Re: Davies on online fandom

Also Sprach Jack Beven:

On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 04:22:44 -0400, jblum@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

I look at these and it does make me wonder about the
value of AA
figures - how much they are based on like or dislike, and
how much they are based on objective attempts to
determine the quality of the story.

Hold on: are you saying that the "value" of measuring
peoples' enjoyment of a piece of _TV entertainment_ is
doubtful, and an attempt to be "objective" about this piece
of TV entertainment would be _less_ doubtful? Think
carefully before answering.

If you believe that it is possible to be objective about
this - to
make a determination of the storytelling quality that is
based on something other than personal likes or dislikes -
then the answer is yes. And I believe that is possible.

To give you a non-DW example, the series "24" lost me as
a viewer a
long time ago. I took a dislike to it because it was dark,
grim, and nasty. But, does my dislike of those things
automatically mean it was a bad series or that the stories
were bad? The last time I checked, dark, grim, nasty, and
unlikeable were at least somewhat independent of the
quality of the plotting, the quality of the
characterization, the pacing, the use of themes, uberstory,
and the other myriad things that determine the quality of a
story. And despite occasional stumbles - and despite the
fact I don't like it - I think "24" would probably get
reasonably high marks in those storytelling qualities.

Start from that degree of detachment, Jon, and work your
way out. :-)

So a series that had high quality plotting, characterisation
etc., but was so subjectively unpleasant that *no-one* wanted
to watch it would be, objectively, a good programme?

Like you, I don't like 24, but don't think this reflects
whether or not it's any good as a series. But this has nothing
to do with an objective look at the programme, but an
objective look at my own subjectivity. I think 24 is probably
a good programme by its own standards, because it's not
designed for me, it's designed for people who like dark, grim
television. And they do, I've checked. If *they* didn't like
it then, regardless of how tightly plotted it was, I'd
consider it a bad series, because it didn't do what it set out
to do.

As far as I'm concerned "unlikeable" is the *only* category
television can be judged on. Objectivity in this means
remembering to ask "unlikeable by whom?"

--
Dave
Official Absentee of EU Skiffeysoc
http://www.eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies/sesoc
"Sometimes scientific progress requires personal sacrifice.
Personally, I sacrifice Beaker." -Dr Bunsen Honeydew

.

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