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schneefink) wrote2015-08-22 01:18 pm
schneefink) wrote2015-08-22 01:18 pm
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TV show rec: Killjoys
About two weeks ago at EUDC someone told me about "Killjoys": "it's about bounty hunters in space, why aren't you watching it yet." This week I had time to check it out and binge-watched the series in two days. Yesterday was the season finale. I really hope there will be a second season! It's fun, it has great characters, fantastic friendships, and intriguing worldbuilding. I want more.
My very favorite thing about the series is Dutch and Johnny, BFFs. At their first meeting she shot him because he was trying to steal her ship, they become partners, and six years later they're inseparable. He considers her his sister, she calls him irreplaceable and says she loves him (but you're an idiot), they would both do stupid things for each other. He tells her bedtime stories <3
One of my favorite scenes was when Dutch told Johnny and D'avin that Khlyen found her. I expected Johnny to ask "who's Khlyen" because he told D'avin he didn't know who trained her. Instead he immediately understood and told her they could go away wherever she wants. She trusted him and told him about her past, and he honored that trust and didn't tell his brother.
Or after he finds Dutch and D'avin fucking: he really isn't jealous, just concerned that it will damage the team, which is exactly what happens. (To be fair there were extenuating circumstances.) He immediately admits to Pree that if forced to choose, he would choose Dutch over his brother. In the very first episode he goes behind Dutch's back for D'avin and to protect Dutch, but that never happens again. In the same episode Dutch says "if falling on your sword would help I would shove you myself." "Promise?" "Promise." You're such a liar, Dutch, you'd do anything to keep Johnny save. She keeps a picture of the two of them together close and panics when Khlyen threatens Johnny.
I really love their friendship.
Individually Dutch and Johnny are also pretty great. They're both quite "soft" for Killjoys, especially Johnny who has a tendency to want to fix things, until he's not. "Come the Rain" was a great Johnny episode. I love the mix between badass and vulnerable that both of them have.
When I rewatch the series btw I'm going to pay attention to who calls him John and who calls him Johnny and when, because Dutch does both. I'm going with Johnny here because in the season finale when he shoots the Level Six agent he says "I'm Johnny Jaqobi, stop licking my partner."
My second favorite relationship is probably Johnny and Lucy, the mechanic and his spaceship. She's the prettiest ship he's ever seen, and he's definitely her favorite. Johnny says about her that "she's a systems computer, she doesn't have a favorite," but as often the line between a program and a lifeform seems extremely thin here. She breaks her own rules to save Johnny, of course she does.
I'm not completely sure yet what I think of D'avin. He's pretty screwed up, but to be fair he had reasons. I did like how he and Dutch could connect in a way, sometimes it's easier to talk to those whose respect you don't need so much. I didn't mind them hooking up "so early": Dutch clearly thought it wouldn't change anything, and we knew D'avin has a history of disappointing his brother.
After the whole thing with Doctor Jaeger came to a head and he found out what happened to him, after he had a chance to talk and at least find out where he stood with both Dutch and Johnny, I thought there was a good chance for him to start healing eventually. (Pity he wasn't still in therapy, if I understood correctly, he could definitely use it.) Instead he got himself captured by Khlyen (seriously a stupid plan to go after him) in Red 17 on Arkyn, and chances are good he'll be turned into a Level Six, together with Fancy Lee. More trauma and brainwashing ahead…
I also really like the supporting characters and I love that I care about them so much. Pree, Alvis, Bellus, Pawter… Pawter is screwed up but in really interesting ways that made me sympathize with her, and I really liked her relationship with Johnny in the later episodes. Alvis the monk and resistance fighter is also a fascinating figure, and he too was great with Johnny. Johnny giving the blessing in the last episode was great.
Khlyen I'm not completely sure about yet, but he's definitely interesting, and creepy. Same with Delle Seyah, revealed to be more ruthless than I thought she was, nice. Apparently she's taking orders from Khlyen? If I understood correctly she called in her favor with Dutch to get her to Qresh because Khlyen wanted her to. (But then the Level Six agent tried to kill Dutch, presumably against Khlyen's wishes, so the brainwashing process or whatever they do isn't perfect.)
The politics of the Quad are interesting, but so far we don't even know yet who all the players are so it's a bit difficult to assess. The RAC definitely plays a large role, but which one? Iirc they're also active outside of the Quad. From the last episode, Bellus mentioned rumors of gene-splicing and Carleen's analysis showed a DNA string, I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with alien lifeforms, maybe they found some on Arkyn…
The medicine is quite advanced, healing bruises and minor wounds instantly and regrowing ears and stuff like that. And then there are the nanites which are basically medical miracles, but apparently not yet refined enough and/or too risky and/or too expensive for mass production. We got several clues that technologically the RAC, or at least Khlyen's part of the RAC, is much more advanced than anyone else in the Quad. (Were they working with Dr. Jaeger? What about the gene-coded bomb?) Lifeform scanners are apparently more widely available, but either they're not perfect or they can't detect nanite-sustained individuals.
I was very cautious about the episode "Vessels", but I ended up liking it a lot. Constance walking out of the tunnel, shielding her sisters with her pregnant body, reminded me of Angharad the Splendid. Yesss.
Most of the series was so good about gender stuff that the few times I did notice something it was an unpleasant surprise, even if it was relatively minor. Like in the season finale the Level Six agent saying to Dutch "you're just a girl"; in context it's an insult of her fighting ability not compared to a man but more to a Level Six agent, but it was still an unpleasant reminder that this is not a 'verse without sexism. Same when Johnny said to Delle Seyah "I don't hit women but I've got a partner who does" – why doesn't he?, he's a Killjoy who knows plenty of dangerous women. In a 'verse with low-level sexism it fits, but I want one without *sigh*
Visually the show is okay, a bit colorless in places but not so dark or grey that it starts to dominate the atmosphere. Why so many lensflares?! Mostly they're just distracting and make it more difficult to see what is going on. It must make vidding this show difficult, and I'd love to see many vids.
In conclusion: Yes, fantastic, I want more, both fannish works and more canon. I hope it will be renewed! (I also found out that Canada has a Space channel. I want a Space channel.)
I've already started writing fic, because of course I have. (Anyone up to beta?) After Hockey RPF and Star Wars it's a bit strange to write for a canon with so many open questions and incomplete background, I can invent it but it's likely to be wrong. I'll deal. Or maybe I'll write the vampire!Dutch AU that could work really well.
My very favorite thing about the series is Dutch and Johnny, BFFs. At their first meeting she shot him because he was trying to steal her ship, they become partners, and six years later they're inseparable. He considers her his sister, she calls him irreplaceable and says she loves him (but you're an idiot), they would both do stupid things for each other. He tells her bedtime stories <3
One of my favorite scenes was when Dutch told Johnny and D'avin that Khlyen found her. I expected Johnny to ask "who's Khlyen" because he told D'avin he didn't know who trained her. Instead he immediately understood and told her they could go away wherever she wants. She trusted him and told him about her past, and he honored that trust and didn't tell his brother.
Or after he finds Dutch and D'avin fucking: he really isn't jealous, just concerned that it will damage the team, which is exactly what happens. (To be fair there were extenuating circumstances.) He immediately admits to Pree that if forced to choose, he would choose Dutch over his brother. In the very first episode he goes behind Dutch's back for D'avin and to protect Dutch, but that never happens again. In the same episode Dutch says "if falling on your sword would help I would shove you myself." "Promise?" "Promise." You're such a liar, Dutch, you'd do anything to keep Johnny save. She keeps a picture of the two of them together close and panics when Khlyen threatens Johnny.
I really love their friendship.
Individually Dutch and Johnny are also pretty great. They're both quite "soft" for Killjoys, especially Johnny who has a tendency to want to fix things, until he's not. "Come the Rain" was a great Johnny episode. I love the mix between badass and vulnerable that both of them have.
When I rewatch the series btw I'm going to pay attention to who calls him John and who calls him Johnny and when, because Dutch does both. I'm going with Johnny here because in the season finale when he shoots the Level Six agent he says "I'm Johnny Jaqobi, stop licking my partner."
My second favorite relationship is probably Johnny and Lucy, the mechanic and his spaceship. She's the prettiest ship he's ever seen, and he's definitely her favorite. Johnny says about her that "she's a systems computer, she doesn't have a favorite," but as often the line between a program and a lifeform seems extremely thin here. She breaks her own rules to save Johnny, of course she does.
I'm not completely sure yet what I think of D'avin. He's pretty screwed up, but to be fair he had reasons. I did like how he and Dutch could connect in a way, sometimes it's easier to talk to those whose respect you don't need so much. I didn't mind them hooking up "so early": Dutch clearly thought it wouldn't change anything, and we knew D'avin has a history of disappointing his brother.
After the whole thing with Doctor Jaeger came to a head and he found out what happened to him, after he had a chance to talk and at least find out where he stood with both Dutch and Johnny, I thought there was a good chance for him to start healing eventually. (Pity he wasn't still in therapy, if I understood correctly, he could definitely use it.) Instead he got himself captured by Khlyen (seriously a stupid plan to go after him) in Red 17 on Arkyn, and chances are good he'll be turned into a Level Six, together with Fancy Lee. More trauma and brainwashing ahead…
I also really like the supporting characters and I love that I care about them so much. Pree, Alvis, Bellus, Pawter… Pawter is screwed up but in really interesting ways that made me sympathize with her, and I really liked her relationship with Johnny in the later episodes. Alvis the monk and resistance fighter is also a fascinating figure, and he too was great with Johnny. Johnny giving the blessing in the last episode was great.
Khlyen I'm not completely sure about yet, but he's definitely interesting, and creepy. Same with Delle Seyah, revealed to be more ruthless than I thought she was, nice. Apparently she's taking orders from Khlyen? If I understood correctly she called in her favor with Dutch to get her to Qresh because Khlyen wanted her to. (But then the Level Six agent tried to kill Dutch, presumably against Khlyen's wishes, so the brainwashing process or whatever they do isn't perfect.)
The politics of the Quad are interesting, but so far we don't even know yet who all the players are so it's a bit difficult to assess. The RAC definitely plays a large role, but which one? Iirc they're also active outside of the Quad. From the last episode, Bellus mentioned rumors of gene-splicing and Carleen's analysis showed a DNA string, I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with alien lifeforms, maybe they found some on Arkyn…
The medicine is quite advanced, healing bruises and minor wounds instantly and regrowing ears and stuff like that. And then there are the nanites which are basically medical miracles, but apparently not yet refined enough and/or too risky and/or too expensive for mass production. We got several clues that technologically the RAC, or at least Khlyen's part of the RAC, is much more advanced than anyone else in the Quad. (Were they working with Dr. Jaeger? What about the gene-coded bomb?) Lifeform scanners are apparently more widely available, but either they're not perfect or they can't detect nanite-sustained individuals.
I was very cautious about the episode "Vessels", but I ended up liking it a lot. Constance walking out of the tunnel, shielding her sisters with her pregnant body, reminded me of Angharad the Splendid. Yesss.
Most of the series was so good about gender stuff that the few times I did notice something it was an unpleasant surprise, even if it was relatively minor. Like in the season finale the Level Six agent saying to Dutch "you're just a girl"; in context it's an insult of her fighting ability not compared to a man but more to a Level Six agent, but it was still an unpleasant reminder that this is not a 'verse without sexism. Same when Johnny said to Delle Seyah "I don't hit women but I've got a partner who does" – why doesn't he?, he's a Killjoy who knows plenty of dangerous women. In a 'verse with low-level sexism it fits, but I want one without *sigh*
Visually the show is okay, a bit colorless in places but not so dark or grey that it starts to dominate the atmosphere. Why so many lensflares?! Mostly they're just distracting and make it more difficult to see what is going on. It must make vidding this show difficult, and I'd love to see many vids.
In conclusion: Yes, fantastic, I want more, both fannish works and more canon. I hope it will be renewed! (I also found out that Canada has a Space channel. I want a Space channel.)
I've already started writing fic, because of course I have. (Anyone up to beta?) After Hockey RPF and Star Wars it's a bit strange to write for a canon with so many open questions and incomplete background, I can invent it but it's likely to be wrong. I'll deal. Or maybe I'll write the vampire!Dutch AU that could work really well.
no subject
It's a bit less, hm, cheerful than Firefly,
I totally don't mind a show more sombre in tone. I mean, one of my fave sci-fi shows set in space is Battlestar Galactica and that was downright depressing at times.
MUCH better at treating sexworkers.
Sadly Firefly set the bar so low on that score that it's not hard to believe but still very good to hear!
no subject
I haven't seen BSG yet unfortunately so I can't compare the tone.