Series 9 Episode 8 discussion

[NightOwl]

(11-11-2010 10:12 AM)BoHenley Wrote:  In retrospect, the Lucas/John-is-a-traitor storyline is courageous and a big gamble from Kudos. Hooray for something challenging, even when they'd figure that destroying one of the show's popular characters would be anything but. Otherwise, it's a boring, stereotyped series, and sorry, but we get far too many of those. I just would've liked a slightly better WRITTEN ending/wrap-up - and I'm okay with Lucas ending his life. It's where 10 episodes would give the writers time to EXPAND THE STORYLINE.

Courageous and a big gamble imply that the writers knew what they were risking and did it anyways. It seems like they should have but I wonder. For all the plotholes, they didn't leave themselves any wiggle room to resurrect Lucas, in either body or spirit. If it's because they were committed to the story and viewer response be damned then, I agree with you. But if it's because they didn't anticipate that so many viewers would respond so negatively, then I'd guess it had more to do with their egos, the new writers not wanting to have to play by the rules other writers had established, than courage.

Do TPTB do any podcasts or interviews where they discuss their intentions or views?

I don't think the writers would have used an additional two episodes to expand the storyline. I believe the writers made a deliberate decision to cluster everything in the last two episodes. I think we got four episodes of Vaughn doing little more than saying "I need your help, John." If the writers had wanted to provide more background or motivation, they had ample time to do so.