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Post by coolbyrne on Dec 12, 2010 19:01:50 GMT -5
Thought I'd start a thread in this folder, since it won't be all about Mandana! RomanMachine and I have started re-watching season one of Bad Girls, and thought we'd comment a bit. (No, we're not going to analyze the books Nikki reads or the angelic allegory surrounding Helen bloody Stewart!) I think one of the first things we noticed was how bad the music was in the first couple of episodes. I can't describe it, but it's really out of place in most every scene it's used. Also out of place is how Simone Lahbib cannot yell with any conviction. Now, she gets better with her delivery of lines around the fourth episode, but up to then, she doesn't quite have a handle on the character or how she wanted to portray her. And also wildly out of place is Nikki's RED lipstick! Holy cow! Great wardrobe but that lipstick had to go- it really did not suit either the character nor the actress. A good side-by-side comparison can be made by putting any scene with Nikki and her lipstick beside the scene with Nikki in her bathrobe ("I'm not telling you anything"). Despite the godawfulness of the robe, the entire look suited her better than anything with lipstick! We also noted how balanced the show was in the early episodes, in giving fairly equal time to every character storyline. So we saw pretty much the same amount of Shell as Nikki, as the two Julies, as Monica, as Rachel. I don't think I noticed that the first time I watched, as I was only looking for Nikki scenes. That balance changes later on, I think, as we steer more towards a two or three character driven show. (Nikki, Shell, Fenner.) Was it wrong to not care that Rachel hanged herself? Was able to appreciate Zandra more, now that I'm not watching specifically for the Nikki storyline. What a great character and brilliantly played by Lara Cazalet. I think she ended up being one of the most layered characters on the show, despite the later episodes of the 2nd season and beyond, when the writing got rather lazy. I'm sure I'll comment more as we watch more (and I'll get RomanMachine to post, too!). I'd love to read responses from you guys!
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Post by jilly2000 on Dec 13, 2010 22:20:34 GMT -5
I think one of the first things we noticed was how bad the music was in the first couple of episodes. I can't describe it, but it's really out of place in most every scene it's used. I thought the music jibed with the prison ambiance. Her idea of disapproval is to raise her voice unnecessarily. Her garish lipstick, backcombed hair and also her blue and green hoodies. I was bored stiff with the Rachel character. Besides Zandra I found that Smelly Nellie Snape character really fascinating. Brilliant acting.
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Post by topcat on Dec 14, 2010 4:58:38 GMT -5
Nice idea to revisit the drama. I guess it must be over 5 years since I have watched it. I might just get my old videos out. I will go for the tv transmission version rather than the dvd's because I hated what they did to all the music on the dvd's. It's funny you should mention the music because - now remember I am going from memory and may change my mind when I hear it again - I preferred the early music and thought it got watered down in later series. I especially hated the title music that appeared around series 3 (or was it 2?). Yes the red lipstick was harsh, as was the haircut in series one. In fact, I don't know who was responsible for Mandana's hair during series one (makeup dept? her own hairdresser?) but in the 'flatpack' scene, you will notice that she has a great blob of hair on her neck that no one has bothered to shave off for her As for Simone, again from memory, I must admit that I liked her insecurity and inability to shout with any conviction and actually thought it was a deliberate portrayal of someone out of their depth. I really liked her performance from series one. In truth, it was her disappearance after episode 2 of series 2 that started me down the slippery path to BG messageboards. Yikes, there is an admission for you all I agree about the ensemble performance of the early series. Again, that was lost as time went by. You will notice that, in series 1, every cast member is in every episode and had equal air time. I think the big change came when they were given 16 episodes to fill in series 3. As for Rachel, the irony is that Joanne Froggatt probably has the most successful career of any ex BG performers and yet she plays exactly the same role in nearly everything she does - feeble or whiny Northern put - upon. Every major drama that comes out, she has a part in. Interestingly, Lara Cazalet mentions somewhere that she was actually offered the role of Rachel first and turned it down.
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Post by jilly2000 on Dec 14, 2010 22:17:00 GMT -5
Here are some more observations from rewatching ep1-ep4. The most over the top scene was the visit from the DST. The way they came marching in like they were preparing to do some big drug bust . What were all those instruments for like the screwdriver etc. Too bizzare. Also I noticed Nikki says she's nobody's nark and not HeadbloodyPrefect but that doesn't stop her from interfering between Rachel, Shell and Fenner which creates friction all-around.
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Post by coolbyrne on Dec 15, 2010 19:00:59 GMT -5
We totally busted out laughing at that, too!! We also wondered in that scene, if Nikki was purposely pretending not to know the DST leader was a woman or if it was just an honest mistake. Because when they first open the door, she says, "Are you both for me?" I assumed because Nikki is a lesbian, she was insinuating she thought both were women. Later in the scene, of course, she remarks that she thought the leader was a man.
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Post by jilly2000 on Dec 17, 2010 15:25:24 GMT -5
Ep5-8 Did Nikki read Helen wrongly? and why? considering how savvy she is? After Helen moves Nikki on G3 things become quite friendly between them with Helen bringing her books and Nikki starting Open University courses at Helen's request. I know Nikki living inside a prison sort of skews things but Helen's interest in her is immaturely misinterpreted by Nikki as some sort of romantic gesture and ends up embarrassing both of them--the boob grab. How presumptuous of Nikki! Why was Shell not sent down the block after she was busted for keeping drugs in her cell by Dominique. Helen had already confronted her when Rachel's mother had told her about Rachel's phone-call before her suicide. So Shell was already a suspect-now she had evidence but Helen puts her on Basic instead. Acting 101: how to show you are unhappy/distressed make your face frowny and place two fingers in your mouth either biting your nails or just. ;D
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Post by jilly2000 on Jan 8, 2011 14:56:07 GMT -5
I was watching the outtakes of the South Africa visit and does anybody know why they visited South Africa? For promotion purposes?
Was there any particular reason for the visit like were they invited?because as far as I can see no connection with the Bad Girls show.
BTW in one scene we see the group doing a safari and then later(?) we see some of the cast members playing with young children in the Townships(?).
Simone was seen dancing with a kid and Mandana was standing by.
Why were they visiting the kids? Showing some benevolence?
Later in the jeep the three Simone, Zandra Lara and another woman were singing Amazing Grace. Why sing a hymn afterwards?
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Post by topcat on Jan 11, 2011 8:02:23 GMT -5
I was watching the outtakes of the South Africa visit and does anybody know why they visited South Africa? For promotion purposes? Yes, it was a promotional tour. BG was huge in SA. It had it's own website at one time. They visited just as they were starting the second series over there (we'd just seen the conclusion to 3). So, in fact, all 4 actors had left the series when they visited. I think it was just part of the media bandwagon that encircled their visit. I think ,if you listen to the radio interviews they did (Mandana features heavily in them all), they explain why they visited the Township in one of them. I am sure the interviews are online as coolbyrne and RM uploaded them a while ago. Don't get me started! Basically, Lara sees herself as a vocalist and it seemed, at every opportunity, she would burst into song. It was always Amazing Grace. On the DVD feature, I think she instigates singing it at least 3 times - at the Township (where Mandana has to join in and looks like she wants the floor to open up), at a Dinner and in the Jeep. I guess they used Amazing Grace as it was connected to the show when Zandra died.
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Post by topcat on Jan 11, 2011 8:09:41 GMT -5
Ep5-8 Did Nikki read Helen wrongly? and why? considering how savvy she is?........I know Nikki living inside a prison sort of skews things but Helen's interest in her is immaturely misinterpreted by Nikki as some sort of romantic gesture and ends up embarrassing both of them But it wasn't misinterpreted, was it? We as a viewer, at that stage, might have thought so - I can remember thinking that Helen was treading on dodgy ground and was being very niave around her over friendliness to Nikki (not having any clue of the future story arc) - but it later transpires that Helen's actions are all probably as a result of feelings she didn't realise she had. So, Nikki wasn't wrong in her interpretation - she was spot on!
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Post by jilly2000 on Jan 12, 2011 13:58:17 GMT -5
I was watching the outtakes of the South Africa visit and does anybody know why they visited South Africa? For promotion purposes? Yes, it was a promotional tour. BG was huge in SA. It had it's own website at one time. They visited just as they were starting the second series over there (we'd just seen the conclusion to 3). So, in fact, all 4 actors had left the series when they visited. I think it was just part of the media bandwagon that encircled their visit. I think ,if you listen to the radio interviews they did (Mandana features heavily in them all), they explain why they visited the Township in one of them. I am sure the interviews are online as coolbyrne and RM uploaded them a while ago. BG was huge in what sense-very high TV viewership? Was it the N/H storyline? So promoting because it was already huge? Exactly, in the show Zandra dies and Crystal sings Amazing Grace to drown out other inmates' disrespectful banter. But in SA singing Amazing Grace among the young and poor children was odd behavior. Couldn't they have sung something more children friendly song.
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Post by jilly2000 on Jan 12, 2011 14:17:24 GMT -5
Ep5-8 Did Nikki read Helen wrongly? and why? considering how savvy she is?........I know Nikki living inside a prison sort of skews things but Helen's interest in her is immaturely misinterpreted by Nikki as some sort of romantic gesture and ends up embarrassing both of them But it wasn't misinterpreted, was it? We as a viewer, at that stage, might have thought so - I can remember thinking that Helen was treading on dodgy ground and was being very niave around her over friendliness to Nikki (not having any clue of the future story arc) - but it later transpires that Helen's actions are all probably as a result of feelings she didn't realise she had. So, Nikki wasn't wrong in her interpretation - she was spot on! I was only referring to ep1 to 8. Helen's behavior was friendly but quite professional if you discount the giving of the novel which Nikki reminded was against regulations. So Nikki was getting different vibes from Helen-so what? And that cheesy hint in the library? What do you call Nikki's reaction after hearing about marriage plans from Sean?
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Post by topcat on Jan 13, 2011 5:40:00 GMT -5
BG was huge in what sense-very high TV viewership? Was it the N/H storyline? So promoting because it was already huge? I think it was more of a 'thank you' for supporting the series. Yes, it had a big TV viewership and perhaps didn't need promoting per se but it gave the SA fans a chance to meet the stars. I am guessing that, had the USA purchased it at it's peak, instead of 5 years later, they may have got a similiar visit. It's no different to the cast of Glee coming over to Britain recently on a promotional tour - Glee is already huge here. I think Nikki was at a low ebb following Trisha's betrayal. This coincides with Helen trying to get Nikki 'on side' with acts of kindness like the book and seeking her out for little chats. Yes, I agree the potting shed was a giant leap. It would be interesting to know if any scenes got cut that may have made that jump less jarring. However, lets not forget the definate flirtiness of some of Helen's dialogue. She didn't speak to other inmates with the same familiarity and Nikki, certainly, was not getting anything like that kind of attention from any of the other guards. Also, there is Sean's comment to Helen about her 'obsession' with Nikki. That is a big clue to us viewers that something is brewing and Nikki is not way off the mark.
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Post by jilly2000 on Jan 13, 2011 20:37:42 GMT -5
BG was huge in what sense-very high TV viewership? Was it the N/H storyline? So promoting because it was already huge? I think it was more of a 'thank you' for supporting the series. Yes, it had a big TV viewership and perhaps didn't need promoting per se but it gave the SA fans a chance to meet the stars. I am guessing that, had the USA purchased it at it's peak, instead of 5 years later, they may have got a similiar visit. It's no different to the cast of Glee coming over to Britain recently on a promotional tour - Glee is already huge here. Thanx for putting in perspective. I really appreciate your engaging with me here. Suddenly romance in Larkhall seemed possible for Nikki. I agree about the flirty nature of Helen, she did say she liked Nikki but I put that down to her feeling safe and being on par with Nikki eventho Nikki was an inmate. Yes, Sean was acute that way.
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Post by coolbyrne on Feb 5, 2011 0:12:31 GMT -5
Okay, so we finally got through season one, and are a third of the way through season two. Though RM and I had our own discussions, I'll let her throw in her two cents/pence if she gets around to it! First things first, as this was something I did not notice the first time watching this series- every single bloody time they showed Sean (once he proposed), he talked about the wedding. Every single time. It became so obvious that RM and I would burst out laughing the second they showed him, because we knew it was coming. Other things: Boy, Nikki could be a hothead! Talk about fly off the handle for no apparent reason. Granted, Helen would later give her plenty of reason, but still! That being said, she could exit a room like no other! Lara Cazalet was really undervalued as Zandra. She was so layered as a character that you didn't really notice how she could go from being so aggravating to so sympathetic. There were very few prisoners who didn't have a man in their lives who treated them poorly at some point- Nikki- the cop Yvonne- her husband Zandra- Robin Shell- Fenner and others Rachel- Fenner The Two Julies- their husbands Monica- she went to jail for her employer (?) Speaking of Monica, if I saw her count her damn pills one more time... I really liked Di when she first showed up. Too bad she went completely nuts. Waste of a good character, I thought. Bodybag really was just a spiteful bitch. Which is why I felt no sympathy for her later, when Shell, Denny and Shaz get out of prison. Was interesting to see how differently Karen handled things as opposed to Helen. I think Helen really was in over her head and was more suited for the prisoner advocate role she became later on. Oh, and I still stand by my claim that "shit happens" is the cruelest thing you can say to someone whose heart is breaking right before your eyes.
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Post by rayton on Feb 9, 2011 8:13:25 GMT -5
I don't know if anyone knows but Bad Girls series one DVD has been repackaged with the itv1 logo on it and re-released thru a company called Acorn Media UK which i've now purchased thru Amazon. I'm hoping that the quality will be better than the contender entertainment group Kult TV DVD which i purchased some time ago as there are alot of small pauses or hiccups as i like to call them on my copy. Series two is going to be re-released on the 18th April 2011 which i've already ordered.
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