Tales to Astonish

...What it is ain't exactly clear.

Okay, so everyone knows that Christylee and I met courtesy of a mutual fascination with Lizzie McGuire. And I think most people have followed that I've turned her on to Buffy, followed by Angel, and then Smallville. She's introduced me to Gilmore Girls and Monk, and we've discovered Firefly, 24, Heroes, Veronica Mars and Lost...together. We've either finished, or are in the process of watching all these series on DVD, with the exception of Heroes, of course. Every night, we watch an episode of one show, during dinner, rotating our series. Currently, we're rotating between the fifth season of Smallville, the first season of Gilmore Girls, and the lone season of Firefly.

I told you that to tell you this.

We've noticed something pretty...creepy...going on with the shows we've watched. All these shows are connected--somehow--to each other, in some grand spider-web. The same cast and crew keep showing up, in these ten series. It's one thing when you see Firefly actors repackaged to appear in Buffy and Angel, after Firefly's pre-mature demise, since all three shows are exec produced by Joss Whedon.

But when 24 is tied to Monk, or Lost is tied to Gilmore Girls, well, that's just...odd. And even Lizzie McGuire.

Everyone knows that Lalaine appears in Buffy, right? I'm not spoiling you, am I? But did you realize that Howard Gordon is a name shared by the producer for Buffy and Angel (and also 24, thankyouverymuch) and Gordo's father? Do you know the name of Buffy's stuffed pig? Gordo. Even an actor with a bit part in Lizzie as a director, turns out to be the Big Bad in the first season of Heroes.

Sometimes it seems that every episode of every show we watch, has someone in it from some other show we watch. Even Joss Whedon appears as an actor in both Angel and Veronica Mars.

What are the odds that we would pick 10 shows to watch, that use so many of the same performers, over and over?

Here's a list for your edification, and I promise you, it's by no means exhaustive. I've also included some of the movies by the Lizzie McGuire principals. And for the record, actors who play the same role in both Buffy and Angel, or the Lizzie show and movie, don't count.

Alyson Hannigan: Buffy/Veronica Mars
James Marsters: Buffy/Smallville
Emma Caulfield: Buffy/Monk
Charisma Carpenter: Buffy/Veronica Mars
Danny Strong: Buffy/Gilmore Girls
Charlie Weber: Buffy/Veronica Mars
Harry Groener: Buffy/Monk
D.B. Woodside: Buffy/24
Leonard Roberts: Buffy/Smallville/Heroes/24
Nathan Fillion: Buffy/Firefly/Lost
Lalaine: Lizzie McGuire/Buffy/Royal Kill
Joss Whedon: Angel/Veronica Mars/Firefly
Daniel Dae Kim: Angel/24/Lost
Keith Szarabajka: Angel/24
Sam Anderson: Angel/Lost
Jonathan M. Woodward: Angel/Firefly
John Rubinstein: Angel/24
Gina Torres: Angel/Firefly/24
Adam Baldwin: Angel/Firefly
Brigid Branagh: Angel/24
David Herman: Angel/24
Summer Glau: Firefly/Angel
Jeff Rickets: Buffy/Angel/Firefly/24
Enrico Colantoni: Veronica Mars/Monk
Teddy Dunn: Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls
Kyle Gallner: Veronica Mars/Smallville
Lisa Thornhill: Veronica Mars/Monk
Max Greenfield: Veronica Mars/When Do We Eat/Gilmore Girls
Ken Marino: Veronica Mars/Monk/Angel
Christopher B. Duncan: Veronica Mars/24
Krysten Ritter: Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls
Rodney Rowland: Veronica Mars/Angel
Rick Peters: Veronica Mars/Heroes/Smallville
Aaron Ashmore: Veronica Mars/Smallville
Adam Hendershott: Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls
Adam Bitterman: Veronica Mars/Buffy
Christian Clemenson: Veronica Mars/Buffy
Lisa Long: Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls
Kane Ritchotte: Monk/When Do We Eat
Melora Hardin: Monk/Gilmore Girls
Jarrad Paul: Monk/Buffy
Sean Gunn: Gilmore Girls/Angel
Jared Padalecki: Gilmore Girls/Smallville/Cheaper By The Dozen
Matt Czuchry: Gilmore Girls/Veronica Mars
Milo Ventimiglia: Gilmore Girls/Heroes
Rose Abdoo: Gilmore Girls/Monk
Ted Rooney: Gilmore Girls/Cheaper By The Dozen
Alan Loayza: Gilmore Girls/Buffy
Michael Deluise: Gilmore Girls/Lost
Ethan Cohn: Gilmore Girls/Heroes
Chad Michael Murray: Gilmore Girls/Cinderella Story
Gregg Henry: Gilmore Girls/24/Firefly
Adam Brody: Gilmore Girls/Smallville
Alex Borstein: Gilmore Girls/Lizzie McGuire movie
Jim Jansen: Gilmore Girls/Veronica Mars/Monk
Adam Wylie: Gilmore Girls/Monk/Veronica Mars
Brian Tarantina: Gilmore Girls/Heroes
Riki Lindhome: Gilmore Girls/Buffy/Heroes
Tom Welling: Smallville/Cheaper By The Dozen/Cheaper By The Dozen 2
Emmannuelle Vaugier: Smallville/Monk/Veronica Mars
Ian Somerhalder: Smallville/Lost
Mary Lynn Rajskub: 24/Gilmore Girls/Firewall
Glenn Morshower: 24/Monk/Buffy
Gregory Itzin: 24/Firefly
Eric Balfour: 24/Buffy
Zachary Quinto: Heroes/24/Lizzie McGuire
Daniel Bess: 24/Veronica Mars/Firefly
Geoffrey Pierson: 24/Veronica Mars/Monk
Adoni Maropis: 24/Angel
Zeljko Ivanek: 24/Lost
Lana Parrilla: 24/Lost
John Terry: 24/Lost
Rena Sofer: 24/Heroes
Nick Jameson: 24/Lost
Richard Burgi: 24/Firefly
Peter Weller: 24/Lost
Paul Blackthorne: 24/Monk
Sean Astin: 24/Monk
Stephen Spinella: 24/Heroes
Regina King: 24/Cinderella Story
Harris Yulin: Buffy/24
Skye McCole Bartusiak: 24/Lost
Alan Dale: 24/Lost
Billy Burke: 24/Monk/Gilmore Girls
Misha Collins: 24/Monk
Matthew Carey: 24/Veronica Mars
Donnie Keshawarz: 24/Lost
Jackui Maxwell: 24/Gilmore Girls
Megalyn Echikunwoke: 24/Veronica Mars/Buffy
Navi Rawat: 24/Angel
Mark Sheppard: 24/Monk/Firefly
Jamie McShane: 24/Monk/Firefly/Angel
Rudolf Martin: 24/Buffy
Silas Weir Mitchell: 24/Monk
Tony Plana: 24/Monk
John Eddins: 24/Angel
Josh Cruze: 24/Monk
Anthony Azizi: 24/Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls
Masi Oka: Heroes/Gilmore Girls
Greg Grunberg: Heroes/Monk/Lost
Christine Rose: Heroes/Gilmore Girls
Nora Zehetner: Heroes/Gilmore Girls
Clea DuVall: Heroes/Buffy
Missy Peregryn: Heroes/Smallville
Eric Roberts: Heroes/Royal Kill
Colby French: Heroes/24/Angel
Josh Clark: Heroes/24
Shishir Kurup: Lost/Heroes/Monk
Malcolm McDowell: Heroes/Monk
Stana Katic: Heroes/24
Nicole Bilderback: Heroes/Buffy
Link Baker: Heroes/Smallville
Karl T. Wright: Heroes/Monk/Gilmore Girls
Josh Holloway: Lost/Angel
EvAngeline Lilly: Lost/Smallville
Henry Ian Cusick: Lost/24
Fredric Lehne: Lost/Firefly
Nestor Carbonell: Lost/Monk
Francois Chau: Lost/24
Daniel Roebuck: Lost/Monk
Adetokumboh M'Cormack: Lost/Gilmore Girls
Brett Cullen: Lost/Monk
Tony Lee: Lost/Monk/24
Brian Goodman: Lost/24
Lindsey Ginter: Lost/Angel
Gabrielle Fitzpatrick: Lost/Angel
Tracy Middendorf: Lost/24/Angel
Michael Vendrell: Lost/Angel
Felicia Day: Buffy/Monk
Adam Kaufman: Buffy/Veronica Mars
Saverio Guerra: Buffy/Monk
Jeff Kober: Buffy/24
Andy Umberger: Buffy/24/Firefly/Angel
Randy Thompson: Buffy/24
Heath Castor: Buffy/Angel
Conor O'Farrell: Buffy/24
James MacDonald: Buffy/24
Bob Morrisey: Buffy/24/Gilmore Girls/Angel
Carl J. Johnson: Buffy/Monk
James M. Connor: Buffy/Gilmore Girls
Steven W. Bailey: Buffy/Angel
Dania Ramirez: Buffy/Heroes
Max Perlich: Gilmore Girls/Buffy
Franc Ross: Buffy/Monk/Firefly
Azura Skyle: Buffy/Smallville
Rob Benedict: Buffy/Monk
Nick Chinlund: Buffy/Gilmore Girls
Cynthia Lamontagne: Buffy/Veronica Mars
Chet Grissom: Buffy/Monk/Veonica Mars
Oliver Muirhead: Buffy/Gilmore Girls/Lost
Kris Iyer: Buffy/24
Brian Reddy: Buffy/Gilmore Girls
Persia White: Buffy/Angel
Angie Hart: Buffy/Firefly
Scott L. Schwartz: Buffy/Angel
Bonita Friedericy: Buffy/Monk/Angel/Veronica Mars
Bob Fimiani: Buffy/Angel/Firefly
Paul Hayes: Buffy/Monk
Alan Henry Brown: Buffy/Angel
David Fury: Angel/Buffy
Mike Grief: Buffy/Monk
David Meunier: Buffy/Monk/Angel
Stacey Scowley: Buffy/Monk
Sven Holmbert: Angel/Monk/Gilmore Girls
T.J. Thyne: Angel/24/Raise Your Voice
Mark Colson: Angel/Gilmore Girls
Leland Crooke: Angel/Buffy
Marc Vann: Angel/Monk
Justin Shilton: Angel/Buffy
Mark Ginther: Angel/Buffy
Michael Mantell: Angel/Gilmore Girls/24/Lizzie McGuire
Jim Abele: Angel/24
Derek Anthony: Angel/Buffy
Jason Padgett: Angel/24
Brett Wagner: Angel/Buffy
Joshua Grenrock: Angel/Firefly
Lyla Kanouse: Angel/Gilmore Girls/Firefly/Lizzie McGuire
Kevin Fry: Angel/Monk/24
Darris Love: Angel/Buffy
Danan Pere: Angel/Lost
David Figlioli: Angel/Monk
Patrick Fabian: Veronica Mars/24
Carl Bresk: Veronica Mars/Firefly
Matt McKenzie: Veronica Mars/24
David Starzyk: Veronica Mars/Lost
Michael B. Silver: Veronica Mars/Monk
Steve Rankin: Veronica Mars/24/Buffy
Roy Werner: Veronica Mars/Angel/Firefly
Jonathan Bennett: Veronica Mars/Smallville/Cheaper by the Dozen 2
Leighton Meester: Veronica Mars/24
Jonathan Chase: Veronica Mars/Monk
Zachery Ty Bryan: Veronica Mars/Smallville/Buffy
Jeremy Roy Valdez: Veronica Mars/24
Anastasia Baranova: Veronica Mars/Lizzie McGuire
Dana Davis: Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls/Raise Your Voice
John Prosky: Veronica Mars/Heroes/24
Benito Paje: Veronica Mars/24
Paul Ganus: Veronica Mars/Heroes
Jeremy Roberts: Veronica Mars/Monk/Buffy
Gil Birmingham: Veronica Mars/Buffy
Lucas Grabeel: Veronica Mars/Smallville
Meredith Roberts: Veronica Mars/Monk
Samantha Klein: Veronica Mars/Gilmore Girls
Mel Fair: Veronica Mars/Monk/Buffy
Rob LaBelle: Smallville/Monk
Jonathan Taylor Thomas: Smallville/Veronica Mars
Dan Joffre: Smallville/Lizzie McGuire Movie
Dean McKenzie: Smallville/Monk
Brenda Crichlow: Smallville/Firewall
Justin Chatwin: Smallville/Lost
Davida Williams: Lizzie McGuire/Raise Your Voice
Troy Rowland: Lizzie McGuire/Material Girls
Tonya Rowland: Lizzie McGuire/Material Girls
Brad Grunberg: Lizzie McGuire/24
Phill Lewis: Lizzie McGuire/Buffy
Madeline Zima: Cinderella Story/Gilmore Girls
Kevin Kilner: Cinderella Story/Monk
J.D. Pardo: Cinderella Story/Veronica Mars
Art LeFleur: Cinderella Story/Angel
John Billingsley: Cinderella Story/Angel/Gilmore Girls
Carlie Westerman: Cinderella Story/Veronica Mars
Taylor Hoover: Cinderella Story/Lizzie McGuire/Lizzie McGuire movie
Sandra McCoy: Cinderella Story/Veronica Mars
John H. Tobin: Cinderella Story/Gilmore Girls
Lukas Haas: 24/Material Girls
Dot Jones: Lizzie McGuire/Material Girls
Faith Prince: Material Girls/Monk
Cheryl Hawker: Material Girls/Monk
Timothy Davis Reed: Material Girls/Monk/24
Annie McKnight: Material Girls/Heroes
Kayla Ewell: Material Girls/Veronica Mars
Carly Schroeder: Lizzie McGuire/Firewall
Jimmy Bennett: Firewall/Gilmore Girls
David Lewis: Firewall/Smallville
Eric Keenleyside: Firewall/Smallville
Ona Grauer: Firewall/Smallville/Lizzie McGuire Movie
Kett Turton: Firewall/24/Smallville
Vincent Gale: Firewall/Monk
Beverley Breuer: Firewall/Smallville
Jennifer Kitchen: Firewall/Smallville
Elizabeth Thai: Firewall/Smallville
Michael Cavanaugh: Monk/24
Adam Lamberg: Lizzie McGuire/When Do We Eat
Meredith Scott Lynn: When Do We Eat/Monk
Mark Ivanir: When Do We Eat/Monk/24
Oscar Nunez: When Do We Eat/24
Victoria Justice: When Do We Eat/Gilmore Girls

By my count, that's about 250 duplicates, before we stopped counting. There's no more than two degrees of separation for any of the ten shows we watch. And that's a clue.

Spoilers ahoy for: 24 Season 1

Christy Lee and I have recently finished a marathon session of the first season of 24.

Before I go any further, let me stress that I don't want to see any spoilers for season 2 onwards in any comments.

For the unitiated, 24 takes place in real time, which is to say, the events in the story occur in the same amount of time it takes to show you what's happening. There are no segues that skip ahead to the next morning. Commercial breaks last three minutes and forty-seven seconds, and that's exactly how much time passes for Jack Bauer and company, on the show. The first season consists of 24 episodes, one for each hour of a 24-hour day. The season begins and ends at midnight.

I first saw this technique, in an episode of M*A*S*H, the 70's sitcom set during the Korean War.

24 is a much better use of the technique, although, of course, it has its problems.

Most of the problems lie with the suspension of disbelief.

It's one of the great cliches that, in Hollywood, there's always an open parking spot, directly in front of where the character wants to go. Except, when you're telling a story in real time, that's not good enough.

In this mythos, your characters can take no longer than twenty minutes to get from one location to the next, even if travelling across the greater metropolitan area. Now I don't claim to be an authority on Los Angeles, but I have visited, and if there's one thing I know about L.A., it's that you don't go anywhere quickly. Hell, it takes twenty minutes, just to cross the street to buy a newspaper.

There are three stages of traffic in L.A.: Heavy, Really Heavy, and Gridlock. There's no point of the 24-hour day where traffic can be thought of as "light," which is what I'm seeing pretty consistently on 24.

Does this bother me? Does it interrupt my suspension of disbelief? No. I'll cut them some slack. The truth is, we don't want to see Jack Bauer, tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, waiting for Ma and Pa Kettle to get out of his way. Sometimes it's necessary to sacrifice reality, in order to better tell the story.

If they had paid a greater attention to this kind of detail, 24 would be more believable. It would also be very dull.

But...here's something else.

Have you ever stayed up for 24 hours?

Yes?

How about 42 hours? Cause that's a lot closer to what Jack Bauer has actually done here. He's presumably about to settle in for the night, at midnight, when he receives a call from the office, telling him to hustle his ass down to CTU, for an emergency meeting. By the time the story starts, he's already been awake for approximately eighteen hours.

Now, we only see him eat once, and apparently no one in this story needs a bathroom break (which, again, I don't want to see), but after being awake for 30 hours or so (and remember, he's not the only one), we should see Bauer, his wife and daughter, and the Senator's family all--literally--walking into walls.

Does this bother me? Does it interrupt my suspension of disbelief? Well, yes and no. I don't believe it, but, oddly enough, it doesn't bother me. Why not? Maybe it's because the story isn't intended as a comedy.

But...here's something else.

We find out in approximately Hour 23 that the mole in CTU is Jack's trusted confidante, Nina.

During the first 20 hours or so, we're led to believe that someone is a traitor, and at one point or another, the wary viewer suspects everyone. But eventually, we see enough of Nina, alone...you know: "by herself", to allay our suspicions. And then, the big revelation seems to come out of the blue.

Does this bother me? Does it interrupt my suspension of disbelief? You betcha.

Christy Lee and I had started rewatching all of season 1, with this new information in hindsight, to see if everything fit, or did the creators cheat? Unfortunately, her time expired, and she had to return her copy to the library, so we were interrupted after about 6 hours or so. I'm determined not to go on without her, so our research will have to wait until her big move next month.

My point though, is that there were times when Nina didn't act as if she were anything other than honest, even when there was no reason for her to. For instance, after Jack's wife and daughter were taken to the clinic, Nina shows up at the clinic to make sure they're safe. She runs into one of the assassins sent by the brothers, who's pretending to be an FBI agent. When she finds other FBI agents, who claim to be the only agents at the clinic, she immediately knows something is wrong, and head back to stop the assassin.

Uh...why?