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in america we have had several series kill off key characters. some of the series used plot devices to bring them back. two of the series had to drop off a character due to either actor reluctance to continue and an actor being sent to jail. these recent series’s are Lexx, Buffy the Vampire Killer, Ally McBeal and Dark Angel. Farscape began to regularly use killing off main characters as a normal plot device in the second year. i’ve noticed these shows (except Farscape) began to have serious rating problems and/or loss of energy and interest in the shows afterwards. i’m sure there are other examples. off the point, but related, i’ve heard one kiss of death to tv shows is to have characters who are not having sex but want to that suddenly have sex (northern exposure, for example) or to have characters marry (the scarecrow and mrs. king)(everyone exclaimed only one series ever beat this particular jinx, a series with older stars who were rich and led a racy, detective-like life). do you think, as i am, that killing off key characters will destroy a show’s future? in lexx’s case everyone kinda knew that MM wanted to leave in the third season, so the 4th season went to he** both for viewers and the writers?
I believe it is called character empathy. A character is presented with good and bad qualities and we get to decide if something in us clicks with the character and then poof! they are gone. It’s like a favorite pet that suddenly vanishes and you don’t want to get hurt again. Ratings fall. I start to buy or rent movies on VHS and forget the series.
I liked the character Kai. Michael McManus is a very handsome man, but it was Kai and his sacrifice and his service to his native people and to the his shipmates aboard the Lexx that really grew on me. He helped out strangers and defended the weak. He helped the immature to mature or killed them off if they had the abuse of power nature. I just liked the man Kai and I miss him.
Kai spoke the truth and didn’t give a flip if you liked it or not. I like that in anyone. I guess having been told that about myself from various ex-husbands, family members, and co-workers. I care about people, it’s just that I choose not to intrude or make their decisions for them. God gave us the Holy Bible for those type of decisions anyway. ‘Sides, people never listen, so why bother.
I hope the writers for Lexx can find one viable strand of DNA from Kai in the mass and mess of the nuclear explosion from 4.24 and have 790 create a new Kai. He may not look like MM—maybe blonde next time. Maybe Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) if his new show doesn’t work out. Anyway…I hope they make a few movies if they don’t revive the series.
Character empathy. That’s it. I really liked Kai and have sworn never ever to get that involved with another character again. Baby, I mean it, too, cause Friday night is just plain empty now. Farscape is okay, but it’s no Lexx.
This TV show had me crying at work after Kai died. Yeah, I got involved with character empathy, very involved.
quote:
Originally posted by BowCatz:
I hope the writers for Lexx can find one viable strand of DNA from Kai in the mass and mess of the nuclear explosion from 4.24 and have 790 create a new Kai. He may not look like MM—maybe blonde next time. Maybe Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) if his new show doesn’t work out. Anyway…I hope they make a few movies if they don’t revive the series.
Dear God, please NOOOOO!!!!
No one can fill McManus’ shoes when it comes to Kai. The character is dead-dead and he should remain that way. Kai finally got the redemption he sought and the peace he deserved. To bring the character back would be a disservice. And personally, I’d rather see him dead than blonde.
Kevin Sorbo? Kevin Sorbo?!?
*theFrey starts looking for knife, or gun, or bus to jump in front of.
I don’t think that Kai could be brought back being played by another actor. But I am sure that a suitably thudable guy could be worked into the series in another manner. They do not necessarily have to be Brunnen-g to be an angst filled tortured soul.
That’s the trouble with Kai and MM, no one could fill that role, kinda like Kirk and Shatner, no one else would ever play Kirk.
But if an actor were to have a stab at it, then I go for Johnny Depp, when i first saw Kai I immediately thought ‘Edward Scissorhands’.
But Kevin Sorbo is way of the mark for a Kai type character, but another Kai type actor IMHO, would be Ben Affleck.
Part of the appeal of Kai, was that he didn’t need to be beefed up to be a superhero, he was kinda like the stranger with no name (Clint Eastwood).
Squishy 
Okay. Maybe not Kevin Sorbo. Pulls thefrey from the heavy traffic, breaks the knife blade on the pavement, takes the gun out of his hand and tosses it in the drain, and makes him spit out the poison by slapping him on the back while clutching his throat tightly so he can’t swallow it. Feel better?
I suppose it shouldn’t be anyone like Kai at all. A fresh face with a fresh background for us to empathize with. I just hope the new guy is basically honorable. Not a John Criton (Farscape) type of guy, either. One is enough on Friday night. I like my leading men honorable. And let 790 fall for Stanley this time. hee hee
Brother….it’s been nearly six weeks and I still miss Kai.
quote:
Originally posted by BowCatz:
Okay. Maybe not Kevin Sorbo. Pulls thefrey from the heavy traffic, breaks the knife blade on the pavement, takes the gun out of his hand and tosses it in the drain, and makes him spit out the poison by slapping him on the back while clutching his throat tightly so he can’t swallow it. Feel better?
*theFrey looks on interestedly from the curb where BowCatz has dragged her, but she is puzzled…. Ummmm BowCatz who is that guy and why are you choking him?
Maybe it’s Kevin Sorbo!
Kai’s story ended well. At least it wasn’t sudden. We had been expecting something like this for a while.
There is also the reality factor. MM is getting older but his character, Kai, doesn’t age. Sure, you could bring him back to life and he would age normally… but he just wouldn’t be Kai. It would be the same as adding a new character to the show that the fans demand and not one dreamed up by the writers. Expectation would be set that wouldn’t be met. It just wouldn’t make any sense.
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Originally posted by infantonboard:
i’ve heard one kiss of death to tv shows is to have characters who are not having sex but want to that suddenly have sex (northern exposure, for example
The series tanked after the star left the show. Maggie and Joel did it in the previous seasons quite a few times. In the last season, you only saw Joel in 4 episodes or so, the last one being where he went back to NYC, and that was mid season.
quote:
Originally posted by BowCatz:
I believe it is called character empathy.
Character empathy. That’s it. I really liked Kai and have sworn never ever to get that involved with another character again. Baby, I mean it, too, cause Friday night is just plain empty now. Farscape is okay, but it’s no Lexx.This TV show had me crying at work after Kai died. Yeah, I got involved with character empathy, very involved.
Whew yeah. I seem to have developed strong attachments to all of the Lexx crew, including the Lexx his-poor-old-bug-self. I wondered if maybe I’d cracked – the way I felt when Kai went poof and the Lexx died.
I’ve started to dream in Lexx episodes, actual ones and freshly dreamed-up ones. Last night I was in The Web/The Net. Sort of. Actually, Brian Downey/Stan appears more often in my dreams than the others. I miss Lexx!quote:
Originally posted by Aurora:
I’ve started to dream in Lexx episodes, actual ones and freshly dreamed-up ones. Last night I was in The Web/The Net. Sort of. Actually, Brian Downey/Stan appears more often in my dreams than the others.
But of course he does. Stanley’s principal loves to make appearances and visit with the fans.
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