Mmm...Wolverine.

Oh the madness that is casting a comic book based film! Recently, we had two uproars from fans. The first was the announcement that Anne Hathaway was cast as Selina Kyle (mind you, the press release said nothing about Catwoman) in the next Batman film. The second is Henry Cavill as Superman.

It seems we go through this every time. It’s so rare that a casting decision is embraced by the fans when it comes to their beloved comic heroes. My question is, is it that Hollywood really casts the wrong people so frequently? Or is it that comic book fans are too choosy.

I think it goes without saying that no one actor is going to satisfy everyone. There will always be a group that complains. However, I think there should be more of a willingness to let physical appearances slide a little in comparison to acting prowess. Sure, Hugh Jackman isn’t as short and burly as Wolverine appears in the comics. But, who is? Danny DeVito? What Jackman lacks in mirroring the physical appearance of Wolverine, he makes up for with his performance. I really can’t imagine anyone else in that role now.

When I heard Edward Norton was going to be cast in “The Hulk”, I thought there was no way it was going to work. I just didn’t see him as Bruce Banner. I was wrong, and he was amazing. A lot of people whined about Heath Ledger as the Joker, and we’ve all seen how that turned out.

The bottom line is that there should be allowances by the fans when it comes to casting. Should someone who’s three feet tall play Beast? No. However, have some small measure of flexibility. I know we all want our fantasy dream team to grace the screen and fill the shoes of the characters we love, but until we’re all Hollywood movie makers, it’s not going to happen. You can scream and complain until you’re blue in the face. It’s not going to change things.

Let’s also look at the reality of the movie business. It’s precisely that: a business. The studios are out to make a commercially viable film, and with luck, turn it into a franchise. You may know the ins and outs of the characters, but the movie going public at large may not be that familiar. Studios have to make films accessible to the widest group of moviegoers they can. Without that income, they won’t be able to make any films in the first place.

Also, let’s not forget that even in the comic book world, origin stories and characters evolve and change. It’s a fluid world where very few things are locked in forever. Characters die, come back, become younger or older, change to villains, etc. Even a film that is true to a comic to a fault is going to catch flack from those who wanted to see the alternate story told.

It’s okay to not like a movie. It’s fine if you think it’s drivel or screws everything up. The brilliant part is that it doesn’t change a damn thing about the story you adore. You can still go back and read what you fell in love with in the first place. Plus, chances are, there’ll be another reboot in a few years you can complain about, too.

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Tennant and Smith

My husband was the person who got me started on “Doctor Who”. I was unsure about the show when he described what it was about, but I was hooked after just one episode. Since then, I have been witness to three different Doctors. Yet, it seems that the real debate happening on the Internet is about latter two: David Tennant’s Doctor versus Matt Smith’s Doctor.

Personally, it took me a long time to be ready to watch David Tennant assume the role of The Doctor. I was in love with Christopher Eccleston’s version of the character and had a hard time accepting someone new. I’m glad I did though, and I truly love Tennant’s characterization. Because of going through this transition once, it was easier for me to move into the era of Matt Smith’s Doctor. However, it seems the same can not be said of everyone.

Now, cards on the table here; I didn’t really like Matt Smith at first. I had to get well into the season before I came to accept him. A lot of people seem to have never really given him the benefit of the doubt, and I’ve heard a lot of people say they gave up after a couple of episodes. Yes, Matt Smith is quite different, but isn’t that the point?

The mythology of The Doctor is such that each incarnation is finite. During a regeneration, he doesn’t just swap one look for another the same way you change a mask. He becomes another person. There is some essence that transfers over, but that’s about it. We had Tennant for so long that I think people became comfortable, then were jarred by the change in a way we didn’t experience with Eccleston (who was only The Doctor for a season).

The other reason I think there is a lack of acceptance is that Tennant’s Doctor was someone you could fall in love with. Let’s face it, the ladies (and some men I’m sure) fell hard for him. He was cute, he was quirky and he was the sort of guy you’d let take you on a date to some distant planet in another galaxy. Matt Smith’s Doctor, on the other hand, is not anything like that. He’s awkward, his focus is always somewhere else and he just doesn’t seem interested in romance.

I also think the acceptance of Matt Smith suffers from having some really weak episodes early on in his first season. They really started fresh by way of cast and crew, and it can take a while to find the right footing. You may not realize you’re doing it, but often a bad reaction to an episode will cause you to also take it out on the actor. The good news is that the season did gain some steam, and the Christmas special from 2010 was especially pleasant and fun.

All in all, I’m alright with Matt Smith. He is a very different Doctor, and that’s okay. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next season takes us. If you’re one of those that gave up too soon on Smith, give him another try. If you really don’t like him, fine. I miss Tennant myself, and I’d have loved for him to stay longer. But such is the nature of The Doctor.

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At least they're easy on the eyes.

This is my status report for SyFy’s “Being Human” as of episode two. The final report? Still pretty decent.

I won’t go into the nitty gritty specifics of the second episode so as not to spoil it. I will say that I found it to be a little anti-climactic after the last one. The episode is a lot of set up, and the pacing seems a little rushed. The dialogue is decent, but there were a couple of bumps. It appears to be one of those bridge episodes where you need to see it to understand certain things, but not a lot really happens either.

To me, the one thing the show suffers from is the fact that it’s an American remake. For some reason, we just can’t seem to get it quite as right as the people across the pond. Now, that’s not to say the show is bad. (I already said it was decent.) It’s just that it seems to pale in comparison. Maybe that will change when they deviate from the source material, but we won’t know until the series gets further in. Last night’s episode had some nearly shot-for-shot scenes and some mildly altered dialogue, so the differences between the two versions of the show were a little jarring.

I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what it is that makes the BBC’s “Being Human” work better, but I think that a part of it is how genuine it feels. In the original, you really sympathize with the characters. It’s almost heartbreaking at times. The American version feels a little more scripted and packs a little less punch. For example, in the original, the character George is often very awkward. In the remake Josh (their version of George) feels like he’s TRYING to be awkward. The intent is still there, but it doesn’t deliver.

The character that I’m finding the most different from their British/American counterpart is Herrick/Bishop. Herrick is just so much more creepy. I’m not sure how to describe it, but he makes my skin crawl. Bishop, while pretty good, doesn’t give me the same sense of dread.

I’m also not particularly keen on Sally, who is the series’ ghost. I’d read one review that said this character really stole the show, but I firmly disagree. Annie, from the original, is far more sympathetic, and I’m much more emotionally drawn to her.

Overall, the show has piqued my interest enough that I’ll be tuning in next Monday night for episode three. If you’re interested in catching up, SyFy is putting episodes online for your viewing pleasure. They also give you three chances to watch new episodes each Monday night. (Check local listings, blah, blah, blah.)

So give it a looksee, and as always, SyFy is still a stupid name.

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Yes, that’s right. I can be found on yet another social network. If you’ve got the inclination, add me to your Tumblr feed!

Strange Like That Tumblr

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I have some exciting news to announce: I have just been added as a contributing writer at Werewolf News! I’ve been a long time reader of the site, so I was honored to be asked if I wanted to come on board as a writer. I’ll mainly be focusing on book/comic reviews, but may dabble in other lycanthropic areas from time to time. Be sure to check out my first article!

“Werewolf Haiku” Book Review for Werewolf News!

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