My theory: season 3 jumping the zombie shark

[jswap]

A season-long flashback probably sounded good on paper, but...
Waitaminute, did it even sound good on paper?

[Osiris]

A season-long flashback probably sounded good on paper, but...
Waitaminute, did it even sound good on paper?


This was your contribution to the community? Your very first post? I can only hope it's your last.

[nikvoodoo]

Hmm. Constructive.

So, what makes the season not jump the shark to you? Or is the entire point of this thread this one post and you'll never be heard from again? I hope you'll explain. let's hear some reasons. I know there are people who agree with you out there, ive seen them bitch on Facebook.

[ComradeNarf]

Hmm. Constructive.

So, what makes the season not jump the shark to you? Or is the entire point of this thread this one post and you'll never be heard from again? I hope you'll explain. let's hear some reasons. I know there are people who agree with you out there, ive seen them bitch on Facebook.

Yes, what Mr. Voodoo said.

So far, four episodes into Season 3, we've made it to Fort Irwin, met CJ, and seen the First Tower. Now we know how Kalani arrived and got picked up by the Mallers. Flashback, yes, but this is something we've known for sometime would have to be explained to us. We've just witnessed some very important actions from a central character. We've met several new characters. And even though we've had the questions regarding The Rat answered, we have a whole new slew of questions to be answered. If we didn't get a flashback, we'd just have Michael reading Kalani's journal aloud. Whee. A season long flashback? We've only touched the tip of the iceberg for this season.

Personally, I only see two options for handling Kalani's story - quick, chapter or so coverage, or drawing it out over the course of the season. Genuine question - how would you have liked to see Kalani's story told? Or do you feel that it was just too drawn out?

[7oddisdead]

Just the thing id like to know, how has this season jumped the shark? That term gets thrown around a bit to liberally. Saying that about season 3 would imply that something just totally ridiculous has happened...like Michael riding a surfboard...and jumping over a zombie shark.

Quite the contrary...this season has really been nothing but traditional storytelling. Almost every facet of what's happened thus far could be found in any great story...because they work. Because they are proven methods of successfully telling a story.

So just say what ya mean...you don't like it..so be it...but this has NOT jumped any sharks ;)

[Osiris]

Michael may be a lot of things, but he's no Arthur Fonzarelli.

[Osiris]

Plus I believe he was water skiing at the time.

[7oddisdead]

Had I actually cited the fonz for my example of jumping the shark...you would be correct. But I didn't... kaythanksbye;)

[Osiris]

The two go hand in motorcycle-riding-motherfucking hand. Shouldn't you be working anyway? kthxhi

[reaper239]

i like the season long flashback thing. it lasted for 1.33 chapters and we're already, what, 3-4 chapters into the season? (i forget exactly how many. don't judge me!) and we ran out of flashback in the last episode. yeah, season long alright. this guy should be fixing the helicopter... because he's a TOOL, HEY-O (duh-duh- CRASH) eh? eh?

[Litmaster]

Wow, serving my first negative rep. Thanks for the milestone, dude. :rolleyes:

[jswap]

OK, I accept that my post was trollish. Kinda a drive-by shooting. Let me elaborate on what I meant.

First, let me say that I LOVEEEEEEE the first 2 seasons. I have listened to both of them twice and they are awesome. I think everyone here agrees to that. Also, I think it's my unnaturally strong love for the first two seasons that has caused me to lash out about the third season. I acknowledge that the third season is only getting started. I also acknowledge that it does not suck. But I have been disappointed in the story so far and I'll tell you why.

I'm going by memory here, but it seems to me that by this point in season 1 and season 2, there had been way more action, or even just stuff, happening. Heck, in season 1, there was a zombie apocalypse, fighting their way out of a gun vault, driving through the city, rescuing some people, killing more zombies, and clearing a building in just a few episodes. Maybe I'm crazy, but season 3 so far has furthered the CURRENT story by about 1 or 2 parts compared to what we've seen happen in season 1 and 2. Granted, lots of time has been taken up with filling in back-story. It's kinda interesting, but still, it is the PAST. The past cannot be as interesting as the present, at least to me. And doing all of this past stuff at once smells a lot like EXPOSITION. Exposition is bad. It should be doled out in small, bite-sized amounts; I feel now like I've had my fill and I keep saying to the computer, "get on with it!"

OK, commence bashing. I can take it.

[7oddisdead]

No actually..good on you for jumping on here and defending yourself/explaining...while some will disagree with your opinion, most will acknowledge that it's just that...an opinion..everyone is entitled to those.

[jswap]

Thanks, 7odd.

Oh, I forgot to mention one more thing I am unhappy about:

I miss Burt! He's my favorite character!

[Hellbringer]

No actually..good on you for jumping on here and defending yourself/explaining...while some will disagree with your opinion, most will acknowledge that it's just that...an opinion..everyone is entitled to those.


I agree. Good on the dude for coming back on and showing he's not a drive-by poster.

[Osiris]

Loose ends had to be tied up before the story can move into the new arc for this season. It only makes sense if you think about it from a storytelling standpoint and not just from a listening standpoint.

That said, good to see you're not just here to thug it out.

[jswap]

Loose ends had to be tied up before the story can move into the new arc for this season.

If the loose ends hadn't been tied up yet, what disaster would have occurred?

[nikvoodoo]

If the loose ends hadn't been tied up yet, what disaster would have occurred?

The disaster is in clean storytelling. At some point, they have to be tied up....ok in theory. You could leave them all loose and what not.

But the point is, now that we've knocked this stuff out, we've gained some more knowledge, the characters have more information about what happened to them and can inform future decisions with Kalani's back story. This is as good a time as any to take care of this. It can't be all action all the time or you'll never get the chance to appreciate what the characters are feeling and going through. If the chopper never landed, we never would have received the tid bit about Michael feeling like the rest of the Tower Survivors are like family, more so than any member of the armed forces.

That's why the story has to slow down every once and a while, and that's why it makes sense after the epic nature of the Season 2 finale that you have a bit of action at first, followed by some downtime and exploration.

[jswap]

Fair enough. I guess I'd prefer to get these tidbits in between gunshots, but I'm weird that way. :)

[Osiris]

This thread is in danger of jumping the shark now.

[GeneTwo]

Wow, I thought everyone knew that jumping the shark was a common occurrence in the WA universe. Come on zombies!!! Prisoners with plans of world domination. Star Trek nerd ruling the Colony. Burt and his gun lockers (RPG). Talking zombies!!!

I just hope sparkly zombies don't show up.

[Osiris]

Wow, I thought everyone knew that jumping the shark was a common occurrence in the WA universe. Come on zombies!!! Prisoners with plans of world domination. Star Trek nerd ruling the Colony. Burt and his gun lockers (RPG). Talking zombies!!!

I just hope sparkly zombies don't show up.

Is Pinboy REALLY a zombie though? It's possible he is something else.

[shoot_the_glass]

I really enjoyed the flashback it was nice to see some backstory on a character and his motivations, i can only hope we see more maybe a Sean backstory?

[Pikepaw]

I will say that the definition of Jumping the Shark is when you are taken out of the experience. The moment when you realize the original reason you got into the series is gone and everything has changed. The change being so dramatically different and ridiculous it takes you out of the suspension of disbelief. This change not being a growth of the series, but something random that you take negatively.

Plus, we have spent close to two years trying to figure out who the rat is and their motivations. Everyone had their theories and we were finding evidence. Several of us were driven to madness. I was honestly 95% sure the rat was Riley. If this didn't get resolved and thoroughly explained bad things would have happened...blood would have been spilt.

Just because we are looking back doesn't mean we aren't moving forwards.

[jswap]

Ch. 28, part 3 - We're back on track again! Great episode! Got my blood pumping like the previous seasons often did.