# Ruin-a-Series! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615 "2006-06-13T21:40:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/41 "2006-06-14T23:18:00Z")
Hmmm… what about licensing the name and franchise to a series of hack writers, all writing under an assumed name, and then make sure that none of the hack writers actually read the series bible. Nor pay attention to the character developments in previous novels. (Too many series to mention, really.) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/42 "2006-06-14T23:23:41Z")
Ooh! Ooh! I know! Take fragmented notes left by your late father and hire a hack whose previous accomplishments were low-end-of-mediocre Star Wars novels to produce a series of simply suckalicious _prequels_ that actually contradict some of the “history” mentioned in your father’s previous and successful series. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/43 "2006-06-15T01:40:16Z")
Have your lead star demand an episode in which their character gets to sing, so they can show their voice talent and augment their acting career with a singing career. Have your lead star become radical and use the series as a platform for [del]shrilly preaching[/del] raising conciousness about their cause. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/44 "2006-06-15T02:14:34Z")
Wait half a decade between each book before making the fourth book in the series one that feels like nothing but tedious backstory for 800 pages, followed by a fifth book that’s basically _Seven Samurai_ or _The Magnificent Seven_ and so long that one could actually watch both movies in the time it takes to read it while starting to insert previous works into this one (as well as far more blatant references to other books that make even less sense), then insert yourself into the next one (and not as a Mary Sue either), and then timeloop the end of the series. I really wish I had stopped reading after book three. And book two is my favorite by far. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/45 "2006-06-15T02:18:38Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > Next time on LOST: > > The Others’ leaders are revealed… and it’s THE OLSEN TWINS! Actually, it might work – remember those real life twins in, I think, Indonesia who led that guerilla cult? I can see Mary Kate and Ashley doing that. Actually, they kinda already do. Conan O’Brien used to do a sketch where they tested his theory that somebody walking by and saying “pubes” could ruin anything. They’d show a scene of a guy down on one knee getting ready to propose to his girlfriend, when some slacker dude would walk up to them, say “Pubes,” and walk away. The couple would suddenly look all dispirited and dejected, and just kind of wander away from each other. I can see it working in the movies: Andy Dufresne finally gets out of Shawshank and someone comes up to him and says “pubes” and ruins the moment. Rick is telling Ilsa to get on that plane, when “Play it Again” Sam comes up and says “pubes” and the two lovers just get a bad taste in their mouth… ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/46 "2006-06-15T02:23:36Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Yeah. Speaking of which, is he still claiming he’s going to finish the series one day? I think I’ve read the ninth book, but I’m not going any further until the thing’s done; no point in setting myself up for further disappointment. I quit reading the series after the 5th or 6th book. Boring and repetitive - he just tells the same story over and over about the guy going nuts with the madman screaming in his head. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/47 "2006-06-15T02:34:01Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Yeah. Speaking of which, is he still claiming he’s going to finish the series one day? I think I’ve read the ninth book, but I’m not going any further until the thing’s done; no point in setting myself up for further disappointment. He promises to finish it real soon now, really, honest! Problem is, Jordan was recently diagnosed with a fatal disease that has a 50% four-year survival rate. I’m too lazy to dig up a link, but I know I started a thread with one about it a few months ago. Search for my name and Robert Jordan, and it’ll pop up, if anyone’s really interested. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/48 "2006-06-15T03:59:20Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Ted McGinley is the patron saint of shark-jumping. Happy Days, Love Boat, Married With Children, etc.etc.etc… Wait, _The Love Boat_? There was never anything there to ruin. Thousands of sharks passed beneath the Pacific Princess on her maiden voyage. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/49 "2006-06-15T03:59:34Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > He promises to finish it real soon now, really, honest! > > Problem is, Jordan was recently diagnosed with a fatal disease that has a 50% four-year survival rate. I’m too lazy to dig up a link, but I know I started a thread with one about it a few months ago. Search for my name and Robert Jordan, and it’ll pop up, if anyone’s really interested. Yeah, I know (psst, it was mentioned earlier in this thread. And I knew before that!) But when he announced that he’d been diagnosed, he said he planned to live long enough to finish all his books-in-progress. I was just making reference to that claim and wondering what’s actually going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/50 "2006-06-15T05:53:33Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Take fragmented notes left by your late father and hire a hack whose previous accomplishments were low-end-of-mediocre Star Wars novels to produce a series of simply suckalicious _prequels_ that actually contradict some of the “history” mentioned in your father’s previous and successful series. It worked… once. (Of course, instead of hiring a hack, the son got a Canadian law student. And dad left a bit more than just “notes”). ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/51 "2006-06-15T06:43:09Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Ooh! Ooh! I know! > > Take fragmented notes left by your late father and hire a hack whose previous accomplishments were low-end-of-mediocre Star Wars novels to produce a series of simply suckalicious _prequels_ that actually contradict some of the “history” mentioned in your father’s previous and successful series. Hey! I’ve met that hack several times – even been in his house on a couple of occassions (he’s married to an old college sweetheart of mine). I don’t generally read sci-fi, but I’ve read some of his (including most of the _prequels_). He’s a hack and no mistake, but he’s certainly prolific. His writing is competent, but his plots and characters tend towards the formulaic. I thought [Climbing Olympus](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446601586/104-3467004-6341569?v=glance&n=283155) was pretty good (and so, of course, out of print) – all original characters and setting, written before he started getting franchise work. Our consolation is that the original series is still around in unsullied form. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/52 "2006-06-15T10:11:06Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > …Inuyasha: Damn it! That Kikio treats me like a dog! I love you Kagome! Nah - instead, after 167 episodes, set it up so that all your characters/plot progress are basically back to say, episode 40ish. Then, since the show has caught up with the manga, make vague statements about maybe one day picking it back up again and finishing it. (not bitter, nope) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Clam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@Happy\_Clam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Clam)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/53 "2006-06-15T10:40:18Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Robert Jordan’s _Wheel of Time_ series, actually. Uh, whoosh? ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/54 "2006-06-15T13:32:47Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Wait half a decade between each book before making the fourth book in the series one that feels like nothing but tedious backstory for 800 pages, followed by a fifth book that’s basically _Seven Samurai_ or _The Magnificent Seven_ and so long that one could actually watch both movies in the time it takes to read it while starting to insert previous works into this one (as well as far more blatant references to other books that make even less sense), then insert yourself into the next one (and not as a Mary Sue either), and then timeloop the end of the series. > > I really wish I had stopped reading after book three. And book two is my favorite by far. Which series is this? I must know so I can avoid it at all costs. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/55 "2006-06-15T14:08:14Z")
The fans of your acclaimed series clamor for one more book. Write it. The money’s good, and they’ll buy anything. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/56 "2006-06-15T18:27:07Z")
Y’know, as enjoyable as each poster finds the series they mention, not everyone can magically deduce what you’re actually talking about. The premise of this thread is interesting but when at least half of the posts talk about how to ruin a specific series (or even a genre) but _don’t actually say what that series or genre is_, it becomes rather annoying. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/57 "2006-06-15T18:45:23Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Easiest way to ruin a Series: have the ball go between Buckner’s legs. > > Ruined the Series for everyone in New England. continuing on this line of thought . . . Aren;t you glad he’s not playing this year? 'cause we’re gonna have a rerun of 1986 the way things are going back to the thread theme make a film combining live action and CGI, but change the basic driving force behind the main character such that even having Bill Murray voice the character can’t save you . . . then make a sequel! ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/58 "2006-06-15T18:49:58Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Y’know, as enjoyable as each poster finds the series they mention, not everyone can magically deduce what you’re actually talking about. The premise of this thread is interesting but when at least half of the posts talk about how to ruin a specific series (or even a genre) but _don’t actually say what that series or genre is_, it becomes rather annoying. sorry about that - in mine I was referring to the Garfield comic strip ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/59 "2006-06-15T18:54:53Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Y’know, as enjoyable as each poster finds the series they mention, not everyone can magically deduce what you’re actually talking about. The premise of this thread is interesting but when at least half of the posts talk about how to ruin a specific series (or even a genre) but _don’t actually say what that series or genre is_, it becomes rather annoying. Yeah, I have to agree. I realise it’s fun to mention series without giving the name, and having other fans recognise it, but there are some of us who don’t know what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615/60 "2006-06-15T18:59:53Z")
If any two characters on your show have sexual chemistry, let them do the horizontal dance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-series/360615.md?page=4)