Stereotyped, monotyped, poorly typed.

From: Andy Hill <chance_at_unix.infoserve.net>
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 18:10:28 -0700 (PDT)

On Thu, 20 Apr 1995, Felix Lee wrote:

> Manx makes a better damsel-in-distress than Callie, and I was getting
> pretty annoyed at his comic incompetence. I'm glad this was toned
> down in the second season.
>
> mmm. I just wish shows like this wouldn't stay focused on the main
> characters all the time.
> --

     There's a reason for this "staying focused on the main characters",
and it's got more to do with marketing than anything else. Like I said
with "Cry Turmoil", it was initially supposed to be Feral in the T-Bone
role, but H-B execs forced Lance Falk to re-write it. Some of the
writers wanted to expand the other characters beyond set dressing, but
were held back because no one had realized at the time that there was
considerable "crossover" audience for the show. I found Manx hilarious
personally, I don't know that he was "stupid", more like a representation
of a politician whose first job once they get into office is to do as
little as possible until they're re-elected. These people exist.

     I have only seen mostly the first season eps, but I was interested
in Feral and Steel, here were characters that really needed their
backstory told - Lance saw Feral as "able to be a bad guy given the right
circumstances" - I chose a different route, I saw him as a type that
almost worshipped the law - and allowed no flexibility in following the
spirit of it, and the idea that the worst rules to break were the ones
not written anywhere. Callie, not sure about her. I don't find her
overly interesting so far, she doesn't seem to have any character quirks
that bear exploration further. I'm sure the urge must've been there for
the writers to have her "develop" some kind of relationship with either
of the guys, but I've seen that done elsewhere in ac/adv - it's always a
bad idea.

     Another thing to note, most series take a good 13 to 20 eps to catch
their stride, probably part of the reason everyone raves about the second
season eps as opposed to the first. 'KATS only made it to 23 eps, so I
think the best was yet to come, from the story ideas I'd heard from writers.

Andy (p.s. - I have access to the titles and ep descriptions for the three
      that weren't completed, I may have the actual scripts available as
      well. I just have to worry about the lawyer types before I can
      share too much of them once the mail shows up.)



Received on Thu Apr 20 1995 - 21:06:56 PDT