MickeyA Tale of Two Actors
Once upon a time there was an actor named David Duchovny. In 1993 David got hired to play a leading character on The X-Files. The early ratings for The X-Files weren't great, but FOX was a younger and more desperate network then, and the fledgling show was given time to show that word of mouth was starting to push their numbers up. The show was renewed for a second season and became one of the few sci fi shows to break through and enjoy mainstream success.
As the years went on, though, Chris Carter began to abandon any real sense of what the real story/conspiracy behind the show was (if he ever actually had a clear concept of it). The show started re-writing the evil government/extraterrestrial conspiracy every few weeks- you may recall how about every year they had a different "Okay, now this is the real story behind Samantha Mulder's abduction!" episode.
Duchovny noticed- and complained- about the fall in writing quality, but for all his complaints once in front of the camera he still gave 100% effort. He did the best he could with every script, no matter his own misgivings about it. When it finally reached the point he felt he couldn't work with the show any more he arranged to be written out for a while.
Once upon just about the same time there was another actor, Robert Beltran, playing in another sci fi show on an even lower-rated network. Robert was also heard to complain about his show's quality- and with good reason. Voyager started off as crap in the pilot, and then the writing for the series took a nosedive. Robert was in fact very kind and restrained in his criticism of the show.
The difference, though, was that while David felt obliged to keep doing the best work he could, and while Robert's cast mates were all also working as best they could with the same idiot scripts, Robert decided the poor writing deserved a poor performance from him. The scripts coming from the Voyager writers were very much beneath the star of the hit motion picture Night of the Comet, and so Robert merely stood around during his scenes, not bothering to act his part any more.
Since X-Files Duchovny has had several movie roles, as well as several TV appearances. Since Voyager Beltran has had half a dozen gigs- two of them being made-for-SciFi schlock. If you're going to complain about someone else- say, the writers- not doing their job, it comes across much better if you're still doing yours.
As the years went on, though, Chris Carter began to abandon any real sense of what the real story/conspiracy behind the show was (if he ever actually had a clear concept of it). The show started re-writing the evil government/extraterrestrial conspiracy every few weeks- you may recall how about every year they had a different "Okay, now this is the real story behind Samantha Mulder's abduction!" episode.
Duchovny noticed- and complained- about the fall in writing quality, but for all his complaints once in front of the camera he still gave 100% effort. He did the best he could with every script, no matter his own misgivings about it. When it finally reached the point he felt he couldn't work with the show any more he arranged to be written out for a while.
Once upon just about the same time there was another actor, Robert Beltran, playing in another sci fi show on an even lower-rated network. Robert was also heard to complain about his show's quality- and with good reason. Voyager started off as crap in the pilot, and then the writing for the series took a nosedive. Robert was in fact very kind and restrained in his criticism of the show.
The difference, though, was that while David felt obliged to keep doing the best work he could, and while Robert's cast mates were all also working as best they could with the same idiot scripts, Robert decided the poor writing deserved a poor performance from him. The scripts coming from the Voyager writers were very much beneath the star of the hit motion picture Night of the Comet, and so Robert merely stood around during his scenes, not bothering to act his part any more.
Since X-Files Duchovny has had several movie roles, as well as several TV appearances. Since Voyager Beltran has had half a dozen gigs- two of them being made-for-SciFi schlock. If you're going to complain about someone else- say, the writers- not doing their job, it comes across much better if you're still doing yours.
