Old Sonic e-mail from Dan Drazen
As you'll see at the end of this, I have (had? :^)) his permission to
forward this; I've been sitting on it for 11 months now, and decided I
agree with it so much, there wasn't any point in replying :^) Maybe the
rest of you will have some comments, or will just enjoy his nice summary of
what could still be done with Sonic & Co. (hints for Archie Comics?)
I'll let somebody else post it to a.f.sh if they feel it's worth doing so;
I suspect hardly anybody reads it that _isn't_ on the list already...
(except the people I CCed it to :^))
Ron
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From: SMTP%"drazen_at_andrews.edu" 16-DEC-1994 09:12:13.58
To: BAUERLE
Subj: Sonic's Future (was: Re: WAHHHH!....)
> >I've not been watching StH for long. That episode looked so much like a
> >series finale that I was thinking, "Oh, great. I must've jinxed another
> >show." Only two minor details hint otherwise, and even point the
> >direction the story will take next. If my assessment holds up, it's
> >going to be like Version 2.0. But there are a few questions that episode
> >raised in my mind.
[RDB note: I don't remember who the above e-mail was from; the quote below
is mine]
> I'll let Dan Drazen and/or Eric Pearson comment on this, since they've
> been following this season _and_ saw this episode. However, the e-mail
> they sent me indicated that it was more of a season-ender than a series
> finale...
Speaking for Dan Drazen...heck, speaking AS Dan Drazen...I have to
declare a
SPOILER ALERT!
[deleted by RDB - everybody's seen it by now :^)]
News flash: it's been Version 2.0 this whole season. Last season the
shows were few, repeated *ad nauseum* and a little inconsistent IMHO.
This season's writing has been more on track; threads that were started
actually managed to come together as the season went on. Don't know if
Hurst was a writer for the first season, but his style seems to be
coming through. I could never have predicted (after his one-shot
appearance last season) that Uncle Chuck would become a major player,
though there have been some weak spots: Rosie was "introduced" in the
last scene of "Blast to the Past, part 2" but has not been seen since.
Too bad; she would make a good *eminence grise* for the kids in
Knothole, and take some of the burden of supporting female character off
Bunnie's shoulders. She represents a wasted opportunity. Dulcy made me
cringe when she was introduced but she's grown (slightly) into the role.
And aside from one burst of intelligent behavior in "Spyhog" [saving
Sally by grabbing her belt], Antoine continues to be stuck in the
buffoon role.
The television business being what it is, it appears that StH's option
for next season hadn't been picked up when the final ep for THIS season
was in production. So there had to be a "resolution" but one that could
be undone should the show get another thumbs-up from ABC. Thus, as near
as I can tell, the ambiguous demise of both the Doomsday project [don't
ask me *how* it was accomplished exactly] and Robotnik, who could always
come back next season if Snively doesn't work out as a villain.
Which brings me to characterizations. Though fairly well-defined during
the first season, they're becoming more fully established this time
around. That's always a help from a writer's standpoint. Robotnik in
particular has been evil in a way that makes Naugus [the wizard trapped
in the Void] seem merely spiteful. Snively couldn't hope to be that
kind of villain; based on his lines at the end of the "Doomsday" ep, all
I can count on from the little twerp is megalomania and overacting.
But even assuming Robotnik's "demise" there's enough to do with the
show's basic premise:
* Snively could carry on Robotnik's vendetta against the "rodent."
* Bunnie and Uncle Chuck still have to be deroboticized.
* Sally has to be reunited with her father, stuck in the Void with
Naugus.
* Mobius has to be cleansed of Robotnik's influence.
These are the major plot points; the identity of Snively's "companion"
is the cliffhanger tease to close this season, if indeed that was the
last ep of the current season. Other unanswered questions:
* What effect(s) of Sally's exposure to the Deep Power Stones will
remain? I found myself wondering: "I wonder if she's going to spin off
into her own video game now?" Will the power rings have the same effect
on her as they do on Sonic?
* Speaking of whom, what will happen to their relationship? Especially
in light of their spit-swappage at the end of the ep. We're not just
talking cameraderia here!
In short (which admittedly this post hasn't been), there's work enough
for the writers should the series be picked up for another season.
Every fan probably has their own wish list for the series, so here's
mine:
1. BRING BACK ROBOTNIK
No other villain could reach his level of credible evil. Snively was
born to play second fiddle, and Naugus wasn't that well-developed as a
villain when he had his shot.
2. STRAIGHTEN OUT ANTOINE OR LOSE HIM
I've said it before and I'll say it again: it isn't "character
development" when an already-annoying character becomes REALLY annoying!
He's capable of some intelligent behavior, and the cheap laughs he's
getting from his role don't make it.
3. DO SOMETHING WITH ROSIE
Lots of potential here...I mean, even the comic writers recognize a
workable character when they see one (cf. "Sally's Crusade"). Having
her as a mother-figure in Knothole wouldn't be such a bad thing, and
it's possible that she and Uncle Chuck could strike up a relationship of
some sort.
4. FILL IN THE BLANKS
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about some of the
characters' backgrounds, any one of which would make a decent premise for
an ep or two:
> Was Sonic an orphan when Robotnik took over, being raised by Uncle
Chuck, or were his parents roboticized?
> What happened to Sally's mother, the Queen? Is there an unknown
sibling who might oppose her as would-be leader of the Freedom
Fighters coalition? [The advantage here is a conflict point quite
apart from an alliance with Robotnik].
> Will it ever be established exactly how Bunnie got partially
roboticized? There seems to be a difference of opinion between Sonic
#3 (I believe) and Mark Teitelbaum's "Robotnik's Revenge" book, and
"Blast to the Past" almost answered that question.
That's enough for now, I think.
Dan Drazen
p.s.: feel free to CC: this to other Sonic fans.
Received on Sat Nov 11 1995 - 22:24:17 PST
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