't know, Terra Nova is about a group of people who have been sent back 85 MILLION years in the past in an alternate time line in order to give humanity a second chance. According to this series, humans have royally messed up the earth to the point that in 2149 we have to walk about with oxygen tanks because the air isn't fit to be breathed. But someone found a rip in space and time and they have decided to send back a bunch of Americans and Australians through to the past.

But not our past, a different past.

If it was our past then this would mess with the future but they're not doing that... or are they?

Another reason why I like this show is that there are a lot of questions being asked of everybody. Lang plays Commander Taylor whom I just adore, and Taylor believes wholeheartedly in the terra nova project of giving people a second chance. But he has a nasty habit of sounding like he's only telling you half the story. If he were to walk up to you and say you look nice today you'd leave the conversation thinking you've got something in your teeth. There is also another faction referred to as the sixers who are trying to make the portal go both ways so things from the past can be taken to the future. Naturally this would be bad for the past because corporations would just take everything profitable and not care about the rest.

There’s a lot to think about in this show, but it's also a bit of fun. Half of the main cast are children so we get to see some of their issues, like first dates ad just wacky fun with dinosaurs. And all the kids are great actor’s too so it's not boring to see their storylines. 

Personally I think the 'bad' characters could be a bit more fleshed out but apart from this I really enjoy the show and love the finale. I really hope we get a second season because it ended on a bit of a cliff hanger. I also want a second season because the show was filmed quite near where I live and I want Australia to get more or a name for itself in film and TV. Plus this would show the heads of the Australian film 'industry' that sci-fi is nothing to be laughed at. 

Let me know what you think of Terra Nova. 

Kathy

Themes: terra nova, science fiction, sci fi, Terra Nova, Jason O'Mara, Jim Shannon, Stephen Lang, Slang, Australia, Sci-Fi, tv shows, TV series, TV, dinosaurs

I'm away for a day and so much Once Upon A Time news comes out

I had 32 e-mails in one account and two in another, 300 new FaceBook updates and countless Tweets and I was only away from the Internet for 24 hours! Holy Hannah peeps!

If I can I'll let you know where I was, but for now let's check in with Once Upon a Time. First up, Ginny! Oh much love for Ginnifer Goodwin. She seems like such an adorable, bubbly, smart person. I would love to have a cuppa with her (and Ginny you can totally come over to my place, I'm working on frothing the milk I swear).
She is a cover girl this month on the wonderful BackStage magazine, as well as having a great interview inside. I mean great interview too; I hate when the interviewer has no idea what's going on. This person asked some great questions.

Interview lies beyond the link

Jennifer Morrison is also making the rounds:
Here
And here

Last but not least, Once Upon a Time as a whole. Ad Age has found that Once Upon a Time is the most anticipated new show despite airing up to a month behind other shows. Well done to Once and to fans!

If you've found anything else about Once let me know.

Kathy

Themes: Once Upon A Time, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, ABC, Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, TV, Once upon a time TV, once upon a time

Top Female Characters on TV #8 (BEDA #23)

Entrant number 8 to my top female characters on TV list is Samantha Carter from SG1 and SGA!

I have to admit, I don’t know about putting Carter here. Looking at the other women on my list I’m not sure that she even belongs at this point. Why? Don’t get me wrong, I love Sam and she is an awesome character, but does she belong next to these women? 

Sam is smart and fun, and she has moments of strength. She doesn’t really stand out as someone who has had to overcome hardship or difficulties in her life to really stand out. This isn’t a jab on the wonderful and kind Amanda Tapping who has done a lot for equality, but the writers of the Stargate franchise never really understood writing female characters, and because they are all men we understand. I also get that they aren’t writing a drama series it’s science fiction where most of the plots are towards science fiction and not character development; but it would have need nice to see Carter have to struggle through things.

When you watch the other characters on this list you see that they have had to grow and change and adapt but Carter started off awesome and ended that way. There was a brief mention of her not being a strong or secure leader, but that was fixed up by the time when she had to take control.

But 53 people, that is the majority, stated that she was their favourite female character in a TV series. If you were one of those people, can you please tell me why? And please keep coming back to see the other women on this list and see if your opinion changes. 

Kathy

Themes: Top Female Characters on TV, Favourite Female Characters, TV, Samantha Carter, SG1, SGA, Stargate, Amanda Tapping

Top Female Characters on TV #9 (BEDA #21)

My top female character on TV number 9 is Penelope Widmore-Hume from LOST!

Knock, knock, knock Penny! Not that Penny I’m afraid, although she is cool too. Penny Hume is perhaps an oddity on this list: she is here because of her devotion to her man. Maybe this is because of my upbringing in a world where there is a lot more equality among the sexes then there was before (still a way to go but look how far we’ve come! Yay!) because it still annoys me when female characters are defined by their love for a man. Lost is all about love and relationships, and I have heard it said that all of the men in Lost are defined by what they will do or won’t do for the women in their lives. In the Desmond/Penny relationship it is Penny who has to do a lot for Desmond, even travelling all around the world to find him.

The best thing about this is that she did this for him because she loved him, not because she wasn’t a person without him or because he defined her life. Penelope loves Desmond and she knows the boy needs help (dear God that boy needs help, and maybe a leash) so she will be there for him. This is what a relationship is; doing anything for the person you love because you love them.

Penny wasn’t on my favourite female character in a TV series poll on FaceBook; neither added by me or anyone else. Perhaps this is because she wasn’t in it a lot? Also interesting is that nobody from Lost made the list, either. 

So what do you all think? Where do you think Penny should be on this list, or should she be here at all? Let me know what you think. 

Kathy

Themes: Lost, Penny Hume, Widmore, Favourite Female Characters, TV, Top Female Characters on TV, Sonya Walger

New Once Upon a Time posters

Yay!

Top Female Characters on TV #10 (BEDA #16)

Top female character on TV #10: Dr Miranda Bailey (Greys Anatomy)

Bailey and Christina are the two reasons why I watch Grey’s Anatomy. Will Christina be on this list? You will have to keep reading to find out. Bailey is just the storm of awesome throughout the series, even to this day. There have been many characters waxing and waning for me, but Bailey has always been number one.

Bailey is such a great character for me because of the way she acts when she is by herself and the way she treats other people. She has a very high standard for herself and she expects others to act the same way; like their jobs matter. People who have never seen medical dramas criticise Grey’s because of the sexual tension and relationships between the characters, and it is again obvious that they have never seen this show in particular because they never site Bailey as the character who tries to wrangle the hormones of everyone else. Bailey never claims to be their mother or their friend but as they all grow and their lives change it is apparent that she is both of those plus a mentor and a benchmark: if you can be like Bailey then you are doing okay.

This is not to say that Bailey hasn’t had a lot of drama (it’s a medical drama remember?). She gives birth to her son in the second season and this is where most of the trouble in her life stems, having to find a balance between not only wife and surgeon but wife, surgeon, and mother. It’s a testament to the writers that when one has to fail it’s the wife part and Bailey always tries to be the best mother that she can be.

Bailey is a great character who is always trying. She has ups and downs and there are times when she might be wrong, but she is always trying.

I forgot to add Bailey on my poll of my favourite female character in a TV series and no one else added her, either.

What does everyone else think? Does Bailey make your list, or should she not be here at all? Let me know in the comments.

Kathy

Themes: Bailey, Miranda, Grey's Anatomy, Favourite Female Characters, Top Female Characters on TV, TV,

Top Female Characters on TV #12 (BEDA #12)

First of all, happy birthday Glenn!

Now that's out of the way, here is the first in my new series, Top Female Characters on TV. I have twelve of these, plus some extras and special mentions, and even a guest blogger! Exciting, yay!

I put up a poll on FaceBook about this, and I will talk about those results here, too. 

Without further ado, here is number 12: Adele DeWitt (Dollhouse)

For the short-lived duration of Dollhouse, Adele was the epitome of awesome. She was a woman who was put in horrible situations and decided to say ‘no’ and fight for the good. This wasn’t the typical fighting for good like the other characters you will see on this list, but Adele did what she could with what she had. It’s obvious that the Dollhouse has changed what it was when Adele first joined, but by then it had gone too far. Or maybe she always had thoughts that it was going to go bad, but Adele has seen the bad that has happened and the worse that is to come and yet she continues to stand up with them if only to get the opportunity to stab them in the back. It was no revelation to me when it was revealed that Adele put Echo in the attic for a reason; I already knew that she was ‘good’ and doing everything she could to help out her dolls.

Adele DeWitt received no votes on my favourite female character in a TV series poll on FaceBook. 

What do you think? Would Adele make your top twelve, or would she top it? Let me know in the comments, and keep checking in to see the rest on the list!

Kathy

Themes: Dollhouse, Top Female Characters on TV, Adele DeWitt, TV, science fiction