Over the past month, I’ve been getting caught up on a few TV programs that I’ve had to let slip while I focused on my writing. Two of these shows are now done for good: Stargate: Atlantis and Battlestar Galatica. One of these shows ended brilliantly. The other didn’t.
Now I want to say that I adored both of these programs while they were one. The characters and plot lines were interesting, the acting was good, and generally kept me entertained. As a writer, I’m always curious to watch how other people carry arc stories, how they connect plots and pull everything together. Since this is something I do in my own writing, I’m always looking for other examples.
First, I want to say that BSG is a brilliant show. The ending was satisfying. The plot threads that they’d been laying out for four years finally came together. It made sense! I got excited when I realized the meaning of many of the images they’d built up. I actually cried at the end when we saw the aftermath/goodbye for the characters. Ron Moore knew what he wanted, but more importantly knew what the story needed. It’s one of the reasons I admire them for stopping a highly successful program when they did. The story didn’t need any longer.
Stargate: Atlantis? They’d spent four years building up a great arc with the Wraith. They had a kick ass villain in my opinion in Michael. And…I think they blew it. By the end of the last season, I no longer cared about the characters or what happened to them. There was one moment where I was impressed, but they snatched it away. As a viewer I felt cheated of a great emotional moment (no I won’t say what it was in case someone wants to see it). It was one of those book-against-wall moments…except I’m unwilling to throw my plasma screen. 
This was a good lesson for me as a writer. Something that I’m reminding myself about as I’m working on edits for my current manuscript. If I make a promise of events, I damn well better follow it through. I also want to make sure I don’t cheat the reader out of any of the emotional aspects of my books. Yes, I may feel I’ve written myself into a corner, but then I need to be strong and figure a way out for my characters while still keeping the needs of the story in mind.
So thank you to BSG for four fantastic years! Very few shows make me cry…that ending was one of them.
‘It was one of those book-against-wall moments…except I’m unwilling to throw my plasma screen.’ – LOL!