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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Keith Ford (Read 8222 times)
dragon
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Keith Ford
Jul 11th, 2010 at 12:31am
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Since I've currently turned the man into a cultist, I think ... I'm curious to see what others think of him. I know I got some flack for turning him into a vampire and tackling his loyalty to Straker. The comment then was that Ford was a bottom and that was pretty much all he was good for. I suspect the reviewers did not like Ford.  Shocked

Personally, I find his treatment ... odd. He's a brilliant communications person, but he makes inane mistakes ... sending something in the wrong code in Identified, I think. This might have been "shake out" errors, and had Ford been younger and less experienced in journalism/communications, it was an acceptable error. But somehow, he's too experienced to do that, especially when you find out he's been the  host of a show on the odd and peculiar, including UFOs as well as an investigative reporter of same.

And why, when he's head of communications, or at least seems to be, is he only a Lt.?? Kinda like I saw captains, colonels and lieutenants, but not much else. Were there majors? Never mind, I think that got discussed somewhere else <g>  Tongue

So, how do we all see Lt. Keith Ford?

d

  
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Matt
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #1 - Jul 11th, 2010 at 1:31am
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Keith Ford:

I always thought Keith was a cool character. As the SHADO communications chief he certainly had a lot of responsibility.

In “Identified”, Straker beats on him throughout the episode, starting with his “mistake” in using the wrong code for the message to Skydiver. As we all know with Ed, one oh sh*t erases ten atta boys!

Ford is portrayed in a very positive light in both “The Dalotek Affair” and “Close Up”, shown as an important member of the organization. He was not seen in the last eight episodes as was the same for Ellis, Freeman, and Harrington.

He held the rank of Lieutenant and I would assume that he would be a 1st Lieutenant. The series never specified 1st or 2nd Lieutenants just as they never differentiated between Colonel and Lt. Colonel. They did have Majors however. (Maj. Lou Graham in “Exposed and Maj. Joe Kelly in “Close Up”)

In my story “Expecting” Ford had been promoted to Captain, an event that takes place in my story “Lines of Communication” still under construction. He will be promoted to Major in “Distant Memories” for conduct above and beyond the call of duty.

In FanFiction he has been both down trodden as well as being portrayed as the hero (Collecting the Set and Last Post).

In my work I portray him as an intelligent hard working and loyal communications chief, and a family man, married with two children.
  Smiley
  

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dragon
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #2 - Jul 11th, 2010 at 4:40am
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Kewl. I like your view of Keith. I generally keep him single, which leads to intriguing things: Entrapment where he rescued Straker; Dementia where he was messily murdered; Dr. Jackson as a werewolf where he understood werewolf and resigned abruptly, only to rescind it immediately LOL. And, of course, I've turned him into a cultist, so that makes him a bad boy <g>. I really need to be nice to him some time soon ...

Again, I like what you see in him.

d
  
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Neesierie
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #3 - Jul 11th, 2010 at 3:04pm
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Keith to me was always a nonentity.  I do with him pretty much whatever the story calls for.  Wink

In Wild Kingdom he has a really bad day!  And ends up eaten by a tiger!  Shocked

I gave him a love interest in my Conover Saga, but regretted it when he refused to propose to the girl!  I ended up having to do it 'off-screen' as it were.  Tongue

He had more fun in the Devilsgate Saga, where he was friends with the new commander and got promoted finally to Colonel.  Roll Eyes

But in all honesty, although he's an essential part of SHADO HQ, we know very little about him.  So he's available for our muse to kick him around as needed.  Sort of like Straker does!  Grin

  
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Lightcudder
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #4 - Jul 11th, 2010 at 3:20pm
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I did let him play at being the Commander in FarSight... but he's not going to do much in Dark Matters.. although I think I could do something with himn in Glitch.
But as a character, he was like Gay Ellis.. peripheral at best. How many major scenes did he star in? the one in Identified where he looked like a lost puppy and then the one where he is shown as the TV presenter. No action scenes at all. not even much of a speaking role really.
  Ayshea took over his role for the last episodes didn't she?
But as Denise said... that gives us the leeway to do pretty much anything with him.  Smiley
It will be intereseting to see the 'prequel' story about Ford that MkIXHawk is writing!
  

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MkIXHawk
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #5 - Jul 14th, 2010 at 7:24pm
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Have you considered that he might be a widower?
  
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dragon
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #6 - Jul 14th, 2010 at 7:56pm
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uhm ... er ... well ... no. I hadn't. Maybe because he seemed very young at the time, compared to some of the other characters, and I forget that young people lose loved ones also. Now that's an interesting thought, because they never really explained how they recruited Keith, although they did note that he did a show on the peculiar, including UFO's. At least, I don't recall a concrete explanation of why he was recruited.

Thanks for the input. It gives me something to think about. (as though I didn't have enough stuff going on in my head ... ) Although I think we can presume no kids if he is a widower.

d
  
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MkIXHawk
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #7 - Jul 14th, 2010 at 9:33pm
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Claire Ford was pregnant when she was abducted...
  
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Matt
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #8 - Jul 14th, 2010 at 9:44pm
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This is from the prequel you are writing I take it. Wink

Cool! Cool

That happened to Jim Regan's wife in "The Cat with Ten lives."  Wink
  

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dragon
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #9 - Jul 14th, 2010 at 11:06pm
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Nasty aliens, pickin' on pregnant ladies ... grrrr.
  
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Lightcudder
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #10 - Jul 15th, 2010 at 7:12am
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What a fascinating thought.. Ford's wife abducted.
That opens up a whole new can of worms.

Really interesting idea, and fits nicely with what we do know about Ford.. that he worked on a TV show ( and seemend to have been relatively successful)..wasn't he an interviewer?

Seems a bit strange to have gone into SHADO from that sort of job, but if his wife was taken , he would have probably had the means to do some serious research into UFOs. Ford never struck me as someone who would be recruited into SHADO on the strength of his physical fitness or computer skills..... TV presenter to radar operator?

But... with that background, he could have possibly persuaded Straker to take him on. (as Carlin did) I wonder if they had the amnesia drug at the start of Shado?



  

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MkIXHawk
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #11 - Jul 15th, 2010 at 7:28am
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who persuaded who?
  
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Lightcudder
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #12 - Jul 15th, 2010 at 7:44am
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Another interesting thought.

there must be something in Ford's character/past/skills that made Straker recruit him..

This book of yours..... you are going to get it published aren't you?
I want to read it!!

How far have you got with it now?
  

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dragon
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #13 - Jul 15th, 2010 at 3:27pm
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Hmmm, I'm not sure that I'll delete his wife, but you are giving me ideas to fit into the current work ... Given Ford's background (somewhere I got investigative reporter ... it think it was the one where they revealed he hosted a paranormal show. Many shows of that sort are short on budget and the host is also the investigator ... well, in the US, anyway <G> I always presumed he figurted out something and SHADO decided he was worth hiring ... as a reporter, he probably knew about gadgets, cameras, electronic feeds, the sort of stuff Edison Carter would know ... LOL because he would have been operating on a shoestring instead of a big budget)

I've linked that to what's happening in the skulls universe, I think I may be able to link to the story I'm working on most now. I like Keith because he's the repository of odd information <g> even if he can't keep the codes straight. I'm thinking he hadn't been with SHADO long when that happened and therefore didn't get more than verbally chastised for the error. It always seemed that Straker saw him as more important than he came across. But then, Straker thought Paul was a good idea ... and Paul somehow has always come across as a jerk where Keith is concerned.

I seem to read a lot into things ... LOL. Always lookin' for a subtext.  Cheesy

Thank you all for insights into the character.

Somebody wanna pick the next one to pry apart?

d

  
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MkIXHawk
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Re: Keith Ford
Reply #14 - Jul 15th, 2010 at 4:04pm
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Lightcudder wrote on Jul 15th, 2010 at 7:44am:
Another interesting thought.

there must be something in Ford's character/past/skills that made Straker recruit him..

This book of yours..... you are going to get it published aren't you?
I want to read it!!

How far have you got with it now?


Consider Ford's Service career and the Battle of Woodcock Wood...

I've submitted the first 50 pages to a major publisher but I've not yet heard anything
  
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