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Show Slipups
Posted Thu, 11/05/2009 - 19:42 — cutapackaNow that the hiatus is upon us, I figured we need something to help us pass and bide our pining Greek time. Just for fun, lets come up with a list of minor mistakes the writers or others make in the portrayal of the show. It can be anything from plot pitfalls to mis-references, pop culture or otherwise, set appearance to timeline or continuity errors. It's not to be critical by any means, simply an interesting overview of errors made, a staple on every other television show forum.
The one thing that I noticed is that Cappies room is different in other episodes than in the first one. Its not the same room.
According to the DVD commentary for the pilot, the first episode was filmed on location within the house used to establish the KT house, the rest of the episodes featured a set.
Say goodnight, Gracie
there's a whole lot of slips on the show, but other shows have done it too. Here are ones you can see clearly: in the first season when they had that volcano party...drunk Casey hold a drink one hand and jostles Cappie in the other. Then the scene switches to her holding the drink on the OTHER hand and removing her other hand from Cappie's chest! There's storyline uncontinuity: ZBZ had a problem with Casey dating Cappie in her freshman year (Frannie explains in the first season) cuz he was from Kappa Tau, but nobody says anything about Becca dating Cappie? Was it cuz ZBZ had fallen down from that scam so they couldn't be high and mighty anymore? Wish someone mentioned it cuz that was very unfair for Casey then.
According to the first season, Casey/Cappie dated for a year. But in subsequent seasons, this was decreased to six months or so. I thought the producers would easily keep track of this: Caspie Freshman year. Casey/Evan, Sophomore year into junior year.
It was very clear that Evan was president junior year...it even said so on the Season 1 dvd. This was retconned.
No he wasn't, there was another President and he was implied as incumbent. Plus, in the first few episodes of the show, Evan was referred to as Pledge Educator, and Presidents don't appoint themselves to be that position. If they said that on the season 1 DVD, then they caught themselves in their own glob of slipups, they really need to get their sh*t together
I could be wrong about this, but I don't think the shows creators/writers are responsible for the packaging and promo materials...I think it's a combination of the production company and/or the network. This site itself has made the mistake of considering Evan the president of Omega Chi long before he was such. I think the show has been clear about pointing out that Evan wasn't president until his senior year; they've named Dino president in several episodes, and they've made mention of the fact that everyone thinks Evan's the president even if he isn't.
While it's fun to point out the shows slipups, I think it's important to note the difference between continuity errors, which occurs during editing) versus that of storyline changes (how long did Casey and Cappie date?), which is the responsibility of the writer. Like I said it's fun to catch these trip ups, I don't think it's an indictment against the writers, directors, or producers. I'll take a switched hand, if it means the show has more emotional rennosance, and I'll accept a ret-con, if we get phenominal episodes like Freshman Daze, and a satisfying romantic arch like we have with Cappie and Casey, and I'll take odd seasons and indistinct timelines if it means I get to continue to enjoy the characters while the show is at its creative peak. Writing is organic and evolving, so I can accept ret-conns as long as they don't change the fabric of the show, or bring a ridiculous element into the program.
Say goodnight, Gracie
The big one i noticed was after rusty sleeps with Jordan in the half naked gun. afterwards he says do you want to do it again JEN and the scene continues on as if nothing happened
Yes! I remember thinking that's what I heard and then thinking...no, it couldn't be.
Say goodnight, Gracie
Haha....OMG I had to go to hulu and watch that scene again and he does totally say Jen. Good catch on that one....I never noticed it!
Here's another one that I don't think anyone has posted yet.
Last night I watched several epis from Season 1, including the epi where Cappie gets sick and Bex is taking care of him (resentfully). At the end of the episode, Cappie tells Bex that Casey (when they were dating) found his "Achilles heel," which was cough syrup. He said that when he got sick, Casey would give him cough syrup, he would fall asleep and she would climb out the window. He was speaking as if he had been living in that same bedroom in the KT house (the one that is probably reserved for the president).
Cappie and Casey dated while they lived in the dorms - and not after. They broke up at Greek Ball... and we all know he was living in the dorms during Greek Ball.
Now, COULD she have climbed out the dorm window? Yes, but why would she do that? (And Cappie was certainly implying that she climbed out of the KT window, much like Bex was doing for a while).
COULD he have been staying in the KT house while sick, even if he was still living in the dorm... YES (if the brothers would allow a sick pledge to come and stay at the house)...but I think this is just another case of the writers assuming that we don't really pay attention to detail.
Writers, stop underestimating our ability to pay attention. Most of us went to college (or are going now). We know how this stuff works. We can follow a timeline... and we know when you are NOT accurately reflecting on or portraying that timeline. I think it's just LAZY writing! If you want us to fall in love with your show, then give us SOME sense of confidence that events actually happened in the correct order. If you can't be realistic about the weather, then follow the timeline that YOU created! We can't just keep "forgiving" every little timeline indiscretion you dish out. It makes us feel USED and CHEAP (like Tri Pis!) LOL..
The ridiculous thing about it is, they're not the only show caught in the time-space-continuum trampoline, most every show I watch has some sort of glitch in their timeline, though Greek's is more apparent than most.
Here's what I don't get: if I were going to pour my heart and soul into a television show for several years, I'd want to give it a good basis before I get the ball rolling. I know some people may feel it's a jinx to plan out a show when it hasn't been picked up, but come on, give yourself a little leeway (and the viewers). Know that this show was going to be based on past relationships and events, the first thing I'd do before getting any sort of script together is plot out connections and relationships, as well as dates and times. It may seem neurotic, but this is your livelihood, make it worth while, hell this is their job, it should be done right! I would have written out explicit details to each character's past. Now, I know most of the ideas didn't develop until later on, but it wasn't etched in stone. I know I'm talking to a wall since this is all in the past, but they shouldn't keep making the same mistakes and just assume we won't know the difference. Go back, watch the episodes, construct a timeline based on the vague time tables they concocted and fit in new episodes to it. Since Cappie and Casey are on the menu for the next chapter, it would definitely be a smart idea since memory lane is just begging to be strolled down.
*End of Babbling*
I agree, but would also add that some of the slip-ups (like the one I mention above) are completely UNnecessary! I mean, why couldn't Cappie have just said, "She gave me cough syrup and left to go hang with her friends." Or, "She gave me cough syrup and snuck out to class." Maybe Scott was adlibbing and they liked that particular take or something? I just don't get it.
If you KNOW your show already has timeline "issues" then be diligent and don't exacerbate the situation with slip-ups that are completely unnecessary.
Writers... we WILL be watching in Chapter 6. Do Better! =)
The thing is, do the writers not know their own stuff? How can you forget something you write, or do you not care enough about your work to make it right?
Greek's storyline is my favorite of all the shows on ABC Family. I'm not saying it's not good. I know in the beginning they're going to change things to the story, but after awhile there really shouldn't be much changed.
I don't really think it's the issue of them forgetting, after all, they are writing excessive amounts of scripts, the occasional slip of the memory is bound to happen. The bigger issue here is that they're lazy with research. If you don't recall exactly what you wrote in the past, LOOK IT UP! Go back and watch an episode or two for crying out loud. If the fans can do it, the writers who make a living off the show's existence and success can too.
And agreed Karen, why even bother being so descriptive? You just open up a can of close-attention-to-detail worms with the viewers, do everyone a favor and avoid the hassle, ambiguity can be a writer's best friend sometimes (usually our worst nightmare, but it's for their own good).
And
I totally just assumed that he had a fake ID.
Something that bugs from the Wish Pretzel that I forgot to mention is when Becks comes in to Casey's room for the night, she breaks out her sleep mask, and puts it on upside down. The scene cuts to Casey, and then when it cuts back to Becks, it's on correctly. Small continuity issue, but it's all I notice in that scene!
Say goodnight, Gracie
Yeah, that's sloppy editing, similar to the forged kiss, those things always bug me! I usually look for them, too. My biggest pet peeves are when actors' adjust their appearance slightly during each take. A big one is with girls' hair: one take, their hair will be in front, near their face, camera cuts to another character, quickly cuts back and hair is behind their shoulders or tucked behind their ear. Sure, I guess we can assume they changed it in that split second the camera happened to focus on one other person in a back-and-forth conversation, but when the hair position readjusts every time, it begins to wear on everyone. That's pretty amateurish, but I've seen it even in the best of shows and movies.
I am so happy that I'm not the ONLY one noticing all this stuff. I'm rewatching Season 1 (gradually)...and all of the stuff you are mentioning is even more obvious the second time around. I'm pretty sure that Casey has her own room in the first few epis? And, yes, the bulimia references, the climate, the skewed timeline.... I've also noticed these things (in case the writers are reading this).
OK, here's a new one that hasn't been mentioned:
The episode where Casey sleeps with the 16YO guy from the dog shelter.... when they're at Dobler's, Lizzie cards the whole table. The guy hands Lizzie his ID as if it's nothing... and she looks at it closely... she even gets wrapped up in his dreamy looks for a split second (ew!). Then she casually gives him the ID back after studying it. Sooooo.... was he supposed to have a fake ID? He was borderline geeky, so I doubt it. How the heck did he get to order a beer at Dobler's? We all KNOW that Lizzie would never let that one slip by, no matter how good looking he was. They should have slipped this little detail into the storyline and told us if the ID was supposed to be fake... or what??!
These are all good points, but one of the things that I love (which some might argue is bad writing, but I wouldn't), is how they meta reference these issues: Cappie talking to Rebecca's dad and mentioning how Cyprus is like 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the state due to global warming, or how Evan himself acknowledges that while he isn't the president, everyone just assumes he is. In my mind pilot's don't count towards character continuity, because they are feeling out the show and often make changes afterwards, such as Ash's body image and her rooming with Libby. But, the time line still drives me crazy. I think in A New Normal, which is presumably taking place in January, it's clearly fall on the ZBZ lawn...
Say goodnight, Gracie
Yeah, they're at least trying to poke fun at themselves, which is always healthy
But I'll never get over the weather thing, I don't care if you film in LA, you get set budgets for a reason, add some fake snow, damnit!
And, winter fashion is awesome, with coats and scarves, and layers!
Say goodnight, Gracie
Seriously, you can still be hot and cute with extra fabric believe it or not
yah, in season one who was Omega CHi prez was it Blake or Dino? One time Frannie said it was Blake (her Boyfriend) then another time they switched it to Dino. All while it seemed like Evan ran the frat...lol
Cappie and Casey <3
Cappie: 'You can always go back to your soul mate, that's what makes them a soul mate'
Casey: 'I know where I wanna be in ten years, do you?' Cappie: 'I wanna be with you'
Cappie: "Because No other girl in the world compares to you.
On the back of the chapter 1 dvd it says that Evan is the president of the top frat on campus but he doesn't become president of Omega Chi officially until the end of season 2 ....
Yeah, that whole season was so strange, because at first they made it clear that he was to become president, yet he acted as sitting President, then there were references to him being Prez, then at some point they threw in an actual President to make it seem like he wasn't and... wow... I'm talking in circles, that's how messed up it is
Speaking of Presidents, how is it possible that Cappie was Prez as a Junior? Was he just instantly beloved to the point where he could run as a Soph?
Ooh, I love talking about the mistakes. It's one of my fave things to talk about.
1. In the pilot, there were references that Ashleigh was bulimic. But when has that ever been mentioned in the other episodes?
2. Pool scene in the pilot: Cappie says they (CC) dated for over a year, yet during Freshman Daze, it is pretty much implied that they broke up after the Greek Ball. Also, to add to that. During Spring Broke, it was implied that CC was together during freshman year spring break which was after the Greek Ball.
3. "Received" was spelled wrong on Cappie's phone during The Wish-Pretzel.
I'm sure there are many more, but my brain is fried, so I'll post more up later.
I look into your eyes and fall in love all over again.
Cappie & Casey <3
Ya the pool table scene Cappie says something like "we dated for over a year and you never mentioned once you had a brother." And then in the episode after Cappie breaks up with Rebecca him and Casey have the discussion about how long it takes to get over someone and Casey says it's around the same time you dated which she says was 6 months for her and Cappie. So is it six months or a year?!? LoL!
Also the mess ups in shots they do drives me nuts too. Like in the finale episode where Casey is putting on her pants in the first scene she buttons and snaps it in the shot with Cappie behind her but buttons and snaps it again when they have the camera looking at her from Cappie's perspective. And on the Thanksgiving episode with the first kiss between C/C: He has his hand on her face when the kiss is shot from the side but when the camera angle moves to the right his hand magically isn't there anymore because they blended two different takes of the kiss.
Here's my biggest and pretty much only beef with the show: the college is located somewhere in Ohio, and yet it never snows. Ohio is in the Midwest, no matter how far south you go, it's gonna snow eventually, and rarely do we even see the cast don a jacket, nonetheless a winter coat. That always bugged me
oh my god, I was thinking the exact same thing today!! I was like wait, how is ti thanksgiving and their not wearing a jacket of any kind? it's really strange and makes no sense!
I know what you mean! I live in Ohio and the weather is totally CRAZY here and it's nothing like the show. I also loved how in the Thanksgiving episode they have coats and scarfs on but in the finale which is set a week later they are outside in shorts and tanktops during the ZBZ dance LoL!