I thought her acting skill was limited and she didn't add very much to the show.This is how I feel about the Ana-Lucia character, and the actor's performance.
'Lessons'
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I thought her acting skill was limited and she didn't add very much to the show.This is how I feel about the Ana-Lucia character, and the actor's performance.
Ana Lucia is at the same time the easily-panicked-to-violence leader, and a woman who's scared to let down her guard. Sometimes she's effective, sometimes she's a fuckup in big ways.
As for agency, she does things. Shannon whined and watched the dog (where is the dog, btw?). She didn't do crap. Even her death is kinda glossed over. Sayid's not even nursing a grudge against Ana (which is fine, really, but a heightened grudge against The Others isn't much).
I thought they had just started to expand Shannon's character -- knowing her back story made me more sympathetic toward her, and I liked the fact that she was initially pretty realistic. Not everyone in a plane crash is going to turn into Super Resourceful Courage Girl. She was pissed and whiny and resentful about her fate, which seemed to fit her pretty well.
Ana Lucia so far is just broody, imo. I get that her back story might be interesting or provide some more facets to her personality, but she's so one-note right now I don't much care.
Sean, I agree with you in general, but specifically do you think the story got better with Shannon off the canvas and Ana-Lucia on?
I agree with ita, Jess and everyone on her general uselessness, although I will say that for some unknown reason I kind of enjoyed her whiney uselessness, though it had been tempered by her blossoming love with Sayid. I didn't want to see her go, but yes, I do think the story got better with her death.
Not as better as it should -- I wish Sayid was holding a nasty grudge against Ana-Lucia. Perhaps he is, and he's being very secretive about it, but I'm not holding out hope for that.
I don't get what you mean by agency.
Shannon only ever reacted. All of her plotlines were about things done to her, or for her, or because of her. Whether this was intentional, or whether it was because of Maggie Grace's extremely limited range, I don't know, but it was not good storytelling.
AnaLucia is an active participant in her storylines. She has an agenda, things she wants, and layers in her character why she can't always achieve them.
And this:
Ana Lucia is at the same time the easily-panicked-to-violence leader, and a woman who's scared to let down her guard. Sometimes she's effective, sometimes she's a fuckup in big ways.
Thanks, Amy. That's so very much how I feel, too.
ita, thanks for explaining agency.
BTW, I don't much care for Ana-Lucia's character either. I don't HATE her (like most on the 'net seem to), but she doesn't do anything for me.
I think it is possible to dislike them both.
Eko on the other hand...
The thing is, though, there are always people who *only* react, and they sometimes affect the outcome of an event just as much as those who *act*. I think Shannon served a purpose, and could have served a better one if they'd let her stick around.
I don't dislike Ana Lucia, I just wish they would develop her a little more. I may just be sick of that sullen, wary look on her face.
I kind of enjoyed her whiney uselessness
I enjoyed it in theory, but only because I assumed that carrying it to its logical (island-logical) conclusion meant she had to eventually die. The thing about a magical island that tests people to their extremes is that it was always going to kill her off -- she was just too pointless to live.
I wish Sayid was holding a nasty grudge against Ana-Lucia.
I'm kind of glad he's not, only because it lets me pretend that the Sayid/Shannon romance never happened. I never bought it while it was happening, and now I never have to.
there are always people who *only* react, and they sometimes affect the outcome of an event just as much as those who *act*
I don't think Shannon was affecting outcomes, though.
it lets me pretend that the Sayid/Shannon romance never happened. I never bought it while it was happening, and now I never have to.
That's very true.