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A Historian On Salem (TV series)
http://forums.paradigmconcepts.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1711		 Page 2 of 3
Author:  Haakon_val'Ishi [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Thanks Henry!
Author:  Blusponge [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Yeah, Increase Mather is a beast on that show. Stephan Lang does a great job considering the quality of the material they give him sometimes. If all the other "villains" were as good as he was, it would be a much better show. Alas...

Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad show. It just doesn't stand up to a lot of ongoing serials in the same genre (Supernatural, for instance). If, as I've read, WGN is trying to position itself as the next the FX/TMC, they have a LONG way to go. But they are committed to the show, and its sophmore season may pick up.

And since we're talking about Cotton and Increase, one of my issues with the show is that there isn't a man of God with any real conviction on the show. You have Cotton, who is a waste of a human being on a good day, and Increase, a sadist in black robes. On the flip side, you have John Alden who is basically agnostic/skeptic/hollywood-realist without a shred of religious conviction. I find that dichotomy really one sided (and typical of pretty much all popular entertainment these days). I think these characters and the show would both be better with an evangelical, yet oppositional character. Not necessarily preachy (Book from Firefly is a good example here). "All Christians/Puritans are hypocritical and evil" doesn't give me much reason to root against the witches. And John Alden, the "noble skeptic caught in the cross fire with demons in his past" isn't really enough to get me to care beyond, "how can I use that in my game?"

Tom
Author:  Haakon_val'Ishi [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Sometimes we have to remember (as I have pointed out in character in the Arcanis campaign) the Inquisition exists for a reason; there really are bad things out there that mean us harm. So having some real 'holy men/women' would make the series better based on what I'm hearing here. Having good guys, bad guys, and shades of gray in between are what makes for good drama in my opinion. Making all the so called good guys a bunch of hypocrites is a cop out in my opinion. Actually the best stories are where a character goes through an arc, like Londo and G'Kar in Babylon 5. Way better story that way.
Author:  Blusponge [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
It's not that all the good guys are vile hypocrites. It's that pretty much everyone the good guys (all two of them, John and Isaac–three if you include the Hale girl) are trying to save are pretty much wastes of space. It's like watching an Eli Roth movie. As bad as they are, you kinda have to root for the witches because the other side isn't offering much to redeem itself.

But hey, second season. Maybe the writers have gotten a better grasp on things.

It looks like this weekend and up to the second season premier (next Sunday), WGN is running a special behind the scenes episode called "Witch War" where they go into all the stuff that they are using to shape the series. Before you give up 12 hours of your life to Netflix, you should check that out. It may spoil season 1 for you, but unless you are a diehard fan of Shane West or Seth Gable, you can afford to have it spoiled. :) Like Henry said, Increase Mather's introduction to the show is worth every minute and show be required viewing for every witch hunter player and GM. (Hmmm...I wonder if YouTube has an excerpt?)

Tom
Author:  PCIHenry [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Hello,

Blusponge wrote:
(Hmmm...I wonder if YouTube has an excerpt?)


As a matter of fact, there is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOXL7UVzXIU
Author:  Haakon_val'Ishi [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Which episode introduces Increase Mather? Episode 1 of Season 1 I assume? I'd like to check that out later today when I get off work at 3pm.
Author:  Blusponge [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Henry: Badass.

Mike: According to wikipedia and iMDB, episode 7: Our Own Private America.
Author:  CBlome [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
I think Salem has been in the minds of everyone who has written for Witch Hunter in some form or another.
Author:  Haakon_val'Ishi [ Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Just watched the youtube clip from the link Henry posted. Absolutely spot on for Witch Hunter! I will definitely take a look at this when I get home. Thanks all.
Author:  Haakon_val'Ishi [ Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Historian On Salem (TV series)
Watched the first episode of Salem last night. Pretty darn good, not the best, but definitely worth watching. And pretty spot on for Witch Hunter. I would recommend players watch it, I'm sure you can get some ideas from this series. Plan on watching the rest of the first season,
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