We forget about the individual writers, the directors, the cinematographers and the art department. Moffat doesn't have the godlike control some fans speculate he has. Many of the choices are left up to the present director and downward. Are you saying this about the swimming pool in the library thing? Because that is entirely based on Moffat's words in a Moffat episode--I'm pretty sure he's in excellent control of those. If you want to talk about, say, depictions of water in "Vampires of Venice," that is of course an entirely different matter.
Some of the best comedies I know are those screaming with laughter at the darkness. The person who wrote the article very much agrees with you on that, and in fact argues that we need to consider comedy in dealing with dark and serious subjects, rather than tragedy being the default or only option. It's less about comedy "haha" and more about comedy as an alternative perspective, one more removed from the immediacy of human suffering that allows us to perceive ourselves from a different angle. They are in no way arguing for the elimination of tragedy--just for the necessity of restoring comedy to a legitimate footing alongside. A society that writes solely from a tragic viewpoint ultimately condemns itself to stagnation. Comedy is the method by which we challenge the existing order.
(no subject)
Date: 9 Dec 2010 02:58 am (UTC)Are you saying this about the swimming pool in the library thing? Because that is entirely based on Moffat's words in a Moffat episode--I'm pretty sure he's in excellent control of those. If you want to talk about, say, depictions of water in "Vampires of Venice," that is of course an entirely different matter.
Some of the best comedies I know are those screaming with laughter at the darkness.
The person who wrote the article very much agrees with you on that, and in fact argues that we need to consider comedy in dealing with dark and serious subjects, rather than tragedy being the default or only option. It's less about comedy "haha" and more about comedy as an alternative perspective, one more removed from the immediacy of human suffering that allows us to perceive ourselves from a different angle. They are in no way arguing for the elimination of tragedy--just for the necessity of restoring comedy to a legitimate footing alongside. A society that writes solely from a tragic viewpoint ultimately condemns itself to stagnation. Comedy is the method by which we challenge the existing order.