Meteor

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sudsmaster

sudsmaster

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Despite myself (and I busied myself doing lots of chores) I just got finished watching the NBC two part "movie" called "Meteor".

Ostensibly a comet hits a big asteroid and changes its course unexpectedly, aiming it squarely for earth. That was the interesting part. The special effects were not bad, esp the Patriot missiles shooting down the "harbingers". But just like any Hollywood/TV concoction, the thing is padded with stock in trade plot devices... the usual motley crew of bad guys, good cops, bad cops, lovers quarrels, father searching for daughter about to be mistreated by his former partner (shades of Arnold), etc... very tired and hackneyed. Jason Alexander as some sort of government astrophysicist was a bit difficult to believe... kept on waiting for him to pull some George Costanza worthy scam... lol...

I'll probably catch the second half next Sunday - even recorded this disaster on DVD.

What I'm wondering is, why can't TV networks/production studios come up with better writing/plots then the same old formulaic tripe?
 
I've only seen one made-for-TV movie that wasn't filled with formulaic tripe, and that was almost 20 years ago ("Doing Time On Maple Drive").

Decent writing and new ideas are rarely wasted on made-for-TV movies. They always wind up as screenplays for major motion pictures that are produced by film studios.
 
Yeah, I guess the goal of made-for-TV movie producers is to pack as many mainstream movie clichés as possible into the product.

Even so, I've found that many major motion pictures are also hopelessly formulaic. I find that to be true of various renowned writers, as well. Stephen King, Michael Chrighton, etc. Either they are intentionally following a set formula for new works, or they can't help themselves but write the same plot over and over with window dressing changes.

This may be why I prefer non-fiction and documentaries, or movies based on real events. Nothing is more unusual than real life.
 

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