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PNW: The Great Escape
Another excellent episode.
I think the episode benefitted from pulling away from the ensemble for a week and focussing instead on just Evan, Dylan and Leeds. Leeds, in particular, did very well even though I suspect Evan and Dylan got more actual screen time. I love the way the character shifts between bumbling and determined, and the way he obviously has a strong moral sense, albeit one that recognises certain expediencies and is prepared to own the consequences of his actions. It makes him a much more nuanced military figure, and semi-antagonist, than you often see.
I was also impressed by the way that even though Evan and Dylan's behaviour is both dangerous and foolish we actually believe, given the characters they have been given, that this is what they would do. I'm really much more impressed by the character work on this iteration of Primeval (and on the greater attention that is, once more, being paid to the way tranquilisers work). B. was impressed by the realisation of a terror bird walking on ice. We are, in general, impressed.
Obviously, just to be clear we weren't impressed by everything, Major Douglas and his military team were about as useless as a chocolate fireguard. Dylan took stupid risks, again, even after the terror bird had killed a human. Her characterisation, early on in the show, as a predator control expert was very good, but she's been gradually slipping towards Primeval's tendency to over-sentimentalise the creatures. However her decision to euthanize the bird at the end was well played and very credible.
But all in all I really liked this episode. I'm impressed by the arc-plotting work they've done leading from Angry Birds onwards, with Undone, Truth and The Great Escape as particular high points.
I have to say that Primeval: New World has turned out to be a much better show than I had expected. So, of course, it entirely figures that its cancellation was announced the other day. It's not a Firefly level tragedy, but given I thought Primeval's "cancellation" after series three was more or less a case of putting it out of its misery, and its second cancellation after series five was understandable, if a bit of shame, I'm really rather upset about this one.
I think the episode benefitted from pulling away from the ensemble for a week and focussing instead on just Evan, Dylan and Leeds. Leeds, in particular, did very well even though I suspect Evan and Dylan got more actual screen time. I love the way the character shifts between bumbling and determined, and the way he obviously has a strong moral sense, albeit one that recognises certain expediencies and is prepared to own the consequences of his actions. It makes him a much more nuanced military figure, and semi-antagonist, than you often see.
I was also impressed by the way that even though Evan and Dylan's behaviour is both dangerous and foolish we actually believe, given the characters they have been given, that this is what they would do. I'm really much more impressed by the character work on this iteration of Primeval (and on the greater attention that is, once more, being paid to the way tranquilisers work). B. was impressed by the realisation of a terror bird walking on ice. We are, in general, impressed.
Obviously, just to be clear we weren't impressed by everything, Major Douglas and his military team were about as useless as a chocolate fireguard. Dylan took stupid risks, again, even after the terror bird had killed a human. Her characterisation, early on in the show, as a predator control expert was very good, but she's been gradually slipping towards Primeval's tendency to over-sentimentalise the creatures. However her decision to euthanize the bird at the end was well played and very credible.
But all in all I really liked this episode. I'm impressed by the arc-plotting work they've done leading from Angry Birds onwards, with Undone, Truth and The Great Escape as particular high points.
I have to say that Primeval: New World has turned out to be a much better show than I had expected. So, of course, it entirely figures that its cancellation was announced the other day. It's not a Firefly level tragedy, but given I thought Primeval's "cancellation" after series three was more or less a case of putting it out of its misery, and its second cancellation after series five was understandable, if a bit of shame, I'm really rather upset about this one.
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I particularly enjoyed Leeds in this one too, I think he's my favorite. It's funny, because I remember people complaining about the characters in New World, but I always thought, as you mentioned, that the characterization is better than in the original. I think the original show sacrificed a lot to plot and we get better characterization in fanfic than the show actually gave us.
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Leeds is definitely my favourite character!!
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It's a shame, because way back in 2007 when series 1 first aired, I was drawn to the show by the promise of dinosaurs, but stayed with it on the strength of the characters who I rapidly became very attached to.
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Abby in particular got messed around, because she ended up spending a lot of time in series 3 filling the roles that Stephen and/or Cutter used to fill, while being simultaneously pushed out of the action side of things by the arrival of Danny.
I'd go so far as to say that the whole team dynamics got cocked up in series 3, and I think the main reason behind that was the fact that they replaced a scientist team leader with an action man team leader. That substitution caused a lot of cocking about with the team roles of previously established characters like Connor and Abby. With Matt as leader they sort of went for the best of both worlds - a cerebral action man - and that put a bit of science/action balance back into the team.
That said, I do agree there was some general all-purpose silliness and out of character behaviour in 3 and 4 that made no sense at all, even give the need for a bit of role reshuffling.
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I wonder, if I'd been watching it week by week an getting to know the characters over a longer time, thinking about them between episodes, I might have actively wanted to write fic about them by now?
Just a theory.
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I really started to warm to Leeds in this ep, I love the way they've characterised him, and it's impossible to pin down the character as to exactly whose 'side' he's on. I don't think I wanted to like Leeds at the start of the series, so the fact that they've made me like him (and worry about what's going to happen to him now) in the second half of the series is a testament to good character development, and good acting from the bloke who plays him.
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I agree that after a rather disappointing first three episodes the show has gone from strength to strength. It's a real shame it won't continue. I like the fact that although Leeds and Evan are both good men they are coming at the problem from very different angles. I mean Evan is clearly a dangerous semi-nutter even when he isn't on hallucinogenic dinosaur puke, while Leeds is painfully caught up in military politics. I think Leeds is more widely aware of the implications of what is going on, and probably a better judge of character, than Evan who is too caught up in his own obsessions. But, of course, Evan has sheer genius going for him.
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Ah yes, the emotionally driven unpredictable (millionaire) scientific genius vs. the calm, rational political pragmatist. If they could just work *together* they'd have taken over the world in a week! Possibly two weeks at the outside ;-)
I keep thinking I *ought* to be writing Mac fic, because it's a waste of such gratuitous cuteness not to, but I'm really not feeling any urge at all to write fic about any of these characters. By ep 1.5 of our Primeval, I was writing post-episode Nick/Claudia fic, because I desperately *needed* to write fic for them and their proto-relationship. I'm now ten episodes into New World, and the only occasion that has even made me consider writing fic was ep 5, when I felt a vague hankering for some post-ep Mac angst (but then didn't actually write any).
I'm now trying to pin down exactly what it is that makes me want to write fic for a show, and I really don't know.
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As I said in Denial chat last week, the universe would implode from the overload of angsty sarcastic adorableness if Mac and Becker appear in a fic together!
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random comment is random...
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I;ve really enjoyed New World as well, but I can't say I ahve a huge urge to write fic for it, but my contrast, my two day conference has given me a ton of bunnies for original Primeval fic.
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Ken's screwdriver throwing moment was so superbly competent that I fell in love with him at that point.
I've just watched the finale and really enjoyed it. Connor fans will adore it and I have just found an incidental character I;d like to slash!
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Are you encouraging me to write het?
Are you encouraging me to write het with a Mary Sue in it?
Ken is wonderful though.
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I must ponder though, I think the world needs more Ken Leeds fic.