The Disc in "Rescuing Daniel"

[longlostposter]

They were trying to please the people who thought LG15 should be those cutesie videos that actually had little place in what LG15 was becoming, yet also trying to please those of us with a taste for a sophisticated, suspenseful, mystery with mature themes.
Lurker

I agree with much of Lurker's commentary, but want to point out that until LG15 is studied completely the drop off in fans at the turn towards the darker subject matters is unknowable. I saw about 15 of my children and their friends lose interest as a result of the switch. Their peer group is quite large. If I actually polled them, all of them university and college students I'd expect a much greater result. They range in age from 27 to 19, interests vary from athletic to the arts and all found the earlier "lighter" videos appealing from different angles. None of them have any interest any longer, as it has lost any connection to their world.
Keeping harder core fans is certainly important, but the loss of casual watchers, who found Bree and her life appealing shouldn't be dismissed so lightly if the creators want to gain funding. I'm hanging on by a thread, hoping some of the charm will be retained and it won't just devolve into another endless (and at my age repetitious) mystery series. Dark mysterious religious cults are easy. Blood, religious orders secretly carrying out mysterious rites, inheritance surprise: it's not only all over the internet, it's been the plot of hundreds of books and many movies. (Da Vinci Code comes to mind...). The unusual aspect of this project was Bree, her personality, humour and the lightness of the creator's touch. Anyone can do melodrama. Comedy is hard.

Lurker, thank you for the dissertation (lol), and I see what you mean now.

As far as SH7F, I have also thought that it could have been overshadowed by lonelygirl. And you're right, there are a lot of variables to consider. The fans it did attract were not nearly as industrious as the ones here...as far as analyzing every little video to death. They were casual viewers.

I don't think lg could have continued with the light videos and kept any audience at all. There was no plot or substance to those videos, even though they were entertaining for a time.

EDIT: I can't type tonight.

[Nieriel.Manwathiel]

my idea for the final vlog: a final "proving science wrong" where Bree and the gang prove you CAN act like a kid even after going through all they've been though.

[Lurker]

my idea for the final vlog: a final "proving science wrong" where Bree and the gang prove you CAN act like a kid even after going through all they've been though.

I actually think that would be the most appropriate ending possible.

Lurker, thank you for the dissertation (lol), and I see what you mean now.

Cool. You're welcome, llp.

[Kimmy]

but I have to wonder what this connection is that fictional 16-year-old Bree's videos had to their world. Could you elaborate on that a bit? I'd like to know which videos in particular they felt they could relate to. Or are we not talking about the comedy videos?
Lurker

I'm curious too. Will try and conduct very unscientific brief poll, or have one of them do it. My instinct, from listening to them and others is not her life per se, but her charm as a character and the way the videos were presented had a broader appeal and were easier to follow. Now the complexity of the plot, coupled with the darker (which the creators had previously promised to forswear) elements turned them off. I'll also try to ask my 13 nephews and neices in California, a number of whom are media savvy and loved the show originally. Unfortunately I currently have two small grandchildren attached at the hip for several months. Can't lurk!
But while nothing is original, as you pointed out, somethings are less interesting to me at my age, and to some communities. People on line frequently seem to like darker plotlines from my perspective. I find that when I'm back in Hawaii and California fewer people are online and interested in long, discursive discussions or stories. Not all, but many. In Canada where I frequently live we're indoor more often and computers are more poplular. Canadian literature has a darker thread than much of what I was used to study in the US. These are generalizations that can all be shown to have exceptions, but none the less observations I've made over the last 20 years of moving between various communities.
Gothic literature is fun but just gets a little boring as one ages, see books like Horace Walpole "The Castle of Otranto". It was most popular with younger audiences eventually, after the charm wore off and many imitators arose. Humor is always new. It's the part of life that becomes priceless as I live longer. I realise that you and others like you have desires for the series to reflect certain dramatic values you find important. At my ancient age I want artistic, dramatic and real value, the kind that makes life a little better. Dark and difficult times surround us. Anything that lets a little light shine on our lives , no matter how small, helps. (Sorry, can't stop pontificating...will go get grandchildren.)

[Lurker]

I'm curious too. Will try and conduct very unscientific brief poll, or have one of them do it.

Cool. Thank you. I'll be interested in the results. Feel free to PM me with the data whenever you get a chance to collect it if you feel like it's too long after this thread's lifespan.

My instinct, from listening to them and others is not her life per se, but her charm as a character and the way the videos were presented had a broader appeal and were easier to follow.

That's almost certainly the case. Comedy and lighthearted stuff in general seem to have that as an almost inherent quality.

I was just more perplexed (to the point of "Dammit, I need to conduct a poll" curiosity; happens to me a lot, actually) about what they might have felt those early videos had that connected with them. Questions like this are of significant importance to me academically and will be of professional relevance to me in the future. Also, I'm just naturally curious.

Now the complexity of the plot, coupled with the darker (which the creators had previously promised to forswear) elements turned them off.

Yeah, I can understand that happening. It's inevitable, unfortunately. It's really hard to try playing to more than one audience (immortal1, SharpI and I actually had a really engaging, thought-provoking - you can probably tell I had fun with it - lengthy conversation about this some time ago). It can be done but it's hard.

I'll also try to ask my 13 nephews and neices in California, a number of whom are media savvy and loved the show originally.

That would be great. That's almost a scientifically adequate sample size right there!

But while nothing is original, as you pointed out, somethings are less interesting to me at my age, and to some communities. People on line frequently seem to like darker plotlines from my perspective.

I think you're right about both those things.

I find that when I'm back in Hawaii and California fewer people are online and interested in long, discursive discussions or stories. Not all, but many. In Canada where I frequently live we're indoor more often and computers are more poplular. Canadian literature has a darker thread than much of what I was used to study in the US. These are generalizations that can all be shown to have exceptions, but none the less observations I've made over the last 20 years of moving between various communities.

I have little experience with California or people from Hawaii (and was only in the former for a brief period while very young), but I do have extensive history with Canadians and - as a generalization - I'd say that analysis is right on the money.

I realise that you and others like you have desires for the series to reflect certain dramatic values you find important. At my ancient age I want artistic, dramatic and real value, the kind that makes life a little better. Dark and difficult times surround us. Anything that lets a little light shine on our lives , no matter how small, helps. (Sorry, can't stop pontificating...will go get grandchildren.)

That seems like a fair conclusion to draw about myself and those who I think are similar to me. We do tend to want the series to say something, and the artistic among us in that group want what we create to say something. I can't speak for the rest, but for myself, I'm typically drawn to those things which I expect to illustrate dramatic values I find important, and it's inevitable that I and those who think in similar ways would hope for - maybe even expect - LG15 to be like that.


I have to thank you, Kimmy, for this discussion. As nice as it is when someone shares your perspective, it's certainly more enlightening when someone doesn't, but still understands or tries to. Thanks for sharing the wisdom of your observations.