Repetition Without Resolution
One of the ways Lynn Johnston was able to keep some of her storylines in For Better or For Worse running for so long, is her fearless use of repetition. How many times have we seen Shiimsa the cat jump on Elizabeth’s keyboard and hit just the right key sequence to delete all her work? How many times has that rabbit chewed the electrical wires, or jumped on the dog’s heads? How many times did the Kelpfroths bang on that ceiling? How many times did Becky McGuire say something self-centred to April? So we have it with Jim and Iris in the post-stroke months. Jim struggles. Iris suffers. Somebody says something positive. Rinse and repeat.
One of things I liked about the last year before the hybrid September start date, was Lynn Johnston was finally resolving storylines. Some of the storylines resolved somewhat abruptly, but they were resolved nevertheless. All those repetitions went away. Now, Lynn Johnston has decided to include new strips in the hybrid concentrating on Anthony and Elizabeth and the youngest and oldest set of Pattersons, I can see the wheels grinding slower and slower again. How many park dates between Anthony, Elizabeth and Francoise are we going to see, before something happens more than a bad pun? How many more times will we see Jim and Iris suffering together? How many more tacks will Robin try to eat?
I think those stories will end just before Lynn announces, “Okay. I am really going to retire this time.”
One of things I liked about the last year before the hybrid September start date, was Lynn Johnston was finally resolving storylines. Some of the storylines resolved somewhat abruptly, but they were resolved nevertheless. All those repetitions went away. Now, Lynn Johnston has decided to include new strips in the hybrid concentrating on Anthony and Elizabeth and the youngest and oldest set of Pattersons, I can see the wheels grinding slower and slower again. How many park dates between Anthony, Elizabeth and Francoise are we going to see, before something happens more than a bad pun? How many more times will we see Jim and Iris suffering together? How many more tacks will Robin try to eat?
I think those stories will end just before Lynn announces, “Okay. I am really going to retire this time.”
posted by howard at 7:31 AM
2 Comments:
All comic strips and comedians recycle punch lines.
Isn’t repetition something that we all experience? Would it be realistic to see great drama each week? We visited with Jim and Iris and we saw that things haven’t changed much. It’s a struggle but they are still managing. And that’s also something to be grateful for.
I think we’ll be going to the farm this coming week.
Anon
Anon,
All comic strips and comedians recycle punch lines.
Yes, but it makes for boring drama.
Isn’t repetition something that we all experience?
Yes.
Would it be realistic to see great drama each week?
No. But something to forward the plotline would be nice, even if it was a small thing.
I think we’ll be going to the farm this coming week.
I expect you are right. April doesn’t have much time before September and she’s back in school. Of course the hybrid starts in September and time is supposed to stop, so that pressure may be off.
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