Monday, March 28, 2022

Characterization Lessons from Old TV Series

Recently we joined the 21st century and started using tv streaming services. 

I really like the access to old tv series whenever I want. Columbo. Blue Bloods. The Twilight Zone. And the two Hawaii Five-Os.

The original series starred Jack Lord and aired from 1968-1980. 

Link to Wikipedia description:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_Five-O_(1968_TV_series)

I didn't watch it when it first ran. (It probably conflicted with something else I preferred.) It's a police procedural, set in Honolulu. The dialogue and the acting style is kind of dated. But it's fun in its own way. Jack Lord runs around scorching Honolulu chasing criminals in a wool suit and tie (wide lapels, wide tie). The young people are always hippies and dumb (and usually the criminals). But there's always a mystery to solve and lots of action.

The reboot, most of which I watched when it was current, is much better. Why? Because the main characters on Reboot Five-O have personal lives, aside from their jobs. Families, romantic interests, personal conflicts, and background stories. They aren't just cardboard figures to slot into a plot to solve a mystery in 53 minutes. They're rounded characters, not flat. There's lots of humorous dialogue, interplay between McGarrett and Danny. We care about them. And because we care about them, the stakes are higher when they're in danger.

Another example of this is the original NCIS. Gibbs is more than just the leader of the NCIS team. He has an elderly father, three ex-wives, a former partner, and a first wife and daughter who died tragically. He dates from time to time. Tony has a problematic relationship with his father, too. And he doesn't relate well to women until Ziva comes along. Ziva has a problematic relationship with her father, has to decide which country has her loyalty (Israel or the U.S.), and has a lovely, teasing relationship with Tony that plays out over several seasons. Even Ducky has lots of background stories: the military, a long-lost brother, an elderly mother with dementia. These are truly rounded characters and we care about them.




Sunday, March 20, 2022

Echo's Leash Dance

 In celebration of what would have been Echo's birthday, March 20,

Echo would like to remind you to





"Dance with your leash!"


















Monday, January 17, 2022

California Dreaming

First photo, of the snow-covered owls, taken today. Second one, same view, taken December 29, 2013. 

For comparison, the owls are 12" high. The glass railing is 3 ' high.

It's still snowing and will continue for several hours.











This is one of the times I'm glad we're in a condo and don't have to worry about shovelling a driveway or sidewalks. We cancelled M's appointment for today.

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Dog and Owlet Are Best Friends

Found this You Tube video about Ingo, a Belgian Shepherd, who was best friends with an abandoned owlet, Poldi.

Beautifully photographed by Tanja Brandt, a German wildlife photographer.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYNqgF3r6rc


 

Sunday, July 18, 2021

An old poem retrieved from my files

Plane Crashes, No Survivors


grief

for ourselves
alone, so alone
a father, a brother
an uncle, a friend

raw pain scorches
no tears left
a gaping hole
where there once was a heart



regret

half-empty album
for daughters on bicycles
bridal bouquets
and grandchildren's hugs

novels half-finished
cases untried
missing puzzle pieces 
will never be found



memory

remembering Jim
a laugh sent by email
my Internet friend
who wrote gorgeous prose

quest for adventure
beyond the next cloud
exuberant pilot
will soar forever


Copyright 1997, Barbara Etlin, all rights reserved

In memory of Jim Osborne (1948-1997)


Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Signs of the Times, Part Two

 Remember the

clever billboards in front of a synagogue

that have been brightening up a nearby street?



The synagogue hasn't had any visitors since March,

 but that writer has been busy making drivers smile.


Here are more examples of sparse writing

where every word counts.


Thou shalt not covid thy neighbour's wife.


2020 is hindsight.



In my copywriting days, the layout came first and I had to fit my copy into it.

I had to count words. Sometimes I had to count characters.

That was excellent training for other kinds of writing.


I appreciate this writer's economy of words and sense of humour.