Tess: Evil or Misguided?

[Chrisken]

I have to ask, If the show was turned over to you after Sexual Healing,
what are the changes you would have made, and what would have remained the same

Hmm... a very interesting question.

Let's see... with full benefit of hindsight:
- I would *not* have introduced the character of Tess, or any other alien of similar status to Max/Michael/Isabel. Leave the focus on the six of them, possibly with a similar arc about Kyle and Jim Valenti being drawn unexpectedly into the secret.

- Instead of the 'foursquare destiny', I might have introduced a 'who's in charge, destiny or us' line, with Max/Liz finding out, say, that whatever alien forces sent him to earth INTENDED him to attract and possibly mate with a human girl. This could create some interesting angst in their relationship, without proving to be a tactical nuke like Tess turned out to be.

- Probably I'd have left a lot of similar stuff in with the Special unit, but drawn it out more... maybe they're able to eliminate Pierce and hide their tracks slightly, but still have to stay underground because they aren't able to completely compromise the whole unit, thus leaving it around for S2.

- No 'evil alien armies' stuff... the three of them, Nasedo the mysterious shapeshifter... and maybe ONE other alien character whose existence can be revealed at a suitably dramatic moment. No more. Also, the 'search for more info about aliens, about our own background' could be stretched slowly into season two, with the human characters participating more.

- I might or might not choose to include the stuff about abductions and alien posessions, depending on if I could think up good plotlines for it without the alien wars/kings plot. One or two good time travel episodes would be a must.

- Leave the basic idea of the gandarium, struggle against a less complex, but dangerous form of alien life that's connected to them. Develop it better though.

- Do not kill of any member of the core cast and create a murder mystery around his or her departure. Get some freakin' great plotlines for Colin Hanks -- he was one of the best actors on the show for crying out loud!!


Umm... I think I'd better leave off the list there for now. Any other suggestions?

[Roslover39]

I have to ask, If the show was turned over to you after Sexual Healing,
what are the changes you would have made, and what would have remained the same

Hmm... a very interesting question.

Let's see... with full benefit of hindsight:
- I would *not* have introduced the character of Tess, or any other alien of similar status to Max/Michael/Isabel. Leave the focus on the six of them, possibly with a similar arc about Kyle and Jim Valenti being drawn unexpectedly into the secret.

- Instead of the 'foursquare destiny', I might have introduced a 'who's in charge, destiny or us' line, with Max/Liz finding out, say, that whatever alien forces sent him to earth INTENDED him to attract and possibly mate with a human girl. This could create some interesting angst in their relationship, without proving to be a tactical nuke like Tess turned out to be.

- Probably I'd have left a lot of similar stuff in with the Special unit, but drawn it out more... maybe they're able to eliminate Pierce and hide their tracks slightly, but still have to stay underground because they aren't able to completely compromise the whole unit, thus leaving it around for S2.

- No 'evil alien armies' stuff... the three of them, Nasedo the mysterious shapeshifter... and maybe ONE other alien character whose existence can be revealed at a suitably dramatic moment. No more. Also, the 'search for more info about aliens, about our own background' could be stretched slowly into season two, with the human characters participating more.

- I might or might not choose to include the stuff about abductions and alien posessions, depending on if I could think up good plotlines for it without the alien wars/kings plot. One or two good time travel episodes would be a must.

- Leave the basic idea of the gandarium, struggle against a less complex, but dangerous form of alien life that's connected to them. Develop it better though.

- Do not kill of any member of the core cast and create a murder mystery around his or her departure. Get some freakin' great plotlines for Colin Hanks -- he was one of the best actors on the show for crying out loud!!


Umm... I think I'd better leave off the list there for now. Any other suggestions?

I agree with alot of what you wrote, but the thing I would have changed,

is the Let's cause a riff between Max/Liz with another girl. Since

Max was a King on another planet, I would have introduced the Should

he fulfill his obligations and try to get back to Antar, or stay on Earth

with Liz. As a hard-core dreamer and considering that Max and Liz

was the core relationship, I would have loved to see them stay together

and fight different problems instead of being on the outs so much on the

show. Agree/Disagree

[Chrisken]

I agree with alot of what you wrote, but the thing I would have changed,

is the Let's cause a riff between Max/Liz with another girl. Since Max was a King on another planet...

So you would have kept Max an alien king??

Personally, without the whole Tess thing, I don't really see the appeal of that plotline... but I've noticed that it seems to have a strange appeal for the dreamers who despise Tess the most. If you like that plot... then why?

[Roslover39]

I agree with alot of what you wrote, but the thing I would have changed,

is the Let's cause a riff between Max/Liz with another girl. Since Max was a King on another planet...

So you would have kept Max an alien king??

Personally, without the whole Tess thing, I don't really see the appeal of that plotline... but I've noticed that it seems to have a strange appeal for the dreamers who despise Tess the most. If you like that plot... then why?

I like that plot for 2 reasons:

1. I would hope that storyline would lead to Antar and what it's
all about. We've heard about it, but never seen it. I feel that alot of
different storylines could have come from that.

2. I've been watching soap-operas and dramas for a long time, and to
me, the let's break up this couple stuff has worn thin. Why not
show how commited and meant to be the couple is by having them remain together and go through tough times together. (Sorry that's the
Dreamer in me)

[Chrisken]

I like that plot for 2 reasons:

1. I would hope that storyline would lead to Antar and what it's all about. We've heard about it, but never seen it. I feel that alot of different storylines could have come from that.

2. I've been watching soap-operas and dramas for a long time, and to me, the let's break up this couple stuff has worn thin. Why not show how commited and meant to be the couple is by having them remain together and go through tough times together. (Sorry that's the Dreamer in me)

Neither of those reasons are really that much about 'Max is a king', though. There are a lot of storylines that could lead back to whatever alien world Max/Isabel/Michael come from... there are a lot of plotlines that wouldn't involve keeping Max and Liz apart. (Though apparently none of them ever stood a chance as long as JK was in charge, because 'Max and Liz, my little star-crossed lovers, my alien Romeo and human Juliet' seems to have been his idee fixee.)

Personally, I suspect that some dreamers just love the idea of Max as Liz's alien Prince Charming (or King Charming,) who will whisk her away to his Antarian castle. Which is fine, if that's really the whole point, but at least come right out and admit it.

[Roslover39]

Ok,

That's the point I can't help myself. ...I believe in the love

[Zanity]

Ok as promised I'm interested in this conversation but it's off topic so lets move it to:

viewtopic.php?t=14020

I've already posted the essential parts in quotes.

[Kzinti_Killer]

Thank you Zanity. I was doing a before bed check, and I was about to post a warning to stay on topic when I got down to your post. Thanks again.

Rick

[Stargazer's Delight]

Evil really evil is what she was.

Getting in to people minds.
Lies, deception, betrayal.
Commiting suicide by blowing herself up.
Would have Lead Max/Michael/Isabel to their doom.

Oh YEAH and lets not forget that she killed a whole Bunch of people, that tends to make one evil

She still did have a chice to be good, i mean come on she was a friggin alien with a shitload of powers, if she didn't want to follow nacedo's deal she could have blasted him and left to go to roswell and help her fellow antarians live happy lifes.

Don't get me wrong i would have loved nothing more than for her to turn out good on the show, but in the end she didn't.

Not really a great lasting impression on her part.

[rie482]

I think Tess was misguided.

I think this for one pure and simple reason : Nasedo was an ass.

I have always seen him as the cold and calculating alien that he is... and I have to admit I disliked Tess slightly in the first season for the pure fact she was after Max. But thinking about it... there were at times when Tess seemed more human than she would let the others know.

This got me to thinking... they had been on the run the whole of her life. She mentions this in the White room, and the fact she knew how the guards patrolled in pairs made you think about exactly what she had been through to know this.

Plus Nasedo seemed to be the type to run off and leave her. She often talked about he hadn't left her alone for so long - so it did happen. She couldn't of had a proper home life if this is the case. He was all she had. Pure and simple... so she didn't really know right from wrong.

And she believed everything he told her... so therefore I say she was misguided.