From: taluskie@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Vince Taluskie)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.tiny-toon
Subject: Re: Counter-argument: Why WB should wrap up Tiny Toons
Date: 21 Jul 92 06:56:39 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1992Jul17.135600.8961@gmuvax2.gmu.edu> 5015ba@gmuvax2.gmu.edu ( ) writes:
>>If you are trying to make the point that the TTA staff became burnt
>>out after just one season of work, you are on weak ground.  Burnout
>>doesn't happen after one season...after six or seven seasons then
>>is the time that you might worry about such a thing -- but certainly
>>no after one.
>>
>Is that suppose to be engraved in stone somewhere?  This statement
>is sort of like saying "tennis raquet strings never break on the first
>day they're used" or "baseball bats never crack with their first
>day used" or "drumsticks never break on the first day their used"...

What I was saying is that there is no evidence that the TTA staff is
in any way burnt out.  Did they not pull off HISMSV between the first
and second seasons ?  I think that is powerful evidence that they are
not "burnt out"!  Furthermore, I've been saying all along that there
were a relatively equal proportion of great shows to average shows.
If you are going to try to prove that they are "burnt out" then you
are going to have to show that there was a very significant decline in
quality in the shows and I think that it has been established that is
not the case....

Besides I've never heard Jenny Lerew complaint about the attitude that
her co-workers had.  I've heard nothing but a positive, glowing
outlook from her...so I don't quite see how you are going to support
your point.

>Incidents such as "burnout" occur when they occur.  There's no formula
>for when they happen.  Heck if there was, think of how many businesses
>would NEVER lose any money.

burn-out \'ber-,nau.t\ n
(1940)
1: the cessation of operation of a jet or rocket engine; also: the
     point at which burnout occurs
2: exhaustion of physical or emotional strength

Incidents of burnout do not just happen.  You get burnout from 
spending alot of time working on a project until you exhaust your
ideas -- then either you take a vacation and get back to it or abandon 
the project and go on.  Since the first season of a TV show is the test,
it doesn't seem logical for a TV show staff to give up just when they
have begun to reach their goal....Where is YOUR evidence that this is
the case ?  How do YOU reconcile YOUR idea that the TTA staff is out
of ideas and burntout with the fact of HISMSV and the second season ?
How do YOU explain the positive attitude that Jenny Lerew exhibits ?

You can't just keep positing your ideas without support -- show me
the evidence, or drop the point.

>>they don't have to re-invent the basic ideas of the show, they can
>>spend their time on other aspects.  The shows do not write themselves.
>>
>Precisement!  At the beginning of the series, the groundwork was layed.
>but there wasn't much room to add new dimensions.  Just room to make
>branches from the roots.  (software engineers!--remember that beef about
>reuse!?...long term investments vs short term consumption? thankU
>Don Beyer)  This sort of reminds me of that decadent StarTrek series.
>Then a Next Generation(literally) and subsequently a new and more mature
>series in (I believe) Deep Space 9...no relation to Deep Star 6 i hope.

I think that you are getting off the original point.  The original 
point that you were trying to make is that Warner's had a reason
for dropping the show after the 3rd season.  I've tried to show that
there is no significant differnce in the two seasons and that there is
no evidence to suggest that the TTA staff was running out of ideas
or were tired of doing the show.  Explanation has come from our insider
that much of the TTA staff have been working on other projects and
that Warner's is currently developing several other animated series.

If Warner's had any reason for putting the show on hold after the 3rd
season, it would be that they think that they can continue to reach the 
target audience (kiddies) with recycled programming.  They are not in
the business to make great art that will last though-out the ages --
they are in the business of making a profit.  There is a limit to how
much they are willing to spend on animated series in any given season
and a 4th season of recycled shows means pure gravy as far as they
are concerned.

Their decision has very little to do with the fact that the characters
were drawn wearing clothing, or that the personalities of each 
character stayed within the limits that the character guide called
for (that btw is called consistency, and it makes it easier for people
to understand what's going on).  I still haven't heard you talk about
about anything that is relavent to the plausible reasons that WB had
to stop the series, which was presumably what you had started out
to discuss.  Instead, I've had to bring them out...

So what are you trying to say, anyway ?

>No one who knows me can doubt my enjoyment from this program, but
>on a more realistic sense.  This show isn't as mature as its staff 
>are capable of.  And I think it's a good thing that they're getting

I like to think that they have more tricks in their bags too, but 
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for "Babs Bunny confronts Nothingness:
a study of existentialism"....This isn't avant-garde, or philosophy, it
is a TV show.  A TV show is said to develop because there is good, solid
comedy week after week, and this makes the characters endearing to the
audience.  A TV show is said to develop if it has wit and good stories
and is popular with the viewing public.

You seem to want to make the characters and storylines "develop"
which presumable means a constantly changing flux in the relationships of
the characters.  You seem to want "maturity" from the staff in their
writing -- but what would that mean ?  Exploring controversial subjects,
sexuality, cruelty, death, grieving, angst, joy, political power,...

IS that what you mean by maturity ?  Do you think that would mesh with
the format that the show has developed ?  Could you make it work
and still be popular enough to get ratings ?  Would you want to 
watch it ?  

Before you post again complaining about a lack of maturity in the 
show, I'd suggest that you try writing a few scripts that fits your
design for the perfect TTA.  It's easier said than done!  One thing for
sure -- it wouldn't be Tiny Toons....



-- 
Vince Taluskie			   (  "I am a great believer in luck.  The
Physics Computer Group		    )  harder I work, the more I have of it."
The University of Texas at Austin  (
taluskie@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu	    )			Thomas Jefferson