pondering casting/writing decisions

[burntcopper]

Okay, as you may have figured out from my last few posts, I have an inappropriate love for Kings. Which is the Saul-David story retold in the current day. Which they built in so much background and detail and depth and thought that I may have expired a few times from sheer joy. You think BSG had backstory, design and production detail and depth? BSG was SHALLOW, LAZY AND ILL THOUGHT-OUT.

I have no problem with *any* of the casting and writing choices for the characters. none whatsoever. I fangirl. However, I am curious about their writing and casting choices for Jack/Jonathan. Everyone's been given about 300% more depth and so on than what we get in the legends as written down in the King James. I love Jack/Jonathan as the spoilt, overlooked, constantly beaten down by daddy who is desperate for approval and acts out, with added supreme jealousy for new golden boy David. it adds loads to the story, but I am wondering why they did so much of a 180 on his character (everyone else who had more than 2 lines in the legends is their legend character, only with depth). I'm sure I remember Jonathan as favoured son, dutiful *good* soldier and general and supporter of the cause, who when he meets David, falls head over heels and gradually cedes leadership to him because David is golden boy and more charismatic/capable. (daegaer, feel free to correct me) So, y'know, curious to why they changed him so much. Were there any interviews with the writers about it? Oh, and has anyone noticed whether he's got any canon feelings for David beyond 'STABBY'?* (no problems slashing them on that level or seeing if in later eps Jack tries to seduce David to get control over him in some way)

*I still can't believe some afterelton reviewers were going 'but whyyyyyyy does the gay character have to be the mean one?' :eyeroll: It's called 'depth'. That thing you're always asking for? Jack is a complex character, where his personality comes first and him being gay is only one bit of the issue. Get over it.

Comments

[eggblue.livejournal.com]

I thought that Jack was hinting at seduction in the last episode. I forget the line, but Jack and David were at the pool party, looking out over the pool, and Jack said his line about digging past the surface (sorry so vague). The looks they gave each other, it seemed like David knew what Jack was hinting at, but he couldn't figure out why.

I still think it could go either way -- I see Jack as a wild card, who could always redeem himself by falling for David. That would redeem his character in my eyes too. I was a little worried when I first learned Jack was gay, because there are certain places these stories tend to go in, and I have seen enough (sexy) gay villains (though it pains me to actually type that). This show has done a good enough job at making the characters more complex than usual, so I have to feel they're going to have the same complexity with Jack.

I have to laugh though -- Jack totally reminds me of Jonathan Rhys-Myers' character from 'Gormenghast' or those Hayden Christensen Louis Vuitton ads from a few years back. Hot stuff :)

[alysscarlet.livejournal.com]

Is Kings on British telly (and if so where?) or are you downloading it?

Sounds intriguing!

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

downloading - it's NBC