INTERVIEW: Martin Gero (Writer)

[Madeleine]

It's certainly a fine enough way for people to read it as "he just said I don't matter".

I know that some people will read it as that. But why? why would anyone read it that way when it's possible and in fact very easy to read it in a pleasant and benign way?

Honestly there are just as many people reading it with rose-tinted glasses on

I don't think so. Unless you think it's a *stretch* for us to see his quote as benign and uninsulting? I really don't think it's a stretch. most people are nice, decent people. Why not assume that anyone is nice and decent unless proven otherwise, why not give them the benefit of the doubt? That's not rose-tinted glasses, it's ordinary.

For example, if we wanted, I bet we could go through the posts in this thread and find *something* in most of them that could be twisted and extrapolated just a little to turn it into something it was clearly not intended to be but *could be read that way if someone wanted to*. And yet we don't, cos that's just not what people do. People give each other the benefit of the doubt, we're not suspicious of each others' motives, and when we're polite to each other it's not because we have rose tinted glasses on, it's because assuming the best of other people is natural.

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

That's a pretty fine line don't you think?

If I don't invest in gold would it not be fair to say that investing in gold is something I see as having no value to me personally.

It's certainly a fine enough way for people to read it as "he just said I don't matter".

Can't speak for you, but I don't invest in gold because I think it's worthless, I just can't afford to, that's all - or... I think I can't afford to, so I lose out.

Similarly, and IMO, writers can't afford to listen to fan opinion because they'd never get any work done. It would be a bit like a basketball player who has the ball, stopping to listen to the crowd yelling instructions at him. The group in A section sees an opening for him here, while the group in D section tells him he's got an opening over here, and the Nosebleed section clearly sees how he can sink the shot himself. No, the player is on the court and the game has to be won or lost based on his decisions(obviously, in SG franchise's case, "he" is bigger than just one writer). Basketball players value fans for their presence, their support and, well, their money. They don't want them to tell them how to play their game. That's how I see our role; we're not there to give directions, just to make happy/bitter commentary after the fact.

As to the rest of your post, thanks for the insight. It shows that the higher ups don't seem to be connected in any logical way to the audience. Using the formula you gave, they canned the 1960s gold mine that was Star Trek after one season, while the SG franchise is still going strong after nine seasons and spawned a spin-off with the higher ups planning yet a third one and movies. If the higher ups aren't listening to fan complaints or misgivings, then the writing stable, - quite low down in the pecking order - certainly can't be expected to.

[Deevil]

I saddens me somewhat that the idea of being able to seperate meaningful criticism from irrational fan screaming is something that's begining to be thought of as difficult to do.

It is hard to do. Why don't you give it a try. Tell me what all the fans in this fandom want to see. Find out for yourself how impossible it is to discover exactly what 'is wrong', and how to 'fix it'. Because you know, we all have our opinions on what is wrong, whether anything is wrong, and what needs to be done to rectify the 'problem'.

In the grand scheme of things, we are the fans - the audience. They are the maestro's.

How can you say for sure what Gero's bosses want or that they'd be unreasonable enough people to fire him simply over suggesting potential changes or writing an episode a certain way as opposed to another?

That is a rather hefty accusation to make about someone.

Any more hefty then the accusations being thrown at Martin?

He creates and pitches and does as he is told, if they don't like what he is done they will advise him. If they still don't like, they will re-write (you will notice there are a few "story by" credits... this happens when someone re-writes the episode). If Martin continuly does as 'the fans want' and not want BW and co want, they will fire him. This is a job. You don't usually ask your clients to dictate to you how to perform, they just go and use someone else if it doesn't work for them.

And I for one am glad they tend not to listen to the fanbase. That could never end well, but it might help some people understand that it is impossible to keep the whole fanbase happy all of the time.

Honestly there are just as many people reading it with rose-tinted glasses on.

Why is reading the article without the assumption that he is commiting a slight against fans by not listening (to what must be obvious) constructive critisism reading with rose coloured glasses.

I tend to read things and give a person the benift of the doubt, 'specially interviews were you are not privy to body language and tone. When you dig to far you tend to get a taste for blood, and it seems Martin's is the dish of the day.

In the end I have one question. Why should Martin Gero et all listen to a fanbase that takes great pleasure in not only tearing apart an interview he didn't have to give, but the person themselves? Not to mention a fanbase that can't even decide half the time whether it's boxers or briefs. Go commando.