Writing Yourself Into Books or TV Series

[PandemicReader8]

@ThanksForAllTheFish reminded me of a discussion I got roped into back in the AOL days,

"If you could be a new character - an addition to the property - in any Book or TV series, which series and who would you be?

At the time - mid-90s - I was reading a lot of Ludlum and Chandler and not watching much TV. Neither of the two authors wrote stories that are real friendly to recuring characters. Though Chandler comes closest.

Today, I read a much different sort of story and watch a little more television, so I have choices. Having really gotten into "Only Murders In the Building", and having been a huge fan of "Castle", I'd write myself into OMITB, as a retired NYPD detective turned mystery writer who rented the apartment where the crime he never broke occurred. He's lived there ever since, writing and working that case even in retirement. Events of season two lead him to reach out to the podcast crew, and bring him into their investigations.

Goofy little exercise, but maybe someone will enjoy it.

 

[HordHolm]

I'd be keeping a very careful eye on Sir Harry Flashman, and taking notes.

 

[PandemicReader8]

I'd be keeping a very careful eye on Sir Harry Flashman, and taking notes.

Thanks a lot, my TBR pile just got bigger! LOL
I had to Goggle that one. Looks interesting!

 

[Emilymcplugger]

For me, I’d love to be Data’s art teacher in Star Trek: The Next Generation. That would be pretty sweet.

Except for the travelling in the infinite vacuum of space and the existential terror that would bring.

I do like OMITB and Castle but I’d probably wind up being the victim so I’ll settle for being an investigative reporter following the trail of Jack Reacher trying to track him down like he’s the Incredible Hulk, never quite managing it but getting to all these places after he’d fixed them.

Yeah, that’ll do…for now.

 

[PandemicReader8]

For me, I’d love to be Data’s art teacher in Star Trek: The Next Generation. That would be pretty sweet.

Except for the travelling in the infinite vacuum of space and the existential terror that would bring.

I do like OMITB and Castle but I’d probably wind up being the victim so I’ll settle for being an investigative reporter following the trail of Jack Reacher trying to track him down like he’s the Incredible Hulk, never quite managing it but getting to all these places after he’d fixed them.

Yeah, that’ll do…for now.

Very nice!

 

[EmilyMiller]

@ThanksForAllTheFish reminded me of a discussion I got roped into back in the AOL days,

"If you could be a new character - an addition to the property - in any Book or TV series, which series and who would you be?

At the time - mid-90s - I was reading a lot of Ludlum and Chandler and not watching much TV. Neither of the two authors wrote stories that are real friendly to recuring characters. Though Chandler comes closest.

Today, I read a much different sort of story and watch a little more television, so I have choices. Having really gotten into "Only Murders In the Building", and having been a huge fan of "Castle", I'd write myself into OMITB, as a retired NYPD detective turned mystery writer who rented the apartment where the crime he never broke occurred. He's lived there ever since, writing and working that case even in retirement. Events of season two lead him to reach out to the podcast crew, and bring him into their investigations.

Goofy little exercise, but maybe someone will enjoy it.

Can I join too, as Mabel’s girlfriend, as opposed to the - I can’t act for toffee - Cara Dull-evingne?

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

More seriously, I need to be on Firefly. There would be a love pentagram with Kaylee, Inara, River (maybe a year or two after the original show was meant to be set) and Zoe? Resolved by a wild fivesome.

Em

 

[PandemicReader8]

Can I join too, as Mabel’s girlfriend, as opposed to the - I can’t act for toffee - Cara Dull-evingne?

Em

Sure!!

 

[PandemicReader8]

More seriously, I need to be on Firefly. There would be a love pentagram with Kaylee, Inara, River (maybe a year or two after the original show was meant to be set) and Zoe? Resolved by a wild fivesome.

Em

Really the best show ever.

 

[djrip]

More seriously, I need to be on Firefly. There would be a love pentagram with Kaylee, Inara, River (maybe a year or two after the original show was meant to be set) and Zoe? Resolved by a wild fivesome.

Em

Obligatory:

"I'll be in my bunk."

 

[PandemicReader8]

Obligatory:

"I'll be in my bunk."

Excellent call back.

 

[Blind_Justice]

I'd like to be a villain-of-the-week in Airwolf. Horribly corrupt presidente of a Pacific island nation, until recently in the CIA's good graces. Drugs? Hell yeah. Beautiful, barely clothed concubines? One is called Tatyiana and, oops, works for the KGB. And I get to die in the cockpit of my country's sole F-16 when Hawke kicks my ass with his super-helo.

 

[Bramblethorn]

More seriously, I need to be on Firefly. There would be a love pentagram with Kaylee, Inara, River (maybe a year or two after the original show was meant to be set) and Zoe? Resolved by a wild fivesome.

Em

I guess after posting to LW, volunteering to be a female character in a Joss Whedon story is the logical next step...

(I love those characters, but I'm not sure their writer did.)

 

[EmilyMiller]

I guess after posting to LW, volunteering to be a female character in a Joss Whedon story is the logical next step...

(I love those characters, but I'm not sure their writer did.)

I refuse to let Whedon being a douche ruin the show for me.

Em

 

[DeLaFaye]

I guess after posting to LW, volunteering to be a female character in a Joss Whedon story is the logical next step...

(I love those characters, but I'm not sure their writer did.)

I think he loved the characters. He just didn't give a shit about the actors.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I think he loved the characters. He just didn't give a shit about the actors.

In the "thought they were cool" sense, quite possibly. In the "loving creator-god" sense, not so much: https://gizmodo.com/the-firefly-episode-were-really-glad-joss-whedon-didnt-5959794

 

[DeLaFaye]

In the "thought they were cool" sense, quite possibly. In the "loving creator-god" sense, not so much: https://gizmodo.com/the-firefly-episode-were-really-glad-joss-whedon-didnt-5959794

I'd argue creator-gods are never really loving, but that's a bit off topic.

Whedon clearly loved his ideas. We see these embodied in and inflicted upon his characters in all their darkness and suffering, both on screen and with interviews like the one you posted. I don't fault him for loving what he created, even when it's awful. I think a lot of us can relate to a darkness in our creative sides, even if it doesn't always come out. That still doesn't give anyone any right over another actual living, person. (I'm not saying you're arguing that, just clarifying that Whedon is trash. Trash for making a conscious being suffer, not for making his characters suffer.)

 

[AchtungNight]

I’m honestly not sure. Can I cameo on Disney’s Gargoyles as That Jogger in Central Park?