So I’ve been bingeing on Internet TV in my spare time. The latest indulgence has been Heroes, a superheroey drama-thing.
I’m mostly really enjoying it. One thing that’s starting to get under my skin with television shows with an objective — you know, not the “genie back in the bottle” sitcom plots, but the programs with a long story arc — is the sheer amount of stalling. It’s like there’s a two-hour movie in there that’s been cereal-fillered out to a full season. (I’ve never even tried Lost because I’ve heard too much about the creators making it up as they go along, which requires constantly redefining things and playing tricks on what’s been established.)
I guess that’s why I’m drawn to writing novels — single, stand-alone novels — and not television writing. God forbid I should ever write something then have to bring the characters back onstage for an encore. I’m laughing as I write this, sitting on my bed, thinking about bringing back Fix and Julie, Hugh and Simon, or Stefan. I’d love to see them again, I really would. But it wouldn’t be right.
