Our flag means fandom: Musings on season 2 eps1-3

[lobelia321]

Thoughts: Where has the comedy gone? We have copious actual slashing, poking, stabbing which in S01 was either found only in Frenchie's song, happened off-screen ("love a good maim") or was theatrically over-the-topped (sword through eye). Note: with the exception of Izzy's toe. I do not like violence in films and especially not in my comedy and if it seems gratuitous. To me, these eps several times crossed my line and already, during my first set of rewatch, I skipped.

So. Why so dark, Jenkins? To be sure, the groundwork was laid in s1ep10 but what we retained in s1 was the comedy throughout. What I loved about s1, what I love about all comedy that transcends itself into seriousness and moving emotion (like John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure) is that the deep things steal up on you via and gain their power in contrast to the comedy.

So far, Ofmd s02 lacks the comedy and that, for me, waters down the serious bits. I miss the one-liners and the constant tongue-in-cheekness. It is as if the writers have been overtaken by the angsty romance that is the purview of us fan writers, dang it!

In s1, we had backstories: Stede, Ed, Jim, hinted at Frenchie, Lucius. I was hoping for more of this but so far, no deeper character development of the pirate crew just some cheap secy timezz shenanigans which are, to my mind, a bit slapstick. Also are they fanservice? Hey, look, how queer we are! Still pondering on that one.

I found Stede / Rhys Darby to be the backbone of s1. He was central to each ep. In eps 1-2, he barely featured. And there was no spinal substitute.

Redeeming features, though: the Two Reunion Scenes. I was delighted by the cheesiness of the beach one and had tears in my eyes and a grin-smile on my face during the merman one. And I remember: s1 went on for 3 whole eps without our two leads meeting, and once they do meet: hoo, the chemistry. Waititi / Darby create on-screen magic.

I am to some extent comparing apples (10 eps rewatched approx. 35 times and intravenously ingested) versus 3 eps seen 2 and a bit times with anticipation overwhelm and fanon bias. So we shall see!

Ultimately, what is canon but fodder for fanon? And yes, the bunnies are hopping, peeps! :D Posted first fic the same day I watched first episodes.

Comments

[msilverstar]

Always interesting!

Hoping the rest of the crew gets more time for sure! I felt like there was humor but a lot less slapstick. And one of the funny little details that struck me was the Chinese-style clothes, as opposed to the pirate cliché ones of the first series.