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Moffat: "fairly stupid people"
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"There’s been a weird backlash among, I presume, fairly stupid people about the fact the shows are complicated and clever, but they’re both huge international hits... We make no apology. Don’t expect to do the ironing; sit down, pay attention and think about it. Audiences like complexity. They follow intricately plotted soap operas all the time. It depresses me when people say, ‘It’s all far too clever.'"
It was on DS yesterday but I read it here. I know that the previous producer was pilloried for not showing due deference to viewers. Should a person in Moffat's position give an honest opinion or should he keep it to himself, lest he upset people who disagree with him?
[news]Steven Moffat slams "fairly stupid" 'Doctor Who', 'Sherlock' cynics[/news]
It was on DS yesterday but I read it here. I know that the previous producer was pilloried for not showing due deference to viewers. Should a person in Moffat's position give an honest opinion or should he keep it to himself, lest he upset people who disagree with him?
[news]Steven Moffat slams "fairly stupid" 'Doctor Who', 'Sherlock' cynics[/news]
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That said, like him I don't really understand the criticism. The programmes just aren't very complicated. They're clever by television standards, but that's barely more of a compliment than being an interesting presenter by GMTV standards.
Yeah, IMO there were a few things wrong with the
over-complicated arc of the last series,
and by calling people who took issue with the plot
"fairly stupid people", Moffat comes across as
tactless and intolerant. :mad: He seems to be
taking after Russell T. Davies here (remember
when RTD called people who disliked
reality TV as "idiots?" :eek: ).
.
Basically: It's my show. This is how i do it. Don't like it. Don't watch it.
"Logopolis","Castrolvalva" and "Kinda" were my idea of clever.
Using the logic 'well you're obviously too stupid to get it' never ends well.
He's saying exactly the OPPOSITE of what you think he's saying! What he is saying is people who make generalisations about a genre (i.e - "All Reality TV is rubbish") are idiots.
RTD loves reality TV. That's why he wrote 'Bad Wolf', remember? I'm sure he states that in the accompanying confidential.
Surely saying that people who make generalisations on TV genres are idiots is hypocritical as he is making a generalisation about people who make generalisations for TV genres,
Just saying
I can empathise though. He has a grueling schedule to work to, he clearly loves DW, he pours his heart and soul into it, yet last series he got a lot of crap about falling ratings (that weren't falling) and overly-complicated plots (which weren't overly complicated. More complex than we're used to, certainly, but nothing that was too difficult to follow).
So I understand if he feels a bit frustrated now and then.
As another poster said, though, he could personally demolish my house and I'd still be watching Series 7, Episode 1 the second it came on.
The only stupid people are the ones that never ask questions. That's probably not a saying, but it should be.
Worked for the "No to AV" campaign.
I wish Steven Moffatt would go be a fan of something else!
Just sounds like he's letting off steam about the flack he thinks he's getting for the series six arc. It's interesting that he lumps Doctor Who and Sherlock together like that. I've read plenty of criticism over the series six arc for being too convoluted/"clever"/daft, but none directed at Sherlock.
I think he's putting up a bit of a straw man there. Portraying critics of the series six arc as critics of "clever" television scripts generally. Much of the best criticism of series six was not complaining that cleverness will shed viewers. Mostly that, in their opinion, series six was hobbled by some poor ideas. That the "cleverness" didn't entirely reward the viewer for paying close attention over a series that spread its mysteries from April to September.
A forlorn hope, I think. He's been an avid viewer since his earliest memories and this is his dream job.
There are valid criticisms to make about Series 6 - but those aren't the ones that were splashed all over the newspapers.
"Being complicated" is a good thing, and not something Moffat is ever going to compromise on. We can only hope that he follows through with complicated things that everyone can enjoy.
I didn't need anything repeated thanks. I didn't say that Moffat has literally cast all critics and all possible criticism of series six as stupid.
I commented on his putting Doctor Who (implied series six arc) and Sherlock in the same sentence. Making a strong association that the fairly stupid people he had in mind are generally criticising both and for the same reason. Disarming criticism of the series six arc by equating it with the generally less criticised Sherlock plots.
He knows that a popular shorthand for series six is "complicated" and it seems to me he intends to imply (although not literally say) that stupidity is a major reason for not having enjoyed it.
But its no big deal. I'm not offended in the slightest. If there exist people who really have said that both Doctor Who and Sherlock should avoid complexity in favour of extremely simple plots then I'd disagree with them too.
I also think youve put words in his mouth. He doesn't appear to have given the clarifications that you describe.
God, and to think I quite liked him when he started :eek: