I am just starting to read these essays of yours and I am fascinated by your analyses of this show that I love so much. And although I sometimes think that you stretch a point to make a point, it seems that I always see that point that you are trying to make. One of the things that I love about the writing that Lisa and her crew have done is that it echoes. Almost like a symphony, chords that are struck in one place reverberate and resolve somewhere else. Your analysis of the hazing scene put me in mind of a conjecture of mine about the spit. I have heard so many people complain that that grossness was over the top and unnecessary. As Lisa has said, everything in the script is there for a reason. Swallowing the spit is there in season 1 episode 1 (including your inciteful metaphor analysis) so that Wilhelm, after holding August at gunpoint in season 2 episode 6, can spit out all the crap August has forced him to swallow for two seasons. And so many, many more that I am sure I will find as I read through these essays.
Oh goody goody! I'm actually deep down in my chaplaincy program today (hence the thesis) and the topic this weekend is Love and Death. Ha!! I will eagerly await your post.
Apropos of nothing-I'm going to Bristol, UK in October to see/hear Jamie Irrepressible because I found his music enchanting and he's only touring in GB. Music=love.
Another question which I haven't found an answer to-the photo over Wille's bed in the opening scene of Season two, very red and very obviously signaling something. Passion? Anger? Frustration? Revenge? Thoughts? It's so out of synch with the rest of the room-all bland and 'royal'.
I fear you have ruined me for future watching of any kind. Metaphor? Symbolism? Internal references? Shows that I rewatch are layered and therefore artful.
Ha! To be honest, your guess is as good as mine. Something about that picture does ring a bell, but I can't for the life of me tell you what it is.
And I know what you mean: Once you've watched a TV show or movie in this way, there's no turning back. Even a relaxing bit of evening entertainment turns into an exercise. Everything feels like a class on film analysis.:)
I have a question. In Season 2, the statue is moved away from the staging area before the 120 year jubilee to make room for the bleachers where the royals will sit. Wilhelm moving into a leadership role and away from the young David metaphor? Your thoughts?
Hey, just wanted to tell you your question about the sculpture is going to be answered soon. I'm posting the article about it (and about the third sculpture on site) in a couple of hours.
Sorry for only getting to your comments now, BTW. I'm a bit overwhelmed right now.
I do actually plan to post something about that particular scene. The post about it is almost entirely written and just needs some proof-reading at this point, but I want to get a few other things out of the way first. Anyway, that statue that's getting removed is not Michelangelo's 'David'. It's a different one.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I stumbled across a reference to your sub stack and read each entry without a pause. Your analysis is the most thoughtful of all that I've encountered on the interwebs by far. The discussion of David ( I hadn't realized that was a David statue replica) Fascinating! I've seen the original in Florence and it is truly gorgeous. I have watched YR an indecent number of times and you have explained why I have. The imbedded clues sprinkled like bread crumbs worked me subconsciously to create a deeply felt and intimate experience. I really have no superlatives that explain how YR has affected me. I plan to go back and read all of your posts because they are, frankly, brilliant.
Any intention to review Skam Season 3 ? There are some beautiful scenes between the two boys that I would love to hear your views on.
BTW- I JUST figured out that when Simon asked Wilhelm if he remembers what he said to Simon the night before on the soccer field, Wilhelm sits up and he's BLUSHING. Thats why his face is so red.
Wow! You've read them all in one go? Now I'm truly humbled. I know that's a lot! Thank you for letting me know. That's all the motivation I need to write more.
You know, you're the first one to recommend another show to me. So thank you for that, as well. Thing is: I haven't watched SKAM yet. I've heard of it, of course, but I've never actually seen it. I would have to check it out to see if it has any interesting metaphorical subtext that would make it worthwhile to write about. (From what I've heard, it definitely is interesting plot-wise. I just mean I don't know if there's anything I can analyze that's not already obvious just from the plain text.) It's a cool idea, though. I hadn't even thought of that, so thank you!
And yes, Wilhelm is blushing rather furiously in that scene, isn't he? I mean, you have to actually cut and then make sure the actor gets a ton of make-up on his face. So yeah...That's intentional.
And now I'm going to go and look at pictures of Michelangelo's 'David' because...why not treat myself, right?
Also, a watch of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet before SKAM season 3 would be appropriate cuz there is a lot of cross-over imagery. Not that I likes that version of R and J but the writers steal (?) a lot of material from the movie and insert it into the SKAM episode. I'm sure you don't need more homework :-).
Ah, thank you for the heads-up. I haven't watched Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet in ages. I shall do that. Although I honestly can't promise how quickly I will get to that and SKAM. I'm just beginning to really sink my teeth into the metaphorical subtext of YR, so it might be a while. There's just SO MUCH of it.
Anyway, thank you very much for your paid subscription and your trust. In two to three weeks, I'm planning to post a little extra bonus post (outside my usual posting schedule) as a treat for my paid subscribers. It will be paid-subscribers-only; most other posts will, however, remain free for everyone to read.
Thank you so much for posting this and you're other YR analysis. They provide so much more depth to the whole experience. I will promptly start a re-watch with your blog post in mind, in particular regarding the music. There are a few things that I don't 100% agree with, but that makes it even better. Not to just validate your own opinions but providing new and different views.
Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. And the more interpretations of the symbolism the better. That's been true for every bit of art analysis since the beginning of art history during a discussion of cave paintings over some well-done mammoth steak, I suppose.:) So it's definitely true for something as great and complex as this TV show.
Please, when you have time, put other thoughts/insights on YR here. This is really great. I have noticed some of the things you are writing here about but not everything (like the whole statue thing gets waaay deeper than I thought and your take on it is just mindblowing!) You are really awesome and I will look forward another analysis from you! Take care!
Thank you for your kind words. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed reading it. I'm definitely going to post more. You can expect another music post over the weekend.
I am just starting to read these essays of yours and I am fascinated by your analyses of this show that I love so much. And although I sometimes think that you stretch a point to make a point, it seems that I always see that point that you are trying to make. One of the things that I love about the writing that Lisa and her crew have done is that it echoes. Almost like a symphony, chords that are struck in one place reverberate and resolve somewhere else. Your analysis of the hazing scene put me in mind of a conjecture of mine about the spit. I have heard so many people complain that that grossness was over the top and unnecessary. As Lisa has said, everything in the script is there for a reason. Swallowing the spit is there in season 1 episode 1 (including your inciteful metaphor analysis) so that Wilhelm, after holding August at gunpoint in season 2 episode 6, can spit out all the crap August has forced him to swallow for two seasons. And so many, many more that I am sure I will find as I read through these essays.
Oh goody goody! I'm actually deep down in my chaplaincy program today (hence the thesis) and the topic this weekend is Love and Death. Ha!! I will eagerly await your post.
Apropos of nothing-I'm going to Bristol, UK in October to see/hear Jamie Irrepressible because I found his music enchanting and he's only touring in GB. Music=love.
Another question which I haven't found an answer to-the photo over Wille's bed in the opening scene of Season two, very red and very obviously signaling something. Passion? Anger? Frustration? Revenge? Thoughts? It's so out of synch with the rest of the room-all bland and 'royal'.
I fear you have ruined me for future watching of any kind. Metaphor? Symbolism? Internal references? Shows that I rewatch are layered and therefore artful.
Ha! To be honest, your guess is as good as mine. Something about that picture does ring a bell, but I can't for the life of me tell you what it is.
And I know what you mean: Once you've watched a TV show or movie in this way, there's no turning back. Even a relaxing bit of evening entertainment turns into an exercise. Everything feels like a class on film analysis.:)
I have a question. In Season 2, the statue is moved away from the staging area before the 120 year jubilee to make room for the bleachers where the royals will sit. Wilhelm moving into a leadership role and away from the young David metaphor? Your thoughts?
Hey, just wanted to tell you your question about the sculpture is going to be answered soon. I'm posting the article about it (and about the third sculpture on site) in a couple of hours.
My response landed elsewhere but v happy to have read (twice) by now. I hope you are having as much fun as we (your readers) are.
Always grateful.
Sorry for only getting to your comments now, BTW. I'm a bit overwhelmed right now.
I do actually plan to post something about that particular scene. The post about it is almost entirely written and just needs some proof-reading at this point, but I want to get a few other things out of the way first. Anyway, that statue that's getting removed is not Michelangelo's 'David'. It's a different one.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I stumbled across a reference to your sub stack and read each entry without a pause. Your analysis is the most thoughtful of all that I've encountered on the interwebs by far. The discussion of David ( I hadn't realized that was a David statue replica) Fascinating! I've seen the original in Florence and it is truly gorgeous. I have watched YR an indecent number of times and you have explained why I have. The imbedded clues sprinkled like bread crumbs worked me subconsciously to create a deeply felt and intimate experience. I really have no superlatives that explain how YR has affected me. I plan to go back and read all of your posts because they are, frankly, brilliant.
Any intention to review Skam Season 3 ? There are some beautiful scenes between the two boys that I would love to hear your views on.
BTW- I JUST figured out that when Simon asked Wilhelm if he remembers what he said to Simon the night before on the soccer field, Wilhelm sits up and he's BLUSHING. Thats why his face is so red.
Wow! You've read them all in one go? Now I'm truly humbled. I know that's a lot! Thank you for letting me know. That's all the motivation I need to write more.
You know, you're the first one to recommend another show to me. So thank you for that, as well. Thing is: I haven't watched SKAM yet. I've heard of it, of course, but I've never actually seen it. I would have to check it out to see if it has any interesting metaphorical subtext that would make it worthwhile to write about. (From what I've heard, it definitely is interesting plot-wise. I just mean I don't know if there's anything I can analyze that's not already obvious just from the plain text.) It's a cool idea, though. I hadn't even thought of that, so thank you!
And yes, Wilhelm is blushing rather furiously in that scene, isn't he? I mean, you have to actually cut and then make sure the actor gets a ton of make-up on his face. So yeah...That's intentional.
And now I'm going to go and look at pictures of Michelangelo's 'David' because...why not treat myself, right?
Also, a watch of Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet before SKAM season 3 would be appropriate cuz there is a lot of cross-over imagery. Not that I likes that version of R and J but the writers steal (?) a lot of material from the movie and insert it into the SKAM episode. I'm sure you don't need more homework :-).
Ah, thank you for the heads-up. I haven't watched Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet in ages. I shall do that. Although I honestly can't promise how quickly I will get to that and SKAM. I'm just beginning to really sink my teeth into the metaphorical subtext of YR, so it might be a while. There's just SO MUCH of it.
Anyway, thank you very much for your paid subscription and your trust. In two to three weeks, I'm planning to post a little extra bonus post (outside my usual posting schedule) as a treat for my paid subscribers. It will be paid-subscribers-only; most other posts will, however, remain free for everyone to read.
I'm here for it, hell yeah.
Yep, go enjoy.
Thank you so much for posting this and you're other YR analysis. They provide so much more depth to the whole experience. I will promptly start a re-watch with your blog post in mind, in particular regarding the music. There are a few things that I don't 100% agree with, but that makes it even better. Not to just validate your own opinions but providing new and different views.
Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. And the more interpretations of the symbolism the better. That's been true for every bit of art analysis since the beginning of art history during a discussion of cave paintings over some well-done mammoth steak, I suppose.:) So it's definitely true for something as great and complex as this TV show.
I love you. 😅
Please, when you have time, put other thoughts/insights on YR here. This is really great. I have noticed some of the things you are writing here about but not everything (like the whole statue thing gets waaay deeper than I thought and your take on it is just mindblowing!) You are really awesome and I will look forward another analysis from you! Take care!
Thank you for your kind words. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed reading it. I'm definitely going to post more. You can expect another music post over the weekend.
very well thought-out! loved this analysis, much to consider that i hadn’t thought of before
Thank you. That's very kind of you. I'm so glad to hear it struck a chord.