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Date Posted: 20:17:39 11/09/02 Sat
Author: Robert
Subject: Re: CW's nitpicks (SPOILERS for Safe)
In reply to: CW 's message, "Re: CW's nitpicks (SPOILERS for Safe)" on 18:26:44 11/09/02 Sat

>>> I hope you'll come to see why I think what write is also justifiable.

What you think is fully justifiable, but ...

>>> When I gripe about something, its because I don't believe the writers should be doing what they are doing.

Your gripes border upon personal attacks and they are based upon assumptions you have made. In the process, you dishonor the writers and those of us viewers who enjoy their work.

>>> But, that is not an excuse for making a fool of yourself with the people who do know you are talking nonsense.

Again, I have a huge problem with assuming that the writers believe everything (or anything) that they have their characters say.

>>> So does Mal believe what he says. I have to say yes.

When I viewed this same exact scene, I immediately saw Mal as bullshitting with the customer.

>>> Was Mal trying to hoodwink the buyers? The buyers seemed to know the right things to complain about when buying cattle. Would it make sense for Mal to assume that he could fool them about these things? I have to say no.

What does it matter if Mal assumed he could fool the customer or not? Bargaining or negotiating is a game (as well as serious business). Of course the cattle buyer knew that muscle and meat are the same thing. Of course Mal knew that the buyer knew this, but the game still had to be played. That fact that both sides of the negotiation essentially knew beforehand that the price would end up at 25 (dollars, yen, rubles, gold grickels, whatever) for each head of cattle only served to establish that both sides were bullshitting the other, and were thus playing the game.

If you have never viewed any episodes of the old Maverick show, and you ever get the opportunity to do so, then I highly recommend that you view some episodes. I believe that Joss Whedon may have been influenced by this show. Firefly has some of the same whimsical humor that I used to love about Maverick. In the show, Bret or Bart Mavarick would have negotiated the same way and by the same rules. It was a joy to see. Please note that I was about 10 years old when I last saw the show.

On the other hand, for all Mal knew, the buyer may have been a rube -- not likely, but not impossible.

>>> If everybody bends the words the way they please, pretty soon nobody understands one another.

Maybe so, but Joss has been doing this for six years. It seems a little late to denounce him for it now. Besides, I think it is one of the more endearing aspects of all of ME's shows, and if he stopped doing it, I would sorely miss it.

>>> This time it's a pretty minor problem, but given the length of that particular speech it would be better to stick to the familiar like a simple "hands up."

Legal language is always awkward and stilted. Why do we still have legal phrases such as "cease and desist" orders? Why not just an order to "stop"?

>>> It just leads to the possibility that the weapons won't always be what we think of as old fashioned six-shooters.

Well, they might not be six-shooters, but they are still chemical burning slug throwers. We haven't yet seen any rayguns or (heaven help us) blasters.

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