Heh, that's neat. As others have said a buncha times here and elsewhere, if JJ and Joss got together I bet they'd create something beautiful. Between the two of them and every other genre writer, couldn't they pool their resources and create an all-genre-TV network like we've been dreaming of, since The Sci-Fi Channel isn't cutting it? I haven't seen more than a half a season of JJ's Alias, but I have mad mad love for most of the four season's worth of Felicity and I think Lost is arguably the best new show of the season, if not at least tied for first.

Kris | January 02, 15:01 CET

Bless JJ's heart. Can we consider Joss' former writers hostages or well-employed? I think we can see the latter. It tickles my heart for this fine mind to respect another.

[ edited by Madhatter on 2005-01-02 13:11 ]

Madhatter | January 02, 15:02 CET

That was truly good, looking forward to some suggestions on what was in the letter he sent,

"unless you agree to write a guest script and some ideas on a great villain for Alias by February we will send you ... "

jpr | January 02, 15:29 CET

Oh, is Drew's ear on e-bay yet?

Madhatter | January 02, 15:37 CET

If not a flan built copy/replica will be available within 24 hours. :)

Within 48 hrs the whole 'build-your-own Drew set' will be available which includes all bodyparts required to build your own TV writer ( ears optional according to JJ A. ) :)

[ edited by jpr on 2005-01-02 15:11 ]

jpr | January 02, 16:03 CET

OK, I was just making with the funny. Rather take Simone's question with heart. Lets discuss JJ and Joss.

Madhatter | January 02, 16:29 CET

Personally I don't think that J J writing is as good as Joss. Can't explain exactly why. I think it's lack of some irony. But still it's like trying to compare Superman to Captain Marvel, it's not quite the same.

But both of them are experts on surrounding themselves with the right talented people. I remember reading a JJ interview on Zap2it concerning on how the Lost writing staff was assembled and he did made that comment on giving Jos sa call after he knew about the demise of Angel, which was a really great touch.

I'm really enjoying Lost, and hope that ALias does get back refreshed.

Numfar PTB | January 02, 16:54 CET

jpr and Madhatter - heh! Good ones.
Anyone know how much day to day JJ has with his shows? Obviously he has left Alias in capable hands by now if he is in Hawaii with Lost. But does he give notes to the writers or break the stories the way Joss did? Even when I knew Joss was busy with 3 shows, I could see his hand in all of them. Those who have watched Alias from the beginning, can you see a difference? I just saw a few Alias' last year, so it will be a new show for me.

Lioness | January 02, 18:01 CET

If I had never seen any of Whedons stuff I would more than likely think Alias was the best thing on T.V. Abrams Seems to be a hell of a showrunner, the look feel of both Alias and Lost are almost cinematic in my opinion. Not only that he seems to be able to come up with concepts that both sci-fi geeks like myself and the general public accept. Where Whedon seems to enjoy making stuff that, on paper, sounds silly,(ex-cheerleader, a highschool librarian,and there geeky friends are the only thing standing between us and the apocalypse, Vampire vs. evil lawyers, spaceships and horses) Where Abrams stuff is a lot easier to explain. And that's also one of the reasons that I like Whedons stuff so much more, His shows sound a little silly and he knows that, so they don't have to take themselves so seriously, but when something serious dose happen the contrast makes it that much more powerful. But the thing that Really puts Joss's work above Abrams is how REAL his characters are. I don't know how he dose it but In 14 episodes of firefly he made me care more about 9 characters than I do about Sydney Bristow after 3 seasons. If Vaughn or Jack got Killed I don't think I would shed a tear, where every time I watch Becoming part 2 I get goose bumps and misty eyed, and I know Angels coming back 3 episodes later.

adventures in spelling | January 02, 18:14 CET

Lioness, always a honor to chat with you. Please tell me, did those DVD's make it in place?

Madhatter | January 02, 18:40 CET

I see alot of Alias in the early eps of Lost. The show is starting to diverge from that though, and mark out its own way. Like for instance, by this time in the first season of Alias we already knew the big secert. Lost is taking its time letting out the mystery with each episode. I'm watching Felicity for the first time ever on DVD. I see alot of Alias in that show, without the spy plots of course. I like J.J.'s writing and think it'd be amazing if he and Joss worked together. Like Joss, he blends character drama with genre into this amazing smorgsabord(i don't know how to spell that word) thats just creamy and delicious.

eddy | January 02, 19:30 CET

Oh Man....I am hanging for Lost to start in Australia!!
They are plugging it like crazy now...and after reading about how great it is on these boards...it does make one very excited...Indeed!

nixygirl | January 02, 19:53 CET

JJ also likes employing Joss' actors. Josh Holloway (Sawyer) was in City Of... as the vampire in the red shirt. I believe he's credited as "Good Looking Guy".

*cough* yeah...

lady_fantastic | January 02, 20:11 CET

Sawyer was a 'red shirt'?! LOL! There's all manner of red shirt talk over on the Fuselage (and TWoP), its what we call the other crash survivors. How funny.

Willowy | January 02, 20:33 CET

I know. I don't post on the Fuselage, but I lurk occasionally. I just re-watched the episode. I had to giggle. The Rebel Dimples all vamped-out.

lady_fantastic | January 02, 20:36 CET

That was fun!! Had to share that one with all my family! It's nice to see the mutual respect they seem to have for each other and a collaboration between the two of them could be very interesting. I really enjoyed the nod to Alias in the season 7 episode with the potential slayer in the red wig running through the nightclub with the music blasting. It was so very like an Alias episode.

Firefly Flanatic | January 02, 21:42 CET

Quite a lovely post.
I believe the holy trinity of writing in television right now is Joss, J.J. and Aaron Sorkin...beautiful/witty dialogue and tight plot lines.
My kingdom (kingdom???) for an ounce of that talent.

[ edited by rsfayez on 2005-01-02 19:53 ]

rsfayez | January 02, 21:53 CET

The potential slayer with red hair running in Hamburg (?) with German techno music pulsing in the background seems also a direct nod to Run, Lola, Run.

I'm enjoying the heck out of Lost - it's fun, it's involving, it's really good tv. I'm not an Alias fan (nor was I a Felicity fan), but I have to say that JJ Abrams seems to be one of tv's better show creators. I appreciate the fact that he takes so-called "genre tv" very seriously, making him of the same school as the Great Master. Genre needn't be silly and it drives me nuts that people tend to dismiss it while fawning over what they consider "important" (read: straight up drama) tv. Straight up drama, comedy, scifi, horror, adventure, fantasy - it can all be exquisite in the right hands.

Good for JJ for understanding genre's potential power and using it well. And how smart of him it is to snap up ME writers. I'm glad many of these gifted writers have places to strut their stuff. Now if only Joss would return to tv.......

phlebotinin | January 02, 22:02 CET

phlebotinin, I know for a fact the red hair in Alias' first episode was a nod to Run Lola Run. Don't know if Buffy's is too, maybe both. I remember all the fun arguments over that scene when it first aired and what "from beneath you, it devours" meant.

eddy | January 02, 22:12 CET

Madhatter, Nope,the Videos haven't made it yet as far as I know.
Soon, I expect.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled discussion.....

Lioness | January 02, 23:30 CET

They should get together like Spielberg, Katzenberg and Geffen did to form Dreamworks but instead of movies save TV.

IMMORTAL | January 03, 01:06 CET

JJ is no Joss, that can't be argued. However, Alias is one of the other shows (besides btvs, angel, and firefly) that I am obsessed with and can say that alias is the closest I've seen to the Joss-level of great television. I was always impressed with JJ and am thrilled about Alias this season :)

MySerenity | January 03, 01:58 CET

Lioness, I mailed them out over two months ago. Even snail mail should have made it there. Would you check please. They were not insured.

[ edited by Madhatter on 2005-01-03 13:00 ]

Madhatter | January 03, 14:33 CET

I still buy and watch Alias as soon as they're released, and they're quite suspenseful and entertaining. I like the action, and what there is of character building (they could be fleshed out a little better). However, I do find them somewhat repetitive and haven't yet felt the impulse to rewatch any of them. The story is always: Dress up. Plant a bug or steal something. Fight a couple of bad guys. Does spying have to be so monotonous? Plus the whole Rambaldi story just leaves me kinda cold. Anyway, Buffy and Angel grew, changed and developed - both the shows and the characters. When I saw the first eps of season 3 (I was quite a fan of Sidney's speech to Vaughn - very credible), I thought maybe they had reinvented some of the characters and the dynamics of the series - but alas no. I found Felicity boring, but perhaps I should hasten to say that I'm a few decades too old to be in the target audience (33). Anyway, if all television were as good as Alias, I'd watch it a lot more. But it still lacks something. I'm looking forward to checking out Lost.

sasja | January 03, 18:17 CET

Phlebotonin and eddy, I think the scene with the red haired potential is a nod to both Lola and Alias (while incorporating a location in Germany - Frankfurt, it says - and techno music, it quite well captures the Alias look and feel), acknowledging how one was influenced by the other. Because that's how clever a Joss show is...

TactGuy | January 03, 20:52 CET