fannishliss

I finally got Netflix and watched the two seasons of Daredevil and Jessica Jones.

I am very much taken by sad, angry, guilty and responsibility bound Matt. I also love Foggy and Karen. The Elektra as they presented her, I did not love so much.  The Daredevil show, like so many, tries to present strong female characters in Karen and Claire, but I'm not convinced.  Karen, I think, has more of her own through line, independent of Matt, so I like that.  The Elektra does not.  My teenager immediately said "Fridge" -- which, though not exactly accurate, was pretty close.  Matt's kind of a puppet on a string when it comes to Elektra, yet, she herself is not a fully fledged three dimensional character.  She is so elemental, but not believable as a person.

So I wanted to go back and rewatch the 2005 film starring Jennifer Garner as Elektra.  I remembered liking it a lot back in the day (also not liking the Daredevil movies very much despite the excellent song that first propelled Evanescence into the charts).  I rewatched tonight from my VHS copy!  (I still have a working VCR that is actually hooked up to my TV).  Garner was fantastic in the role.  She is haunted by the murder of her own mother by the Hand, and then she is hired to assassinate a father and daughter -- but it turns out the daughter is the next Treasure.  So she saves them instead.  This movie passes Bechdel with flying colors!!!   Plus, even though there is a hint of a spark between Elektra and the girl's dad, the real relationship is between Elektra and the young girl. And, it isn't predicated on the concept of Elektra becoming the girl's mother, at all.  They have both lost their own mothers, but the movie is more about the young girl viewing Elektra as another woman who has survived the various ordeals and training of being the Treasure.  Second viewing, eleven years later?  ALL THUMBS UP.

Also, I must say, Terence Stamp continues to be my favorite.  He is playing Stick in this movie and does a great job.  The Stick from the TV show is such a hateful character, though he does show a scant few redeeeming moments toward Matt and Ellie, most of the time he is abusing and rejecting them, if not calling them evil to their faces or sending killers to take them out.  In this movie, Stick is much more of a wise old sensei -- so, he is a less complicated character but a much more likeable one.  I do recommend this movie to anyone who is curious about the character of Elektra.  It's nothing to do with the tv series, but is an interesting take on the formidable woman character.

As for Jessica Jones, I found the acting from Krysten Ritter superb.  (I remember her from Veronica Mars, so I tend to think of her as Gia).  I also liked the prickly sister relationship between Jessica and Trish very much.  I of course loved David Tennant -- it's very possible that as an actor he can do no wrong.  :P  It's just sad to me that the character of Jessica is so, so, so sexualized, (especially as opposed to Matt Murdock, who is practically virginal).  Jessica has been the victim of sexual abuse, which is really awful, but I hope she gets another season where she can move on from that story. Consent is a super important topic, but, to me, women characters should be about more than their sexual history.  Even her relationship with Luke Cage is so much more graphic and sexual even than Matt's backstory with Elektra (or certainly his fledgeling, chaste love affair with Karen, or his broken-up marriage with Foggy).  I love that Trish took charge of her own defense, but I also love that Trish and Jessica worked together as sisters to take down their opponent.  Very well done.  I also loved the casting and development of Will Simpson; I loved how obviously he is a pastiche / mirror image of Steve Rogers.  Very satisfying!!

Also? I love SENTINEL MATT.  I used to love The Sentinel back in the day.  A friend of mine, when we were both in grad school, was like -- you have to watch this show, the hero is a grad student!!  meaning Blair.  Of course I worship Blair Sandburg (in real life, the actor Garett Maggart is the half brother of excellent singer Fiona Apple!!)  And I basically subtle cosplayed as Jim Ellison for years after watching the show.  The show wasn't perfect, but the ideas of it spawned a huge and enduring fandom.  So, yeah, the Daredevil was conceived by Stan Lee back in the 60s -- but clearly he is a Sentinel -- with his enhanced senses he protects his chosen territory.  Also he has a lovable guide named Foggy, but unfortunately he hasn't fully bonded with his guide because of being trained by Stick, the representative of The Chaste -- ie, Sentinels who have been trained to reject dependance on their guides.  I don't have time to write that novel right now.  :P

In other news, I have a class on Thursday nights, which means I can't watch Supernatural as it airs.  Bummer!  But I bought the season from Amazon, so I can watch it over my Roku.  :D  Last night we watched the first four.  I am very happy with s4 so far.  The London Chapterhouse are just as arrogant as the Men of Letters probably actually really were.  And I love the social commentary not-so-subtly woven in.
SEASON TWELVE!!!  so awesome. A few of the moments were a little heavy handed -- like served to us on a platter -- but I don't begrudge it.  SPN is still the ruler of my heart.

Even though I have to go run read some more Matt/Foggy.  :D


One more fun surprise, in case you haven't seen Kubo, which is excellent: the music video with Regina Spektor.  :D