Thoughts about the character changes from S1 to S2 with reference to Connor's techie skills

[deinonychus_1]

Recently I've been having some quite intersting discussions with Munchkinofdoom re the change between S1 and S2 with Connor, and the sudden appearance of his techie computer and engineering skills. Leaving aside how much you take canon at face value for the use of these skills (which myself and Munchkin do entirely disagree about), I've been thinking about the reasons behind the changes, and why they were so radical.

In S1 Connor was largely just a dino-geek, and with his database he was clearly set up to be the character that provided information about the creatures and the time periods. However, I have a feeling that the writers dropped a bit of a clanger, because that role, to a great extent, was already taken by Cutter, who is clearly the star of the show, and Connor's knowledge merely duplicates Cutter's, and Cutter is also better at it.  See, for example, 1.2, where Cutter got trapped in the underground and without him the others had to resort to consulting Connor and his database to identify the arthropleurid. On emerging from the underground, Cutter himself then demonstates that he has come to exactly the same conclusions re the identification, without any reference to Connor or his database - he simply knew it. It could be taken as bad editing, or if you chose to take canon at face value it can also be taken as an example that Cutter is simply better and knows more than Connor - not surprising considering one is a professor and the other his student.

The problem here is that in ensemble shows, it generally works better if each team member has something different to bring to the mix. Okay, certain things, such as action and fighting, tend to be across the board to some extent (although there are usually a couple of specialist characters in the actions roles - see Ryan and Stephen), but in terms of skills and knowledge there's usually a bit more of a distribution, with very little overlap or duplication. This then gives the opportunity for episodes where each individual member of the team can shine in their own unique area. Hence the problem with Connor. In S1 he had nothing unique to bring to the team. Anything he could do, Cutter could do better, so Connor was fequently just used as the comic relief character.

It has been said in interviews that the writers to some extent used the timeline shift in S2 to re-work the characters a little, and to rectify where things didn't quite work in S1. I suspect they realised what they had done with the duplication of skills, and that was why they made such a radical change to Connor. They expanded and extraploated from the database that we saw in S1, and gave him previously unseen computer/electronics/enginering skills, and at the same time they subtly shuffled the dino-geekery to one side. This kills two birds with one stone - it gives Connor a skill set that is unique to him, and it stops him stealing any of the limelight from Cutter, the star of the show, when it comes to palaeontological info-dumping.

It will be interesting to see what they do in S3, given the rumours of the potential... absence... of Cutter in S3 and beyond, and whether or not they quietly shuffle Connor back in to the role of dino-geek, should the position become vacant.

Now all they need to do is give Abby some decent opportunities to use her animal skills and we will all be happy.
 
These are just my thoughts, and I thought it would be interesting to throw them out for discussion. What do you guys think?

Comments

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

It really is a shame about the sloppy writing on the show. As you say, it leaves the viewer wondering if they *meant* for there to be that subtle change in behaviour, or if they just cocked up the character continuity again and we should just ignore it.

I liked S1 Connor, but I prefer S2 Connor. In S2 there was more of a defined role, and like you I loved the harder, more confident edge, but they just couldn't resist turning him into the comic relief whenever they wanted a comedy moment, which led to some shockingly out-of-character behaviour in some places - the abandoning Abby and accidentally shooting her being prime examples. He's *in love* with her, for gods sake, he wouldn't just abandon her when she's unconscious and there are dangerous predators around. Sorry, mini-rant over.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

The point with Coonor is that I think he's supposed to have be one of these super smart people who can turn their hands to anything given a bit of time to study.

Exactly. That's exactly my take on the character, especially after the comment in the S1 behind the scenes about him supposedly being a genius. It isn't necessarily realistic for him to be better or more knowledgeable than Cutter in an area that Cutter has been working in for years, but it *is* realistic for him to be extremely talented in a specific area, or in a related set of skills, which is very much how I see the computer/engineering stuff.

I miss dino-geek Connor as well, he always seemed so bouncy and enthusiastic about creatures, and while I love the harder edge that he seemed to have in S2, I also love the fun that he brings to the show as well, and there was less of that in S2. But then, the whole of S2 had a much less fun atmosphere and character dynamics, so possibly it would have been out of keeping with the effect they were trying to create to have everyone else being angsty and serious, and Connor still bouncing around like a wide-eyed school kid.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that to some extent we saw more of the student/teacher dynamic in S2 when they were no longer at university than we did in S1 when they were. In S1 Cutter almost seems to see Connor as an annoyance, at least until 1.4 when he persuades him to stay after Tom dies. In S2 there seemed to be a lot more instances of Cutter directly encouraging Connor to think and work things out, such as when they first discover the radio interference in the shopping centre, and when Connor introduces the ADD in 2.3 Cutter is the one telling him to calm down and showing confidence while the others (Leek and Jenny) make jokes at Connor's expense.

It's a dynamic that I absolutely love between the two of them, but I wonder how much we'll see of it in S3, and as they move further and further away from the university days of S1. Whether Connor will still look to Cutter as a mentor and seek his approval, and whether Cutter will still see Connor as his protege almost, and continue to encourage him professionally, if not academically. It may depend a lot on how Stephen's death affects Cutter's relationships with the remaining members of the team.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

Connor the dino-geek was such fun, it's a shame they toned that down to some extent because it was one of his more endearing character traits in S1. I wonder how much use they will make of his techie skills in S3, or whether they were a plot device to make the whole thing with Leek work in S2. Maybe the techie skills will also fade into the background in S3 if they realise they need him to be able to do something different, although it will stretch credulity to breaking point to have yet another character skill shift.

More teacher/student monent between Cutter and Connor would be lovely, but as I said to Reggie, I expect it depends very much on how the team dynamics change without Stephen around in S3.

[reggietate.livejournal.com]

It's interesting that to some extent we saw more of the student/teacher dynamic in S2 when they were no longer at university than we did in S1 when they were. In S1 Cutter almost seems to see Connor as an annoyance, at least until 1.4 when he persuades him to stay after Tom dies. In S2 there seemed to be a lot more instances of Cutter directly encouraging Connor to think and work things out, such as when they first discover the radio interference in the shopping centre, and when Connor introduces the ADD in 2.3 Cutter is the one telling him to calm down and showing confidence while the others (Leek and Jenny) make jokes at Connor's expense.

Possibly as a result of Connor's willingness to believe him in 2.01, when no one else did. And of course, his move away from Stephen, to whom he must have been to a large extent and mentor as well as a friend.

It's true he often seems to find Connor a bit of a trial in S1, but I think this is partly because he knows Connor should be capable of better. When he's larking about in from of the anomaly in the underground, he says to Lester, 'he looks like an idiot, but he has a good brain'. He may be hard on Connor in person, but he'll defend him to others.

It's a dynamic that I absolutely love between the two of them, but I wonder how much we'll see of it in S3, and as they move further and further away from the university days of S1. Whether Connor will still look to Cutter as a mentor and seek his approval, and whether Cutter will still see Connor as his protege almost, and continue to encourage him professionally, if not academically. It may depend a lot on how Stephen's death affects Cutter's relationships with the remaining members of the team.

Yes. It kind of depends if they're going to pair Cutter up more with Jenny or Abby, or with Connor, or with one of the new people. We've had very little hint of what the new relationships-dynamic is going to be like - particularly anything about Sarah. Now that it looks like we might get the new series in a month, it's time they started giving us some idea.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

I think this is partly because he knows Connor should be capable of better.... He may be hard on Connor in person, but he'll defend him to others.

I think you've hit the nail on the head with Cutter's feelings about Connor right there. Right from the start he saw Connor's potential, and knew he was capable of being an outstanding student if he applied himself to it, but was then constantly irritated by Connor's attitude.

Cutter's change in how he deals with Connor certainly does coincide with both his estrangement from Stephen, and Connor being the only one willing to believe him, so there's certainly an element of both those things coming into play in S2. The fact that Connor seemed to mature a bit in S2 probably helped a lot as well. Cutter is very much the tpye who wouldn't suffer fools, which is probably why S1 Connor rubbed him up the wrong way so much!

[munchkinofdoom.livejournal.com]

Sorry, mini-rant over.

*seconds mini-rant*

I know I'm cherry-picking what bits of canon I want to use but, essentially, the way I prefer to write Connor is 2nd season edge and maturity with 1st season skills. *veg*

Connor is one of my preferred narrators, and I'm having a ball with Abby pov in S&S. Considering we're fanficcers and they aren't even our characters, yet we can write them consistantly without gutting them, how hard can it really be for TFWIC to actually get Connor and Abby right?! *ends own mini-rant*

[steamshovelmama.livejournal.com]

It may be worth noting that, because of the magnetic nature of the anomalies, they may be breaking fairly new ground in terms of the engineering of things like the rover - there are, after all, commercially produced remote controlled robot cameras used by police/special forces all over the world.

The ADD itself wouldn't, I imagine, be a new concept - it's only something that detects magnetic sources/radio frequency sources. It perhaps taps into the satellite netowrk to locate the actual sites of the anomalies. If all this is simply a twist on technology we already have - the developing of new use, rather than new techniques - it's not unreasonable that Connor could be entrusted with over seeing the direction of the project.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

Good points - he's not actually creating something brand new, he's just building something that modifies existing technology. For someone as smart as Connor clearly is, this probably shouldn't be too difficult.

It might have been more interesting if they had hinted at things likle the anomalies causing unexpected interference with their attempts to scan them, or use radios and remote control devices in the vicinity of anomalies. The one thing we have learned, is that radio signals can pass *through* an anomaly, otherwise Connor's rover would have stopped as soon as it came out into the Silurian. Again I think this is one of those areas with vast potential for the science-fiction element of the show, but something that we'll never see, because it's too 'sciencey' for a tea-time family adventure show. Although that has never stopped Doctor Who dealing with complex science fiction plots, I suppose. But then, Doctor Who is more assured in its fan base and can afford the odd episode where half the audience go, 'huh?' and look confused, because they're still going to come back the following week regardless.

[reggietate.livejournal.com]

Considering we're fanficcers and they aren't even our characters, yet we can write them consistantly without gutting them, how hard can it really be for TFWIC to actually get Connor and Abby right?! *ends own mini-rant*

IN part, I think, because we have fewer constraints. We aren't answerable to ratings, we don't have to juggle special effects or location shoots that go pear-shaped, or lose things in the editing room, and we don't have to squeeze everything into forty-five minutes. Sometimes, something has to give, and minor points of characterisation are probably the easiest to give up.

Connor's leaving Abby I would guess was a problem with the editing (they seem to have had a few glitches with that in the ep, like Stephen's disappearing rifle later on). The dialogue suggests a misunderstanding between him and the others as to who was supposed to looking after her, but it was edited somewhat awkwardly, giving more of an impression that he'd just dumped her.

[reggietate.livejournal.com]

As I mentioned to someone else, I don't think that the S2 characters really are 'different' to the S1 versions. True, there is a slightly different emphasis in skill areas, and cosmetic changes such as clothes and hair, but I still believe that for the most part they are the same characters with more or less the same background experiences as we saw them having in S1.

I believe it's been stated by AH that they are the same people with most of the same experiences, just slightly different (obviously, they cannot be one-hundred percent the same, since none of them knew Claudia, etc). But they're not meant to be substantially altered from the characters in S1 that we know and love.

[fredbassett]

I fully support your rant. Sloppy writing, IMHO.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

cool, thanks for mentioning that, I'd not heard that the actual writers had said that. It's pretty much how I've always read the change, but unless they *show* that explicitly onscreen, then there's always going to be arguments about how how much was different in the S2 timeline prior to Cutter coming back from the Permian.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

2.1 had some truly shocking editing and continuity errors. Not the best impression to give with the first ep of a new series, but at least they sorted it out a bit better for the later episodes in S2.

I get the feeling that a lot of 2.1 was forcing characters or circumstances into unrealistic positions in order to set up some of the big action sequences. Connor leaving Abby led to the dramatic chase through the centre to get to her before the raptor did, and the whole debacle with the gun was clearly just a flimsy excuse to have the motorbike chase. As you say, it could be that bad editing made things look a lot worse than they were in the original script, but there were just such a lot of problems with the entire episode, I'm surprised no one picked it up before the ep went out, unless they were running *very* close to the deadline at that point, maybe.

[steamshovelmama.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I have problems with radio waves passing through the anomalies... Mr S and I had a discussion about the likelihood of this and the possibility/difficulties of various signal carriers.

New Who isn't nearly as science-fictiony as old Who. This is a matter of much grumbling amongst some of the fan base... I think TV writers (or, perhaps, executives) have a tendency to underestimate what TV audience want/can cope with. Hence the plethora of silly, dumb shows like Merlin and Demons and Robin Hood.

Chuck lots of pretty and bang at them and they won't notice... *shakes head*.

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

so it was a case of shooting them from a long way off rather than handling them

Yes, this! After all the giant predators I'd enjoy another Dodo-like episode, some non-threatening species just for a change that could be studied and passed around (and possibly be ridiculously cute?)

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

We *so* need there to be an episode featuring ridiculously cute and fluffy creatures for a change. I want to see Nick's happy dodo-face again! Surely not everything that comes through an anomaly has to be big and nasty and want to eat the team?

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

I think TV writers (or, perhaps, executives) have a tendency to underestimate what TV audience want/can cope with.

unfortunately I think you're right. They're too afraid of losing the popular audience and being cancelled to want to try anything that's too far out of the box. Although there's a difference between thinking outside the box, and barely even poking your nose over the rim of the box!

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

I miss Nick's happy Dodo face too, he never gets to be happy about anything any more. Two seasons in, and all the 'wondrous awe' has been replaced by 'will it try and eat my face?' and that's sad :(

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

yeah, the nearest they got to 'wonderous awe' in S2 was the mammoth on the motorway, and even that was tempered by the fact that there was the squealy woman and her cute kid trapped in the car and looking like prime targets to be crushed.

Maybe with more episodes to play with in S3 they might have a bit more variety *crosses fingers but isn't very optimistic*

[steamshovelmama.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it would be nice of some of them even appeared aware the box existed...

[lsellersfic.livejournal.com]

Catching up after two very hectic days.

TBH, even with dangerous critters Abby would be useful - she should have a feel for what might attract them, scare them so on and so forth and should have some ability to tell whether an animal is acting angry, cautious or distressed. We saw a bit of that with the Mammoth but if they chose to emphasize it it could be a real boost to the team.

[sandyleepotts.livejournal.com]

I seem to have missed a lot of your early work.

This is simply super!

Totally with you on this one. Must say I enjoyed seeing Connor change more in series two, I didn't really like him in series one - too geeky.

Series two brought out a sexier Connor, the hair changed, waistcoats appeared, and he was much more central to the role of Connor. I'm glad they kept the hats from series one, I think people identified with the hats, and they were so Connor.

[deinonychus-1.livejournal.com]

Yes, I didn't really start to love Connor until series 2, as you say, he was just too much of a stereotype geek in series 1. In series 2 he got a slightly harder edge, and a new wardrobe which actually demonstrated the fact that he's a good looking bloke, rather than hiding him under about ten layers!

[reggietate.livejournal.com]

It's interesting to read this again, having seen S3 - all our innocent speculation about the relationships in the show and who was going to interact with whom. Oh how little did we know! ;-O