Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

WCDT December 15-19, 2014 (2855-2859)

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ysth:
No off-colour commentary that I've seen yet.

ReindeerFlotilla:

--- Quote from: J on 16 Dec 2014, 09:27 ---i really, really, really do not get why people seem to think emily is so un-dateable.

yes, she's a bit eccentric, but she's a fun eccentric. especially when compared to the various neuroses and insecurities that the rest of the cast has to deal with.

--- End quote ---

Because Emily does not exist.

I'm not being literal, although that's true. Emily has had almost no characterization beyond being strange, and surprisingly little of that. It doesn't help that the rest of the cast thinks of her in those terms, if they think of her at all.

We don't really know who she is. She's just a running gag, for the most part.

But wait, there's more.

As little as we know, we do know she looks up to Claire, enough that she was hurt when her hero worship backfired. We know she's not afraid of snakes. She's curious. But she's also incredibly inexperienced. There's no way to say how all of those things come together to make a person. It's easy to imagine that what we've seen is just the barest hint of her weird.

While people enjoy a little weird, constant weird has no feeling of surprise, no spark of adventure.

Also, I think the idea that Clinton is the other half of the date here puts a sour spin on the idea. There's a lot of negativity around Clinton. Some of it may be rubbing off.

Gladstone:

--- Quote from: ysth on 16 Dec 2014, 11:42 ---
--- Quote from: Gareth on 16 Dec 2014, 01:41 ---No, my point is that she didn't say 'no you're an asshole, that's a massively assholey thing to say'. Nor was it even played for laughs. It's become an actual plot development, which I find baffling.

--- End quote ---
What?  He threatened to not be happy for her unless she got him an introduction.  After saying he was ok with her and Marten.  That's not an assholely thing to say, that's him asking for a favour in a safe-for-him way (that is, without pointing out how desperately he needs it).

--- End quote ---

And keep in mind that Jeph is hardly portraying Clinton's demands as saintly or exemplary.  Hell, this is a comic where an annoying coffee shop customer (Angus) "got the girl" by pestering her relentlessly, even after being thrown across the room and told point-blank to go away.  Clinton being a jerk to his sister and asking to be introduced to one of her boyfriend's hot friends isn't the best way to go about getting a girlfriend, but at least he had the decency to stop bothering Hannelore when confronted about his actions. 

Granted, a sword was involved, but still.

ASB84:

--- Quote from: ysth on 16 Dec 2014, 11:42 ---
--- Quote from: Gareth on 16 Dec 2014, 01:41 ---No, my point is that she didn't say 'no you're an asshole, that's a massively assholey thing to say'. Nor was it even played for laughs. It's become an actual plot development, which I find baffling.

--- End quote ---
What?  He threatened to not be happy for her unless she got him an introduction.  After saying he was ok with her and Marten.  That's not an assholely thing to say, that's him asking for a favour in a safe-for-him way (that is, without pointing out how desperately he needs it).
--- End quote ---

This.

I feel like Clinton's "demand" is being taken way too seriously. To me, it sounded like he was fine with the situation, but like you said, trying to ask a favour without it sounding awkward, and failing to do so. Him being happy for Claire and supportive of the relationship isn't truly contingent on being set up with one of Marten's friends; it was just an awkward segue, an attempt to not sound too desperate while asking if she and Marten know any single ladies that he could be introduced to, because frankly, he'd like to find someone as well.

In its own way, it's a conciliatory remark. Like when you talk through a situation with someone and assure them that yes, you're fine, as long as they get you a coffee/help move this table/something else mundane. It's not intended to be a condition for you being cool with the situation, a task they must do to ensure that you are.

I guess what we've seen of Clinton so far, the abrasiveness he's shown, has people less inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. I'm not feeling the hate myself, though. I am souring on Claire though, as the way she talks to and about Clinton, the fact she was hoping to upset him upon revealing her relationship with Marten to him, and her admission that he's fun to pick on...to be honest, she's got a bit of a nasty streak that I don't much care for. In bagging out Clinton, some poor behaviour on Claire's part is being swept under the rug.

ReindeerFlotilla:
Has no one noticed that this is what Claire and Clinton do? Clinton is over protective, Claire is patronizing. Very true. But they also just pick on each other, because they have this sibling rivalry thing going.

Maybe it's not exactly Emily Post (I just didn't feel like another Emily post), but I doubt they take it as seriously as some in this forum do.

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