The Poochie network
The SciFi SyFy network's idiotic rebranding announcement reminded me very strongly of something. I just figured out what. I envision the marketing pitch going something like this, with "network name" replacing "dog":
EXECUTIVE
(pause) We at the network want a dog with attitude. He's edgy, he's "in your face." You've heard the expression "let's get busy"? Well, this is a dog who gets "biz-zay!" Consistently and thoroughly.
KRUSTY
So he's proactive, huh?
EXECUTIVE
Oh, God, yes. We're talking about a totally outrageous paradigm.
MEYER
Excuse me, but "proactive" and "paradigm"? Aren't these just buzzwords that dumb people use to sound important? Not that I'm accusing you of anything like that. I'm fired, aren't I?
MEYERS
Oh, yes.
MEYERS
The rest of you writers start thinking up a name for this funky dog; I dunno, something along the line of say... Poochie, only more proactive.
KRUSTY
Yeah!
Meyers, Krusty and the network executive leave.
OAKLEY
So, Poochie okay with everybody?
WRITERS
Yeah...
An animator, who looks like David Silverman, draws a sketch of a dog.
MEYERS
No, no, no! He was supposed to have attitude.
SILVERMAN
Um... wh-what do you mean, exactly?
MEYERS
Oh, you know, attitude, attitude! Uh... sunglasses!
EXECUTIVE
Can we put him in more of a "hip-hop" context?
KRUSTY
Forget context, he's gotta be a surfer. Give me a nice shmear of surfer.
EXECUTIVE
I feel we should rastafy him by ... ten percent or so.
And that's not even getting into the fact that the new name means venereal disease in Polish.
* * * * *
Castle 1.02 - "Nanny McDead"
I can't think of any more visible proof that the show is laughing at itself than its own episode titles.
That said, while the plot was still tissue-thin, I thought this was a strong episode, stronger than the pilot. It was as much about the characters as the mystery, and managed to convey a lot of backstory for both Castle and Beckett without resorting to exposition. It's also doing that thing I like so much in maybe-romantic partnerships: showing the two characters seeing each other being good at what they do, and admiring each other for it.
I also think the show is walking a nice line with its conceit and the contrast between Castle's fictional detective world and Beckett's "real" policework--Castle's realization that Beckett had to notify the victim's family; the protective gear in the autopsy room; Castle spinning out the scenario that made the best story, and not being wrong, but not being exactly right either. It wasn't the staff and it wasn't a neighbor, and unlike in his books, the real villain wasn't the killer and didn't go to jail.
I also like that the show addressed one of my big questions really early on by having Principle Flutie make Castle sign a giant stack of waivers. Hee.
So, yes, it's fluff, but it's not stupid, and I'm very pleased that Nathan Fillion is getting to use his comic chops. Also, my antipathy towards Beckett's hair is easing up. (Why yes, it does always come back to the hair.) I doubt I'll post about the show regularly, but I do want to do my part to plug it before ABC cancels it.
EXECUTIVE
(pause) We at the network want a dog with attitude. He's edgy, he's "in your face." You've heard the expression "let's get busy"? Well, this is a dog who gets "biz-zay!" Consistently and thoroughly.
KRUSTY
So he's proactive, huh?
EXECUTIVE
Oh, God, yes. We're talking about a totally outrageous paradigm.
MEYER
Excuse me, but "proactive" and "paradigm"? Aren't these just buzzwords that dumb people use to sound important? Not that I'm accusing you of anything like that. I'm fired, aren't I?
MEYERS
Oh, yes.
MEYERS
The rest of you writers start thinking up a name for this funky dog; I dunno, something along the line of say... Poochie, only more proactive.
KRUSTY
Yeah!
Meyers, Krusty and the network executive leave.
OAKLEY
So, Poochie okay with everybody?
WRITERS
Yeah...
An animator, who looks like David Silverman, draws a sketch of a dog.
MEYERS
No, no, no! He was supposed to have attitude.
SILVERMAN
Um... wh-what do you mean, exactly?
MEYERS
Oh, you know, attitude, attitude! Uh... sunglasses!
EXECUTIVE
Can we put him in more of a "hip-hop" context?
KRUSTY
Forget context, he's gotta be a surfer. Give me a nice shmear of surfer.
EXECUTIVE
I feel we should rastafy him by ... ten percent or so.
And that's not even getting into the fact that the new name means venereal disease in Polish.
* * * * *
Castle 1.02 - "Nanny McDead"
I can't think of any more visible proof that the show is laughing at itself than its own episode titles.
That said, while the plot was still tissue-thin, I thought this was a strong episode, stronger than the pilot. It was as much about the characters as the mystery, and managed to convey a lot of backstory for both Castle and Beckett without resorting to exposition. It's also doing that thing I like so much in maybe-romantic partnerships: showing the two characters seeing each other being good at what they do, and admiring each other for it.
I also think the show is walking a nice line with its conceit and the contrast between Castle's fictional detective world and Beckett's "real" policework--Castle's realization that Beckett had to notify the victim's family; the protective gear in the autopsy room; Castle spinning out the scenario that made the best story, and not being wrong, but not being exactly right either. It wasn't the staff and it wasn't a neighbor, and unlike in his books, the real villain wasn't the killer and didn't go to jail.
I also like that the show addressed one of my big questions really early on by having Principle Flutie make Castle sign a giant stack of waivers. Hee.
So, yes, it's fluff, but it's not stupid, and I'm very pleased that Nathan Fillion is getting to use his comic chops. Also, my antipathy towards Beckett's hair is easing up. (Why yes, it does always come back to the hair.) I doubt I'll post about the show regularly, but I do want to do my part to plug it before ABC cancels it.