I was really upset when I heard the news about Leonard Nimoy's death the other day. I was in a pizza place, waiting for my order when I read the news on my phone. I nearly cried. Star Trek was such a massive part of our upbringing. Dad was mildly obsessed. We had a load of episodes on VHS and we'd regularly watch them on weekend mornings before my parents got up. We had so many Star Trek toys and book and whenever we'd play Star Trek, I was Mr. Spock. I vaguely remember playing a Star Trek RPG when I was in school and I played a science officer just like Spock. Also our latest obsession on the TV was Fringe which Leonard Nimoy played such a huge part in.
It's lovely reading all the nice things people close to him are saying on Twitter etc. It's nice to know that he was a lovely man that everyone enjoyed working with and just being with. I'm genuinely going to miss seeing him on my screens. The first celebrity death that has truly affected me.
We finished watching Bosch last night. I really enjoyed it. I've read reviews that say "it's not great television but it's very watchable". I disagree. I think it is great because it's not television. Amazon, Netflix and even PlayStation exclusive shows have a unique position, in that they are not yet bogged down in a mire of executive producers, brand protectors, accountants, accountants and accountants. This allows the very creative show producers an enormous amount of creative freedom and boy does it show in Bosch.
If executive producers and commissioning editors editors are to believe, you the stupid audience might not get many elements of Bosch. There are very few establishing shots to let you know where you are. The show could cut from detective Bosch having a conversation with his lieutenant and walking out of the room, to a close up of a record player, playing some jazz. Then it would cut to an interior of Bosch in his apartment reading through the case files. Was I confused? No. Did I care? No.
The other amazing thing they did was not giving you any idea of passage of time. It could cut from Bosch waking up in the morning, drinking some coffee, noticing something in the case file, to later on that night and he's having a meeting with someone at a bar, then the next day and it's lunch time... It would skit all over the place like that with no indication of the passage of time. Was I confused? No. Did I care? Actually yes, I thought it was brave and brilliant.
There was very little non diagetic music in the show, very few surprises or twists, no shock deaths of main characters. There were a few clunky lines of dialogue, but it didn't bother me too much. In all it was a very rounded show. Ten episodes, perfect length. No massive cliff hangar. Left me feeling very complete. During the show however, and despite the lack of music, it had me feeling for every person. Real emotional attachments to very well written characters. There were some real tense moments without using any of the normal cinematic techniques.
Inevitably this microcosm of the industry will succumb to the pit falls of regular television, I have no doubt. Money always wins in the end. But whilst we have these truly independent productions, we should relish them and enjoy them for their differences to "normal" television. I'm looking forward to finishing watching Constantine on Amazon next and I'm very much looking forward to an adaptation of one of my favourite comics Powers, coming to PlayStation Network soon.
