TV rant: Are there any show runners anymore?

     Showrunner: term originating in the United States television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television series.
     On certain shows right now, it is hard to figure out if anyone is functioning as a showrunner.

     Like in in House of Lies: Why did they change the way Marty Kaan acts? First the important question, where is MY crazy sex? The Marty as they established him would have had sex with someone by episode 2 of the 2nd season

     Even if Marty became a monk; the showrunner should let someone else on the team become slut. Clyde is the natural choice because he . But Guggenheim would be more interesting for a certain point of view of who he hooks up with. Or a good writer would spread the sex out amongst them.

    I mentioned the guys on the team. Jeanie is also available for debauchery. But they have her in an equally ridiculous storyline. The Marty/Jeanie thing is lame. So lame. I know they gave her character daddy issues that sabotage everything. But this is not real. It is not normal. And it is not the characters from the first season.

     But to my rant, if you write a character one way, keep them that way. Or if there is a reason for him to change, then make it obvious. Because Marty closes in business and sex. He hit on his ex wife so he wants to have sex. That hasn’t changed. So he would have moved on to someone else by now. This is crap. The showrunner needs to get things back on track.

      I am pissed about stuff like that. I wish someone would actually think, “would Marty go 2 episodes without sex?” Or just not make a show that ramps the sex down the 2^nd season. Because the result will be, this viewer will not be back for a 3^rd season unless I see some frakkin. And soon.

   Another example is How I Met Your Mother: Why have they fundamentally changed who Ted is? He is just hooking up randomly now. He isn’t looking for Love. He is just a guy in NYC. If a showrunner was keeping the stories on track, he never hooks up with random woman. Not for any reason, not even if the reason is peer pressure.

     Even when he did "The Naked Man"; that date started out as a legitimate prospect. Ted was thinking Love. At least at first. But when it broke down, then he got laid.

     Recently Ted has just been doing whatever. Not really acting like himself. Just like a normal guy in NYC. Which is not worth watching.

     Same changes to his personality happened earlier this season. An old love of Ted's named Victoria came back into his life. She was looking for marriage. But Ted was just MEH about it. No. Ted has been so desperate about his search for both love and marriage. He labored for the better part of four years to get Robin to both love and marry him. Unsuccessfully. But now Robin is getting married to Barney. WTFrak? I am not sure how these changes to the characters are occuring.

     Speaking of which, Ted is the type of guy who knows his friend’s important information. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say what he forgot. But even if it isn’t his best friend he remembers things.

     The writers are just making Ted into a 30s douche bag. Which apparently is just as bad if not worse than a 20s d-bag. That show is funny when you turn off the brain. But if you actually care about the Mother in the title, it is frakkin horrible. But at least at one point he was searching for Love. Now he is just a d-bag.

      [Also, Barney broke one of the 'bro rules'. He broke up a girlfight. Not cool.]

     At this point, I am kind of just hanging on to find out who the Mother is. But once I do, I may stop watching all together. They haven't been interesting in a while. Things need to perk up quick. Otherwise, I am off to other things.

     A good friend of mine mentioned that they [writers, showrunner, producers] may not want to let the viewers down with the "wrong" Mother. If she doesn't look the right way. If it isn't the right person. That is plausible and I agree that is the case. Otherwise, they could just have an actress know. Having a yellow umbrella all the time or a bass guitar player; they are just skirting the issue.

     Get to what is real. Write a good story. Let the viewers decide. Otherwise, the viewers will and decide to turn the channel.

More ranting. This time about 50 Shades [probably not my last]

A very good friend of mine led me to a web posting that I thought was absurd at first. Until I realized that it was actually genius. The web posting was: http://observer.com/2012/06/bret-easton-ellis-tweets-dream-team-cast-for-50-shades-of-grey-upcoming-lindsay-lohanjames-deen-thriller/

I have read all three of the 50 Shades books. But I can’t say I am expert in them. If I say something in the following rant that is incorrect, it is out of ignorance. But if you respond in the contrary, I would enjoy a thoughtful response. Just hearing that that “I’m stupid” [while it may be true] is not helpful to the discussion.

Now. I am not sure that Lena Dunham is actually the best actress for this role. Mostly because she is much stronger a person then Anastasia Steele from the 50 Shades books. Ms. Dunham is the writer, director and lead actress in her own HBO show. This is not some shrinking violet who will easily fall into the role of a naive young woman who has no real experience with either herself or life. Ana is very different even from the awkward character that Ms. Dunham portrays on “Girls”.

One thing I do know it this, Kate Kavanaugh is better looking and richer than Ana Steele. She should look like it as well. She should exude that. Both glamour and grace. A young lady with style. I am thinking someone like a young Iman or Paulina Porizkova or Heidi Klum. Kate should be model level beautiful not Ana.

While I understand and agree that Christian Grey (Xian) should be played by a male actor that has model like good looks. Guys who are being touted as possible who I agree are appropriate as guys like Ian Somerhalder and Matt Bomer. Xian has to be exquisite. He should look it. Act it. Be it.

But Ana should not be. She should be pretty. But not model ‘gorgeous’. While Lena Dunham is smart in the way Ana must be, witty, sarcastic and biting. She is not good looking enough to be noticed just for her looks. Also, her tattoos will probably take her out of the running for the role as well. They work for her personally but Ana does not and would not have tattoos. That is going to be a nail in the coffin.

While actresses like Alexis Bledel, Nina Dobrev, Emmy Rossum, or Emily Browning [who was Stephenie Meyer’s choice for Bella http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_(2008_film)]   is being named as potential favorite actresses to play Ana. However most of them are more appropriate for Kate Kavanuagh [or better yet Leila who will be a great character to play].

 Same with all the ladies that are being named for Ana. I am not sure though, I believe that Kate might have been blond. If so, someone like Diane Agron is cast, that would be awesome. Kate should be much prettier than Ana.

A better Ana would be Lena Dunham’s cast mate on the show “Girls” Zosia Mamet. Most might argue that Alison William or Jemima Kirke would be better.  I ask why?

Where does it talk about Ana being prettier than Kate? The only people who express interest in Ana are Xian and Jose. Outside of them, Ana is average written and should be portrayed as average. That is how the character should be played. As accurate as possible.

I am certain that Hollywood will screw it up. They so often do.

Like I said, this is all ranting. Amazing that I book I have so many problems with has enthralled me in such a way. I dislike mostly the portrayal of BDSM but also the writing and the general lack of realism in any of it. But is it a copycat of a fantasy book in the Twilight series that have many of the same attributes.

I would like to see the 50 Shades have some good movies. It is possible. Not if they stay true to the books though.