Ugh. People.
So, I'm in a bitchy, moody and complaining mood at the moment. So many things have been happening online that have made me want to throw things. Violently.
My first is people using the fact that Merlin is a children's programme as an excuse for all the complaints that others have had about the show since the beginning of the second series.
[I can't claim any of the complaints because I haven't watched any episode apart from the first one]
Okay, so because I haven't seen any of the episodes I don't know my views on the story, character development and other stuff that has been happening. My forthcoming rant doesn't assume that these complaints are correct or wrong, just that they exist.
My point is, big fucking deal if it's a children's programme. Being a children's programme doesn't mean that you can forget character development or story continuation. It's not an excuse. It's not a reason. There are plenty of children's TV shows that don't have uneven character development or forget events from previous episodes.
There are also, I feel the need to point out, more than a lot of children's books that have complex story arcs, deeply developed characters with evolving relationships and situations that are often fluid. I should know. I've read them.
In a children's book, if there is uneven characterisation or bad plotting then it's bad writing. Simple as that.
Why should it be any different for a children's TV show? Children aren't stupid. They don't need adults to patronise them. They can cope with things like character development and evolving story lines.
Saying it's gets a pass because it's a children's show it just an excuse.
You know, I think sloppy writing is the theme of this post, now I come to think about it because my next subject is SG:90210
So, and I'm not all that sure how, because, really, I'm not following Stargate stuff any more, the PTB have managed to piss off the masses again.
So, Joe Mallozzi had a bit of a rant about something or another, but since that's not exactly unusual, I can't be bothered to pay any attention to it.
There have, however, been some well reasoned reviews that have spelt out all the problems I, and so many other people, have with the show.
The two best that I have seen:-
Desperate survivors get lost in 'Stargate Universe'
Stargate Universe: down the wormhole
The most hilarious thing is the hissy fit that Brad Wright pulled in the comments section of a review blog.
This links to both the hissy fit and the well balanced reply.
A 'Stargate Universe' producer takes issue with criticism of the show.
I love that the majority of people in the comments agree with the reviewer but the things that the people who disagree say makes me mind boggle (I seem to be loving the word 'boggle' recently)
There are the people who try to excuse the lack of development of the female characters by saying that it's a big cast and difficult to pay enough attention to everyone early on.
To this all I can say is employ Aaron Sorkin - look at the pilots of each of his shows. That is the template you should use when trying to introduce a large number of characters to the audience. It is possible to do, you just need to be able to write well.
And to the writers/prodicers I say this: If there are this many people levelling the same criticisms at you, it's you, not them.
You can't watch a TV show wrong, but you can write one wrong.
If you find that you have to keep explaining things to your audience some time after the episode has aired, you aren't giving viewers enough information to be able to come to those conclusions by themselves.
Don't blame your audience for your crappy writing.
Go and read the TWOP SGU boards for some excellent comments by those who aren't mindless drones like those on Gateworld No mindless drones here
If SG:90210 does get cancelled, I for one, would love to be a fly on the wall when the ptb get told. I can just imagine their looks of incomprehension and them raging that people just didn't get it *g*
It's mean of me I know.
My first is people using the fact that Merlin is a children's programme as an excuse for all the complaints that others have had about the show since the beginning of the second series.
[I can't claim any of the complaints because I haven't watched any episode apart from the first one]
Okay, so because I haven't seen any of the episodes I don't know my views on the story, character development and other stuff that has been happening. My forthcoming rant doesn't assume that these complaints are correct or wrong, just that they exist.
My point is, big fucking deal if it's a children's programme. Being a children's programme doesn't mean that you can forget character development or story continuation. It's not an excuse. It's not a reason. There are plenty of children's TV shows that don't have uneven character development or forget events from previous episodes.
There are also, I feel the need to point out, more than a lot of children's books that have complex story arcs, deeply developed characters with evolving relationships and situations that are often fluid. I should know. I've read them.
In a children's book, if there is uneven characterisation or bad plotting then it's bad writing. Simple as that.
Why should it be any different for a children's TV show? Children aren't stupid. They don't need adults to patronise them. They can cope with things like character development and evolving story lines.
Saying it's gets a pass because it's a children's show it just an excuse.
You know, I think sloppy writing is the theme of this post, now I come to think about it because my next subject is SG:90210
So, and I'm not all that sure how, because, really, I'm not following Stargate stuff any more, the PTB have managed to piss off the masses again.
So, Joe Mallozzi had a bit of a rant about something or another, but since that's not exactly unusual, I can't be bothered to pay any attention to it.
There have, however, been some well reasoned reviews that have spelt out all the problems I, and so many other people, have with the show.
The two best that I have seen:-
Desperate survivors get lost in 'Stargate Universe'
Stargate Universe: down the wormhole
The most hilarious thing is the hissy fit that Brad Wright pulled in the comments section of a review blog.
This links to both the hissy fit and the well balanced reply.
A 'Stargate Universe' producer takes issue with criticism of the show.
I love that the majority of people in the comments agree with the reviewer but the things that the people who disagree say makes me mind boggle (I seem to be loving the word 'boggle' recently)
There are the people who try to excuse the lack of development of the female characters by saying that it's a big cast and difficult to pay enough attention to everyone early on.
To this all I can say is employ Aaron Sorkin - look at the pilots of each of his shows. That is the template you should use when trying to introduce a large number of characters to the audience. It is possible to do, you just need to be able to write well.
And to the writers/prodicers I say this: If there are this many people levelling the same criticisms at you, it's you, not them.
You can't watch a TV show wrong, but you can write one wrong.
If you find that you have to keep explaining things to your audience some time after the episode has aired, you aren't giving viewers enough information to be able to come to those conclusions by themselves.
Don't blame your audience for your crappy writing.
Go and read the TWOP SGU boards for some excellent comments by those who aren't mindless drones like those on Gateworld No mindless drones here
If SG:90210 does get cancelled, I for one, would love to be a fly on the wall when the ptb get told. I can just imagine their looks of incomprehension and them raging that people just didn't get it *g*
It's mean of me I know.