ReCape: Watching The Cape
- Thread starter Elizabeth Grunewald
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I watched it (actually watching the rerun now on monday, nothng else is on at the moment), and thought it was pretty good. It's only the pilot episode, so chances are that everyone on the show is just getting the hang of their roles, and the writting hasn't hit it's stride yet. There is certainly quite a bit of room for improvement, the acting needs work (Keith David and Summer Glau being the exceptions, providing good performances, though Summer Glau seems to still be a bit unsure about her role), the writting can be incoherent and overly-cheesy at time, and the CGI needs work; but all in all, there's a heck of a lot of potential.
One more thing. Despite all of the shows flaws, I have to say that I've fallen in love with the show's soundtrack. The music is, quite frankly, awesome.
One more thing. Despite all of the shows flaws, I have to say that I've fallen in love with the show's soundtrack. The music is, quite frankly, awesome.
Maybe it's because I didn't know what to expect and had no expectations, but I actually thought it was quite good.
Of course the very first episode has "pacing problems" because they wanted to put the whole history of why and how he becomes the cape into one episode and I'm actually very thankful for that.
Seeing as we all know more or less that he is going to turn into 'The Cape' and become a super hero, we don't need or want that part to drag on over multiple episodes. Ergo I don't agree on the issues raised with the pacing at all and am very happy it was kept so short.
Of course the very first episode has "pacing problems" because they wanted to put the whole history of why and how he becomes the cape into one episode and I'm actually very thankful for that.
Seeing as we all know more or less that he is going to turn into 'The Cape' and become a super hero, we don't need or want that part to drag on over multiple episodes. Ergo I don't agree on the issues raised with the pacing at all and am very happy it was kept so short.
The thing with the Cape is, I think many of its "flaws" are intentional. It's not a comedy, but it also isn't one of the overly serious / pretentious dramas that have dominated scripted TV. It's a throwback to the days of the A Team, Magnum PI, or Macgyver where you didn't need long serialized plots, brooding emo characters, or conspiracies about conspicacies within more conspiracies. Just a simple good guy fights bad guys and has fun doing it story. Maybe it's no firefly, but then again Firefly got the axe because no one watched it because they couldn't get over flaws in the first few episodes, so maybe we should learn something here about letting a show grow into itself before we jump ship.
Besides, do we want The Event back in that timeslot?
Besides, do we want The Event back in that timeslot?
I caught it tonight, and, missing the first couple of minutes, thought this was part 2 of a two-parter (since it referenced things like the police chief dying, and both the whole Orwell thing and the corrupt cops implied a previous introduction).
Apparently it wasn't. That's how bad this script is. (Also: seriously, my TV's over-the-air clock said 8 on the dot. I don't know how much I missed, but it couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 minutes.)
Seriously, two hours minus commercials is feature-length film territory. This story actually has a lot of detail and all the elements of a compelling (or at least entertaining) narrative, too. To bad it has barely any exposition (except when it has too much of it), and the writing is just plain bad. The pacing also gave me whiplash. This could have been good if they took the first half and extended it over the two hours and polished it up a bit.
Also, here's an example of the bad writing: the guy rings up his family and, saying nothing, hangs up. The circus guy then goes on to explain why he shouldn't talk with his family. This is confusing and backwards; they should have presented the dilemma before the conclusion, and failing to do so is what requires the explanation - which doesn't even make sense in-character since the character already drew said conclusion. Not to mention the whole scene takes place in mere seconds. (Edit: This is also an example of the no exposition/too much exposition problem the show has.)
Apparently it wasn't. That's how bad this script is. (Also: seriously, my TV's over-the-air clock said 8 on the dot. I don't know how much I missed, but it couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 minutes.)
Seriously, two hours minus commercials is feature-length film territory. This story actually has a lot of detail and all the elements of a compelling (or at least entertaining) narrative, too. To bad it has barely any exposition (except when it has too much of it), and the writing is just plain bad. The pacing also gave me whiplash. This could have been good if they took the first half and extended it over the two hours and polished it up a bit.
Also, here's an example of the bad writing: the guy rings up his family and, saying nothing, hangs up. The circus guy then goes on to explain why he shouldn't talk with his family. This is confusing and backwards; they should have presented the dilemma before the conclusion, and failing to do so is what requires the explanation - which doesn't even make sense in-character since the character already drew said conclusion. Not to mention the whole scene takes place in mere seconds. (Edit: This is also an example of the no exposition/too much exposition problem the show has.)
At first I was like:
It makes you look just as bad as far as that goes.
But then...
Being able to portray a particular role well - especially if that role is addled/abnormal in some dramatic way (like, say, being a mentally unstable psychic killing machine from the future, or...a robotic killing machine from the future...wow, that's some serious range, isn't it?) - is not an indicator of being a great actor in general. It means you did that role very well.
For a good example of this, compare Milla Jovovich in Fifth Element with Milla Jovovich in...almost anything else.
That is undeniably fanboy behavior. Accepting that, this Cape article is still pretty dull. If it can't hold the attention of an audience that was expecting the show to be bad and clicked the article in the interests of seeing just how bad it was (that'd be me, not HG up there, obviously), that's probably not a good sign. But hey, subjective.
Shamus, isn't this kind of response just fanning the flames? Sure, some of them liked the show, but that fact in no way improves the writing of this article, which is what they're commenting on in such a negative light. How does calling it "fanboy crying" help anything or, for that matter, do anything other than lump you in with them from the opposite side: the "fanboys" on one side calling foul on the article and basically saying it should be ignored because Elizabeth obviously didn't like the show from the start and blah blah, and on the other side people implying those detractors should be ignored because "they're just fanboys."Shamus Young said:
It makes you look just as bad as far as that goes.
But then...
*facepalm*HG131 said:
Being able to portray a particular role well - especially if that role is addled/abnormal in some dramatic way (like, say, being a mentally unstable psychic killing machine from the future, or...a robotic killing machine from the future...wow, that's some serious range, isn't it?) - is not an indicator of being a great actor in general. It means you did that role very well.
For a good example of this, compare Milla Jovovich in Fifth Element with Milla Jovovich in...almost anything else.
That is undeniably fanboy behavior. Accepting that, this Cape article is still pretty dull. If it can't hold the attention of an audience that was expecting the show to be bad and clicked the article in the interests of seeing just how bad it was (that'd be me, not HG up there, obviously), that's probably not a good sign. But hey, subjective.
I like Keith David and Summer Glau as much as the next guy, but they can't save the show from being exceedingly boring, poorly-paced, and unoriginal.
I know us nerds are desperate for some of super hero or sci-fi show to come along and make it big, but that doesn't mean we should accept half-assed crap like this.
I know us nerds are desperate for some of super hero or sci-fi show to come along and make it big, but that doesn't mean we should accept half-assed crap like this.
I know saying that people who disagree with you are fanboys is sort of your thing now Shamus, but I don't think that actually makes sense in this context. Only the pilot of this show has aired and just a couple days ago, it's a little bit early to play the fanboy card if that is still supposed to actually mean something.Shamus Young said:
It was the fucking pilot episode give me ANY pilot episode of ANY series that wasn't SHIT compared to the rest of it. Everyone is tearing into the show and the article because it didn't suit your needs.
ITS A NEW FUCKING SHOW GIVE IT TIME.
ITS A NEW FUCKING SHOW GIVE IT TIME.
So I just watched it Hulu. Mildly entertaining, but I smell cancellation. It can't tell if it wants to be dramatic or goofy and it does not blend the two together well at all. And some of the acting is really painful. All in all, maybe it will come together, but I can't see enough people getting behind this.
I think the show's premise holds potential, but that they rushed the pilot too much. The writing could have used a lot more polish, the direction could have been less schizophrenic, and I said to my wife as soon as it was over that they should have taken the events of the first hour and stretched them out over the two-hour run so that they could include some character development. Still... the similarities to the Batman mythos, Robocop, and Greatest American Hero could eventually work in its favor.
I'm seeing this as potentially being the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The pilot had horrible pacing, stiff acting, and pushed the plot ahead before you got a chance to know the characters beyond their stereotypes. But so did Buffy's pilot. Hell, I couldn't even bring myself to watch Buffy for the first year and a half because of how bad the pilot sucked. But after the first few episodes it found its stride and became iconic television. I think The Cape has the same potential. Then again, if they don't learn from the current reviews, perhaps they'll just become Heroes without the good first season.
I'm seeing this as potentially being the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The pilot had horrible pacing, stiff acting, and pushed the plot ahead before you got a chance to know the characters beyond their stereotypes. But so did Buffy's pilot. Hell, I couldn't even bring myself to watch Buffy for the first year and a half because of how bad the pilot sucked. But after the first few episodes it found its stride and became iconic television. I think The Cape has the same potential. Then again, if they don't learn from the current reviews, perhaps they'll just become Heroes without the good first season.
counter counter point: The pilot was enough to keep people interested I am interested to see what they do with the group Tarot. Seeing as how they took out the Tower in the 2nd ep of the series. (It was 2 episodes for the premiere.)BobDobolina said:
If it starts to suck I will stop watching it. I kept watching Heroes until around halfway through season 2 because it sucked so hard by then.
I can't tell if I'm supposed to take this review seriously or not. If not, you had me going for a while, but my sister, my Dad, and even my Mom like it. If you did mean it seriously, well that's just your opinion. The fact that you know the term Rouges Galery means that you're familiar with comics to a fair degree and if this show doesn't apeal to you I don't really get why not. Also, you forgot to mention Chess's left eye is a knight and his right eye is a rook, and you also forgot to mention that Cain is the Tower, symbol of sudden disaster, the poisoner of the Tarot. I personaly enjoy the show and plan to watch it for a long time to come. If you chose not to, well enjoy The Sound of Music or whatever it is that gets you interested.
She could of went into more detail ripping some of the parts apart but hey its a TV show that seems like it was called off of a kids network for being too dark. If this was Japan it would still be a kids show. (go look up Kamen Rider 555 apparently the most disturbing rider death and grimdark of all the Kamen Rider series)BobDobolina said:
The show's two main problems:
1. Its pace is ridiculous. It's even more ridiculous than it sounds in this review. What if Batman Begins had a five minute montage about him learning the skills necessary to be Batman? It would be terrible. The Cape basically just shrugged off one of the best parts of superhero fiction. There's a scene of Faraday being taught how to hypnotize people by a supporting character. In the next scene between them, Faraday hypnotizes the supporting character no problem. There was no middle ground. "Look, now he has a cool hypnotizing skill. Next clip!"
2. It takes itself way too seriously. It gives off campy vibes, sure, but it doesn't play to any of them. You have a carnival of bank robbers (or whatever they called themselves) and we as the audience know how dumb that is, but the show doesn't seem to. It just isn't directed in a way that accommodates or acknowledges its silly aspects, and even if it were, I doubt there'd be time to make them click with the viewer.
Anyway, Elizabeth is pretty much right on the money. But Shamus, grow up; you aren't acting any more mature than the people you're trying to mock.
1. Its pace is ridiculous. It's even more ridiculous than it sounds in this review. What if Batman Begins had a five minute montage about him learning the skills necessary to be Batman? It would be terrible. The Cape basically just shrugged off one of the best parts of superhero fiction. There's a scene of Faraday being taught how to hypnotize people by a supporting character. In the next scene between them, Faraday hypnotizes the supporting character no problem. There was no middle ground. "Look, now he has a cool hypnotizing skill. Next clip!"
2. It takes itself way too seriously. It gives off campy vibes, sure, but it doesn't play to any of them. You have a carnival of bank robbers (or whatever they called themselves) and we as the audience know how dumb that is, but the show doesn't seem to. It just isn't directed in a way that accommodates or acknowledges its silly aspects, and even if it were, I doubt there'd be time to make them click with the viewer.
Anyway, Elizabeth is pretty much right on the money. But Shamus, grow up; you aren't acting any more mature than the people you're trying to mock.