The Chemistry Lottery

"Why do you always have to prove you're the Alpha male?"
"I don't have to prove anything love, I am the Alpha male!"

In Television Land, chemistry is a fickle thing. 

There are many sexy actors who smoulder (onscreen and off), but there's no guarantee personal charisma will automatically transform into great chemistry with another actor. Sometimes two actors just don't connect, no matter how lovingly they gaze at each other.

It's a weird phenomena that drives writers and EPs up the wall. Some production teams make the mistake of forcing a relationship because they feel mentally locked into a particular narrative, but truth is, chemistry-free pairings are bad for ratings.

(Side note: I consider this the difference between writing a tv show and a novel -  if the audience can't "see" any chemistry between an onscreen couple, let go of the storyline. Adapt, and follow the fireworks!)

The flipside of the no-chemistry coin is an actor with Universal Chemistry (capitals warranted). This is pretty interesting, and relatively rare. For those chasing a small screen career, having U.C. is like holding the elusive golden ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. 

To clarify, it's not about beauty (though that doesn't hurt), it's about an actor's ability to create the illusion of connection; to somehow make the audience see romantic potential between their character and whoever they happen to be sharing a scene with. Nobody knows how it's done, it's just an elusive element certain thespians "bring to the screen".

An actor who creates chemistry with almost any of their onscreen co-stars is the best gift a writing team can get. So many storylines that otherwise wouldn't be viable, are suddenly on the table. 

You can generally spot a U.C. actor by the diverse range of shipping videos they star in on youtube. (For those not in the know, "shipping" is the desire for two characters in a tv show to hook up.) 

A U.C. actor's character is usually "shipped" with everyone, from their onscreen best friend to the extra behind the coffee cart. They smile at someone, and suddenly the audience imagines a romance unfolding.

Here's half a dozen of the best examples of actors with Universal Chemistry currently on the small screen (and by best, I mean ones that have stuck in my mind):

Candice Accola, who plays Caroline in The Vampire Diaries

Caroline and Stefan, a long time coming.
(& no, that is NOT a pun.)

Followers of the show know Candice can sizzle with any co-star. From a bit part as the annoying small town mean girl, she quickly became a fan favourite, partly thanks to her universal chemistry.

Originally the character dated human footballer Matt, with fans wholeheartedly behind the sweet pairing. Then she formed a connection with werewolf Tyler, and audiences began to think this was a great idea instead. After Tyler, came Klaus, the oldest, most psychotic of vampires (a hated villain in the series), who suddenly seemed like boyfriend material.

Personally, I loved her with Klaus (the irredeemable bad boy thing), but now Caroline's spending a lot of (screen)time with... Stefan. Yes, the character whose soul mate love for Elana kickstarted the whole bloody show in the first place. And yet, Accola makes the idea feel believable, rather than a blasphemous 360 away from the show's premise.

Even the program's creators have admitted the actress creates chemistry left, right and centre, making Candice Accola the reigning queen of U.C. 

Here's one of her many touching onscreen moments with a co-star (or two):




Tyler Blackburn, who plays Caleb in Pretty Little Liars

Who knew computer hacking was such a saucy past time?

Tyler Blackburn's character was a committed boyfriend to Hannah on Pretty Little Liars, but any time he shares a screen with another actress, accidental sparks flare. His first few scenes on the show were actually with the character Emily. (I remember because I thought they seemed like a great potential couple, before recalling Emily's gay, and wondering how I could have forgotten that?)

The photo above is of Caleb and Spencer, a totally platonic afternoon of computer hacking that somehow became rife with sexual tension. Then there was a moment talking to Aria where even Aria's mum thought Caleb was her boyfriend. Oh, and the time the character bro-bonded with Tobey (ie getting their detective on), that had recappers suddenly envisioning Hannah's boyfriend and Spencer's boyfriend running off together...

Caleb even visited Hannah's mum in jail at one point, and managed to lace the emotional scene with unintended chemistry. (Seriously, how does this guy do it?!)

Blackburn's universal chemistry scored him his own spin-off show, Ravenswood (as set up in the scene below), but the premise sparked its own problems, and he's now back in the PLL's hood.




Alexander Skarsgard, who plays Eric in True Blood

Eric fantasies. A True Blood staple.

Firstly, the Skarsgard family are all such talents, it's no surprise Alexander's got the U.C. touch. Casting him as seductive vampire Eric was a stroke of genius. 

His character's scenes with Pam always sizzle in a weird way, while Eric's interactions with series lead Sooky are (of course) very seductive. Not forgetting the passive/aggressive sexual tension he brings to clashes with Bill. Even when sharing the screen with characters more than a little afraid of him (like Tara and Lafayette), there's still some sparkage. 

And do I really need to start listing male and female vamps who've smoked up the screen with Skarsgard's character? 

Because of the kind of show this is, the writers usually follow through and have Eric hook up with, let's face it, almost everyone (not really, but sometimes it feels like it!). Even Jason has erotic dreams about his sister's vampire ex.

In a way, Alexander Skarsgard's universal chemistry perfectly captures/channels the supernatural charisma of the character he's playing.




Ksenia Solo, who plays Kenzi in Lost Girl

Torn between two lovers?  Tango it out.
(That totally won't backfire.)

Ksenia Solo, aside from being a serious scene stealer on Lost Girl, also kind of messes with the relationships on the show the writers want you to "ship" by accidentally sizzling with almost everyone.

On a romantic level, the series revolves around bisexual character Bo, her male lover Dyson, and her female lover Lauren. Unfortunately, in an hallucination Bo imagines her straight friend Kenzi kissing Lauren, and fans noted the kiss had more chemistry than four years of the Lauren/Bo romance. (Oops.)

Last season everyone forgot Bo existed for a while (long story) and Dyson dated Kenzi for an episode. There was more sizzle between Kenzi and Dyson in those scenes than the whole Dyson/Bo relationship fans are supposed to "ship".

Basically, after a scene or two with anyone, Ksenia Solo makes the pairing seem like a perfect match. Her romantic relationships on the show, most notably with childhood crush Nate, and later with Hale, all had a true love vibe to them, thanks to the actor's U.C. powers.

(I chose this clip because, hey, it's kind of sweet.)



Eva Green, who plays Vanessa Ives in Penny Dreadful

Eva Green plays fragile and intense, just as
easily as she plays powerful and intense.
Frankly, her range is... intense.

Arguably, Eva Green as Vanessa uses sexual allure to manipulate the men in her sphere - it's how the character's written. What's notable is the way the actress can share just a gaze with a male character, and the audience is drawn into acknowledging the complex romantic possibilities present.

Vanessa began the series verbally sparring with the wounded and mysterious gunslinger Ethan Chandler, before flirting with the mysterious and erotically indulgent Dorian Gray. When she's with Sir Malcolm, it almost seems like shared history is enough to kickstart a complex romantic entanglement, while the way she understands Dr. Frankenstein's motivations highlights an odd potential there, too.

Eva Green has a fabulously intense onscreen presence, and when you throw universal chemistry in the mix, you have an actress who can make a character really come alive in the viewers' minds. (It's important to note she isn't a vapid love interest flung from one male character to the next - Vanessa's in control of each interaction.)

I went for a pretty safe sample here (since a lot of Penny Dreadful scenes are, let's face it, gore porn):



Nathan Fillion, who plays Richard Castle in Castle

Have we been married before?

Oh, Nathan Fillion. The undoubted King of Universal Chemistry (I know, there should be some kind of Game of Thrones pun here.)

What makes this man a master is how he channels the chemistry in any given scene - instead of seeing romantic potential, you're forced to envision the kind of emotional connection the writers/Nathan would prefer you to imagine. 

That's a handy talent.

Kudos, firstly, for the chemistry Fillion creates with Detective Beckett (possibly one of the dullest female characters on tv). Sparks with Beckett's best friend Laney are channelled into a harmless flirtation. Next up is the accidental chemistry with the actors who play his mother and daughter that he manages to keep familial, and the energy with the male cop characters that's determinedly held to a "buddy" vibe.

Fillion really is a consummate small screen performer.

Time After Time

The passing of Harold Ramis made me think about the iconic film Groundhog Day, a movie he directed and co-wrote, and the fact that the Groundhog Day Loop has since became an actual television trope.

Science fiction and paranormal shows obviously lend themselves to this kind of narrative, so here are five fave groundhog day tv show tribute episodes from writers who obviously love that crazy god damn movie as much as I do.

THE BEST

The Stargate episode Window of Opportunity is one of the all-time best examples of the kind of hilarity that can ensue when characters live the same day over, and over, and over. AND OVER.

Jack O'Neill's meltdown is incredibly funny. He rides a bike through the base, takes up pottery, learns to juggle, plays golf with Teal'c (using the Stargate as a green), and even resigns so he can make out with Sam! 

LET'S PARTY. AND PARTY. AND PARTY.

This recent episode of Lost Girl's aptly titled Groundhog Fae. Bo and Tamsin are trapped in a loop that happens to take place at a party... Hola!

What I love most about GHD episodes are the way the audience really clicks with the character's emotions. At first, you enjoy the novelty of the experience and the lack of repercussions right along with him/her, then you, too, become increasingly exasperated. 

Funniest scene? When Tamsin lays one on Bo, not realising she, too, is trapped in the time loop and won't be forgetting that lip lock anytime soon.... AWKWARD.

HOT SAUCE

Because Supernatural has always fabulously melded humour and tragedy, this series is a perfect match for time loop shenanigans. The repeato elements in the episode Mystery Spot are, for the most part, entertainingly funny- the recurring death of Dean, not so much, but that storyline ties in nicely with the season's overarching narrative.

This is solid scripting, really using the Groundhog Day trope to great effect. (And the nod to the original movie, with the radio coming on as Sam wakes up? Nice touch.) 

WORKING RETAIL

A time looping slayer seems destined to kick some comedic ass, but surprisingly, the groundhog-style episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, titled Life Serial, is comparatively weak (considering how clever/hilarious the series is overall).

While still amusing, this episode isn't the best of the Groundhog bunch. I've included it though, because anyone whose worked retail knows that even when time's moving forward, it can still feel like forever...

TRY ONLINE BANKING

Ah, Mulder and Scully. Who can forget the sight of Mulder bleeding on the floor, and the look in Scully's eyes in the opener for the episode Monday? Also, props to Mulder for using the term "deja vu", and getting all clever-cute with the Freudian reference...

Such a damn fine show, especially when X-Files perfectionism melds with the Groundhog Day trope, taking it well beyond the comedic elements. This one's a stunner.

THE BEST

The Window of Opportunity episode of Stargate is one of the all-time best examples of the hilarity that can ensue when characters live the same day over, and over, and over. AND OVER.*

*See what I did there? YOU'VE BEEN GROUNDHOG'D! x

Oz Comic-Con Smallville Dinner

My friend Adam bought me an Oz Comic-Con special event ticket for my birthday. Basically, there's a plethora of dinners you can choose from, attended by one or two genre stars. He wisely let me decide which dinner he'd gift (because I'm fickle) and read me the list of actors (from various tv shows) scheduled for each event. 

At one point I yelled "Stop! Did you say just say Aaron Ashmore??" He confirmed AA would indeed be at the Smallville dinner, before starting to read down the list again. I cut him off with, "No, that's enough- I'll go to that one!"

I'm a longterm fan of the Ashmore brothers. I like them for a lot of reasons, including the fact twins fascinate me. Most of the stories I've written have a set of twins in them. (I could go on about why I find the concepts of twins endlessly interesting- but I'll refrain.)

Twins who also happen to be actors? That's a whole other level of interesting. Separately, I enjoy/appreciate the Ashmores' performances (though Aaron more so). Weird fact: For quite a few years I thought they were one actor, and was slightly puzzled at odd differences in the looks and gestures between each of Aar-awn's performances. (Yes, explained by the fact I was actually watching two completely different people in various separate roles- and morphing them!)

Originally, I loved Aaron Ashmore in the tv show Veronica Mars, portraying the charming but dastardly Troy. I also thought he was great in Smallville as the earnest Jimmy Olsen. Lately he's popped up in Lost Girl and Warehouse 13, both shows I watch, and been fantastic in each (playing extremely different personalities), so I was more than happy to eat dinner at the same table as him.

Onscreen, both Ashmore brothers have what my mother calls "speaking" eyes; the kind that emote, making them perfect for television and cinema. Secondly, they have an almost impeccable sense of timing, in terms of performance. I'm not sure if that's instinctive, or learned, but somehow they always work a scene to borderline perfection.

When Aaron Ashmore appears onscreen, you really do believe he's a spoilt rich boy conning Veronica/photojournalist who married Chloe/musician in love with Kenzi/gay Warehouse agent partnered to Claudia, and so forth... by which I mean, his performances are alway understated, yet strikingly realistic. (It's also interesting to note he's often cast in roles that see him paired with multi-faceted female characters). He never overpowers his co-stars, making no attempt to dominate ensemble scenes (a professional show of restraint too often underrated). Somehow, he consistently projects a certain authenticity, as if the character he is playing really is someone you might meet on the street. 

 My goal is to write for television, so I watch and study television the way Tarantino studied film... Noting popular narrative arcs, the power of ensemble casts, discrepancies in editing and pacing, preferred narrative templates for various networks and demographics (God save us all from television's dependency on procedurals). I process the structure for myriad reasons, ie to understand why some shows are successful, to pinpoint when popular programs jump the shark- and so on. I devour all the behind the scene information I can find. This way, when I do get my break, I'm pretty much as informed as I could possibly be without actually working on a set (& dare I say, possibly more informed than some with experience under their belt).

The idea of chatting with someone who had worked on various shows I admired, for whom television production is how they make their living (and who is notably good at it)… well, that was definitely something I wasn't going to pass up! Insider info over a meal sounded like a divine birthday present.

Off I went to the Smallville dinner. I was slightly nervous someone would start quizzing me on arrival and I'd be ejected for not being a "real" Smallville fan (yes, these are the things I worry about). I'll admit I even read ScifiNow magazine's Complete Guide To Smallville feature the night before the event, LOL.

The email notification specified the dress code was smart casual, which made me wonder if this was to subtly dissuade costuming? (Or maybe I was reading too much into it?). Either way, I left my Peter Alexander superhero nightie in the wardrobe HAHA and went for an all-black ensemble with a Great Gatsby original cover print bag. 

Note: There's always time for literary pretension in the form of a book-based fashion accessory, especially if said novel is currently experiencing a resurgence in popular culture. (Thanks Baz.)

The most surreal moment of the evening took place upon arrival. The dinner events were on the first floor of the hotel, but since they weren't finished preparing the rooms, we were told to wait in the foyer.  A few couches were arranged in a circular pattern, with a couple of dozen people waiting (if not more). I sat down next to two teenagers, then realised, hey, wait a minute… some of these people look HIGHLY FAMILIAR.

Basically, the stars from Oz Comic-Con booked to attend the dinners were also waiting in the foyer and appeared to be in no hurry to get upstairs and segregate themselves from their fans (serious kudos for that). It was bizarre, though, to be surrounded by cast members from so many popular genre shows!

To set the scene: Aaron Ashmore and Patricia Quinn (Rocky Horror Picture Show) were chatting nearby. A guy who looked vaguely familiar waved, & it took me a second to realise it was Eddie McClintock, and he looked familiar because I'd been watching Warehouse 13 on Foxtel that morning! 

Glancing around, I noticed some Star Trek alumni mingling, and was trying to take all this in when Jason Momoa from Game of Thrones and Stargate Atlantis rocked up and started high five-ing people... at which point my brain literally short-circuited. (The list of stars goes on, but I'll stop here so no one dies of envy.)

We finally went upstairs, trudging into the elevators en masse. I think it's fair to say you couldn't have found a friendlier, chattier group of Comic-Con celebrities. Major props to whoever selected the easygoing crew (visiting Perth in Australia, in case I hadn't mentioned).

Dinner was nice, although sitting with people you don't know is always kind of weird. (I guess it's weirder for the actors, although the paycheck probably helps!). A little like being at a wedding, except everyone was wayyyy more excited to be there- and we actually wanted to hear some speeches.

Aaron Ashmore proved to be as charming and intelligent as the organisers (and diners) could have hoped for, with a lot of interesting and insightful things to say about his career and place/s of work (ie the sets of small screen productions). He even took extremely predictable questions seriously and refrained from the eye rolling I would have probably indulged in, LOL.

I mentioned that I'd heard the set of Lost Girl it was in a warehouse, with small corridors between each "location", and he added that the corridors have green screens at the end, to make it appear that they go on for miles… basically he was full of these sorts of tidbits which (of course) I soaked up like a sponge. He laughed when we all pointed out that extras in Canadian shows seem to pop up repeatedly, over seasons and across many a' show. When talked turned to movies, he admitted he can't stand people who talk in cinemas, to the point where he'll tell them to can it… which led to a pros and con round-up of Cabin In The Woods, randomly enough. (AA was pro, btw).

When someone asked if there were any difficult people among the casts of the shows he's worked on, I like the way he tried to explain that the set of a tv show isn't really a place where actors can throw tantrums. He said that some actors may have what he would call big personalities, but that's a different thing. From what he was trying to articulate, I got the impression television productions are primarily a business, and that to stay employed on a set, people have to work hard, that the tv community in Canada is quite small, and you basically need to have a good professional reputation to continue to even hope to gain employment- like any workplace, really.

On the Smallville front, someone mentioned the fact his brother Shaun also appeared on the show and he said he'd been surprised to be considered for a role after that- but it hadn't appeared to bother them at all. He admitted he'd been waiting for a sly reference to Shaun's character Eric (and their startling physical similarity perhaps?) to show up in the script- but surprisingly, it never did.

Overall, just awesome dinner conversation with a soft spoken, polite and interesting special guest! Definitely worth the money, and I completely urge anyone who loves Oz Comic-Con to save the cash and go to a special event next year. They're basically a much more informal meet 'n greet, with some lovely grub thrown in the mix...

...Speaking of eating (or not), the funniest moment was when the waitress put my main course down just as someone realised she'd missed Aaron. Flustered, she grabbed my plate and whisked it away to give to him, pretty much the exact second I was about to eat from it. That provided a few laughs for the table. (Later, I pointed out to him it was pretty clear which one of us was the celebrity in this scenario.)*

(*I feel I should mention Callum Blue was also at the Smallville dinner- but since I don't really know him from any shows, I can't say much aside from the fact he was sassy, cheerful, and bought the entire table a round of drinks).

By the by, everyone working for Oz Comic-Con was polite and helpful. A great relief, considering someone else bought my ticket for this name-on-the-door event and I had to rock up kind of hoping for the (organisational) best.

After dessert, both stars were told the event had officially finished, so they were free to leave, but of course, welcome to stay. They chose to stay. Interestingly, none of the stars from any of the other meals seemed to be bolting for the exit, either.

I left feeling inspired and determined. It was fantastic to be around people who work in scripted television- to feel that for some, your dream is an everyday reality. It made me realise entering the industry is not so much about making a wild leap, as it is about about taking well planned steps to render your goal achievable. 

Undoubtedly a brilliant birthday present. Sure, I enjoyed meeting the celebrities, but the impression that working on a narrative-based television show is a job I'm just as capable of doing as the next (creative) person, was the truly priceless gift.

Supes Up

A succubus, a pickpocket and a werewolf cop walk into a (fey) bar. Not a joke, but a scene from Lost Girl, the Canadian television series recently picked up by America's Syfy network.

I have a soft spot for Canadian productions. I don't know what it is about programs from the other America, but they seem to stick in my mind. (I would make some jokes at Canada's expense here, but all the best ones have already been laid out by the writers of How I Met Your Mother).

More importantly- I love me some supes. Lost Girl taps heavily into the supernatural zeitgeist. (Hey, if there's room for the paranormal on bookstore shelves, there's room for the paranormal on television screens. Case closed).

Some of us watch supernatural television the way other people watch procedural dramas:

Average Joe's Weekly Viewing

-NCIS

-Law and Order

-Cold Case

Supe Fan's Weekly Viewing

-Supernatural

-True Blood

-The Vampire Diaries

In summary- Joe relaxes with the cops, while I kick back with the fey. Cest La Vie.

Lost Girl's costuming and sets make me think gritty graphic novel, though the content is a little tamer. Despite predictable lesbian overtures and an early threesome (why does paranormal tv equal risque romps these days?), it's clear our heroine Bo's heart belongs to wolf boy Dyson from the get go.

There is, of course, lots of sass. Attitude is de rigeur in shows where the main character's an outsider giving the finger to the Man.

Our loveable succubus Bo (get it?) does just that, by refusing to join a clan. Unlike Aaron Spelling's first paranormal soapie back in the day (ah, Kindred: The Embraced), this time the clan situation's easier to follow. Let me break it down for you:

Light.

Dark.

That's about it.

The debut episode did hammer home the importance of a quality support cast that can compensate for a relatively mediocre lead. It's not that Anna Silk is a bad actress- I just think she's miscast.

The story gives the impression the character Bo is around her mid-twenties. The actress, however, is easily in her late thirties. There's also constant references in the script to Bo's beauty. In all honesty, Silk isn't notably beautiful. She's thin and relatively pretty, but her features aren't that distinctive. She also doesn't have enough onscreen charisma to compensate for the lack.

Luckily, the other two thirds of the lead crew are impressive talents, thereby saving the day.

I love Ksenia Solo (which is why I used a photo of her for this blog, instead of the lead). Solo plays Kenzi, a tough talking teen thief who becomes Bo's best bud. Not only can she act, she has some of the palest blue eyes in the business.

Likewise, actor Chris Holden-Reid, who's face might look familiar from Tudors, also brings it to the table. Granted he's the only cop I know who wears a steampunk kind of leather vest to work, but boy, can he carry it off. Holden-Reid puts in such an understated, yet impacting performance, you can't take your eyes off him.

In the series debut, Bo fights a guy who makes the cast of Gladiator look small. I have to admit I was shocked when our heroine calmly cut the big baddy's throat. I was expecting a whole "I won't kill" rigmarole. No one mentions it again, and Bo seems unbothered by it, which definitely hints at a dark side behind the pretty face.

Just like the now-defunct supe show The Dresden Files, we've got a bar where the fey hang out and a bartender that seems to know more than he's saying. Most importantly, there's also a Private Investigations business to propel our protagonist into action.

You see, outsider heroes always have a heart of gold, but that heart of gold is wrapped in a heavy coating of reluctance, sprinkled with an unwillingness to get involved. Mandatory psyche requirements that inspire audience love, but cause headaches for writers. Who wants to watch a reluctant hero sit around at home?

How to overcome this quandary? Make the main character a PI. Appparently it's the perfect job for cash-challenged tv characters who have problems with authority, but can't resist helping the underdog (for a fee).

Honestly, PI's are the new superheroes. They're also less of a headache for the wardrobe department, since it excuses the need for crazy costumes, while allowing for a lot of black leather.

Overall, Lost Girl is great fun. Sure, the script isn't groundbreaking, but the stories are still well-constructed and the show is definitely enjoyable.

Like Supernatural, where the strength of the story lays in the Winchester's sibling relationship, the growing friendship between Bo and Kenzi looks set to be Lost Girl's backbone.

I'll definitely stay tuned for season two, which is currently filming.