Seanan McGuire ([info]seanan_mcguire) wrote,
2010-11-08 17:33:00
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  • Mood: ecstatic
  • Music: Glee, "Rose's Turn."

This show could only be better if it baked me cookies: TOWER PREP.

I have just finished watching the fourth episode of Tower Prep, thanks to an awesome unexpected screener from the doubly-awesome folks at Cartoon Network. For those who missed my last enthusiastic blog post, Tower Prep is Cartoon Network's second live-action mystery drama, following the kick-ass Unnatural History. It was created by Paul Dini, and is a true delight. Every week intensifies and expands the central mysteries, without losing sight of the core premise:

What is Tower Prep? How did we get here? And how in the hell are we going to get out?!

Episode four, "Buffer," is flat-out awesome in all the right ways. It's definitely Ian and CJ-centric, but Suki and Gabe are both given plenty of room to show off and shine. Once again, the show neatly dodges gender stereotyping—all the characters are given things to do that make sense for them, not for "generic hero-type" or "generic love-interest/heroine." It's incredibly rare to find a show that does this at all, much less one that's ostensibly aimed at teens.

With "Buffer," the mystery surrounding the Gnomes—Tower Prep's mysterious security force—deepens, and we finally get to see more of the Buffer Team, those sporty guys who harassed Ian back in episode one. If I have any complaints about the episode, it's that they didn't have time to spend, you know, a week teaching the rest of us the rules of Buffer. That sport looks wild.

Tower Prep is just getting more awesome with every week that passes, and I can't encourage you enough to hop on while it's still early enough in the ride for you to come with us to the end. Seriously, I don't think I've been this passionately in love with a show from day one since Supernatural.

The mystery continues!
Tags: geekiness, reviews, too much tv

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  • 29 comments

[info]guinwhyte

November 9 2010, 01:39:52 UTC 1 year ago

I hopped on board and caught up with it last weekend because of your last post. It really is just as awesome as you've said. Now I can't wait for tomorrow night's ep!

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 9 2010, 01:49:23 UTC 1 year ago

Hooray!

[info]platypuslord

November 9 2010, 02:22:57 UTC 1 year ago

Unfortunately Hulu only has Episode 2.
Not up to Episode 2, mind. That would have been okay.
Hulu only has Episode 2. :(

I guess I'll see it when it comes out on DVD?

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 9 2010, 02:27:06 UTC 1 year ago

Ack, sad!

They may do a marathon before the last episode of the season?

[info]kengr

November 9 2010, 10:22:23 UTC 1 year ago

Episode 1,2, and 3 are available as torrents.

Fay and I watched Ep 1 Sunday and will be watching 2 & 3 soon. Likely tomorrow. (I waited to grab them until we'd seen enough of ep 1 to know we'd like them)

[info]bondgwendabond

November 9 2010, 02:39:16 UTC 1 year ago

Sold!

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:53:26 UTC 1 year ago

Yay!

[info]kyburg

November 9 2010, 03:32:15 UTC 1 year ago

That Paul Dini? Okay, that makes sense.

Something has to give. I'm watching that new Avengers schtick (and it is, it very very is) because the boys adore it and I'm enjoying the heck out some very well-directed VO talent and storyboarding. But our TiVo is perpetually full, hence the problem. If it isn't something we use nightly and isn't already on DVD, we can't keep it. And even with that rule, I'm dumping as fast as I can.

Alton Brown, you may have to make way. I'm sorry, but a girl has to get her way sometime. Disney is getting some of my special vintage ire because I have two seasons of two different shows that - yes, we use daily - but they aren't on DVD release yet. If they do THAT with Tower Prep, I may riot.

[info]jslinder

November 9 2010, 05:00:16 UTC 1 year ago

Depending on the version of the Tivo you can get an DVR extender that connects to it and gives ya LOTS of storage (I think we can hold 200 hrs of HD on ours now).

Also, Tower Prep is available on iTunes. I might grab it for an upcoming flight.

And I like the new avengers too, mainly because they do what Batman has been doing and bring in lots of peripheral characters..

[info]triskelmoon

1 year ago

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[info]jslinder

1 year ago

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[info]kyburg

1 year ago

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[info]seanan_mcguire

1 year ago

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[info]priscellie

November 9 2010, 03:53:09 UTC 1 year ago

I watched the first episode on your recommendation, and it was a delight! Can't wait to catch up with the rest of the series.

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:54:00 UTC 1 year ago

Hooray!

[info]maverick_weirdo

November 9 2010, 04:02:34 UTC 1 year ago

Luckily for me they have 3 different air times a week, so I was able to catch episode 3 on Sunday morning.

I love that all the teachers are "named" after their subject.

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:54:08 UTC 1 year ago

I know, right?

[info]brightrosefox

November 9 2010, 04:05:32 UTC 1 year ago

When I was watching the episode before this one, I was happy when CJ was working on pulling the planks off the door and was all, "Are you gonna just stand there or are you gonna help me?"

No instances of "Oh, those silly females" or "Oh, those crazy males" etc. Everything was on an individual basis.

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:54:18 UTC 1 year ago

It's brilliant.

[info]bkwrrm_tx

November 9 2010, 04:35:46 UTC 1 year ago

I set the DVR to record this, and got some weird kids game show instead.

Unhappy MIssy is unhappy.

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:54:24 UTC 1 year ago

Ugh!

[info]palmer_kun

November 9 2010, 05:37:01 UTC 1 year ago

Your last Tower Prep post prompted a swift download (does not air in Canada) and mini-thon. Instant win!

So what's the deal with Unnatural History? I know nothing about it, and while I could just wiki it up, that rarely results in a "Wow, must see!"

When YOU talk about something, it tends to be an instant must-have, because you know what to say about it :)

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:55:05 UTC 1 year ago

It's about Henry Griffin, raised by crazy anthropologist parents, sent to an American high school for the first time. It's like National Treasure meets Tomb Raider meets a teen detective series, and it's aces.

[info]fayanora

November 9 2010, 10:49:50 UTC 1 year ago

You have gotten a friend and I hooked on this show! It's like "The Prisoner" for high school students! Totally cool!!!

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:55:12 UTC 1 year ago

Awesome!

[info]filceolaire

November 10 2010, 20:58:10 UTC 1 year ago

Haven't seen this

I saw a review and thought I wouldn't like it but on your reccommendation I've poked telynor to get it for us.

The show we are waiting to restart is series 2 of Misfits
(http://www.channel4.com/programmes/misfits). "When five young outsiders on Community Service get caught in a strange storm, they discover that they have developed superpowers"

We loved series 1 and every other bus in London has a big ad plugging series 2, starting next week. I think you would like it a lot.

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 10 2010, 21:56:48 UTC 1 year ago

Re: Haven't seen this

Isn't that the one where one of the girls has the "super power" of every man she meets wanting to sexually assault her?

I elected not to watch. I think I'd have hysterics. :(

[info]herewiss13

November 12 2010, 22:00:22 UTC 1 year ago

Was finally able to catch the first three episodes via Comcast On Demand. You've definitely got me hooked. A mystery show that poses questions in the 1st episode then it then answers only _two_episodes_later_?? Amazing! The writers may actually _have_ answers! That they made up in advance! Definitely looking forward to 'Buffer'.

[info]seanan_mcguire

November 18 2010, 15:32:51 UTC 1 year ago

I know, right?! It's freaky!
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