Heaps of hate

Mar 18, 2009 01:38

After posting a question in the Nano forums about choosing plot over characters, someone pointed out "And you'd probably get a more interesting discussion if you didn't ask loaded questions after heaping gratuitous abuse on a program that many WriMos are fond of."

I just explained myself over there better, but maybe I should explain some things here, too. If for nobody else than myself.

I've probably complained about Battlestar Galactica before in this blog, but in this instance it's at the end of the show. I've tried watching it two or three times, and nothing really caught my interest. What did it for me maybe was a boxing episode, and I couldn't help but think why the writers were wasting time in a boxing ring in space. I'd rather have it set somewhere else on the spaceship, or just use the flashbacks elsewhere.

Anyways, apparently in an interview Ron Moore was quoted as saying, "Who gives a [expletive] about the plot? Let’s just talk about these characters.”

This was about the finale of the show.

nBSG has this notoriety among it's detractors (On the sci-fi boards) that the writing is inconsistant, choppy, and leaves many questions unanswered. Rather than wrap these up in the final episodes, Moore has wasted time with 'Character Drama' (as best as I can put it), answering no questions, eschewing previously established canon even more, and generally making everyone confused as to what's going to happen. Some hope for a miracle ending, while others think that's what it needs to put a bow on the series and make it acceptable.

But my problem right now, and what I talked about on the NaNoWriMo boards, is that RDM throws away the plot so casually.

As a writer, plot is essential. I can't see a long story like this being sustained by character drama. Especially given the show's marketed premise- "Nitty, Gritty Realistic show that's supposed to Make Us Think." It's unabashedly Liberal, and the detractors have pointed out that Moore pretty much used the show as a soapbox for his Liberal policies and bush-bashing agenda. This is proven true by the "Iraqtica" arc, where he pretty much turned the show into a commentary on the Iraq war. It might be fine for pressing Liberal agendas (demonizing the united states and portraying terrorists as the heroes), but sacrificing tone for message is unacceptable in my opinion. The Next Generation of Star trek seemed to do this too- preaching to the audience at the expense of an enjoyable story. Anyways...

I'm still in the dark why so many people like this show.

I really cannot understand why people value "Shocking revelations!" over a satisfying plot. I liked Dune, for example, because it was the tale of a prophecy come to pass, and while it had some mystical elemetns into it, Herbet put a lot of thought into Dune while writing it. Dune, as many sci-fi artsts know, is considered one of the great classics. Lord of the Rings is another one. Hell, I could list a few dozen novels that were all great because of their plot. I cannot name one where character drama was gripping and drove the entire direction of the story.

Now, the plot can be about a character's own drama... an example being Ged in Wizard of Earthsea. The drama was about him turning from an arrogant high-headed youth into a tempered mage-in-training. Harry Potter is the character drama of a young boy whose dreams are made true... and the discovery of the events surrounding him and his parents. that is good character drama. Setting a scene where it's just one man shuffling through papers- or brushing his teeth in dramatic fasion- is just wasting time. What events brought about that happening? What does the scene show?

Plot is the direction. Without Plot, there is no story. Plot is the stepladder that goes from point A to B, then to C... without it, do you still have a story?

RDM's quote seems to imply he doesn't think so. But if you don't have plot, what do you have? Little viginettes of character feeling that have no meaning, I feel. I just don't think you can have a plot, story, or Television show with showing such... disreguard for a narriative.

Anyways, when all's said and done I can't wait for the fallout RDM's going to bring on to himself with a failed ending. If the disappointment from the fans are any indication on skiffy (The sci-fi forusm), then only the diehards will be defending their show with unrealistic arguements. BSG sucks, because the first half was running on a stolen script and the second (all that Moore could come up with), couldn't hold a candle to any other modern production. Hopefully Moore's downfall will also quash the notion that shock does not make up for lack of substance.
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