I'm very much with Scrappy and Kristin with the overall direction of the show, and am willing to grant it some probation.

I don't know how much of this is because I haven't in fact seen the first episode, just the second. I'm thinking I'll wait until I've seen the third before I see the first, which really does seem to have left a bad taste in mouths here.

When it all comes down to it, I really don't like the violence. The violence is a lot less stylized that it was on Buffy/Angel, and I don't find it enjoyable, plus I'm kind of burned out on violent TV shows in general.

Yes, that's going to be a problem for people, too. When it was somebody being vamped, it's just as much a 'rape' figuratively, but it may be emotionally easier to deal with.

Top 25?

Things I enjoyed about the second episode: Eliza gets to be all Faith-esque kickass which is fun to see. The handler, I love him. He is definitely my entry point to the show. I am so curious as to how and why he decided this was OK to be a part of? Echo and Handler Dude's relationship, which seems to be growing even though that isn't supposed to be that way. Flashbacks and the Alpha exposition.

Things I did not enjoy about the second episode: Chasing a woman through the woods as if she's an animal? After fucking her? Deciding if she deserves to live? Ugh, totally repugnant. The resolution was OK, but when I realized that was happening, I felt pretty nauseous.

Well, he does seem to have been a serial killer rather than an ordinary guy with odd tastes. So thank goodness for that.

I have thoughts on the rape aspect, but they're discombobulated and bound up with the whole identity issue, so I'm keeping them to myself at the moment. I'm intrigued by the handler guy, who's clearly (I think) being presented as a standup guy... who's voluntarily working for an organization that's essentially practicing slavery. I'm confused about him, but I like him!

The concept doesn't squick me (er, that doesn't mean I like it, just that it's not a show-killer for me), and I like all the stories they're combining (seriously, the number of storylines they're keeping up with in every show is really impressing me), so I'll keep watching.

I missed the second episode, and it sounds like it was more interesting than the first. Oh well. I'll try it again this week, but right now I'm feeling manipulated. None of the characters speak to me yet.

I'm liking it but not loving it, and it definitely is treading a mighty fine line (IMO) that it needs to stay on one side of or I'm out.

I agree that Harry Lennix is the best thing in the show so far, and that Eliza seems to be having serious range issues. Definitely getting a Warren vibe from Topher. I wish they'd gone more for the "geek enjoying his high-tech toys while la-la-la-ing the dicier implications of his work" type, a la Marshall on ALIAS (or the type of character Seth Green played in ENEMY OF THE STATE) instead of the smarmy creep angle. That said, the actor's doing a great job because I HATE Topher (although his asking for a gun in the flashback made me laugh a lot). I think that's what I'm supposed to be feeling (I hope). I'll stick with it a few more at least (and we'll see how many more there are).

Definitely getting a Warren vibe from Topher

Thank you! That's definitely it. But that aside, I kind of like Topher. A little. I mean, I'm not entirely won over, but I'm not totally turned off either.

I guess I'm handwaving a lot and enjoying the show on a surface "shiny!" level. I'ma wait a while before I make any decisions on its deeper issues.

But I totally got chills at the shoulder thump. Well played.

Vanity Fair very politely point out they may slightly dislike the show: [link]

Alas. "Inappropriate Content Blocked by NH/SWIMSUIT 0 1" Too many swimsuits in Vanity Fair?