by Mandy Patinkin recently said he left the show Criminal Minds because he had no idea when he signed up that they’d “kill and rape all these women every night, every day, week after week, year after year.” It’s become so, so much worse. The degree to which they focus and linger on ever-sicker, more sadistic ways of torturing and killing human beings has become so insanely over-the-top I have to really have to wonder about the writers and myself for continuing to watch.
The show always made me uncomfortable, but I love the characters, particularly Spencer and Penelope, and so I squirmed through the always gruesome beginnings and kept watching. But after episodes like the one involving amputating legs, and in particular this last one where the killer dislocated every limb in the victim’s bodies I can’t keep watching. For the love of god. I wish there was more of an outcry so the show would tone it down and I could keep watching. As it is, it makes me feel bad.
On a much more positive note, here is a new piece by the amazing Britlin Losee: Ave Maria. Update: I changed the link. The next night another group sang the same piece and the recording is much better. This is not a comment on the singing, it’s just that the recording is superior. You can hear all the subtleties and nuances missed in the previous recording. Thank you Britlin, for adding something graceful and lovely to the world.
Along the same lines, Eldad Hager rescues another near-death, incredibly sweet dog. Just try and watch without sobbing. I hope someone adopts him soon.
As per Lisa G.’s suggestion, I tried shooting using the “fireworks” setting on my G9, while moving the camera. Psychedelic diner!
I seem to be both Lisa G. And Lisa Gould on your blog..no idea why. Anyway, good to see that you tried the fireworks mode. Isn’t it fun? And if you actually use it for fireworks the effects are astounding…I do love your diner photo. Re: criminal minds…it does seem to be getting more and more gruesome and the last one with the dislocated joints was just horrible. I have a feeling that the writers won’t tone it down though, but it seems to have become like a weekly version of “Saw” or some other horrific shock film. Too bad, as I agree that Spencer and Penelope are fascinating and lovely characters, and I do wish that the writers would focus a bit more on character development and story lines around the main cast, but I doubt that will happen. I am very curious about Spencer’s “girlfriend” story line. Hope they develop that one.
I like Law & Order SVU. It focuses on the unit investigating rape, etc but there’s no gory material. I haven’t seen Criminal Minds, but don’t know if I could watch the gore.
The video you linked to about that pit bull, wow. I posted it on my Facebook; I have a lot of friends with dogs.
You lasted longer than I did. I had to quit watching Criminal Minds several years ago. I started watching it because a friend of mine told me it wasn’t gory, that it was more cerebral and about the characters. I liked it a lot at first, then they changed. I guess cerebral, character-driven drama is not what the people want (or what the producers think the people want).
Once upon a time…the viewer did not see the victim-either in situ or worse yet-on the slab.
This was left to our individual imagination.
These days-what is left to our imaginations ??
I suppose the producers figure that all of us have been de-sensitized to the violence all too present in the ‘real’ world.
A friend of mine told me to watch this show a couple of years ago saying how much I would like it. The particular episode I caught was about a home invasion where they killed the family. I can handle blood and guts(Bones, CSI etc) but that was just too horrific and sad to me so it was the first and last show I ever watched!
It’s gotten to the point where it’s fair to call it pornographic.