Avoiding repeating the same phrase back-to-back

[Snarky Oracle!]

This is an odd point to make, but the use of the same phrasing back-to-back can drive me a little nuts -- and while many shows sometimes do it, it sticks out to me on DYNASTY if only because their attempts at repartee are so deliberate.

Two examples: in the Season 6 finale, Blake tells Alexis (on the landing) "You're insane!" and she retorts that she's "perfectly sane" --- and I really want her to phrase it instead that, "I'm perfectly lucid" as she tosses Krystle's furs over the balcony.

Then, in Season 9, Alexis returns from France and announces she bought out half "of Paris!," and then Blake walks in the door and she snipes that "it's almost as cold in here as it was in Paris" -- making the European capital reference sound like a snooty affectation as only Joan can -- but I really want her to say something like, "it's almost as cold in here as it was along the Champs-Élysées," just so she won't keep repeating herself.

Am I so wrong? And do you have similar -- or dissimilar -- examples?

 

[Alexis]

What really, really bothers me when I watch Dynasty is how everyone called everyone by their full name. Like we are watching a show about the Carrington's, we know their name. In any given episode it's Blake Carrington this and Blake Carrington that, over and over. Nobody speaks like that. Nobody addresses anybody by their full name, it's just not done. It's even weirder when it's people within the same household doing to each other. It sounds really affected and fake. And watching it on DVD where there are no add breaks, you really notice how they all call each other by their full names. It's so dumb.

 

[tommie]

No, they should repeat more, especially during catfights.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

What really, really bothers me when I watch Dynasty is how everyone called everyone by their full name. Like we are watching a show about the Carrington's, we know their name. In any given episode it's Blake Carrington this and Blake Carrington that, over and over. Nobody speaks like that. Nobody addresses anybody by their full name, it's just not done. It's even weirder when it's people within the same household doing to each other. It sounds really affected and fake. And watching it on DVD where there are no add breaks, you really notice how they all call each other by their full names. It's so dumb.

I remember Stephen Birmingham comparing DALLAS and DYNASTY in TVGUIDE in fall of 1983, and he refers to DYNASTY's "nervous" rehashing of events, his pointing out that in real life, people don't have to constantly remind each other of what happened yesterday.

He chalked it up to the relative newness of DYNASTY that DALLAS was the much more "confident" show, but that didn't explain why DYNASTY was more nervous in Season 3 than it was in Season 2.

But then DYNASTY got into this pattern of reaffirming the characters' relationships to one another, just in case the audience -- or the actors -- couldn't remember. God bless Paulsen for trying to keep this going even in Season 9, almost cheekily, when Blake meets Fallon#2 on the plywood terrace, and she explains to her father how they were related to one another yet again.

Of course, with all the DYNASTY recastings, the viewer could be easily confused.


"My darling daughter -- not my first nor my second, but my first with the new face and bigger boobies and shorter legs, who, sired by Blake, your father, was brought us when our first first daughter became our second first daughter, four years hence -- although I think that's the wrong phrase -- and that is you, my daughter. Fallon. Portrayed by Emma. Not my actual daughter. And yet you play her on screen..."

 

[tommie]

I remember Stephen Birmingham comparing DALLAS and DYNASTY in TVGUIDE in fall of 1983, and he refers to DYNASTY's "nervous" rehashing of events, his pointing out that in real life, people don't have to constantly remind each other of what happened yesterday.

At a guess it had to do with their "Golden Age of Hollywood" ambitions - in those movies (well, even today to be fair) there's a lot of exposition and not-too-seldom repeating of names in ways real people don't tend to talk to make sure the audience members remembers them for later plot points. This of course works well in a setting where you're just meant to spend 90 minutes with these characters. But Dynasty was a weekly series, so you'd expect them to trust the audience to get a hang of it at one point.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

At a guess it had to do with their "Golden Age of Hollywood" ambitions - in those movies (well, even today to be fair) there's a lot of exposition and not-too-seldom repeating of names in ways real people don't tend to talk to make sure the audience members remembers them for later plot points. This of course works well in a setting where you're just meant to spend 90 minutes with these characters. But Dynasty was a weekly series, so you'd expect them to trust the audience to get a hang of it at one point.

The endless music score and static acting policy couldn't have helped.

 

[Willie Oleson]

but I really want her to say something like, "it's almost as cold in here as it was along the Champs-Élysées,"

And I'm sure that's what she would have said to Joseph in season 2 or 3.

And do you have similar -- or dissimilar -- examples?

No specific examples but sometimes it happens, quite unintentionally I'm sure, that a certain word or phrase catches on within one and the same episode.

He chalked it up to the relative newness of DYNASTY that DALLAS was the much more "confident" show

Ah yes about that, seems I got a specific example anyway.
Bobby and JR's BATTLE (as per Jock's will).
FFS!!!!! How many times did they mention it, God forbid someone would forget about it for 5 minutes. It even ruined some of my enjoyment of that (otherwise good) storyline.

Was Stephen Birmingham - whoever that is! - even watching DALLAS?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Like with this scene: Krystle says, "your put-downs are as empty you are," and Alexis responds two seconds later by saying that "putting you down" is one of life's pleasures.

Did they have to have Alexis phrase it exactly the same way? It just makes the writing look a bit puerile.

 

[Alexis]

Like with this scene: Krystle says, "your put-downs are as empty you are," and Alexis responds two seconds later by saying that "putting you down" is one of life's pleasures.

Did they have to have Alexis phrase it exactly the same way? It just makes the writing look a bit puerile.

I don't mind it in this scene as Alexis often sounds so condescending and it works for the character. She's sort of insulting Krystle's intelligence by relaying it back to her. She's like, you're an idiot Krystle.

 

[Willie Oleson]

and Alexis responds two seconds later by saying that "putting you down" is one of life's pleasures.

She does make a point of it that it's one of life's pleasures because it's so simple - at least it's a response with a twist.

After all the big drama these two women have been through, and now is the time to bicker about something as insignificant as Alexis' empty put-downs?
On top of everything Krystle even tries to reason with this villainous creature. It's insane!
Alexis is just being her mean self but it's Krystle who downplays their dynasty history. And did she really have to look like an office door? Alexis should have cracked a joke about it, IF it was allowed to criticize the wardrobe department.
Well, she had the last word anyway, which apparently she started to tweet in the scene's final seconds.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

n top of everything Krystle even tries to reason with this villainous creature. It's insane!

Although Krystle is actually the one who is a bit out of line here -- it's like Alexis going to Sable to tell her to be nicer to "struggling" Frankie.

Well, she had the last word anyway, which apparently she started to tweet in the scene's final seconds.

Alexis is so powerful she manifested history's first smart phone.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Although Krystle is actually the one who is a bit out of line here

It's merely the very nonsensical idea that Krystle would be so optimistic to think that she could change Alexis' opinion on anything or anyone.
To Alexis, it never mattered if Krystle was right or wrong.
And you'd think that after 5 years Krystle would get the effing point.
Which, by the very way, proves that it wasn't a tumor that endangered Krystle's brain, it was the overexposure to hair spray. I wouldn't be surprised if she also used it to fix her shoulder pads. Perhaps the actors too. Yes, that's it. They couldn't move because of the hair spray!
And that's another mystery solved thanks to my impeccable sleuth skills (if I may say so).

 

[Richard Channing]

it wasn't a tumor that endangered Krystle's brain, it was the overexposure to hair spray

Yes, it's like being on poppers constantly for years and years. Poor Krystle, she didn't stand a chance. I wonder if Adam secretly encouraged her to use far more hairspray than necessary to get her out of the way?

 

[Willie Oleson]

it's like being on poppers constantly for years and years.

Hence why she ransacked her bedroom at the end of season 8. Looking for more spray.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Even in the well-scribed pilot, lawyer Andrew Laird says to Fallon, "would you leave us, please?" and Fallon responds, "is that a hint, Andy -- are you trying to get me to leave?"

I mean, some hint, when "leave" is exactly the word he just used...

 

[Laurie Marr]

Oh the dialogue was transcendentally bad after Season 2.

 

[Willie Oleson]

lawyer Andrew Laird says to Fallon, "would you leave us, please?" and Fallon responds, "is that a hint, Andy -- are you trying to get me to leave?"

While I agree that it doesn't sound very poetic I see it as irritatingly mocking the request of the man who's working for her father.
By repeating it she makes it sound as if she isn't repeating it, thus suggesting that Andrew would never tell Blake's daughter to leave the room.
Not that she actually cares about the hierarchy thing, at least not in this scene, she just wants to create a negative vibe.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Oh the dialogue was transcendentally bad after Season 2.

Are you sure?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

While I agree that it doesn't sound very poetic I see it as irritatingly mocking the request of the man who's working for her father.
By repeating it she makes it sound as if she isn't repeating it, thus suggesting that Andrew would never tell Blake's daughter to leave the room.
Not that she actually cares about the hierarchy thing, at least not in this scene, she just wants to create a negative vibe.

This why the "optimistic" smiley is sorely missed.

 

[Willie Oleson]

This why the "optimistic" smiley is sorely missed.

There's still the passive-aggressive "informative" smiley.