Emma Approved ( + Revival )
Mar. 23rd, 2020 04:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
satalasersI'm actually really sad that I didn't like this as much as I once did -- although I wonder if that's because I'm trying to compare it more to the other adaptations. I think the YouTube series sort of works as a loose (really loose) adaptation, but it's not... actually that great? I mean The Lizzie Bennet Diaries isn't that great either -- the first half was good, the latter (the Lydia arc/the Darcy&Lizzie romance) not so much.
So watching this was disappointing to me, because I liked it the first time around. :(
- This one didn't make sense?? It's not that a documentary style workcom can't work, I think it could because Emma is all about presentation and behaviour, but it didn't always work that way in the show? Sometimes the characters were conscious of the camera, other times it was hard to know if they still know they were being filmed; the location of the cameras also didn't make sense -- why would Emma put cameras in other people's offices? The internal logic was kind of a failure from the get go.
- I think not having Mr Woodhouse gravely hurt the series. He was such a presence in the book, 2020 movie, bbc miniseries, that to not have him feels... really weird? They talk about him SO fleetingly, it just makes me sad.
- The only build up that I thought genuinely worked was maybe Harriet/Knightley; though I liked a majority of the Emma/Knightley friendship/romance. But it's just -- I felt characters should be FAR more brought in together -- Emma in the novel is kinda bored (but that's kind of also comforting) by the small group of circles that she cycles through: which is the Westons, the Knightleys, the Bates.
- SO IT WAS REALLY BAFFLING TO ME WHY THEY FRAMED ANNIE/RYAN AND IZZY/GEORGE THE WAY THEY DID???? But a lot of this I think is the characterization of Emma.
- I mean they... they just took the negative traits of her, and amped it up to a sociopath. Instead of being... slightly manipulative, she goes above and beyond, and often doing illegal things. I mean, I do like cartoony, and I do think her actress is very good, but... she got forgiven far too easily, IMO? It feels really disingenuous to say "oh, but you meant well"; when, yes, she does, but the manner she does it in is completely overblown. And then to say "hey, Emma, you're just like Caroline Lee (but an actual good person"... is just. It was a poor choice all around.
- Emma did not have to be that rude to Caroline Lee. It just was really unprofessional, and her instantly badmouthing Elton and Caroline felt really petty.
- They cast a really good looking actor for Mr Elton, but I am so sad that barely any of his appearances were funny. Usually Mr Elton makes me so happy because he's kind of out of his depth, thinking he can do better and score with Emma, but it kind of felt so... serious?
- I think a huge theme of this production was meant to be miscommunication; but with Annie/Ryan, I'm sad that Ryan doesn't appear that much??? just a photo reference and ONE appearance. AND JOHN KNIGHTLEY DOESN'T APPEAR AT ALL???? Ugh, it was just. Badly done. I didn't understand Annie's relationship woes, backing out because Frank Churchill apparently didn't like her? Izzy's conflict with her husband rang -- not false -- but because he never showed up, the conflict was pretty one-sided, since we didn't see them have a resolution beyond Izzy going "ah, we're okay now". And then Izzy never turns up again??? At least Annie appeared in moments.
- There needed to be way more Maddy Bates. Her actress was fun, but I wasn't -- I wanted her to be more overbearing, instead of Emma successfully shoving her away for most part of the series. I... am confused about Maddy Bates knowing the truth about Frank/Jane TBH? The reason it's secret relationship should be that NO ONE knows.
- I am so confused why there was a baby shower fiasco AT ALL? I kept trying to figure out what the book equivalent was, but I just???? I can't see it TBH? Also: Emma's not great at doing charity cases, so it's hard to see how her company is doing well at all, but even so, if Annie was in her first trimester, why couldn't she just... do it later? I thought baby showers took place in the third trimester, anyway?
- This show was kind of horrible to Harriet/B Mart TBH. Because they only met, that kind of... made the impact lessen TBH? Like. B Mart asks to date Harriet in a really BIG way -- a video? -- (I get it's the equivalent of a letter, but an email might have... worked just as well?) and then for Harriet to be SO BROKENHEARTED afterwards seemed a little... not as effective as it could have been? IDK, I know Harriet is always kind of a pinball in love, but this version felt extremely superfluous. I mean, yeah, they're cute, the actors have chemistry, but them... being a Big Love Story was not... as convincing as the format wanted it to be, since their interactions were fairly limited. (If they had backstory maybe! But this was just... not great.)
- No B Mart/Knightley interaction at all???? (Ugh, I mainlined this over three days, but nothing significant really stands out besides the final episode?) I remember that Knightley talks about B Mart a bit, sure, but the fact that work places romances aren't allowed (said in the show later!! at least with regards to Emma/Knightley), means that Knightley being disappointed at Emma breaking Harriet/B Mart up shouldn't have been so... explosive? Why was he so invested when work places romances aren't allowed anyway?
- I am not sure this Jane worked for me. I don't know what you could have done to fix it, TBH. I like that Jane broke up with him, though.
- I DID really like this version of Frank though. He's such a charmer, and the Frank/Emma bits were great. You can totally see them egging each other on, and flirting harmlessly with each other.
- I'm really sad that I couldn't really see the Boxx Hill incident happen TBH. (There are apparently photos, but that is... not what I want TBH.). Also Jane & Knightley just straight up quitting was -- not great TBH? Them losing theirs temper, yes, perfect. Them, quitting... I don't think works for the format. Also I'm pretty sure 2 weeks notice is a thing?
- I did like the winks Emma did with the sound effect. I liked that Jane did it too. I'm a little sad that Knightley or Harriet didn't.
- Upgrading Harriet to car breaking down and almost getting attacked by coyotes before being saved by Frank was an improvement to the original.
- Apparently Knightley and Emma are the same age in this adaptation, which I did not think at all. I'd guessed that he was a couple of years older, like three-five or so, but apparently? They're the same/similar age in this one! Cool!
I don't hate this show, but I do think it's... not that good. I wish it could have been a good adaptation. The actors were better than the material they were given, and that, I think, was probably the real charm of the show. But I'm not sure I'd ever recommend this show, since it just didn't seem quite as... well thought out or loved as it should have been.
I'd never seen the Emma Approved Revival so! Here are my thoughts!
- I have no desire to rewatch TLBD. It was bad. I do however, enjoy the ham that is Ricky Collins.
- Despite the fact that Ricky Collins has not a mean bone in his body, he... would have been a WONDERFUL Mr Elton. THAT kind of behaviour was kind of what I was expecting from Mr Elton's "triangle" between Emma and Harriet. Also he has a very cute friendship with BMart.
- They kind of missed the point of Persuasion, right? 'Cause Mrs Russell says to Anne Elliot "refuse the proposal", not "stop the wedding". It just... IDK. The way it's framed doesn't quite sit right, because Mrs Russell (as of now) is an... unknown factor? Persuasion also needs the years of pining which can't be fixed in under a year.
- We're really doing a BMart/Harriet breakup? Okay. Weird.
- Having this one be more like The Office helped (I think?), but I also don't know if it really worked. The show was kind of aimless, and while it was nice to see the characters return, there... kind of wasn't much to it.
- It was kind of okay? But I can't quite see it incorporating other Austen/classic(?) novels, so seeing it -- meander, I feel like that's the word to use -- had it continued, I would have foundit vaguely interesting, because where would it have gone next? would it have incorporated more TLBD characters? should it have? IDK.
So watching this was disappointing to me, because I liked it the first time around. :(
- This one didn't make sense?? It's not that a documentary style workcom can't work, I think it could because Emma is all about presentation and behaviour, but it didn't always work that way in the show? Sometimes the characters were conscious of the camera, other times it was hard to know if they still know they were being filmed; the location of the cameras also didn't make sense -- why would Emma put cameras in other people's offices? The internal logic was kind of a failure from the get go.
- I think not having Mr Woodhouse gravely hurt the series. He was such a presence in the book, 2020 movie, bbc miniseries, that to not have him feels... really weird? They talk about him SO fleetingly, it just makes me sad.
- The only build up that I thought genuinely worked was maybe Harriet/Knightley; though I liked a majority of the Emma/Knightley friendship/romance. But it's just -- I felt characters should be FAR more brought in together -- Emma in the novel is kinda bored (but that's kind of also comforting) by the small group of circles that she cycles through: which is the Westons, the Knightleys, the Bates.
- SO IT WAS REALLY BAFFLING TO ME WHY THEY FRAMED ANNIE/RYAN AND IZZY/GEORGE THE WAY THEY DID???? But a lot of this I think is the characterization of Emma.
- I mean they... they just took the negative traits of her, and amped it up to a sociopath. Instead of being... slightly manipulative, she goes above and beyond, and often doing illegal things. I mean, I do like cartoony, and I do think her actress is very good, but... she got forgiven far too easily, IMO? It feels really disingenuous to say "oh, but you meant well"; when, yes, she does, but the manner she does it in is completely overblown. And then to say "hey, Emma, you're just like Caroline Lee (but an actual good person"... is just. It was a poor choice all around.
- Emma did not have to be that rude to Caroline Lee. It just was really unprofessional, and her instantly badmouthing Elton and Caroline felt really petty.
- They cast a really good looking actor for Mr Elton, but I am so sad that barely any of his appearances were funny. Usually Mr Elton makes me so happy because he's kind of out of his depth, thinking he can do better and score with Emma, but it kind of felt so... serious?
- I think a huge theme of this production was meant to be miscommunication; but with Annie/Ryan, I'm sad that Ryan doesn't appear that much??? just a photo reference and ONE appearance. AND JOHN KNIGHTLEY DOESN'T APPEAR AT ALL???? Ugh, it was just. Badly done. I didn't understand Annie's relationship woes, backing out because Frank Churchill apparently didn't like her? Izzy's conflict with her husband rang -- not false -- but because he never showed up, the conflict was pretty one-sided, since we didn't see them have a resolution beyond Izzy going "ah, we're okay now". And then Izzy never turns up again??? At least Annie appeared in moments.
- There needed to be way more Maddy Bates. Her actress was fun, but I wasn't -- I wanted her to be more overbearing, instead of Emma successfully shoving her away for most part of the series. I... am confused about Maddy Bates knowing the truth about Frank/Jane TBH? The reason it's secret relationship should be that NO ONE knows.
- I am so confused why there was a baby shower fiasco AT ALL? I kept trying to figure out what the book equivalent was, but I just???? I can't see it TBH? Also: Emma's not great at doing charity cases, so it's hard to see how her company is doing well at all, but even so, if Annie was in her first trimester, why couldn't she just... do it later? I thought baby showers took place in the third trimester, anyway?
- This show was kind of horrible to Harriet/B Mart TBH. Because they only met, that kind of... made the impact lessen TBH? Like. B Mart asks to date Harriet in a really BIG way -- a video? -- (I get it's the equivalent of a letter, but an email might have... worked just as well?) and then for Harriet to be SO BROKENHEARTED afterwards seemed a little... not as effective as it could have been? IDK, I know Harriet is always kind of a pinball in love, but this version felt extremely superfluous. I mean, yeah, they're cute, the actors have chemistry, but them... being a Big Love Story was not... as convincing as the format wanted it to be, since their interactions were fairly limited. (If they had backstory maybe! But this was just... not great.)
- No B Mart/Knightley interaction at all???? (Ugh, I mainlined this over three days, but nothing significant really stands out besides the final episode?) I remember that Knightley talks about B Mart a bit, sure, but the fact that work places romances aren't allowed (said in the show later!! at least with regards to Emma/Knightley), means that Knightley being disappointed at Emma breaking Harriet/B Mart up shouldn't have been so... explosive? Why was he so invested when work places romances aren't allowed anyway?
- I am not sure this Jane worked for me. I don't know what you could have done to fix it, TBH. I like that Jane broke up with him, though.
- I DID really like this version of Frank though. He's such a charmer, and the Frank/Emma bits were great. You can totally see them egging each other on, and flirting harmlessly with each other.
- I'm really sad that I couldn't really see the Boxx Hill incident happen TBH. (There are apparently photos, but that is... not what I want TBH.). Also Jane & Knightley just straight up quitting was -- not great TBH? Them losing theirs temper, yes, perfect. Them, quitting... I don't think works for the format. Also I'm pretty sure 2 weeks notice is a thing?
- I did like the winks Emma did with the sound effect. I liked that Jane did it too. I'm a little sad that Knightley or Harriet didn't.
- Upgrading Harriet to car breaking down and almost getting attacked by coyotes before being saved by Frank was an improvement to the original.
- Apparently Knightley and Emma are the same age in this adaptation, which I did not think at all. I'd guessed that he was a couple of years older, like three-five or so, but apparently? They're the same/similar age in this one! Cool!
I don't hate this show, but I do think it's... not that good. I wish it could have been a good adaptation. The actors were better than the material they were given, and that, I think, was probably the real charm of the show. But I'm not sure I'd ever recommend this show, since it just didn't seem quite as... well thought out or loved as it should have been.
I'd never seen the Emma Approved Revival so! Here are my thoughts!
- I have no desire to rewatch TLBD. It was bad. I do however, enjoy the ham that is Ricky Collins.
- Despite the fact that Ricky Collins has not a mean bone in his body, he... would have been a WONDERFUL Mr Elton. THAT kind of behaviour was kind of what I was expecting from Mr Elton's "triangle" between Emma and Harriet. Also he has a very cute friendship with BMart.
- They kind of missed the point of Persuasion, right? 'Cause Mrs Russell says to Anne Elliot "refuse the proposal", not "stop the wedding". It just... IDK. The way it's framed doesn't quite sit right, because Mrs Russell (as of now) is an... unknown factor? Persuasion also needs the years of pining which can't be fixed in under a year.
- We're really doing a BMart/Harriet breakup? Okay. Weird.
- Having this one be more like The Office helped (I think?), but I also don't know if it really worked. The show was kind of aimless, and while it was nice to see the characters return, there... kind of wasn't much to it.
- It was kind of okay? But I can't quite see it incorporating other Austen/classic(?) novels, so seeing it -- meander, I feel like that's the word to use -- had it continued, I would have foundit vaguely interesting, because where would it have gone next? would it have incorporated more TLBD characters? should it have? IDK.
