Monday, February 26, 2007

No Two Writers...

So there's this show.

It's about two brothers, see. They had a really hard time growing up, could pretty much rely only on each other. Then their paths kind of diverged for a little while, until circumstances brought them back together. They've had quite an adventurous two years, let me tell you. A big mystery to solve, with an unknown Big Bad they've been chasing. Their father died recently, and it's been really hard on both of them, in different ways. But now, they're closer than two people can be. They'd die for each other.

If you read this blog, like, ever, you "know" I'm talking about Supernatural, right?

WRONG.

It's Prison Break!

Probably, if you watch either show, that is the show you thought of. If you watch both (and if you're not, why aren't you?), whichever one is your favorite (or whichever set of brothers you think is hotter) is the one you thought I meant.

But the thing is, these two shows illustrate that thing everyone talks about: Throw out an idea to two writers, and they'll come up with completely different stories.

At their cores, both Prison Break and Supernatural fit the description above. But no one would ever accuse either camp of copying the other. They're completely different. They feel different, sound different--music, dialogue, the colors they use to tint the film, how they use their secondary characters and subplots, the endgame we are approaching...all incredibly different.

People often worry about their ideas getting stolen by others, and some people worry about that so much they sabotage their own success. Do some things become derivative? We know they do. But something created with passion is always going to be unique.

Don't believe me? Then you should start watching those shows. :)

2 comments:

Trish Milburn said...

Interesting post. And you know I love both shows. :)

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

Yep, I do! :)

I have another one that wants me to write it, about how both shows demonstrate the pure fallacy that men and feelings don't go together. But that's kind of overkill. :)