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It's August, which means Football training camps.
So, no Charisma Carpenter of Cordelia Chase in S5 of AtS. Many Charisma and Cordy fans are pissed. They've got a big emotional investment character, think ME and Joss done treated her wrong, and aren't very happy about what they've been hearing in the press. Personally, I don't possess any reliable or credible knowledge about what actually went on behind the scenes, or why Charisma was really released. There's been plenty of scuttlebutt painting both ME and CC as less than wonderful, but AFAIK it's all gossip and hearsay. Mostly, I'm just looking at how her release affects the show, whether I think her release signifies anything about the series as a whole, and whether I'd still want to watch it without the character or actress. After all, many of ME's management decisions in S6-7/3-4 left me somewhat disappointed. What do I think about CC's case?
As a fan, I approach the shows much the same way I approach the sports teams I root for. There are players I like more than others. But first and foremost I'm a fan of the team, and no player is bigger than the team*.
(Sometimes a player will take on the face of tean, like Sonny Jurgensen or Darrell Green did, and you can't really lose them unless they're ready to go. IMHO CC isn't in that category. DB and SMG are.)
For example, in Washington, Dan Snyder (the owner) hired Steve Spurrier to coach the Redskins. Spurrier football is predicated on finesse, passing, and lots of it. The Redskins had a great power running back, Stephen Davis, whom I've met on a few occasions and thought was a pretty good guy.
This offseason, Davis got cut. He's undoubtedly a fine player, one of the best in team history, and contributed to success of the offense in the past. However, Davis' playing style doesn't fit the offense Spurrier intends to use. Last year, Davis spent a lot of time injured and unable to play, and the committee of unproven backups turned out to be more than adequate for the team's needs. Indeed, they were as successful without Davis as they were with him. On top of all of that, Davis had a huge contract, in a league with a hard salary cap. By releasing Davis, the team was free to bring in other players that are likely to be a much better fit and can address other team needs. As importantly, Davis' playing style depended upon him getting 25-30 carries per game, many of them early in the game and on first down, and that's just not how a Spurrier offense runs.
Davis got cut. The team has brought in Trung Canidate, Chad Morton, and Sultan MacCullough as possible replacements. Each of these folks offer some promise, but none of them are proven.
So, how do I feel about CC getting fired? Pretty much the same way I feel about Stephen Davis getting cut. ME had a game plan for the past two seasons of the show, and IMHO CC's acting style and health conditions made her a poor fit. Forced to make adjustments due to her reduced availability, ME made did so, and by and large those stories worked out. Based upon the new direction intended, and the amount of work they felt necessary to fit Cordelia (and Charisma) into the show, ME decided it was better to cut her loose.
Spurrier's offense is, as of yet, unproven on the NFL level, and last year he didn't have the personnel to succeed. However, Spurrier has a track record, and he's won at every level he's ever been at - even Duke. And nobody wins at Duke football! Now maybe this new direction for the Redskins won't actually be successful, but I'm hopeful and reserving judgement until I see the product on the field this fall.
The fact of the matter is, Cordelia Chase wasn't as much of a factor in the show the past season as she previously was because CC didn't fit. (for various reasons) Just like Stephen Davis. But first and foremost I root for the team. If Stephen does well in Carolina this year, that's great. I would have liked to see him stay in a Redskins uniform, but given the overhead it just doesn't make much sense as a fit. I hope CC has a fine post-ME career. But, I just don't see how to make Cordelia fit back into AtS on any sort of a long term basis, and not have it come at the expense of the either the character or direction the show is taking. It'd be like the Redskins trying to turn Stephen Davis into a third-down back, after giving him a $90 million dollar contract to be a workhorse.
It sucks for CC and for Davis. They got fired. Stephen has a family and a home in Virginia, and he liked playing in Washington. Now he has to relocate. But, as a fan, releasing Davis doesn't lead me to think Snyder is any less comitted to winning, or on the right track. It's not like when the Capitals traded Dino Cicerelli for a bucket of pucks, as an indicator that they wouldn't spend enough to win. Or when the Bullets traded big for small and young for old, as an indicator that they had no clue how to win, even if they wanted to. I don't think releasing Davis or CC indicates that they can't or won't put a contending team on the field
Now maybe, ME has gone about this in a clunky manner and they deserved to get called on THAT. It's not like Mr. Snyder doesn't hear it on SportsTalk 980. But this sort of crap happens all the time. If they'd done something really wrong or unfair, Charisma or Davis would be filing grievances. They aren't. And now I'm just waiting for the season to get started so I can see if these new players work out.
So, no Charisma Carpenter of Cordelia Chase in S5 of AtS. Many Charisma and Cordy fans are pissed. They've got a big emotional investment character, think ME and Joss done treated her wrong, and aren't very happy about what they've been hearing in the press. Personally, I don't possess any reliable or credible knowledge about what actually went on behind the scenes, or why Charisma was really released. There's been plenty of scuttlebutt painting both ME and CC as less than wonderful, but AFAIK it's all gossip and hearsay. Mostly, I'm just looking at how her release affects the show, whether I think her release signifies anything about the series as a whole, and whether I'd still want to watch it without the character or actress. After all, many of ME's management decisions in S6-7/3-4 left me somewhat disappointed. What do I think about CC's case?
As a fan, I approach the shows much the same way I approach the sports teams I root for. There are players I like more than others. But first and foremost I'm a fan of the team, and no player is bigger than the team*.
(Sometimes a player will take on the face of tean, like Sonny Jurgensen or Darrell Green did, and you can't really lose them unless they're ready to go. IMHO CC isn't in that category. DB and SMG are.)
For example, in Washington, Dan Snyder (the owner) hired Steve Spurrier to coach the Redskins. Spurrier football is predicated on finesse, passing, and lots of it. The Redskins had a great power running back, Stephen Davis, whom I've met on a few occasions and thought was a pretty good guy.
This offseason, Davis got cut. He's undoubtedly a fine player, one of the best in team history, and contributed to success of the offense in the past. However, Davis' playing style doesn't fit the offense Spurrier intends to use. Last year, Davis spent a lot of time injured and unable to play, and the committee of unproven backups turned out to be more than adequate for the team's needs. Indeed, they were as successful without Davis as they were with him. On top of all of that, Davis had a huge contract, in a league with a hard salary cap. By releasing Davis, the team was free to bring in other players that are likely to be a much better fit and can address other team needs. As importantly, Davis' playing style depended upon him getting 25-30 carries per game, many of them early in the game and on first down, and that's just not how a Spurrier offense runs.
Davis got cut. The team has brought in Trung Canidate, Chad Morton, and Sultan MacCullough as possible replacements. Each of these folks offer some promise, but none of them are proven.
So, how do I feel about CC getting fired? Pretty much the same way I feel about Stephen Davis getting cut. ME had a game plan for the past two seasons of the show, and IMHO CC's acting style and health conditions made her a poor fit. Forced to make adjustments due to her reduced availability, ME made did so, and by and large those stories worked out. Based upon the new direction intended, and the amount of work they felt necessary to fit Cordelia (and Charisma) into the show, ME decided it was better to cut her loose.
Spurrier's offense is, as of yet, unproven on the NFL level, and last year he didn't have the personnel to succeed. However, Spurrier has a track record, and he's won at every level he's ever been at - even Duke. And nobody wins at Duke football! Now maybe this new direction for the Redskins won't actually be successful, but I'm hopeful and reserving judgement until I see the product on the field this fall.
The fact of the matter is, Cordelia Chase wasn't as much of a factor in the show the past season as she previously was because CC didn't fit. (for various reasons) Just like Stephen Davis. But first and foremost I root for the team. If Stephen does well in Carolina this year, that's great. I would have liked to see him stay in a Redskins uniform, but given the overhead it just doesn't make much sense as a fit. I hope CC has a fine post-ME career. But, I just don't see how to make Cordelia fit back into AtS on any sort of a long term basis, and not have it come at the expense of the either the character or direction the show is taking. It'd be like the Redskins trying to turn Stephen Davis into a third-down back, after giving him a $90 million dollar contract to be a workhorse.
It sucks for CC and for Davis. They got fired. Stephen has a family and a home in Virginia, and he liked playing in Washington. Now he has to relocate. But, as a fan, releasing Davis doesn't lead me to think Snyder is any less comitted to winning, or on the right track. It's not like when the Capitals traded Dino Cicerelli for a bucket of pucks, as an indicator that they wouldn't spend enough to win. Or when the Bullets traded big for small and young for old, as an indicator that they had no clue how to win, even if they wanted to. I don't think releasing Davis or CC indicates that they can't or won't put a contending team on the field
Now maybe, ME has gone about this in a clunky manner and they deserved to get called on THAT. It's not like Mr. Snyder doesn't hear it on SportsTalk 980. But this sort of crap happens all the time. If they'd done something really wrong or unfair, Charisma or Davis would be filing grievances. They aren't. And now I'm just waiting for the season to get started so I can see if these new players work out.
