TV: The Great British Bake Off and Farscape

[thistlechaser]

It's no secret that I enjoy reality TV. Maybe a whole lot less than I used to, but I still watch the cooking shows and a couple others. So, when our US PBS station started showing The Great British Bake Off, I checked it out. I fell in love from the first episode.

Like so much of British TV, I love that they have just "normal" looking people on it. Wrinkles, a pimple, non-perfect hair... you don't find those things in American "reality" TV! And the judges are so good -- honest yet positive and encouraging. The contestants are just normal, everyday people, and that's so nice to see. I really wish our reality TV were more like that -- I'd watch a lot more of it if it were.

I started watching Farscape by accident. I was poking through Netflix looking for something to watch, and I remembered there was an old scifi show I meant to check out. I couldn't remember the name, so when I saw Farscape I thought that was it. (Later I realized I had been actually looking for Blake's 7.) It took only one episode to hook me... well for the writing to hook me. The issue was the characters. Or rather, the puppet characters. It took me almost the whole first season to stop seeing them as puppets or as actors with foam crap stuck to their faces.

Side note: People who complain about shows like Star Trek making their aliens basically human with some added little feature? Like Bajorans are human with a "crinkle-cut french fry stuck to their nose"? You all can suck it. I'd rather have the less distracting "basically human" alien than some obviously foam, clearly fake creature.

I do cut Farscape a lot of slack though, as it's 15 years old now. (I wonder if people watching at the time bought the aliens as realistic?) As much as the puppets don't work for me, the writing is AMAZING. For a show full of foam puppets, it's so dark! The characters keep killing people (and torturing them!) which seems so out of place.

Please no spoilers: I'm nearing the end of the first season of Farscape and probably mid-season in Great British Bake Off.

Comments

[pax_athena]

I'm currently watching Farscape, too (although I am much slower and further behind that you; I'm on episode 16 in, oh, last 6 months or so). But anyway: I am also always amazed on how dark and realistic in its psychology the show is. Especially for a sf show with crappy effects and often even more crappy "danger of the week". But it's one of the few shows ever that pulled people throwing up realistically, on screen and not just hidden in some corner. It's not pleasant, but it's good storytelling and I like a show that takes risks.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah! I just had a throwing up scene (I suspect we must be about the same place) and I was impressed with how realistically it was done. I'm not watching it as quickly as I'd like to, maybe two or three eps a week, but I'm really enjoying it, especially now that I'm not noticing the masks/puppet element so much. (Except when they introduce some wacky new alien...)

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

On the puppets...Farscape is Jim Henson's studio, so you're talking about pretty much peak mastery of Puppeteering. Especially given this was a TV show (funded better than many, but still TV show), in an era predating character-oriented CGI, I'd say they did a damn good job. Also, given this was made by Henson's studio, everything about the show tends to have a different feel than most scifi shows (which many had a strong Star Trek feel and structure), especially at that time.

I won't spoil it, but when I sometimes go back to watch Farscape, I typically stop after the first season. If I recall, some of the best episodes are after the first season, but the overall average quality falls.

Claudia Black always confuses me -- I find her both very attractive, and rather unattractive.

[liedra.livejournal.com]

I found her like that in SG:SG1 too! But I like her as Morrigan's voice... :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Now I can't wait to see her and Ben Browder in SG1! I might have to rewatch that next (though it's been so long, it'll be like watching it fresh).

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I knew Jim Henson's studio did it, but top of the line puppets are still puppets, and don't look real at all (at least to me). But yeah, agreed, without CGI, they made the best of it they could.

That seems to be the general opinion on Claudia Black. For me, she works. I like how she looks (mildly like), I love her character, and totally love her voice, so it all adds up to a positive for me.

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

I really enjoy cooking shows, I might have to check that one out. Just have to suspend disbelief and convince myself the British have an idea on how to prepare decent food. :P

[liedra.livejournal.com]

As a non-Brit living in the UK I can tell you that the stereotype is unfounded.

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it is, like most stereotypes. Though when I go to London, I like the ethnic restaurants better. ;)

[liedra.livejournal.com]

Well, you're missing out! :) Loads of great British food in London. Just gotta know where to look. Your average chain pub isn't going to give you a great culinary experience ;)

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

Maybe next time I visit. Even as a bit of a food snob, I had other things to do in London than worry about food. *g*

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

It's well worth checking out! And the food always looks really yummy.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

I had the "muppet problem" with Farscape at the start too.
But, it worked out well in the end.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

It's finally working out for me, I'm finally starting to see them as characters instead of puppets/foam masks. I suspect it's to my benefit that I'm watching more than one episode a week.

[bacchuslives.livejournal.com]

Love Farscape! I think Rigel was a Jim Henson studios creation, but I could be remembering wrong. Farscape had a lot of faults, but it also had a lot of new and unique going on...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, I think everything (all the puppets, masks, and aliens) were done by Henson studios.

From what I've seen thus far, I can fully agree with you!

[teaandfailure.livejournal.com]

I've seen the commercials for that! I'll have to check it out!

Totally agree about British vs American reality tv. British tv is WAY better than American tv at acknowledging the fact that hey, sometimes people who are talented are NOT also beautiful! SHOCKING I KNOW. But sometimes not, since apparently absolutely everyone was totally gobsmacked by Susan Boyle and the fact that perhaps someone who was not beautiful could sing, as if these two things are somehow related.

ALSO TOTALLY AGREE ON THE ALIEN MONSTERS, I love me some classic Dr Who, but that is because I am nostalgic for my childhood. When fans of the new show are like, should I watch classic, I'm like GOD NO IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE ALIENS ARE A DOWNTRODDEN INTERN NAMED NIGEL IN A SUIT MADE OF THE OLD STYROFOAM BURGER KING CONTAINERS.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Hahahah Burger King Nigel aliens are the best aliens!

But seriously, agreed with you on EVERYTHING. It's so depressing about American reality TV -- normal TV and movies are bad enough when it comes to making everyone beautiful, but reality TV too? Really? Blah.

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

Do you know which season of Bake Off you are watching?

I like The Great British Sewing Bee - which started again last week. They have 'real' people too. It was a guy who won sewer of the week - and he's a soldier!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid to google and find out which season it is, because I think the whole thing already aired over there and I don't want to spoil myself by mistake. There's a sweet young girl (teenager? early 20s?) and a fellow (carpenter?) who always has a pencil behind his ear. Oh and it was the season with the baked alaska supposedly being left out of the freezer.

The Great British Sewing Bee isn't being shown here, but I'm going to see if I can download it. Thanks!

[irreparable.livejournal.com]

No spoilers, but Farscape is one of my faves. And there's SO MUCH that made me go "OMG" or cry like a crying thing.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad to hear that! I wish I had more time to watch it, but I guess slower means I can enjoy it longer. :D

[doxxxicle.livejournal.com]

Do not watch the Farscape movie or even read anything about it until you have watched the entire series. The movie is a direct continuation from the end of the series.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me know! I hadn't heard about it, but if I had found it, I might have checked it out. The Battlestar Galactica 'movie' (broken into a couple episodes) was in the middle of the series, so there was precedent.

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

Farscape has been on my to watch list for a while, I saw a few random episodes years ago and it always struck me as a smart show.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'd agree with that. Smart and well-done. I'm early in season two now, and still enjoying it.