Ziffer's bug me.
To anyone unfamiliar with Lano & Woodley, a Ziffer is someone, who upon witnessing something ridiculously awesome in a movie, can only respond with an incredulous "Awww...'Ziff" (As If)
To me, there are fewer things that can suck the fun out of a good movie, tv show or book than a healthy dose of cynicism.
"Awww, 'Ziff that nerd could land a hottie like her!"
"Awww 'Ziff that guy could survive a ten story drop like that!"
"Awww 'Ziff that lion would just conveniently ignore that particularly plump and succulent looking blogger..."
SHEEEEESH!
And don't even get me started on the people that use science to pick apart superpowers. That kinda thing is one of the biggest killjoys...like..EVER.
I don't CARE if Superman would just smash his hands through the floor of a aeroplane if he tried to stop it from falling, I wanna see a guy catching a friggin 747 in one hand without even breaking a sweat!
Actually, it's not such a problem when you're dealing with more fantastical stories, ie Dragons that puke candy and glitter, but there's only so much coincidence and audience is willing to go along with.
"You can ask an audience to believe in the impossible, but not the improbable." (1)
I think the problem is that people are in the habit of imposing rules and sensibilities from their own reality into a world that is not theirs, nor is it the real world.
No movie or show we see on the screen (big or small) is real. It's ALL manufactured to some degree. Not even "realistic movies."
Someone has scripted every word , rehearsed every action and edited each shot. We are witnesses to a world that is not ours, and therefore is not bound by the rules and regulations that we are.
The convenience and coincidence seem contrived, because, well, they are. (some admittedly more obvious than others) But isn't that the point of fiction? The writer needs to get the characters from point A to point B in the story, through any means necessary. It's the job of the writer to ensure that everything falls into place, regardless of whether the characters succeed in their goals or not.
Yes, Johnny DOES "just happen" to look around as the bus baring the image of his long lost love just so happens to drive by. Yes, the odds of this happening are astronomically slim, but if those particular events that advance the plot, didn't happen at that particular time, it would make a different story, so why not just accept them as it happens?
I haven't really had anyone complaining about the realism of Drake Mandible so far, mostly because I established the tone as a big and bold tribute to Action Movies. Incredible coincidences are a staple of the series because the primary purpose is entertainment.
My world, my rules.
And it seems to be working so far.
That's about it for the time being.
Stay Tuned, Ladies and Gents ;)
Nate.
(1) http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief
