Ally was indearing, in the first half of season 1. She had this ingenue thing going on, and didn't give a crap, what people think. Then, she went to therapy, and it made her unsympatheic, and most importatnly, unrelatable. Because from this moment on, she tried to fit in, while still claiming her crazy. Which made her very bitchy and hipocritical (she was insufferable in season 3). That said, I LOVE the therapists on this show :).
To me, season 2 was the best season. It had the perfect balance of drama and comedy. Season 1 was only the beginning. And some characters were really unsympathetic and annoying (EEElaine, for example). Once it reached its third season, it became a parody of the two first seasons. With season 3 being too soapy. It was all over the place, and it was like Cage & Fish belonged to an insane asylum's wing. It wasn't even part of this world, anymore. So were the characters. It's good they dropped the oversexed thing, at one point. Because compared to SATC, theirs was ridiculous child's play. I also hated how uptight about sex, some characters were. And the age they were supposed to be. John Cage, 35, in season 2?! Lol, yeah right...
Billy dying was crucial to the story. But, I still enjoyed the moments when you thought something would finally happen between them. While still feeling sorry for Georgia (well, most of the time). Want it or not, HE was Ally's true love. Not Larry, or even, God forbid, John Cage. I don't know what bulb went off in some's brains, but they were friends, nothing more. And Ally was not at all physically attracted to him. And when it looked as if she was, it was just by an ideal/unrealistic version of him.
I'm at 4A, and I have a hard time finishing this season. I think that's where the spark was really gone. And now that I'm in my early thirties, I can see how hopeless her relatonship with Larry was (he clearly belonged with Jamie and Sam). And it was mostly why I loved season 4, so much, when I was in my teens. So, there goes this spark too.
Overall, I don't feel ashamed for being a fan of the show at 16, but I understand now, why I loved it so much, back then. I think late 90s shows had this carefree/feel good feel to it, and that's the kind of thing you need at that age. And it's mostly why I prefer season 2 the most, now. Because it was more realistic and serious, when it needed to be.
One last thing. Now, I don't understand how Renee is Ally's best friend. All she does is looking down at her. And when she's the one who's in a position of weakness, she resents her for it. Some friend...
At least, the music is still as good as I remembered. Eventhough, once again, season 4 is getting weak in that area too.
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
Thanks for your comments. Maybe I'll go back and watch the rest of season 1 and season 2 again. And I'm not just a bit embarrassed, although I was 21 or 22 when I watched this and I'm a male haha.
I think late 90s shows had this carefree/feel good feel to it, and that's the kind of thing you need at that age.
I love this point! Maybe Ally McBeal was one of the last shows of the time that could just be carefree and play around with all these conservative and liberal ideas? Before we as a global society became way more cynical and less optimistic.
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
Thanks for your comments. Maybe I'll go back and watch the rest of season 1 and season 2 again. And I'm not just a bit embarrassed, although I was 21 or 22 when I watched this and I'm a male haha.
Lol, the same age I was watching OTH ;) Mostly for the music, but still, lol. I stopped at Vampire Diaries & PLL, teen drama wise. But mostly because I find them so badly written. When I think I grew up with shows like BTVS & Dawson's Creek, I feel kind of privileged; they really don't how to write good teen dramas, anymore...
Maybe Ally McBeal was one of the last shows of the time that could just be carefree and play around with all these conservative and liberal ideas? Before we as a global society became way more cynical and less optimistic.
Our world is plagued by the Political Correctness. I don't remember how it was back in late 90s, but today, when you hear people, they are all victims and demand preferential treatments, just for being who they are. And bite your head off, when you put a word on it. Such weird times we're living in.
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
Yeah there are quite a few shows that are much higher quality in writing and directing and production today then before (e.g. breaking bad) but also a lot of trash and I can't think of any good teen drama show. Teen drama is all horribly stupid written.
Maybe another point is that especially today there are SO MANY tv shows that there isn't one big mainstream show anymore. Ally McBeal was kind of wholesome fun for everyone. Today we have shows with much more specialized audience but also a larger audience and more shows. If you'd ask today what people like watching you'd get a much much more diverse answer than in the 90s.
Our world is plagued by the Political Correctness.
In real world real people aren't like this though. It's only some extremes and the echo chamber / amplifying effect of the internet accelerates this.
In many ways this is very similar to the made up "conservative social values". Most people (like 90%) don't really give a *beep* what other people about abortion or gay marriage etc, but it's a kind of runaway effect.
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
One recent teen drama I liked, was Faking it. It had balls. No left wing BS. Just the way things are for 21st Century teens. Awkward wasn't bad too, at first, but they toned down the harsh humor, in a favor of a more corny version of it. Plus, the heroine annoyed the hell out of me. TVD was interesting at first, but became utter trash, once the writers thought they could keep their viewers, as long as they speak to what the fangirls wanted to see. Joke's on them, it's the exact opposite that happened. Which shows few braindead hs girls were watching. Same thing goes for PLL. And the stupid idea of having the mistery death, not being one afterall. Like they did in Revenge, destroyed a lot of potential this show had. I remember thinking of it as Desperate Housewives, meets Gossip Girl. Now, it's just Bratz meets goosebumps.
Internet people are, for the most part, freaks. It's like they find it a way to vent and say whatever stupid sht they want, because there aren't real repercussions. I stopped counting the number of times I was rude and mean to these people, who of course, never want to shut up. I have the moron who wants to confuse me with macro-centric & micro-centric, which are the same thing, when it's about a person. Meaning he/she sees things through his/her own set of views. No matter how this person see him/herself. Well, for this dumbass, it's not the same, because micro is the opposite of macro, lol. Can't this person be denser? And it's a Supernatural fan. I had the audacity to say the show was crap lately, and needed to be put down, for its own good. And the fans. And I'm a troll, macro-centric, stupid, or whatever.
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
Yeah Supernatural is one of those shows that is right on the edge. I love the idea and setup and stuff, but the writing and the plot of the story arcs is much worse than it needs to be. The writers pass the idiot ball from one character to another lol.
I tried to get into The Vampire Diaries but it's too teenage. I don't watch teen drama's anymore really. Well Stranger Things was awesome.
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
LOL. It's good, until it isn't. You should check out some season 1 epis, I can give you a list. I don't know Stranger Things, and it didn't really caught my attention, when I read the episodes summaries. I have very few shows I genuinly enjoy these days. Except maybe Jane the Virgin (eventhough I'm a little tired of it, lately) & Cazy ex_Girlfriend (simply hilarious). The rest, I still watch, but get often annoyed by the bad writing.
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
Well Stranger Things is almost like the perfect tv show in a very specific genre / niche. It might not be your thing, but if it is you'll love it.
The other shows you mentioned aren't my thing I believe :)
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
If you like offbeat humor, these shows are for you ;). Especially Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. I just watched this week's epi, and couldn't stop laughing.
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
I'll give the crazy ex-girlfriend a try if you check out stranger things! ;)
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
Deal ;). But a real shot, not one or two episodes.
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
Haha I can't believe you got me to watch this show. But yeah it's pretty great. Definitely reminds one of Ally McBeal and a bit of New Girl too. The singing is weird but it's definitely funny.
PS: I guess the closest ancestor would be Glee but it has a different style especially for the music. The target audience seems to be older. And less gay lol.
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
LOL, glad you enjoy it ;) Glee was good up until the college years (just like any teen dramas, all genre combined, actually), and the over use of gayness didn't help either, lol. Not that it's a bad thing, but it made the show more stereotypical. Borderline parodic, of what it used to be.
I'm dl stranger things ;)
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
Just finished watching ep 1 & 2 of Stranger Things. I like it. I don't get the praise, but it's entertaining. However, I would've rather it be more "it" than "X-Files". I love The X-Files (I own the series both on DVD & blu-ray), but I wanted the story to be more horror than science-fiction. Of course, I plan on watching the rest of the season, and the one after. But I fear they might drag the mystery aspect out too long. I think 3 seasons is more than enough, to tell this story. Plus, the soundtrack is great, and I'm about to dl me some Clash, Modern English & Bangles :). Also, is it me or the fashion is more late 70s than early 80s? Finally, I don't think I'll like the sheriff. He sounds too douchy, for my taste. And Winona Ryder, lol, she looks so small, and the ugly ass haircut...
reply
share
Dejay
7 years ago
Imho the story is moving quite fast and gets more or less wrapped up in one season. But yeah I think when I started I was afraid too that they would drag out the mystery and milk it for as long as possible! No clue what they are going to do with season 2 :) It's possible they'll go with a completely different cast and style.
But yeah the series is a bit like a trip back in style to the 70s / 80s. That's what I like about it. Retro but also a kind of modern idealized version of what show I would have loved back then. Back then TV shows were more cheesy and limited and used a more episodic format and less effects of course. And that includes x-files imho, which was great at the time but in retrospect had a lot of shortcomings (a bit like ally mcbeal).
reply
share
marco-47826
7 years ago
Good, I like it when you can watch a season, and decide to end it there.
I figured that much ;). When I watched the pilot epi, I thought about one of my exes. He's in his 40s, and I'm sure he loved the feel of the show. It probably reminded him of his own childhood. I can't really relate myself, lol, as I was a baby back then.
Actually, monster of the week epis, are what I prefer the most in The X-Files (Shape still scares the hell out of me, lol). Same thing goes for Supernatural. At least, during the early seasons.
reply
share