Hello, my friends! It’s been a couple of busy weeks. The second book of The Protectorate series is still being retyped after a data loss earlier this year, and life has gotten in the way. BUT I’m happy to report that it’s almost time to release it for all my wonderful readers to consume.
I have also been knee deep in birthday planning, painting, researching for book number three, parenting, and just trying to stay afloat and in one piece. As everyone knows, life likes to sucker punch and jerk people around, and I’m no different. However, I’m riding this one out, and I’m enjoying the ride so to speak. Help comes in the form of TV. Specifically, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.
Oh, the beauty of binge worthy tv at my very fingertips. They call to me, lulling me to “Pick me, Pick me!” AND, of course, I’m more than willing to oblige. What’s on the TV, you ask? DC’s Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow have me riveted.
Now, let me start by saying that I’ve been immersed in reading and writing for a couple of years now. It’s rare for me to binge watch anything, but when I do, it’s all or nothing. Thus the term binge;-) Having said that, I haven’t watched a couple seasons of anything listed above.
*gasp*
At this moment, I imagine the indignant words spewing forth from your mouths, the horror at my inattention to some of the most fascinating shows on TV, am I right? Let me stop you right now. Save the popcorn you want to throw at the computer, save the warranted indignation. I am in the process of rectifying the abysmal oversight, and I’m happy to report that I have caught up on all of Arrow, season two of The Flash (working on the rest), and I’m watching season three of Legends.
Okay! Now that I’ve cleared the air, let me just say that I absolutely love these shows. There are those that only watch DC and those that favor Marvel, but I’m in both camps. By the way, I’m a Star Wars and Star Trek junkie, too. Thought I’d put that out there. It may be unthinkable for diehard fans, but I am who I am.
Anyway, recently I’ve been watching Legends, and I had an epiphany that relates to writing. For anyone that watches these shows, or others similar in nature, there are the good guys and the bad. I was watching last night and got to a climatic plot point with Rip on Legends, and I seriously wanted to throw something at the TV. At the beginning of the series, Rip was portrayed as a damaged, but lovable, character that recruited this team full of misfits to save the world from extermination. To be honest, I got excited when the series came out because Arthur Darvill was cast as Rip. I’m also a Dr. Who fan, and I just knew that he’d make this show a must see, and I was right. Well, at least for me.
At any rate, I was drooling at the bit when it came out, and I was not disappointed. The character drew the audience in. He was mysterious, serious, and in control. I. Was. Hooked. Needless to say, I rode the waverider with the crew, and lamented when at the end of season one that two characters left. How could the second season be any better? Heavy heart in hand, I watched. Except, I was surprised. They didn’t disappoint in their hilarious, yet serious, trials and tribulations. This time, though, Rip’s character underwent a vast personality change, and I found myself loathing him. How could Arthur Darvill be sooooo vile? Pulling my hair, heart in my stomach, I watched the unthinkable happen, and I wasn’t enthused. I tried to separate the actor from the character, and it was difficult to say the least. I thought, gosh this man can act!
It got so bad that I actually wanted the Legends to kill Rip! Yep, I said it. He needed to be squelched. Destroyed. Annihilated. And then the gut churning, hair pulling, white knuckled response stopped.
PLOT TWIST!
Rip was saved. Evil had not won. His lovable, encouraging personality had been restored, and I lamented over ever thinking that he should have been killed. Oh, the shame!
And then it hit me! 1) Arthur Darvill is an incredible actor (the other cast members, too!) and 2) Those writers need a bottle of champagne, a raise, and some applause. You see they’ve drawn the audience in to the point of disgust, raised blood pressures, and beer spillage. The writers have cast a spell on us lulling us to love, hate, then love again. This is story writing. This is what we as writers yearn to do. We spend thousands of hours pouring over our words, taking classes, getting critiques, developmental editing, copyediting, etc… The list goes on and on. This storyline was an Ah Ha moment in my life as an author.
What was that, you say? It’s a great idea to take a step back. It’s pivotal to watch a play, ballet, sports, movies, and TV. As an author, it’s critical to be able to learn character development, what draws an audience in, and sometimes it’s not in a book. Sometimes it’s not in a class. Sometimes, it’s in a play, the beauty of a ballet, and also in binge watching TV.
So with my hat in my hand, I thank the writers and actors in Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow for their expert plot twists, their character development, and for some good TV. Thank you for allowing this weary writer to regain perspective and relax. You have my undying gratitude.
I want to hear from you! What are some shows that you watch for fun? Tell me! Comment below, and until the next time, keep working on your dreams, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep believing. We’ve got this!
Cheers,
K.D.
P.S. Make sure to get up and walk around a bit while binge watching. Gets the blood pumping and makes it more entertaining!
