Lyon's Den

[greenygal]

*bouncing gleefully* Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's what I wanted, even if I didn't know it...


I showed up because, well, Rob Lowe. Anybody watching it for any other reason? Right, that's what I thought. And he's good, really, and while there's an undeniable resemblance to a Certain Other Guy (not much to be done about that when the concept is "idealistic lawyer in Washington") Jack Turner really is a different character, and hopefully that will get more pronounced as time goes on. (Points off, mind you, for the bit where he says he's "a lawyer, not a PR consultant." It doesn't even make sense in context, and believe me, Rob, you're better off not breaking the fourth wall specifically to remind us of West Wing, even if the message you want to get across is that this isn't that. Just show us, eh?) But the thing is, it isn't the Rob Lowe show. Oh, he's major, no question, and has been put in a position that will land him in the middle of everything, but there are all sorts of other players with their own dramas and subplots running around. I like that, I like that a lot.

And I should mention that I'd been immersing myself in treksoap posts right before I sat down to watch, and so I was in the most receptive mood you can imagine when--about the time the blonde's hidden agenda was revealed, I think--I started going "Jeez, it's a soap opera! Nobody told me!"

And oh boy, is it ever. Utterly, shamelessly so; we've got sex, we've got murder, we've got scandal, we've got a dysfunctional family, we've got Evil Scheming Bastards assisted by a Mocking Manipulative Bitch, we've got flirting and fistfights and alcoholism and dark plots. We've even got a pair of twins in this episode; I'm just waiting for someone's illegitimate child to show up. ;) And for a minute there I actually thought we were going to have a chase scene, which is admittedly less soap and more cop-show, but the way they handled it was both sensible and theatrical. And most importantly, we have all sorts of ongoing plots and subplots which don't look to be resolved any time soon, headlined by a murder investigation (said investigation being conducted by Robert Picardo, just in case I should need anything else to add to my enjoyment).

This is the sort of thing that ought to be classed as a guilty pleasure, except I feel no guilt at all. I just wanna plunk myself down in front of the next episode and watch all the schemes simmer and the subplots careen on their merry carwreck way and Rob get in deeper and deeper...

(Okay, yes, I'm aware that there were some rather more serious things buried in there. A good soap will have that, too, and I thought they were dealt with reasonably well--although a bit more of an explanation why the pardon made any difference, then, would have been nice--and I hope we can get followup.)

Comments

Ahh, bubbles...

[smittywing.livejournal.com]

I too loved Lyon's Den but not quite so articulately as you, of course. :) My reactions were basically. Wow! Everyone*'s scummy! You gotta love a show were everyone*'s scummy!

(*--Everyone who isn't Rob Lowe or Rob Lowe's best friend, that is.)

Also, I immediately wanted to slash Rob Lowe and his not-that-attractive-but-possessing-character best friend. Why? Who knows. But I caught it immediately and it was only compounded by the fight.

Also, Memo to Rob Lowe--cut your hair and shave already. That might go on street law but even in Delaware our lawyers don't come to court looking like they just rolled out of bed.

Re: Ahh, bubbles...

[greenygal.livejournal.com]

Well, they weren't all scummy. Outside characters excluded (although the cop is probably going to be recurring, unless the murder plot gets cleared up faster than I think it will) the wannabe musician is obviously a trusting little lamb ripe for shearing. (All right, he could be secretly evil, it's that kind of show, I discount nothing. But probably.) Rob's secretary, or whatever her job title is--the woman who was snarky about ethnic names--is probably clean, although I don't know how much we'll see of her. More importantly, the paralegal who wanted to date the blonde (names? What names? I was lucky to get as far as Jack and his buddy) looks to be not only virtuous but awfully cute with it. ;) Him I wanna see more of.

Also, I immediately wanted to slash Rob Lowe and his not-that-attractive-but-possessing-character best friend.

I didn't really get slash vibes, but on the off chance you want to write it, I'm there... *grins* Actually, what surprised me was that there didn't seem to be any subtext between Jack and the blonde, either. Given their place in the credits and what she's been assigned to do, you would kind of expect it. It may just be coming at a later date, though.

Also, Memo to Rob Lowe--cut your hair and shave already. That might go on street law but even in Delaware our lawyers don't come to court looking like they just rolled out of bed.

There are places where I would prefer realism, or at least some vague concessions to realism, and places where realism can go whistle. Three guesses in which category I place Rob Lowe looking as though he's just rolled out of bed? ;)

Re: Ahh, bubbles...

[smittywing.livejournal.com]

The blonde's name was Arial something and she also played Kerry's (first) girlfriend in ER. There was a lack of subtext between her and Rob Lowe, which was sad considering there was meant to be actual text between them--the scene in the car when she's asking if he's still dating Jennifer kind of implied that they had been together once, but it also fell completely flat in the sexual tension department.

I didn't really get slash vibes, but on the off chance you want to write it, I'm there... *grins*

Oddly, I really didn't get slash "vibes" per se off them because there wasn't really any subtext there, either (not like say, Smallville) but I think I was trying to recreate Josh and Sam.

Speaking of Josh and Sam, I didn't catch the PR Agent thing as breaking the fourth wall. I just figured it was a failed line because I was like, what, PR Agent? Um, ok. :P

Three guesses in which category I place Rob Lowe looking as though he's just rolled out of bed? ;)

LOL! Fair enough. :) I like him clean cut and smooth...but that's me.

Re: Ahh, bubbles...

[greenygal.livejournal.com]

The blonde's name was Arial something

*checks, raises eyebrow* Ariel Saxon? Who on earth is named Ariel Saxon? Well, okay, aside from soap opera characters. :)

I didn't get a sense that she and Jack had been dating, but it may just have been that that's what they meant to imply and it didn't come off. I'll be impressed with their originality if they don't go there, but then again this isn't a show I'm figuring to make much of a virtue out of originality. :)

but I think I was trying to recreate Josh and Sam.

Ah, well, that I can see. :) But I think it's early days yet to start slashing Jack with anyone. (Not to say no one will do it. Just that nothing particularly leaped out at me here.) At present, well, I require somewhat stronger sexual tension than I was seeing to slash someone who's married.

Speaking of Josh and Sam, I didn't catch the PR Agent thing as breaking the fourth wall. I just figured it was a failed line because I was like, what, PR Agent? Um, ok. :P

For me it was pretty much Rob Lowe holding up a neon sign saying "I am not Sam Seaborn. I don't even want to be Sam Seaborn. Forget Sam Seaborn." You can imagine that perhaps this threw me out of the scene slightly. :)

However, I didn't see anything like that later, when we actually got around to bringing a senator and the president into the story, so maybe they've got it out of their system now.

I like him clean cut and smooth...but that's me.

He can shave, I don't mind that, but I find most guys sexier with longer hair, and he's definitely one of them. ;)