We're still on the fence about Ringer here at billiedoux.com. Was the second episode, "She's Ruining Everything," good? Was it bad? Did it, in fact, ruin everything we hold dear about the CW and Sarah Michelle Gellar? Most importantly, will it have any staying power? The second episode has gotten some pans and some accolades (I sorta liked it). So now it's your turn:
What did you think?
Use the comments to sound off. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Is this a show you're committing to--or something you'll watch after you're done with Glee and Dancing with the Stars?
I am really on the fence about this show, too. I am watching it with my kids who are young teenagers. They seem to really like it, especially the mysterious aspects. They like the parts with Victor since he seems kind of creepy to them (I noticed that, too, and the Victor character is the most interesting to me at this point). They also seem to like the idea of the twins and the mystery behind the Siobhan character and what she is doing in Paris.
ReplyDeleteI, on the other hand, find the story lines to be vanilla at this point and everything seems kind of flat. SMG seems to be trying to bring depth to her character, but maybe she is trying too hard. I just can't get into her character (either one of them) very much at this point. This breaks my heart since I couldn't wait to see Sarah Michelle in a series again. I really want to like her acting since I loved the way she acted in Buffy so much (counter to some of her naysayers, I thought her acting was phenomenal in that show, better than almost any of the other actors in it with the possible exception of James Marsters)
I am willing to hang with the show a little longer, at least until Dohring appears, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will get better. I really want to like it because of SMG and because I think the idea has a lot of possibilities. However, right now, it is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. The part of this week's story that tasted sour was the idea that this tiny woman (with no slayer powers in sight) could actually lift a dead man's body, hide it in a trunk, and clear up the mess so easily and quickly.
Lastly, I am having trouble with the friendship between Bridget (disguised as her sister) and her "best" friend. What kind of friend is she if she doesn't notice a major difference in the way that Bridget acts from the way her sister normally acted. The other characters seem to notice something, but the friend seems clueless. Hopefully, "seems" will be the operative word here.
If SMG weren't in this, I'd have given up after last weeks' speedboat scene. Tonight's episode was marginally better (mainly because there was no speedboat scene), but it still felt entirely predictable. I knew the body would vanish from the trunk. I knew that other thing which happened -- which I thought would happen, but have forgotten (and can't be arsed to remember) -- would happen, too.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Suzanne; all the characters seem uninteresting and, to me, the whole thing seems flat. When the shocks do come, they're not particularly shocking, and the acting seems hopelessly average. But I'll still watch because this is SMG. But this feels more Southland Tales territory than Buffy territory.
I'd have given up if it wasn't for SMG too-- In fact, I wouldn't have watched at all if it wasn't for her. But I'm sticking it out until Jason Dohring.
ReplyDeleteI've actually been kind of enjoying the show--it's soapy and kind of silly, but fun. I think the second episode was an improvement on the pilot. The dialogue was a little smoother and the characterizations a tad deeper. I'll probably keep watching.
ReplyDeleteAnd just to follow up on Suzanne's comment, I think we were supposed to assume that Bridget did have a difficult time getting the body into the trunk and cleaning up. But it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch that she could have somehow gotten it in there. Or maybe I just automatically assume that Sarah still has super strength!
Anyway, my two cents. :)
I laughed out loud when the trunk rang. But mostly, it was like it had delusions of the Hitchcock thriller about the body no one could get rid of. That, or Weekend at Bernie's.
ReplyDeleteHer husband calls her "Shiv"?
I didn't love it, but I did the self-assessment ("Do I feel like I just wasted 45 minutes of my life?") after watching it, and I'm happy with my decision to stick with it for a while. Jason Dohring!
ReplyDeleteB, Rebus calls his partner Siobhan "Shiv" in the Ian Rankin novels. I've always assumed it was a standard nickname. Do we have an Siobhan readers to enlighten us?
I loved it. Someone in another forum suggested that the boat scene in the Pilot was a salute to the old Hitchock movies and once I started seeing the whole series in that light, it dramatically improved for me. I loved the way The Body was an actual character in this episode with Bridget always getting close but no cigar to ridding herself of it. I always expected it to disappear and I was delighted when the phone rang in the party and she had to go fish it out from the trunk. That was awesome.
ReplyDeleteI liked Siobhan's over-the-top femme fatale get-up in Paris and her bitch-face when she found out that her sister had cleared out her little nest egg. I also loved the flash back because Siobhan with her skirt and denim jacket and her hair in a pony-tail versus drunk Bridget with loose hair and their entire conversation reminded me so much of the Wakefield twins from the Sweet Valley books.
So far: really, really loving it. The Pilot was a snore - it really didn't hold my interest - but this episode did and I hope it continues in this slightly campy vein. It balances camp - SMG's face as she's considering the power saw - against some heartwaming moments - the moment with Juliet at the end and her decision to stay because for once, she was needed more than she needed. I'm also quite invested in Malcolm's character because we all know that POCs don't last long in the CWTV.
P.S.: The only real deal-breaker for me might be how they handle the consent issues with respect to Bridge-posing-as-Siobhan and Siobhan's husband if they ever decide to make the relationship more physical. It's something that will be creepy on every level if the genders were reversed (if it was a guy impersonating his twin brother and sleeping with said twin's wife) so I hope it's handled with nuance and not just glossed over.
Like everyone else I watch cause of Buffy and will continue to watch hoping it gets better.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the pilot way more than this episode. SMG is really not giving each twin their own personality. Bridget drunk was laughable. The guy in the trunk, so predictable and pretty impossible. Are we supposed to believe she was able to get the rigor mortised (sp?) body in the trunk with out making a bloody mess in only 20 minutes or so. Lazy, lazy writing.
Not great, but not terrible... will give it a couple more...
ReplyDeleteThe thing I coudn't believe is not her being able to put the body in the trunk but the event staff (before the party) not seem to noticing the body that was right there almost in the middle of the room and not far from the door.
Agree with Felipe that SMG isn't doing that good of a job 'playing' twins apart. Siobhan coming to bar in flashback was very much like Bridget now posing as Siobhan. Was that deliberate, or Sarah doesn't yet know how to play the 2? Also did anyone else think Siobhan in the flashback at the bar was pregnant?
No tv so no chance to see this yet, yadda yadda same old story!! However, on the 'Shiv' nickname my best friend is also called Siobhan and I call her 'Shiv' cos that's how you pronounce the first part of her name - phonetically it's 'shivawn' with the emphasis on the second syllable. Sorry I have nothing else to contribute yet :) but bravo Josie for referencing Ian Rankin - Josie, if you're a fan and like that Celtic storytelling you MUST try Christopher Brookmyre - both hilarious and makes you think.Plus the only write who can still make me laugh out loud - now that's a rare skill...
ReplyDeleteIt's the fact that a "shiv" is slang for "knife" that struck me as odd. Unless it's on purpose.
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought Siobhan was pregnant in the flashback, too. The child died, didn't he? There was a photo.
Better than the pilot but still a bit doubtful but still planning on giving it a try for a little while at least.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else wondering how Bridget will solve the pregnancy question?
I didn't care much for the pilot, and was a bit disappointed (too much expactations perhaps?), but this episode was SO much better. The whole story is still struggling a bit, but I think it might get there, because of SMG who was brilliant in ep 2.
ReplyDeleteLoved all the Hitchcockian chest-scenes...great fun.
I will certainly hang on to this show...for now...
I preferred the pilot. It was certainly predictable, but it wasn't as boring as this one. I kept wanting to skip things. I'm hoping that isn't a trend. It is rare for a show to have this many actors in it that I know and I really want to be on board. I'm going to follow it for a while, if only because I'm not interested in any other new show this year. This is really the one one I have had high hopes for :[
ReplyDeleteBillie, maybe the names are symbolic. "Shiv" as in cutting things apart, "Bridge" as in bringing things together.
ReplyDeleteAha! We've cracked the code!
CatherineJ, I'll check him out. I'm dying for a new book right now.
It was pretty good; better than last weeks episode.
ReplyDeleteI like it and I'm reviewing it for my blog. It does need some ironing out though with the storylines but I'm willing to stick with it for the time being.
ReplyDeleteFrom France,
ReplyDeleteKeep watching Ringer, I'm sure it will get better next season (if season 2 can exist lol).
I've watched until episode 5, I'm waiting for the 6th BUT ONLY for SMG, and CW knows that, if you see what I mean.
I just don't understand why SMG accepted this contract???
She could pretend much much more better than RINGER, no?