#Gennifer Hutchinson

[floorman3]

The Lord of the Rings-The Rings of Power Review

The Lord of the Rings was a book by J.R.R. Tolkien adapted into three films in the early 2000s by Peter Jackson, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. These three films garnered critical acclaim, winning many Academy Awards, and fan success making quite a bit of money in the theaters. It makes sense that somebody would want to buy the rights to this successful IP…

[attheexactlyrighttimeandplace]

[septembersghost]

"Well it’s funny you mention Walter White because for me what happened with him was a revelation of who he really was, whereas with Jimmy--we’re kind of killing Jimmy, you know, and so it is inherently a different story and a more tragic one." - Gennifer Hutchinson

I'm going through old podcasts (this is s3 in review?) and I never heard this before, and now I'm screaming sobbing throwing up (:

i've listened to the podcasts but have no memory of this? ouch. :( it's true, though, that they're sort of inverse journeys. layers of walt get peeled away as he plunges further into that darkness of the soul...it's growth, decay, then transformation. he becomes more and more adept at being heisenberg because the choices he makes reveal that part of him. jimmy isn't being excavated, he's being buried, little by little the remnants of jimmy's self are layered over with the persona of saul, that slow spiritual loss. walt felt quite a lot of his heisenberg actions were an increase in power, but saul is far more inert and empty for jimmy to inhabit, even if he lies to himself and thinks it's better and all he's worth being, and all he's comfortable being.

i said the other day that i have always seen the end of brba as him dying as walter white, the human being, not as heisenberg, the construct, so what would be a really fulfilling parallel to make here would be for saul, the shell, to fall away, in his finding a path to live as jimmy mcgill.

[multiprises]

« When in doubt, Eleanor Brandyfoot, always follow your nose. »»

Alloyed,The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, 1.08

Wayne Che Yip (D), Gennifer Hutchinson, John D. Payne & Patrick McGray (S), 14/10/22

[lady-bee-holmes]

Ok ok ok, so in light of the recent Dishonored news, while I adored the Witcher show and how it was done, that was with no knowledge of the games or books (plus there were books for the writers to take inspiration from), so I’m not sure about how I feel about a potential Dishonored series

This opinion is almost entirely because of the player/viewer issue. Video games are stories told entirely from the perspective of the player, who has direct control of the character and their decisions; in other words, the player is an active participant in the story. Tv shows and movies, on the other hand, place the viewer outside of the story, giving them a passive role in the story. Even with a strict story line, games tend to give players more freedom in deciding characterization and morals than tv shows or movies do

So in light of this issue, how could they adapt a game like Dishonored (which is HEAVILY player influenced with the alternate endings for the characters and the many ways to approach each level) where it feels authentic to the characters and the story, but flexible to account for player differences?

Side note: IMAGINE THE COSTUMING AND SPECIAL EFFECTS

Also side note: casting???

[thealogie]

I finished better call saul season 4 last night and that whole infamous scene where jimmy has a breakdown and starts lashing out at Kim about how she’s getting cheap thrills from slumming it with him but doesn’t see him as a real partner in the cold light of day (i.e., won’t get an office with him) like elevated the whole show to a new level for me....just wow....god they really did that they really let him have that breakdown....

[watchaholics]

Better Call Saul S03E03 – Sunk Costs

Better Call Saul S03E03 – Sunk Costs

Tovább pörögnek az események a Better Call Saul háza táján: a Sunk Costsban ismét egy adaggal több bonyodalmat és akciót kapunk, mint az előző részben, a karakterek – a régiek és az újak egyaránt – egyre csak kerekednek és színesednek, valamint göngyölődnek a Breaking Badhez kapcsolódó szálak is. Ezen a ponton olyan érzésem van, hogy mindez csak a jéghegy csúcsa, és kapunk az évadban még…

[halles-comet]

"Antigone", Jean Anouilh (trans. Lewis Galantiere) || "Safe Room", Georgia Pritchett || "My Sister's Keeper", Jodi Picoult || "Little Women", Greta Gerwig || "Gone Girl", Gillian Flynn || "The Gang Goes to Hell", David Hornsby || "You Are Jeff", Richard Siken || "Sunk Costs", Gennifer Hutchinson

[debbierhea]

when gennifer hutchinson said "i think i literally just like. fell in love with you when you said that" to rhea seehorn. so true bestie

[catleen9]

Better Call Saul S04E06 – Piñata

Better Call Saul S04E06 – Piñata

Úgy emlékszem, múltkor azt mondtam, hogy innentől kezdve már csak jobbnál-jobb részeket fogunk kapni, és ez a tippem ezen a héten is bevált. Egy meglehetősen szuper és eseménydús epizódot egy még királyabb követett, amiben talán nem történt annyi minden, viszont annál hatásosabb volt mind a cselekmény, mind a kivitelezés – én személy szerint csak pislogtam, mint hal a szatyorban, mikor a végére…

[rptv-tolkien]

Middle Earth coming to Amazon Prime streaming television

While the coronavirus / Covid-19 has slowed down production in the film and television industry (and everywhere else), in New Zealand, where Covid-19 cases are relatively low, work will start up again on Amazon Prime’s upcoming series “Lord of the Rings” (filming had begun in 2020 but was stopped) in a few months (supposedly).

Currently there is no release date.  According to a July 08, 2020 article from “Total Film Magazine,” (who in turn quoted information in “The Hollywood Reporter”) the producers were aiming for a December 2021 release, but that due to the corona virus pandemic, that date will most likely be pushed back.

The writers for the new series are J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.  Also announced to be writing episodes for the Lord of the Rings TV show are Gennifer Hutchinson (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul), Helen Shang (Hannibal), Justin Dohle (Stranger Things), and Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4).

The first two episodes will be directed by J.A. Bayona (the director for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), who will also act as an executive producer.

Concept artist John Howe, who worked on Peter Jackson's LOTR trilogy, will also have the same position on the show.

John Shippey, a J.R.R. Tolkien scholar, was also set to work as part of the production crew (probably as a consultant; the article doesn’t say), but left project (it sounds as if he was fired).  The article mentions another scholar (Corey Olsen) but does not say if he is working on the project or not.

Shippey was quoted as saying that the Tolkien Estate was very strict as to what the producers of the new show could and could not do (that the show could not cross over with events from either of Peter Jackson’s trilogies, that the historical events and main conflict in the “Second Age” (before the Hobbit) must not altered, and that the show must not contradict anything Tolkien said).  The Tolkien estate denies these claims.

Peter Jackson will not be involved with the new show (at least as of now).

-

Tolkien fans might be wondering why this show is called “Lord of the Rings” if there is nothing from LOTR in the new series. Well, that’s the exact same question that actor Elijah Wood (who played Frodo Baggins in Jackson’s LOTR trilogy) had.

In another article (from “Screen Rant“), he stated:

“I am super fascinated by what they’re doing with the show. They’re calling it The Lord of the Rings, but I think that’s slightly misleading. From what I understand, the material they are working on exists chronologically further back in history in the lore of Lord of the Rings or middle-Earth than any characters represented in Lord of the Rings. It sounds more like the Silmarillion era. Not to get nerdy, but it’s the Second Age of middle-Earth.”

RPTV comment:

Of course the writer (Bethany Guerrero) decided to throw in her 2 useless cents at the end of the article stating that the title is fitting because “the series will touch on the Ring’s conception.”

That’s like saying “Fellowship of the Ring” should be called “Return of the King”, since the former is when Aragorn finally showed up after years of hiding in the woods as a ranger.  Utterly stupid, but that’s what you get with people like this writer - they always want to have the last word (which is why Sean Connery said some of them deserve to be slapped, but that’s a whole other discussion for my other secondary blog, RPTV James Bond).

Articles:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/lord-rings-tv-show-release-120331416.html

https://screenrant.com/elijah-wood-lord-rings-amazon-show-title-comment/

[attheexactlyrighttimeandplace]

Oops, two "not as great as usual" episodes in a row to end this first season, it's really sad for me who was hoping so much that i could rate the whole season 10/10.

I know 6 ouf of 8 episodes that are worth a 10 is a high score, it's just that i wanted to love them all the same way. Also i don't like to write less passionate reviews for this show that became so clearly a favourite of mine.

It's a less enthusiastic review because in my view the plot and the characters broke once more the rules of continuity and consistency that have guided the series until episode 6.

To be clear, episode 8 has a logic, the one started in episode 6. The problem is the three episodes work well together, but not well with the rest of the series in my view. Based in this observation, the theory that started to take form in my mind since episode 6 is that the show has been rewritten in some parts.

By that, i mean, based on various clues (dialogues + interviews of the cast and producers) that the entirety of the series was written before they started filming. But after filming 2 episodes, the production had to stop because of the Covid. During this time, the showrunners looked at what had been filmed and made the terrible (in my view) decision to change completely some characters arcs, which had ripple effects on the rest of the show. They couldn't rewrite themselves all the episodes or ask the original writers to do it (it would have been too much work to redo), so they fixed here and there the most glaring inconsistencies their changes have created, until episode 6 where the eruption of Mt Doom, changed completely the balance of of the series. It opened a window seized by the showrunners to reconfigure the plotlines and the relationships, breaking some relations and replacing them forcibly by new ones.

And the conclusion for me after episode 8 is that the new characters development and the new plots (Halbrand as Sauron, Elendil's reduced arc, Arondir's absence of arc after episode 6) are nowhere as powerful and exciting that the initial plan, as i imagine it.

But conveniently, this dichotomy works well to build this review. Thus let's go for two parts:

a review of episode 8 cut in multiple parts because i have lot of feelings and thoughts to explore and with which to make peace,

a theory on what i think the final could have been if the series didn't changed its direction during episode 6, had stayed on the same path that was has been suggested since episode 1 (it's another post that will come soon.

On episode 8 (Part 1)

I feel that rating this episode as high as i rated the rest of the season until episode 6 wouldn't be fair, though it was overall solid and enjoyable, even brilliant in some parts, because its 3 sub-plots did not benefit of the same quality of writing, and the gap between them ranges from excellent to disappointing (in my opinion).

What created the general impression of an episode, despite all, compelling to watch is the attention given to the visuals.

The director Wayne Che Yip, the director of photography, the two editors, the special effects and the vfx coordinators did an outstanding job of filling every image with impressive amount of details, wonder and symbolism (the phantasmagoric/dreamlike presence of water in the scenes where Sauron tried to influence Galadriel's mind, the disturbing use of the pattern of the eye and its shape, and the endless eyes contacts to narrate Sauron's obsession for control, the spooky and yet strangely poetic destruction of the Mystics).

So much that they managed to compensate partially a script that was lacking tension, suffered of too many omissions specifically in the subplots taking place in Nùmenor (and its ships) and Eregion.

Gandalf Th Istar, the Harfoots and the Mystics

EDIT: i had to cross out a lot of parts of my review because after publishing this post i read an interview of the main writer of the episode Gennifer Hutchinson, in which she explained that the quote about following his nose doesn't mean that the wizard is Gandalf, that it's an old saying that many people use.

I presume it's a rights issue that stops the producers from including Gandalf, but i still think it's a very low trick. Hutchison knew that everyone would be expecting Gandalf with this line made famous by the films, when the show will return (2 years of wait!), but not only it's not him, she also still kept us in the dark about the wizard's identity after a complete season spent questioning his intentions, his name and his powers! She's taking us for fools and i really don't like it.

It's the best part of the episode without surprise: it's the only sub-plot that in my theory hasn't been at all affected by the changes made by the probable rewriting of the season. From episode 1 to episode 8, it was a model of intelligent writing: constant in quality and well balanced between the twists/mysteries and the characters development.

In other circumstances i would say that Daniel Weyman stole the show and ran away with it since basically the first episode, but it's not really what he did. It a was collective work, in which he made acting choices that could have totally been Ian McKellen's choices, followed his steps in a way that confirmed he was the perfect actor to play "young" Gandalf. Instead of outshining the Harfoots cast with his charisma, his ambiguity and subtle expressions of emotions, he shared the stage with them. Which lead them to become together the most fun, compelling and emotionally rewarding team of the show, a teamwork that goes hand to hand with the plot and its description of the superb victory of Gandalf The Istar and the Harfoots on the Mystics.

For once the script helped them a lot: it was a perfect balance between the intensity of the threat represented by the Mystics and the courageous defense of the Harfoots, between the small roles given to each Harfoot in the plan to rescue Gandalf The Istar and the final spectacular conclusion of the fight, when the magician took the matter in his own hands. I loved that it was the death threat hanging over his loyal friends that fully reactivated his powers. It's completely in line with his personality.

The CGI of the progressive destruction of The Mystics were so well done, so reminiscent of the aesthetic of the LOTR films! It was unique like the image of the giant moth exploding when the Dweller died, and at the same time a direct reference to the visuals of the most spectral villains of the films: from the Nazgûls to the Barrow Wights.

I'm amazed at the fact that the Harfoots literally sent away Nori because she kept dreaming of adventures and wanting to be special, bringing the attention of strangers that caused all sort of troubles for them, and yet it was the right way to start her adventures with Gandalf The Istar. It didn't diminish either my love for all the scenes of the Brandyfoot family, Poppy and all their community saying goodbye to Nori. I enjoyed them knowing than when she will return, most of them might be dead.

At least, it's logically what should happen : there's no reason for Nori's story to be more happy than anyone else in a world where evil has raised to dominate all forms of life. Gandalf's words full of promises on having an adventure are an evidence by themselves, it didn't end that good for Bilbo - who was just lucky that Gollum was caught and tortured in his place, and who still got infected by the evil of the One ring - and Frodo who dreamt all his life to follow his uncle's path but had no real choice in leaving his home and whose "adventure" turned into a nightmare of madness and death. They were saved only because of the gift granted by the Elves whom offered them a new life in Valinor.

But the series seems to follow the steps of the films while avoiding to repeat the same twists, so maybe she'll come back unscarred and thrilled by her time with Gandalf the Istar (actually it would also explain why he took Bilbo on a adventure with him, it worked well the first time for Nori and him, making him confident that Hobbits can survive everything). Or maybe she will come back scarred and everyone else especially Poppy and Marigold would have been right from the start (because this magician is really not Gandalf and might fail in his mission).

My regrets:

That The Mystics have been killed! They were such good villains that i would have kept them alive, send them to Sauron precisely at the end of the episode when he returned to Mordor, so that they swear allegiance to the new dark king. In the next season, i would have given them the opportunity to fight and defeat Adar and his children/orcs, in order to impose their master's domination on his new kingdom. With an extension of their powers and some additional development of their backstories, they could certainly have brought a lot of fun to season 2 before the arrival of the Nazgûls….

The death of Sadoc Burrows was an absurd, infuriating and disappointing twist. Not only they killed a poc character, but it was absolutely not necessary: why him more than Largo (not that i want to lose him, it's just an example) ? We don't know. it looked like an adult of the group had to go and so they picked him. His death wasn't logical or earned (unlike Ontamo's death) - he was stabbed but it could have been easily written to be a superficial wound - nor emotional: the way he just sit on a rock and watched the sun rising while pretending that dying wasn't so hard, was stupid (it's not like he was dying of old age, he was wounded in a violent fight!); and the others Harfoots were allowed one minute of tears and then moved on (reducing them at some quirky funny little pets not the full formed persons they are). Maybe the writers thought the characters should keep all the intense emotions for Nori's departure from her family and the group? I wish there was somewhere an interview of the actor to explain what happened….

This sub-plot had a lot of thrilling fighting scenes and heartbreaking separations, but didn't resolve the questions related to Gandalf the Istar. We still don't know why he lost his memory, or how the Valar who sent him, knew that evil was going to rise again, while Sauron himself was hiding his identity and had no plan to return immediately (Galadriel and Adar forced his hand). How the Mystics knew that an istar was coming as the same time as their master Sauron? Why did they think that he was made prisoner and by who? Only the location represented by the map has started to reveal itself. Let's hope season 2 does a better job at advancing this plot.

Part 2 on Nùmenor (ships and island) is next.

[multiprises]

Alloyed,, The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, 1.08

Wayne Che Yip (D), Gennifer Hutchinson, John D. Payne & Patrick McGray (S), 14/10/22

[yourgamecheats]

Following Viral Tweet, Breaking Bad Writer Says She’s Not Actively Pursuing Dishonored TV Show

Following Viral Tweet, Breaking Bad Writer Says She’s Not Actively Pursuing Dishonored TV Show

Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad writer Gennifer Hutchinson has said that while she loves the Dishonored video games, she’s not actively pursuing a television show based on the series.

“Let me write a Dishonored TV series, you cowards,” Hutchinson jokingly tweeted a couple of days ago. IGN picked up on the tweet, following which a number of publications claimed that Hutchinson was eyeing a Disho…