Lesson 12 (New Thread)

[Lawrence Fraly]

Larry Fraller’s Creating Irony!

What I learned doing this assignment is to really let loose, knowing AI will back me up and corral me if need be.

Assignment 1

The Diplomat

When Hal answers the phone after he sees the explosion on the ship, Kate assumes that Hal’s the one they want to be ambassador to UK. But it’s her.

Hal acts as ambassador when he’s not. Revealed during newscast.

Kate tells Trowbridge to bomb Russia, but it’s a bluff to make him see the real danger of his extreme rhetoric.

We know Kate’s being groomed for VP, but she doesn’t know it.

Margaret appears to be Trowbridge’s adversary, but she’s his confidante.

Assignment 2

My Show

My ideas for irony for my show.

–Bella appears to love Marco, while she’s scheming to steal from him.

–While Bella’s scheming to steal from Marco, she falls in love with him.

–Carlita is an active member of the Sierra Club, but her purpose is to sabotage their efforts to protect the Everglades from oil exploration.

–Alex used to be Alice.

–Roofie’s grandfather had original rights to the well, but lost them gambling at nine ball with Marco’s grandfather, who cheated him.

–Roofie is a veteran SEAL who was dishonorably discharged for disregarding the lives of civilians during a mission.

–Carlita owns a mansion from early-day Florida, but we find out it’s a rundown rooming house.

–Carlita’s two lawyers each thinks theirs is the only well…one well in the Great Cypress Swamp, the other buried under a warehouse near Naples.

–The warehouse that’s built over the second well is the clearing house for a weapons manufacturer owned by a Chinese billionaire—operated by Marinda.

–The weapons are mini-drones equipped with high powered lasers, shipped to Cuba via the Caymans.

FROM AI that I like

CHARACTER IRONY

The street musician, usually associated with freedom and spontaneity, becomes entrapped in a web of deception orchestrated by the seemingly ordinary mom.

RELATIONSHIP

The street musician and the mom develop a genuine romantic connection despite the initial deception and ulterior motives.

DIALOGUE

The mom uses seemingly innocent and mundane conversations to extract crucial information from the street musician and his mother without them realizing.

DRAMATIC

As the families clash over the scandal, viewers are aware of hidden alliances and motives, adding complexity to the unfolding drama.

TOTAL AI GENERATED IRONIES

I’m going to give you the [concept] in which the mom marries the street musician and has a baby by him, [lead characters], and [main conflict] for my TV Series in [Format/Genre] and I’d like you to brainstorm forms of [irony] that could show up in the show.

IRONY = Put two opposites together in a meaningful way. Those opposites could be on any of these levels: Plot, character, relationships, situations, cover-ups, layers, actions, dialogue, or dramatic irony where the audience knows something one or more of the characters don’t or other forms of irony that meet the definition.

Format/Genre = crime drama

Concept = a mom schemes with her ex- to steal from a street musician and his controlling mother the rights to a secret, capped oil well in the Everglades

Main conflict = two families clash over a decades-old scandal

Lead Characters = the mom, her ex-, the street musician, his controlling mother

ChatGPT

ChatGPT

Certainly, let’s explore some forms of irony for your crime drama TV series:

1. Character Irony:

· The street musician, usually associated with freedom and spontaneity, becomes entrapped in a web of deception orchestrated by the seemingly ordinary mom.

· The controlling mother, who is accustomed to manipulating situations, finds herself unable to control the unfolding events as the mom and her ex- outsmart her.

2. Relationship Irony:

· The mom and her ex- maintain a facade of an amicable co-parenting relationship while secretly plotting against the street musician and his mother.

· The street musician and the mom develop a genuine romantic connection despite the initial deception and ulterior motives.

3. Situational Irony:

· The capped oil well, symbolizing hidden wealth, becomes both the source of conflict and an unexpected bond between the two families.

· The street musician, who performs in public spaces, ends up being connected to a secretive and valuable resource in the Everglades.

4. Dialogue Irony:

· The mom uses seemingly innocent and mundane conversations to extract crucial information from the street musician and his mother without them realizing.

· The ex- employs double entendres and cryptic language, revealing his true intentions only to those who are keen enough to decipher his words.

5. Plot Irony:

· The mom, initially portrayed as an average woman, turns out to be a mastermind orchestrating an elaborate scheme.

· The audience discovers early on the true nature of the oil well, creating dramatic irony as characters remain oblivious to its significance.

6. Dramatic Irony:

· The audience knows about the scam from the beginning, but the characters remain blissfully unaware, creating suspense and anticipation.

· As the families clash over the scandal, viewers are aware of hidden alliances and motives, adding complexity to the unfolding drama.

7. Action Irony:

· The mom, who is typically associated with nurturing and protection, engages in actions that are manipulative and deceitful.

· The street musician, known for his openness and vulnerability in his music, takes unexpected and calculated actions to protect his family’s secret.

8. Irony of Cover-ups:

· The controlling mother attempts to conceal her family’s involvement in the scandal, only to be exposed by the seemingly ordinary mom who is adept at concealing her true intentions.

By incorporating these forms of irony, you can add layers of complexity and intrigue to your crime drama TV series, making it engaging for the audience.

[John Livingstone]

What I learned is that irony is commonplace but often unnoticed. Important to know how to create it.

In Breaking Bad, irony abounds.

My Show: Return to Mars

1. Survival vs. Isolation:

   • Situational Irony: Despite the post-apocalyptic world pushing for survival, the facility’s isolation becomes a source of danger and conflict rather than safety.

2. Leadership Rivalry:

   • Dramatic Irony: The audience knows the father’s ambiguous instructions, creating tension as Trevor and Jason vie for leadership, unaware of their father’s intention for them to choose a new leader.

3. Mission Objectives:

   • Verbal Irony: Hank, a pacifist, leads a mission that may involve sacrificing others for Mars’ isolation, contrasting his beliefs and actions.

4. Deceptive Alliances:

   • Situational Irony: Elizabeth and Carl’s manipulative actions, aiming for power, inadvertently contribute to family tensions and jeopardize the facility’s unity.

5. Earth’s Reclamation vs. Mars Isolation:

   • Irony of Fate: The conflict over Earth’s reclaiming mirrors the war they escaped, illustrating how humanity struggles with the same issues, questioning if history is bound to repeat.

6. Romantic Entanglements:

   • Dramatic Irony: Sophia’s belief in controlling Jason contradicts her inability to foresee the consequences of their conflicting interests on the survival mission.

7. Tensions with Mars Society:

   • Situational Irony: The Earth mission faces challenges from Martians, questioning whether the advanced society they sought for help becomes a potential threat.

8. Ethical Dilemmas:

   • Verbal Irony: Characters grapple with the morality of their actions, creating tension between their ideals and the harsh reality of survival in the post-apocalyptic world.

9. Family Dynamics:

   • Situational Irony: The struggle for control within the family contradicts their shared goal of survival, highlighting the internal conflicts jeopardizing their collective future.

10. Colonial Struggles on Mars:

    • Irony of Situation: Earth’s mission to Mars, seeking refuge, becomes a potential threat to Martians, reflecting humanity’s tendency to bring conflict wherever it goes.

11. Psychological Strain:

    • Dramatic Irony: The characters’ internal conflicts, particularly Jasper’s idealism, may reveal the harsh reality of survival, challenging their beliefs and values.