Sports Night 1x21, Ten Wickets

[raven]

Let's preface this with, hey, I love Sports Night, I love it like pie, I love how it's funny, thoughtful, gentle and kind. But, okay, on the whole I could have done without this episode. And even then, only most of it. I mean, I like Dana and Natalie, Natalie and Jeremy, I like the subtly-done mass concern for Isaac. Could do without Casey being such a monumental arsehole. Like, seriously - the theme of this episode and the previous few is how he's pissed off with Dana? Because she made a decision she had every right to make, that had nothing to do with him? I don't know... I got the feeling from the narrative that you're not supposed to agree with Dana when she says, "I want so much to rip his face off right now" - but I'm seein' it.

No, but. The thing I could have totally, totally lived without is this episode being themed around one bowler getting ten wickets in a single inning in a match in New Delhi. This happens, hence the name of the episode. The joke is that no one knows that that means. Hur hur. No one can even remember where New Delhi is. Hur hur hur. Sourav Ganguly has a funny name, lol. Who even plays cricket, anyway. WILL THE LULZ EVER STOP.

...yeah.

Bah. Back to work.

Comments

[minttown1.livejournal.com]

I don't know how we're supposed to see that episode, but I thought Casey was an ass, too.

Two nations, separated by a common language

[vikingwriter.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is one of those things that don't translate over cultural boundaries. (Well, okay, the name jokes are always stupid.) We (Americans) don't get cricket. Americans who live in Britain, in other former colonies, those who fall in love and marry subjects of the British Empire, those who are obsessed with all things British, none of them gets cricket. Maybe it's because our attention spans are too short, or we're not big on sports that require an all-white uniform, or maybe we don't like our sports to have too much strategy. It could be anything. We just don't get it.

So you just have to substitute some remark about how we call it football but use our hands. Or how hockey players think they're all macho, but they wear their weight in padding and then scoff at rugby players (this works for football too). Or how baseball is possibly the most anti-climatic sport ever invented, not to mention impossible to fully explain to someone who didn't grow up watching it.

Re: Two nations, separated by a common language

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Well, sure, okay, cricket is quite mystifying. But it's problematic to frame it as "ha, those wacky brown people", which is the only way I could take it, pretty much. The episode never says ha, those wacky Brits, which might actually be funny; it's definitely something Indians do.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I'm glad! I thought I was seeing things; fandom seems to adore him. Or maybe he redeems himself magnificently later? I am only at the end of season one.

[minttown1.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I don't remember much change between season-one and season-two Casey, other than feeling sorry for him at points in season two. At no point in the series do I really like Casey, and I've seen the series more than once. The first time through, I didn't like Dana much either, but this last time, I ended up loving Dana, so I now dislike Casey even more.

Re: Two nations, separated by a common language

[vikingwriter.livejournal.com]

Point taken. It's been quite a while since I've gotten to watch any SN, so details are fuzzy. (But I'm usually OCD about that kind of stuff, and had a much more diverse group of friends at the time, so it's odd I don't remember that aspect.)

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

fandom seems to adore him

Really? My impression has always been that fandom adores Dan, and Casey just comes along for the OTP ride, you know? I don't know that many people who love Casey on his own.

(This is kind of why, although there are moments when I definitely see the Casey/Dan subtext, I have trouble really shipping them.)

Anyway, I agree, I think Casey frequently comes off as a dick, and sometimes the narrative acknowledges it and sometimes, problematically, it doesn't. I do feel like "Ten Wickets" is one where it arguably doesn't, mainly because he gets to give Dana such an Impassioned Scold in the rundown room (right? this is the episode I'm thinking of, yeah?) And then Dana's "rip his face off" line to Natalie afterward feels a little... ha ha ha, funny violent line for the ruffled woman.

On the bright side, I think there are some things in S2 that you will really, really like. (Have you seen any of S2?) I mean, just judging from the fact that we share certain narrative kinks and those kinks are indulged TO ABUNDANCE in S2. :)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I think you may be right about that; I mean, I totally get the Dan love, and also the love that is very deep and pure. But yeah... I'm not sold.

That's the one, yes! It really wound me up, because, oh hey, this is the show that calls people on stuff - not the same, but I love how Isaac calls Dan on how he uses Rosa Parks as a rhetorical tool earlier in the season, and I was waiting for an analagous pay-off, and... nothing.

Well, let's see, it's nearly one in the morning, I have done NO WORK yet, I strongly suspect I will hit S2 before bed, yes. :) I am not going to ask about said narrative kinks and merely feel happy about a) omg, my narrative kinks! and b) you know me so well. :P

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. I am a Dan girl from beginning to end, quite unsurprisingly, and because of that I want to like Casey more than I do... but I don't really, most of the time.

I love how Isaac calls Dan on how he uses Rosa Parks as a rhetorical tool earlier in the season

YES. YES THIS OMG. That is such a lovely moment, particularly because it does such a good job of showing how smart, sympathetic, well-meaning people who have been making valid and convincing arguments still fall prey to that kind of rhetorical appropriation.

Also, OH IONA. I am thrilled to hear that it sounds like YOU TRULY DON'T KNOW WHAT KINKS GET HIT IN S2. I was totally spoiled for them my first time, so I will enjoy experiencing them through you. *g*

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Casey is quite frequently a dick. I mean, I like him and all, but I like Dan, Dana, Jeremy, Natalie, Isaac, and possibly Kim more.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Huh. I always thought it was pretty clear that Casey was a dick and meant come across as such (I have moments where I like him, but overall, I want to smack him lots). I always thought we were supposed to agree with Dana on the "he needs to have his face ripped off" sentiment.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

I am now desperately trying to remember what happens in S2! How frustrating. *sighs* I shall just have to force myself to rewatch - ooh the hardship...

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Oooh, the pain that will cause you. :P

(If I know gamesiplay, I can make a guess. But I think I shall wait to be surprised. :P)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Sing it. :) Kim is awesome, incidentally, and needs a last name, yes.

(Also, how did I not know you wrote SN fic? I will be checking that out forthwith...)

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Well, I am glad other people agree with me! I am not convinced that the narrative isn't trying to make you love Casey - for one thing, if there is such a thing as a viewpoint character it's Dan, and he loves Casey - but it is good not to be alone in the opinion!

Re: Two nations, separated by a common language

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

Yeah srsly, there is enough to mock shamelessly about cricket without descending into Lol Brown People.

(have I told you about my days of yore as a cricket mascot? :p)

Re: Two nations, separated by a common language

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

You have not! Plz to be elaborating...

Re: Two nations, separated by a common language

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

So when I was between about five and eight, before my dad's back pain precluded it, he played with a local cricket team most weekends. They had a big old-fashioned scoreboard which required someone to flip the wooden numbers over, several metres up. Their method of doing this was to acquire a couple of haystacks and grab a nearby compliant child to sit on top of them turning the numbers. I decided that this was the Best Thing Ever for a while and kind of hope there is photographic evidence somewhere.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

I haven't written much. I actually kind of ship Dan/Dana. Or Dan/Casey/Dana. Or Natalie/Jeremy/Dan. Possibly as long as Danny is happy, I am happy. For he is Dan, Doer of Wonderful Deeds!