So I finally saw Good Will Hunting - Page 4

Premmy · 10-17-2011, 05:23 PM

I think that kind of does a disservice to episodic story-telling and shared stories and such.

BitVyper · 10-17-2011, 05:43 PM

Well I mean, ideally even an episode is a self contained story that contributes to a greater whole. Extra Credits did a really great video explaining how this can play into the most minor of things in a videogame, like firing a gun in an FPS.

Look at uh.... the old episodes of Doctor Who (especially in number 5's era), where they would pretty much just end at completely random spots and invent a cliffhanger for no good reason. That definitely detracted from the quality of the individual episode as well as the whole itself.

However, I don't think those episodes were just hack-jobs, and I can see ways where a certain type of incompletion makes a complete work, although I can't come up with a good example just now. I'm just saying I think the guy is venting a bit, extending his valid point way too far. I don't see the format being 100% necessary, at any rate.

Fifthfiend · 10-17-2011, 06:08 PM

Episodic stories and deliberately open endings are both examples of complete stories so unless David Simon is a crazy person that is probably not what he is complaining about.

And since David Simon is actually Darkseid we know pretty well that he is indeed not crazy. Ruthless, pitiless all-powerful tyrant bent on turning all of reality into a mirror image of his own fathomlessly evil self? Yes.

Crazy? no.

Fifthfiend · 10-17-2011, 06:09 PM

I mean come on he's not even trying to hide it.

BitVyper · 10-17-2011, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Episodic stories and deliberately open endings are both examples of complete stories so unless David Simon is a crazy person that is probably not what he is complaining about.

I'm pretty sure the quote was meant in reference to something just meandering around and not really going anywhere except into more meandering around. Like a bad comedy skit where they initiate five different jokes but never hit any kind of punchline. I mean like I said, episodes still have a proper beginning middle and end. And if someone's complaining about open endings, then they're complaining about the ending to NYPD Blue and I am honour bound to destroy them.

But then sometimes the whole business of meandering around aimlessly works really well, like with Seinfeld or Lucky Star. Both of those were pretty much all middle, and the actual series endings could be removed and you'd never realise that they were supposed to be there. Hell, Lucky Star's ending was barely even an ending. I guess you could argue that they weren't really stories, but that's not the same as saying the writers were hacks. In fact, I think that's a big part of the problem with the quote: It assumes the complete story is the only goal of writing.

Nique · 10-17-2011, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifthfiend

I mean come on he's not even trying to hide it.

That is uncanny.

Fifthfiend · 10-17-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nique

That is uncanny.

http://nuklearforums.com/showpost.ph...6&postcount=57

BitVyper · 10-17-2011, 07:20 PM

Wait...

David Simon = DS = Darkseid

It's been right under our noses all along!

Magus · 10-17-2011, 07:28 PM

Who is Superman in this metaphor?

BitVyper · 10-17-2011, 07:29 PM

Metaphor?

10-17-2011, 05:23 PM	#31
Premmy Stop the hate Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a nice web on fifty first street Posts: 4,466	I think that kind of does a disservice to episodic story-telling and shared stories and such. __________________ Drank

10-17-2011, 05:43 PM	#32
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	Well I mean, ideally even an episode is a self contained story that contributes to a greater whole. Extra Credits did a really great video explaining how this can play into the most minor of things in a videogame, like firing a gun in an FPS. Look at uh.... the old episodes of Doctor Who (especially in number 5's era), where they would pretty much just end at completely random spots and invent a cliffhanger for no good reason. That definitely detracted from the quality of the individual episode as well as the whole itself. However, I don't think those episodes were just hack-jobs, and I can see ways where a certain type of incompletion makes a complete work, although I can't come up with a good example just now. I'm just saying I think the guy is venting a bit, extending his valid point way too far. I don't see the format being 100% necessary, at any rate. __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here. Last edited by BitVyper; 10-17-2011 at 05:45 PM.

10-17-2011, 06:08 PM	#33
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	Episodic stories and deliberately open endings are both examples of complete stories so unless David Simon is a crazy person that is probably not what he is complaining about. And since David Simon is actually Darkseid we know pretty well that he is indeed not crazy. Ruthless, pitiless all-powerful tyrant bent on turning all of reality into a mirror image of his own fathomlessly evil self? Yes. Crazy? no. __________________ check out my buttspresso

10-17-2011, 06:09 PM	#34
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	I mean come on he's not even trying to hide it. __________________ check out my buttspresso Last edited by Fifthfiend; 10-17-2011 at 06:11 PM.

10-17-2011, 07:20 PM	#38
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	Wait... David Simon = DS = Darkseid It's been right under our noses all along! __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here.

10-17-2011, 07:28 PM	#39
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	Who is Superman in this metaphor? __________________ The Valiant Review

10-17-2011, 07:29 PM	#40
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	Metaphor? __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here.