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+--- Thread: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work (/Thread-Figuring-out-how-TV-writer-sessions-work)
Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - Hexenadler - 08-23-2016
As a viewer, I do my best to be accommodating of different story & character developments on a show. Sometimes a departing actor or other external circumstances can force the writers to make radical alterations to whatever plans they already had in the pipeline. I realize that's a reality of writing for television.
But there are times when I can't help wondering how some of these table conferences go down. Take the creative decision to pair Nick with Adalind, for example. Didn't anyone in the room even timidly point out why this wasn't the best idea in the world?
I'm not saying people should have started insulting each other or flinging tomatoes, but why couldn't somebody at least have tried something to the effect of "Hey, guys? I don't think that works. Here's why." Later in season 5, we're given the Juliette/Eve scenario, which somehow manages to be TWICE as offensive a concept as having Nick voluntarily sleep with Adalind. (I'm serious: Map Eve's character arc onto a real-life criminal like Ted Bundy, and try not to get pissed off. Good luck.)
How exactly do these conferences work? Could someone enlighten me? Do Greenwalt & Kouf simply lay out the rules of what's going to happen in the season, and everyone has to keep their mouths shut if they want to hold on to their jobs? Are they such powerful figures in the industry, even so much as suggesting an alternate outcome to one of their scenarios would result in being blackballed from every entertainment network in America? Maybe that's the reality of the business, but it doesn't strike me as a healthy or productive way to run it.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - syscrash - 08-23-2016
The main thing I see is your observations are based on your own sense of morality. You judge the show based on how you would react. On Grimm the writers take a very liberal position on things. Remember one mans enemy is another mans hero. Take Adalind. Grimm's are wesen's natural enemy. What she did to Nick and those related to him would be view as heroic if you where a wesen. The same with Adalind sleeping with Nick. You may not think so but a lot of people only saw two people having sex. The fact that she tricked him, is no difference then the tricks people us on a Friday night to get lucky.
But more over, Grimm is a scripted action show. The scenarios are created to drive the action. Reading the post people want to find holes in the logic. The writers are only concerned about creating a reaction in the viewers. Not about telling a story. The story is there to make the show interesting. They also provide a device to base the scenarios on. Because the show is scenario driven, the details are not important. Things like what the keys are for. The answer really makes no difference other then answering viewer curiosity.
As for the direction of the show. That is controlled by the writers. Do others have input I am sure they do. Though I doubt they can control the direction of a character or the show. Remember this show is about contrived actions, it is not a book that is meant to be followed from beginning to end.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - Hexenadler - 08-23-2016
(08-23-2016, 07:48 PM)syscrash Wrote: The main thing I see is your observations are based on your own sense of morality. You judge the show based on how you would react. On Grimm the writers take a very liberal position on things.
There's a fine line between "liberal" and "immoral," syscrash. The show has crossed that line on multiple occasions.
If I were to knife you to death in a dark, filthy back alley and later claim in a courtroom I murdered you based on "my own sense of morality," would that make it right? If you think so, you must be one creepy dude. Making everything subjective is highly questionable at best, downright dangerous at worst. Moral relativism isn't as cool as you might think.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - syscrash - 08-23-2016
Hexenadler your example does not exist any where in the show. Adalind actions are perceived evil because they where against the designated hero. What if Nick was the Grimm of reputation. The type of Grimm that beheads first ask questions later. Would people still find Adalind evil. When it comes to the relationships and who is sleeping with who and why. That is strictly a personal moral opinion. Adalind tricked Nick she did not rape Nick. People pass judgement on who Juliette sleep with again another moral opinion. She could sleep with every man on the show and the fact is she would be no less moral then someone that sleep with no one.
People pass judgement on Juliette. Yet the writers made sure she never hurt any innocent character. It is personal bias that drives the conclusion that she killed Nicks mom. The writers had her upstairs to eliminate any doubt of her involvement.
The bottom line is none of the eight characters have done anything that is factually immoral. The writers have given each of the actions a plausible rationalization to justify their actions. So many of the arguments are based on societies rules. Rules that the show makes a point to portray as bigoted and biased. The main ones are peoples opinions on sex and good and bad. It is why people have so much trouble understanding the show neither makes the characters good or bad.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - Hexenadler - 08-24-2016
Syscrash, I'll put it this way: If you'd consider some of the actions of the characters on this show "liberal," I'd break my back to earn American citizenship just to vote for Trump.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - syscrash - 08-24-2016
Hexenadler I would need to know the action you are thinking of. The only one I question, even though they gave her and out. Was Adalind getting pregnant with Diana to sell in return for her powers. The writers tried to right the wrong by having Adalind run away. Giving us the rationalization that she was coning them all along. To me it seemed more like she had a change of heart. Which means she formulated the initial intent to sell her child. I would buy the con angle if she had initiated her escape.
I would really like to knew which actions you are referring to.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - Hexenadler - 08-24-2016
All of them.
Seriously, you're not doing anything here besides defending cheap storytelling. Please cut it out.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - syscrash - 08-24-2016
Quote:Seriously, you're not doing anything here besides defending cheap storytelling. Please cut it out.
First Grimm is not trying to tell a story so how could i be defending story telling. Grimm is an action scenario series. The same as Arrow, the Flash, Sleepy Hollow and many others. The show is not trying to make a moral point or teach us a lesson. Your statement seems to indicate you think all the actions have some form of socially unacceptable component to them. I could see that if you consider that all of societies rules are right. I like many others see many of the rules as something supported by people with narrow minds. Based on societies rules wesen and by extension BC objective would be considered evil. The same with the position people take about hexenbiest being evil. The point the show is making is wesen should be allowed to be wesen. The whole concept of wesen is an analogy for the reaction people have to others that have a different belief or religion then. Take one of the biggest arguments of the day. Gay marriage, there are many that find it immoral, that it violates societies rules. the see it as being so deplorable that they feel it should be outlawed. I have gone back though some of your post. You surly have a problem with Juliette sleeping with Sean and then with Kenneth. They are grown adults engaging in sex. Which has no baring on a persons character.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - Hell Rell - 08-25-2016
I do think the show is implying some things when it comes to sex regarding Juliette. The writers made sure not to have her sleep with Renard in season 2 even when she under a powerful lust spell. It would have been completely excusable, at least to me, if Juliette had slept with Renard due to this spell. She went as far as firing off a gun to stop herself from going all the way with him even though she didn't remember Nick at this time so it would have been hard to say she was in love with him at the time. Juliette was still on the "good" side at this point.
In season 4, Juliette starts to embrace her Hexenbiest. I never bought into a Hexenbiest making someone evil, we had already seen Elizabeth and Henrietta at this point, but she leaves Nick and sleeps with Renard. The writers were using this to show she was not the same Juliette anymore and they had to know that a lot of the audience would have a negative reaction.
Juliette then tried to drop a statue on Adalind, threatened to rip out her throat in a police station, burned down the trailer, fired off a shot at Monroe, and allied herself with Kenneth and slept with him on the bed she and Nick recently shared. Juliette sleeping with Kenneth was definitely part of her transition over to the "dark" side. It was clear she was up to no good due to her recent actions and trying to draw Nick's mom out of hiding. Juliette had to know Nick would come home to see the sheets messed up and take an educated guess that Juliette was doing something on that bed with someone else and it would hurt him.
I really believe the writers were trying to tell us that Juliette had completely gone off the rails and they were using Juliette having sex with Renard and especially Kenneth as a part of her descent. Neither of these things needed to happen so I have to assume this was the reason they were included.
RE: Figuring out how TV writer sessions work - syscrash - 08-25-2016
Juliette sleep with Kenneth and left the bed messed up. To show Nick how she felt finding their bed, after Nick slept with Adalind