Thursday, October 27, 2011

Revenge

In keeping with the theme of mindless entertainment is anyone watching this show? It was absolutely not something I thought I would be interested in. Soap opera level drama in the Hamptons (been there/done that) But here is the thing. The actress who plays the lead is really good.

She’s completely convincing when she’s pretending to play the innocent girlfriend. Then completely convincing when the audience sees her plotting her revenge against the people who did her father wrong.

It’s got it all. Emotional conflicts, sticky situations… murder. You can’t really figure out who likes who but there are all kinds of romantic connections. Each week the heroine (who we are sympathetic towards because of how she lost her father) sets up these elaborate cons to take down the people responsible for setting up her father as a patsy. The cons are sometimes silly. The drama is a bit over played. And I’m not really sure how this can go for more than one season.

If anyone remembers the summer murder mystery series Harper’s Island – this feels a lot like that. Over the top – but completely watchable. Kind of like a Sydney Sheldon novel.

It occurred to me how often this can be true in books as well. The plot can be done to death, there can be holes and gaps everywhere, the writing might be flawed but if the voice of the author is good, really good - it can still make the book enjoyable.

I recently read a book by an author and it was just like that. I kept telling myself this… this is bad… this isn’t good… this isn’t right… I must keep reading. Is there a book two? … I must by that as well.

Ever done that with a TV show or a book?

6 comments:

Molly O'Keefe said...

I've seen the ads for this but haven't watched the show - honestly I've sort of stopped watching television. Last night I finished the last R.R. Martin book so I feel honestly, like I can get back to my life. Though that said, I picked up another book last night and it's exactly what you're talking about - I keep going wow, not good, but those pages they keep turning...

Marcy said...

I'm with you! I didn't intend to start watching Revenge but once I did, I was hooked. Love the drama!

Anonymous said...

oooh... it's a show that's been on my radar, but I haven't started watching it, but I might now.
Yes, lots of books that I read all the way through and couldn't pin point what I loved about them.

Maureen McGowan said...

The ads for that show appealed to me... The actress was in Everwood, right? I watched that for a short time and liked her. But I haven't seen the show yet. Now you and Marcy have made me wish I had. But I already watch too much TV.

John Grisham books, and frankly Dan Brown books were both like that for me. In spite of problems, I get sucked in and want more. Maybe some reality TV shows, too... (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills? Yes. I watched that train wreck. *hangs head in shame*)

Maureen McGowan said...

BTW, Eileen, FX is starting up a channel in Canada at the end of the month and they were doing a free preview of a few shows on another channel this week. Guess what I saw? Wilfred. :)

Awesomely strange.

And also saw the first episode of American Horror Story. That's one I really want to watch. Jessica Lange. Wow. "Don't make me kill you again." "If you touch my daughter again I'll break your arms." So many interesting and creepy questions raised in the first episode. Of course I just want to shake this couple and ask "why the hell are you buying that house????"

Eileen said...

We've watched the first two episodes, I think, and like it. I'm enjoying watching the structure of it although I've gotten confused a couple of times with all the flashbacks within flashbacks and stuff.

Isn't American Horror Story trippy? Jessica Lange is terrifying and so is that basement! Also my family now taunts me because in the first episode I screamed, threw a blanket over my head and shouted "Look out! Look out! Creepy baby!"

Maureen, so glad you saw Wilfred and found it awesomely weird. I'm a little worried that success will go to their heads and it will somehow get ruined, but my fingers are crossed for the second season.

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