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hells_half_acreAs some of you know, I'm writing a Merlin/Supernatural crossover at the moment. It's going to be roughly 20-24k words... maybe longer. It takes place in the Merlin universe.
Now, my question to you is: Should I change Merlin canon???
I only ask, because I started writing this fic before Merlin ended. And...well... I hated the end of Merlin. I thought it was bad writing (not so much the dialogue and the characters, but rather the plot of the final season.) So, on the one hand, I could change all that... or at least, leave it ambiguous enough that the reader could imagine that everything changed. On the other hand, I usually stick with canon in these crossovers and that's what orders them and keeps them believable and satisfying (in my opinion.) But if the canon isn't satisfying....then, maybe I should change it?
It'd mean rewriting a little of what I've done already, but not actually that much when it comes right down to it. The major changes would be to the bit that I haven't written yet anyway.
(I also still have to decide where in Supernatural's timeline Sam and Dean are going to be.)
Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.
PS: I know I've been writing a lot slower these days than I used to in the past... but in the past I was under- and unemployed, and these days I'm actually working full time. So, I'm finding it a bit more difficult to find time to write. I know I just have to make a better routine of it though, so I'm working on that. I haven't been working on the poor novel at all, even though I think I have a good strategy for fixing at least some of the problems. What I should really do is stop reading other peoples fanfiction. I spend far too much time doing that, I suppose. I'll shut-up now.
Now, my question to you is: Should I change Merlin canon???
I only ask, because I started writing this fic before Merlin ended. And...well... I hated the end of Merlin. I thought it was bad writing (not so much the dialogue and the characters, but rather the plot of the final season.) So, on the one hand, I could change all that... or at least, leave it ambiguous enough that the reader could imagine that everything changed. On the other hand, I usually stick with canon in these crossovers and that's what orders them and keeps them believable and satisfying (in my opinion.) But if the canon isn't satisfying....then, maybe I should change it?
It'd mean rewriting a little of what I've done already, but not actually that much when it comes right down to it. The major changes would be to the bit that I haven't written yet anyway.
(I also still have to decide where in Supernatural's timeline Sam and Dean are going to be.)
Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.
PS: I know I've been writing a lot slower these days than I used to in the past... but in the past I was under- and unemployed, and these days I'm actually working full time. So, I'm finding it a bit more difficult to find time to write. I know I just have to make a better routine of it though, so I'm working on that. I haven't been working on the poor novel at all, even though I think I have a good strategy for fixing at least some of the problems. What I should really do is stop reading other peoples fanfiction. I spend far too much time doing that, I suppose. I'll shut-up now.
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Date: 2013-02-25 04:47 pm (UTC)Since I hated the end, I'd be pretty ok if you veered a little off script ;-)
I never was that much into Merlin, just recently watched the last season because ...of reasons, and well, dammit, that was fine acting but where was the greatness of Camelot that was supposed to have come?
As you said: they forgot to tell that story. Might be because of the actor saying "naa, not any more", but uh... yeah.
So, as an interested but not invested watcher: any recommendations what episodes I should watch if I wanted to enjoy that show? And forget about Arthur dying, dammit!
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Date: 2013-02-25 04:58 pm (UTC)Which is why I don't blame the actors for saying no to new seasons, because they seriously deserve better writing for their talents.
ANYWAY... episodes that are great to watch:
The first episode, 1x04, 1x07 gets referenced A LOT in fanfic, 1x10, 1x11, 1x13.
I'll tell you more in a few hours... I've gotta go catch a bus and donate my fasting blood to a scientific study (and then have breakfast.)
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Date: 2013-02-25 08:27 pm (UTC)2x02 is pretty good if you like Arthur/Gwen. 2x04, likewise, but there's some good Arthur/Merlin friendship stuff in it too. 2x05-2x06 are pretty funny. 2x08 is fantastic when it comes to Bradley's acting. A lot of people like 2x09, but personally, I found it somewhat uncomfortable. 2x12 is really good, and sets up the foundation for how Merlin completely blows it with Morgana... and then you're going to want to watch 2x13 too.
3x04 introduces Gwaine, who is awesome - and you'll want to know who he is, because he appears again in 3x08, which is the next episode I'd recommend.
If you're a Arthur/Gwen fan - 3x10. If you like the psychological impact of Merlin's secrets, then 3x11.
And then the two part finale 3x12-3x13.
You'll also want to watch the two part premiere 4x01 and 4x02. Another good Bradley episodes is 4x03. 4x06 is excellent. 4x07 is pretty good too. 4x08 has a great premise, and it's very popular when it comes to episode-tags in fanfic. 4x10 is an episode where there is ACTUAL CHARACTER GROWTH! (Very rare on Merlin, which is part of the reason the writing was subpar.)
Finally, there's the finale of 4x12-4x13 (Technically, you'll have wanted to see 4x09 and 4x11 to understand the set up, but I think you'd probably be able to get the gist of it.)
Now, S5, I had a LOT Of problems with... that being said, there are a couple of good episodes. I liked 5x04 (which was the only time I've ever shipped Merlin with a woman.) And 5x09 is really well acted by Colin Morgan. Other than those two episodes, the season kind of sucks... mainly just because it's tainted by the horrible ending. (In my opinion, anyway.)
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Date: 2013-02-25 08:39 pm (UTC)That's really cool of you, I'll go check them out. I really liked the acting in the show, I have to say, so that'd be my focus. Also, since the first times I watched them with German translation (we do that, we translate everything to German instead of just learning English... not sure if that's smart or stupid), any acting gets better when they lose the childish stupid giggle-voices! ;-)
Which is why I don't blame the actors for saying no to new seasons, because they seriously deserve better writing for their talents.
No, I don't either. I think they are really good, and I hope they get some better - less Playmobil-looking - opportunities soon. It's what I would say to someone: they had this really good chance of making a good show, but they always fell short and never reached that point - by just ignoring the possibilities that were there.
So much chance for more darkness - I don't know what you thought of her, but Morgana was pretty awesome as a character, more chances to explore the moral problems that the people encountered. I'm curious, but I can't say I'll miss it, now that it's done.
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Date: 2013-02-25 08:49 pm (UTC)Haha, I know. I lived in Germany briefly. It's the same when Japanese animated series come here. I'd much prefer them to keep the original Japanese and just put subtitles - because the English voices are too cartoony/annoying. I think they've gotten a bit better about it, but I still prefer to hear the original voices.
So much chance for more darkness - I don't know what you thought of her, but Morgana was pretty awesome as a character, more chances to explore the moral problems that the people encountered. I'm curious, but I can't say I'll miss it, now that it's done.
I think it's not even so much about "darkness" but about authentic human emotional follow through and authentic character growth - Merlin just didn't have any.
I actually have a huge problem with Morgana's character. I think she had the POTENTIAL to be amazing, but they turned her into a two dimensional insane villain, rather than someone whose actions reflected their life experience. To me, Uther was the only great villain on the show, because he was the only one who (at least in the beginning) was more morally grey... but even he, when they brought him back briefly in S5, was stripped of everything that made him compelling.
So, yeah, I'm not saying Morgana is a bad character. I'm just saying that in my opinion, her potential was squandered.
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Date: 2013-02-25 09:07 pm (UTC)Ah, yes. I meant more the actress than how they wrote it, and I liked the possibility for the character that was there but never got really explored. I felt bad for her, and I think the actress was really good in conveying the evil madness that resulted in her fate.
But as you said, and as I said: not enough.
I also think she was really beautiful and maybe I am a little less "completely straight" because I think she's really sexy in her madness, and it might impact on my judgement of her acting :-D
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Date: 2013-02-25 09:11 pm (UTC)