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tori_reviews2019-03-01 08:11 pm
jedi_of_urth) wrote in tori_reviews2019-03-01 08:11 pm
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She-Ra 1x06-08
She-Ra 1x06: System Failure
I think that one was better than the last one, but I’m definitely about over this show. I’ll keep going, and by the time I’m done with this week of reactions, I’ll probably decide I might as well finish out the season, but as I said going in, this show just isn’t for me. I still don’t think there’s anything wrong with it as a kids’ show, and I suppose if adults are watching it with kids they could do worse, but it’s definitely not an adult show.
This episode is another one trying to be Avatar; it at least really wants Bow to be Sokka. Which being knock-off-Sokka is at least a bit of personality I suppose, but Sokka had a lot more to him.
All of these missions are just so easy, the most interesting episodes so far (and those only kind of interesting) are the ones where something actually seemed at stake. Also the more interesting episode are the ones with more extras in the background, as if these places include more than four people; is there a princess for every half dozen people in this country? That seems ineffective; I’d almost rather my initial guess that the subtitle of the show referred to something more Power Rangers-esque that She-Ra was going looking for. That is kind of what they’re going for here except it raises more questions for me.
She-Ra 1x07: In the Shadows of Mystacor
Hmm, while I don’t know if I can quite say I liked that one, it was the best episode so far. It has some really good and important ideas in it, and I can’t be too mad at the shallowness with which they are handled because of the kid’s show element. Halfway through the season I continue to be surprised at how much adults are annoyed by this show, as it’s a fine and serviceable kids’ show; no it’s not as deep on these issues as would be interesting and expected for an older audience, but it’s fine for kids.
Yes this also very shallow next to Avatar, so it’s not just adult shows, but that doesn’t make it bad for its target audience. I was always kind of surprised what Avatar would do while technically being considered a kids’ show; this does not surprise me what they’re putting in a show for the same age group, but I’d be more comfortable just putting this on for a younger kid than I would a lot of Avatar. If it can stick at this quality, I might even recommend it to them.
Of course this would be much more interesting with an older or even adult eye; here it’s a pretty low level exploration of an abusive parent, and portraying it as a bad thing to be rejected. At the core, Avatar included the same moral with Zuko’s rejection of Ozai, it was just done with more time and development; and we’re shown that before the turn Zuko loved and longed for his father’s respect and approval. Which makes the ultimate rejection much more powerful because we know how much what he’s giving up has always meant to him. Some of the complexities of such a relationship are only hinted at, but there was the sense that the depth is there but not gone into.
The middle part of this episode almost gets there; while it’s clear to the audience that something going on, but it’s also shining a light on Adora’s lingering feelings for and fear of what she left behind, as well as whether she can ever truly leave it behind enough. And that’s good for them to explore, but for me it’s too easy. It’s fine as a kids show, but it’s not great or deep in its character exploration. If I was confident it would keep giving us these nuggets, I’d give it more credit for finally starting on it; but I get the sense that the writing views this as dealing with the issue entirely and that’s not enough for me.
She-Ra 1x08: Princess Prom
Kind of like the last episode, I can see the seeds of a really good story here; but because I lack any real investment in these characters those seeds don’t connect for me. Also I think some of the good story ideas are in conflict with each other. For example a somewhat message-y story of opening up your circle of friends and accepting that your friends can have other friends is in conflict with (and knows it is conflicted with) Adora’s story of having to leave behind her past and old connections entirely.
This is the first episode where I’ve really felt this series doesn’t know who it’s for; and while previously I’ve talked about how young it skews and therefore isn’t really my thing, it’s kind of worse for the confusion. There’s way too much state dinner protocol for this to be entertaining to kids; it obviously wants to evoke the idea of proms it doesn’t really know how to do that for a young audience; it wants to ship-bait for tumblr crowd and probably is, but doesn’t fully commit to anything; it feels the need to include all these other characters we’ve met before, which makes sense, but it keeps there from being a clear through-line of the episode.
It’s not a bad episode, I had a couple of earlier episodes I disliked more, but we’re getting past my grace period for it to give me something to care about. I assume there are people who did find something in the episodes so far to care about, but I haven’t found it outside a few actual character moments scattered over eight episodes. Those moments do make me wish the show was something it clearly isn’t, even when it’s a little confused about itself, it clearly isn’t a show that’s going to be going into much depth on its own issues.
Also, I have to question the need or logic of banning weapons from the ball in a place where so many people are magical or have dangerous appendages.
I think that one was better than the last one, but I’m definitely about over this show. I’ll keep going, and by the time I’m done with this week of reactions, I’ll probably decide I might as well finish out the season, but as I said going in, this show just isn’t for me. I still don’t think there’s anything wrong with it as a kids’ show, and I suppose if adults are watching it with kids they could do worse, but it’s definitely not an adult show.
This episode is another one trying to be Avatar; it at least really wants Bow to be Sokka. Which being knock-off-Sokka is at least a bit of personality I suppose, but Sokka had a lot more to him.
All of these missions are just so easy, the most interesting episodes so far (and those only kind of interesting) are the ones where something actually seemed at stake. Also the more interesting episode are the ones with more extras in the background, as if these places include more than four people; is there a princess for every half dozen people in this country? That seems ineffective; I’d almost rather my initial guess that the subtitle of the show referred to something more Power Rangers-esque that She-Ra was going looking for. That is kind of what they’re going for here except it raises more questions for me.
She-Ra 1x07: In the Shadows of Mystacor
Hmm, while I don’t know if I can quite say I liked that one, it was the best episode so far. It has some really good and important ideas in it, and I can’t be too mad at the shallowness with which they are handled because of the kid’s show element. Halfway through the season I continue to be surprised at how much adults are annoyed by this show, as it’s a fine and serviceable kids’ show; no it’s not as deep on these issues as would be interesting and expected for an older audience, but it’s fine for kids.
Yes this also very shallow next to Avatar, so it’s not just adult shows, but that doesn’t make it bad for its target audience. I was always kind of surprised what Avatar would do while technically being considered a kids’ show; this does not surprise me what they’re putting in a show for the same age group, but I’d be more comfortable just putting this on for a younger kid than I would a lot of Avatar. If it can stick at this quality, I might even recommend it to them.
Of course this would be much more interesting with an older or even adult eye; here it’s a pretty low level exploration of an abusive parent, and portraying it as a bad thing to be rejected. At the core, Avatar included the same moral with Zuko’s rejection of Ozai, it was just done with more time and development; and we’re shown that before the turn Zuko loved and longed for his father’s respect and approval. Which makes the ultimate rejection much more powerful because we know how much what he’s giving up has always meant to him. Some of the complexities of such a relationship are only hinted at, but there was the sense that the depth is there but not gone into.
The middle part of this episode almost gets there; while it’s clear to the audience that something going on, but it’s also shining a light on Adora’s lingering feelings for and fear of what she left behind, as well as whether she can ever truly leave it behind enough. And that’s good for them to explore, but for me it’s too easy. It’s fine as a kids show, but it’s not great or deep in its character exploration. If I was confident it would keep giving us these nuggets, I’d give it more credit for finally starting on it; but I get the sense that the writing views this as dealing with the issue entirely and that’s not enough for me.
She-Ra 1x08: Princess Prom
Kind of like the last episode, I can see the seeds of a really good story here; but because I lack any real investment in these characters those seeds don’t connect for me. Also I think some of the good story ideas are in conflict with each other. For example a somewhat message-y story of opening up your circle of friends and accepting that your friends can have other friends is in conflict with (and knows it is conflicted with) Adora’s story of having to leave behind her past and old connections entirely.
This is the first episode where I’ve really felt this series doesn’t know who it’s for; and while previously I’ve talked about how young it skews and therefore isn’t really my thing, it’s kind of worse for the confusion. There’s way too much state dinner protocol for this to be entertaining to kids; it obviously wants to evoke the idea of proms it doesn’t really know how to do that for a young audience; it wants to ship-bait for tumblr crowd and probably is, but doesn’t fully commit to anything; it feels the need to include all these other characters we’ve met before, which makes sense, but it keeps there from being a clear through-line of the episode.
It’s not a bad episode, I had a couple of earlier episodes I disliked more, but we’re getting past my grace period for it to give me something to care about. I assume there are people who did find something in the episodes so far to care about, but I haven’t found it outside a few actual character moments scattered over eight episodes. Those moments do make me wish the show was something it clearly isn’t, even when it’s a little confused about itself, it clearly isn’t a show that’s going to be going into much depth on its own issues.
Also, I have to question the need or logic of banning weapons from the ball in a place where so many people are magical or have dangerous appendages.