I'm on problem-solving duty this week, so I'll be a bit scarce.

[sensaes]

Now, this isn't a problem (yet...), but for those of you who have been following The Clearing House on here, I'm hauling everything across to clearing_house. It'll be tidier, and makes more sense (à la wotc51 and delonio of old). And yes, for the sake of continuity, I'll re-post the earlier entries en masse prior to popping up the next chunk/s.

Gosh, I hope these lapses

Comments

[sensaes]

*Laughs.* Having plugged Rubicon on here when the pilot went out, I then promptly forgot about it until the e-mails started, so I set aside some time one weekend to catch up. *Deep breath.*

There are some parallels, despite:

i) The setting.
ii) The plot.
iii) The explicit differences between the Clearing House and API.
iv) The characters.
v) The "inception date" (thankfully, the most crucial aspect of all).

I suppose this sort of thing is inescapable, although whilst I have no idea about the inspiration behind Rubicon, I can confirm what you may have already surmised - that an awful lot of The Clearing House is based upon fact and personal experience, which is one of the reasons for the major differences between the two properties. Indeed, fleshing out the material from its earlier format has enabled me to highlight those differences further (I'm thinking, in particular here, of the political and academic background). The scope, personnel, and functions of both organizations also differ, although the key aspect of analysis is certainly a commonality. However, as will become evident, the application of that analysis in the case of the Clearing House can be as dull as a few tweaks being applied to, say, a piece of legislation on the topic of non-EU cotton import quotas. Whilst the links with security services provide some of the "meat" of the narrative I elected to tell, there's nothing as concrete, or globally contrived, as can be found at the heart of Rubicon. One of my correspondents - quite accurately, I think, since she hails from the same environment - described The Clearing House as "a think-tank procedural" and, even in draft script form, I was conscious of using the onscreen timecoding to at least partially subvert the glossy 24-style espionage thriller precedents, and any associated expectations.

On a lighter note, I've been amused by the more trivial contrasts. For example, API may have a grubby, New York backstreet exterior (unlike the relatively swish 'n' swanky Westminster façade of the Clearing House), but they've got a proper canteen! Similarly, their offices seem pretty well equipped, unlike the begged, borrowed, and stolen (or "re-appropriated") furniture and facilities of the London-based venue. (Incidentally, I've got a friend in Dubai who went out there during the initial rush of excitement, and who used to complain that whilst his building looked fantastic from the outside, he was lucky if one in four power outlets worked properly.)

[trailer_spot]

My question wasn't meant in any way as an accusation of "plagiarism" by either party. :) But, of course, I was amused to see some parallels in the big shape of things.

I've also started to watch the series. I noticed your endorsement a while ago and since it sounded interesting and I currently don't watch any TV series I started to accumulate the episodes and recently started watching. I've now seen the first five parts and I was starting to have some questions. By now the number of levels of possible conspiracies have started to multiply and have become almost circular (basically, the old "trust no one") in a way that make me question my commitment and the slow pacing is also difficult at times. Though at least in the last episode I saw, two of the plot threads finally started to converge.
In general I don't mind this and find it even appealing, but my question is, will it lead to anything or will it only get more confusing. So my question was more meant in the direction, how many episodes have you seen and is there some meaningful, straight-forward (instead of more confusing) progress plot-wise?

Regarding your observations, the location of the API offices were sort of a déjà-vu for me since I know exactly where they are due to my recent visit of New York. :)

[sensaes]

I've just watched the most recent episode. I think you're right about the pacing - it's very uneven overall, and this latest instalment, written and directed by the show's creator, I noticed, seems to be an attempt to address that. (Possibly to the show's credibility detriment, though, as Will hopping into bed with his neighbour, and "going a bit Bourne", seems oddly out of character.) Generally, the meandering style of the narrative has been a point in its favour, and a nice departure from the usual, hyped-up frenetic pace of similar genre pieces. (Actually, it's a more literary style altogether, and - possibly because he's back in the news with a new novel - I'm reminded somewhat of John le Carré's work.)

We haven't even mentioned the series' MacGuffin in the shape of a bugged owl. ;o)

Yes, I've been following your excellently-illustrated NY travelogue. Marvellous shots and, although - as you know - I'm not the world's biggest fan of the city, you've captured it extraordinarily well.

[trailer_spot]

Ah yes, the owl. :D I yesterday saw the episode that ends with the camera zooming in on the owl. You must've been very amused. It's also the episode in which Travers gets completely paranoid. Which reminds me, given the constant appearance of familiar motives and themes, when was the last time you searched the castle for wiretaps?. :)
And as I said, slow pacing is fine with me. I often regret that during movies (especially thrillers) there's not more time to develop the plot. I only hope it will lead to some results during the course of the season.

Thank you! In a way I'd postponed the trip for almost ten years. So when I got the opportunity to go with a friend I thought it's finally time to cross the Atlantic since I doubt it will get any easier in coming years.

[helice]

Did you catch the excellent footage of the snow leopards and tigers last night??

Please send a snow leopard cub to the usual address. WILL PAY POSTAGE.

[sensaes]

I did! And it was well worth the wait, although they were piling on the emo something awful.

Also, I think it's a rule that Bhutanese children are genetically super-cute for some reason. ;o)