Topher Brink is, without a doubt, one of my most favorite characters on television. Ever. And he is, perhaps, what I'll miss most about Dollhouse. I like Topher so much that I have that hoodie* he's wearing.
When I first read the pilot, well before the series premiered and I associated the role with the actor that played him, Topher's character made the biggest impression on me. And on many others, as well. I remember early reviews of my early review voicing some opposition to my idea that a lot of the Joss in this Whedon show might be coming out of this character. Others found Topher to be the most morally repulsive character in the show. And maybe that's why I latched onto him right away, but I had him singled out. I knew this was the guy that was in for a ride over the course of the series, however long it was destined to last.
We saw Topher go from being less concerned about effects of what he does as he is with the fact that he can do what he does and then coming face to face with the fact (and very few characters ever really get to do this) that the apocalypse is coming and it's all pretty much his fault. And that was only the beginning of his pain. And that pain ended, along with the series, Friday night when he solved the problem he created with a big ass 'splosion.
And in doing so, the lil' bastard left what was basically the only open question left from the series. One that was fucking created in the shows last three minutes. This isn't Jack's tattoos from three seasons ago**, this was if-Topher-didn't-turn-around there'd-be-no-unanswered-questions. I mean, "Huh?" *And I'm a Trek guy, not a Star Wars guy. That should tell you something. What? Don't recognize it? The hoodie is patterned on Boba Fett's armor.
With the last Lost season premiere one week away, revealing what Jughead may or may not have wrought, and with a new season of 24 having recaptured my attention after a dismal sixth season and a so-so seventh, I find the to be...uh...I cant use awesome sauce anymore, Amy Berg seems to have taken it....it's the uh...wonder jam?
The following takes place between 4:10 and 4:20 PM on the day of the Oceanic 815 crash. Events occur in real time.
Easily, on of my earliest (television) writing influences was, in fact, Gene Roddenberry (herein lies a really good biography) I was introduced toStar Trek at an early age and the one-two punch of Roddenberry's humanism and William Shatner's flying dropkick had me enthralled. I never really had a chance.
Among my favorite (television) writers of the more currentish era is Tim Minear. His ability to handle character and weirdness is his one-two punch...if I must try to carry on that motif.
So hearing that Minear will be heading up a remake of a Roddenberry property has me, indeed, interested. That property being The Questor Tapes, the story of an android trying to discover his humanity. The original of which was...well, it was no Star Trek (despite the fact that the main character is essentially ST:TNG's Data).
I have utter faith, however, that Minear can not only jettison the ridiculous and maybe (in this day and age) cliche backstory, but that he can also make Questor not be Data.
This also comes at a time when I've been burning time watching my first season original Trek DVDs. "Balance of Terror" kicks ass.
Charlie hands the Action Comics #1 to the News Vendor while he digs for some cash in his pockets.
CHARLIE
I’ll take it.
News Vendor looks at the cover.
NEWS VENDOR
Ten cent, Mac.
Charlie takes a dollar bill out of his pocket. Relieved he had anything at all.
CHARLIE
Keep the change.
News Vendor takes the dollar.
NEWS VENDOR
No problem, Rockefeller.
Looks at it.
NEWS VENDOR
Yeah. Nice try, pal. Now stop wasting my time and beat it.
CHARLIE
What?
NEWS VENDOR
I seen some people stoop to some stuff during the Depression, but this...this is the worst bogus bill I ever seen. Look at this. The big “one” is the wrong color. What’s this “In God We Trust” stuff on the back? And, Geez, it says twenty ought two on it. That’s just stupid. You get shell-shocked in the Big One or something?
A good making-of feature or a really solid commentary is a great education tool for aspiring whatevers. Many are self-congratulatory, aren't-we-awesome promo fests. They're are, of course, exceptions. When Whedon does a solo commentary track of one of his written-&-directeds, they're usually a nice look into the mind behind the episode.
This week, a new edition of The Writer's Tale by Doctor Who's Russell T. Davies comes out and you're damned right I'm buying the same book twice. This time with 300 pages covering the production of the 2009 series of specials. I've heaped my praise on the first edition of this book previously, so I'll not repeat it other than to say that it is the absolute best look inside one writer's creative process I've ever seen and good reason to start watching the show, just to read the book.
But I love it when stuff goes wrong and the people behind it speak frankly. Something that seems to happen more in sci-fi. When there was an off episode of Battlestar, Ron Moore discussed it at length in his podcast commentaries ("Black Market" or "The Woman King" for instance). There was an extremely crappy one season spin-off of the Highlander series called The Raven. The commentaries in that DVD were a running commentary on the whys of that series suckitude. And I just finished watching a DVD feature where the actors and producers of Doctor Who circa 1984-87 discussed what went wrong with the entire run of the 6th Doctor.
David Eick missed that boat on theBionic Woman DVD commentary.
Fringe page-onerewrite was completed and promptly pressed into service. The result of that remains to be seen, given the annual Shutdown of Los Angeles. Sons of Anarchy spec (1st draft) is completed. Though seemingly out of character, and even tastes, for me, the next spec up (already begun) is The Good Wife. I know, right?
So, yes, spec writage has been a priority. Last year's focus on original material seemed as though it would bite me in applications to the programs (and I sent out different scripts to different programs), but instead I got calls for NBC Writers on the Verge and the Disney-ABC Fellowship* (what up, WB?), but got cut though tantalizingly close. Thus, fresh specs are the order of the day. And a pleasing return to high productivity form.
The screenplay was completed some time ago, but primarily held back to to the sluggish flow of development ducats. Its current whereabouts are shrouded in secrecy. The next screenplay is...yet to be determined, but there will be a next one.
Mastermind: (the short film/web mini series) is in post. There are many premiere strategies in the air. In the meantime, promotional plans are being...planned.
*oddly enough, with the same script I used last year for them
Topher Brink is, without a doubt, one of my most favorite characters on television. Ever. And he is, perhaps, what I'll miss most about Dollhouse. I like Topher so much that I have that hoodie* he's wearing.