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NAHTMMM 08-08-2007 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 74355)
Well, I hope you enjoyed the dicers!

That I did! Thanks for sharing :D It's interesting to look at the creative processes of various people and to see how stuff looked before it became the stuff you know it as. Or something like that. Also the comments should be helpful for critiquing my "fanver" drafts. :)


(P.S. I didn't specify what I was guessing earlier because I wanted to leave it for others to figure out on their own.)

Nate the Great 08-09-2007 01:45 AM

Well, I don't think we need to put fanver in quotes, but okay...

Anyone else?

NAHTMMM 08-09-2007 09:39 PM

A more in-depth reaction . . .
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 74354)
As another sign that I was a newbie fivist (does newbist or nevist sound better?)

I'd stick with "newbie fivist".
Quote:

Yet another instance of my early frailty of referencing plot points that come from nowhere just for the sake of including as much of it as possible. The fact that Kataan is a desert world is absolutely superfluous when you have to chop out plot points to fit the fiver format.
This sort of thing trips me up a lot. Especially problematic since I tend to go after novels, where the writer can include a lot more in the way of charaterization/throwaway lines/filler than can be fit into a TV episode. Good to be reminded that I don't have to squeeze everything in.


Quote:

“I’m trying to create a moment here!” is still a favorite line.
As it should be. :D


Quote:

Kamin: The world is doomed!
Administrator: I know that. We’re doing all we can.
Kamin: How? We can only launch small missiles!
Administrator: Quit nitpicking or I will fire you!

Nate: Although my final version of this scene is better, this version still holds a special place in my heart if only for the nitpicking gag. Although (speaking of nitpicking), why didn’t I say “I’ll fire you!”?
I don't know, why would you? :confused:


Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 74355)
Picard: What is that Mr. Data?
Data: A probe that appears to be attempting a dialup connection with your brain, sir.
Picard: Yeah, right, as if they could be Windows compatible!
Probe: Wanna bet?
Picard: Yeazzzzz.....

Nate: My only regret in this scene is that comma between “yeah” and “right.” I was going for sarcasm, not casual wit.

I agree that the comma softens the delivery, but I think I originally interpreted the line as sarcasm.

Quote:

Eline: Kamin, you're awake!
Picard/Kamin: Who are you? Computer, end program!
Eline: Who is Computer? I'm Eline, your wife.
Kamin: Yeah, right, in my dreams my wife is a knockout redhead. Where am I?
Eline: Your home, of course.
Kamin: This dump? I'm gonna leave before you start going all Castle Anthrax on me!

Nate: The “who is Computer?” gag seems a little weak in retrospect. At least, it’s not strong enough to justify being the second gag in a long (for a fiver) scene.
Eh, it works for me.


Quote:

At least the “knockout redhead wife” gag works on two levels. The first level is my original intent, his Nexus wife from Generations. It works for Beverly Crusher, too, if you happen to be a shipper, which I am. Everyone can see whatever meaning they want.
I'd forgotten about the wife in Generations being a redhead, personally, so I'm glad you explained you didn't necessarily mean Beverly.

Quote:

Batai: I am going to change careers yet again! I'm going to be a musician!
Kamin: Fine, the world is ending anyway!
Meribor: So I shouldn't marry Dannik, I should just live with him?
Kamin: Not in a million years!
Meribor: But you just said...
Kamin: Hush, you!

Nate: See, the scene has more punch when you hold a focus with the plotline! My only regret is the overuse of exclamation points, but I’m not sure if periods would do the gags justice.
The exclamation points don't really detract from the scene for me, personally.

Quote:

Kamin: The world is doomed! You can fire me with a hefty pension for insanity now.
Administrator: Not on your life. First of all, you're right, and second of all we like to keep our insane elected officials where we can see them.
Kamin: But isn't a system of government like that doomed to failure?
Administrator: You'd think so, but it's not. Now go away before I take your flute.

Nate: I remember being very proud of this “insane elected officials” business. At the time I thought it incredibly witty.
It sounds familiar somehow. Is it a reference?


Quote:

Eline: Put your shoes away.
Kamin: You pick those as your last...
Eline: Ack!
Kamin: Drat.

Nate: See? Same scene! Should’ve used “rats,” though.
I think "drat" works quite well.

Quote:

Meribor: Want to go see the new missile get launched?
Kamin: Why would I want to do that? My skin protector is only 500 SPF!
Eline: That doesn't matter. This is all an illusion anyway.
Kamin: Eline? How can you be here?
Eline: Turns out my contract entitled me to one more scene. Remember us.

Nate: Further proof that we’re our own worst critics. I now consider that 500 SPF joke pathetically weak.
It should probably have another 0 in it. ;)

Quote:

I’m proud of the Eline’s contract gag, though.
That part's certainly an improvement over the rough draft. :)

Nate the Great 08-09-2007 11:21 PM

Administrator: Quit nitpicking or I will fire you!
Administrator: Quit nitpicking or I'll fire you!

See the difference, actually...

Administrator: Quit nitpicking or I'll fire you and break your flute!
Kamin: Waaaaaa!

Yeah, yeah, I know, Picard would never whine. It's a fun mental image, though. :)

"Yeah, right..." implies a pause, as though Picard is casually tossing it off as he turns back from the screen to Riker. "Yeah right" is more of a bark, as Picard still looks at the screen.

See, dicers serve a purpose! "In my dreams" immediately brought me to the Nexus, which is a dream world by definition. I suppose Picard COULD dream of Beverly in his real dreams, but somehow I would think that he'd be disciplined enough not to lust after his best friend's wife even in his dreams. Then again, I wouldn't put it past his to subconsciously transmogrify Beverly into that Nexus wife as a way of figuratively having his cake and eat it too, without feelings of guilt. How's THAT for psychiatry?

The insane elected officials business is probably an amalgam of several influences, including the hefty pensions that even unsucessful Presidents get.

Chancellor Valium 08-10-2007 07:06 AM

"I will" has more emphasis?

I like "drat", too. It sounds so impotent - it really suits the scene, IMNERHO. :)

Interesting stuff. :)

Nate the Great 08-10-2007 11:54 AM

Oh well....

Anyone care to see a dicer of my Manhunt fiver? I have a first draft of that one, too.

Wowbagger 08-10-2007 07:52 PM

That sounds entertaining. Please do. I promise to read it within eight months.

Anyhow, I wanted to congratulate Zeke on making 2800 posts. He'd better not respond to this, because then he'd be at 2801 and that would ruin it.

And yes, I do drop in at random times every few months. Just to make sure that, despite appearances, this site is: Not. Dead.

Nate the Great 08-11-2007 03:43 AM

Wow, you're still using 5MV. I admit that even now I have to force myself to say 5M.net.

Well, "dead" might be a tad strong. "Coma'ed" might be better. After all, the site still thinks it's winter. :)

I forgot to ask about IMNERHO. What does that mean?

PointyHairedJedi 08-11-2007 10:08 PM

Interesting, Nate, very interesting. I don't know that the term dicer will catch on in this particular context though, it sounds too much like something would would see for sale in an infomercial.

Chancellor Valium 08-11-2007 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 74371)
I forgot to ask about IMNERHO. What does that mean?

"In My Never Even Remotely Humble Opinion". :)

Nate the Great 08-12-2007 12:24 AM

I said in the first post that dicers had nothing to do with infomercial cutlery, but let's see you come up with a better word.

mudshark 08-12-2007 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PointyHairedJedi (Post 74374)
Interesting, Nate, very interesting. I don't know that the term dicer will catch on in this particular context though, it sounds too much like something would would see for sale in an infomercial.

"Yes, Jason -- your troubles are over! It's the NEW Friday the 13th MARK V, by RONCO! It slices! It dices! It mashes! It even maims!" [/cheesyTVannouncer]

Nate the Great 08-12-2007 10:48 PM

Here's a short list of alternatives to dicer:

Group One: "director's commentary fiver"

directver
direcer
direcomver

Group Two: "commentary fiver"

commever
commentiver

Group Three: "annotated fiver"

annover
annoter

Group Four: miscellaneous

balconyver (think Statler and Waldorf)
mistver (think MST)

Actually, looking at the options, commentiver looks like it might be the easiest to use and remember. Directver looks a bit forced.

PointyHairedJedi 08-14-2007 10:38 AM

...What's wrong with just 'director's commentary'?

Nate the Great 08-14-2007 11:45 PM

It's boring, that's what's wrong with it! ;)

Nate the Great 10-15-2007 08:52 AM

Does anyone else care to make a dicer or two? I'd particularly like to hear Zeke tell us how he created the first fiver without any prior experience.

NAHTMMM 10-15-2007 11:59 PM

I would be interested, but I haven't done any "official" fivers, and I imagine that doing a dicer for my novel fivers would just involve tacking on even MORE (deleted) scenes (Yes, Peter Jackson, I know you don't see anything wrong with that :p), and so . . . sorry, not me.


Oh, and I second (doubly so, even) the special request for Zeke.

Nate the Great 10-16-2007 03:18 AM

So here's my dicer for Manhunt.

Part One: The Original Draft

Captain's Log: Today we get to escort two giant frozen fish-sticks to a peace conference. And I thought that grocery stores didn't deliver anymore....

The hyphen in fishstick confuses me, even though I put it there. Today I'd have stuck with the much simpler "two giant fishsticks." The "frozen" is implied.

Pulaski: The Antedean delegates are fine, sir.
Picard: Excellent.
Wesley: Why can't we just replicate some fish for them?
Picard: Apparently they think that replicated fish tastes too "fishy," somehow.

Ugh, that's lame. Replicated fish tasting too fishy. I could claim some sort of two-level joke, with the second layer playing on the use of "fishy" to mean "suspicious," but I'm not sure I was that clever back then.

Worf: We're being hailed, sir.
Pilot: Help me! I've been trapped in a small shuttle with an insane woman for three days!
Lwaxana: Hi there! I'm here to make the episode interesting!
Riker: Is that a good thing?
Troi: Better than talking to fishsticks all day.
Riker: That's debatable.

I love the pilot's exasperation, but once again, I fell victim to the fault of making fun of the plot and/or the fiving process to attempt to create a joke. I think Riker's dialogue is great, though.

Lwaxana: Please carry my luggage, Jean-Luc.
Riker: I'll do it.
Picard: Why?
Riker: I've sworn to protect you, and that thing is so heavy that it set off the mass-overload alarm on this panel.

Nice joke, but I took too long getting to the punchline.

Lwaxana: Don't forget about the ambassadorial dinner tonight, Jean-Luc.
Picard: So I have to wear my dress uniform three different times in one day, plus I get to have dinner with you? This must be my lucky day.
Lwaxana: I'm sensing sarcasm, Captain.
Picard: I'm sure that it's the pain from Riker's arms about to fall off that's distracting you.

Here I work in the ever-useful gag of a Betazoid stating the obvious, plus the classic sarcastic lucky day puchline. Hey, don't replace what ain't broke.

Wesley: She said that the Captain had great legs?
Riker: That wasn't in this fiver.
Wesley: I read the Director's Cut, not the theatrical release.
Data: Impressive.

I love the sheer presumption of the Director's Cut. In my opinion, over ninety percent of films should be the "director's cut" when it's released in the first place. Studios should trust the director's vision, or else get a director they can trust. I distinctly remember the commentary for an old movie, where the head of the studio told the director in essence, "here's the plot I want you to film. You have X dollars to do it and I want it out on date Y. Good luck," and the director would go and make the movie. Hence the theatrical release WAS the director's cut.

Picard: Are you coming to dinner with the other officers, Doctor?
Pulaski: I'm not a bridge officer.
Picard: Sorry, I keep forgetting about that.
Pulaski: Actually the writer of the original script did.

Actually, I don't know if the original writer did or not, but it was an obvious joke. Then again, I kinda got the feeling that even though Pulaski was a senior officer, she wasn't a bridge officer. Remember that you have to pass a test to advance to Commander as a doctor. Pulaski might've never taken the test that Troi later did.

Picard: I brought a bottle of ale for Ambassador Troi.
Homn: (Nod).
Picard: You're going to drink that, aren't you?
Homn: (Nod).
Picard: I can't exactly say that I blame you, given
your job.
Homn: (Nod).

I love Homn's character. He's so awesome. Hey, when a guy can only say one line in canon Trek and one in a novel and still be memorable, he's got style. All I know is that if I worked for Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, and Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed, I'D have a drinking problem.

Pulaski: So the Captain is having dinner with your mother, and this is a bad thing?
Troi: Yes.
Pulaski: Why?
Troi: Because it's creepy!
Pulaski: Ah.

Okay, this one crossed the barrier into uncharacteristic behavior. Then again, maybe not. Troi does sound a little whiny, but that was probably my intention.

Lwaxana: I like Earth men.
Picard: That's great.
Lwaxana: I want you to--
Picard: Sorry, but we're running out of time and we
have to move on to the next scene. Picard to Data.
Data: Aye, sir.

Ugh! There I go again, using the fiving process make a gag so I could skip scenes! I was SUCH a nevist!

Data: So, to sum up, I'm the most boring guy in existence.
Picard: Thank you, Mr. Data. My my, look at the time!
Data: How does one look at a nonphysical quantity?
Picard: We only have five minutes to tell the story, Data.
Data: For that matter, how does one own a...

I know that Data is literal, but perhaps I overdid his naivete a little too much here.

Picard: Your mother is a lousy telepath.
Troi: Hey, just because she's hitting on you, it doesn't mean that she's crazy!
Riker: Isn't that the opposite of the point that you made a few scenes ago?
Troi: How did you know about that?
Riker: Wesley loaned me his copy of the Director's Cut.

I don't even know if the point is opposite or not, but it won't be the first or the last time a fivist has retconned previous scenes to make a joke. Besides, anytime I can reuse prior gags is good. I got that from Schoolhouse Rock, amongst other places.

Picard: Computer, activate Dixon Hill program.
Computer: I need more information.
Picard: I don't want to bore the readers. You figure it out.
Computer: I'll get you for that.

Sentient computers are fun, but here it is again; skipping stuff and joking about how I'm skipping it. Sheesh, nevist alert!

Madeline: I want my paycheck!
Gangster: And I want to shoot you!
Picard: Computer, freeze program!
Computer: Yeah, right.

So the computer gets back at Picard. Lame scene, though.

Lwaxana: Where's the captain?
Troi: Busy.
Lwaxana: Then I'll propose to Riker.
Troi: Let me revise my previous answer.

THIS is classic. Hey, you can't throw gutterballs all the time, eh?

Pulaski: The Antedeans are waking up. Too bad it's not important enough to warrant a full scene, at least by fiver standards.
Worf: Agreed.

And again. We all know why this was chucked. Let's move on.

Riker: Trouble, sir. Mrs. Troi thinks that she's engaged to me.
Picard: Oh, I'm sure that Rex here will be glad to take her off your hands.
Rex: Whoa, whoa, hold your horses!
Riker: She's beautiful and rich.
Rex: I retract my last statement.

I never noticed before that I reused the "let me change my answer" gag. Had I seen that, I would've used it more often in this fiver. I still love Rex's shallow nature, though. You could even call him dim, if you don't mind an AWFUL hologram joke.

Lwaxana: What a messy room you have here, Jean-Luc! Except for the hunk behind the counter, of course.
Rex: What's a dame like you doing in a dump like this?
Lwaxana: I find that line predictable and trite. Good thing I like that in a man.
Picard: Should I be offended?

I consider those last two lines to be one of the best couplets I've ever written for a fiver.

Lwaxana: Rex and I are getting married!
Data: Query, why was I not able to do my South American bit and show off my nifty zoot suit?
Picard: Data, this is a fiver. All plot threads are considered superflous unless they can be turned into a joke.
Data: If I were human, I believe the correct response would be "smeg."

Ha ha. Smeg. I swear I've never seen an episode of Red Dwarf in my life, I picked that up from the folks over at 5MSG. I love it. Too bad I felt it necessary to make fun of dropping plot points again.

Lwaxana: Even though I'm steamed at you for setting me up with a hologram, I'll still save your butts and tell you that the Antedeans are assassins.
Picard: Thank you, Mrs. Troi.
Homn: Thank you for the drinks.
Picard: Why would you waste your one line in a fiver repeating what you said in the actual episode?
Homn: (Shrug).
Picard: Whatever, just go away. Hopefully I'll get to do some actual "boldly going" ONE of these weeks.
Homn: (Nod).

Yikes, that's a long scene. I suppose this is the genesis of the "shut up and go away" joke I used in my "In the Cards" fiver. Still a classic.

Nate the Great 10-16-2007 03:38 AM

Part Two: The Final Draft

Captain's Log: Today we get to escort two giant frozen fish sticks to a peace conference. And I thought that grocery stores didn't deliver anymore....
Pulaski: The Antedean delegates are fine, sir.
Picard: Excellent, Doctor.
Wesley: What's in the barrel?
Pulaski: It's fish for their wake-up snack. They think that replicated fish tastes a little too fishy, somehow.

Okay, same basic jokes, but fleshed out.

Worf: We're being hailed, sir.
Pilot: Help me! I've been trapped in a small shuttle with an insane woman for three days!
Lwaxana: Hi there!
Picard: What did we do to deserve the --
Data: She has full ambassadorial status, sir.
Picard: -- honour of your visit? Ahem.

The sudden change of direction gag is a classic.

Lwaxana: Please carry my luggage, Jean-Luc.
Riker: I'll do it.
Picard: Why?
Riker: I've sworn to protect you, and that thing is so heavy that it set off the mass-overload alarm on this panel.

Hey, that looks familiar!

Lwaxana: Don't forget about the ambassadorial dinner tonight, Jean-Luc.
Picard: So I have to wear my dress uniform three different times in one day, plus I get to have dinner with you? This must be my lucky day.
Lwaxana: I'm sensing sarcasm, Captain.
Picard: I'm sure that it's the pain from Riker's arms about to fall off that's distracting you.

Wow, so does that!

Wesley: She said that the Captain had great legs?
Riker: That wasn't in this fiver.
Wesley: I read the Director's Cut, not the theatrical release.

Simplified for better humor value. Plus we in fiverland who never watch episodes (if there are any) now know that Picard has great legs. Supposedly. Not that I'd know. Honestly.

Picard: Are you coming to dinner, Doctor?
Pulaski: I already ate, Captain.
Picard: Why does that send a shiver down my spine?

Hey look, the captain's precognisant!

Picard: I brought a bottle of ale for Ambassador Troi.
Homn: (nod)
Picard: You're going to drink that, aren't you?
Homn: (nod)
Picard: I can't exactly say that I blame you, given your job.
Homn: (nod)

Gotta love Homn.

Pulaski: I just saw the captain going towards your mother's quarters.
Troi: How do you know where my mother's quarters are?
Pulaski: When I was reattaching Commander Riker's arm he told me about the suitcase holes leading to it.
Troi: This might be trouble, given her current medical condition. She's in the Phase.
Pulaski: I've heard of it. An anti-menopausal woman and a straightlaced starship captain. I'd pay for tickets to that dinner.

Wow, I'd forgotten about these new gags. Hey, Z, did I really write those? The final punchline seems like me, though.

Lwaxana: I like Earth men. Already I feel like we have a spiritual connection.
Picard: That's great.
Lwaxana: I want you to --
Picard: -- call Data for some after-dinner conversation?
Lwaxana: Um, yes?

Anything that makes Lwaxana Troi, DOTFH, HOTSCOR, & HTTHROB speechless, is a VERY good thing.

Data: So, to sum up, I'm the most boring guy in existence.
Picard: Thank you, Mr. Data. My my, look at the time!
Data: How does one look at a nonphysical quantity?

Marc was right that two punchlines aren't required for this gag.

Picard: Your mother is a lousy telepath.
Troi: Hey, just because she's hitting on you, it doesn't mean that she's crazy!
Riker: Isn't that the opposite of the point that you made a few scenes ago?
Troi: How did you know about that?
Riker: Wesley loaned me his copy of the Director's Cut.

It's quite a leap from "lousy telepath" to "crazy," isn't it? Then again...

Picard: Computer, activate Dixon Hill program.
Computer: You're on duty.
Picard: I'm doing my duty by protecting my sanity. You wouldn't want to be commanded by an captain who'd been driven insane by an anti-menopausal ambassador, would you?
Computer: You're talking to a computer. Your sanity is debatable.

I'm still unsure where I came up with "anti-menopausal" as the easiest catchall description of Lwaxana's condition. I should've nominated "You're talking to a computer, your sanity is debatable" in the "fiver punchlines in real life" thread.

Madeline: Hey, Dix. We really need some dough. At least I do.
Picard: I'll try to find a case (after I'm done loafing, that is).
Madeline: Say what, Dix?
Picard: Darn textual scenes!

It suddenly strikes me that Picard's puncline should've been in parentheses as well. Just to give Madeline something else to hear.

Lwaxana: Where's the captain?
Troi: Busy.
Lwaxana: Then I'll propose to Riker.
Troi: Let me revise my previous answer.

And again, don't mess with what ain't broke.

Pulaski: The Antedeans are waking up. You should tell the captain, Commander.
Riker: Of course.
Data: Can I put my zoot suit on first?
Riker: Who said you're -- oh, never mind. Anything to get away from Ambassador Troi.

I love the phrase "zoot suit." Zoot suit. Zoot suit. Zoot suit.

Riker: Trouble, sir. Mrs. Troi thinks that she's engaged to me.
Picard: Oh, I'm sure that our holographic bartender Rex here will be happy to take her off your hands.
Rex: Whoa, whoa, hold your horses!
Riker: She's beautiful and rich.
Rex: I retract my last statement.

Marc said that I should add "holographic bartender" to help those unfamiliar with the episode, simular to giving Picard and Kamin joint credit for Kamin's first line in my Inner Light fiver. Whatever.

Lwaxana: What a messy room you have here, Jean-Luc!
Except for the hunk behind the counter, of course.
Rex: What's a dame like you doing in a dump like this?
Lwaxana: I find that line predictable and trite. Good thing I like that in a man.
Picard: Should I be offended?

Should Lwaxana really be looking for someone who's predicable and trite, anyway?

Lwaxana: Rex and I are getting married!
Data: A telepath marrying a hologram. Query: Does this qualify as a joke?
Picard: Data, anything that ties up plot threads in a fiver qualifies as a joke.
Riker: As long as I don't have to marry her, you can call it anything you like.

This self-referential gag works because it's funny.

Lwaxana: The Antedeans are assassins. They want to blow up the conference.
Antedean: That's slander! Or is it libel, since we're in a fiver?
Data: Their robes are lined with explosives, sir.
Picard: Mr. Worf, take them away. They'll have plenty of time to debate the subject.

I'm sure I wasn't the first to do the slander/libel gag, but that doesn't mean that's it's not great.

Picard: Thank you, Mrs. Troi.
Lwaxana: Until next time, Captain. I'll make sure it's even more exciting, if you know what I mean.
Homn: Thank you for the drinks.
Picard: You used your one line on that?
Homn: (shrug)
(The Enterprise flees from Ambassador Troi at Ludicrous Speed)

There we go. Another dicer done. This is the only other fiver I had a first draft saved for, so any further dicers will have to be final draft only. Maybe I could remember past versions of gags, though.

AKAArzosah 10-17-2007 06:55 AM

I think the last line should have been (nod) again, but otherwise, all good!

I even changed my signature, observe:

Nate the Great 10-17-2007 01:27 PM

I suppose it's a tossup.

As for your new sig, I'm sorry, but I love the goat people gag. If you wanted to include both, that'd be good too. In retrospect, "this self-referential gag works because it's funny" could be seen as either remarkably shallow or incredibly clever because it LOOKS remarkably shallow. It's a tossup.

NAHTMMM 10-18-2007 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 74951)
Part One: The Original Draft

[...]

Worf: We're being hailed, sir.
Pilot: Help me! I've been trapped in a small shuttle with an insane woman for three days!
Lwaxana: Hi there! I'm here to make the episode interesting!
Riker: Is that a good thing?
Troi: Better than talking to fishsticks all day.
Riker: That's debatable.

I love the pilot's exasperation, but once again, I fell victim to the fault of making fun of the plot and/or the fiving process to attempt to create a joke. I think Riker's dialogue is great, though.

Agreed; if the plot is that transparent then it's fair game IMHO; and agreed.

Quote:

Lwaxana: Where's the captain?
Troi: Busy.
Lwaxana: Then I'll propose to Riker.
Troi: Let me revise my previous answer.

THIS is classic.
Agreed. :D

Quote:

Lwaxana: I find that line predictable and trite. Good thing I like that in a man.
Picard: Should I be offended?

I consider those last two lines to be one of the best couplets I've ever written for a fiver.
Seems quite possible to me. :D


Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 74952)
Part Two: The Final Draft

Captain's Log: Today we get to escort two giant frozen fish sticks to a peace conference. And I thought that grocery stores didn't deliver anymore....
Pulaski: The Antedean delegates are fine, sir.
Picard: Excellent, Doctor.
Wesley: What's in the barrel?
Pulaski: It's fish for their wake-up snack. They think that replicated fish tastes a little too fishy, somehow.

Okay, same basic jokes, but fleshed out.

It does read a little better, yes. :)

Quote:

Plus we in fiverland who never watch episodes (if there are any)
*makes a vague waving motion*

Quote:

Data: So, to sum up, I'm the most boring guy in existence.
Picard: Thank you, Mr. Data. My my, look at the time!
Data: How does one look at a nonphysical quantity?

Marc was right that two punchlines aren't required for this gag.
Quite so.

Quote:

I love the phrase "zoot suit."
It's a real riot, isn't it? ;)

Quote:

Lwaxana: Rex and I are getting married!
Data: A telepath marrying a hologram. Query: Does this qualify as a joke?
Picard: Data, anything that ties up plot threads in a fiver qualifies as a joke.
Riker: As long as I don't have to marry her, you can call it anything you like.

This self-referential gag works because it's funny.
Indeed it does!

Nate the Great 10-18-2007 04:45 AM

Yeah, who cares about fiver fans (fivies?) that don't watch the episodes? ;)

Yeah, that reminds me, had we agreed on fivie as the term for a fiver fan, or is that yet another example of my dementia?

I suppose my next dicer should be Ocarina of Time. Of course I'd include an improved version of it as well, since I don't have the original draft anymore. However, I really think that someone else should post a dicer in here. Just a few MST-like ramblings on the final draft. Come on, you know you want to!

AKAArzosah 10-19-2007 02:14 AM

I love the goat people quote too but I like to change around every now and again. I would have changed my picture long ago if I could be bothered going to all that effort to get/make a new one.

I also don't like my siggy to be too long - I consider it a little too long at the moment, as it is.

Nate the Great 10-19-2007 03:48 AM

Then chuck Serenity. Yes, I'm that narcissistic.

PointyHairedJedi 10-27-2007 05:35 PM

Here, have a mirror.

(Everybody, while he's distracted, let's go through his stuff! I call dibs on his action figures!)

Nate the Great 10-27-2007 07:01 PM

The dicer project will have to be on hold while I try to get my clonever project going.

Nate the Great 06-02-2008 05:38 AM

Or not. Altvers seem to be yesterdays news. Oh well.

PointyHairedJedi 06-03-2008 07:44 AM

I suspect we all are letting stuff slide when it comes to the site? Five-Minute 24, fer instance...

Nate the Great 06-03-2008 09:00 AM

I'm not going to point fingers; it's just not a smart thing to do.

I really should go back to the OOT dicer, shouldn't I?

Nate the Great 09-23-2017 03:37 PM

With the recent rediscovery of the Stargate fivers, I've decided to revive the dicer concept, running through my fivers in order. While I'll be copying over everything here, I recommend running through each fiver in its original format first, then coming back here for the commentary.

Entry One: "The Enemy Within"

HAMMOND: These are the first two planets you're going to go to.
O'NEILL: Flip you for it.
DAVIS: Incoming traveller! Closing the iris.
(Thump thump thump)
HAMMOND: Let's hope the Goa'uld give up soon.
KAWALSKY: I've got a headache. I'll go to the infirmary.

Haha, "Davis". Poor old Walter Harriman went through his share of placeholder names before becoming a true secondary character, didn't he? Anyway, this is a terrible scene. "Flip you for it" is the only real joke, I could've done better.

HAMMOND: Colonel Kennedy is coming to interrogate Teal'c.
O'NEILL: Doesn't that sound fun?

Sound like fun, Jack. And couldn't I have made a JFK or KFC joke?

O'NEILL: Teal'c, I'm sorry to say that some of my superiors are coming to experiment on you.
TEAL'C: I need to earn their trust.
O'NEILL: Yep.

What a snorefest. Where's the joke?

DOCTOR: How long have you been having these headaches?
KAWALSKY: Ever since I got back from Chulak.
DOCTOR: Look at that lump on your neck!
KAWALSKY: What lump? (Kills Doctor. Eyes glow.) Oh, that lump.

If I was writing this today, I'd probably attempt to spin off that old Looney Tunes joke regarding lumps of sugar and lumps on the head.

DANIEL: We need to find this device near the Stargate if we want to come back. Hey, what's Kawalsky doing there?
KAWALSKY: What am I doing here?
O'NEILL: You must have blacked out. Back to the infirmary with you.

Coma, here I come!

KENNEDY: Hi Teal'c. What do you know about how Goa'uld ships or Stargates work?
TEAL'C: Nothing.
KENNEDY: Well that was helpful.
TEAL'C: Indeed.
KENNEDY: Where did they get their slaves?
TEAL'C: From the First World, the Tau'ri.
DANIEL: Teal'c, humans evolved here.
TEAL'C: You are the Tau'ri? Wow.
O'NEILL: Indeed.

It's always nice when people other than Teal'c use "indeed", but this scene was too long.

CARTER: You need to get some sleep.
DANIEL: I know that. I just need to show the viewers I haven't forgotten about Sha're.
CARTER: OK.

This scene could've been extended, I could've even thrown in a repeat of the lump joke from earlier.

WARNER: There's a Goa'uld in Kawalsky's brain.
O'NEILL: Bummer.
KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: Time to kidnap Carter in a futile escape attempt.
CARTER: Why me?
KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: You're the closest.

I feel that I could've come up with something better than "bummer", possibly involving "buzzkill" or "wet blanket." I also think I could've made the punchline more foreboding, involving a prediction of Jolinar or something.

CARTER: You'll never escape.
KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: Shut up. (Throws her against wall)
O'NEILL: What's going on?
KAWALSKY: Help me get her to the infirmary!

On second thought, if I was rewriting this today I'd skip the whole "kidnap Carter" thing to make room for other jokes and plot points.

HAMMOND: Can you remove the Goa'uld?
WARNER: Maybe.
KAWALSKY: You need to cut it out of me!
O'NEILL: Later.

Toss this whole scene, merge the plot points with a later one.

KENNEDY: Teal'c, we need to make sure that it's not your Goa'uld in Kawalsky.
TEAL'C: OK. (He pulls it out)
O'NEILL: Yuck!

Again, there's a better O'Neill punchline somewhere...

KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: Send me through the Stargate.
HAMMOND: Not until we take you out of Kawalsky.
KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: You will all die!

Where's the joke?

KENNEDY: Maybe we should leave the Goa'uld inside Kawalsky if they'll both die if we remove it.
HAMMOND: Let me think about it. No.

That should be two different sentences. Furthermore, I should've had a joke where Hammond lords over Kennedy.

KAWALSKY: If this doesn't work kill me.
O'NEILL: OK.

Unneeded scene, skip it, skip it!

WARNER: The procedure worked!
O'NEILL: How much time do we have left in the episode?
WARNER: About twenty minutes.
O'NEILL: Then I'm sure it didn't.

Finally, a fiver-worthy scene!

KENNEDY: I'm going to turn Teal'c into a guinea pig!

Why is this here?

KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: Serve me, Jaffa!
TEAL'C: No.
KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: Then die!
TEAL'C: Sorry, I'm a main character. I can't die.
KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: Drat.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

You gotta love main character invulnerability.

KAWALSKY GOA'ULD: I'll go to Chulak!
TEAL'C: I think not.
O'NEILL: Let me stick your head in the wormhole. Turn it off!
DANIEL: Ouch.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

A little tweaking is needed, but this one isn't so bad.

HAMMOND: Thinks to a quick call to the President, Teal'c isn't going to be sent away after all.
O'NEILL: Goody.
HAMMOND: Time to go on your first mission and forget Kawalsky ever existed.
O'NEILL: OK.

Again, O'Neill saying "goody" is weird. "Cool" would be way better.

Nate the Great 09-24-2017 12:37 AM

Entry Two, "Solitudes"

(Daniel and Teal'c fall out of Stargate)
HAMMOND: Where are Jack and Sam?
TEAL'C: They must have taken wrong turn somewhere.

No mention of Albuquerque? I would've referenced Weird Al AND Bugs Bunny given this opportunity.

TEAL'C: We were under fire. They were right behind us.
TECHNICIAN: You broke the Stargate. It'll take a few days to fix it.
HAMMOND: Bummer.

There should've been a voided warranty joke in here somewhere. Given a little more time I think I could've come up with something more Hammond-esque than "bummer" as well.

O'NEILL: Where are we?
CARTER: In some kind of ice cavern. I can't find Daniel or Teal'c. Oh,
and you broke your leg.
O'NEILL: Bummer.
CARTER: Here's the DHD. It's frozen in a block of ice!
O'NEILL: Double bummer.

The last line should've been "And me without my Fire Arrows." Who cares if it's a relatively obscure Zelda joke, it would've made me smile.

HAMMOND: We'll see if they're on that planet you were on.
TECHNICIAN: The probe was blown up as soon as it got there!
HAMMOND: Bummer.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

Seriously, Past Nate, knock it off with all the bummers!

DANIEL: Due to technobabble, they must be on one of these planets.
HAMMOND: Start searching.

CARTER: I've uncovered the DHD. I'm trying it now.

DANIEL: Why did the room start shaking?

There's a milkshake joke in here somewhere.

CARTER: It's not working!
O'NEILL: Take the supplies and climb out.
CARTER: I won't leave you!
O'NEILL: That's an order.
CARTER: OK.

Zzzzzz.....

HAMMOND: We've searched all of the planets. Time to give up.
DANIEL: Wait a minute! There must be a second Stargate! That's what was
making the ground shake! They're here on Earth!
HAMMOND: Why didn't you figure this out earlier?
DANIEL: We had to fill an hour.
TECHNICIAN: The earthquake came from Antarctica.
HAMMOND: OK, lets go rescue them just before they freeze to death.

The ever classic "we had to fill an hour"/Idiot Plot joke.

CARTER: It's an ice planet! We're doomed!
HAMMOND: No you're not!
CARTER: Where did you come from?
HAMMOND: Who knows? We only had five minutes left.

A few too many "five minute" jokes in this one.

Nate the Great 09-24-2017 12:53 PM

Entry Three: "The Serpent's Lair"

CARTER: We've set all of our explosives to blow up this ship.
O'NEILL: Great. Prepare to detonate.
TEAL'C: Uh-oh. Apophis' ship is coming.
O'NEILL: I knew it couldn't be this easy.
TEAL'C: Indeed.
GRENADE: Boom.

"Uh-oh"? That doesn't sound like Teal'c. "Set all of our explosives?" Just "We're ready to blow up this ship" would have been adequate.

O'NEILL: Ouch. I'm blind!
TEAL'C: That's just a side effect of the grenade, included for the sake of these cute blind moments.
O'NEILL: That's fun. Not!
CARTER: Now I can see!
O'NEILL: What happened to the blind moments?
DANIEL: We only have five minutes.
O'NEILL: Right.

I should've either skipped the blind stuff or expanded it to have jokes throughout the rest of the fiver (including several Daredevil punchlines, of course).

BRA'TAC: Time to ressurect Klorel to stall for time!

SAMUELS: Hi.
HAMMOND: Not you again.
SAMUELS: Look at my nifty new naquadah warheads! I'm going to blow up the Goa'uld ships!
HAMMOND: Yea, right.

Should've turned Samuels into more of a pyromaniac. And for some reason I forgot the "h" in "yeah."

APOPHIS: Excecute the humans!
BRA'TAC: OK.

There's another typo. Ugh.

BRA'TAC: Hi.
O'NEILL: Hi.
BRA'TAC: I was going to make Apophis and Korel kill each other, but you had to interfere, didn't you?
O'NEILL: Nice to see you, too.

Should've explained Korel a bit.

HAMMOND: Why are the ships just hanging there?

BRA'TAC: Here are your weapons. We need to stall until your spacecraft destroy this ship.
DANIEL: Well, all we have is shuttles but due to budgetary constraints we can't afford a space battle scene.
BRA'TAC: Drat.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

Ha ha. Should've tracked down when SG-1 actually did start doing space battles so I could say "we won't be able to do that for X years."

HAMMOND: You are the best and the brightest people that we can find. In case the planeet goes foom, you're going to start a new society at Alpha site.

"Planeet"? I must've forgotten to use my spellchecker before sending it to Nan. There should've been an Adam and Eve joke from one of the Alpha Site colonists.

O'NEILL: So even with a few gliders we couldn't destroy Apophis' ship?
TEAL'C: Indeed.
CARTER: Well, the explosives will blow up this ship.
O'NEILL: So we need to get to the other one.

There has to be a funnier way to cover this.

SAMUELS: There go my missiles! How exciting!

APOPHIS: Missiles? Don't make me laugh! Shields!

HAMMOND: The missiles didn't work.
SAMUELS: Drat.

Skip the Apophis line, combine the two Samuels scenes, and add a joke.

BRA'TAC: Do you have any more explosive?
CARTER: Nope.
BRA'TAC: Drat.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

Should've thrown in a MacGyver joke, "not unless you have a stick of chewing gum and some duct tape" or something.

SAMUELS: I'm scared.
HAMMOND: Cry me a river. Go and sulk in the corner.

DANIEL: I'm shot. Leave me behind.
O'NEILL: I won't.
DANIEL: I'm a main character. I can't die.
O'NEILL: Right, I keep forgetting.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

I do use the main character invulnerability joke a lot, don't I?

BRA'TAC: I directed the two ships toward each other. If we disable the shields on Apophis' ship it will be destroyed along with this one.
O'NEILL: Thanks to our last two grenades the shields are gone.
BRA'TAC: That was way too easy.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

HAMMOND: I've launched the shuttle. Hopefully the budget will let us see it this time.

DANIEL: Hi. I used the Stargate on the ship with a second to go on the detonation.
HAMMOND: Lucky you.
DANIEL: Not luck, my contract.

I've said it before, the main character invulnerability joke is always funny.

O'NEILL: Good thing we were on these gliders when the ships blew up.
CARTER: Oh-oh, we were damaged in the explosion. I guess we're going to die after all.
O'NEILL: I think not. There's a shuttle right there.
CARTER: Wow! I thought I'd never see one of those!
TEAL'C: Indeed.

How could a space shuttle dock with a death glider?

BRA'TAC: Hi, Hammond. I've got to go.
O'NEILL: Great. Please don't show up again until next season.

I don't know why I said this. I like Bra'tac, and he'll appear seven episodes from now anyway.

Nate the Great 09-26-2017 12:21 PM

Entry Four: "Need"

O'NEILL: Look at the Jaffa carrying naquadah through the Stargate.
CARTER: We can see them.
O'NEILL: Well the reader didn't.
CARTER: Oh.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

This must've been early on before I learned to dial back on this sort of fourth wall-breaking expositional gag.

DANIEL: She's going to jump!
CARTER: Who?
DANIEL: That woman there on the edge of the cliff.
CARTER: So now we can see them? Stop confusing me.
O'NEILL: Calm down.
DANIEL: My turn to be the hero, right?
O'NEILL: Let me check the schedule. Okay.... hmmm... yep, your episode.
DANIEL: Good. I'll go rescue her.

I do like the schedule gag.

SHYLA: Huh?
JAFFA: Get away from her!
O'NEILL: Sure.

"Huh?" doesn't seem to fit. That should've been more descriptive.

SHYLA: This is my dad, Pyrus the God Slayer.
O'NEILL: What a great name. Do you put that on your income tax returns? Occupation: God Slayer.
PYRUS: Silence! Off the naquadah mine with you!
O'NEILL: Bummer.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

I do like the occupation gag, whether for tax returns or business cards.

JAFFA: Dig!
O'NEILL: You know I would, but I'll think I'll futilely try to excape now.
JAFFA: OK.
JAFFA 2: Yeah right.
O'NEILL: I told you it was futile.

Seriously Nate, spellchecker. Should've tried to fit a Borg joke in here.

PYRUS: It stinks that even though I use a sarcophagus I'll still die soon.
SHYLA: Yep, bummer.

I need to dial back on the bummers.

SHYLA: Hi. What's your name?
DANIEL: Daniel Jackson.
SHYLA: Great. Use this sarcophagus to heal your wounds.
DANIEL: Are you sure?
SHYLA: We need to advance the plot. Get in.
DANIEL: OK.

Should've changed the punchline to something like "Are you sure this won't make me crazy?" "I've used it tons of times and I'm the picture of mental health, right?" "That's debatable, but you're hot so okay."

DANIEL: Let my friends go.
SHYLA: I would, but I need to keep them as hostages so I can seduce you.
DANIEL: OK.
SHYLA: By the way, you're my destiny.
DANIEL: Works for me.

I wonder why I didn't make a Captain Kirk joke anywhere in this fiver. For that matter "you're my destiny" just invites a Back to the Future joke, right?

DANIEL: Hi guys. I'd let you go, but I need more time to be seduced by the princess.
O'NEILL: Hey!
TEAL'C: Indeed.

O'Neill should've said "I thought that was my job!"

PYRUS: I killed the Goa'uld 700 years ago.
DANIEL: Kudos to your plastic surgeon.
PYRUS: We keep sending naquadah through the Stargate so they won't reconquer us.
DANIEL: Boy, a plan like that is sure to blow up in your face someday.
PYRUS: Leave now!
DANIEL: Boy, is he touchy.

"Kudos" is a word I use as often as I can, which isn't very often.

SHYLA: We'll convince him to release your friends.
DANIEL: Sounds like plan to me. Wait a sec, aren't you keeping them around so you can seduce me?
SHYLA: That was the general plan.
DANIEL: Well, it worked. You can let my friends go, I'll stay here with you.
SHYLA: Time for another nap in the sarcophagus.
DANIEL: Sure.

That was a weak punchline, should've thrown in a milk and cookies joke, or maybe a teddy bear joke.

DANIEL (over radio): Hi General Hammond. Having a great time. Don't send any troops here or anything.
HAMMOND: I wonder what that was about?

This is okay, I guess.

DANIEL: I'm going to marry Shyla. Oh, and I'm addicted to the sarcophagus too.
O'NEILL: Why does that not sound good?
CARTER: Jolinar told me that the sarcophagus will steal your soul.
O'NEILL: Jolinar again? That plot device is getting old.
CARTER: If I didn't use it the nitpickers would be asking why I don't.
O'NEILL: Drat.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

For all of the continuity Stargate SG-1 keeps track of, there are also things that they forgot to follow up on. But as Alton Brown would say, that's another thread.

DANIEL: I'm going home with my friends now, but I'll be back.
SHYLA: I know you'll be back.

Sorry, but no Terminator joke. I haven't watched any of those movies.

DANIEL: Ack!
FRAISER: He's going through sarcophagus withdrawl.
O'NEILL: Serves him right for leaving us to rot in a mine while he had a fling.
FRAISER: But he's dying!
O'NEILL: Serves him right--
FRAISER: Be quiet!

Should've had "my contract says that I get to make out with the alien princesses" in there somewhere.

FRAISER: He's not dying after all.
O'NEILL: Yipee.

DANIEL: I'm alright now. Why don't we go back to that planet now?
O'NEILL: Are you sure?
CARTER: We need the naquadah.
O'NEILL: Oh, fine.

SHYLA: You're back!
DANIEL: Yes, but I'm not staying.
SHYLA: Bummer.
DANIEL: You need to destroy the sarcophagus now.
SHYLA: OK.

Zzzzzz......

Nate the Great 09-27-2017 04:35 PM

There are twelve more of these things, but I guess nobody's interested...

NAHTMMM 09-29-2017 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the Great (Post 81029)
DANIEL: She's going to jump!
CARTER: Who?
DANIEL: That woman there on the edge of the cliff.
CARTER: So now we can see them? Stop confusing me.
O'NEILL: Calm down.
DANIEL: My turn to be the hero, right?
O'NEILL: Let me check the schedule. Okay.... hmmm... yep, your episode.
DANIEL: Good. I'll go rescue her.

I do like the schedule gag.

Me too.

Quote:

SHYLA: This is my dad, Pyrus the God Slayer.
O'NEILL: What a great name. Do you put that on your income tax returns? Occupation: God Slayer.
PYRUS: Silence! Off the naquadah mine with you!
O'NEILL: Bummer.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

I do like the occupation gag, whether for tax returns or business cards.
Agreed, it's a good one.

Quote:

"Kudos" is a word I use as often as I can, which isn't very often.
It's a good word.

Nate the Great 09-29-2017 01:59 PM

Entry Five: "The Tok'ra Part One"

CARTER: I just had a freaky dream. It must be the remnant of Jolinar. He was going to a new planet with some Tok'ra.
TEAL'C: The Tok'ra could be useful allies.
O'NEILL: Cool. Let's go.

Zzzz.....

CARTER: Hi Dad. I know you're dying of cancer but I have to go off on this mission.
JACOB: Where?
CARTER: Sorry, that's classified. Ciao!

Should've dialed back on the apathy, there must be a better yet still funny way to say that.

O'NEILL: I wonder where the Tok'ra are.
TEAL'C: Legend says that they live underground.
(The Tok'ra pop up)
CORDESH: Hi. We're the Tok'ra. Let's point our guns at each other to create tension.
O'NEILL: Cool.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

Nevist alert! Who cares about Tok'ra legends or the fact that they live underground? Do I use Teal'c's "Indeed" as the punchline of a scene too much?

HAMMOND: Jacob is dying. Guess I'd better go tell him Carter is gone.

Pointless scene, ugh.

CARTER: Hey, it's Martouf! Hi!
MARTOUF: How do you know me?
CARTER: I have the memories of Jolinar.
MARTOUF: Cool.

Should've invented a Martouf-specific word to use instead of "cool." He was something of an awkward geek, so...impressive? Awesome?

JACOB: Where is she?
HAMMOND: That's classified.
JACOB: Drat.

There had to be a way to make this funny. "I can't tell you for another ten minutes of screentime"? "The script says it's too soon to tell you?"

GARSHAW: I'm the Tok'ra in charge here.
O'NEILL: Great. We'd like to form an alliance with you.
GARSHAW: You are too primitive. Request denied.

Should've spun off the "too primitive" thing into a joke. "You're so primitive you still think professional wrestling/cup stacking/etc. is a real sport."

NURSE: Jacob's dying. If you can reach Carter, you'd better do it.
HAMMOND: Even though I've lost contact with SG-1 I'll send SG-3 into possible danger to get Carter.

Ugh, should've restructured the whole fiver so I didn't have to say "Jacob's dying" so much.

YOSUF: This is Selmak. She's dying. If you want to ally with us one of you must become her new host.
TEAL'C: I'm at capacity, sorry.
O'NEILL: I pass.
DANIEL: Sorry.
CARTER: I've already held my Goa'uld for the year.
MARTOUF: I have to take Carter outside to talk about Jolinar.
CARTER: OK.

"At capacity"? The joke is "My tank is already topped off", Nate!

MARTOUF: Jolinar and I were lovers.
CARTER: Okay......
MARTOUF: And coincidently, her former host looked like you.
CARTER: Who would've guessed?

Hey look, I didn't use spellchecker again!

CORDESH: Hey, lookie at my mysterious crystal ball! Trust me, I'll explain in part two.

This joke needs expansion.

MAKEPEACE: Hi. Hammond sent us to get Carter because her dad is dying.
CARTER: Drat.
TEAL'C: Indeed.
GARSHAW: Since you won't become Selmak's new host, I'm afraid we're going to have to keep you here until we move on.
O'NEILL: Why?
GARSHAW: Because you might blab about which planet we're on. Cue the ominous music.

"Drat" isn't strong enough, but I can't think of a replacement.

Nate the Great 10-03-2017 09:59 PM

Entry Six: "The Tok'ra Part Two"

GARSHAW: Just to recap last week and tell you guys what you already know, you can't ally with us unless one of you becomes Selmak's new host.
O'NEILL: We read the script.
GARSHAW: Well the audience didn't.

I hate how often I used that joke in my early fivers.

CARTER: Wait a minute! Can symbiotes cure cancer?
GARSHAW: Sure.
CARTER: I may have a host for you. My dad is dying.
O'NEILL: I'm sure the audience had that figured out last week.
TEAL'C: Indeed.
GARSHAW: Two of you can go get him, but we're keeping the others to make you come back.'

Is there a joke here, besides "Indeed"?

HAMMOND: Are you kidding me?
CARTER: This is the only way to save my dad's life.
O'NEILL: I'll fill in for Teal'c and say 'indeed.'

Hammond's line could stand some expansion.

MARTOUF: The Goa'uld are coming!
GARSHAW: Drat. Start the evacuation.

No Paul Revere joke?

CARTER: I need to tell you what I've been doing.
JACOB: I thought that was classified.
HAMMOND: You just got clearance.
JACOB: Lucky me. So what are you doing?
CARTER: I walk through this huge stone ring and go to alien worlds.
JACOB: Yeah, right.
CARTER: It's true. We may have a cure for you.
JACOB: What cure?
HAMMOND: That's a long story. I'll tell you offscreen since we only have
five minutes to tell this story.
JACOB: OK.

If I was writing this today I'd reference the "lyrics" to the theme song:
Stargate! It's a great big world!
With a great big swirl and you step inside to another world!
We're talking Stargate! It's a crazy trip!
You can go quite far and you don't need a car or even a ship!
There's Colonel O'Neill and Carter and Daniel and Teal'c!
Look out for that G-G-G-G-G-Goa'uld!


O'NEILL: What's going on?
MAKEPEACE: The Goa'uld will be here any minute. We're helping the Tok'ra evacuate.

Zzzz.....

MARTOUF: Hi Dad. I'm in love with your daughter.
JACOB: Huh?
CARTER: That's not till next season.
MARTOUF: Oh, forget I said that.

Call Forward jokes are fun to write.

TEAL'C: We don't know how the Goa'uld found us.
O'NEILL: Oh, did I forget to mention I saw Cordesh with one of those
videophone balls last week?
DANIEL: Yes.
O'NEILL: Sorry, must have slipped my mind.
TEAL'C: Indeed.

I feel there must've been more I could've done riffing on the videophone ball.

SELMAK: Hi Jacob. A quick question before I take over your body.
JACOB: Shoot.
SELMAK: What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
JACOB: African or European?
SELMAK: I like you. Let's kiss.
JACOB: OK.

Should've tried to fit more Holy Grail jokes elsewhere in the fiver.

CORDESH: Look at me kill my host so you'll think I'm dead.
O'NEILL: OK.

Should've worded that better; should've included a joke.

MARTOUF: We can't move him until Selmak has healed his cancer.
CARTER: Drat. And the Tok'ra are destroying this place too.
MARTOUF: I'm going to stay until he awakes.
CARTER: Me too.
DANIEL: Can I state for the record that I think this is a bad idea?
CARTER: No.
JACOB: Ouch. What a headache.
MARTOUF: We need to go.

If Jacob was going to wake up in the same scene, either I needed to pad out this scene, make it two scenes, or just ignore the "who's staying" part to make another joke.

JACOB: Hi. I'll be the new liason between the Tok'ra and Earth.
HAMMOND: Good.
DANIEL: Push this box through the Stargate if you need to contact us.
JACOB: Don't call us, we'll call you.
CARTER: Bye Dad.

Hey, another spelling error! I do feel that the whole "message box" thing should've been either used more often or not at all; it's a plot hole waiting to happen. The final line needed to be an actual punchline, too.

Nate the Great 12-03-2017 06:02 PM

Entry Seven: "Holiday"

O'NEILL: Look at all this stuff.
CARTER: Cool! A palm pilot! I've always wanted one of these!
MACHELLO: Hi. I'm Machello.
DANIEL: Hi. I'm Daniel Jackson.
MACHELLO: No, I'm Daniel Jackson. I made these gadgets to fight the Go'auld. Please hold those handles.
(Zap! Daniel in Machello collapses)
MACH/DAN: Weird.
O'NEILL: Teal'c, grab the old guy. Let's go.

Oh man, Palm Pilots. Twenty years ago they were the cool gadget on the block. How times change. Today that'd probably be an Android or something.

CARTER: I can't figure out how to use this palm pilot.
HAMMOND: Bummer. How do you feel, Dr. Jackson?
MACH/DAN: A little tired.
HAMMOND: Take a day off.

I was really on a "bummer" kick at that point in my fiving career. Reading a bunch of these at once really does make the lameness of that joke stand out.

DAN/MACH: I'm Daniel Jackson in Machello's body.
FRAISER: Weird.
TEAL'C: Indeed.
O'NEILL: Let's go get that body-swapping gizmo.

I like the word "gizmo". What a shock.

MACH/DAN: Hi, I'm Machello.
FRED: Hi, I'm Fred. Let's go have some lunch, on you.
MACH/DAN: Sure.

I'm trying to think what nationality someone would think the name "Machello" is if you didn't know ti was alien. Mediterranean or something? Incidentally, why didn't I make a JELLO joke in this fiver?

O'NEILL: Lift on three. One...Two...
(Zap!)
JACK/TEAL'C: Nuts.
TEAL'C/JACK: Indeed.

Today I would've used something else instead of "nuts". Drat or phooey, most likely.

WAITRESS: You need a credit card to eat here.
MACH/DAN: Will one of these do?
WAITRESS: Sure, but I don't plan to return it.
MACH/DAN: OK, kiss me.
WAITRESS: In your dreams.

Could Machello forge Daniel's signature? For that matter, would he know how to work a ballpoint pen?

JACK/TEAL'C: I don't feel so hot.
TEAL'C/JACK: You're sick. You need to meditate so the worm can heal you.
JACK/TEAL'C: Why?
TEAL'C/JACK: Who knows? I guess the writers needed to fill up time. By the way, I'm going to shave your head.
JACK/TEAL'C: Over your dead body.
TEAL'C/JACK: If you don't meditate that can be arranged.
JACK/TEAL'C: Drat.

This scene could be trimmed a bit, but that last joke is good.

HAMMOND: Someone used Dr. Jackson's credit card. I've sent a team to get him. I'm just saying this to bridge these two scenes.

I really don't like single-speaker scenes unless it's a Captain's Log. I should've put more thought into this.

COP: Hands up!
MACH/DAN: Drat.

In fact, I could've just had Hammond mention the arrest and saved a scene.

HAMMOND: Switch everyone back.
MACH/DAN: No.
HAMMOND: OK, lock him up.

Ugh. This scene should've been chucked.

MACH/DAN: If you let out I'll show you how to use my palm pilot.
CARTER: No, the plot demands that you have a poignant heart-to-heart talk with Daniel now.

This one needed another draft.

MACH/DAN: I should live so I can protect you from the Go'auld.
DAN/MACH: I should live so I can find my wife.
MACH/DAN: You'll never find your wife.
DAN/MACH: Yes, I will! Ouch!
FRAISER: He's dying. Carter, we only have five minutes. Time to find a last-minute solution.
CARTER: OK.

"Ouch"? Not "Ack"?

CARTER: Time for musical bodies. First Jack and Machello switch.
(Zap!)
CARTER: Now Teal'c and Daniel.
(Zap!)
DAN/JACK: Whoa, I'm not an old man anymore. Cool!
TEAL'C/MACH: (If he weren't in a dying old man's body I'm sure he'd say "Indeed.")
CARTER: Jack and Daniel.
(Zap!)
DANIEL: It's great to be back.
O'NEILL: Indeed. Whoa, Teal'c hangover!
CARTER: Finally, Teal'c and Machello.
MACH/TEAL'C: You'll never find out how to use my palm pilot!
CARTER: Drat.
(Zap!)
MACHELLO: Thanks for the holiday. Now that the title has been explained I can die.

Way too long of a scene. Way too long.

Nate the Great 12-05-2017 09:19 AM

Entry Eight, "Out of Mind"

(O'Neill is pulled out of the cryo-tank)
TROFSKY: Hi Colonel. You're in the SGC. It is the year 2077. The rest of your team is dead.
O'NEILL: This has to be the worst hangover I've ever had.
TROFSKY: Yes. Want to walk around even though you've just been defrosted?
O'NEILL: Sure.

That last couplet was unnecessary, but if it had to be there I should've had a Minnesota joke along the lines of "I'm from Minnesota, that's what I do every spring anyway."

TROFSKY: Look at that team about to go offworld. We have to go before they activate the Stargate.
O'NEILL: Why?
TROFSKY: To make you suspicious. Now it's time for a trip down memory lane.

Ugh. The joke should've been one of those "easily-distracted" gags. Treat O'Neill like a distracted dog, do a Princess Bride "what in the world could that be", etc.

RALEIGH: This gizmo will project your memories holographically.
TROFSKY: We're still fighting the Goa'uld. Do you know of anyone who could help us beat them?
O'NEILL: The Nox, but they are passive. The Asgard blew up a few Goa'uld ships.
TROFSKY: Good.

Zzzz....where's the obvious villain gag? A "the plan is going perfectly, mwhahaha!" or something...

(Daniel is pulled out of the cryo-tank)
TROFSKY: Hi Daniel. You're in the SGC. It is the year 2077. The rest of your team is dead.

(Carter is pulled out of the cryo-tank)
TROFSKY: Hi Captain. You're in the SGC. It is the year 2077. The rest of your team is dead.

Zzzzzz, I needed some variation on these. Trofsky is getting increasingly borerd with each one, he sounds more evil with each one, etc.

TROFSKY: What Goa'uld have you faced?
CARTER: Apophis.

DANIEL: Sokar. Heru-ur. Hathor.

Chuck these, they're a classic example of the nevist fallacy of trying to squeeze every plot point into a fiver.

FRAISER: Hi Teal'c. We can't find the rest of your team. Where are they?
TEAL'C: I do not know.
HAMMOND: Indeed.
TEAL'C: Hey, that's my line!

Today I would've thrown in a "you owe me twenty bucks in royalties" gag or something.

TEAL'C: I will go back and search for them.
HAMMOND: No, you will not.
TEAL'C: I'll resign then. I'm leaving.
HAMMOND: Fine.

Does Teal'c use contractions or not in these fivers? Where's the consistency?

O'NEILL: I just knocked out a guard and escaped! Who's the man! Oh, look, a Serpent Guard! This whole place is a crock!

"Crock?" Where'd that come from?

O'NEILL: Wake up, Captain.
CARTER: I thought you were dead.
O'NEILL: Likewise. Why don't you put on that guard's clothes instead of
that sheet.
CARTER: Don't you like it?
O'NEILL: Ummm...

This wasn't the place for shipping. Should've spun this into a toga/Greek joke or something. Maybe have Carter cosplay as the Muse of Technobabble or something...

O'NEILL: Hey, Daniel. Wake up!
DANIEL: I thought you were dead.
O'NEILL: We've already done that scene. By the way, the whole place is a fake.

Mixing and matching straight plot recaps with abridging metahumor needs more finesse than this to work.

HATHOR: Hi. I've kidnapped you to find out about the current events so I can conquer the Goa'uld.
O'NEILL: Good for you.
HATHOR: How do I find the Asgard?
O'NEILL: Bite me.
HATHOR: How do I open the iris?
CARTER: Like I'm going to tell you.
HATHOR: Fine. Here's a worm. Who should I put it into?

TO BE CONTINUED

"The" current events?


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