28.tvfeatures
Monday 24 October 2016
The Courier
TV Editors: Luke Acton, Alison Scurfield and Dominic Corrigan
ck a b w ro h T
Stranger Things have happened
The biggest release of the summer, inspiring countless looks at its inspiration and cult classics, Stacie Byers takes a look at Netflix’s Stranger Things
Our weekly column where we look back at cult favourites and other atrocities from the past. This week, a HBO classic, The Sopranos.
M
uch more than yet another mob drama, The Sopranos is often spoken of in as many superlatives as humanly possible. When watching all 86 hours of the show, I risked heightened expectations not meeting the reality. However, The Sopranos truly is the greatest TV show of all time. It unarguably ushered in the start of TV’s ‘Golden Age’ of now by resetting the notion that only the film industry had the resources and market capable of art.
“James Gandolfini’s and Edie Falco’s performances as Tony and Carmela Soprano are nothing less than stellar” Creator and showrunner David Chase’s crowning achievement revolves around Tony Soprano, a modern day mob boss having to juggle his home life against mob responsibilities, all whilst receiving therapy from psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. This dynamic set the tone for the series, one of raw and non-theatrical realism, placing the mobster in a real life affected by family issues and mental health. This is a stark contrast to the more cinematic aesthetic pursued by The Godfather and Goodfellas. There is much to be said about how stylistically different The Sopranos is to early Italian mob films, none of which would have been possible without the show’s excellent cast. Creators opted for a relatively unknown cast, although, arguably down to lack of resources rather than innate intent. This contributed to the truly organic feel of the show, crucial to creator David Chase’s aim of raw, non-theatrical realism.
“Time doesn’t give a damn about you, and there is no cheery, ending to complement that”
James Gandolfini’s and Edie Falco’s performances as Tony and Carmela Soprano are nothing less than stellar. Their relationship provides an accurate lens on the role of women within contemporary American society, and in conflict with Roman Catholic and old-fashioned Italian traditions. This simply would have been fruitless in execution if it weren’t for the naturalistic chemistry and tension between Tony and Carmela on screen. Finally, onto one of the most widely discussed episodes of The Sopranos; the series finale. One of the most polarising TV endings, its narratively unfulfilling conclusion made it difficult for viewers to gain closure from a show they’d dedicated a grand total of 86 hours to. This was certainly my reaction at first, but, alongside the overarching message of the film; that time is ruthlessly independent of individuals, continuing regardless of the fulfilment of their planned courses in life, it fit perfectly. Time doesn’t give a damn about you, and there is no cheery, ending to complement that. Safe to say, David Chase never was the cheery sort, but a fine writer he certainly is. Greg Rosenvinge
I
t seems this year could be the year of nostalgia, with the announcement that dozens of classic films are to be remade. Undoubtedly riding on this wave is the summer’s biggest hit, Netflix’s Stranger Things. Consisting of eight episodes set in 1983, this is a loyal and endearing homage to pop culture of the decade. The first episode begins how it means to go on; four twelve year old boys playing Dungeons and Dragons in their basement, the DM facing them with the terrifying Demogorgon, which kills one of the boys in the game. This is Will Byers, who, after cycling home in the moonlight in a fashion that would make E.T proud, is chased by a creature in the shadows before disappearing. Is this the Demogorgon? The premise of the next eight episodes
is to find out. The three remaining children, joined by Eleven, a creepy girl with supernatural powers they find in the woods (bear with it, she’s more lovable than she sounds) flawlessly tie in childlike innocence with fear and humour.
“The term ‘character development’ seems like it’s invented for Harbour’s performance”
This unknown cast of child actors steal any scene they’re in; no easy feat when considered they share scenes with actors like Winona Ryder, an embodiment of true 80’s culture herself, playing the role of the distraught and aggrieved mother. What follows
is a heavenly mix of sci-fi, horror and friendship, drawing inspiration from 80’s heroes like Spielberg and Carpenter. Ultimately though, the only way to describe it is the perfect Stephen King adaptation that is not a Stephen King adaptation. The soundtrack only adds to the hybridity of nostalgia and creepy science fiction, fusing trippy synth beats with 80s classics like Joy Division and The Clash. As the search for Will continues, you become attached to the characters and their sub-plots; cue Barb, who appears in barely three episodes, but is now the recipient of the internet frenzy ‘Justice for Barb’. Serious commendation has to be given to David Harbour, playing Chief Hopper, the cop running the investigation. The term ‘character development’ seems like it’s invented for Harbour’s performance. To begin with he gives off no likable qualities: waking up late and drinking, smoking and popping pills for breakfast, he shows no patience to children who want to search for their friend, telling them ‘this isn’t some Lord of the Rings book’. By episode four, though, we realise this man is a damaged one; someone who presents an exterior of misanthropy only to hide the tragedy experienced underneath. A hero, but not the polished perfect hero we are used to, but a flawed and at times immoral one; Harbour himself references Indiana Jones as inspiration, and while Chief Hopper has the hat, he uses his fists instead of a bullwhip to get himself out of trouble. While Stranger Things has been described as ‘family friendly’, there are some genuinely scary moments that make it even more exhilarating, with a fast pace that never lets up. Stranger Things was the surprise of the summer, who could resist this reminiscent homage to the 1980s while still terrifying, distressing and exciting a 2016 audience? It’s an exploit not easily accomplished, but one Stranger Things does so effortlessly it’s already becoming a cult classic.
The best of Adventure Times With the end of Adventure Time slated for 2018, Luke Acton looks at the impact its had on animation.
T
he end of one of the most beloved shows in recent memory is in sight, after six seasons it has been announced that Adventure Time is come off our screens by 2018. One of the most influential things to happen to cartoons since Adult Swim, Adventure Time paved the way for other ten-minute marvels like Regular Show and Steven Universe. The latter being a direct consequence, with Rebecca Sugar coming straight from the Adventure Time storyboard team and successfully pitching her own show to Cartoon Network. It has highlighted the appetite for shows that, despite their prepubescent target audience, taps into a sense of nostalgia deep-seated in adults. It also pioneered the use of the ten-minute time slot, producing plots that are coherent but complex, so much so that at the often abrupt ending of each episode the viewer is left with a quiet ‘oh’. Not the first to do so, but scope, nuance and power of the plot and characters were never before seen in such a concise form. The final revelations of each episode maybe go over the heads of kids in their emotional gravity, but hit grown-ups squarely.
“The post-apocalyptic world opens slowly and over many seasons, the viewers will never know it all” Experimentation is the shows hallmark, with guest animators and writers that push the boundaries of its form, the time slot, the frame, the imaginations of the executives. Everything from working in three dimensions to gender-swapping the characters, the show isn’t afraid to see where it can
go. In everything it does, Adventure Time refuses to talk down to its audience. It’s never afraid of going too fast or too big: the post-apocalyptic world opens slowly and over many seasons, the viewers will never know it all. Even in the face of a disappointing Marcelinefocused special, the depth of the world the Pendleton Ward built (he has now left the show to pursue other projects like Cartoon Hangover, which I recommend) is astonishing. Although Adventure Time was not the first show to expand the domain of cartoons into the realm of seriously considered art (it’s joined by the likes of Adult Swim and Studio Ghibli), no other project had as big a cultural impact or cultivated a more
dedicated fan base. But it isn’t over yet, there are 148 half-hour episodes, specials and ‘more’ in the works. But even though the end is ways away and the marking of the end can allow a more natural and satisfying conclusion to the series, it is still sad to be reminded that it’s finishing. Even though by the time it ends I’ll (hopefully) be a year into living in ‘real life’ and not the neo-childhood of university, I know that I’ll still love it as much as I did when I was fifteen. Adventure Time has brought something to animation that is going to last. Luke Acton