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I've been watching "Angel" this week and as I study story lines and try and figure out the why's and the wheretofores, I really appreciate how much less drama JMS put in B5.
yeah, sure, he still followed the immutable law of Science Fiction, the moment any character is happy thou shalt crush them, but he never prolonged the agony needlessly.
Like with Susan and Talia, sure they had finally just got together, overcome their huge divide of differences, sought and found one night of solace in each other (if that had been a 20's show we would have actually got to see that night) and then immediately after Talia turns evil, all comfort, safety, and happienss gone - that was ineveitable. But it didn't turn into a 9 episode angsty arc, it was just one and done, and everyone moved on.
The same with Delenn and Sheridan, things are going well for them, they have gradually drawn closer and closer to one another, she's calling him, John, they kiss, they are in the third night of their dreaming - John's ex-wife suddenly appears. The one she swore was dead.
Of course he's angry, at first, only one of two times he was ever angry with her, comes really close to striking her, their little snow globe of happiness dissolved, but then a few hours later he finds out Anna really is dead, instantly he isn't mad anymore - though he does go to Z'ha'dum to die, and we get 3 episodes of sadness and despair, where is my love, but then he comes back and they are together again, all is forgiven, though we do have the shortened life expectancy, tiny bit of angst there, but Delenn accepts it pretty quickly.
They are involved in a galactic war, there are bigger things at stake, and I love that. Most other shows would have not had John find out Anna was a shadow thing for several more episodes, then after he dies and comes back have him and Delenn be all distant and icy with each other, John would hold on to residual anger for the rest of the season, or he'd be fine and she would be so guilt ridden she'd stay as far away from as him possible and be all, Captain Sheridan" to him.
It was such a breathe of fresh air to not have all those long drawn out unnecessary drama stuff. Joe is a good enough writer that he can make the story interesting without dragging all that stuff out for the sake of conflict.
Yes, I do prefer arc stories to reset episodes ala star trek. It's hard to get into a series and care about it when you know that nothing that happens will have any lasting consequences for anyone, that none of it matters.
But at the same time, just because a show does arcs, doesn't mean they will be done well.
I also love, love, love that he never threw in a bratty teenager love triangle or even a bratty teenager into the mix. At the time I was disappointed to not see baby David, but now I'm glad we never had any baby arcs. I have yet to see one truly turn out well.
Though I do love, love, love the Scully's daughter arc in X-files.
But that's the thing, once you add a baby you either have to kill it or transform it to a teenager or sometimes an adult, which is better. Joe stayed away from that for which I shall always be grateful.
yeah, sure, he still followed the immutable law of Science Fiction, the moment any character is happy thou shalt crush them, but he never prolonged the agony needlessly.
Like with Susan and Talia, sure they had finally just got together, overcome their huge divide of differences, sought and found one night of solace in each other (if that had been a 20's show we would have actually got to see that night) and then immediately after Talia turns evil, all comfort, safety, and happienss gone - that was ineveitable. But it didn't turn into a 9 episode angsty arc, it was just one and done, and everyone moved on.
The same with Delenn and Sheridan, things are going well for them, they have gradually drawn closer and closer to one another, she's calling him, John, they kiss, they are in the third night of their dreaming - John's ex-wife suddenly appears. The one she swore was dead.
Of course he's angry, at first, only one of two times he was ever angry with her, comes really close to striking her, their little snow globe of happiness dissolved, but then a few hours later he finds out Anna really is dead, instantly he isn't mad anymore - though he does go to Z'ha'dum to die, and we get 3 episodes of sadness and despair, where is my love, but then he comes back and they are together again, all is forgiven, though we do have the shortened life expectancy, tiny bit of angst there, but Delenn accepts it pretty quickly.
They are involved in a galactic war, there are bigger things at stake, and I love that. Most other shows would have not had John find out Anna was a shadow thing for several more episodes, then after he dies and comes back have him and Delenn be all distant and icy with each other, John would hold on to residual anger for the rest of the season, or he'd be fine and she would be so guilt ridden she'd stay as far away from as him possible and be all, Captain Sheridan" to him.
It was such a breathe of fresh air to not have all those long drawn out unnecessary drama stuff. Joe is a good enough writer that he can make the story interesting without dragging all that stuff out for the sake of conflict.
Yes, I do prefer arc stories to reset episodes ala star trek. It's hard to get into a series and care about it when you know that nothing that happens will have any lasting consequences for anyone, that none of it matters.
But at the same time, just because a show does arcs, doesn't mean they will be done well.
I also love, love, love that he never threw in a bratty teenager love triangle or even a bratty teenager into the mix. At the time I was disappointed to not see baby David, but now I'm glad we never had any baby arcs. I have yet to see one truly turn out well.
Though I do love, love, love the Scully's daughter arc in X-files.
But that's the thing, once you add a baby you either have to kill it or transform it to a teenager or sometimes an adult, which is better. Joe stayed away from that for which I shall always be grateful.
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