From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V9 #46 Reply-To: chakram-refugees@smoe.org Sender: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk chakram-refugees-digest Tuesday, June 15 2010 Volume 09 : Number 046 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [chakram-refugees] Send in the clones [cr ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:25:13 +1300 From: cr Subject: [chakram-refugees] Send in the clones Send in the Clones is the season 'clip' show, and one of three episodes in this season that are 'out of time' - You Are There (in which Nigel and his whole studio are out of their own time); Clones; and Soul Possession. And one could make a case for Fates, too, though that's more an alternate reality than a different era. Ever since Season 2 of Xena (and Season 3 of Herc) the Renpics clip shows have been good and original, totally unlike the dire 'we're-too-cheap-to-write-a-decent-story' round-the-table talkfests that pass for clip shows on most series. Clones is no exception, with extended appearances by Alti, Xena and Gabrielle, plus an acutely observed group of 'fans' which proves that Renpics did listen to what the fans were saying. They just didn't take much notice of it, which is probably just as well. I find their caricatures of 'typical fans' disconcertingly accurate much of the time, and IMO some fans have just been begging for it. (And you only have to watch Yes Virginia to see that TPTB are more than capable of taking the piss out of themselves, too.) I must say that the appalling Falafel, who I could never stand, comic character or not, is actually very good as a cheap crook. I thought Alex (Alti) was going to zap him on general principles, after all there's no better way to cover your tracks than with scorched bits of anyone who could have put the finger on you, but she doesn't. She seems to have scored herself a nice car, though, I think that's a Camaro isn't it? The first flashback, from Them Bones, is actually part of the backstory of this episode, and it then segues into the fans viewing it. Smooth, very smooth, Renpics! Written by Paul Coyle, I see, who knows a thing or two about being savagely satirised, as anyone who saw Michael Hurst's portrayal of him in Yes Virginia will know. There's a good in-joke with Polly, the Xena fan and enthusiast for Xena's fighting skills, being played by Polly Baigent, one of Lucy's doubles; very probably some of Polly's selection of clips include work by Polly herself. Nice. There's a couple of anomalies; Alex's selection of 'Evil Xena' includes the evil Empress from Armageddon Now, a Herc ep - which is okay - but that was an alternate timeline which ceased to exist / never had existed when Iolaus hit the Reset button at the end of the ep. So it would mean nothing to the Xena clone. And Lea the Gabfan says "A campfire scene with Gabby - like the one in Series 2 ep 11 just before the second ad break". Mac says "Duh. The campfire scene in that episode was in the teaser". Well, 2/11 was Miss Amphipolis, and so far as I recall, there was no campfire scene in that ep. They're both wrong! Then Lea says "Besides the classic was series 4 episode 7 when she does that poignant little insight into her character as she's taking her boots off as she sits by the campfire" - That was Locked Up and Tied Down, only moment with gabs was right at the start, and I'm not sure there was a campfire involved at all (though Gabs was massaging Xena's shoulders). Umm, bothering to look that up - what does that say about this fan? 8-)) Mac (to Xena): "So what do you guys think of the show?" Xena: "I like the one who plays me. She's kinda sexy". Score one for Lucy :) Gabs, on the other hand, complains about the writing and they're taking liberties with her scrolls. Nice touch of continuity (though I don't know if it was deliberate): The female Los Angeles cop who arrests Gabby is the very same one who tries to arrest Hel and Sarge when they go back in time to present-day LA, in Cleopatra 2525. (She was also Miss Parnassus in Miss Amphipolis and, coincidentally, played a Xenafan in Soul Possession). Interesting but subtle the way Alex morphs into Alti. The fans are rather fickle though, after the clones apparently get blown up, they lose interest quite quickly. In that respect they're not typical of all fans, a lot of fans were like that, but we aren't, are we? And a last bit of hair-splitting - Mac says "I've still got some of Dr Spock's toenails at home, from when I was a Trekkie". Well, I can't stand Star Trek, but even I know it was *Mr* Spock. But I did like the ending as the clones ride off in a taxi. Presumably they're still around somewhere. cr ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V9 #46 *************************************