The ONCE Writers

[RumplesGirl]

I thought Save Henry was good. Why is it considered weak?

I believe the main argument stems from fan expectation (big super twisty adoption plot) vs what we were given (legal but unreasonable emotional plot complete with retcon plot device memory potion)

Personally, for me, it was a very weak episode for flashbacks. After 2.5 years, the story we got was less than satisfying–something they made up for this season instead of being something that was planned from the start. The present day stuff was okay but had some plot holes (like who fixed the Jolly Roger)

However, I think Matt included it on his list because Thomsen’s overall corpus is strong, and this episode sticks out as his weakest.

[MatthewPaul]

Pretty much what RG said.  Save Henry wasn’t an outright bad episode. It just felt a bit lackluster compared to the rest of Thomsen’s episodes.

[RumplesGirl]

I think it’d be interesting to shake up the writing staff, have people who have never written together, write together.

Like, I have a very hard time figuring out what Adam writes and what Eddy writes. But if Adam did an episode with Jane, for instance, it might be easier to see his flavor.

So I’d like to see Jane write with one of the big guys: Eddy or Adam.

I’d like to see Jane and Chambliss write together.

Conversely, what if Eddy or Adam did a stand alone?

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[MatthewPaul]

I’d also be interested in seeing some of the WL writers join Once’s writing staff. The ones who wrote Heart of the Matter, in particular.

[RumplesGirl]

I’d also be interested in seeing some of the WL writers join Once’s writing staff. The ones who wrote Heart of the Matter, in particular.

Not a bad idea!

Shake it up a bit. New blood, and all that.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[obisgirl]

obisgirl wrote:
I thought Save Henry was good. Why is it considered weak?

I believe the main argument stems from fan expectation (big super twisty adoption plot) vs what we were given (legal but unreasonable emotional plot complete with retcon plot device memory potion)

Hmm.  The flashbacks didn’t bother me. Generally,  I’ve had very few disappointments when it comes to episodes (except for Selfless, Brave and True.) I hated that one so bad because it awful writing and I’m not a fan of bad writing.  The only other episode was I disappointed with was Welcome to Storybrooke.  I felt like more could have been done with that.

[RumplesGirl]

RumplesGirl wrote:

obisgirl wrote:
I thought Save Henry was good. Why is it considered weak?

I believe the main argument stems from fan expectation (big super twisty adoption plot) vs what we were given (legal but unreasonable emotional plot complete with retcon plot device memory potion)

Hmm. The flashbacks didn’t bother me. Generally, I’ve had very few disappointments when it comes to episodes (except for Selfless, Brave and True.) I hated that one so bad because it awful writing and I’m not a fan of bad writing. The only other episode was I disappointed with was Welcome to Storybrooke. I felt like more could have been done with that.

There are only a few episodes that I am truly disappointed in and can’t rewatch. The others that are the bottom of the list are there because they either felt filler or like they were just there to watch but did little to advance the plot.

Example: Dreamy.

Dreamy is toward the very bottom of my overall ranking. But I don’t actually mind the present day stuff. It’s a little fluffy and little Disney cutsey, but what puts it at the bottom is the absolute bizareness of the past stuff. Like..I can’t get past the dwarf eggs.

So often, it’s not that I flat out HATE the episode…they just don’t add much to the story for me, so I consider them weak.

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[Myril]

Tuning in for a spell…

You all have heard of writers’ room? It’s a common way U.S. shows are worked on, it’s a more or occasionally less collaborative way to write, team work, even though the scripts of an episode are written by specific writers, the story ideas, even eventually down to acts, scenes, moments are discussed and drafted with the team, planned ahead. Every show develops its own work style and structure in the writers room, some more some less team oriented, but much of the story and plots are developed there. Nevertheless each writer adds their own style and skills to the script, its a question of how the story and plots are put into in detail. Like it is always quite noticeable when Jane Espenson wrote a script simply because she’s not only comfortable but good with dialogue.

Battlestar Galactica writing team published while the show was airing a few podcasts of meetings, which was really interesting to listen to, not just as BSG fan (what I am) but as well as someone being interested in production of TV shows and films.

I don’t know exactly how they work in the writers’ room of Once, but it’s a safe guess that it might be influenced somewhat by the experience of A&E on Lost.

I am throwing this in, because when you look at the stories and plots of an episode you should consider that they’re often not the original idea of the writer of that episode but drafted in the writers room together. Of course though there are different ways and styles to put that into the words of a script. So a suggestion, and something not easily done, I know, but if you look at the episodes, try to put somewhat aside what part of the story, what plot you like or dislike, and look at how the story and plot are put into action and dialogue, when you want to talk about specific writers that is. So an episode can be weak in the story and plot and still be quite strong in the specific writer’s writing.

Not sure if everyone is aware of writers’ room, so thought, better bring it up.

¯\_(?????? ?)_/¯

[RumplesGirl]

I am throwing this in, because when you look at the stories and plots of an episode you should consider that they’re often not the original idea of the writer of that episode but drafted in the writers room together. Of course though there are different ways and styles to put that into the words of a script. So a suggestion, and something not easily done, I know, but if you look at the episodes, try to put somewhat aside what part of the story, what plot you like or dislike, and look at how the story and plot are put into action and dialogue, when you want to talk about specific writers that is. So an episode can be weak in the story and plot and still be quite strong in the specific writer’s writing. Not sure if everyone is aware of writers’ room, so thought, better bring it up.

Adam and Eddy have said it’s very collaborative–they don’t just doll out ideas to the writers. They’ve also said it can get pretty heated, which I think is “nice” in that it means they really care/respect the other writers opinions. Wish I could be a fly on that, sometimes. 🙂

"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"

[obisgirl]

Didn’t Adam or Eddie say before season 3 started, everyone attended a ‘writing camp’ of sorts to start generating ideas and plot points for the over all season?  That’s probably where all of the white board clues from.

Another cool thing Jane does on twitter,  writing sprints. Just write for one hour non-stop.  I remember doing exercises like this in creative writing and advance comp in high school.

[Author]

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