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shadowkat1. Well...they turned the air on at work, so it's no longer 81 degrees and I no longer have to run the small desk fan (although I think I inadvertently left it running on Friday). Also my allergies have cleared up - combo of changing allergy meds from zyrtec to allegra, and spending three days away from the work environment. So no bronchitis and no longer sick.
2. Out of curiousity, checked out Mark Watches...I do that from time to time...
and the problem with it, is, I feel this overwhelming desire to drop evil snarky misleads. Anyone else feel this odd compulsion? Just me then. Felt it with Game of Thrones and Hunger Games too. All his predictions are so far off the chart - it's hilarious. I'm tempted to pop back in and read his two-part review of Becoming - it's going to blow this poor boy's mind! OTOH...admittedly, it was impossible to predict Spike's arc in S2 or any season for that matter. Actually Spike was guaranteed to throw everyone off - mainly because the character simply refused to do what the writer planned, so the writer often had no idea going into any season what his arc would actually be or how it would play out. It got very hard to accurately spoil that series because of well, Spike. Talk about your Trickster characters. Spike was the ultimate Trickster - he actually played a number on the writers. The perfect metaphor for free will vs. determinism.
Whedon: Spike, you will die by episode two. Your sire, Angel will stake you through the heart and take up with Drusilla.
Spike: Hmmm. Right. Don't quite know about that. Sounds sort of boring to me. Besides...make more sense if you kept me around, Buffy's going to need someone to help her defeat Angel...
Whedon: You're a soulless vampire, EVILLL, no way are you going to help Buffy save the world.
Spike: Why the hell not? I'll have you know that I happen to like this world. Just because I'm evil, don't mean that I don't want the world to stick around a bit longer. Although not entirely sure I am evil...let's see, I love Dru, that's not evil. Loved my Mum.
Whedon: You are EVIL!
(Several episodes later)
Whedon: Uhmmm...change of plan. Seems you are going to help Buffy save the world and leave town with Dru, while she fights Angel to the death and sends him to hell.
But you won't come back. And you are still EVIL. You are only doing it because you are opportunistic and want to get revenge on Angel and get Dru back.
Spike: Sounds inspired. But you know that slayer? She's sort of hot.
Whedon:nah, nah, nah - you are NOT, I repeat NOT going to go after Buffy. You are evil. She's moving on, and the only vamp for her is Angel.
Spike: yeah, well, whatever you say mate.
(several episodes later)
Whedon: You broke up with Dru and are coming back to Sunnydale to make life difficult for Buffy and Angel.
Spike: I get to fight with the hot slayer and flirt with the hot witch, plus bash Xander's head in? Cool.
Whedon: well...no. Okay. Yeah. But then you are gone.
(several episodes later)
Whedon: Spike, I'm bringing you back to Sunnydale, we're putting a chip in your head so you can't kill anyone, and you'll take Cordelia's role on the team and just tell them they are stupid.
Spike: I thought you said I was an evil Vampire, mate. Not a bleeding college student. Can't bloody wander about in daylight now can I? Plus you're killing my cool factor. And seriously, putting me in Xander's shirt and turning us into roommates. So not going to happen.
Whedon: It'll work. And you are still evil.
Spike: Course will also put me in close proximity with that hot slayer...what's her name...Buffy?
Whedon: Not on your life. Did that already.
Spike: Make more sense to be Angel's replacement than Cordy's. Except cooler and less cliche. Also, why am I sticking around Sunnyhell anyway? Can't kill the bitch. Must be in love with her - makes sense totally hot.
Whedon: No, we already did the romeo and juliet bit. Plus you are still EVIL.
Spike: You keep saying that, who you trying to convince? Me or yourself? And..I didn't say she had to return it, did I? Besides, I said cooler...more like Beatrice and Benedict, or maybe that pair in Twelth Night...what were their names...
Whedon: I'm thinking Hamlet.
Spike: Yeah, right. Hamlet died. Too tragic. Plus don't you already have that whole Hamlet vibe going with Angel...
Whedon: Or maybe Othello...haven't decided yet. And no, Angel's Macbeth.
Spike: Bloody hell. I can totally see that. He'd make a great Hamlet though. Those two blokes could be cousins.
Whedon: And you are dying, by the way. Tragically. Trust me. I'm killing you off! I don't do comedies, I write tragedies.
Spike: Keep telling yourself that. Clearly makes you happy. But we both know you can't do it...kill me.
Whedon: Just watch me. You'll die. Burning. In the hellmouth. It'll be classic!
Spike: Yeah right, I should be so lucky. You'll only bring me back. Probably just to annoy Angel. We both know it.
I love it when a character plays havoc with a writer's brain to the extent that he or she almost takes over, it's pure magic. It also makes a story highly unpredictable and sort of realistic. One character can change an entire story, throw it into all sorts of wonderful directions. One tricky character that the writer didn't see coming. That's why when I read Mark Watches review of School Hard - I burst out laughing. Dude. Game-changer?? Talk about understatement. You've really got no idea!
2. Out of curiousity, checked out Mark Watches...I do that from time to time...
and the problem with it, is, I feel this overwhelming desire to drop evil snarky misleads. Anyone else feel this odd compulsion? Just me then. Felt it with Game of Thrones and Hunger Games too. All his predictions are so far off the chart - it's hilarious. I'm tempted to pop back in and read his two-part review of Becoming - it's going to blow this poor boy's mind! OTOH...admittedly, it was impossible to predict Spike's arc in S2 or any season for that matter. Actually Spike was guaranteed to throw everyone off - mainly because the character simply refused to do what the writer planned, so the writer often had no idea going into any season what his arc would actually be or how it would play out. It got very hard to accurately spoil that series because of well, Spike. Talk about your Trickster characters. Spike was the ultimate Trickster - he actually played a number on the writers. The perfect metaphor for free will vs. determinism.
Whedon: Spike, you will die by episode two. Your sire, Angel will stake you through the heart and take up with Drusilla.
Spike: Hmmm. Right. Don't quite know about that. Sounds sort of boring to me. Besides...make more sense if you kept me around, Buffy's going to need someone to help her defeat Angel...
Whedon: You're a soulless vampire, EVILLL, no way are you going to help Buffy save the world.
Spike: Why the hell not? I'll have you know that I happen to like this world. Just because I'm evil, don't mean that I don't want the world to stick around a bit longer. Although not entirely sure I am evil...let's see, I love Dru, that's not evil. Loved my Mum.
Whedon: You are EVIL!
(Several episodes later)
Whedon: Uhmmm...change of plan. Seems you are going to help Buffy save the world and leave town with Dru, while she fights Angel to the death and sends him to hell.
But you won't come back. And you are still EVIL. You are only doing it because you are opportunistic and want to get revenge on Angel and get Dru back.
Spike: Sounds inspired. But you know that slayer? She's sort of hot.
Whedon:nah, nah, nah - you are NOT, I repeat NOT going to go after Buffy. You are evil. She's moving on, and the only vamp for her is Angel.
Spike: yeah, well, whatever you say mate.
(several episodes later)
Whedon: You broke up with Dru and are coming back to Sunnydale to make life difficult for Buffy and Angel.
Spike: I get to fight with the hot slayer and flirt with the hot witch, plus bash Xander's head in? Cool.
Whedon: well...no. Okay. Yeah. But then you are gone.
(several episodes later)
Whedon: Spike, I'm bringing you back to Sunnydale, we're putting a chip in your head so you can't kill anyone, and you'll take Cordelia's role on the team and just tell them they are stupid.
Spike: I thought you said I was an evil Vampire, mate. Not a bleeding college student. Can't bloody wander about in daylight now can I? Plus you're killing my cool factor. And seriously, putting me in Xander's shirt and turning us into roommates. So not going to happen.
Whedon: It'll work. And you are still evil.
Spike: Course will also put me in close proximity with that hot slayer...what's her name...Buffy?
Whedon: Not on your life. Did that already.
Spike: Make more sense to be Angel's replacement than Cordy's. Except cooler and less cliche. Also, why am I sticking around Sunnyhell anyway? Can't kill the bitch. Must be in love with her - makes sense totally hot.
Whedon: No, we already did the romeo and juliet bit. Plus you are still EVIL.
Spike: You keep saying that, who you trying to convince? Me or yourself? And..I didn't say she had to return it, did I? Besides, I said cooler...more like Beatrice and Benedict, or maybe that pair in Twelth Night...what were their names...
Whedon: I'm thinking Hamlet.
Spike: Yeah, right. Hamlet died. Too tragic. Plus don't you already have that whole Hamlet vibe going with Angel...
Whedon: Or maybe Othello...haven't decided yet. And no, Angel's Macbeth.
Spike: Bloody hell. I can totally see that. He'd make a great Hamlet though. Those two blokes could be cousins.
Whedon: And you are dying, by the way. Tragically. Trust me. I'm killing you off! I don't do comedies, I write tragedies.
Spike: Keep telling yourself that. Clearly makes you happy. But we both know you can't do it...kill me.
Whedon: Just watch me. You'll die. Burning. In the hellmouth. It'll be classic!
Spike: Yeah right, I should be so lucky. You'll only bring me back. Probably just to annoy Angel. We both know it.
I love it when a character plays havoc with a writer's brain to the extent that he or she almost takes over, it's pure magic. It also makes a story highly unpredictable and sort of realistic. One character can change an entire story, throw it into all sorts of wonderful directions. One tricky character that the writer didn't see coming. That's why when I read Mark Watches review of School Hard - I burst out laughing. Dude. Game-changer?? Talk about understatement. You've really got no idea!
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 05:30 am (UTC)well if it even sounds like it might be a spoiler they will delete your post...
but I definitely get the desire:
I love Mark's predictions because they are always totally wrong, well... unless the story is deadly predictable.
I loved his read along w/Hunger Game, and his watch along w/Firefly! So I'm enjoying the BtVS watch along too.... it is always entertaining.
(he is going to be so broken hearted when Jenny gets killed, he really is into the Jenny/Giles pairing!)
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 01:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 02:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 06:24 pm (UTC)It made it, as you said, a flipped narrative. It had symmetry and that stunning surprise factor.
Did you watch James Marsters in that 'Three Inches' pilot SyFy aired recently? The basic premise was exactly like Alphas, which was disappointing.... But I was hit again with the fact that JM has just never been as compelling in other roles. Spike really did have a life of his own.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 07:20 pm (UTC)But the flip of both Angel and Spike - that is rare. And not what Whedon was planning at all.
No, didn't get to see the pilot. Marsters has been really unlucky in his roles, but that's typical. Also, I think he did things in Spike, took risks, he'll never do again - because of how the show-runners abused the actors on that series. (The horror stories I've read across the board from various players and the dailies I've watched - OMG, and I thought the bosses I've had were nasty bullies. There's a reason television actors get paid as much as they do, a VERY good reason. Ugh. Being a professional actor does not sound like fun.)
no subject
Date: 2012-01-04 10:25 am (UTC)