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... Most uncelebratory.
Jul. 29th, 2012 01:24 amI thought Christmas episodes of old TV shows were always cute and fun and happy for everyone. I've seen a lot of them and have always been very impressed and uplifted.
... Something just broke that record.
Yes, I was watching a Christmas episode of something in the morning. Not because of Christmas in July (which, despite finding charming, I've never participated in), but because I was fiddling around again with actors' resumes. I'd had a particularly rotten time (the events of which I don't want to discuss, only to say that now it seems to be patched up) and was hoping for something nice that would cheer me up. This thing did not fit the bill.
It was an episode of a series called The Law and Mr. Jones, entitled Christmas is a Legal Holiday. I didn't like the main character much; I found him very annoying and much too giddy. But if that had been my sole quibble I would have forgiven all. After all, Christmas is a time to be giddy and maybe the character isn't always that way. (Although I suspect he is.)
The plot involved one of his clients inviting these homeless guys into her house, and continual misunderstandings about what she wanted them there for. Her relatives are worried and upset, especially when it looks like she wants them to live right in the house with her. The relatives think the men are ruffians and that it could be dangerous. They're pretty harmless, albeit they stretched the truth a lot about what their previous occupations were.
Well, so Mr. Jones goes to bat for her against the relatives. One particular relative, Roger, is especially belligerent throughout. But I was expecting a nice conclusion to the episode, especially after Mr. Jones gave a lovely speech on remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Instead, Roger is still stubborn and Mr. Jones accuses him of worrying about the property value going down and his own inheritance instead of his aunt's safety. And maybe he is, but he vehemently denies it. (We never actually learn what the truth is, either.) And he suggests they go into the other room to "settle things". His wife tells Mr. Jones of his weak spots and there's a big off-screen fight. Of course, Mr. Jones wins.
Now, I'm not saying Roger wasn't acting awful, but the fight and even moreso, the way the outcome was handled, really annoyed and discouraged me. We never see if Roger's alright. And one of the other people there is joking about the "surviving relatives".
Of course, I don't think Roger was killed. But seriously, what kind of Christmas thing is that? Any other Christmas episode of an old show that I've seen, especially one with a lighter tone like this, would let us see that Roger was alright, maybe even have a change of heart. As far as I can tell, the only people who would enjoy this episode are probably people who would get a charge out of, shall we say, vicariously experiencing beating up a frustrating relative. And that's all well and good for them, but that is not my idea of a good Christmas episode.
Especially when Roger is played by Wesley Lau.
... Honestly, what I would have found funny would have been if the men had knocked each other out. LOL. That would have been unexpected and hilarious. And then they could come to with Roger realizing how obstinate he was being and apologizing and Mr. Jones happy and everyone having a good Christmas time.
I can't believe I'm actually thinking of writing either that alternate scene or else an addendum to the episode as shown where Roger comes stumbling out after the fight and is apologetic. And maybe revealing whatever was his reason for his behavior.
I mean, it's one thing to want to write about oneshot characters from an intense drama episode. But oneshot characters for a cheap and silly light-hearted show that probably didn't last very long?
I'm hopeless. I'm really and truly hopeless.
I sort of cheered myself up by watching an episode of The Time Tunnel afterwards. Wesley being treated nice and playing a nice character was lovely, despite time travel not really being my thing (which is a rant for another time).
... Something just broke that record.
Yes, I was watching a Christmas episode of something in the morning. Not because of Christmas in July (which, despite finding charming, I've never participated in), but because I was fiddling around again with actors' resumes. I'd had a particularly rotten time (the events of which I don't want to discuss, only to say that now it seems to be patched up) and was hoping for something nice that would cheer me up. This thing did not fit the bill.
It was an episode of a series called The Law and Mr. Jones, entitled Christmas is a Legal Holiday. I didn't like the main character much; I found him very annoying and much too giddy. But if that had been my sole quibble I would have forgiven all. After all, Christmas is a time to be giddy and maybe the character isn't always that way. (Although I suspect he is.)
The plot involved one of his clients inviting these homeless guys into her house, and continual misunderstandings about what she wanted them there for. Her relatives are worried and upset, especially when it looks like she wants them to live right in the house with her. The relatives think the men are ruffians and that it could be dangerous. They're pretty harmless, albeit they stretched the truth a lot about what their previous occupations were.
Well, so Mr. Jones goes to bat for her against the relatives. One particular relative, Roger, is especially belligerent throughout. But I was expecting a nice conclusion to the episode, especially after Mr. Jones gave a lovely speech on remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Instead, Roger is still stubborn and Mr. Jones accuses him of worrying about the property value going down and his own inheritance instead of his aunt's safety. And maybe he is, but he vehemently denies it. (We never actually learn what the truth is, either.) And he suggests they go into the other room to "settle things". His wife tells Mr. Jones of his weak spots and there's a big off-screen fight. Of course, Mr. Jones wins.
Now, I'm not saying Roger wasn't acting awful, but the fight and even moreso, the way the outcome was handled, really annoyed and discouraged me. We never see if Roger's alright. And one of the other people there is joking about the "surviving relatives".
Of course, I don't think Roger was killed. But seriously, what kind of Christmas thing is that? Any other Christmas episode of an old show that I've seen, especially one with a lighter tone like this, would let us see that Roger was alright, maybe even have a change of heart. As far as I can tell, the only people who would enjoy this episode are probably people who would get a charge out of, shall we say, vicariously experiencing beating up a frustrating relative. And that's all well and good for them, but that is not my idea of a good Christmas episode.
Especially when Roger is played by Wesley Lau.
... Honestly, what I would have found funny would have been if the men had knocked each other out. LOL. That would have been unexpected and hilarious. And then they could come to with Roger realizing how obstinate he was being and apologizing and Mr. Jones happy and everyone having a good Christmas time.
I can't believe I'm actually thinking of writing either that alternate scene or else an addendum to the episode as shown where Roger comes stumbling out after the fight and is apologetic. And maybe revealing whatever was his reason for his behavior.
I mean, it's one thing to want to write about oneshot characters from an intense drama episode. But oneshot characters for a cheap and silly light-hearted show that probably didn't last very long?
I'm hopeless. I'm really and truly hopeless.
I sort of cheered myself up by watching an episode of The Time Tunnel afterwards. Wesley being treated nice and playing a nice character was lovely, despite time travel not really being my thing (which is a rant for another time).
