Comments on: In praise of binge-viewing for writers http://sararyan.com/2010/02/in-praise-of-binge-viewing-for-writers/ Novelist, comics writer, and librarian based in Portland, Oregon. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:59:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sara http://sararyan.com/2010/02/in-praise-of-binge-viewing-for-writers/#comment-9635 Sara Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:10:11 +0000 http://sararyan.com/?p=1561#comment-9635 Chelsey: some of the humor ages beautifully, some doesn't. And I'm not a fan of the other-exoticizing approach to characters of color that seems to be fairly consistent throughout. But I love the way the main characters' relationships build and shift, and I am at my most fannish as regards the Buffy & Spike dynamic. Kevin: great question. I definitely feel emotionally invested (I have watched the musical episode three times now, four if you count the time I was listening to the commentary), but it's an investment that's impossible to separate from critical lens double-tracking. Then again, when Buffy was originally airing, I hadn't really *developed* my critical lens as a viewer. I've only been working on it consciously for the past few years, as I get more serious about taking apart all the stories I consume -- which, come to think of it, corresponds with an upsurge in binge-viewing. Maybe correlation equals causality in this case? Chelsey: some of the humor ages beautifully, some doesn’t. And I’m not a fan of the other-exoticizing approach to characters of color that seems to be fairly consistent throughout. But I love the way the main characters’ relationships build and shift, and I am at my most fannish as regards the Buffy & Spike dynamic.

Kevin: great question. I definitely feel emotionally invested (I have watched the musical episode three times now, four if you count the time I was listening to the commentary), but it’s an investment that’s impossible to separate from critical lens double-tracking.

Then again, when Buffy was originally airing, I hadn’t really *developed* my critical lens as a viewer. I’ve only been working on it consciously for the past few years, as I get more serious about taking apart all the stories I consume — which, come to think of it, corresponds with an upsurge in binge-viewing. Maybe correlation equals causality in this case?

]]> By: Kevin Moore http://sararyan.com/2010/02/in-praise-of-binge-viewing-for-writers/#comment-9634 Kevin Moore Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:28:44 +0000 http://sararyan.com/?p=1561#comment-9634 I've been doing the same thing with Battlestar Galactica, now up to through the second season. In this case, friends (a few mutual) tell me the last season takes the series downhill and the finale is awful. So I have something to look forward to. I recently blogged about Anders Loves Maria, a webcomic that recently ended to popular acclaim but I read in all one sitting. Same experience - get the narrative strategy, character arch, the compressed time, etc. In this case, I'm glad that I didn't follow it week to week over years, because, frankly, the ending sucked. I woulda felt robbed - robbed! My question is this: Do we miss something in emotional investment by not experiencing the series in real-time anticipation of the next episode/update/installment? I’ve been doing the same thing with Battlestar Galactica, now up to through the second season. In this case, friends (a few mutual) tell me the last season takes the series downhill and the finale is awful. So I have something to look forward to.

I recently blogged about Anders Loves Maria, a webcomic that recently ended to popular acclaim but I read in all one sitting. Same experience – get the narrative strategy, character arch, the compressed time, etc. In this case, I’m glad that I didn’t follow it week to week over years, because, frankly, the ending sucked. I woulda felt robbed – robbed!

My question is this: Do we miss something in emotional investment by not experiencing the series in real-time anticipation of the next episode/update/installment?

]]> By: Chelsey http://sararyan.com/2010/02/in-praise-of-binge-viewing-for-writers/#comment-9633 Chelsey Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:24:33 +0000 http://sararyan.com/?p=1561#comment-9633 I watched Buffy week by week as it unfolded, starting somewhere in Season Two, I think. On the one hand, I love that the show was a steady part of my life for five or six years, rhythmic and true. On the other hand, I would have loved to watch it all together and see what you're describing, because I'm fascinated by Joss Whedon's narrative brain. I'm curious, Does the humor hold up? Has it aged well? I watched Buffy week by week as it unfolded, starting somewhere in Season Two, I think. On the one hand, I love that the show was a steady part of my life for five or six years, rhythmic and true. On the other hand, I would have loved to watch it all together and see what you’re describing, because I’m fascinated by Joss Whedon’s narrative brain. I’m curious, Does the humor hold up? Has it aged well?

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