Whedonesque : Comments on 7088 : It's a Jane Espenson penned episode of 'The Inside' tonight.

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June 29 2005

It's a Jane Espenson penned episode of 'The Inside' tonight. One of the Whedonverse's most acclaimed writers returns to the small screen (minor spoilers for the episode).

When she's going to get her own show? Didn't she have some pilots on the go?

Simon | Cast&Crew | 14:26 CET | 36 comments total | tags: the inside, jane espenson

I can't wait for tonight. I missed the last episode because my satellite dish went kaput. The only thing worse would be missing Jane's episode.

Simon, she had at least one pilot in the works for Fox, called "Utopia", for which the first draft of the script was to have been completed by Jane last November. It was a one hour drama about teens in a small midwestern town-gone-wrong. Haven't heard anything new since then. I hope it flies.

jaynelovesvera | June 29, 15:22 CET

Me too. She's on my dream wish list for people I'd like to see posting here.

Simon | June 29, 16:41 CET

*sings 'Sweet Jane' in a swoony manner*

I luff her. I luff her hard. Go J-ane! Go J-ane! Go J-ane!

Bout damn time TV got another glorious Espesode...

Bad Kitty | June 29, 18:48 CET

Yes! I'm so seeing this tonight! Next to Joss, Jane is the best writer EVER!

Harmalicious | June 29, 18:52 CET

My kids are upset because they'll be on a train to Chicago this evening. They don't like "The Inside" all that much, but they love Jane Espenson and don't want to miss her episode. I have to work tonight, so hopefully my VCR's timer won't decide to do its own thing...

[ edited by Nebula1400 on 2005-06-29 17:14 ]

Nebula1400 | June 29, 19:14 CET

Me too, Nebula1400. Working tonight, but VCR timer to the rescue! I should just give in and get a TVoe. Have fun in Chicago, not many better towns than that one, even if you do have to work! I've been waiting for an Inside with a little more humor than previous episodes. If I know Jane, she'll deliver!

Harmalicious | June 29, 20:35 CET

fyi - we have a signed copy of tonight's ep straight from Jane. It's part of our charity event for ComicCon.

Happy Viewing!

miyu_tVP | June 29, 21:19 CET

miyu-tvp, someone emailed me for Tim's contact info to contribute, which i sent, but never heard back. did you guys get what you needed?

Allyson | June 29, 21:34 CET

Allyson!!!

hey there. I don't think we have any contribution from Tim, and it would mean the **world** to us if we could get him involved in any way, shape or form. We are planning to pimp Firefly, Wonderfalls & The Inside at our table for ComicCon.

We would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have. miyu@sfbrowncoats.com

Keep Flying!

miyu_tVP | June 29, 21:42 CET

I wonder if Joss could get Jane to write for the Spike/Illyria movie that I hope he's seriously planning to do even if it isn't on the front burner right now.

killinj | June 29, 21:52 CET

killinj, that would be my perfect dream come true especially if Joss co-writes and Faith is included.

Harmalicious | June 29, 22:14 CET

don't *say* things like that people! ;)

Spike/Illyria/Faith written by Joss & Jane? wow.

miyu_tVP | June 29, 22:27 CET

Nice! Even more reason to look forward to a new The Inside!

Niels | June 29, 22:30 CET

" Have fun in Chicago, not many better towns than that one, even if you do have to work! I've been waiting for an Inside with a little more humor than previous episodes. If I know Jane, she'll deliver! "

Unfortunately, I'm not going to Chicago, because I have to work here in NJ. The up side to that is I have 5 free days all to myself! I think I'll buy new furniture - or go to the movies a lot!

"The Inside" better get some humor in it. Between to gore, the murky lighting and the ordinary stories, something's got to change. Mentioning Angel or a little Wolfram logo isn't going to carry me through a whole series.

Nebula1400 | June 29, 23:14 CET

I have been following the show and imo I think with each episode it is getting better. I mean, how can you go wrong with a show headed by Tim Minear?

chasingclerks | June 30, 02:07 CET

Espisode. Snort. Fine, I'll watch.

GrrrAargh | June 30, 02:43 CET

I agree with the need for humor, and the ensemble needs a lot more character development. But I find the show compelling anyway, and I'm plenty willing to give it some time to grow. Can't wait to see what Jane does with it tonight.

Andarcel | June 30, 02:50 CET

Most definitely my favourite episode yet - so refreshing to NOT have Rebecca be a victim. And the little girl was awesome, as well as the nanny from "Wonderfalls".

Knuckleball | June 30, 06:06 CET

Did you notice the Serenity reference? Terrific episode. Jane rules. The Wonderfalls nanny was great. After seeing her and the emphasis on kids, I half expected the kid on Wonderfalls who ordered the Russian bride to show up and be the killer.

jaynelovesvera | June 30, 06:24 CET

What was the Serenity reference, jaynelovesvera? It was really a Serenity reference, not a Firefly one? Spill! Spill! Please!

phlebotinin | June 30, 06:27 CET

I missed the Serenity reference, too. What was it?

This was a better episode than last week's (which was the first I had seen). It had Jane's stamp from the first with Adam Baldwin's line: "What's wrong with cake for breakfast? *beat* Pancakes are cake! Pancakes are for breakfast." (or wording to that effect)

The evil little girl looked familiar. I have seen her in something fairly recently, although I cannot remember what it was. Anybody else recognize her?

I'm still not a fan of the woman lead, though. I'm having the same response to her as I did to the woman who played the lead in Point Pleasant -- a lack of variation in expression, a lack of ability to express much with her face. The other actors are far more interesting. If the series manages to get beyond its 13th episode, maybe she will learn something from her castmates.

palehorse | June 30, 07:45 CET

I just watched it (after a late night at work) and the Serenity reference jumped out at me like a frog on a hotplate! Wow! I LOVE Jane Espenson!!! It's in the opening scene after the credits. Peter Coyote's character is quoting the brochure from the gated community: "Serenity. Tranquility. Security."

This was by far the best episode of the series. No surprise, though, because Jane Espenson is the Supreme Goddess of screenwriting.

[ edited by Nebula1400 on 2005-06-30 07:03 ]

Nebula1400 | June 30, 08:58 CET

Gee, I don't know if I missed something or was expecting too much or was just in the wrong mood. Admittedly I was cooking while watching, but I just did not see anything particularly compelling or interesting tonight. I liked the little girl's performance. I thought there were some nice lines, but when I finished I felt like I had just watched an episode of any number of crime shows. I know it is difficult to impossible to find new ground in the genre, but tonight did not really seem to be trying...IMO of course.

Still love Ms. Epenson, I just do not think tonight was her best work.

newcj | June 30, 09:14 CET

The problem is that we are the kind of people who prefer wildly imaginative shows that serve to address real issues and concerns in very unorthodox ways. The crime show formula is not our thing (at least not most of us). We're watching extraordinary writers writing a generally ordinary show. The dialogue may be better than most (as it was tonight), but it's still a murder-of-the-week show without vampires, reavers, or talking wax lions.

Nebula1400 | June 30, 09:27 CET

Maybe if you imagine that Web is a vampire and Mel is a talking puppet lizard, you'll have a better time.

Allyson | June 30, 10:12 CET

The problem is that we are the kind of people who prefer wildly imaginative shows that serve to address real issues and concerns in very unorthodox ways.

I know what you mean. I loved this episode, as I did last week's, and I was thinking earlier about what I bring to the table when I sit down to watch it, as compared to others who are not typically fans of crime shows. I do feel like there are twists in this show not typical of others of teh genre, and I'm loving that. When Madison was in the car with Henry's (I think) mom, and she said, "I want my mommy", the mother followed with, "I want my son." Not the typical powerful moment you'll see in Law & Order or CSI. And the tragic full circle ending. Very much not typical other similar shows.

I'm not saying that in the span of these few episodes, I love this show "as much as" Buffy. I don't refuse to answer the phone and threaten torture upon my friends and family who attempt to interrupt my viewing pleasure. But I enjoy it, in a different way. And I'll miss Law & Order, or SVU, or NCIS without giving it much thought. If I have plans, I'll tape this.

P.S. A quote! It's like a whole new world has just opened up for me. Go me!

Angela | June 30, 10:29 CET

"Maybe if you imagine that Web is a vampire and Mel is a talking puppet lizard, you'll have a better time. "

That might work.

Nebula1400 | June 30, 10:49 CET

Could the name Paul Ryan have anything with the comicbook artist Paul Ryan?

Jonas | June 30, 15:22 CET

I loved this episode! Got my daughter to watch it with me & she loved it too. Jane is just an amazing writer. Tim has a beautiful twisted mind :) I want more, lots more.

Oh, the little girl looked really familiar to me too, so I looked her up. This year she has also been on L&O SVU, Medium, Judging Amy & Malcolm in the Middle.
[ edited by cold rain on 2005-06-30 14:43 ]

[ edited by cold rain on 2005-06-30 14:46 ]

supersymetry | June 30, 16:32 CET

This is the episode that all remaining episodes will have to live up to. It was so good I’ll even refrain from my weekly whining about Rebecca (to the actress’s credit, she did work well with the kids). Giving the other characters more screen time instead of focusing on her made a big difference and I hope they continue that balance because she just doesn’t have the chops for what is being asked of her. That was complaining, not whining, by the way. I’m surprised and glad they were actually allowed to have the bad seed be a killer which may have been too disturbing for some viewers. I know it’s wrong to giggle at “toddler on a stick”, but I did it anyway.

bloodflowers | June 30, 16:57 CET

I almost turned this off after the opening scene.

I'm not a huge Jane fan - she is kind of hit and miss with me.I felt the humorous banter among the group was strangely out of place, considering what a humourless lot they have been up to this point.

Ruadh | June 30, 17:34 CET

Could the name Paul Ryan have anything with the comicbook artist Paul Ryan?

Paul is Tim's middle name. I don't know why he chose Ryan.

Allyson | June 30, 18:24 CET

Clearly a very good name, I mean clearly :)

Paul_Rocks | June 30, 18:49 CET

Nebula - this is exactly what I said to hubby last night. I'll not criticize someone for picking up a paycheck and managing to get their series past 4 aired episodes, but I think that, well, I know that we expect MORE from these guys. I expect an introduction to a new kind of show in a new kind of universe, not a better version of existing shows.

I have to agree with Angela though on the I want my mom/I want my son scene. It was very very well done.

And yet, very well done on this show still leaves something to be desired, for me at least. I've yet to find a compelling reason to be an avid watcher aside from Adam's perty face.

GrrrAargh | June 30, 19:09 CET

Great show, I enjoyed it immensely. I especially found the little girl named Nora completely compelling. I was trying to figure out who she was...reminded me of Mara Wilson but I haven't seen her for years.

That look that Madison gave to Rebecca right before she fell was downright EVIL! I was so creeped out. Good acting all around and a great story!

SaltyGoodness | June 30, 20:50 CET

Great work, Jane!!

Calledon | June 30, 21:56 CET

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