Well, that IS at least 51% of the point of the series, after all. :) Oh it's a great deal more than that...
And I mean that. It's a love story. And it's not even subtle about it (icon is v simplistic, since I knocked it up in about 5 minutes, but I just love that scene to distraction). The point of the series is a demon and an angel fall in love. Now the *framing* is an apocalypse, and a very well done and detailed apocalypse it is, but it's there to push our love struck heroes into admitting their feelings, and finally ditch their abusive/toxic 'families'. Also of course their love saves the world. It's like... Becoming. The whole thing is carefully structured so that Buffy kills Angel in the most painful way possible. And it *is* beautifully structured, and everything is very well written, the plot is great, and all the characters are well used, but it's still a story about Buffy and Angel, not Acathla. :)
As for some of your other points, then I haven't read the book, so these are my observations as someone who has only watched the show:
- The baby switch. In the book, the three-card-monte simile was needed to set up how the switch goes wrong. On screen, it's just an awkward way to explain to us what we're already seeing on screen. That scene was one of the most hilarious things it has ever been my privilege to watch. Most shows need exposition, and it's generally done very awkwardly, because it's repeating something to the characters they already know. But THIS just took that to the next level, and didn't even pretend that it wasn't ridiculous. A+, wish more shows would just own it like this. ETA: Was thinking about the big cardboard cut out thing, more than the cards, but the cards worked in the same way (like the winking) - over-explaining stuff doesn't bother me, as long as its tongue-in-cheek. Also I think the three-card-monte was included quite simply for the sake of Baby A, Baby B and The Adversary: The Destroyer of Worlds. Which is just brilliant and I'm glad they kept it. :)
There's an unfortunate metaphor in how a series about an angel and a demon falling in love with humanity seems far more interested in angels and demons than in humanity. They fall in love with each other. And... sort of become human in the process. They are the lens through which we view humanity; the things they love (food, books, the Bentley, the plants), the reason they fight for humanity, when neither Heaven nor Hell seems really interested. (As someone whose 'type' is 100% Renegade Immortals I don't mind the focus. *g*) If they'd had more time, they might have expanded the depth of all the humans, but with six episodes they kept a tight focus. Also I liked the Show Don't Tell aspect? Immortals loving humanity can veer worryingly close to the Tenth Doctor waxing lyrical about how special they are.
- The voiceover. I would die for Frances McDormand same as anyone, but at times it feels too much like an excuse to just read the book aloud. You have a camera that can show us these things. Also, is it a good idea to have God narrating a story about the silence of God? I'm... honestly not sure. IMHO (and referring back to my first paragraph) Crowley & Aziraphale falling in love WAS Her ineffable plan. Also I loved Her narration, loved that She was female... Yeah, twas all good. :)
but for a show about heaven and hell, it's almost scrubbed clinically clean of any mention or parallel or comment on actual faith. Depends on how you view it I guess - if you see Heaven & Hell as fundamentalists, happy to destroy anything in their path just to prove they're right, following rules for the sake of it, and Aziraphale & Crowley as those questioning the system, who put kindness above everything... Then I'd say it's very critical of uncritical faith, especially the way Heaven was portrayed - Gabriel came across as so many tele-evangelists. After all, in this story, Jesus is killed for telling people to be kind to each other, and the importance of kindness is the overall theme, from Aziraphale giving the sword to Adam and Eve, to Crowley and Aziraphale basically telling Adam that he is fine just the way he is, and accepting him unconditionally. So, I think it's basically a fairy tale. Or a morality play or fable. And actually, thinking about it, the moral of the story is profoundly Biblical (even if the overall theology is... not so much - but again, by divorcing it from 'real' faiths it worked far better):
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Corinthians 13, 1-7
I have many many feelings about this show, but most of all I am overwhelmed with joy at how firmly it stands up for what it believes in. Be kind. Love one another. If you do, you can defeat the armies of Armageddon. (And then have a lovely lunch with your beloved.)
no subject
Oh it's a great deal more than that...
And I mean that. It's a love story. And it's not even subtle about it (icon is v simplistic, since I knocked it up in about 5 minutes, but I just love that scene to distraction). The point of the series is a demon and an angel fall in love. Now the *framing* is an apocalypse, and a very well done and detailed apocalypse it is, but it's there to push our love struck heroes into admitting their feelings, and finally ditch their abusive/toxic 'families'. Also of course their love saves the world. It's like... Becoming. The whole thing is carefully structured so that Buffy kills Angel in the most painful way possible. And it *is* beautifully structured, and everything is very well written, the plot is great, and all the characters are well used, but it's still a story about Buffy and Angel, not Acathla. :)
As for some of your other points, then I haven't read the book, so these are my observations as someone who has only watched the show:
- The baby switch. In the book, the three-card-monte simile was needed to set up how the switch goes wrong. On screen, it's just an awkward way to explain to us what we're already seeing on screen.
That scene was one of the most hilarious things it has ever been my privilege to watch. Most shows need exposition, and it's generally done very awkwardly, because it's repeating something to the characters they already know. But THIS just took that to the next level, and didn't even pretend that it wasn't ridiculous. A+, wish more shows would just own it like this. ETA: Was thinking about the big cardboard cut out thing, more than the cards, but the cards worked in the same way (like the winking) - over-explaining stuff doesn't bother me, as long as its tongue-in-cheek. Also I think the three-card-monte was included quite simply for the sake of Baby A, Baby B and The Adversary: The Destroyer of Worlds. Which is just brilliant and I'm glad they kept it. :)
There's an unfortunate metaphor in how a series about an angel and a demon falling in love with humanity seems far more interested in angels and demons than in humanity.
They fall in love with each other. And... sort of become human in the process. They are the lens through which we view humanity; the things they love (food, books, the Bentley, the plants), the reason they fight for humanity, when neither Heaven nor Hell seems really interested. (As someone whose 'type' is 100% Renegade Immortals I don't mind the focus. *g*) If they'd had more time, they might have expanded the depth of all the humans, but with six episodes they kept a tight focus. Also I liked the Show Don't Tell aspect? Immortals loving humanity can veer worryingly close to the Tenth Doctor waxing lyrical about how special they are.
- The voiceover. I would die for Frances McDormand same as anyone, but at times it feels too much like an excuse to just read the book aloud. You have a camera that can show us these things. Also, is it a good idea to have God narrating a story about the silence of God? I'm... honestly not sure.
IMHO (and referring back to my first paragraph) Crowley & Aziraphale falling in love WAS Her ineffable plan. Also I loved Her narration, loved that She was female... Yeah, twas all good. :)
but for a show about heaven and hell, it's almost scrubbed clinically clean of any mention or parallel or comment on actual faith.
Depends on how you view it I guess - if you see Heaven & Hell as fundamentalists, happy to destroy anything in their path just to prove they're right, following rules for the sake of it, and Aziraphale & Crowley as those questioning the system, who put kindness above everything... Then I'd say it's very critical of uncritical faith, especially the way Heaven was portrayed - Gabriel came across as so many tele-evangelists. After all, in this story, Jesus is killed for telling people to be kind to each other, and the importance of kindness is the overall theme, from Aziraphale giving the sword to Adam and Eve, to Crowley and Aziraphale basically telling Adam that he is fine just the way he is, and accepting him unconditionally. So, I think it's basically a fairy tale. Or a morality play or fable. And actually, thinking about it, the moral of the story is profoundly Biblical (even if the overall theology is... not so much - but again, by divorcing it from 'real' faiths it worked far better):
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Corinthians 13, 1-7
I have many many feelings about this show, but most of all I am overwhelmed with joy at how firmly it stands up for what it believes in. Be kind. Love one another. If you do, you can defeat the armies of Armageddon. (And then have a lovely lunch with your beloved.)