dragon Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #45 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 2:42pm Print Post What makes Alec tick? There's this little piece of clockwork where his heart should be .... yes, dragon the smartass ... (OK, could you two stop giving me ideas ... please? ) IP Logged
Matt Colonel Offline Everyone at SHADO drinks coffee! Posts: 2391 Location: Coventry, RI Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #46 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 2:51pm Print Post I have a different take on Alec, yes flirtatious as hell on the outside but a heart of gold for a woman brave enough to explore the waters. I can see Miss Ealand taming him! What do you mean, we're out of coffee! WWW IP Logged
dragon Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #47 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 4:22pm Print Post I think Alec changes by story. I've never concentrated on him as a character so I haven't explored his emotional context. Canon makes him a flirt and loyal to Ed even when he wants to smack him with a 2x4. Beyond that, we don't see much of the "real" Alec. Like Paul, he was a bit short changed in the character development department. We know he is loyal but not why. We know he drinks ... on duty ... but not why he gets away with it. Does he know where the skeletons are buried? Is this just a prop/ploy because it's the 1960's when the show is filmed and no one really thought about the connotations of having a military man being a maintenance alcoholic? I tend toward the latter because we didn't regard the use of alcohol the same way in 1969 as we do now. Drinks and smokes are props, something to do with the hands while working through a scene. (I think we've replaced them with guns for the 21st century ... ) Sorry, didn't mean to get quite so analytical on poor Alec there. But this is one thing that dates the original show, the casual attitude toward Alec's drinking "on duty" essentially; abutted with Ed's teetotal attitude which is a sign of his control issues ... today, who'd question his not drinking? Especially on duty or at work? At lunch with studio types, maybe, but so many people are recovering addicts of one type or another, no one notices if you don't do what everyone else is doing. Ok, off to see what Ed and Eod are doing while Paul ... is still not getting blown up ... drat. Face-Off: still a great story with incredible depths. d IP Logged
Matt Colonel Offline Everyone at SHADO drinks coffee! Posts: 2391 Location: Coventry, RI Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #48 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 5:16pm Print Post I still think Alec has the alien implant thing going on that metabolizes the alcohal. But that's interesting insight to his character. And yes, he did want to smack Ed up side the head with a 2x4 on more than one occasion! The upside of all this is that if the writing had been better we would have less latitude to put our own spin on the characters! And I agree, Denise hit another home run with this one! What do you mean, we're out of coffee! WWW IP Logged
dragon Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #49 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 5:25pm Print Post LOL ... definitely why I prefer shows with short runs to write in, I get to figure out what and why instead of being told. Still, Alec seems to have less said about him than anyone else. Aussie, military, older but not by much, something that makes him loyal to Ed even when he's arguing with him, an eye for people but a lot of distrust (Military Intelligence?), he drinks but never seems the worse for it and has an eye for the ladies, but not the heart for one. Hmm, now that would be interesting ... oh, shoot ... not another one! laters d IP Logged
Lightcudder Colonel Offline Trust no one. Posts: 1311 Location: Here. When you least expect it Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #50 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 6:25pm Print Post I had a lot of fun writing my own back story (Redacted) for the Ed and ALec in my |Rachel UFOverse. I would hate to go along the lines of some forums where there is a tightly defined canon and you have to abide by it! Matt is correct, we can use the writer's lax attitude to create our own character stories. One thing though.. How mant tiomes did Alec actually get a drink? Perhaps we are making a supposition based on a couple of episodes... and there is certainly one episode where Ed has a drink as well! Careless writing! We could always write our own UFO 'Bible'? but would that then restrict fan writers? I don't think so.. none of the stories I have read here have contradicted the basic premise of the characters. No-one has Ed as an idle womaniser, or Alec as a drug-addicted loon.. or Paul as a megalomaniac intent on world domination.. Now THAT's a thought! I need some air. WWW IP Logged
Matt Colonel Offline Everyone at SHADO drinks coffee! Posts: 2391 Location: Coventry, RI Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #51 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 6:39pm Print Post Paul as a megalomaniac! That I can see! What do you mean, we're out of coffee! WWW IP Logged
Neesierie Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #52 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 7:47pm Print Post Dragon's right. For me, Alec changes by story. He's my foil for Straker. So if Straker is harsher in a certain story, then Alec is portrayed as harsh to contrast their personalities. If Straker's fairly cool, then so is Alec. But I tend to do that with all the crew actually. They're just there to be a foil for The Man. Hmmm. I'm really rather limited in my plot focus, aren't I? Oh, and thanks for all the kind words about the story. My beta tester said I have to add more to the epilogue. So when I'm a bit more rested, I'll do that. (I need a sleepy smiley!) IP Logged
Lightcudder Colonel Offline Trust no one. Posts: 1311 Location: Here. When you least expect it Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #53 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 8:02pm Print Post I agree with your beta reader. The epilogue needs a little more.. not sure how much more, but as I said before it feels just a tad unfinished! But, Denise.. it's a truly great story. one of those stories that makes your heart ache. And you know exactly what I mean by that don't you! looking forward to a slightly longer epilogue! I need some air. WWW IP Logged
Neesierie Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #54 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 8:14pm Print Post Well, at least you put it nicely by saying it makes your heart ache. My beta tester just looked at me and said, "What's the point?" As if none of the story mattered since I didn't have a solid resolution! Personally, I don't think she'll be happy with me until I get the sequel written. IP Logged
Lightcudder Colonel Offline Trust no one. Posts: 1311 Location: Here. When you least expect it Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #55 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 8:18pm Print Post HUH! But you know what i mean don't you! Tell her to read my review.. but I WOULD like a sequel.. with a happy ending, not just a resolution. I need some air. WWW IP Logged
Neesierie Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #56 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 8:38pm Print Post Yes, I do. It was meant to make your heart ache. It's been said many times that 'if only' are the two loneliest words in the world. For me, I like to think of it this way: 'timing is everything.' IP Logged
dragon Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #57 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 8:50pm Print Post I think there is canon out there and it's more of a guideline than a hard and fast for most writers. Some universes have so much written it's hard to distinguish canon from fanon and the two mix freely. (I was on a list once where one of the readers said that anything that wasn't strictly based on the characters was of no interest, OC love interests were out, internal love interests were out if not in the show already, all she wanted was strictly canon relationships and adventures ... I was kinda wondering why she accepted canon love interests at all since she was uninterested in any romantic entanglement of the original characters ... it was very strange. I kept thinking that if the show's writers had adhered to her strictures, there wouldn't have been much to do .... LOL) With UFO, having it wide open is nice. Alec and alcohol ... hmmm, canon or fanon? I know I remember his getting a drink in Straker's HQ office and seeing him with one. The only drink I remember straker with is in a flashback with Mary. Mind you, I haven't watched it in some time .... laters IP Logged
Neesierie Ex Member Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #58 - Jul 10th, 2010 at 5:24am Print Post Okay, Louise. I added to the Epilogue. I hope it rounds off the story for you a bit better now. I know it works for me. Maybe I was content to leave it the way it was when I finished it last night because it was 3 am! (And like Straker, all I wanted to do was sleep!) IP Logged
Lightcudder Colonel Offline Trust no one. Posts: 1311 Location: Here. When you least expect it Re: FDK Face-Off Reply #59 - Jul 10th, 2010 at 9:32am Print Post That is a perfect ending. Thank you. I need some air. WWW IP Logged