(no subject)

[olivermoss]

I've watched the first few episodes of Outer Range.


I'm interested in the concept and the mystery. It's a prestige-format mini-series so I'm assuming it's going to have an ending and tie together, unlike most shows with mystery plots. It's Weird West stuff, so I am into the genre but ....

I don't like any of the characters. Other Ranching Family is worse, but Main Ranching Family also sucks. I don't like or sympathize with any of the characters. So, I've been watching it in very small chunks. But it's a mystery plot show so I want to see what they do with it.

Comments

[bleodswean]

I agree! None of them have caught me at all. The hippie chick is moderately compelling because of her look/vibe...

[olivermoss]

She's interesting because she clearly knows something

[mistressofmuses]

I've seen a couple ads for Outer Range, and it's on my "maybe interested" list!

Though I do kind of struggle with the "oh, I don't like any of you people" kinds of shows, but... I DO like the genre, and especially if the plot goes interesting places with the mystery (which you're right, seems more likely than some shows that never resolve), then I think I'll enjoy it.

[olivermoss]

Mystery plots are so rarely well done and I love them so much, it's worth my time to watch just to dissect it if nothing else. And, yeah, weird west :)

[mistressofmuses]

Like you mentioned above, too many mysteries get set up with no actual ending/solution/explanation in mind! As someone who likes GOOD mysteries, that's the worst! Either when the writers don't KNOW the answer, or are just too geared toward getting another season (so we better keep it unexplained!)

[olivermoss]

And some writers have even openly said they like a 'mystery box', which I guess is a mystery plot with no intended explanation because like aesthetic. If you want it to make sense you are missing the point! I hate that so much.

It's 100% Michael Emmerson's compelling acting and him going "I'll explain everything" with big eyes in promo clips that kept me watching Lost until the end.

[mistressofmuses]

I HATE that. That's like an even worse version of an "unfair mystery." I cannot stand stuff where the mystery is solved... off-screen... by the characters doing something or talking to someone the audience doesn't get to see, so you have zero chance of following the solution, but are supposed to be impressed that the characters figured it out. (Using info you never got, but trust us, it solved it.)

But the whole "it's just the ~vibes~ of a mystery, there's no ~solution~" is yuck. There ARE instances where the lack of an explanation can have a good impact for certain types of horror, but even then, it has to be done WELL, and ~there is no explanation~ is not inherently deep or spooky, and it's definitely not satisfying. *Especially* when the story itself is billed as a mystery.

I can't even figure out why that would be fun to write. Like... if you enjoy the aesthetic, I guess it's fun to come up with "wouldn't it be weird if..." scenarios... but without something tying it all together that doesn't even seem like a satisfying story to tell. Write some creepypasta or something if that's all you want to do, lol.

Lost my beloathed. I didn't ever make it to the end of the series, actually only saw through season 2, but had been planning on catching up, and had new mystery plots spoiled by friends, so was excited to see what happened... and was kind of glad I hadn't ever caught up once the ending happened. So many intriguing threads...

[olivermoss]

Yeah, the mystery box approach just feels smug and dismissive of the audience. I don't get it, but it sucks when you start and canon and don't know if that's what the writers are going for yet.

Lost hadn't even been keeping track of their own continuity. When they got renewed for S2 they had to hire someone, bring someone new in, just to even track it for them. Sadly, I am weak versus Michael Emmerson's acting. He's too compelling.

[mistressofmuses]

It definitely feels smug and dismissive, and I just absolutely cannot stand media that seems to want to punish its audience for some reason, particularly when it seems to want to penalize the audience for *caring*. Definitely the absolute worst to get invested and only later discover there's no intention to have it pay off in a satisfying way.

I kind of remember hearing about what a mess the production for the show was. At the time I really didn't follow any behind-the-scenes type stuff (I still don't much, but even less back then!) so I didn't realize a lot of it at the time.

Lost had SO MUCH potential, and good pieces that were just enough to keep people around. I haven't seen much that Michael Emerson has been in, but even fragments of things I caught in the background (maybe Person of Interest?) he seemed really good.

[olivermoss]

There was an article on Wired shortly before the Lost finale that talked about them not even tracking continuity and basically admitting it all meant nothing... all the while the network was running ads like it was all going to come together. Still, to this day, people defend the show and act like you don't get it if you think the show fell apart.

Yeah, Michael Emmerson was great on Person of Interest. He's on Evil these days. I tried watching it for a bit because it had some interesting and mysterious elements, but it became clear pretty fast that the show hadn't figured out what sort of show it was yet. The cinematography is gorgeous, though.

[mistressofmuses]

I remember seeing that article, though I think I saw it quite some time after the fact! That's just such a frustrating and shitty attitude to see! Like, not to make it all whatever, but UGH that seems like such a jerky and privileged asshole attitude. There are so many talented writers that will never get the chance to make a big show of any kind (or have to fight for every tiny bit of creative leeway they do get), and then there are people making shows like Lost that admit they didn't have a plan and that the whole thing meant nothing. I know that's the way shit works a lot of the time, but I still hate it, lol.

Pretty sure I've only seen like... two random episodes of Person of Interest, but it seemed like a good show. I have not seen (and do not know anything about) Evil.

[olivermoss]

I love Person of Interest. It's also a great fic fandom. Some people find it very dry but I adored it. Whether you might want to go back on watch it... Michael Emmerson is great but his co-star Jim Caviezel is kinda... one of the Q Anon ringleaders now? Stories of how terrible he was on set are kinda of hilarious and terrifying.

Like, it's a whooooole thing: https://soundcloud.com/qanonanonymous/episode-143-jim-caviezel-enter-the-cavortex-feat-dave-anthony

[mistressofmuses]

I seem to remember seeing a good number of fic recs for it a while back.

Though oof, that's pretty unfortunate in terms of his costar! Yikes!