Following Qualapec's Lead (Really I'll Take Any Excuse To Do This Meme)

[redbrunja]

Fandom Tennis Match Meme!

Okay, here's how this is going to work. You comment with a fandom question. I answer it and then ask you a question that has some thematic relevance to the question you asked me.

Comments

[errant-shadows.livejournal.com]

What is the most bizarre plotline you've ever come across - in any fandom - but one that ultimately pays off despite how ridiculous it first appears?

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

What is the most bizarre plotline you've ever come across - in any fandom - but one that ultimately pays off despite how ridiculous it first appears?


You know, I can't think of one example. My narrative bullshit meter is pretty finely tuned; usually if a plot seems ridiculous at first blush, my opinion of it doesn't change.

What is one plotline you were initially excited about that really ended up disappointing you?

[errant-shadows.livejournal.com]

Well, I suppose it only comes to mind because it's so recent, but LBD would count.

(Didn't like the finale, by the way. Bland much?)

I wouldn't say it was a single plotline, but rather something that was lost in translation. While it was really well done overall, I think the biggest flaw was Lizzie herself.

Or rather, the writers' attitude towards Lizzie. The performance was always good.

I initially really liked the emphasis on the development of the secondary characters. It added to the appeal of the series and I actually had some sympathy for characters I'd never cared about before, but what I didn't realise at first was that it came at a price - Lizzie herself.

In the book, Lizzie is clever and rational in her judgements - always. It's one of Austen's greatest points of irony that her assessment of the character of others is only flawed when it comes to Darcy (and Wickham, but that's driven by her dislike of the former.) She doesn't trust Caroline as far as she can throw her, Mr Collins is an idiot, she accurately discerns Bingley's feelings for Jane and his reasons for leaving, and she has Lady Catherine's measure before she ever meets her.

In the web series, I don't think they do justice to this part of her at all. She's often portrayed as petty and judgemental and an unreliable narrator. They make it seem like her fight with Lydia is entirely her fault, and that she's even responsible for Wickham's actions. She gets called out multiple times for a handful of negative things she says about her little sister, who in turn spews constant remarks about how Lizzie is (paraphrasing) lame and nerdy and not attractive, and no one ever defends her.

Charlotte's choice is actually rational and sound, which just makes Lizzie seem petty. Book Charlotte did end up being miserable, stuck with Mr Collins and while she had fair reasons for making that decision, there was no guarantee it would ensure her future. Mr Bennet could live into his seventies, Mr Collins could die prematurely, he and Charlotte might have only had daughters and therefore no one to secure the entail... lots of things could have happened which meant that Charlotte would be out on her ass with no future, and it isn't as if she were that badly off. Her parents were middle class, she could have worked as a governess, or taken care of brothers' children... Lizzie was right in feeling that she sold out, but because the circumstances were changed, in the web series she has the same reaction, but instead she just comes across as petty. They changed Charlotte, but not Lizzie, instead of allowing both characters to evolve.

[errant-shadows.livejournal.com]

I wasn't impressed with how she got sucked in to thinking that Caroline was her friend, when her initial judgement was accurate, and loathed the her last episode where Lizzie forgave her. It wasn't the forgiveness that bothered me, so much as the lack of fire that should have characterised the "Lady Catherine" scene. I was let down by the writers' need to make everyone happy and wonderful people. Caroline would have been better served if they'd let her be the vindictive bitch she is in the book.

I didn't like what Jane said to her in episode 70, either. It's like they were trying to imply that Lizzie was a borderline agoraphobiac and was hiding from her future. She'd just been away for two months and she only had a semester to go on her degree. Jane was incredibly hypocritical, when she's only just moved out herself, and in her case she was motivated by a guy. They make it seem like Lizzie's being weak by choosing to be responsible about her future. The point is that they have no grounds for this argument against her when she is going out and finding her way in the world. She's moving forward, just on her own terms. I didn't like how everyone condemned Lizzie for showing hesitation in accepting their choices - when her only motivation was that she wanted what was best for all of them - yet showed no respect for Lizzie's choices for herself.

I also wasn't too happy about the way they portrayed the relationship between Lizzie and Wickham. They went on a handful of dates - not something I think Lizzie would actual clarify as a relationship, and she's supposed to be insightful. I feel that if anything, Lizzie should have been more likely to see through his bullshit if the writers had updated her fairly.

I'm nitpicking. There a lot of really great things about the series and I never had a problem with the actors themselves - the performances were great. I just didn't appreciate how, for all the things they did right, Lizzie was the one who suffered when they went wrong.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

(Didn't like the finale, by the way. Bland much?)

So bland.

In the web series, I don't think they do justice to this part of her at all. She's often portrayed as petty and judgemental and an unreliable narrator. They make it seem like her fight with Lydia is entirely her fault, and that she's even responsible for Wickham's actions. She gets called out multiple times for a handful of negative things she says about her little sister, who in turn spews constant remarks about how Lizzie is (paraphrasing) lame and nerdy and not attractive, and no one ever defends her.

Personally, I liked some elements of Lizzie as the unreliable narrator but the narrative's idea that Lizzie was somehow responsible for Lydia's arc (which on its own had SO MANY problems) drove me up the fucking wall.

I was let down by the writers' need to make everyone happy and wonderful people. CCaroline would have been better served if they'd let her be the vindictive bitch she is in the book.

Agreed.

[errant-shadows.livejournal.com]

While I would concur that the unreliable narrator thing was necessary to an extent given the medium, I think they took it too far.

It was badly timed, too, because when Jane and Charlotte brought it up, only a few episodes earlier Lizzie had called Jane in to give her take on Lizzie's portrayal of people who were introduced via costume theatre. She agreed on pretty much every point, with the constant addition of "... but sweet."

Lizzie tries to express her doubts about Caroline's trustworthiness, but is ignored. She encourages Jane to be careful about rushing into a relationship (emotionally, at least) and is again overruled. In both cases she is dead on in her assessments of the people around her, yet she is criticised for being judgemental.

Her cynicism evolved as a defense mechanism in reaction to her mother's ridiculousness and her father's callous indifference. Her sisters have their own forms of dealing with it, yet Lizzie's method proves most effective, given that if anyone had really listened to her, they could have saved themselves a lot pain. They make a big deal about Lizzie not listening to the people around her, but nobody ever bothered to considered that no one ever really listened to her.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Her cynicism evolved as a defense mechanism in reaction to her mother's ridiculousness and her father's callous indifference. Her sisters have their own forms of dealing with it, yet Lizzie's method proves most effective, given that if anyone had really listened to her, they could have saved themselves a lot pain. They make a big deal about Lizzie not listening to the people around her, but nobody ever bothered to considered that no one ever really listened to her.


You're really right; I wish they had kept more of that dynamic (and I wish that her relationship with Wickham had been a lot more serious.)

[wolfgenes.livejournal.com]

!! three favorite comic ships of all time. :3

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

How about my three 'my feelings are complicated' comic ships?

Which are Kate Bishop/Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov/Bucky Barnes, and (actual OTP) Carol Danvers/Jessica Drew.

What are YOUR three favorite comic ships?