TV rants

[Rageaholic]

I know, it's only TV and I shouldn't get so annoyed, but as good as the networks are at producing entertaining television, they are just as good at pissing you off! Some spoilers ahead for Heroes so read at your own risk!!!

Like what's up with all these gimmicky shows? Before "THE EVENT", it was Lost and Heroes. I never watched much of Lost, but from what I've heard, they were nitorious for building up a lot of mystery for an anti climax. That's the same reason why I gave up on Heroes. They would build up something for several episodes only to have a half ass conclusion in the finale followed by more cliffhangers in the last 2 minutes (aka "sneak peak for next season"). With so many filler episodes and backstory, you'd think they'd have an epic conclusion.

Part of the problem is that after experiencing more than enough to kill someone, characters NEVER. FUCKING. DIE. They would either be revived with Claires blood or survive with their regenerating powers. Seriously, if they can revive themselves so easily, what's the big deal? Then you got characters going from the dark side to the good side and vise versa about a bazillion times. This was cool at first, but it become tiresome when cool villians join the good side to fight a stronger evil (usually Sylar). It's funny because you had a lot of cool powers, but there were rarely any cool fight scenes or epic showdowns because the villians would frequently change their mind. That's how many good potential plots were ruined.

And last but definately not least, I. HATE. SHIPPING. It's the easiest way to ruin a character. It's also the easiest way to take a funny, quirky show and turn it into a melodramatic, angsty love story. I fear Psych may be fallen victim to this. It's still watchable and still has some of the original charm, but it used to be a lot better. And why does love and romance always have to be so weapy? It is some cardinal rule that when ever characters get serious there has to be angst?

Anyway, that's my jab at TV. Not much of a serious rant, but more fun since it does involve entertainment. Please, feel free to add your own TV pet hates.

[LadyBarbossa]

And last but definately not least, I. HATE. SHIPPING. It's the easiest way to ruin a character. It's also the easiest way to take a funny, quirky show and turn it into a melodramatic, angsty love story.

H-H-Hooooouuusssssseee I dunno if they'll keep it up, but I really don't like it. It does seem that every show is attempting to be 'The new Lost'. I watched Lost from the pilot episode right up to the tear-jerking finale, but I will admit that it declined in quality each season and they catered too much to fans. I think it would have been better if the writers stayed off the message boards so they wouldn't feel obligated to cater to idiotic fan theories.

I for one would be thrilled if we had LESS FREAKING cop/forensic/doctor/court shows. I mean good grief, enough is enough! No more spinoffs allowed, seriously. We don't need a CSI, Law & Order, or NCIS for every major city. If you've seen one of these, you've seen them all. It is a small thing, like you said, but every time I see an ad for a new show that is a law enforcement/crime drama it pisses me right the hell off.

[AdminAssistant]

I totally agree with you on the shipping. I watch NCIS (although I've fallen behind this season), and the Tony/Ziva shippers get on my last effing nerve. And the writers just feed it! Yeah, I got it, Tony and Ziva have sexual tension, now can we have an episode that isn't about those two almost doing it or Gibbs dealing with his past? Or Abby in yet another dangerous situation? How about a McGee episode? Ducky? Palmer?

[Plaidman]

Uh... what's... Shipping mean?

[AdminAssistant]

Uh... what's... Shipping mean?

Fanfic where the author puts together two characters that aren't in a relationship in the actual story. For example....Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. Which is fine for people who write fanfic for funsies. But I'd rather not my WGA writers of television/film start bending their characters (which they actually, y'know, created) to the whims of a few die hard fans.

Typically, every show has a basic overall arc for the series. Now that obviously changes depending on how popular the show is, if an actor has to/wants to leave, or if the leadership changes (all three have happened with NCIS). When writers force characters together for the sake of ratings, it kills that predetermined arc and makes everything feel more wonky.

[Greenday]

Only episode of Lost I ever saw was the finale. It was a snoozefest. And I correctly predicted the ending before the episode started without seeing any episodes previously and just some basic knowledge of the plot.

House...We all knew they'd get together. But now that they have...it sucks. Their relationship is no longer funny. If they break up and shit doesn't hit the fan in a major plot changing way, it's going to be unrealistic crap. And damnit, I want Thirteen back!

Scrubs bother me the most. It was my favorite show. Then it got serious. JD knocked up his girlfriend. She lost it. Then she comes back and surprise! She never lost it and he's a dad. Crap got too serious. It's a comedy. Should have kept it that way. Then they tried the new cast with a couple old characters and it sucked.

[muses_nightmare]

I don't actually mind the whole House/Cuddy thing, I figure at least that was kind of something that was expected to happen eventually.

I was trying to watch the 3rd season of Heroes on DVD a little while ago and I don't know if it's the fact that it's been awhile since I watched the first two seasons, but I was bored and couldn't follow the storyline.

I've been watching Smallville, I'm currently on season 6 but one thing that annoys me is how no matter how many times characters are knocked out none of them ever manages to have any real damage done to them, and some of them are knocked out pretty much every second episode or so. I get that it's a TV show, one based on comic book universe but dammit there are more ways to have someone not see Clark use his powers besides having them unconscious!

[DrFaroohk]

The problem with shows like Lost is that they tease and prod at your imagination so much that no matter how it ends, you're gonna be disappointed because nothing can live up to what you imagine to be the greatest finale ever.

[Rageaholic]

I totally agree with you on the shipping. I watch NCIS (although I've fallen behind this season), and the Tony/Ziva shippers get on my last effing nerve. And the writers just feed it! Yeah, I got it, Tony and Ziva have sexual tension, now can we have an episode that isn't about those two almost doing it or Gibbs dealing with his past? Or Abby in yet another dangerous situation? How about a McGee episode? Ducky? Palmer?

Yeah, with just about every show, they have so many potentially interesting areas to explore that they often tease at, but never go for. That was another reason I stopped bothering with heroes. Every potentially interesting plot would be sidelined for the same old destiny bullshit. It didn't help when EVERY FUCKING SEASON would have a backstory episode, only making it more confusing.

Also **SPOILERS FOR CHUCK**

When are they going to stop keeping his sister in the dark? They keep teasing at bringing her into the spy world, yet she still's ignorant in the most contrived ways possible. Come on, there's so much potential there, but they insist on making episodes devoted to Chuck and Sarah angst. A big example of a missed opertunity was the coup one. It had a lot of great moments, but was ruined by the STUPIDEST conclusion to an international crisis I have ever seen in my life. Can they stop having Chuck be such a moron by discussing relationship matters in the middle of an inpending nuclear war!! I know the show doesn't take itself too seriously, but come on!

The problem with shows like Lost is that they tease and prod at your imagination so much that no matter how it ends, you're gonna be disappointed because nothing can live up to what you imagine to be the greatest finale ever.

That's true, the trailers are often so overhyped. Though sometimes the finales actually do deliver, and in at least one case, was actually better than the trailers made it out to be. But that's rare.

[Cats]

I totally agree with you on the shipping. I watch NCIS (although I've fallen behind this season), and the Tony/Ziva shippers get on my last effing nerve. And the writers just feed it! Yeah, I got it, Tony and Ziva have sexual tension, now can we have an episode that isn't about those two almost doing it or Gibbs dealing with his past? Or Abby in yet another dangerous situation? How about a McGee episode? Ducky? Palmer?

As NCIS is the ONLY show I watch on TV (I was never a big TV person), I agree with all of this. I do admit I enjoy the tension between Tony and Ziva, but that last thing I want is for something to actually happen between them. Besides, Rule #12!

McGee definitely needs some more spotlight, and I would love to see more Palmer and Ducky.

[AdminAssistant]

McGee definitely needs some more spotlight, and I would love to see more Palmer and Ducky.

I've wondered if there was some nasty fallout with Sean Murray when Bellisario stepped down and Shane Brennan took over. (Murray is Donald Bellisario's stepson.) I can't think of any other reason why they won't do more with his character. But those writers have baffled me before - I still don't understand why Lauren Holly (Jenny Shepard) got the hasty sendoff that she did.

And I really have no idea why they don't use Brian Dietzen (Palmer) more. He's a good actor, and he and McCallum work so well together.

[Rageaholic]

I'm gonna bump this for Human Target. Now I actually started watching in the second season and thought the show was awesome (and it still is, I hope to see it renewed). The action is tight, the characters are fun, and it didn't seem to fall into the trap of cocktease romance... until the last couple of episodes.

*SPOILERS*

WTF writters I was with you adding women to the team. Then you go ahead and have that cliched kiss as the end of the penultimate. You *had* to go there didn't you? You just had to have them get romantically involved and confirm mine and other fans worst fears about this show. Then you go ahead and act like it was nothing in the beginning of the finale, but continue that cocktease romance that soooooo many TV shows love. And while the action and suspense was still fantastic as usual, the romantic angst and dialog was on par with Spiderman movies (don't get me wrong I love Spiderman, but they are pretty silly movies)

Oh yeah and Ames, I thought she was fun at first, and didn't find her too annoying, but these last couple of episodes, she's rightfully earned the scrappy title. She's like a TV embodiment of a shipper for Chance/Ilsa. Most poorly used character EVER.

And despite all of my bitching and criticizing of this show, I still want to see it renewed. Even with the romantic cliches that were introduced, it's still an awesome show. I just don't see that happening since so far all I've seen is criticism of the finale for reasons I've mentioned. Hell, even if the next season is full of Chance/Ilsa angst, I would still watch it and probably enjoy it (as long as it stays somewhat in character, it's still one of the best shows out there). It's just the writters don't seem to understand that not every show has to have a romantic subplot to cheese things up. We already have Chuck for romantic angsts and it fits well in that show, but in Human Target, it fails, epically.

*END RANT (for now)*

[Dreamstalker]

House...We all knew they'd get together. But now that they have...it sucks. If they break up and shit doesn't hit the fan in a major plot changing way, it's going to be unrealistic crap. And damnit, I want Thirteen back!

Hear hear! I can't stand the goody-two-shoes Amber Tamblyn character (what's her name again?). Olivia Wilde's name is still in the credits, so maybe she might return...

I thought the House/Cuddy thing was funnier when it was implied and unlikely. How come CSI can nix supervisor/subordinate relationships realistically and House can't?

[Cat]

Hear hear! I can't stand the goody-two-shoes Amber Tamblyn character (what's her name again?). Olivia Wilde's name is still in the credits, so maybe she might return...

I thought the House/Cuddy thing was funnier when it was implied and unlikely. How come CSI can nix supervisor/subordinate relationships realistically and House can't?

Another "I want 13 back!" here. And at first, I was decidely anti House/Cuddy, but I think the writters are doing a good job with it. Missed the last half of this week's ep.

[lordlundar]

The funny thing is I see this all the time in another entertainment medium: comic books. Yup, I'm going there, because from a writing style, it's almost identical.

Most stories, unless it's an overarching storyline covering multiple issues/shows is not done very far in advance, then pieced together and filmed/drawn in what can be described as the last minute. This means that minor background arcs not relevant to the show/comic at hand have no real structural basis to go on, so by the time the writer decides to get to it, they've written themselves into a corner and have to get out of it.

Comics historically have "retconned (returned continuity)" through a couple of means traditionally. One is the "big event", where something major happens and forces the characters to take on the new path (aka Marvel Civil War, though Marvel seems to like this method A LOT). The alternative is to simply start from scratch and say "alternate dimension" (DC's favorite apparently).

TV shows in the past usually did not deal with it, usually because syndicated shows were self enclosed, where each episode is it's own storyline and usually ended with the show returning to status quo (a few shows have noted this in the past like the Simpsons or Night Court) regardless of the magnitude of the event. As the audience matured and found other mediums handling major events as being permanent, this approach has become noticed and disliked for a lack of realism.

So a lot of shows decided to take the approach that comics have been taking and making multiple story arcs encompassing multiple episodes or even seasons. But while comics can go into the imagination to fix the arc that was devastated, TV shows don't have that luxury. They can't simply change paths without an explanation which rarely makes sense, and they can't just end the run because it's not in their hands. So they decide to fake their way through, which often destroys the story beyond hope to the point where a lack of viewership forces an end. Of course by this time the story is so mangled that even coming to a decent end just isn't possible, so no matter what they do, the result is never as good as it should be.

It's not to say that there isn't room for the method of writing, but such a style is meant for a novel, with a defined beginning, middle and end. Babylon 5 is a prime example of how it can work, but J.M. Straczynski had the entire show planned out before the pilot was even beginning to be typed out. It was never meant to go beyond 5 years, and could even be cut out effectively at the end of 4 if needed. It allowed him the freedom to piece together whatever he wanted (very little in that show could be considered casual dialogue. Almost everything referenced something else.) but to do it right, he needed that defined end so he knew when to shut it down.

That's where shows like House, NCIS, Lost, etc. have issues. They have no defined end to them, so they can't decide when to finish the arc. (well, okay, Lost might be a bad example of this, more a better example of how the "monkey at a typewriter" technique shouldn't be used) The catch is while in terms of plot these background arcs don't mean much, when it comes to the character development, it means everything.

So there's two solutions to not seeing them in the future: The first is the Babylon 5 model. Plan the arc then follow the plan with little to no deviations. The other is the old Sit-com model of never doing it in the first place. Something that is unacceptable though is to start without a plan and hope it can come together with some good writing before the show gets cancelled, because that just isn't going to happen. Heck, look at soap operas. They're stories are so much of a convoluted mess that the producers can't cancel the show because they wouldn't know how.