I Need a New Word

[MSWallack]

I think that I've found the word that I'm going to use (and I'm taking the style of defining it from the wonderful "Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows":

Apaseriesia
adj. feeling a sense of mild disappointment upon finishing an otherwise good series of novels, sensing that while the story was brought to a satisfactory conclusion, with the characters in a place that makes sense, the efforts that the author went through to get the characters to this place and to tie up the loose ends of the series forced certain elements of the series to be lost or temporarily misplaced or for certain characters to take on a limited role, thus depriving the reader of the sense of joy that propelled them through the previous books in the series.

[JSWolf]

I tried to look up your word. Where does it exist other then this dictionary of made up words?

[arjaybe]

Well, that's kind of a let down.-)

[MSWallack]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I tried to look up your word. Where does it exist other then this dictionary of made up words?

It’s a made up word designed to capture the spirit of the emotion in the manner of words from “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows”.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I tried to look up your word. Where does it exist other then this dictionary of made up words?

That's the whole idea. To make up words that do not otherwise exist in English to cover otherwise unnamed feelings, situations, emotions, etc.

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

End with a major twist from nowhere - Shortstoryitis. Longer works should satisfy your expectations rather than subvert them, after all that work you put in.

I'd refer to that as a deus ex machina.

[Courant]

Originally Posted by bluepeter

I'd refer to that as a deus ex machina.

I think a deus ex machina is a specific type of twist, although a deus ex machina doesn't have to be a twist, there are some that you can see coming.


I think the idea that MSWallack is talking would be like a book series where the first few books are a light hearted found family adventure, but the last book involves the cast spliting up and engaging in serious introspection in order for each character to compelete his arc.

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by Courant

I think a deus ex machina is a specific type of twist, although a deus ex machina doesn't have to be a twist, there are some that you can see coming.

Sorry, but I think you've slightly misunderstood "deus ex machina". From Nil Desperandum - A Dictionary of Latin Tags and Phrases, by Eugene Ehrlich:

deus ex machina
an unlikely and providential intervention.

Deus ex machina, literally "a god out of a machine", describes an unexpected occurrence that rescues someone or something from an apparently hopeless predicament... This is the stuff that bad fiction or drama is made of, so it is no surprise that deus ex machina is usually applied to narrative works, especially to the work of playwrights and novelists who find themselves enmeshed in complexities of their own devising and incapable of bringing their plots to a close without relying on improbable coincidence.

The expression has its origin in ancient Greek theatre, especially in certain plays of Euripides. When the complexities of plot and character appeared incapable of resolution. a god was set down on stage by a mechanical crane to sort things out and make them right. Greek gods could do anything.

Originally Posted by Courant

I think the idea that MSWallack is talking would be like a book series where the first few books are a light hearted found family adventure, but the last book involves the cast spliting up and engaging in serious introspection in order for each character to compelete his arc.

Perhaps, but I was replying to DrNefario's point about ending with a major twist from nowhere. I still think that that sounds like a deus ex machina.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by bluepeter

Perhaps, but I was replying to DrNefario's point about ending with a major twist from nowhere. I still think that that sounds like a deus ex machina.

A deus ex machina is something slightly different, to my mind. Although I guess it could also be a case of shortstoryitis.

A deus ex machina is where the solution to the problem comes from outside - some factor that has never before been mentioned - such as the end of War of the Worlds.

Shortstoryitis would be something like "and it was all a dream" only not usually so poor. Something that might be clever and fun as a short story or an episode of The Twilight Zone, but is inappropriate in a long series.

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

A deus ex machina is where the solution to the problem comes from outside - some factor that has never before been mentioned - such as the end of War of the Worlds.

Yes. And that's a good example.

Originally Posted by DrNefario

Shortstoryitis would be something like "and it was all a dream" only not usually so poor. Something that might be clever and fun as a short story or an episode of The Twilight Zone, but is inappropriate in a long series.

OK, fair enough. You did mean something slightly different, then.

EDIT: You've prompted me to get out the musical version of War of the Worlds. It's too long since I last listened to it.

[bart_simpson]

This just popped into my head and my French is unpardonable:

Merdenouement: merde + denouement

[icallaci]

I love this! I'm going to use it, lol. Perfect.

Originally Posted by bart_simpson

This just popped into my head and my French is unpardonable:

Merdenouement: merde + denouement

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is no one word. What you are looking for is a phrase that describes your situation.

JUMPED THE SHARK

That came from an episode of Happy Days were Fonzie jumped a shark and that was when it was said the series went downhill from there.

It's more like the series was never the same when the "Jump the Shark" moment happens. As an example, it has been mentioned that M*A*S*H Jumped the Shark when Col. Blake died. I respectfully disagree because I think the show was improved by their replacements, such as Col. Potter and Major Winchester.

Another example is Dragonball Z, which I think Jumped the Shark at the end of The Freiza Saga. After that point the series became repetitive where: (1) Goku faces the Big Bad, (2) Goku gets defeated, (3) Goku trains, and (4) Goku comes back and defeats the Big Bad. BTW, the original creator (Akira Toriyama) intended to end the series with The Freiza Saga.