I Hate Waiting

[itsallovernow]

Supposed to pick M. up at the airport because I wasn't smart enough to think of a way out of it. But his flight's been delayed so now I'm just killing time.

Fortunately, my fake TiVo recorded SG-1 for me.

Can I just say, yet again, how much I love both Vala and Claudia Black? Because I do. I have no ability to judge when it comes to either.

In light of that, let me get my nitpicks out of the way, because how can I not like an ep that gives me Vala as strong, and broken and someone to be taken seriously, someone who is only now isolating her own agenda?

I think that my initial instinct with Firefly - that I liked the idea of Inara, but not the actuality is playing out in watching Morena Baccarin in another role. She just, it's hard to imagine someone that beautiful having so little... oomph. And I think as the ep went, she did better and better, but still, she leaves me underwhelmed. And it's not just that when you put her in the same scene with CB, it's tough to compete. Not every actor crackles with that same energy, but Amanda Tapping doesn't really suffer for it and she doesn't have the same kind of charisma, and maybe it's just that. There is charisma there, and with MB, I just don't get anything. I think, overall, that I'd have been much more forgiving of Inara in theory if I'd liked her portrayal better, and this kind of proves it.

Otherwise, yeah for meaty Vala/Daniel moments (and while it doesn't necessarily help me in my cause to finish my Cam/Vala Tell Me What To Do series, it does sustain, utterly, minervacat 's Vala/Daniel story, which is so fabulous and the timing of it's posting couldn't have lined up better with this ep).

And, man, every ep I love Cam a little more (and it has NOTHING to do with that really long shot of Teal'c and Cam walking down the corridor that was focused ENTIRELY on their asses because I don't believe that the SG-1 producers love me that much. Okay, maybe they do. Because they also gave me pretty, pretty Cameron waking up from his zat hangover and feeling for his dog tags). I just - I love that Cam was willing to blow them all up, that he couldn't think of good words, that he and Teal'c are totally still bonding (so that clearly, when he needs to comfort Vala with lots of sex because he really doesn't have the liberty to offer her anything else because she's hung up on wanting that from Daniel anyway (the comfort and the sex, not just one or the other and she'll totally take came as second best, well, when she does accept comfort sex from Cam, he can so invite Teal'c to help. Because Teal'c is the baddest of the Jaffa bad-asses and will be MORE than willing to help cheer up a fellow warrior). I loved the interplay of their movements and actions, the way he and Teal'c worked so well together, and still got taken down.

And yeah Sam for saving the day.

Boo to Jaffa on Dakara for being dulll. The hammy Jaffa on the Orii ship were waaaaay more entertaining.

I like the off-world eps when they change the color palette. I find the SGC stuff so.... neutrally colored. Everyone is much more lively in the pretty pretty neon lights. (I firmly believe that Atlantis is the hit that it is because they're all so much better lit:)

I very much liked the small moments of Vala/Daniel interplay. The nodding, the way she wanted to take the radio and you could hear that whole conversation even though it never happened.

I liked how... certain Vala was at the beginning. Broken, yes, but not lying. She is relieved and part of it is selfish, and that's not a bad thing. She doesn't want to be responsible for the destruction of the universe, and she didn't get rid of the child for a variety of reasons - some of them practical and some of them personal,and I just... I mentioned I loved Vala in all her complexity, yes? And that she and Daniel do have this thing between them, these losses, these choices.

Comments

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

hope the flight came in without too much waiting. and oh yes, claudia black rocks immensly. the interactions between vala and daniel were very well done. as you said very well, they've got losses and choices and their capacity to see it in the other is nicely portrayed.

and yup, sam has been practicing with a staff weapon. also loved how it was lit and filmed. very fine. reminded me a bit of how the lighting in abyss flavored the episode.

[woodface]

I think, overall, that I'd have been much more forgiving of Inara in theory if I'd liked her portrayal better, and this kind of proves it.

Word.

yeah for meaty Vala/Daniel moments (and while it doesn't necessarily help me in my cause to finish my Cam/Vala Tell Me What To Do series

I beg to differ. I think Daniel is creating more and more distance between him and Vala. A friend of mine compared his relationship to her as John's relationship with Chiana. It's not necessarily about love, but it's about friendship and offering someone a second chance. All Vala's got to give in return is sex because she doesn't have anything else and Daniel's made it clear that that's not what he wants. That and Daniel already had his one true love and isn't really looking for a second anymore, he's done that and it was enough for him.

Of course, in my mind Vala is more than happy to give and receive sex from Cam but I might just be obsessed.

[pellucid.livejournal.com]

Can I just say, yet again, how much I love both Vala and Claudia Black? Because I do. I have no ability to judge when it comes to either.

*flails in agreement*

I think I'll have to re-watch before I can post anything because right now my only coherent thought about the episode is "VALA!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

And fortunately for my enjoyment of SG-1, that's really all I need:)

[cofax7]

I noticed that too, about MB. The first scene with her speech to the people was just flat, and I couldn't believe anyone cheered. She did get a little better, particularly in the confrontation with Vala, but she's not nearly strong enough for the role of Great Leader.

Daniel disappointed me: there were a lot of arguments to be made to counter her position that forcing people to belief is a valid strategy, but he mostly just stood there and smoldered. Relatively prettily, but still.

I did like Cam and Teal'c, but I was very nervous when Sam was all ready to give herself up to save Cam and Teal'c. Because that's worked out so well in the past. WTF? USAF officer! ::growls:: I bought it from Daniel, because he does that. But Sam doesn't, and shouldn't.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

MB is a hard sell for me because I didn't really like her as Inara (but then I was never sure if it was the character of the actress), but as beautiful as she is, it's amazing that she doesn't have more charisma. I just can't imagine her convincing Vala of anything, although she did do better in the scenes with Vala. There were some nice moments there (but honestly, I think you'd have to really be terrible to not be able to play off of Claudia Black) and I did find her creepy with the "patience" and her earnestness and childish petulance.

Daniel... frequently disappoints me, but I forgave him because he was behaving well towards Vala this ep (and sadly, that carries more weight for me than some of his other actions because he freqently makes me want to whap him. I think he's made the arguement that you can't force belief, but I also think his conviction is wavering in odd ways. He's still really pissed off at the ancients, I think, trying to rally against the Orii when the Ancients have raised all these other issues).

I love Cam and Teal'c:) Just so much love, but more importantly, I was so thrilled they got rescued by Sam because finally!! (Thrilled enough that I could overlook the almost giving herself up, and happy that Daniel did it before she could).

Argh!! It's just so typical that now that I'm legitimately invested in this, too invested to keep blaming you for it:), that it's going away!!!

[cofax7]

I'm sorry!

Except it's fun to talk to you about it, so not really. Plus, fic!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Hee:) I'm definitely not sorry. I'm enjoying it. It's such candy, but I'm starting to really like the characters and the energy.

And yeah, it's fun to actually get to talk about it with other people who I know are smart and discerning and funny and dude, fic!!! It's been a good week for fic! (Did you read surrealphantast's Sam/Cam? I immediately thought of you:) It's good, and very hot.

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

as beautiful as she is, it's amazing that she doesn't have more charisma

She doesn't have much solemn charisma, but she herself -- when she's not being all regal and thus, turning into a doll -- has a good dose of charisma. It's amazing how much life acting sucks out of her. Or at least that's the impression I came away with when she was at one of DC's Serenity screenings, where she was a gazillion times more engaging both before a large and loud crowd, and in one-on-one after.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

That's interesting, actually. Because she never gives off a sense of charisma to me onscreen, or at least a type that engages me. (And honestly, it didn't help that in Firefly I was so bothered by so many aspects of her acting and in contrast, Mal's whole attitude towards her which just constantly pissed me off. I was hoping to like her much better here.)

[danceswithwords.livejournal.com]

She just, it's hard to imagine someone that beautiful having so little... oomph. And I think as the ep went, she did better and better, but still, she leaves me underwhelmed.

She seemed a lot more believable in the small-scale scenes, where Adria was relating to other people person-to-person and her childishness came through. But wherever she had to project some kind of impersonal power and will, it felt flat; she just didn't seem to have that kind of force.

I am so loving Vala. This episode was such a window into the way this woman thinks, the tools she has used to survive her life intact and more or less whole, the ways she can be vulnerable and her amazing strength.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Exactly! I just... if I didn't adore Vala so utterly before, this would have sold her for me. Instead, it just thoroughly solidified my completely love for the character and my utter crush on CB.