You are right though, she has brought a personality to Lindsay. She's brought the selfish, unpleasant, show off, brown noser personality to Lindsay. I don't like the way Anna Belknap portrays Lindsay. I don't think she does anything for the character. In fact, I think I'm supposed to like Lindsay but the way Anna plays her is not interesting or endearing and makes me dislike her passionately. I don't think TPTB's intention is for people to find her selfish, unpleasant, a show off, or a brown noser. Can I prove that? No. But that's the impression I'm left and I absolutely think another actress could bring those intended good elements to Lindsay and therefore Anna Belknap isn't necessary and is even detrimental to the show and as long as Anna Belknap plays Lindsay the character is unecessary and even detrimental to the show.
But the fact that Anna's portrayal of Lindsay makes you (or others) dislike the character does not mean she's been unsuccessful in bringing good personality to Lindsay. Because it's also fact that she's managed to bring the intended endearingness to many others. She's made people like the character the way -- arguably even better than the way, at least in my case -- TPTB intended. Either in spite of or directly because of that personality she's brought that to some comes across as unpleasant. I can't count the number of times I've seen someone refer to Lindsay as a "more cheerful Sara Sidle". I'm not saying that's the standard interpretation of Lindsay or that it has to be (after all, even on this board there are people who are huge fans of the same character but have completely different interpretations of him/her), or that it's strange if she so doesn't come off that way to others. But you mentioned earlier in the thread how especially on TV, any canon event is up for interpretation -- perfectly true, but it also means that neither TPTB or the actors/actresses can control how any one person interprets their portrayal of the character. These characters are protagonists. Ideally, we're supposed to like them all and find them all sympathetic, even at their worst. It doesn't always come across that way, even with me, and not only specific to Lindsay. But I wouldn't say that means the actor's been unsuccessful in carrying across the original intention, because if it came across that way to others, then they did
something successfully.
Additionally, I'd argue that the personality Anna's brought to Lindsay does not run contradictory to TPTB's intentions or taste, since a lot of the written element of her personality (especially in late season 2/season 3) seems to have been inspired directly by what she added to the character. Lindsay only started to be written as moody and aloof after AB had been playing her as moody and aloof for quite some time.
Examples where Lindsay has repeatedly done those things would be nice, too.
...
What "abstract" stuff has she run with that the other characters would be so OOC if they did the same? When I think of Lindsay "abstract" isn't the word that comes to mind with her. She seems to be more about what is obvious than what is abstract. If she was abstract she wouldn't repeatedly be told to look beyond the obvious when examining evidence.
- "Wasted" (looking into all the old wives' tales about leeches after she found them in the doctor's basement, figuring out that said doctor saw herself as some kind of witch doctor)
- "Cool Hunter" (Mac had to constantly remind her to stick to the science, rather than to the tale of the curse on that building)
- "Time's Up" (admittedly, with help from Hawkes -- but Hawkes was only explaining how time travel was theoretically possible, Lindsay was the one actually postulating that the professor had come from the future -- and directly after she said that, Mac told her to separate the science from the science fiction)
- "Help" (going on about coincidences, no one believed her but in a way she turned out to be right)
- "Grounds for Deception" (postulating that the murder weapon came from Alexander the Great's tomb, Mac didn't believe her until Hawkes came in and mentioned that the weapon was made of stone that was ancient)
- Even "Boo" a little (when she was kind of accused by that police officer of letting the stories of the Amityville Horror influence her).
Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head...although I still don't quite feel like I'm explaining myself correctly -- I mean, she's just usually the one who runs with or looks into the things that shouldn't have much or any basis in factual science. That's what I kind of mean by abstract, or outside the box...outside the realm of plain fact or science. And yeah, I'm not saying she's the only one who's
ever done this (although I can't think of anyone else who has right now) or who ever could, but she's the one who does it repeatedly, and gets called on it almost as often. And I think it'd seem strange coming from anyone other than possibly Sid, because they may all be quirky or geeky but in general they're just more down to earth about the science.
I didn't say TPTB should listen to one group of fans over another. You're the one who said "some people like her" is a "very good" argument for her to stay. All the characters have "some" people who like them. What I was trying to say is that with Lindsay there are a fair amount of people who dislike her and a fair amount of people who just tolerate her. And some people who have stopped watching the show because of her. You don't see that with the other characters the way you see it with Lindsay. To me that's more compelling as an argument than "some people like her."
I still see it as a good argument for her to stay, because for the amount of people who like her, she's clearly doing something right. For many of those people that I've personally talked to, she's actually integral to their enjoyment of the show, in the way I expect many people here find Danny or Flack [or insert fave character's] presence integral to their enjoyment of the show. That's why I said I could see the argument for people who'd already left the show because she'd arrived (since I think many people would stop watching any show if such a huge part of their enjoyment of said show were removed, like a favourite character; and I don't see why it should be assumed that Lindsay fans would feel any differently). But for the ones who dislike her or just tolerate her, I don't think it's the same ballpark. And I probably won't until I see someone step in and tell me their agony over seeing Lindsay in nearly every episode for the past four years is equal to or greater than the agony of having their favourite character go missing for months on end, would be. She may be irritating them, but clearly not to the point where they'd trade out their favourite characters to see her go. The show is still presumably enjoyable enough for them to keep watching even while she's on it. Whereas for the people who like her,
she's part of what's making the show enjoyable. I hope this is making sense
And yeah, I realize the whole "if she's reaching even one person, then it's worth keeping her on the show" argument doesn't work ideally. Like with Julia on Miami, if it's pretty much unanimous consensus that she should get lost, I'd see it as a good reason she should. But I've never seen anything that comes close to suggesting that there's unanimous, or even majority consensus that Lindsay should go. At best it's fifty/fifty, so I think the fact that she's clearly making the NY experience enjoyable, or even worthwhile, for more than a few people is a good reason for her to stay.
Some people who can't stand other characters probably do think the show should get rid of them. Those people are free to start "Why Adam Should GO" and "Why Danny Should GO" threads and post their hearts out. I've been told there was once an anti-Danny thread. There was also an Anti-Angell thread before she was killed off. This thread isn't about people thinking TPTB is going to cater to them or take their opinions into account over other peoples. It's about having a place (since Lindsay/Anna fans complained about debate in the Anna/Lindsay thread) for people who don't like the character and/or actress to express their thoughts.
Okay...I was never actually sure of what the purpose of this thread was.
