tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post2246126557735004514..comments2024-01-04T02:15:58.834-05:00Comments on Matt's Musings: So close...Matt Kellandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04544385872579718596noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-24646179726183094732009-12-29T18:54:07.071-05:002009-12-29T18:54:07.071-05:00I've just started playing Dragon Age, and afte...I've just started playing Dragon Age, and after three hours, I feel like I'm getting nowhere, just wandering around vaguely, talking to people to pick up lots of fragmentary back story, and doing a few silly quests. (Get the rod to open the door, get the piece of paper signed to get the rod, blah blah.)<br /><br />I'm persevering only because (1) lots of people have assured me it gets really good and (2) it's not cheap. I'd give up otherwise.Matt Kellandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04544385872579718596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-84588086508598364242009-11-13T10:30:21.897-05:002009-11-13T10:30:21.897-05:00And on that topic of US compared to UK story arcs:...And on that topic of US compared to UK story arcs:<br /><br />http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2009/10/why-britain-cant-do-the-wire/<br /><br />- especially interesting for the subplot diagram. Of course, I do love diagrams :-)Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-66687992620327555862009-11-13T09:46:58.245-05:002009-11-13T09:46:58.245-05:00I'm starting to wonder - at least in TV - how ...I'm starting to wonder - at least in TV - how much this is affected by the difference between US & UK TV scheduling. In the US, you expect 10-20 episodes per season. In the UK, 6 or fewer is normal. Shows like Morse only ran 2 or 3 at a time.<br /><br />In the UK, that gives the writers a chance to see what works and adjust accordingly. In the US, you're set on a long course, and cancellation is easier than change. On the flip side, that's why US shows can do long arcs and run to 100+ eps, where a UK show is lucky to make it to 20.Matt Kellandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04544385872579718596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-21420076102989684472009-11-13T08:21:53.469-05:002009-11-13T08:21:53.469-05:00The title of the book alone reminded me of a Georg...The title of the book alone reminded me of a George Carlin bit, where he proposed a 24-hour suicide television channel, and how incredibly popular it would be. (Given the sad state of the TV-watchin' public, I'm forced to agree.)liquidcrosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16952862515807584422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-48149927287061082102009-11-13T06:57:36.910-05:002009-11-13T06:57:36.910-05:00I guess writers don't set out to be boring. I ...I guess writers don't set out to be boring. I wonder if some of this is about getting the live feedback from seeing actors bring the characters to life, seeing what works and what does not..remember the first series of Blackadder?<br />What about Frasier, in the first few episodes David Hyde Pierce (Niles) gets no space to be funny, in later episodes his silent reaction shots make for some of the best comedy moments. How could a writer have anticipated that?<br />I think there needs to be talent on all sides, but there's something about the chemistry that happens on set which makes or breaks a series.<br />-KateKate Foskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231388785353184821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-76325849252771024042009-11-13T06:12:59.352-05:002009-11-13T06:12:59.352-05:00Btw I'm not ruling out a show with a slow star...Btw I'm not ruling out a show with a slow start. Dollhouse took time to build. But no way could you look at it after even 1 hour and say, "I'm not interested or engaged by any of the characters."Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-62059527116043246032009-11-13T06:11:34.007-05:002009-11-13T06:11:34.007-05:00Matt - why did give it 4 hours? I was on autopilo...Matt - why did give it 4 hours? I was on autopilot. I'd seen 3 episodes back to back, then when I went back for the fourth I started to realize that it just hadn't hooked me.<br /><br />AngriBuddhist - why is it about when to give up? Opportunity cost - plenty of entertainment can be compelling right from the start, so why waste time on the stuff that isn't? If a TV writer can't pull off the basic feat of hooking me after four. whole. hours. of storytelling, they're incompetent and there's no reason to expect that it's going to improve.Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-29286758643012245012009-11-13T06:05:57.404-05:002009-11-13T06:05:57.404-05:00It very much depends on the show. I found the star...It very much depends on the show. I found the start of Bones fairly dull, but a number of my friends assured me it gets really good later as the relationship between the two main characters develops. Dollhouse had a slow start as they were setting up the world and the premise, but once we were through the backstory, it got really interesting.Matt Kellandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04544385872579718596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-42609746924439424422009-11-13T05:58:14.831-05:002009-11-13T05:58:14.831-05:00I really like this point - 'You start off not ...I really like this point - 'You start off not caring, because it's all new. The author/writer has to make you care before you can stop' - That's possibly the most important thing a writer has to do!<br /><br />But I'd disagree that many shows don't get going until well into the first season. Often I find the pilot is terrific, then the actual show jettisons all the interesting character friction (which makes you care about people's individual agendas) to get on with routine problem-solving (eg Fringe).Roz Morris aka @Roz_Morris . Blog: Nail Your Novelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10088813423467048081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-48221078489191286832009-11-13T05:58:11.066-05:002009-11-13T05:58:11.066-05:00Why is it about when to give up?
The situation, e...Why is it about when to give up?<br /><br />The situation, especially relating to television, should be about changing the expectations.<br /><br />As an audience, we expect to be completely sucked in after 4 hours. Really? 4 out of, what, 70, and we're already claiming that it sucks.<br /><br />As for the television studios, I believe that even when a show hits the rock bottom, you know, 2 million viewers, you can still make a good deal of money off of advertisements, just not enough for the execs to keep making their multi-million dollar bonuses.AngriBuddhisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17465635317127638830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-29945271824199831412009-11-13T05:49:19.892-05:002009-11-13T05:49:19.892-05:00So... why did you give it 4 hours before deciding ...So... why did you give it 4 hours before deciding you weren't going to care? How come you didn't figure that out after 20-odd minutes?Matt Kellandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04544385872579718596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-89573744336446739032009-11-13T05:26:37.480-05:002009-11-13T05:26:37.480-05:00If the writer hasn't done something to make th...If the writer hasn't done something to make the main characters interesting the very first time we meet them, it's a fair bet that he/she is going to muck it up throughout.<br /><br />That doesn't have to be a "save the cat" moment. Could just be that the characters are introduced in a dramatic way. (Jack in Lost: wakes up in an island paradise and thirty seconds later he's hauling folks out of a wrecked plane.)<br /><br />When the story isn't going to have high and personal stakes for the hero, the hero needs to be somebody whose personality we find fascinating. That's why most detectives in ongoing series are so colorful and larger-than-life. If the crime in Engrenages was being investigated by Walter Bishop from Fringe, you can bet I'd stay to the end.<br /><br />Oh, just realized I'm having a "rules" day. That won't be good for creativity ;-)Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-36235241267440740252009-11-13T04:52:06.753-05:002009-11-13T04:52:06.753-05:00That's a nice point. A couple of people on twi...That's a nice point. A couple of people on twitter replied "give up when you stop caring about the characters and plot". However, that doesn't work. You start off not caring, because it's all new. The author/writer has to make you care before you can stop caring. How long do you give it before you decide you're never going to care?Matt Kellandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04544385872579718596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398250293312747643.post-58175925756908041782009-11-13T04:45:46.452-05:002009-11-13T04:45:46.452-05:00Funny you should mention this, because I was wonde...Funny you should mention this, because I was wondering just yesterday whether to persevere with the French cop show Engrenages having watched 5 episodes. <br /><br />Part of me thought, "Well, I've stuck it out this far so I might as well finish." But that isn't logical. The time already spent is a sunk cost, and if I don't care about the characters after 4 hours that's not going to change now.<br /><br />The problem in Engrenages is that there's nobody to whom the outcome really matters. The victim is dead. The cops would like to catch the killer - but if they don't, nothing will change. The "Only connect!" ingredient is missing - and so, why should I care enough to keep watching?Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.com