author_by_night (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
author_by_night) wrote2023-10-06 07:07 am
author_by_night) wrote2023-10-06 07:07 am
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OFMD Review Take Two (Public)
For some reason, the cut wouldn't work on the first version, then when I tried editing, it put everything in one paragraph.
Anyway. Spoilers.
Good so far, but much, MUCH darker. Almost to the point of mixed feelings tbh, but I think I'm actually good with it being darker. But we're not in Kansas anymore. Toto went to Doggy Heaven.
Moreover, it's really not unusual for shows like OFMD to have more comedic first seasons, only to grow the gentlebeard. And it's not as though we didn't end even S1 with Lucius being "killed" and Ed cutting off Izzy's toe. (The first of many, apparently.)
I like Jim with Archie, but I was really rooting them with Olu! I'm having a ship war within myself. So that's a mood. :P
I actually think I like Jim even better in this season, so far. I really liked Jim in S1, but they always seemed disconnected from everyone except Oluwande. Which makes perfect sense of course, all things considered, but it was nice to see them doing more than rolling their eyes and sharpening their knife. And I love Jim's new look.
Was glad to see Lucius call Stede out for how he's treated him. It was kind of played for laughs in S1, so it was nice to see him get his word in.
Love Stede and Ed swimming together in Ed's dream. Ed's dream overall was a trip. It'll be interesting to see where this goes, because the trailers suggest less than smooth sailing. Which makes sense.
And Izzy. I liked him here. More sympathetic without being woobified.
Loved seeing Zheng Yi Sao. She was fun, and I look forward to more.
Finally, Ivan. I don't like how they handled his departure from the show. The only thing I can think is that maybe this will come up in a more dignified way down the line? I'd pre-emptively headcanon'd that he just jumped ship when Ed got intense, or for other reasons, and miss that pre-emptive headcanon.
Anyway. Spoilers.
Good so far, but much, MUCH darker. Almost to the point of mixed feelings tbh, but I think I'm actually good with it being darker. But we're not in Kansas anymore. Toto went to Doggy Heaven.
Moreover, it's really not unusual for shows like OFMD to have more comedic first seasons, only to grow the gentlebeard. And it's not as though we didn't end even S1 with Lucius being "killed" and Ed cutting off Izzy's toe. (The first of many, apparently.)
I like Jim with Archie, but I was really rooting them with Olu! I'm having a ship war within myself. So that's a mood. :P
I actually think I like Jim even better in this season, so far. I really liked Jim in S1, but they always seemed disconnected from everyone except Oluwande. Which makes perfect sense of course, all things considered, but it was nice to see them doing more than rolling their eyes and sharpening their knife. And I love Jim's new look.
Was glad to see Lucius call Stede out for how he's treated him. It was kind of played for laughs in S1, so it was nice to see him get his word in.
Love Stede and Ed swimming together in Ed's dream. Ed's dream overall was a trip. It'll be interesting to see where this goes, because the trailers suggest less than smooth sailing. Which makes sense.
And Izzy. I liked him here. More sympathetic without being woobified.
Loved seeing Zheng Yi Sao. She was fun, and I look forward to more.
Finally, Ivan. I don't like how they handled his departure from the show. The only thing I can think is that maybe this will come up in a more dignified way down the line? I'd pre-emptively headcanon'd that he just jumped ship when Ed got intense, or for other reasons, and miss that pre-emptive headcanon.
no subject
I agree about S2 Jim! It's interesting to see what they're like when they're not the scariest person in the room.
Ivan, yeah! It was weird that they were like "yeah, he's dead now." It's the kind of thing you do when the actor can't return, but he's said on Twitter that he would have been happy to return for season 2 if they'd wanted him.
no subject
It would have been so easy to just let Ivan have jumped ship. I don't know. I think they got screwed over (then screwed over by getting canceled, argh) which made for a lot of uneven writing.
no subject
Zheng Yi Sao/Oluwande wasn't really my thing, just because of the power imbalance. Jackie/Swede is even more of a power imbalance, but I did kind of like the audacity of making such a weird crackship canon. I initially assumed it was an excuse to write the Swede out, which I was fine with, and was baffled but amused that he stuck around for the whole season.
Auntie was awesome and I want her to meet Nana.
I was not a big fan of Con O'Neill cripping up.
Fang was great this season. He got a goat!!!
Lucius and Pete were lovely, although I could have done without the "I don't hear anything about the fact that you lived" thing. Still, pirate wedding officiated by Roach! Love it.
There was some Lucius/Izzy 'ship tease, which was fun, because it mirrored the garlic polycule's whole thing - you know, one partner who's well-adjusted, one partner who's been through worse things than you have. And also because Lucius is just generally amazing.
I was happy about Ed and Stede retiring, because they really did not like being pirates, and because Ed continuing to live & work with Jim, Frenchie, and Fang wasn't going to be tenable long term. I was glad that Ed didn't end up still being captain to Izzy, because honestly, that relationship was toxic as hell and Izzy was a horrible influence on Ed. But... I didn't want Izzy to die. Because, well. Partly because I just don't really like killing off one character for another character's story. But mostly because Rax E. Dillon said,
And I just feel like this season asked Izzy what he would need to feel joyful and safe... and then killed him anyway.
I have a fix-it fic in progress where Izzy survives specifically so he can make Jim talk to Oluwande about whether they're still dating.