The Inside 1:03 - Pre-Filer
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They showed a promo for Bones during this ep. Looked like it has potential.
I really noticed the photogaphy during this one. I'm no filmstock person, but it was really grainy, bright, washed-out color"”like '90s MTV videos that overexposed lower grade filmstock for effect. Oliver Stone loves to do that, the movie Three Kings comes to mind too. Strangely, it seems kinda dated to me 'cause of that.
Also, I noticed a stylistic nod to Angel in the quick transitional shots"”when they show the time-lapse photography of the sun rising, setting"”with the super sped-up LA traffic, very Angel.
Still not really feeling it with the lead, Rebecca. Just kinda blah to me. The Killer killing potential killers was a clever idea I thought. That actor was good in the role.
...another thing, the "edgy" techno/rock music, sort of annoying. I'm a traditional score kinda guy.
I really noticed the photogaphy during this one. I'm no filmstock person, but it was really grainy, bright, washed-out color"”like '90s MTV videos that overexposed lower grade filmstock for effect. Oliver Stone loves to do that, the movie Three Kings comes to mind too. Strangely, it seems kinda dated to me 'cause of that.
Also, I noticed a stylistic nod to Angel in the quick transitional shots"”when they show the time-lapse photography of the sun rising, setting"”with the super sped-up LA traffic, very Angel.
Still not really feeling it with the lead, Rebecca. Just kinda blah to me. The Killer killing potential killers was a clever idea I thought. That actor was good in the role.
...another thing, the "edgy" techno/rock music, sort of annoying. I'm a traditional score kinda guy.
nerd4hire
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Ah, I missed the Bones promo. We get TI on 2 channels, Global and Fox. I must have been watching the wrong one.
Hey Goldenboy, it seems to be mostly you and me who are into this program right now, so we can talk about something I think we're both into.
Do you think it's too early to be talking about a Tim Minear auteur?
Tim Minear has worked on X Files, Angel, and Wonderfalls. I'm getting the feeling he's taken stuff from each stop. Is that cut and paste or auteur?
For example, you mention the quick-cut flashes in the segues. David Greenwalt used to use the same technique when he left Angel for that Jake show about the bionic agent.
The dark graininess - X Files, Angel. I've heard Tim brought a lot of the crew with him from Angel. I think camera crew was mentioned.
I saw X Files in the first episode of The Inside with the grossout autopsy scene, and the way it was presented.
The way music is used reminds me of Wonderfalls, where significant little verses are faded in and out, highlighting below the surface stuff.
And of course we've got those Whedonesque touches of culture-geek references, and whimsy built over the dark.
We also see bits of Angel in the quick cut uses of symbol. At the beginning of The Inside we see those blurred, quick-cuts of traffic zipping down curved sections of freeway. It reminds me of blood being pumped down arteries, or current flowing through an electrical system. Either way we can see it as a symbolic insinuation the stories are part of a larger organism. Then there's the symbols hidden in the quick-cut montage of Old Wounds. We saw that on both Buffy and Angel. BTW did you notice in the Old wounds montage the ice cream guy is reminiscent of the cheese man, and there seems to be a suited figure standing in the doorway behind the face of the abductor from Rebecca's past?
Another Whedonesque touch could be the use of ironic name selection. Bill strong was weak. Danny Love is Loveless. Melody is the scientist. Web and Locke - perhaps less ironic, but still symboliic. Web as in spider web, and Locke as in Becky George is locked away.
As I said we could simply get critical, and call all that nothing more than cut and paste, but I'm starting to get the feeling I could identify a Tim Minear production as such without being told what it is.
Off that for a sec now though, to discuss Rachel Nichols acting. You're not alone in your criticism of it. I've heard it described as wooden. I disagree.
First of all I think we have to consider the character of Locke. As I suggested before Rebecca's humanity has been locked away. She is controlled. Her feelings are subdued. The lack of emotion becomes an emotion.
If you tape and rewatch as I do though you'll see Nichols offer subtle reveals of what's happening below the surface. In fact once you notice them, they almost seem like too much.
Have you seen the promo to the movie Bewitched? There's a part in it where Will Ferrel is moving his eyes rapidly back and forth. He says, "This almost won me a Golden Globe." I saw Nichols use that same rapid eye flick in Old Wounds. It made me chuckle.
Rachel Nichols is a relative newcomer to acting. She understands the character though. She lacks the sophistication of execution skills necessary to say, "Wow. She's a good actress", but I think she'll get better as she works more. I also think both Nichols and the Rebecca Locke character will grow on us as the series progresses.
Hey Goldenboy, it seems to be mostly you and me who are into this program right now, so we can talk about something I think we're both into.
Do you think it's too early to be talking about a Tim Minear auteur?
Tim Minear has worked on X Files, Angel, and Wonderfalls. I'm getting the feeling he's taken stuff from each stop. Is that cut and paste or auteur?
For example, you mention the quick-cut flashes in the segues. David Greenwalt used to use the same technique when he left Angel for that Jake show about the bionic agent.
The dark graininess - X Files, Angel. I've heard Tim brought a lot of the crew with him from Angel. I think camera crew was mentioned.
I saw X Files in the first episode of The Inside with the grossout autopsy scene, and the way it was presented.
The way music is used reminds me of Wonderfalls, where significant little verses are faded in and out, highlighting below the surface stuff.
And of course we've got those Whedonesque touches of culture-geek references, and whimsy built over the dark.
We also see bits of Angel in the quick cut uses of symbol. At the beginning of The Inside we see those blurred, quick-cuts of traffic zipping down curved sections of freeway. It reminds me of blood being pumped down arteries, or current flowing through an electrical system. Either way we can see it as a symbolic insinuation the stories are part of a larger organism. Then there's the symbols hidden in the quick-cut montage of Old Wounds. We saw that on both Buffy and Angel. BTW did you notice in the Old wounds montage the ice cream guy is reminiscent of the cheese man, and there seems to be a suited figure standing in the doorway behind the face of the abductor from Rebecca's past?
Another Whedonesque touch could be the use of ironic name selection. Bill strong was weak. Danny Love is Loveless. Melody is the scientist. Web and Locke - perhaps less ironic, but still symboliic. Web as in spider web, and Locke as in Becky George is locked away.
As I said we could simply get critical, and call all that nothing more than cut and paste, but I'm starting to get the feeling I could identify a Tim Minear production as such without being told what it is.
Off that for a sec now though, to discuss Rachel Nichols acting. You're not alone in your criticism of it. I've heard it described as wooden. I disagree.
First of all I think we have to consider the character of Locke. As I suggested before Rebecca's humanity has been locked away. She is controlled. Her feelings are subdued. The lack of emotion becomes an emotion.
If you tape and rewatch as I do though you'll see Nichols offer subtle reveals of what's happening below the surface. In fact once you notice them, they almost seem like too much.
Have you seen the promo to the movie Bewitched? There's a part in it where Will Ferrel is moving his eyes rapidly back and forth. He says, "This almost won me a Golden Globe." I saw Nichols use that same rapid eye flick in Old Wounds. It made me chuckle.
Rachel Nichols is a relative newcomer to acting. She understands the character though. She lacks the sophistication of execution skills necessary to say, "Wow. She's a good actress", but I think she'll get better as she works more. I also think both Nichols and the Rebecca Locke character will grow on us as the series progresses.
Hmm. Looks like you're really studying this show. I'm traditionally lazy with TV viewing. I let it wash over me, slowly suck me in. I didn't really get passionate about Buffy until season 5. Then I noticed that Joss and his crew really were transcending genre TV, TV in general.
I never really thought about the stylistic difference with Angel and Buffy being due primarlily to Minear and Greenwalt. Makes sense, if so.
The naming pattern is fun, hadn't noticed.
The play with filmstock, flash frames and extremes in lighting really seems to come from '90s TV, MTV as far as I can tell. Video directors experiment, then it starts to show up in ads, then TV shows, movies. In that respect, video directors like Spike Jonze, that Tarseem guy are very innovative. Yet, some of these directors"”who go from videos, ads, then on to movies"”end up making vapid, souless junk (Michael Bay comes to mind).
Minear's stuff also makes me think of Michael Mann. He did Collateral and Heat"”great gangster, criminal films. Mann worked on Miami Vice I believe, way back when. Minear's "LA" vibe, with the traffic, sun photography makes me think of 80's cop shows, Miami Vice in particular.
Right now, Minear seems like a great technician who's got command of the current "visual vocabulary". He knows what works, what's trendy. I'm not sure he's developed a truly unique style of his own yet. But it's early. He's very good though.
You could be right about Rachel Nichols. She seems very smart, probably knows the psychology of her character. Some actors just have "it", you know? That something, a charisma that makes them stand out. Can't quite tell if the problem I perceive is with the actress or the repressed character.
I wonder, is Minear's background visual, literary? Film school? Joss was literary and it shows. Minear seems more visually inclined. Maybe it's also his crew, the demands of Fox, don't know...
....hmm. OK. Looks like his history in the industry is mostly writing...
http://imdb.com/name/nm0591101/
I never really thought about the stylistic difference with Angel and Buffy being due primarlily to Minear and Greenwalt. Makes sense, if so.
The naming pattern is fun, hadn't noticed.
The play with filmstock, flash frames and extremes in lighting really seems to come from '90s TV, MTV as far as I can tell. Video directors experiment, then it starts to show up in ads, then TV shows, movies. In that respect, video directors like Spike Jonze, that Tarseem guy are very innovative. Yet, some of these directors"”who go from videos, ads, then on to movies"”end up making vapid, souless junk (Michael Bay comes to mind).
Minear's stuff also makes me think of Michael Mann. He did Collateral and Heat"”great gangster, criminal films. Mann worked on Miami Vice I believe, way back when. Minear's "LA" vibe, with the traffic, sun photography makes me think of 80's cop shows, Miami Vice in particular.
Right now, Minear seems like a great technician who's got command of the current "visual vocabulary". He knows what works, what's trendy. I'm not sure he's developed a truly unique style of his own yet. But it's early. He's very good though.
You could be right about Rachel Nichols. She seems very smart, probably knows the psychology of her character. Some actors just have "it", you know? That something, a charisma that makes them stand out. Can't quite tell if the problem I perceive is with the actress or the repressed character.
I wonder, is Minear's background visual, literary? Film school? Joss was literary and it shows. Minear seems more visually inclined. Maybe it's also his crew, the demands of Fox, don't know...
....hmm. OK. Looks like his history in the industry is mostly writing...
http://imdb.com/name/nm0591101/
I caught approximately the last 3/4 of this episode. I was a little distracted while watching it, but from what I gathered, it reminds me of about half a dozen other shows that have come and gone. One of them being about a Blonde Profiler...
As it stands, I am calling the show marginal, but since it was the first episode, there is always hope it will get better. The highlight for me was purely the visual aspect. As pointed out, the particular style that Tim seems to have. I guess I missed seeing it. I didn't realize that the show had Angel connections when I watched it. Now I know why it seemed familiar on a very small level. I agree with goldenboy about the lead, she seemed a little off. There was an uncomfortableness, that was almost annoying to watch. But I do get that a lot of it could be in the character she's playing. I guess we will see as her character progresses.
As it stands, I am calling the show marginal, but since it was the first episode, there is always hope it will get better. The highlight for me was purely the visual aspect. As pointed out, the particular style that Tim seems to have. I guess I missed seeing it. I didn't realize that the show had Angel connections when I watched it. Now I know why it seemed familiar on a very small level. I agree with goldenboy about the lead, she seemed a little off. There was an uncomfortableness, that was almost annoying to watch. But I do get that a lot of it could be in the character she's playing. I guess we will see as her character progresses.
nerd4hire
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I'm not sure The Inside is the kind of program you can watch out of the corner of your eye, and expect to get, because a lot of what it's really about happens below the surface.
Yes you can watch it and see little bits and pieces from every crime show you ever saw, but you have to realize Minear is playing with that. This show may not even be about the crimes. It's more about the characters, and the interactions between them.
Do you remember the part in Pre-Filer where Web (the head guy) sends his whole team into a house to guard the family? You might say well that's dumb. Real cops wouldn't do that. They don't do that on CSI.
On The Inside though, you have to understand Web to understand why he would, or could do things that way.
Web is kind of mysterious, and possibly a little bit sinister. He used to be a profiler himself. Apparently he was exceptional and was given total control of this special Violent Crimes Unit. He operates almost outside of the FBI, in his own unusual manner. He's into using brain games on his people, to manipulate them. He's not above setting them up as a target to draw out the perp.
Pre-filer is the third episode in the series. You haven't really missed much. The other 2 were stand-alones. They have been setting something up though. It's kind of a dynamic between Web, Rebecca (the blond agent), and Paul (her partner), where Web and Paul almost seem to be in a battle for Rebecca's soul.
(Also, speaking of names, Paul has been compared to the apostle Paul, which may turn out to be significant)
Yes you can watch it and see little bits and pieces from every crime show you ever saw, but you have to realize Minear is playing with that. This show may not even be about the crimes. It's more about the characters, and the interactions between them.
Do you remember the part in Pre-Filer where Web (the head guy) sends his whole team into a house to guard the family? You might say well that's dumb. Real cops wouldn't do that. They don't do that on CSI.
On The Inside though, you have to understand Web to understand why he would, or could do things that way.
Web is kind of mysterious, and possibly a little bit sinister. He used to be a profiler himself. Apparently he was exceptional and was given total control of this special Violent Crimes Unit. He operates almost outside of the FBI, in his own unusual manner. He's into using brain games on his people, to manipulate them. He's not above setting them up as a target to draw out the perp.
Pre-filer is the third episode in the series. You haven't really missed much. The other 2 were stand-alones. They have been setting something up though. It's kind of a dynamic between Web, Rebecca (the blond agent), and Paul (her partner), where Web and Paul almost seem to be in a battle for Rebecca's soul.
(Also, speaking of names, Paul has been compared to the apostle Paul, which may turn out to be significant)
Aww man! Does this mean I actually have to pay attention N4H? (heh) I probably should tape this show"”assuming it's gonna last beyond the 13 eps. Little things like subtext and basic plot points often elude me. I get so caught up in observing the visual style, the score, the clothing"”the surface, that I miss important stuff.
Anyways, you gotta think Minear wouldn't want to play it straight, especially with the huge glut of procedurals out there. One would hope he'd want to put a twist on it, focus more on character, or pull the rug out on the setup somehow. It seems to have an uber-mystery, a meta-mystery, like Lost. Well, two mysteries: What precisely happened to Rebecca, and just what is this Web guy up to?
I want to compare this show to David Mamet's stuff somehow"”surprising, twisting plotlines"”and people constantly using, conning eachother.
Web seems to be like the Watcher's Council"”ends justify the means"”utilitarianism. Is it any more complicated than that?
Anyways, you gotta think Minear wouldn't want to play it straight, especially with the huge glut of procedurals out there. One would hope he'd want to put a twist on it, focus more on character, or pull the rug out on the setup somehow. It seems to have an uber-mystery, a meta-mystery, like Lost. Well, two mysteries: What precisely happened to Rebecca, and just what is this Web guy up to?
I want to compare this show to David Mamet's stuff somehow"”surprising, twisting plotlines"”and people constantly using, conning eachother.
Web seems to be like the Watcher's Council"”ends justify the means"”utilitarianism. Is it any more complicated than that?
nerd4hire
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goldenboy said:
You know what? You could tape it just for the visuals. There's stuff hidden there. Here's an example. I remember you didn't see Old Wounds, but there's a montage there where Rebecca flashes on scenes from her abduction. Check this out.
Hidden Image
Do you see what looks to be a hidden figure standing in the doorway behind the perp. Could that be Web? Was Web the profiler in the Becky George case, or is there more to it than that?
Yeah, and I'm noticing the crime mysteries aren't necessarily that hard to see coming, but once you recognize the existence of another kind of mystery within the characters they can really knock your socks off. In Old Wounds there's a mystery of who made a particular phone call. They never tell you who did, but when Web suggests maybe it was Rebecca it creates a lot of really interesting character points.
Hey did you notice David Mamet is going to have involvement in the upcoming Amy Acker series, The Unit?
That's the question isn't it? 🙂
*
Hmm. All very interesting stuff to ponder N4H.
X-Files had years on the air to build up its cult, break out into the mass consciousness. It relied on a ludicrously complex, epic meta-mystery. It actually lost some of its mystique and attraction (to me) the more they seemed to answer the big questions. Sadly went out with a bit of a whimper.
Anyways, despite what I've said, I do like complex TV that you have to pay close attention to. That's the stuff you can get addicted to. It just usually takes me awhile to get into it.
I'd hope The Inside could last long enough to get addictive...
X-Files had years on the air to build up its cult, break out into the mass consciousness. It relied on a ludicrously complex, epic meta-mystery. It actually lost some of its mystique and attraction (to me) the more they seemed to answer the big questions. Sadly went out with a bit of a whimper.
Anyways, despite what I've said, I do like complex TV that you have to pay close attention to. That's the stuff you can get addicted to. It just usually takes me awhile to get into it.
I'd hope The Inside could last long enough to get addictive...