Super Trivial Pursuit Mode.

I spend a lot of my time, too much of my time, surfing message boards on the Internets. I like to stay in my areas of interest: TV and Baseball. The Giants’ boards are always amusing, but never get my Irish up. The TV boards, on the other hand, are filled with some of the most infantile, selfish and idiotic people this side of Los Angeles. But they’re from all over the world. So, it’s not just the Americans who are stupid.

My decision to write about this was based on three separate things I read last night. The first is from Veronica Mars showrunner Rob Thomas (no, not that horrible singer/songwriter), commenting on a cast departure:

Teddy Dunn, he is not returning to the show this year. That decision was really made by fan response to Veronica's two possible love interests. One of the love interests seemed to get much more attention, and seemed to really win out.

The next is from Aaron Sorkin, quoted in an LA Times articleabout how the internet has affected series premieres:

Sorkin seems to be a quick study: "We can't let this affect us because if it does it will only affect it badly. So you have to believe in what you start out doing, believe in what you've got and keep going forward."

The last clip is from the same article:

"The Internet has created something that didn't exist five or 10 years ago, a direct dialogue with the creators or actors of a show," said "Lost" co-creator Damon Lindelof. "For fans, they feel they have this access and they are empowered. When we do our podcasts, and we explain what we're doing, they disagree with us and they tell us, 'Well, it's my show too.' "

I was all geared up to write about the subject of rabid fandom and internet opinions, but my creative juices have stopped flowing almost completely. I think it’s because this really is a trivial matter. These people number in the thousands, not the millions, and their myopic views represent an evanescent minority that lacks experience in writing and producing anything for mass consumption, trifling message board posts notwithstanding.

Nevertheless, I’m going to take the time to lecture everybody who watches TV: Love the show, hate the show, express your opinion, rabidly or calmly, but always know that, even though you think it does, the show doesn’t belong to you.

TV writing isn’t representative democracy. There is no Writers Room Republic. The showrunner isn’t the President of the Show. She/He is someone who had an idea, successfully pitched it and got it put on the air. The showrunner wants people to love it and watch it and be into it, but the showrunner does not want you coming to the table with your ideas (unless you’re a freelancer and you’ve got a pitch meeting). Yes, he/she might check message boards to gauge fan reaction to plots or characters, but be aware that your opinion has, at best, a small impact; because, again, TV shows don’t belong to you.

Now there are some cases where the showrunner or the writers on a series are so heavily influenced that they do alter their shows to fit in with the audiences’ wishes. The message board folk will claim this is a good thing. The writers will say they are doing what’s best to keep people watching the show. I say that the second you cave in to the fans is the moment you’ve lost your power as a storyteller. Always keep them guessing, always keep them interested. If the fans aren’t going to stay interested because they don’t like an actor on the show, then I say to hell with their minority opinion. If your show’s happy with the actor, the network’s happy with the actor, then what matters the opinion of these people?

And by these people, I mean the folks whose posts I have highlighted in the section below:

I know that if I was the showrunner for a cult show heavily dependent on a fanatical fanbase, I would closely monitor sites like this before I jumped off any cliffs, storywise.

I want to be taken on a journey, but I want that journey to be appealing.

But if you anger the fanbase to the point where they walk, then what?
I don't think showrunners should pander, exactly; but they have to go with the chemistry. If they want A with B, but A only sizzles with C, then they'd better match up A and C if they're smart.

…I don't understand how a tv writer couldn't take tv viewers opinions and desires into consideration when writing a television show. And, you must ask yourself why Rob Thomas (and other tv producers/actors) bothers to read the postings here at TWOP. The challenge is finding a happy medium between the artists vision and the viewers expectations. In theory, this is the point where the show should start receiving higher ratings. Well, there are many factors but this is a big one.

And, the best one ever:

And maybe you're right and I AM taking it too personally but (especially as a full-time mother who is stuck at home a lot of the time with not much better to do) I enjoy going on message boards and discussing his work in what I believe is an honest way and I don't want to be made to feel bad about doing that.

My buddy Hobbes never fails to remind me that there will always be critics. I’m fine with that. Who I despise are people who watch something that touches them and then believe they have some sort of control over how it touches them. They think they can control it. Yes, that’s right. I’m maddened by other’s thoughts. To even have the thought that a TV show that you don’t work on can still be influenced by your ideas is this odd techno-arrogance and post modern selfishness that exasperates me in a very odd way.

You see, because, TV is art. Somebody’s putting out their vision and others are interpreting it. That’s what critics are for. Which is why I say criticize and comment all you want. But to actively work to influence how that art emerges just so your tastes are perfectly catered to just smacks of something extremely... trivial.

**My title, by the way, refers to KITT’s Super Pursuit Mode.

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A part of me thinks that the stem cell research expansion bill vetoed today by President Bush was submitted by Congress in the hopes that a veto (which they knew they didn't have the votes to override) would make the President seem more powerful, thus, instilling new confidence in our leader. Watch for a bump in the polling.

That's cynical.

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Musical suggestion: In honor of lunatics on the Internet, try Lunacy Fringe by The Used. The Used, btw, is a band I think we can all like once they shed some of their corporate sound and do more stuff like this suggestion.

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THINE OWN SELF. Previously, Sandra learned that Rachel's digging Paul, but that their sexual escapades were getting more risque. That ramp us continues in the following scene, an important one despite the lackluster effort on the part of the writer. This dialouge is simply bad. Use the scene as a lesson in how not to write a scene like this. The dialogue hits every emotional and thematic point that the story revolves around and does it in such a deliberate way that it's distracting. Still, every scene builds on itself. Structurally, I'm pleased with the story.

Here we have Paul in a church parking lot doing something you couldn't do inside of a church. Symbolically, he's on the outside looking in concerning his faith, and when Sandra confronts him, the alteration of their relationship becomes apparent.


EXT. CHURCH PARKING LOT - DAY - THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY

The church bells sound as mass lets out. PARISHIONERS gather on the steps of the church, conversing. Amongst the crowd is Sandra. She is conversing with the Priest from before.

She leaves him. It is obvious as she walks that she is looking around for something.

As she approaches her car her eyes go wide. She sees a familiar car, which is slightly rocking. She walks to this car, and sees:

ANGLE - SANDRA'S POV

Through the tinted windows, she can see Paul on top of Rachel, having sex with her.

Infuriated, Sandra pounds her fist on the window. Paul and Rachel are startled. Paul quickly pulls up his pants, Rachel pulls down her skirt. Paul clumsily dismounts and exits the car.

PAUL
Sandra--

SANDRA
Don't talk! Just listen!

Sandra slams the door in Rachel's face. She quickly sits back like a scared little girl.
PAUL
Wait.

SANDRA
No, you wait. This is it. This is
ridiculous. I cannot believe you,
Paul! Who are you?!

PAUL
Sandra, listen, I didn't mean for
you to see that.

SANDRA
I'm sure. I had no idea you had become
such a different person in so short a time
just because of this girl.

PAUL
You don't know what you're talking about.

SANDRA
Having sex in the break room?! Now in your
car in the church parking lot?! Paul,
what are you thinking?

PAUL
That's none of your business.

SANDRA
It used to be. You used to tell me every-
thing, Paul.

PAUL
Well, you don't have to worry about me
anymore. Go home to your husband.

SANDRA
You just don't get it, do you? All she
wants to do is please you... make you happy.

PAUL
There's nothing wrong with that. You
know full well that's all my mother
ever did for me was make me happy.

SANDRA
She is not your mother!

PAUL
I didn't say she was.

SANDRA
Both of you have the same problem: you're
both looking for validation because you're
both lonely. Paul, this isn't the sort of
attention you need... this isn't healthy.

PAUL
I don't need you to monitor me like a
Mother Hen, Sandra. I can take care
of myself.

SANDRA
I'm trying to help you, Paul. I'm
being a good friend.

PAUL
You're being a bitch, that's what
you're being.

Sandra recoils. She leaves on the verge of tears.