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Post by Batcopter on Nov 1, 2004 4:27:22 GMT -5
This is a slightly revised overview of the first three episodes of Jupiter Moon which I have previously posted elsewhere on another Forum. Nathan has already read and commented on this, but for anyone's general interest, here it is.
First impressions - there seems to be a definite late 80s/early 90s ambience about it. I suppose it's partly the frizzy bighaired look many of the women sport, and there's something about Finbow's hairstyle that seems exactly of that era too. The sets remind me a bit of the kind of silver look many mid-late 80s programmes seemed to have.
The nearest comparisons I can think of are to things like Star Cops and even (no,really) early Red Dwarf - not so much in terms of content or style of writing, but in what seems to be an intention to convey a sort of utilitarian functional greyness in the settting, and, more fundamentally, to depict a community where all the small-scale bickering and interpersonal conflicts found in any town or institution are still clearly shown. It's just that it happens to be in space.
The DVD includes a Daily Mail quotation "Space scenes better than Dr Who" - while comparing it to what is almost certainly the best known British SF series is understandable in one sense, in another sense it's possibly misapplied simply because the two programmes clearly have very different aims. Dr Who has always existed to tell various high-flown stories inspired by various adventure/romantic literary or filmic genres, with the science fiction "just happening to be there". In Jupiter Moon, the SF is also mainly a backdrop to what are much more obviously character interrelation dynamics, as with soap operas.
What's interesting is that many of the characters aren't immediately all that sympathetic. Although I get the impression that Finbow is meant to be a bit of a punchbag - a rather callow and gauche eager beaver who is endlessly ridiculed behind his back, and not really taken very seriously by anyone - it's still rather a cruel trick for Herlinde to lead him on at the New Year bash, to the extent that the poor lad is now hovering about her like a faithful puppy, not realising that all he's doing is irritating her - although you could say that this is showing she's brought this on herself.
I was a little unsure about Tim originally, because I couldn't quite work out what he was doing there. I gather now that his parents were killed on Callisto and he is there so as not to be separated from his sister Melody. Is he a child prodigy of some sort (he's good at computer hacking anyway, a capital offence in Venezuela, as the second episode carefully informs us twice)? Apparently so. We're told he's 14 although he looks and sounds younger to me (is this deliberate? Some of the dialogue between him and his sister seemed to imply to me that he has some sort of growth deficiency?). I do wonder if his sweet tooth is some kind of compensation for feelings of being lonely and unloved, because no-one there really seems to care about or have much interest in him. Even his sister is clearly irritated by his presence, and seems to see him as a nuisance to be gotten rid of while she and her boyfriend can carry on canoodling. I kept wishing someone would give him a hug and tell him he'd be alright!
Victoria is another character I feel sorry for (and I noticed she's the only one who seems to have shown Tim much kindness, offering her dinner to him). I don't think she wants to be there at all really, and her feeling unwell setting off a mass panic about infections and quarantine probably helps to compound her misery. The impression I get is that she just wants to be at home with one or both of her (separated) parents and resents the whole place - so far at least.
It's interesting that the characters who seem keenest on exploring (as Captain Kirk would have put it) the final frontier tend to be the least sympathetic, for me anyway. I took a strong dislike to Brelan from the off, finding him an unappealing authority figure and the fervour with which both he and Anna Chancellor's character, Mercedes, seem to regard space exploration - they are clealy flatly incapable of understanding why anyone might prefer to do anything else, with the latter apperently branding poor Bromwich a loony simply for having other interests as a higher priority - is quite disturbing to me. It seems to border on zealotry, and the irony of Mercedes branding Begani a religious fundamentalist when all she's seen her doing is genuflect before images holy to Catholics and express enthusiasm for her religion, wasn't lost on me.
I quite like Eliot, who provides some world weary cynical backup to Finbow's enthusiasm. But is Finbow imagining things or has he detected some sort of dangerous anomaly far out there? We shall have to see...
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Post by Nathan on Nov 4, 2004 4:02:48 GMT -5
Thanks for that Batcopter, I look forward to reading further thoughts on the series.
That has never struck me before, very interesting.
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Post by Batcopter on Nov 22, 2004 4:44:19 GMT -5
After a bit of a break, I've watched Eps 4 - 6.
I thought Episode 4 seemed to take a more trivial tack than before, with a faintly silly storyline concerning Sara's jealousy, or insecurity, at her boyfriend Bob Horsfall having phoned Herlinde, not realising it was to arrange a special surprise for her. This felt somewhat sit com-ish to me, and an example of the series taking a breather from the (as it turns out) imminent high drama by having a light bit of human interest. Soaps do do this sort of thing now and then of course.
The business with Tim and his enforced exercises is beginning to seem more like something out of a children's series, with Fiona being something of a more sensible older friend who unwillingly ends up covering for him. It's becoming evident that she is usually the one he confides in, and who tries to persuade him to do the right thing.
Rosie and Mercedes seem to have a strong antipathy to each other, with the former making a rather mean-minded and unpleasant attempt to humiliate or embarrass the latter by loudly alluding to her sexual history, which, not surprisingly, sets off a bitter argument. It seems strange that Mercedes is the first to apologise, as I'd say Rosie is as much, if not more, to blame for the ill-feeling.
It could be hindsight at Anna Chancellor's subsequent fame, but there does seem to be something about Mercedes that sets her apart from most of the others. Rosie's rude remark perhaps suggests that she has picked up on the fact that Mercedes seems to exude a much more adult and confident sexuality than the relatively precocious and adolescent natures of the students there. She seems a little older (I'm not sure if she actually is or not) than the students. Whereas they are still in the process of leaving their childhoods behind, you get the impression she is an actual adult, if still quite a young one, with some experience of life. Even her appearance is different, with the bobbed haircut (which reminds me of both Swing Out Sister in the 80s, and the langorous look favoured by 20s film stars) and the harsh angular cut of her clothing giving her a more stylised look than the Columbus students.
Chantal, after being little seen in the first three episodes, is emerging as one of the more likeable and sympathetic characters, so far at least. I like the way she seems to be happy to work with Finbow on his concerns, without feeling the need to manipulate or ridicule him. It's just a straightforward spirit of unconditional friendship and co-ordination. She also proves level headed and intelligent in a crisis, working with the kind of self discipline, that Eliot only seems able to fitfully manage.
I found the Space Raiders section rather strange and difficult to take in. With barely time to take in what the concept means and what's happening before it turns out to be a strange and (to me) disturbing attempt at a practical joke - a pretend kidnapping, if I've understood it correctly, the whole bit feels rushed and confused. Anyway, it compounds Victoria's determination to get off, even to the point of trying various unappealing jobs to buy her way to a better (for her) life.
The unfriendly jibes at Melody being a "pushover" for men, with the implication she won't be able to stay faithful to Jean for a year unless they marry, seem to be accepted by her, although how fair they really are is difficult to say. If Melody really is easily swayed by attractive would-be suitors, to the extent of not wanting to turn them down, that might suggest she is trying to compensate for a sense of loneliness and feeling unloved or unvalued, perhaps as an unconscious compensation for having lost her parents early.
I think Tim may be in need of constant supervision of some sort if he is liable to cause damage or create risks on the scale that his computer hacking and interference do here. Possibly Rosie's surprising lack of anger and her offering him a bit of chocolate after his confession reflects a recognition that whatever approach they are currently trying obviously isn't working.
I did have to smile at the Red Alert scenes though, as it couldn't help reminding me of Kryten's "Are you sure, sir? It does mean changing the lightbulb" in Red Dwarf (not really a criticism, as it's a common convention in Sci-fi). The sense of an unknown potential threat surrounding the space station is obviously much more in line with conventional science fiction, with the 5th and 6th episodes ending on far more definite cliffhangers than has been the norm so far. It does also vaguely remind me of Dr Who's Nightmare Of Eden (with its take on 70s Disaster Movies). The nature of the phenomenon is too nebulous to be able to say much else about so far though.
Regarding Herlinde and Finbow, I can't help wishing the former would put herself out of her misery by just telling the latter something like "Look, Finbow, I'm really not interested in you. The thing at the New Year party was just a bit of fun, and I'm sorry if you got your hopes up, but I just don't fancy you, and there's no future in this. If you want a girlfriend you'll have to look for someone else." While it might upset him initially, it would be less cruel than letting him carry on with his delusions about them, and it would free up both of them ultimately. Of course, for all I know, maybe she will genuinely fall in love with him later on, but unless there's a change of some sort, it's only delaying the inevitable.
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Post by Batcopter on Dec 1, 2004 5:40:48 GMT -5
I watched Episodes 7 and 8 last night.
Elliot seems to be growing increasingly truculent and obstinate, refusing to entertain any of the other characters' concerns and insisting that it's just a matter of sitting out an electrical storm. He's almost openly hostile to Finbow and his theories now, having previously just been sarcastically dismissive. The still unanswered question, of course, is whether he is right or not. Does he genuinely believe what he says or is he just so frightened of the alternative he refuses to accept any possibilty of it?
Herlinde's nervous campaign to throw Finbow off the scent continues as ineffectually as ever. I don't know whether they are planning to have her genuinely fall for him later on, or whether they're just dragging this out for as long as possible. Mercedes again hints at her greater experience of this sort of thing and her unsentimental pragmatism by saying she should tell him she's not interested and leave it there. The scene where Herlinde tries to let Finbow down gently by starting to tell him she likes him, only for him to have to dash off before she can get to the dumping bit, is familiar territory to soaps and sit coms when trying to keep a bit of comic business going.
Has Tim been put off chocolate by having had it feely given to him? Is his distrust of Rosie strong enough to overcome what we'd been led to believe were unassailable cravings, or was it partly always the thrill of doing something forbidden that attracted him in the first place?
There's also a wedding due apparently, for Melody and Jean-Francois, although her seemingly having a taste for sampling other available men raises questions over how viable a marriage that really is, and whether he actually has the capacity to make her happy.
I thought Alex Hartman was maybe meant to be Russian although I now understand he is German. I've seen Jason Durr in Heartbeat in more recent years, and perhaps because of that, find his peroxide dyed look here rather silly. That said, he does come across as a somewhat shady and untrustworthy character, with the suspicious atmosphere between him and Mercedes adding to this impression. He can be forgiven for being angry with Elliot after being found and defrosted (after all, his life had been at stake). Presumably it also adds to the pressure on Elliot too, as I don't suppose he welcomes the possible prospect of being found to have been neglectful of his duties.
Meanwhile, the mystery over whether Cats is alive or dead continues. And indeed the question of whether either outcome would help to ease the uncertain relationship between Mercedes and Rosie.
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Post by Nathan on Dec 2, 2004 4:39:34 GMT -5
Excellent stuff Bat copter, anyone else wish to comment?
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Post by Perry Vale on Dec 7, 2004 3:34:03 GMT -5
I will do, as soon as I get back my broadband access later this week. I'm up to episode 6, and loving it so far.
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Post by Nathan on Dec 7, 2004 3:40:54 GMT -5
Excellent news - you know I have never met anyone who didn't like it, some who have refused to watch, yes, but never anyone who has watched and didn't like it.
It dissapoints me in a way that it is still very much an unknown. It needs more exposure...
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Post by Perry Vale on Dec 7, 2004 3:50:36 GMT -5
I've actually found it to be one of the easiest things to watch. It's got a great pace to it, and I've been surprised at the standard of acting in it, so far..... ...but those 80's(ish) haircuts on the girls....yuk!
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Post by Nathan on Dec 8, 2004 9:41:11 GMT -5
Just noticed you were typing as a guest then. Is evrything Ok with your account? Forgot your password or just couldn't be arsed typing it in?
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Post by Perry Vale on Dec 9, 2004 10:31:07 GMT -5
Just noticed you were typing as a guest then. Is evrything Ok with your account? Forgot your password or just couldn't be arsed typing it in? I didn't realise I wasn't logged in! ;D
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Post by Perry Vale on Dec 10, 2004 17:18:18 GMT -5
Just been watching episode 7, and when they pull the man from the airlock, there looks to be a rather strange 'cut' to the next scene. Any idea what this is?
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Post by Nathan on Dec 10, 2004 17:24:20 GMT -5
Nothing edited, just that was "End of Part One".
Just imagine the animated adcap that kicks off the disc, followed by Dicky Attenbrough telling you how great The Movie Channel is.
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Post by Perry Vale on Dec 10, 2004 17:46:10 GMT -5
Ah right, ta Nathan! ;D Gonna try & write something more in depth next week, but suffice to say, I had a cr*p day at work today, and a small dose of JM has cheered me up no end.
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Post by Batcopter on Dec 14, 2004 3:25:35 GMT -5
Eps 9, 10 and 11
I'm not quite sure what to make of Alex yet. I'm not very keen on him so far, he comes across as boorish and petulant, with an eternal chip on his shoulder about the place, unco-operative and unsympathetic. He ussually has to be forced into giving any help, even when it's needed. It's not that he's malicious, more a case of sullenly pursuing his own agenda. It's interesting though, that he and Mercedes seem to have started taking a liking to each other, with the latter even lying about her astronautical experience for the sake of helping him fit a new unit. After a rather fiery hostility between them earlier, the passion underlying that seems to be being turned in another direction...
Tim's refusing to eat and sticking to a liquids-only diet, apart from reminding me of modern detox diets as promoted in sections of the press, seems to indicate that he's a distinctly unsettled and unhappy boy, switching from one extreme to another. It's not so much a hunger strike as a way of proving a point and getting round restrictions. Clearly the discipline code there stops short of force-feeding.
Fiona has suddenly started playing the flute in the botanical gardens area (whatever its actual name is) during establishing scenes, a touch which I think works quite well, and adds a more creative artistic quality to her.
The ongoing attempt by Herlinde to get rid of Finbow's attentions seems to have paid off when Sara manages to persuade him that Herlinde wants to break it off for the sake of his career (actually I would have thought that restriction would be a good reason to discourage it anyway), only for it to be complicated by Melody's bizarre trick with the greetings card, which I gather was out of jealousy with Herlinde's developing interest in Piers.
I think it possible that Herlinde may be more fond of Finbow than she likes to claim - not in any kind of romantic way, but enough for her not to want him to be upset. She possibly sees him as good for a laugh with her friends, but as someone she can tire of easily and who ought to have the grace to shove off when he's not wanted.
Finbow's own reaction to learning of Herlinde's disinterest in him is to become reflective, telling Eliot about his first engagement - and the fact of his having being engaged at all would probably surprise many in the audience at this stage - before compensating for his disappointment by taking on a heroic self-sacrificing role. When Herlinde is visibly upset at this and looks as though she feels guilty he takes it as a validation, although whether he has now convinced himself that she does love him after all, I'm not sure yet.
Eliot seems to be given the role of cheering up various people when he's not arguing with Alex ("GET OFF MY BRIDGE!" is the angriest we've seen him yet), both in the afore-mentioned scene with Finbow, and his bluff heartiness when meeting Victoria, which even gets a smile or two from her (although it fades as soon as he tweaks her cheek).
At least Victoria is at last being given the chance to make a positive contribution to goings-on, potentially rescuing her from the fate of wandering miserably about like a lost sheep which has been her lot so far. And I'm not surprised the prospect of being banished from social occasions didn't seem much of a punishment to her.
It may be just me but I found Rosie's temporary obsession with the confectionary machine vaguely Arnold Rimmer-esque. There are chocolate vending machines in Red Dwarf so that's maybe partly it.
There's a genuinely impressive and unexpected climax too, high on drama and shock factors. You don't normally expect to see bits of the vessel flying off - even Blake's 7 waited until the episode where the Liberator was destroyed before doing that. But the flashing red light, Eliot barking out desperate orders and the forced jettisoning of the female quarters with the characters hurrying through chaotic darkness - you are really unsure if they will all get away safely at first and for at least a split-second are mentally thinking in terms of what impact it will have on the series for any of them to be killed off. Not surprisingly the strain and the guilt looks to be taking its toll on Eliot. Practically everything they do to try and escape seems to be making the crisis more serious.
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Post by Batcopter on Dec 20, 2004 8:45:19 GMT -5
A quick overview of Episode 12.
After the recent disasters, Eliot's "do nothing" policy seems to have been vindicated, and his insistence that they do not attempt anything rash again is less likely to be resisted, for the time being at least. Even so, as mentioned before, the strain does appear to be taking its toll on him. By turns maudlin, self-pitying, hesitant, and at other times determined and authoritative, it is obvious that he does not relish the way in which the crisis is politicising the students. Their increasingly militant meeting in which they bicker over what action to take (apart from reminding me a little of all those campaigns against school uniform and pupil pressure groups confronting the headmaster/mistress that the Grange Hill kids used to do at one time) leads Rosie to talk him into giving a full speech and question and answer session with them. His "I'm glad you asked that..." must be one of the most insincere things anyone has yet said in this series.
Apart from this, Eliot also seems to be drinking more heavily and ruminating on his being all but ready for the Knackers' Yard, contrasting this with the bright young things supposedly moving on to better places, a bitterness that, interestingly, Finbow seems to share. His declaring Eliot "a second rate captain of a second rate ship" may partly be a result of the strain, but also uindicates a buried resentment that the authorities apparently don't think he's good enough for anything better. This is possibly the more illuminating aspect of the scene where he tells Herlinke this, even though it's obviously comedically geared to make it more and more difficult for her to let him down gently, hence his claim that she's the only thing keeping him going (this also reminds me of the sort of scene Father Ted did occasionally where Ted would try to extricate himself from something awkward, embarrassing or dangerous only to be told the other party would be so overwhelmed with disappointment they'd probably kill themself).
Alex gets some further development. He accepts the thanks and apologies proffered for having saved Melody's life with a politely amused tacitunity, as if embarrassed at being lauded as a good guy. You get the feeling he prefers to be thought a delinquent and outsider, hence his conspiratorial hoarding with Tim, and the way he appears to like the idea of the latter thinking him a tough free-spirited "bad Boy" who is his own man. He also displays a superior cynicism to Mercedes' dreams of space exploration, and her visionary belief that it's the most important human activity there's ever been by telling her that all he's interested in is money. Clearly he does have finer motives underneath (as shown by his instinctive rescue of Melody) but he's mostly determined to keep them repressed and is not interested in looking for popularity (actually he's starting to remind me of Avon from Blake's 7 a little bit...).
The implications for the females there of having lost most of their property is also discussed. Possibly their having to move into other quarters is also a production means of using different sets.
Chantal continues to work industriously behind the scenes, not really getting much involved with the relative trivia of the relationships and arguments between the students, and perhaps she is onto something by suggesting that a phenomena nay be a living organism?
...watch this space.
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