Eying the box-office HBO gleaned from its own production of "Game of Thrones", Showtime has responded by picking up the broadcast rights of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander to make its own mini-series blockbuster.
There is some hub-bub going out in both spanko and vanilla circles, for the book contains a fairly lengthy and detailed spanking scene. He says "Stay put or I shall spank you." She does not stay put, and a spanking scene ensures. Just the one, for when it is over, the hero promises the heroine never to repeat the exercise. A disappoint to some readers, I am sure, and possible to Diana herself who allows many of her characters to contemplate the spanking of one backside or another. If she is not one of us, she sure has learned how to ring some of our bells.
Some vanillas wring their hands that the spanking scene - which will be shown in full, in all its glory, - because it is attracting the "wrong sort" of attention to one of their favorite bodice-rippers. Not that they have anything against spankos, per se - just that dozens of hours of heady romance is being reduced in the public eye to a single event: and one that is not that important to the story line as a whole.
But at least Showtime is sticking with the text on this one. You may recall that HBO replaced a reasonable and deserved spanking of Ayra with a totally made up one involving prostitutes. (Not sure what went wrong there - except HBO possibly did not want to show a young girl being subjected to harsh discipline - or some such).
Anyway - you do not have to subscribe to Showtime to enjoy this promised treat - it is bound to make its way on to one of the video channels, where you will be able to watch it for free. And as soon as one springs up, I shall give you the nod where to find it.
The beating of Arya, aged about ten at the time, was a three-stroke flogging that sent blood down her legs and left her unable to ride for two days. Not my cup of tea, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAs for Claire's punishment in Outlander, it was severe but appropriate: she'd culpably put the lives of the entire troupe in danger—an offense that would have had much harsher consequences for any of the men in the troupe. If Jamie, as the leader, hadn't taken action, he wouldn't have been leader much longer, and the effect on the men's morale would have ruined their cohesion and endangered all of them further.
I read some vanilla Outlander forums at the time I read the book, and really could not believe the outrage and lack of understanding of the context. Jamie justifies himself to Claire over several pages, as I recall, and points out that the beating was nothing compared to what he often had to endure as a boy. Later, he endures infinitely worse for the sake of Claire: more, I think than any nonfictional man could take without being permanently broken, both physically and mentally. But the book is fantasy.
I also do not think the beating of a ten year old should be anyone's cup of tea. My observation was that simply replacing the scene with one depicting the abuse of prostitutes did not really do the series, the plot nor the viewers very much good either. And, for what it is worth, in the TV series Ayra was clearly very much older than 10. Again - the discipline of an adolescent is not my idea of good wholesome fun: but that event was far more true to the original tale.
ReplyDeleteYou're right: the horrible scene in Joffrey's chambers was terrible as well.
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