THANK YOU

[seriousfic]

Q: Is your show like the anti-Heroes?

A: I don't think we're the anti-anything, that kind of sets you off in a negative way. We're a show that's very much aware of everything that came before it, and we're happy to stand on the shoulders of giants, and we refer to a lot of popular culture in our show. But if [The Middleman] is anti-anything, it's anti- the idea that heroism is ultimately tragic, which I think is the dominating trope of most scifi shows that I watch, shows that I like and admire. Doctor Who is an example of a show that doesn't go there that much, a show that doesn't say being heroic will destroy your life. Doing the right thing will not kill you, will not destroy your friends. A lot of popular culture insists on sort of a pornography of despair. I don't think this makes any shows bad or inherently evil and dark, but there is a real darkness in scifi today. I have worked on shows that are very dark shows thematically, and that's really not who I am inside. Every show is a therapist's couch for it creator, so I can't help but bring my optimism [to The Middleman]. - Javier Grillo-Marxuach

I'd disagree with his accessment of Doctor Who, as these days it really has transformed into the David Tennant Cries Prettily Show, but the rest of this is RIGHT ON. Which is why you should be watching Middleman. That, and the very nearly canon femslash.

In fact, picture Doctor Who, only the Doctor is more Buck Rogers-y (actual adjective!), Martha/Ace is canonically a Time-Lord-in-training who receives compliments when she does well and is forgiven when she screws up, Rose is Martha's roommate and kinda hung up on the Doctor but still willing to move on with her life if that doesn't work (uhh, ditto with Martha... actually, maybe Wendy is more like Donna...), and the TARDIS is a middle-aged librarian.

Epic win? EPIC WIN!

Comments

[pendown.livejournal.com]

That sounds like something I want to see. And re: David Tennant, roll on Stephen Moffatt as the lead writer! Some days nobody dies.

[box-in-the-box.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was about to say, the Moff is such a vast contrast from RTD in that regard that, even when people die in his stories, they STILL don't REALLY die. Plus, the Moff is responsible for creating a (future) companion who has the healthiest attitude of any NuWho companion yet ("Hi, yeah, I love him, but he's not my entire life, and if I can hook up with him, that's great, but if not, then oh well"), that corresponds perfectly to my idea of what a NuWho companion should be (ie. "angst-free casual fuck-buddy").

[lejo.livejournal.com]

Well, sure but she's really just the Time (Lord) Travellers Wife, isn't she. Live's her romance out of order, he meets her for the first time in a library, she knows/loves the man he's going to grow into.

Brilliant little canon crossover/fanwank, but not wholly his either.

[box-in-the-box.livejournal.com]

It's still instructive, insofar as to which wank he chooses to include, and which wank he chooses to leave out (see also: RTD's subtext, both intentional and non).

[tamburlaine.livejournal.com]

She looks like an ex-hookup of mine. It blows my miiiiiiind. Wait, is this show actually good though? It's on ABC Family, man.

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and Battlestar Galactica's on Sci-Fi, home of ECW and Scorpion Attack: Afghanistan.

Plus...

[tamburlaine.livejournal.com]

Okay LOL. I just meant that it being on ABC Family would mean it's all censored and "fun for the whole family" n' shit when I like more nasty shi-- HEY, I'M SURE SCORPION ATTACK: AFGHANISTAN WAS AMAAAAAAAZING!

[lilpocketninja.livejournal.com]

Why am I not watching this yet? >.> It sounds brilliant.

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Also, Wendy and Lacey are as MARRIED! as Christian and Sean from Nip/Tuck.

[mcity.livejournal.com]

the David Tennant Cries Prettily Show,

I hear some people like that sort of thing.

[seriousfic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but some people like being peed on. Some things are best in small doses.

...see, this is why you shouldn't mix metaphors.

[ash-in-your-eye.livejournal.com]

Thank you for that quote. It pretty much encapsulates why every character I've ever liked in comics doesn't have (m)any friends, relatives or past lovers who aren't evil, dead or both.