Comments on: The Pilot Exposition Theorem http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/09/08/the-pilot-exposition-theorem/ Canada's only national weekly current affairs magazine. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:13:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kenny http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/09/08/the-pilot-exposition-theorem/comment-page-1/#comment-166255 Kenny Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:57:32 +0000 http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=80079#comment-166255 That Hank scene is rough. Talk about starting things off on a lame note. All I could think about while watching it was how clumsy the exposition was and how many better ways there must have been to approach it. That Hank scene is rough. Talk about starting things off on a lame note. All I could think about while watching it was how clumsy the exposition was and how many better ways there must have been to approach it.

]]> By: Charles http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/09/08/the-pilot-exposition-theorem/comment-page-1/#comment-166254 Charles Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:16:42 +0000 http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=80079#comment-166254 Is part of the problem that we've moved away from the intro as exposition that was fairly common in older shows? I'm thinking of sitcoms like Gilligan's Island, Green Acres, or Beverly Hillbillies - you didn't have to see a pilot because it was all explained right there in the theme song before anyone came on screen. But, as networks have cut further and further into the time slots, sitcoms have almost entirely abandoned the sort of long intro that could explain the premise of a show in favor of wispy images of the cast or something. Is part of the problem that we've moved away from the intro as exposition that was fairly common in older shows? I'm thinking of sitcoms like Gilligan's Island, Green Acres, or Beverly Hillbillies – you didn't have to see a pilot because it was all explained right there in the theme song before anyone came on screen. But, as networks have cut further and further into the time slots, sitcoms have almost entirely abandoned the sort of long intro that could explain the premise of a show in favor of wispy images of the cast or something.

]]> By: Alan http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/09/08/the-pilot-exposition-theorem/comment-page-1/#comment-166253 Alan Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:53:23 +0000 http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=80079#comment-166253 I think we can differentiate a little between some of the scenes you mentioned. Specifically, I'm thinking of the advice show-not-tell. It sounds to me like the Hank scene (which I haven't seen myself) is about plot exposition, whereas The Big Bag Theory scene is about showing what the guys are like in an 'normal' place interacting with regular people (I won't spoil it, but if you've seen the scene, you'll know why normal is in quotes). Blatant plot exposition (the classic as you mention is characters telling each other things they already know) really irritates me, but I'm much more willing to accept a one off scene if it's more about showing us what the characters are all about rather than giving us their bios. I think we can differentiate a little between some of the scenes you mentioned. Specifically, I'm thinking of the advice show-not-tell. It sounds to me like the Hank scene (which I haven't seen myself) is about plot exposition, whereas The Big Bag Theory scene is about showing what the guys are like in an 'normal' place interacting with regular people (I won't spoil it, but if you've seen the scene, you'll know why normal is in quotes).

Blatant plot exposition (the classic as you mention is characters telling each other things they already know) really irritates me, but I'm much more willing to accept a one off scene if it's more about showing us what the characters are all about rather than giving us their bios.

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