Sometimes writing is like having an enormous lake in your head, and you want to get it out of your head and into a proper place for a lake so other people can come and go swimming and ride jet skis and stuff, except all you have to move the lake is a teaspoon. So you’re just sitting there frantically flinging water out of the lake with your teaspoon and telling people, “Guys, this lake is going to be so cool when it’s done,” but it will never be done. There is so much lake.
I didn’t really expect this to be relatable, but if you wanna reblog, go wild.
I was watching an interview with Rachel Bloom recently about how they wrote “I’m Going On a Date with Josh’s Friend!” and Rachel was saying how she was relying on this clean, mathematical way of writing that she’d learned. In the “clean” way of writing, Rebecca would’ve had a great time with Greg and then sabotaged the date because she’s afraid of happiness.
But Aline Brosh Mckenna, who has been screenwriting for a long time now and is very good at what she does, said that didn’t work because Rebecca wasn’t afraid of being happy, but rather growing up and being brought down from the clouds. Rachel was a little nervous, but she trusted Aline and we got the episode we have today.
And I realized this is something that they do a lot. Initially, watching Crazy Ex Girlfriend can be almost uncomfortable, and you’re not sure why. But knowing this, I see that it’s because they often stray from the mathematical, clean story structure and instead go with what actually makes sense for the character.
When you’re someone who has watched a lot of TV you learn the basic structure and format of an episode, especially with comedy series. So when a show ignores that basic, expected structure you can sense it. And because you’re used to it, this is sort of unsettling.
While I think this is one of the many things that makes Crazy Ex Girlfriend one of the most unique and well made shows on television in recent history, I think it may also be part of the reason why its ratings are so low. A lot of people don’t want to be challenged. They want to be given a simple A+B=C story that has a clear structure and lesson.
But Crazy Ex Girlfriend, in all its genius, is never going to make it that easy on you. They want you to think. They want you to see the nuance in the situation. If you ever feel like the lesson to be learned from an episode is simple and clear, you probably need to think about it a little more. Rachel and Aline want you to question the content. This is a show where nothing is to be taken at face value.
And I think that is absolutely genius. True fans of television need a show like this. A show to keep them guessing, keep them thinking and questioning. I wish more people realized that and gave Crazy Ex Girlfriend more than a shot- but the critical thinking it not only deserves, but requires.
I find it kinda odd how people talk about writing “flawed” characters like the flaws are an afterthought
Like “cool cool we’ve got this perfect hero now to just sprinkle on some Irritability and Trust Issues then microwave for 6 minutes on high until Done”
But I’ve personally found it feels a lot more useful to just… think of the flaws as the Good Traits except bad this time
The protagonist is loyal? Maybe that means they have a hard time recognizing toxic relationships and are easily manipulated by those they want to trust
The hero is compassionate? Maybe they work too hard and overextend themselves trying to help people and then they refuse to ask for help when they need it themselves for fear of burdening others
They’re dedicated to their ideals? Maybe they’re also too stubborn to know when to quit and they have trouble apologizing for their mistakes
If they’re creative, they can also be flighty. If they’re confident, they can be arrogant. If they’re brave, they might be reckless. If they’re smart, they could be condescending. Protective can become controlling, and someone who’s carefree could very well also be emotionally distant
In my opinion, the best “flaws” aren’t just added on afterwards. The best flaws are baked in deep, ‘cause they’re really just virtues turned upside down
Every time I see a ‘modern au’ ft a character that has some sort of limb replacement like a metal arm or w/e and the ‘cool au version’ of it is a sleeve tattoo I literally want to reach through the screen and slap some sense into whoever posted it
They got a prosthetic in canon they gonna get a prosthetic in the au!!!! Because, I know this is a little far-fetched, but people who need prosthetics actually exist!!! In real life?! What a coincidence?!
Also you want cool prosthetics??? They totally exist
Want your character to have a cool prosthetic in the modern day?
steampunk? check
#aesthetic? Floral?
avant garde?
cyberpunk?
there are no excuses for erasing canonical disabilities
Thank you to whoever made this cute thing, very helpful. Here’s some advice to anyone who wants it!
Don’t quit. It’s very easy to quit during the first 10 years. Nobody cares whether you write or not, and it’s very hard to write when nobody cares one way or the other. You can’t get fired if you don’t write, and most of the time you don’t get rewarded if you do. But don’t quit.
Question of Smoke 