Criminal Minds Epi 1 & 2
Jul. 30th, 2017 11:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spsnAfter a drama yesterday (why there's always a drama whenever I went travelling, but moral of the story is NO MORE SCOOT for me), I'm finally back at home with backache, neck pain, 3 weeks worth of laundry, n tons of goodies (the only consolation I got from yesterday's drama), but that didn't stop me to watch Criminal Minds. Who am I kidding, I just watched each episode the moment it got subbed anyway (thankfully, the urge is not as bad as that harem drama, probably because it being a police drama). So, being labelled as a remake, how does it fare? I read tons of ranting from international fans (it's too obvious that I don't even bother reading anymore), and I haven't read anything being said of opinion from people in Korea itself (which I'm more interested to read, but not the hater comments off course). But having watched the first 2 episodes, I have a few things to say as well.
Being cool looks so natural when you're good looking eh?
First thing first, what is the expectation of a remake? I think there's always this mismatch of what fans expecting to see versus what the production team wanting to deliver when it comes to a remake. We're not talking about the different country version yet because this aspect just complicate this whole remake altogether (as I already said with regards to remakes in my old postings). I always have this perception that a remake will never ever supersede its original. Never. So, don't even bother trying to compare, especially if we're talking about what we deem as the classic, and yes, Criminal Minds is one of the classic series to me, along with CSI series and Profiler (I actually like this one better than Criminal Minds, ha!). Just a random thought, can you imagine a Buffy the Vampire Slayer remake? Yeah, that figures. If we want to criticize, I think we should see whether the production team is the lazy one or the trying its best one because this will make a difference whether a remake become a decent, watchable or even a stand alone OR the one deserves smacking from left right center.
I think based on the first 2 episodes, Criminal Minds fall under the latter category. It's pretty good for a stand alone independent drama, especially for non fans or people who never watch Criminal Minds, it comes off as a good start for a police drama, K-drama standard. Why?
First, format. We all know US drama comes with the format of continuity until writers run out of ideas or rating dropped so bad that they have to cancel the show. On the other hand, K-drama, just like J-drama, has to end after 10/16/20 episodes, and in this case, probably 16 episodes if not 20 episodes (I'm banking on the 20 episodes). With this, we should expect that they'll change a lot of things to fit into K-drama format, and this includes the introduction-build up relationship/plot-climax-ending order which needs to be followed, while US version will just keep on 1 case per episode if the case is too complex, it'll extend to perhaps another 2-4 more episodes and restart with the new case. You can't do that in K-drama, and even for J-drama who normally has 1 case per episode, it will always have a back story build up and that back story will become the main big story in the last 2 episodes. With such format, consequently, the phasing of the drama changes as well, and knowing K-drama, it'll have a slower phase with more development over the characters or most of the time unnecessary filler as well, and less focus on the case. So if you watch the drama for the case, like in the US version, 100% you won't find it satisfying for the lack of precise logical analysis that you adore because K-drama never focus on this in the first place, as like so many police K-drama beforehand, and nope, I don't think it'll change in the coming episodes too, though I maybe wrong, but... nah... K-drama will always be K-drama.
To give you example based on these 2 episodes, the first 2 episodes is practically served as an introduction, off course we have to have a case for the team to work on, however, Hyun Jun is not part of the team yet, he's practically working on his own, with Sun Woo somehow showed up along his path because obviously she has the same thought process as him. Hyun Jun in the first episode blatantly showing his lack of believe in profiling, obviously based on bombing case resulted on his friend's death, and he also feels that the profiling team only cares about the timelines but so much less on the victims, again, referring to his experience. However, along the way, by working with Sun Woo, he saw how the team works and slowly changed his perception (hail to LJG's acting with his micro expressions, oh the bias of me *smirk*) and 2nd episode ends with him joining the profiling team. So, you can imagine that the phasing is SLOW compared to the US version, and the focus is not predominantly on the case, you can see this from one of the scenes where Sun Woo just suddenly shoving the picture of the suspect when Hyun Jun is questioning the food cart aunty on the victim. Where and how on earth the team come about to conclude that that's the suspect that they supposed to look at, nobody knows, ha! But does this disrupting the whole drama flow? No, but this'll definitely annoy the hell out of the US version fans LOL!
You can't expect K-drama will faithfully follow US version to the T because, look at the general audience of K-drama. Only a fraction of the audience will belong to the Criminal Minds US version fans basket (yeah, unfortunately you're not majority, so, too bad), and the majority is still those aunties and uncles who definitely don't give a shit on the perfect analysis or how smart Reid analyzing the cases, and just want to know whether the team get the bad guy or not. Again, knowing the audience and the standard of K-drama, they'll focus on the emotions, already proven with Episode 1. Hyun Jun is ridden with guilt of his friend dying on duty that he's practically helping out at his friend's mom eatery between duty (not lying that he looks good with that tiny apron, ha!) plus looking after the late friend's sister as well. The team leader Kang is the same as well, him being unable to convince the police head's decision during the introduction bombing case added up to his guilt basket. Also, the police head who did make the wrong decision felt the guilt and only admitted his wrong judgement to Hyun Jun 1 year later due to his pride (I feel the show reflects the cultural part strongly here, hence you'll see it become so different from the US version). Even Sun Woo shows guilt for not being able to save ALL victims, that team leader Kang comforted her saying that we can't save all, but think about the ones that we did manage to save. In a way it kinds of contradict the whole notion of this profiling team whereby they have to be objective with the case, which I think the US version deliver this with the team kinds of detach themselves from the victims, and have the cases as the main focus of the whole drama.
Then the one that annoy the US version fans the most, Reid & Penelope characters. Well, Criminal Minds stand out from the sea of US police drama practically because of these 2 quirky characters. Reid is your typical genius geek with no care of appearance (obviously), and Penelope with the quirky bold make up and accessories but definitely savvy and cool with her computer stuffs. How K-drama translate these 2 characters? Yes, by using good looking people just like any other of K-drama series. There's no less than good looking people in the main casts, ever, in K-drama. Don't hope to see plus size people in K-drama, unless it's for comedy or lesser side characters. Hell, they use LJK, which practically still the epitome of pretty boy (he's not that young anymore, but hell, he's still damn pretty) for the Hyun Jun, so what do you expect? There's no way in hell that a detective will look like that. So, that explains the looks department, how about these 2 characters fare in the drama? To give the drama a credit, they did try to portray the Reid and Penelope's quirkiness too, however, because this is K-drama whereby all the cultural aspects are still there, they cannot copy to the T (and they shouldn't!), and certainly it come out as hella awkward, really. I just wish they take out this point all together and just gives us Reid and Penelope that makes sense in the K-drama realm. They should use an aunty for Penelope, wait, but that's been done before in Healer haha. As for Reid, he should have more lines (with punch, mind you, not just blab aka writers must think harder) to emphasize his geekiness, and get a better actor because it's obvious that the acting level is not there yet, especially compared to the veterans (well, I do hope that either the acting or the writing improve for Reid, else, the weirdness and awkwardness will stick until end of the series, yikes!). Ah, 1 more scene that definitely will make US version fans cringe to the core is when Lee Han (K-version of Reid) trying to solve the bad dude's password, I felt they should make him SMARTER than that, come on, he's supposed to be a genius, but this scene just makes him look like a joker instead LOL.
Other than Reid & Penelope, I have no complains on the rest, and I expect that they'll throw in the standard police K-drama standard trope eg. the female don't get to do shit so she tries to prove her worth but only to screw things up then the male saved the day (God, I hope they don't do this in this drama, cross fingers), the cover up because the up people up there don't like to show the weaknesses to the public. Yeah, those kinds that you probably find in J-drama too. Being K-drama, and since they play up on the emotion, off course they'll use the people close to the main casts as victims or potential victims, yeah, just to be more gripping, and angsty. Hyun Jun already got his share in these first 2 episodes, plus he got the back story case which involves Sun Woo as well (the mystery waiting to be revealed) *In the US version, they will put Hyun Jun on vacation to avoid taking the case at personal level hence lessen the objectivity but off course not in K-drama*, next episode involves Min Young, the media person of the team. And we have quite a number of people in the team to go around it, so, we'll see if the pattern continues, ha!
Some pretties... not much pretties anyway, but still... I'm waiting for more kicking ass scenes...
The angst, I like LJK portraying any angsty look... the sorrow and the emptiness... my heart... *cry at the corner*
Part of the drama that I like is the banter of Hyun Jun vs Sun Woo. In the first episode, Sun Woo practically doesn't see Hyun Jun eye to eye, aka ignore him.
and the ignore Hyun Jun has the rolling eyes being offended face on top of Sun Woo's cool and serious face.
The resting bitch face, male & female version. This is what happen when they profiling each other and apparently both side hit bulls eye, ha!
Somebody should tell any production team to loose the term 'remake' and just use 'adaptation' instead. It solves all the problems. No over expectation, and it leaves tons of leeway for the team to change things up. It doesn't cause people to think less because it's ambiguous and it triggers curiosity, not condemnation from the get go. Why people keep on insisting on the term remake anyway? We all know that just going to cause lots of shit stirring, hmphh...
Hyun Jun smirking at the word 'remake'...
Being cool looks so natural when you're good looking eh?
First thing first, what is the expectation of a remake? I think there's always this mismatch of what fans expecting to see versus what the production team wanting to deliver when it comes to a remake. We're not talking about the different country version yet because this aspect just complicate this whole remake altogether (as I already said with regards to remakes in my old postings). I always have this perception that a remake will never ever supersede its original. Never. So, don't even bother trying to compare, especially if we're talking about what we deem as the classic, and yes, Criminal Minds is one of the classic series to me, along with CSI series and Profiler (I actually like this one better than Criminal Minds, ha!). Just a random thought, can you imagine a Buffy the Vampire Slayer remake? Yeah, that figures. If we want to criticize, I think we should see whether the production team is the lazy one or the trying its best one because this will make a difference whether a remake become a decent, watchable or even a stand alone OR the one deserves smacking from left right center.
I think based on the first 2 episodes, Criminal Minds fall under the latter category. It's pretty good for a stand alone independent drama, especially for non fans or people who never watch Criminal Minds, it comes off as a good start for a police drama, K-drama standard. Why?
First, format. We all know US drama comes with the format of continuity until writers run out of ideas or rating dropped so bad that they have to cancel the show. On the other hand, K-drama, just like J-drama, has to end after 10/16/20 episodes, and in this case, probably 16 episodes if not 20 episodes (I'm banking on the 20 episodes). With this, we should expect that they'll change a lot of things to fit into K-drama format, and this includes the introduction-build up relationship/plot-climax-ending order which needs to be followed, while US version will just keep on 1 case per episode if the case is too complex, it'll extend to perhaps another 2-4 more episodes and restart with the new case. You can't do that in K-drama, and even for J-drama who normally has 1 case per episode, it will always have a back story build up and that back story will become the main big story in the last 2 episodes. With such format, consequently, the phasing of the drama changes as well, and knowing K-drama, it'll have a slower phase with more development over the characters or most of the time unnecessary filler as well, and less focus on the case. So if you watch the drama for the case, like in the US version, 100% you won't find it satisfying for the lack of precise logical analysis that you adore because K-drama never focus on this in the first place, as like so many police K-drama beforehand, and nope, I don't think it'll change in the coming episodes too, though I maybe wrong, but... nah... K-drama will always be K-drama.
To give you example based on these 2 episodes, the first 2 episodes is practically served as an introduction, off course we have to have a case for the team to work on, however, Hyun Jun is not part of the team yet, he's practically working on his own, with Sun Woo somehow showed up along his path because obviously she has the same thought process as him. Hyun Jun in the first episode blatantly showing his lack of believe in profiling, obviously based on bombing case resulted on his friend's death, and he also feels that the profiling team only cares about the timelines but so much less on the victims, again, referring to his experience. However, along the way, by working with Sun Woo, he saw how the team works and slowly changed his perception (hail to LJG's acting with his micro expressions, oh the bias of me *smirk*) and 2nd episode ends with him joining the profiling team. So, you can imagine that the phasing is SLOW compared to the US version, and the focus is not predominantly on the case, you can see this from one of the scenes where Sun Woo just suddenly shoving the picture of the suspect when Hyun Jun is questioning the food cart aunty on the victim. Where and how on earth the team come about to conclude that that's the suspect that they supposed to look at, nobody knows, ha! But does this disrupting the whole drama flow? No, but this'll definitely annoy the hell out of the US version fans LOL!
You can't expect K-drama will faithfully follow US version to the T because, look at the general audience of K-drama. Only a fraction of the audience will belong to the Criminal Minds US version fans basket (yeah, unfortunately you're not majority, so, too bad), and the majority is still those aunties and uncles who definitely don't give a shit on the perfect analysis or how smart Reid analyzing the cases, and just want to know whether the team get the bad guy or not. Again, knowing the audience and the standard of K-drama, they'll focus on the emotions, already proven with Episode 1. Hyun Jun is ridden with guilt of his friend dying on duty that he's practically helping out at his friend's mom eatery between duty (not lying that he looks good with that tiny apron, ha!) plus looking after the late friend's sister as well. The team leader Kang is the same as well, him being unable to convince the police head's decision during the introduction bombing case added up to his guilt basket. Also, the police head who did make the wrong decision felt the guilt and only admitted his wrong judgement to Hyun Jun 1 year later due to his pride (I feel the show reflects the cultural part strongly here, hence you'll see it become so different from the US version). Even Sun Woo shows guilt for not being able to save ALL victims, that team leader Kang comforted her saying that we can't save all, but think about the ones that we did manage to save. In a way it kinds of contradict the whole notion of this profiling team whereby they have to be objective with the case, which I think the US version deliver this with the team kinds of detach themselves from the victims, and have the cases as the main focus of the whole drama.
Then the one that annoy the US version fans the most, Reid & Penelope characters. Well, Criminal Minds stand out from the sea of US police drama practically because of these 2 quirky characters. Reid is your typical genius geek with no care of appearance (obviously), and Penelope with the quirky bold make up and accessories but definitely savvy and cool with her computer stuffs. How K-drama translate these 2 characters? Yes, by using good looking people just like any other of K-drama series. There's no less than good looking people in the main casts, ever, in K-drama. Don't hope to see plus size people in K-drama, unless it's for comedy or lesser side characters. Hell, they use LJK, which practically still the epitome of pretty boy (he's not that young anymore, but hell, he's still damn pretty) for the Hyun Jun, so what do you expect? There's no way in hell that a detective will look like that. So, that explains the looks department, how about these 2 characters fare in the drama? To give the drama a credit, they did try to portray the Reid and Penelope's quirkiness too, however, because this is K-drama whereby all the cultural aspects are still there, they cannot copy to the T (and they shouldn't!), and certainly it come out as hella awkward, really. I just wish they take out this point all together and just gives us Reid and Penelope that makes sense in the K-drama realm. They should use an aunty for Penelope, wait, but that's been done before in Healer haha. As for Reid, he should have more lines (with punch, mind you, not just blab aka writers must think harder) to emphasize his geekiness, and get a better actor because it's obvious that the acting level is not there yet, especially compared to the veterans (well, I do hope that either the acting or the writing improve for Reid, else, the weirdness and awkwardness will stick until end of the series, yikes!). Ah, 1 more scene that definitely will make US version fans cringe to the core is when Lee Han (K-version of Reid) trying to solve the bad dude's password, I felt they should make him SMARTER than that, come on, he's supposed to be a genius, but this scene just makes him look like a joker instead LOL.
Other than Reid & Penelope, I have no complains on the rest, and I expect that they'll throw in the standard police K-drama standard trope eg. the female don't get to do shit so she tries to prove her worth but only to screw things up then the male saved the day (God, I hope they don't do this in this drama, cross fingers), the cover up because the up people up there don't like to show the weaknesses to the public. Yeah, those kinds that you probably find in J-drama too. Being K-drama, and since they play up on the emotion, off course they'll use the people close to the main casts as victims or potential victims, yeah, just to be more gripping, and angsty. Hyun Jun already got his share in these first 2 episodes, plus he got the back story case which involves Sun Woo as well (the mystery waiting to be revealed) *In the US version, they will put Hyun Jun on vacation to avoid taking the case at personal level hence lessen the objectivity but off course not in K-drama*, next episode involves Min Young, the media person of the team. And we have quite a number of people in the team to go around it, so, we'll see if the pattern continues, ha!
Some pretties... not much pretties anyway, but still... I'm waiting for more kicking ass scenes...
The angst, I like LJK portraying any angsty look... the sorrow and the emptiness... my heart... *cry at the corner*
Part of the drama that I like is the banter of Hyun Jun vs Sun Woo. In the first episode, Sun Woo practically doesn't see Hyun Jun eye to eye, aka ignore him.
and the ignore Hyun Jun has the rolling eyes being offended face on top of Sun Woo's cool and serious face.
The resting bitch face, male & female version. This is what happen when they profiling each other and apparently both side hit bulls eye, ha!
Somebody should tell any production team to loose the term 'remake' and just use 'adaptation' instead. It solves all the problems. No over expectation, and it leaves tons of leeway for the team to change things up. It doesn't cause people to think less because it's ambiguous and it triggers curiosity, not condemnation from the get go. Why people keep on insisting on the term remake anyway? We all know that just going to cause lots of shit stirring, hmphh...
Hyun Jun smirking at the word 'remake'...
