Casanova: Wow, are there really only three episodes in this?

[butterfly]

Seriously, it's like RTD only makes enough episodes to tell the story that he wants to tell and then he thinks of a new story. That kind of crazy and wacky thinking doesn't fly in the States, where every story must be told until half the audience is good and sick of it.

Clearly, I'm having premature abandonment issues about RTD leaving Who. Also, this DW S4 spoilery picture is now my desktop (SPOILERS! Casting spoilers for the last three episodes of S4 of Doctor Who).

And we start out with an epic escape! He breaks a window, calls his horse, and... falls on his ass as he misses the horse. And then he still blows a kiss to the lady he's obviously just been caught with even while trying to escape. Not even a minute into the show and I'm in love.

Hee! I love the cutting between Old!Casanova writing and Young!Casanova speaking.

"And you sir, consider: you love your wife and I love your wife. Are we not both on the same side?"

I like the framing of the story quite a lot.

"Chin up, stand tall, and trust no one."

I quite like the lady in red.

And then, aw, letting us know that everyone in the story is already dead. I like that. Means I'll appreciate them more.

Love that his 'manservant' waps him back. And, hee! He becomes a lawyer because that's what Rocco thinks he looks like (also, is that Acting Captain Zach or are my ears deceiving me?).

I immediately had to look up Henriette to see what was actually said about her. So, in Casanova's own words: “They who believe that a woman is incapable of making a man equally happy all the twenty-four hours of the day have never known a Henriette. The joy which flooded my soul was far greater when I conversed with her during the day than when I held her in my arms at night. Having read a great deal and having natural taste, Henriette judged rightly of everything.”

And then he's so good at pretending that he's good at everything. I love the way he plays to the audience ("This is beginning to scare me."). It works so well for this story.

Side-note: it's so odd seeing David with blue eyes.

"I've been penniless. I didn't change sex. Well... there was one night, but I was very drunk." (Also, that's totally Trish, Chloe's mum!) This plotline really reminded me of Victor/Victoria which is all about a woman who pretends to be a man pretending to pretend be a woman and the man who fall in love with her and decides that he loves her even when he thinks that she's a man.

"What went wrong?"
"Henriette, of course. Always Henriette."

In some ways, Henriette's kinda his Vince -- she's the one who gave him the confidence to be Casanova. She gives him permission to be mad and crazy and in love with hundreds of women. To be free.

Henriette and Giacomo's silent conversation was so completely adorable but then I felt so bad for Bellino seeing how blithe and happy even that bit of connection made him. And then she... oh, she's such a sweetheart, that one. That was an amazingly kind thing that she did.

I love the showman aspect of this series. It's about a man who played pretend for most of his life and the way the series is put together reflects that -- breaking the fourth wall, the way everything is cut, the framing device. It's all very well suited (much like the more realistic tone of Bob and Rose suits that show; it's a tone thing and RTD has it down. Apparently, this is what he figured out (via making mistakes) in his soap opera days -- what different genres can handle and how to have the tone of a show fit).

"Idiots are happy. I'll be safe."
"I could never live like that."
"I don't think you could. Which only proves that you deserve better than me."

*wishes she could snuggle the pair of them*

Oh, that's the rub; that's the problem. Henriette will choose safety over happiness (does this, in fact, make her the anti-Rose Tyler?). And that's not a choice that he can make.

He just nearly killed the priest with his confession. I should probably not have found that scene quite so hysterically funny. David's delivery was just top-notch (though I find him hotter as the Doctor).

"That's too much, sir, I can't take it - oh, all right, then." Hee.

Aw... Casanova's friends *heart* him.

And... I didn't pause to say anything for the rest of that episode, I was that engrossed in the story. I love the parallels between the father and son (the difference being that Giacomo is even more oblivious than his mother was, yet manages to keep his son with him. Though that last may be Rocco's doing -- he's fantastic. I love him. Splendid actor. I hope he's in RTD's next series, as well.). Really enjoying the interplay between Edith and Old!Casanova. Very enjoyable.

Right! Off to see the last part (really, only three?).

"Over there, someone's inventing the sandwich. Oh, you must think us giddy fools."

I'm just going to be over here, laughing my ass off.

"Try your tricks. You'll fail."
"You're just dying to kiss me."

And then it gets all serious. I love this series -- it's hysterically funny but has this really brilliant moments of truth.

"Now neither one of us can have her. Instead we have each other." That whole sequence, really.

Grimani with his "that's what no one remembers -- I had her first," and "what did you do?" and Giacomo can't ever really explain it. He and Henriette saw each other across a crowded yard, really saw each other's truths, and fell in love. Love is messy. Grimani doesn't get extra points for being first or being rich or being safe. He's not Giacomo. That's the thing. That's the only thing. There's nothing Grimani can do to fix that.

"Still running?" Casanova and the Doctor are very different characters, but they have some things in common.

I love that we see Bellino in each of the three parts and the ways that she changes (also, Goth!Naples cracks me up).

Also -- "everyone dies." I love this quiet, soft conversation between Giacomo and Bellino. It's sweet and tender and full of understanding. Lovely. Is it better to get everything you want (and have nothing left to want) or keep on chasing and missing?

And then they come to place where they part company. Giacomo can't be blasé about his son and daughter engaging in incest. Because she's gotten everything she ever wanted, Bellino excites at anything that cuts through the boredom of having nothing left to want. Everyone dies and that's become her excuse for letting anything happen.

And Giacomo taught all the wrong lessons to his son because he never paid any attention to the boy.

But Edith, who heard his stories from his own lips, she learned the right ones.

"I think I'll choose something just out of reach and run."

That letter was heartbreaking. Six months gone. And she doesn't tell him. She can't. She gave him the hope and she can't kill it.

Oh. Oh. Utterly beautiful and heartbreaking and grandly fanciful. Very well-done.

"What if I missed... right at the end?"

Comments

[a-white-rain.livejournal.com]

Clearly, I'm having premature abandonment issues about RTD leaving Who.
IS THERE A CURE?

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

If I find one, I'll let you know!

[millylicious.livejournal.com]

(also, is that Acting Captain Zach or are my ears deceiving me?).

Yes, that's what made the hug in Impossible Planet so awesome, because it was Rocco and Casanova reunited and Rocco is the bestest thing ever.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Rocco was totally awesome. I loved him!

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I love this mini-series. And the trope of the charming thief/fraudster/con artists/aristocrat.

Reminds me of Seregil in the 'Nightrunner' series, or the 'Gentlemen Bastards' series by Scott Lynch.

It's a fantastic archetype.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It's a lot of fun to watch or play with, definitely.

[thunderemerald.livejournal.com]

I just adore this miniseries. Adore adore adore. Now I have to watch it again.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It's utterly fabulous. I don't know how I survived this long without seeing it!

[thunderemerald.livejournal.com]

I don't know either!!! I think my favorite is still the whole Bellino sequence. Extreme comedy, a touch of pathos, and two people who really understand each other, even when it means they won't stay together.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

All the Bellino stuff is great (and I love the costume design in this series -- it's gorgeous). And their last conversation together was really beautiful and sad (but funny in a twisted way).

[thunderemerald.livejournal.com]

It's ALL funny in a twisted way -- that's why I loves it. (BTW, Bob and Rose should be the next thing coming my way via Blockbuster. YOUR FAULT!)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It's ALL funny in a twisted way -- that's why I loves it.

*nods*

It's so... intense. Loved the colors and the humor and tragedy. It was a grand historical romp.

Bob and Rose should be the next thing coming my way via Blockbuster. YOUR FAULT!

I hope you like it! I really enjoyed it.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

That kind of crazy and wacky thinking doesn't fly in the States, where every story must be told until half the audience is good and sick of it.

Yes, why is it that your series/seasons are so rigid?
Is it just because the programme schedulers are lazy?!
I mean, 20 or so episodes is a lot!
Good if its a good premise - I'm glad there was so much Trek, don't get me wrong - but it can't suit every idea.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

A lot of the seemingly dumb U.S. TV practices are because the advertisers need to be happy. It's all about making money; keeping people watching to see the adverts.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Okay - for the BBC I can see the reason - no ads. on the channel.
But both our terrestrial ITV channels seem to be equally flexible - I suppose they have to be, to compete with the Beeb's schedules.

[tijsmans.livejournal.com]

That DW picture is gorgeous, innit? Or else I'm just really, really excited, and I'm not generally a fan of Russell's epic storylines - to my mind he always manages to screw them up one way or another - but who could resist a picture with all of new Who's most awesome characters, right? I have to give RTD credit for his love stories though; now that's something he manages to get right almost every single time. Except for Martha/Doctor; that unrequited love thing did not work for me.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Such a fantastic picture. Mickey, especially, looks really fantastic (and Jackie's shoelaces match her jacket!). The only time when RTD's epics have failed to work for me was in "Last of the Time Lords" and really only the bit where the Doctor gets glowy and floats, because it feels over-the-top. The rest of that episode and his finales in general work for me -- PotW and "Doomsday" always get to me.

[shaela]

That kind of crazy and wacky thinking doesn’t fly in the States, where every story must be told until half the audience is good and sick of it.

I think there’s starting to be a little more flexibility. The Sci-Fi Channel did a good job with Tin Man, for example. But we call something like that a miniseries, and we put it in a different box than a full-fledged, ongoing series. At least I do.

Clearly, I’m having premature abandonment issues about RTD leaving Who.

You and me both. (And I love that picture.)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I quite liked Tin Man. I could do with more focused series like that over here. And you have it just right -- from the way people talked, I had no idea that Casanova was but three episodes long, while over here that would be a 'mini'-series.

[shaela]

Well, I’ll admit I’m glad you watched it first. That way, when I finally get around to watching it, I won’t feel cheated because I went in expecting two or three seasons. :-)

[shinyopals.livejournal.com]

I adore Casanova, and was shocked to discover there's only three. Still, I'm glad RTD stops when he's told his story, even if part of me wants him to continue, but he does right by his writing, and you can't argue with that.

Casanova did have everything, really. The first part just hooked me in and made me laugh like mad. Well, all three kept me laughing, but the second two had some far more disturbing (and yet extremely well executed) scenes. I ended up loving Giac, as well, he was perfectly Casanova but he managed to be something of a loveable, slightly silly bloke who tries and just cocks up quite a lot. (RTD is *very* good at humanising people, isn't he?)

And yeah, RTD liked to reuse his favourites. Don't forget the actress who plays Blon/Margaret Blaine was the prostitute he sub lets his room to!

I'm not even going to get *started* on my premature abandonment issues.

[voldything.livejournal.com]

Casanova was brilliant, just brilliant!

Side-note: it's so odd seeing David with blue eyes.

I think it took me the entire first part to realize he had colored contacts, haha, I was too immerse on the story to think about what looked different in him!

[threerings.livejournal.com]

I SO need to watch Casanova again. Thanks for reminding me.