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Author Topic: Weak writing (the following)  (Read 702 times)

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Offline Fiji

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Weak writing (the following)
« on: June 11, 2013, 01:41:15 AM »
So as someone who dabbles with the written word I do understand that reality gets in the way sometimes. But, every time I write stuff that makes zero sense I cringe inwardly, kick myself and press ctrl+a and del.
However ... watching The Following yesterday I couldn't help but think that on the keyboards of their writing team ... the ctrl seem to be missing.
Now, you need to suspend disbelief when watching The Following to some degree anyway. But this?
In this episode, the feds track one of the followers to an abandoned armory. While combing the facility, one member of a tac team ... one, all by his lonesome ... comes across three people in a locked cell.

This is of course the first WTF ... what is a member of a tac team doing in an building he doesn't know where there is an armed killer on the loose running around in the dark ... ON HIS OWN?! This goes against EVERY procedure and it is not explained why caution is thrown to the wind ... even after they already lost several agents to this group.

Next, this lone guy reports that he found three people ... and doesn't wait for orders and proceeds to break the lock.
And this is while fighting an organisation that is known to like playing games ... the door could have been boobytrapped.
Besides, these 'victims' were in no immediate need of medical attention. So why not hunker down defend the position and wait for backup.
No, he breaks the lock and is of course killed. Even if they had really been victims, by breaking the lock he'd suddenly have three paniced civilians on his hands while there was still a killer on the loose.
It makes zero sense.
Did the writers just let it fly because they were up against a deadline?
A similar bit of morony takes place in Homeland, btw.
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Offline Traveler

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Re: Weak writing (the following)
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2013, 02:46:16 PM »
Sounds like your typical horror film where someone stupidly goes out alone into the dark, despite killer (fill in the blanks) out there. I guess they wouldn't have a movie if everyone did the intelligent thing.  :o
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Offline neopagan

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Re: Weak writing (the following)
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2013, 02:57:25 PM »
I suggest a Plan 9 from Outer Space marathon... solid writing there!
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: Weak writing (the following)
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2013, 02:09:10 PM »
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage

Have a look at some of these. It is said that there are only 7 plots in all literature, I believe them.
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Offline Bereft_of_Faith

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Re: Weak writing (the following)
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2013, 05:01:51 AM »
I feel your pain Fiji.  I know your frustration.  I have asked myself the questions you raise.  It's why I only watch series that have concluded, and whose stories hold together well.  I will NOT waste my time on TV where the writers appear to be winging it.

TV writers complain that they're on the bottom of the pile when it comes to TV fame and fortune, but I would guess that they're paid damned well to do what they do.  For so many of them to do what they do so poorly is inexcusable.  If I were biblegod, the first level of hell would be for lazy, contemptuous tv writers, with the duration of punishment to equal the amount of time they spent pooping out their crap scripts.

I believe that such writers think that their viewers either don't care or are too stupid to notice.

Then you have the heroes... the one's that write well, who care about their product or even their art and have respect for their audience, like those that write for Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Justified, Orphan Black, The Killing, Foyles War, Sons of Anarchy, The Thick of It, The Wire, Babylon 5 (4 seasons) IT Crowd, Better Off Ted and so many more.  Good programs that do not violate their own internal logic.  Some are serious and even depressing dramas, some are lighter and others are comedy, but they all do a fine job.

Don't get me started on the way Alias went from great to dreadful, or the way Ugly Betty went from enjoyable to dreadful.  And let's not talk about the movie Prometheus... Dreadful! >:( :( 8)
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Offline Fiji

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Re: Weak writing (the following)
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2013, 01:34:28 AM »
What's that Theroux fellow up to these days?
If I could just have his ear for one minute[1] I'd tell him to, rather than do extreme porn, wrestling or the Westboro loons again, delve into the world of TV writers. Man, I'd love to get a look into that world.

Seriously doubt a documentary like that will ever be made, though, it'd be too close to 'soiling the nest'.
 1. no, not in the men in tights sense of the phrase
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