Profit on DVD

[dlgood]

Have finally got my copy and started watching.

After viewing the four episodes that aired in 1996, I have determined that this show is exactly as awesome as I remembered it being. After finishing, I'll try to actually write some reviews or something.

Once again, I really can't believe this show ever made it to air. It's just so outside the bounds of anything I ever remember watching, certainly up to that point in time. I will have to note, however, how fandom has really changed the way I watch TV shows.

Among other things, Lisa Zane as Joanne Meltzer. A great performance, and a really neat character. Zane's acting highlights for me, how underwhelming Elizabeth Rohm was as Kate Lockley. I liked the Kate character, and I didn't really mind Rohm at the time - but Lisa Zane does so much better a job with a character that is really similar in a lot of ways.

Man, it really is hard not to root for Jim Profit, because really, this show is so awesome.

Comments

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Oh, there are definitely flaws with the show, and places where I have issues. Gail, who worked for a wonderful guy like Jack Walters taking such a shine to a (albeit personable) scumbag like Jim Profit is just one of them. There are some places where I think the plotting and writing is a bit uneven.... But, it's just so awesome that I can't seem to be disappointed.

I ended up watching "Forgiveness" during the second half of the Redskins-Cowboys game last night, so now all I have left to watch are the extras and commentaries. (Outside of the pilot, which I've gotten to.)

There are some very interesting things they did with the characters. Except for Chas, who gets less interesting and more fatuous as the series progresses.

[glumpish.livejournal.com]

They kind of explain Gail a bit in one of the commentaries (probably "Healing," in fact -- that might be where Pasdar says she's his Moneypenny) and I'm okay with the concept, but she plays the character as a bit too frightened for that to work. I can see the problem, where it's funny to have her so frightened, but it does make her behavior confusing.

Oh, and yeah, I didn't mean it was without flaw, but no more than any other very good drama. And given how crazy it is, it's impressive that the writing is as tight as it is.

>Except for Chas, who gets less interesting and more fatuous as the series progresses.
Huh. Y'know, I hadn't thought of that, but it's true. Although it makes a certain amount of sense; everyone starts out screwed up & miserable and then their issues get resolved, one way or another, via Profit. Whereas Chas was probably perfectly comfortable with his situation at the start, so there's not much fun in either building him up or tearing him down. (But when you get to the commentaries, they talk about what would have happened if the show had gone on, and it's... intriguing.)

You should do reviews. Or I should set up forums on my site. Or maybe both. That might make a good project for next weekend, and it'd be nice if we can lure other people to watch because I could talk about the show for hours. Hm. I must ponder that.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

I'm down to just having to watch the Disc 2 commentaries. I'll post some scattered thoughts on the characters this week.

The transformation with Gail is... I suppose she's seduced because Profit really gives her stuff to do, whereas she was always just a nobody secretary. He gives her actual latitude and she gets the chance to feel important because she's doing work that's really important to him. And I guess it overrides her moral qualms and it overrides her fear. Really, it's the triumph of human spirit stuff... except that she's abetting white slavery and murder. (Though, granted, of scumbags by scumbags...)

And also - were you totally taken by (1) how tiny Keith Szarabajka is, and (2) secretly thrilled since the commentary finally taught us how to pronounce his name?

[glumpish.livejournal.com]

Heh. From what they say, I think it's not so much a seduction as that she's just... always frightened of him but also aware that she can benefit from his influence. So she's trying to ride his wake, kind of. Which makes sense conceptually, but her portrayal doesn't really mesh with that because she seems to genuinely like him too much for it to be a purely strategic decision. I think they just fell in love with her playing it as pure comedy, which I can understand.

Oh god, that bit where he messes his collar just so she can straighten it maternally... hee.

Well, we knew Szarabajka wasn't overly tall. Or I did, because the dialogue from "Angel" is BURNED INTO MY BRAIN. Ahem. I *think* I knew how to pronounce his name before. Or I was pretty close. I may have been pronouncing the J, actually. And (I'm now on random) I loved the bit in the pilot commentary where Pasdar said he thought KS was making fun of him at first, with the low scary voice. I'm very sad that he doesn't turn up in the extras at all. Sniff.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

Which makes sense conceptually, but her portrayal doesn't really mesh with that because she seems to genuinely like him too much for it to be a purely strategic decision. I think they just fell in love with her playing it as pure comedy, which I can understand.

This does seem definitely to me be a case of that. Probably, could have benefitted from a little more portrayal of Gail having conflicts... something that pushed or pulled her a little outside of just her direct scenes with Jim. It's funny how Profit seems to be the only character aware of how important secretaries can actually be... and how that really helps him with Gail.

Maybe we could have gotten some future episode with a subplot of Gail and Sykes' (heretofore invisible) assistant or something.