TV. And in Which I Might Annoy You with My Opinion About Ghosts Too
The Walking Dead
If I haven't mentioned this for tens of times already: I can't get enough of the show. It's an addictive zombie series, which is unexpected and new to me. The showrunners, however, would make seven episodes of it, then make you wait for months for another seven.
Suits
This is one charming show. I mentioned about it here. Watching the show is like eating gummy candy.
Smash
It's hard to talk about Smash without talking about Glee. Glee the TV sweetheart was exciting to me for about five episodes, plus another couple of episodes when Blaine sang familiar songs. Then I can just scan and pick for clips that I like on YouTube. While kudos to Glee for making us forget that the show is in the same genre as High School Musical and for pushing boundaries, it needs a new storyline and drama. It now feels like just a show about a group of school kids making music videos. I only got the Schuester-Silvester rivalry for about 10 minutes.
With only two episodes so far, I hope Smash won't go down that road. I hope it continues to be the show the first two episodes were, and I hope it gets as complicated as possible.
Homeland
Damian Lewis plays a US Marine who was held captive by al-Qa*da for years before being rescued, then hailed as a hero when he returns home. Soon, however, Claire Danes's character, a CIA agent who's also keeping her bipolar disorder a secret, begins to suspect that he had been turned by al-Qa*da and is now plotting to commit a terrorist act. One of the things that I often look forward to with this genre is seeing how Islam is portrayed by Hollywood, which often makes me chuckle. Regardless, Homeland in short is chilly. I'm hooked.
The American Horror Story
How is a horror story interesting?
I was talking about ghosts with my brother, niece and nephews the other day: on how we Malays (or Malaysians?) usually avoid admitting openly if we don't believe that ghosts exist. There's an unwritten rule about this.
Thanks to the after-school Sekolah Agama Johor that I went to when I was young, I'm reminded that it's not only us living in this world, there are iblis and jin too. And of all the surahs in the Tafsir subject, I kind of only remember about Surah Al-Falaq.
Growing up, two of the things that got us scolded by our parents were saying that you "malas sembahyang" or "takut hantu". If you "malas belajar" and now "have a boyfriend", you will only be disowned.
I've probably only read two other surah translations, but I know ghosts don't exist in Islam.
*Enter the huge gasp and "you berani saying that..." warning.*
Besides, how come ghosts sound different in different parts of the world? The answer is because they are only in your mind. At least that's what I tell my nephews and nieces so they won't be afraid to go to the bathroom after a horror movie. I'm more afraid of bad people.
On our last visit home, someone ordered S*mpahan K*m K*m on Astro First. I get it, "we should support local movies" and "why take it seriously, this is only for entertainment" or "complain too much, go make your own movies". Alright, we've established that. But why do we only have these types of movies these days? And why does our culture 'worship' these ghosts?
I remember this hantu above was popular when I was young. Ok, I'm not your perfect Muslim. I don't cover up, for example, because I thought, "Well, J Lo is way older than me, she still wears this," and I wish I had never missed my prayers, but I know turning a greeting into a tahyul is wrong too. If I have kids, I don't want them to be afraid to answer salam.
So, would you dare go alone to some spooky / claimed-to-be-haunted places at midnight?
It has to be midnight clearly.
The answer is I wouldn't, even if I'm not alone. And I don't have to. Why should I?
How do you explain this whole belief of yours then?
Same thing with why I don't go on roller coasters, I guess? We know things happen, but generally, yes, I trust the people who make them have made sure that they are safe. But just because I believe they are safe, it doesn't mean I have to torture myself by going on one. Just because I don't believe in ghosts, it doesn't mean I won't scream when you startle me with your spooky costumes. Only that, my life is probably easier that I don't have this special spot for ghosts in my brain compared to people who do.
But do I say that openly when I accidentally get into conversations about ghosts etc with people other than my family and friends? No. I'd usually just say a tiny line of my thoughts, then listen to the conversations while probably holding my breath. Or tuning out. One --I hate to be an a**hole I would like to respect other people's beliefs too. In fact, those who claim to have had such encounters, I trust you wouldn't claim seeing things that you didn't. Otherwise, you don't need an audience for your story, you just need a psychiatrist. Two -- I'm still bound to that rule of my society, no matter how much I don't like it.
Back to The American Horror Story...
I'm not a fan of horror stories. How is a horror story interesting?
Perhaps when it is made dark and funny and human like The American Horror Story.
I expected it to be a typical ghost story, but it turns out not. I can't say I'm obsessed with the show, but it has good twists and makes you try to understand monsters. This is the part where I'm playing double standards again, finding fault in local productions and praising Hollywood. Sigh. I know. I don't understand it either.
If I haven't mentioned this for tens of times already: I can't get enough of the show. It's an addictive zombie series, which is unexpected and new to me. The showrunners, however, would make seven episodes of it, then make you wait for months for another seven.
Suits
This is one charming show. I mentioned about it here. Watching the show is like eating gummy candy.
Smash
It's hard to talk about Smash without talking about Glee. Glee the TV sweetheart was exciting to me for about five episodes, plus another couple of episodes when Blaine sang familiar songs. Then I can just scan and pick for clips that I like on YouTube. While kudos to Glee for making us forget that the show is in the same genre as High School Musical and for pushing boundaries, it needs a new storyline and drama. It now feels like just a show about a group of school kids making music videos. I only got the Schuester-Silvester rivalry for about 10 minutes.
With only two episodes so far, I hope Smash won't go down that road. I hope it continues to be the show the first two episodes were, and I hope it gets as complicated as possible.
Homeland
Damian Lewis plays a US Marine who was held captive by al-Qa*da for years before being rescued, then hailed as a hero when he returns home. Soon, however, Claire Danes's character, a CIA agent who's also keeping her bipolar disorder a secret, begins to suspect that he had been turned by al-Qa*da and is now plotting to commit a terrorist act. One of the things that I often look forward to with this genre is seeing how Islam is portrayed by Hollywood, which often makes me chuckle. Regardless, Homeland in short is chilly. I'm hooked.
The American Horror Story
How is a horror story interesting?
I was talking about ghosts with my brother, niece and nephews the other day: on how we Malays (or Malaysians?) usually avoid admitting openly if we don't believe that ghosts exist. There's an unwritten rule about this.
Thanks to the after-school Sekolah Agama Johor that I went to when I was young, I'm reminded that it's not only us living in this world, there are iblis and jin too. And of all the surahs in the Tafsir subject, I kind of only remember about Surah Al-Falaq.
Growing up, two of the things that got us scolded by our parents were saying that you "malas sembahyang" or "takut hantu". If you "malas belajar" and now "have a boyfriend", you will only be disowned.
I've probably only read two other surah translations, but I know ghosts don't exist in Islam.
*Enter the huge gasp and "you berani saying that..." warning.*
Besides, how come ghosts sound different in different parts of the world? The answer is because they are only in your mind. At least that's what I tell my nephews and nieces so they won't be afraid to go to the bathroom after a horror movie. I'm more afraid of bad people.
On our last visit home, someone ordered S*mpahan K*m K*m on Astro First. I get it, "we should support local movies" and "why take it seriously, this is only for entertainment" or "complain too much, go make your own movies". Alright, we've established that. But why do we only have these types of movies these days? And why does our culture 'worship' these ghosts?
I remember this hantu above was popular when I was young. Ok, I'm not your perfect Muslim. I don't cover up, for example, because I thought, "Well, J Lo is way older than me, she still wears this," and I wish I had never missed my prayers, but I know turning a greeting into a tahyul is wrong too. If I have kids, I don't want them to be afraid to answer salam.
So, would you dare go alone to some spooky / claimed-to-be-haunted places at midnight?
It has to be midnight clearly.
The answer is I wouldn't, even if I'm not alone. And I don't have to. Why should I?
How do you explain this whole belief of yours then?
Same thing with why I don't go on roller coasters, I guess? We know things happen, but generally, yes, I trust the people who make them have made sure that they are safe. But just because I believe they are safe, it doesn't mean I have to torture myself by going on one. Just because I don't believe in ghosts, it doesn't mean I won't scream when you startle me with your spooky costumes. Only that, my life is probably easier that I don't have this special spot for ghosts in my brain compared to people who do.
But do I say that openly when I accidentally get into conversations about ghosts etc with people other than my family and friends? No. I'd usually just say a tiny line of my thoughts, then listen to the conversations while probably holding my breath. Or tuning out. One --
Back to The American Horror Story...
I'm not a fan of horror stories. How is a horror story interesting?
Perhaps when it is made dark and funny and human like The American Horror Story.
I expected it to be a typical ghost story, but it turns out not. I can't say I'm obsessed with the show, but it has good twists and makes you try to understand monsters. This is the part where I'm playing double standards again, finding fault in local productions and praising Hollywood. Sigh. I know. I don't understand it either.
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