Where do you draw the line? (or no show is an island)

[sombrefan]

Obviously real-life events affect the plotlines of a show. Buffy is riddled with them both publicly and privately. So when analysing the show, how of much of these real-life factors should be taken into account? If I criticise the Season 4 Adam arc should I mention that most of it came about due to Lindsay Crouse leaving earlier? Should input from the network, studios, actors, agents, exec producers, advertisers etc be taken on board or brushed aside when looking at the strengths and weaknesses of a particular season?

Comments

[theloa.livejournal.com]

Like you say - no show is an island. Does that mean when a show is brilliant that no outside influences were a factor? We usually only hear about the negative. I think it's wise to acknowledge those influences if we know about them but they shouldn't excuse the eventual outcome. As far as I know nothing can excuse Smashed/Wrecked (Joss being busy at the time is not a good enough excuse for me).

However - if you can find an outside reasons for the inclusion of Riley that should absolutely be taken aboard.

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

I believe that things like Lindsay Crouse's exit and Charisma Carpenter's pregnancy should be taken into account because these events altered the plotlines.

[norwie2010.livejournal.com]

It is the same really when reading non-fiction:

Or how could anyone stomach Aristotle's work without acknowledging that the slaveholder society really was the norm, then? Without acknowledging the outer circumstances we could never draw any meaning from a work. Same as the metaphor "highschool as hell" draws from outer circumstances, so does the circumstances under which such a show is produced.