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Inconsistent Characterizations and Disaster Season 3

posted 13 years ago by Plague2005
12 replies | jump to latest

I finally finished watching the entire series from start to finish. Previously I've only seen a few episodes in cable so never had the full story. I really found that in this series, while certain characters improved, certain seemed lost.

In the beginning, Marguerite seemed like a cold selfish woman who was ready to sell Veronica for some gems and a way off the plateau. Until midway of season 1, she remained like that. But the latter part of season 1, her personality changed. Instead of looking after herself at all times, she cared about others' fate. So I thought her character had improved. But in season 2, once again when they encountered that family who travelled from the future by accident, she was ready to leave that family and Roxton behind in the plateau so she can escape. It wasn't like she was going to send back help because she would have been in the future if she had gone. Then her character kept improving and in season 3, she emotionally bonded with everyone.

Ned Malone was another confusing characterization. In season 1 he was someone who had a loving fiancee back home but was overwhelmed by Veronica. In season 1 finale when they had a chance to leave, he chose to stay behind with her thereby making the choice of being with her. But in season 2, he was back to trying to find a way off the plateau. And his big show of love by staying behind became irrelevant.

Veronica was inconsistent as well. In season 1 beginning, it seemed like she was trusting of Malone and was genuinely attracted to him (they were making out often). In later season 1 there was some friction between them. It was as if she suddenly put her guard up around him. In season 2, both seemed confused at what they wanted. Then in the later season 2 (werewolf episode), she suddenly had a fiancee to whom she was betrothed, the same someone whom she dreamt of sharing her future and even declared love for one another when he died. If she had that special someone, why wasn't she with him in season 1? Why was she making out with Malone? She grieved for Malone longer than she grieved for the betrothed she killed with her own hands. In season 3 episode "Phantoms" (one of the episodes I severely disliked), she was skinny dipping with some stranger she met making out in the water (implied sex). In season 2 they indicated she was a virgin (only a virgin can open the door of the trapped giant) and she was guarded with both malone and her betrothed but she easily fell for that stranger she barely knew?

Season 3 really ruined Ned and Veronica's relationship. In the early part of season 3 Ned was trying to reach out from the spirit world to Veronica. But after his return, their relationship stayed as friends. Even when Malone asked about it, she said that friendship was better. But when she flew away in the balloon, she realized she missed him? So she didn't realize that when he was dead and stuck in the spirit world? Also, Malone deciding to leave to find himself and experience adventure was a total crap of a reason for his departure. He was ready to leave to find himself when the woman he really cares about and who helped him get back from the spirit world was lost with no signs of returning? That doesn't seem like Malone at all.

If they really HAD to make a reason, why not have him leave in search of Veronica because he wasn't happy sitting back at a safe place when she may be in danger? The war flashback could have made him come to THAT conclusion. So he left in search for her and promised to come back after say 6 months. When Veronica returns and finds out Malone went in search for her, she also would want to leave but others will point out both going in search of one another is pointless and Malone promised to return in 6 months thereby convincing her to stay.

<<-- Mess With The Best, Die Like The Rest -->>

[–] flint19492001 13 years ago

Absolutely glad you saw the entire 3 seasons.

For more information about the show (and why Season Three was the highest rated season ever... and why David Orth and Jennifer O'Dell only appeared in a slender handful of episodes) please see: www.thelostworldfanforum.com and http://www.thelostworldfanforum.com/the-11th-treehouse-news-t1718.html

[–] Plague2005 13 years ago

From a few of the posts here, I was aware of Jennifer and David's situation and that's why they were not there for many episodes. But they didn't give a proper excuse that fit the characters. If you read my last paragraph of my post, I pointed out how they could have taken the story thereby keep up with character consistency while have an excuse for the absence of them.

They had character inconsistency even before Season 3. I pointed it out above. Maybe they tried to keep things questionable and not make any commitment of relationships at that time. But they did a poor job by making it inconsistent.

<<-- Mess With The Best, Die Like The Rest -->>

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Plague2005 13 years ago

lol. I get what you're trying to say. But inconsistency is not just in their relationship but in continuity. Like, Veronica has a betrothed that she dreamt of sharing her life with. But he was never addressed before (they mentioned Gladys many times). Similarly, Malone deciding to go find himself when Veronica is missing. Even if they are in the "friend zone", that was not what you would choose to do.

<<-- Mess With The Best, Die Like The Rest -->>

[–] flint19492001 13 years ago

And David Orth, mentioned in an interview how the Veronica/Ned relationship was going along as 'friends' first.

Which IMHO is an absolutely important in any relationship. :)

The two go through various growth cycles and finally, we hope the relationship can inspire to become something more (or less). I can see why the jutaposition of their relationship is harder to understand then the almost visceral Roxton and Marguerite pairing.

You know it was mentioned that Neddy was blown away by Veronica. Taken in the context of the Victorian times (he grew up in) where even the Piano legs are covered and plopped into this raw, undiscovered plateau...he sees a woman who is dressed in a loin cloth. WOW! Gladys who? But his subconscience does bother him, because he is promised to Gladys and in his era, to break a betrothal is marking him up as a cad.

[–] flint19492001 13 years ago

Agreed, the writers had a hard slog during season Two. New staff, new directives and financial trouble all contributed towards making Season Two very odd indeed. Thankfully, Outlaw came along and brought back relationships that at the beginning of Season Two were thought to be..not necessary.

And since Outlaw brought in the highest numbers of any episode, the writers knew they were on the right track (and front office acknowledged this). And the season three came in with a large dose of finally, we are back on track...regarding relationship issues. At least with Roxton and Marguerite. Unfortunately, the Veronica and Ned relationship did suffer because of the immigration production issues.

The writers,excogitated earnestly to give plausibility to each characters coming and goings.

[–] Tauking 13 years ago

IMHO, Season 3 really mucked-up the mythology and personalities.
The Marguerite of Season 1 and 2 was vivacious, confident, devious and selfish, but you could see she was slowly building some degree of loyalty to the others in the treehouse. But in Season 3 they stared 'softening-up' her character. She being cold toward Roxton because she's didn't feel like she's worthy. OMG! Are you kidding me?! The Marguerite from the first season would have slapped 3rd season Margurite upside the head! Show they could show some growth of more positive traits but don't take it to the wishy-washy extreme.
Dear God don't get me started on the new writers totally disregarding the mythology surrounding Veronica's parents and rewriting 'history' with the new storyline protector-of-the-plateau. Ugh! After we had that episode involving her parents 'old' guide, and other referenced sightings to completely change the back story was just so wrong. Kill of her father? Have her mother hiding in shangri-la-la-land? I know they had to deal with the immigration problems irl, but come on!

No second chances. I'm that sort of a man.

[–] DodgersRule 13 years ago

We really don't know what happened to Veronica's parents between the time they disappeared then reappeared in the baloon.
What we saw in the initial seasons could very well have happened.

As for Marguerite ... She fell in love but was still the same tough lady we've come to know and love. Just a little less ruthless. And for those of us who were curious what made her what we saw in the first part of season one -- we got a decent explanation. Even Summerlee, who Marguerite always seemed to have a soft spot for, knew there was a back-story Miss Krux hadn't revealed.

[–] Tauking 13 years ago

My point about them changing Veronica's parents story is this:
Originlly they wre both foreign esplorers to the plateau that eventually left the tree house and didn't come back. Our band of explorers ran into various people who had had contact with the couple through the missing years. I even believe there was a picture of Veronica's parents with their fellow explorers.
Then suddenly in Season 3 the revision starts. Now Veronica's mother is native to the Plateau nd it's mystical Protector. She met and married Veronica's explorer father. He is killed in an attack and she abandons her daughter to go back to the Shangri-La-like section of the plateau to hide out.
This huge revision is what I have a problem with.

No second chances. I'm that sort of a man.

[–] DYouKnowWhatIMean 13 years ago

Her mother could have simply lied and claimed she never had been on the plateau before...But really she left to find her(now) husband and brought them both to the plateau.

"Death! Delicious strawberry flavored death!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBB0PGt3Syo

[–] Roxton50 13 years ago

No one knew but Veronica's Mother and Father about her real background. In the flashback she is even dressed like a woman from the late 1800s ... and Veronica was dealing with a lot of false memory. She didn't even remember that her father had been murdered.

I didn't have a problem with any of that.

[–] DYouKnowWhatIMean 13 years ago

It was a good run, I wish we could have seen it play out. The cast had excellent chemistry and the show was a perfect blend of serialization and procedural episodes.

"Death! Delicious strawberry flavored death!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBB0PGt3Syo