Entertainment

Wide variety of Netflix originals range from flawless to flops

Love offers thought- provoking, meaningful look at dysfunctional romantic relationship, dismantles tropes

by June Jeong, opinions editor

p12486682_b_v8_abIf you watch a teaser for this series, you’re probably going to think that the show is another indie rom-com….I too had very low expectations for Netflix’s Love, but after watching an episode, I was hooked; I finished the entire season in two days. Honestly, I was so pleasantly surprise by the amount of candor and fascinating characters in this series. The show begins with a guy named Gus, who’s trying to pick up the pieces of his broken heart after a break up from a long-term girlfriend. I know, this sounds like the classic Nice Guy premise, and I automatically assumed that that’s how the show would progress, especially he immediately met up with a stranger who seemed like a total Cool Girl, Mickey.

…Except it’s made clear pretty quickly that Mickey and Gus ironically aren’t anywhere close to these labels. Mickey isn’t the one-dimensional hot chick who swears a lot, listens to good music, and cures Gus’s loneliness. She’s an egotistical sex and alcohol addict. And Gus, is something else altogether. When I first saw his interactions with Mickey, I assumed he was a sincere and good person….but no. As a tutor on the set of a movie, he cheats for a child actress, just so he can save his job. He’s extremely annoyed when Mickey doesn’t like the magic show he takes her to and when she asks to borrow her jacket on their date. He sleeps with his co-worker after seeing Mickey visibly upset at his get together. His horrible ego gets him in trouble on set. And through it all, Gus has an almost laughable lack of self-awareness about his selfishness, choosing instead to be victimized by his supposedly defining personality trait: niceness.

At the height of their argument, Mickey finally comes to this realization. “You’re mean. Do you know that? You’re actually a really mean person,” Mickey tells Gus. “You pretend to be nice, and that’s worse.”

Gus’s almost obsessive view of himself as a nice person leads to his entitlement and resentment for girls who in his mind, aren’t appreciating him for the kind guy he really is.

“You know I like you,” Gus tells Mickey. “But I’m not just, like, some nice guy.” What he was saying was clear: If I don’t get what I want from you romantically, you’re a waste of my time. 

They may both be directed by Judd Apatow, but Love is nothing like The 40-Year Old Virgin. It isn’t the story of Hot Woman falling for Awkward, Dork Guy. Gus makes himself out to be something he’s clearly not, using his Midwestern kid looks and awkward-but-sweet schtick to bait and exploit lonely, lost women desperately looking for love. (“Hoping and waiting and wishing and wanting love…hoping for love has ruined my life,” Mickey says.) That doesn’t excuse Mickey’s behavior though either; she’s selfish and manipulative in her own right, subtly taking advantage of the kind people around her (especially her angelic roommate Bertie). The characters are both loathsome in their own ways, but in a way that makes you think and in a way that can’t help but make you realize that we’re all damaged.

But the lack of likability of both characters definitely doesn’t mean that the show isn’t a worthwhile watch. It’s honestly one of the most compelling shows I’ve seen. It’s something innovative, raw, and entirely different: a “love” story about two people who would sincerely be so much better off alone. People who aren’t at a place in their lives to experience romantic love, going for each other anyway, and growing through the experience. It’s a fascinating take, but also a wildly frustrating one. Luckily, the humor is so irresistible, the character development so deep, and writing so brilliant, that our dislike for the characters doesn’t inhibit us from enjoying the show.

 

House of Cards paints politics as a moral battleground

by Drew Howerton, section editor

house-of-cards-kevin-spaceyHouse of Cards may not be Netflix’s newest original series, but it might be one of the most powerful political dramas on television. The story follows Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a Democrat congressman from South Carolina, who is passed up for position as Secretary of State after he secures the election of President Garrett Walker. Feeling betrayed by Walker, Underwood formulates a plan to undermine Walker and put himself in power. Through four seasons, Underwood is aided by his cold and calculating wife Claire (Robin Wright) as he manipulates congressmen, senators, lobbyists, and even the President of himself.

While House of Card’s dialogue is powerful and awe-inducing, it is even more so in the hands of it’s exceptional cast. Kevin Spacey’s charismatic and power-hungry Underwood is terrifying, not only in his interaction with other characters but in his frequent breaking of the fourth wall in which he talks with the audience itself. “And the butchery begins.” Underwood tells us cooly, as he prepares to take down a rival. Underwood’s asides serve to build dramatic irony, in that we the audience are aware of his corrupt schemes, but also make us implicit in his actions as we can only watch helplessly as Underwood destroys and butchers those who oppose him. It’s almost like the writers of the show are trying to hold the audience accountable for the actions of corrupt officials.

House of Cards is so powerful because it puts us in the shoes of the bad guy; think Dexter or Breaking Bad. Not only are we forced to struggle with the main character’s actions, but we also have to deal with our own perception of wrong and right. When politicians are exposed as corrupt, the common explanation was that they did the wrong thing for the right reason. House of Cards forces us to confront that idea as we see things from Underwood’s point of view. With every cruel scheme that Underwood enacts, we are forced to wonder just causes are really as just as we are led to believe.

House of Cards is a modern political drama, reflecting the tone of modern politics. While previous political dramas like The West Wing had a generally upbeat and hopeful attitude towards politics, House of Cards depicts governing as a dog eat dog world. “When you are fresh meat, kill, and throw them something fresher,” Frank tells us. In the Washington of House of Cards, only those who seek power ruthlessly can wield it, and those who had any good intentions must first cast them off if they are to rule effectively. While this isn’t always the case in politics, House of Cards serves as a clear change in how politics and bureaucracy are depicted in media and viewed by ordinary Americans.

Although I’ve always been interested in politics, House of Cards presented it to me in a different light, making me question whether government in its current state is really as perfect as some would say it is. While the show is not a perfect representation of how politics functions (sorry, but a single blogger cannot ruin a politician’s career with just a couple pictures and a Macbook), it is certainly interesting to watch characters weave complex conflicts in their lust for power. And who doesn’t love Kevin Spacey?

Arrested Development’s newest season proves disappointing

by Yanichka Ariunbold, section editor

tumblr_inline_mmm2enp5jn1qz4rgpNetflix’s run at Arrested Development Season 4 is a little like coming home…To disappointingly choppy, over-used plotline after plotline.

An avid watcher of Arrested Development since it first graced Netflix, I loved the show’s intricate, awkward humor and family dynamics in their entirety. This season, however, despite casting the same actors, lacked the show’s previous charm and focused heavily on individual characters instead of on relationships between family members, which was one of Arrested Development’s best qualities and partly what made the first three seasons so successful.

The first couple episodes of this season were particularly excruciating, especially with Michael’s superiority complex appearing more pronounced than ever without his dysfunctional family to make it seem semi-endearing. The flashbacks, the Mexican sweat lodge, the repeated bankruptcies — the plot was altogether too-familiar and underwhelming, and about four episodes in, I was ready to call it quits.

Yet Gob, played by Will Arnett, single-handedly pushed me through until the end. Although I don’t know if it was particularly worth it to watch the whole season for the small amount of screentime he had, the scenes Gob was in were definitely gratifying to the seasoned Arrested Development fan, if to no one else. Gob’s slapstick humor and one-liners almost made up for the relative dullness of the rest of the characters and plot. Almost.

Verdict: stick to re-watching the first three seasons.

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