The Kochanski Effect

“inferior actress”.

Wait, “inferior actress”?

Clare Grogan’s Kochanski got a whole lot less screen time in the series, and–not to impugn her acting talent–the character of Kochanski wasn’t actually meant to do a whole lot at the time except be Lister’s lovelorn fantasy/goal, so it wasn’t necessarily a particularly taxing role. Furthermore, the writing for her character was solidly consistent, because Grant and Naylor were the only writers for the show. How the writer of this piece can compare that to Chloe Annett’s Kochanski, who was required to become a full character and engage with the others and grow a backstory (while the actress coped with some fairly inconsistent writing and difficuly in establishing just what character she should be, particularly in VII) is quite beyond me.

Also, “supermodel looks”? Maybe it’s just because of my having a vagina and all, but I thought that in terms of Kochanski’s “looks”, the recast was more of a lateral move.

I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why, but the whole remark–“inferior actress with supermodel looks” felt rather unfair. Maybe it’s a snide insinuation that Annett was a bimbo? I never got that impression from her in interviews.

Doug would be the first to admit that he didn’t write Kochanski very well, especially in VII. In VIII it didn’t matter if her character was crap because there was no material where it needed to be anything else. Everyone was just along for the ride in VIII. I was hoping in the Movie that she would be more like the book version.

Regarding the casting of Chloe. I would have preferred it if they’d actually cast someone good at comedy.

It?s just that comparing the two incarnations of the character and the demands each placed on the actresses portraying them is?well, beyond apples and oranges, really.

This.

But, that said, I do think Chloe is a better actress than Clare. As evidence, I present the following two lines of dialogue :

“That doesn’t excuse my other four senses!”

and

“Don’t worry about us, GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!”

Oh, and lest we forget… IS THAT MEAT?!?!?!?!?!?

Oh, and lest we forget? IS THAT MEAT?!?!?!?!?!?

Blah blah blah it’s in character blah blah blah wait until I get to my Ted reviews blah blah blah.

I think *every* incarnation of Kochanski has been crap. It’s just there’s a hell of a lot more riding on it in VII than anywhere else.

> I have nothing against Grogan, but it does puzzle me that anyone would consider her a superior actress to Chloe.

To be fair, Clare does have a much more impressive CV imo. In the show though I agree it’s because she had less to do and she appeared in better series that her version of the character is generally more popular.

> Doug would be the first to admit that he didn?t write Kochanski very well, especially in VII.

But Doug has also said that Chloe played the character much more uptight and unlikeable than was written which is hardly a ringing endorsement.

> But, that said, I do think Chloe is a better actress than Clare. As evidence, I present the following two lines of dialogue :
?That doesn?t excuse my other four senses!?
and
?Don?t worry about us, GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!?

The line, “We’re not friends any more.” immediately springs to mind.

> Say what you want about her performance in VII, but it?s more interesting than the bland non-entity in VIII.

Dunno about more interesting but it’s certainly more irritating.

The A.V. Club section is non-satirical, though, which is where this article comes from.

> but it?s more interesting than the bland non-entity in VIII

You mean Cat here, right?

I don’t think a single thing anyone did in VIII was driven by their original characters. It’s all a big mess.

> And the whole Rimmer/Lister relationship (for want of a better word) was back, much like it was in the early series. Particularly in Back in the Red anyway.

The only thing about the original relationship that was back was the vague setting. They may have been on bunk beds, but the characters were hugely distorted.

The original list contains the all-time ultimate recast – Aunt Viv in Fresh Prince!! It was even referred to in one of the opening episodes of a later season, I think Will says to her ‘you’re playing the Mom this year?’ or something. Like it says on the list, she was hardly ever in it once it changed to the new actress.

Something more current, obviously, is Rachel Dawes mysteriously changing from that bint out of Dawson’s Creek (who was IMO unfairly ripped for her performance in Batman Begins) to Donnie Darko’s sister who likes who likes doing nude scenes – but not here, sadly (or not). Maggie did a great job anyway, but I would definitely have preferred Katie Holmes back if only for continuity. The change isn’t THAT jarring because they’re similar, but I bought her connection with Harvey Dent much more because both of them were new. Her scenes with Bruce didn’t resonate as much as they would have done with Holmes still there. Incidentally, she CHOSE not to do TDK as opposed to what everyone assumes, that Nolan didn’t want her back.

Well, I never liked Katie Holmes, even before she got together with Tom Cruise, so meh.

(Although Pieces of April is a good film.)

Oh yeah, and based on Dwarf, Chloe is a better actress, but that’s hardly fair. Or interesting.