Tag Archives: Joss Whedon

by | September 24, 2013 · 11:52 am

Guest Blog | Breaking News: Browncoat states, “It might be a good thing that Firefly was limited…”

You may recall the Therefore I Geek editorial recap of Mikey Mason’s performance at Atlantis Comics & Games this spring.  While we were there, we asked Mikey to do a guest blog for us.  He got the biggest grin and asked if he write an argument against bringing back Joss Whedon’s Firefly.  I said no, but sadly, I was overruled by Andrew.  Therefore, here is Mikey’s guest post. -T

Warning: This blog post probably contains some of those so-called spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen the entire Firefly series and the Big Damn Movie (Serenity, for the uninitiated.) I say that because, even though the series and movie have been out on DVD since 2005 (nearly a decade) somebody will cry. Here’s your warning. Also, I abuse the hell out of parentheses and ellipses. If you can’t abide such a thing, well… get out now.

I’m known (to some, at least) as an unabashed Browncoat, the “She Don’t Like Firefly” guy.  I’ve played at least one Can’t Stop The Serenity event each year for the past couple of years and plan to continue so long as they’ll have me. Hell… I’ve even written a song called “Please Bring Firefly Back For Christmas.”  But the secret truth I harbor in my little Browncoat heart is this: I think that it might (MIGHT, mind you) be a good thing that Firefly was limited to 14 episodes and a movie. Furthermore, I propose that it might (again MIGHT) not be a good thing to bring Firefly back.  Before you scream at me, hear me out. Then scream at me (or your computer screen, rather.  Or type in all caps in the comment section and pretend I’m reading it. I’ll be doing other things…)

I’ll address the first part first: the one about why it might have been a good thing the series was cancelled. We have fourteen episodes and a movie. I love ’em (all except the bit where Wash dies, at least.) I watch ’em a couple times a year (at least.) I impose them on my family. I think they’re pretty keen. And maybe, just maybe the key to their unsullied reputation is that short life span. They never had a chance to jump the shark. Never had an episode where the actors were no longer in love with their characters, or where they were tired of each other, or the grind of making the show. Never had to deal with third season ratings drops, a between seasons re-casting, or the introduction of a character with the sole intention of boosting the ratings in their final season. Think of shows, solid shows, like Roseanne and Married…With Children, that completely sucked in their final seasons. One had a cast member leave and the plot change dramatically, only to learn it “was just a story written by the main character” in the final episode, and the other had a child character named Seven dropped into the mix, a throwback to the last ditch ratings efforts of the Brady Bunch‘s cousin Oliver–which also failed.

I’m not saying any of that would’ve happened. I’m simply saying it never had the chance to. It’s a mosquito larva, preserved in amber. It stayed perfect and never got the chance to suck.  In a perfect world, Fox would’ve aired the pilot before they aired episode two, instead of well afterwards, and they would’ve kept the show in a consistent time slot. I trust that Joss and crew would have ran the tightest ship they could have, and that we’d have enjoyed every episode of every season, and that there never would be contract disputes or budget disputes or any of that. But we’ll never know–and that means it’s possible that we dodged the bullet of watching something we love slowly degrade into something we despise. Ever catch yourself saying something like, “I really love (*series*,) but only the first (x) seasons. After season (x), it’s all downhill”? It’s a popular refrain from fandom, and luckily something we don’t say about Firefly.

Now for the second part: why bringing it back might not be a good thing. It’s simple really. You’ve read or seen Pet Sematary, right? They bury the dead cat; it comes back… changed. They bury the dead kid; he comes back… changed. And that’s what we’re talking about. We’re not casting a Phoenix Down on the series, here. What we’re talking about is necromancy, and what we may end up with is a zombie. At the very least, it’s going to be different–perhaps very different–from the Firefly we’ve loved these past many years.

The actors (many of them) have other contractual obligations, and possibly couldn’t return.  And Wash and Book are DEAD. Remember that feeling in the pit of your stomach when your favorite dinosaur figurine-playing pilot took a shaft of metal through the torso? How exactly are you going to feel when they try and replace him with another lovable, offbeat pilot? Oh… They won’t do that? The pilot will be completely different? Bam. Chemistry changed. Show changed. And now the cat has come back with glassy eyes and a musty smell, and it’s not the lovable kitty we buried in the Sematary… What? You think we should just retcon that bit? Yeah. Fans always react well to retcon situations, and it seems fan support is more than half the reason this series would ever get rebooted. I thought you wanted this thing to happen… And you really don’t expect Joss Whedon to drop directing huge movies and give up being the warden and guardian angel of Marvel Studios movies in order to write and direct this series, right? He’d want too much control—control a network will be very reluctant to give.

Because if there’s an excuse to put up a picture of Nathan Fillion, I’ll take it. 😉

Look: *IF* Joss would and could have total control, and *IF* the actors (the ones whose characters were still alive) could return, and *IF* a network were really willing to front the requisite monies and forfeit series control, and *IF* the network were willing to commit to a complete story arc submitted by Joss in advance, regardless of ratings, I’d be all in. Frankly, I’ll be excited if there’s ever another series set in the ‘Verse  (which seems far more likely than a Firefly revival.) Even a Firefly Christmas special… But I’m not expecting any of those things, and if they do come, part of me will actually be wary, looking for the changes (and hoping when I find them, as we all assuredly would, that they’re GOOD things. Not the same as before, but still good.)

Until then, I’m just gonna sit here counting my blessings, cooing over this mosquito larva preserved in amber, and still feeling pissed that Wash died, but happy to have seen him fly at all.

– Mikey Mason

Check out Mikey’s music videos and his own blog, Beer Powered Time Machine, at http://www.mikeymason.com

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by | July 18, 2013 · 1:45 pm

Editorial | Review: Much Ado About Nothing

Angel fans, rejoice!!  Fred and Wesley have finally gotten their happily ever after!!!  Ok, not really—but I still felt a little twinge of rightness in the casting of Benedick and Beatrice in Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing.  Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of this film according to me.

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Together at last!

The first scene made me instantly cringe and prepare for a long hour and a half—awkward speech and several actors deliberately not looking at the camera gave me that “indie” feeling—but the instant that Alexis Denisoff (Benedick) opened his mouth—the second scene he was in, for those counting—all anxiety fled.  This man was made for the boards!  His delivery was spot on, and his facial expressions and body language completely clarified any contextual issues in a form of English that is five centuries old.

Amy Acker sparkled as the witty, aggressive Beatrice.  It is a character that can easily appear abrasive, but that is not a word that can ever be applied to Acker.  The dynamic between these two characters completely overtakes the primary plotline, which is the rocky road to marriage for Claudio and Hero.

Whedon, unable to leave his mark on the script, instead brands his work with brilliant direction and non-speaking asides.  Notably, Beatrice mocks Benedick during an interlude by a fire pit, and repeatedly brushes away the amorous advances of the man sitting next to her with barely a thought; Leonato, worn out by a two day bender, falls asleep in the middle of Claudio’s formal request for his daughter’s hand, and is sharply woken by Beatrice; the watchmen, recast as Don Pedro’s private security, lock their keys in their car and become frantic.  Another brilliant move was in casting Conrade, henchman of Don John, as a woman.  This allowed for an interesting twist in their relationship (pun entirely intended), and made Don John appear even more depraved.

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Because Nathan Fillion.

I occasionally felt that the dialogue could have been enunciated more clearly—several lines were lost in conversation—but considering how meticulous the Bard was about infusing his plays with tongue-twisters and puns, this is understandable.

The fact that the entire film is clearly a summer party and that it was filmed in the director’s own house, gives it a feeling of intimacy that is unusual for Shakespeare.  Ultimately, I left the theater feeling not as though I had just watched a Shakespearean play, but that I had just watched a group of funny, witty people carry out a party weekend in Elizabethan English.  Very funny, very witty people—and I want so badly to be friends with all of them.  Much Ado About Nothing is sweet, sexy, subtle, and smart. I highly recommend it.

“The play’s the thing…”  Yes it is, my dear Joss, yes it is.

Four out of five death stars.

4 Death Stars

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by | July 18, 2013 · 10:49 am

Review: Much Ado About Nothing

Much_Ado_About_Nothing_one_sheet

We all know I’m a comic geek.  In addition to this however, I’m also a fan of Shakespeare.  I started reading the Bard’s works in fifth grade starting with Hamlet and Macbeth.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also come to really love modern interpretations of the plays.  Among my favorites are Scotland, PA and 10 Things I Hate About You, and now I’m quite happy to add Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing to that list.

Probably the most distinctive thing about a Joss Whedon movie is the script.  Anyone who is at all familiar with his work knows that his writing has a very specific feel that is immediately identifiable.  Joss’s choice to use the traditional Shakespearean script instantly removes his most notable trademark and raises a self-imposed challenge —one that Joss hurdles almost effortlessly.  Instead of adding his quirky sense of humor to the back and forth banter of the characters, Whedon leaves dialogue to the master and inserts himself into the direction of characters and the addition of small, non-speaking scenes.

It is obvious in several scenes that Whedon is providing very specific physical directions to actors to make best use of the existing dialogue and to enhance the scene through their performance.  Although I find Shakespearean comedies funny on their own, these new directions that Joss provides take this to a whole new level.

During one particular scene Benedick is listening in on a conversation between several other characters.  While it would be simple enough to have him hide behind a bush or something similar, Joss instead has Benedick doing all kinds of ridiculous things to hide including lying flat on his stomach in the grass while trying to use a rather inadequate tree branch as cover for his face. The other characters are obviously aware of what is going on, but ignore him and continue with their conversation. I have no idea how any of these actors were able to keep a straight face while these crazy antics were going on just behind them.

One of the non-speaking scenes that added to the film takes place between two of the security guards. Thanks to the many conversations we’ve witnessed between them, we are already well aware that they are not overly gifted in matters of the mind, however to further reinforce this impression, this little scene shows the two of them searching for their keys, only to realize they locked them in the car.  This scene is completely unnecessary but it adds so much to the characters. It allows for the quick glance deeper that Whedon is known for, without saying a word.

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Nathan Fillion would like it known that he is an ass.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the casting of this film.  Made up of many Whedon alumni, the cast works just as it should.  Unlike Shakespearean tragedies, the comedies feel more like an ensemble.  Despite having plenty of recognizable faces in the cast, there are no divas, and no true standouts.  This is not to say that none of the cast stood out, but more to say that the cast as a whole was amazing.  While I have no doubts there were several outtakes due to dialogue, I can’t remember any points in the film where the sometimes difficult Shakespearean English tripped up the actors.  It was all delivered cleanly and in a manner which helped make the often muddy much clearer.

I think the most telling thing for me is that I have almost nothing negative to say about this film.  Although I did have a moment of trepidation at the very beginning due to the seemingly stereotypical “indie film” opening scene, this was cleared up within another minute.  There were one or two times that I didn’t care much for the way a particular camera angle was used or that the music may have been a bit too menacing, but this was all so minor that it didn’t take away from the film as a whole.  Let’s be honest, if all I can find to complain about is a couple of camera shots and a minute or so of music, this is definitely a home run and damn near a grand slam.  Whether you are a fan of the Bard, of Mr. Whedon, or both, this film is definitely worth checking out. I already have plans to add it to my Blu-Ray collection.

5/5 Death Stars

5/5 Death Stars

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by | July 1, 2013 · 1:30 pm

Editorial | What Doesn’t Kill You: socializing with other geeks can make you a better geek

At a recent gathering of geeks—too small to be a convention, and too large to be a D&D adventure—I had the opportunity to see Joss Whedon fans in the wild.  This is a rare occurrence, as these creatures spend most of their time hiding under the covers and sobbing into their pillows.  It was so nice to see others with similar interests and to interact in a large group, although it felt oddly surreal to be seated near a pair of Klingons with their infant son.

Spending time with someone other than a plastic Marvel (or DC) action figure collection will allow an expansion of horizons, both within the realms already known and loved, and in worlds beyond.

For instance, I adore all projects Joss Whedon, but recently, when several of my friends pointed out plot points, nuances, and an entire free, web mini-series that I had missed (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog, in case there is anyone still uninitiated into that little piece of genius), I realized that I am not quite as knowledgeable as I had once thought.  It was a little bit of a shock, but the conversations I now have are on a completely different level.

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Whedon’s new film “Much Ado About Nothing”

It’s also nice to be introduced to new areas of geekdom by those already well-versed in it.  Instead of being overwhelming and intimidating (perhaps to the point that interest is lost), these new spheres of interest are easily explored with the help of a guide.  I have many such experiences with this—especially since it can be daunting to get into such things as Manga, or even the wild, tangled world of comic books, thanks to their snarl of alternate storylines (Spiderman, anyone?).  Several years ago I was introduced to the wonderful world of Japanese anime by my friend Elaina.*  My first experience was a positive one thanks to her direction.  First she had me check out Studio Ghibli, and then the character Yomiko Readman (Agent Paper) in the popular manga/novel series and animated film Read or Die.  I’m nobody’s anime buff—not even close—but I can now speak with some small knowledge on the subject thanks to Elaina.

A healthy brain is one that is regularly challenged to work hard, and an easy way to challenge it is to hang around other intelligent people.  I found this out the hard way a few years ago when I looked up from my full-time job in retail to realize that I didn’t know anyone smarter than I.  It might sound like an opportunity to show off, or even a chance to be promoted rapidly, but in reality it was just boring and frustrating.  Since then I’ve cultivated friendships with some brilliant people around my own age that not only keep me humble but actually stretch my cognitive powers and force me to learn and remember to my full potential.  The challenge is exciting and keeps me hungry for information.

Spending time reveling in one’s own creative genius has the tendency to give an inflated view of one’s own cleverness, but there is always someone more intelligent.  This was illustrated beautifully in The Big Bang Theory’s character Sheldon Cooper.  The character is a brilliant, but narcissistic physicist who is ridiculously arrogant about his own cerebral abilities.  Not until Stephen Hawking points out an elementary, mathematical mistake in his paper on the Higgs-Boson particle does Sheldon realize he is as human as the friends he insults on a daily basis.

It may sound difficult to seek out people of similar brain capacity—society frowns upon those who ask for Mensa scores immediately after an introduction—but they can often be found in these very gatherings.  It’s no happenstance that some of the brightest minds of our time are self-proclaimed geeks, so there is no better way to find some of them than in a meeting of geek minds.

Jayne Cobb hat

“Man wears a hat like that, people know he ain’t afraid of anything.”

Lastly, spending time in the company of other geeks fosters a sense of cultural identity.  It is proof that no geek is alone, and validates his passions.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of acceptance that comes from seeing another Browncoat in a Jayne hat.  Here, not only are those things that make a geek so painfully awkward at times in the outside world not awkward, they are normal!

The wisest man in the world lived about three thousand years before the term “geek” was coined, but his thirst for knowledge made him one all the same; and he said, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”  Come to think of it, my authentic replica Medieval battle axe could use a whetstone.  Maybe it’s time to get some friends together for a little LARPing and some good, old-fashioned, geek socializing.

*name changed

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