The Problems with Vertical Dramas

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I have a confession.

I got sucked into the smutty trash. Only a wee bit.

The men are hot. Yeah, I know, that’s not an excuse. I’ll allow a small amount of judgment. But just a little.

If you’ve been on Pinterest lately, or seen an ad while playing a game, you’ve probably come across at least a couple teasers for one these entertainment streaming services, the short form of DramaBox, ReelShort, ShortMax, or VibeShort, among countless others.

I was on Pinterest when an advert for a DramaBox series played for a long time, way longer than when you’re in the actual app. I would scroll and it would pop up a little later giving me more story, so at some point I had watched a fair amount of this particular series. It was a story about a dragon king, who looked human (most of the time), falling for a human woman. Maybe it was the fantasy genre pulling me in. Maybe it was the destined lovers from different worlds. I’ve been in a romantic phase for a little while now…I blame my current screenplay.

I’m out again with a back injury and have to seriously consider new employment. I’ve been looking on and off for a while now, but when my doctor told me I wasn’t built for manual labor, yeah, thanks, I’m a princess, I already knew that, I realized it was officially time. The writing jobs I’ve seen more often lately have been for screenwriters to create this specific type of content, and they want experienced writers, even though this is still a fairly new medium, at least here in the West. They want experience, but they’re not putting out quality. No offense, each one I’ve watched has been riddled with errors. So, after finding myself somewhat intrigued by the content I had seen, I decided to investigate, and decide if I wanted to be a part of this kind of entertainment.

I’m sure many of you will guess how I feel about it given what you know about me. I’ll leave my final thoughts to the end.

Now, while I have found a number of stories that were actually fairly enjoyable to watch, after viewing a handful of different ones, I started to notice a pattern – just how bad this kind of storytelling is. Not only because of the errors, but the toxic characters, the abuses, the glaring red flags, and most of them are presented without an age requirement or any kind of warning, trigger or otherwise.

I downloaded the DramaBox, VibeShort, and ShortMax apps based on the samplings I had seen on Pinterest. The age rating in the App Store for most of them is 13+. Thirteen years old to watch the main character being slipped GHB or some variation, in nearly every. single. series. Some of the apps have a higher age rating of 16+ or 18+, but I am not exaggerating when I say that nearly every story I watched had an aphrodisiac, a “lust potion”, or something similar being used. There are minor trigger warnings, like forced love or age-gap, in the descriptions, but those are few and far between, and they do not reflect at all what’s being presented.

A simple “PG-13” or “Mature Content” label, at least, is warranted. I was unprepared to witness some of the things I’ve seen. There is a great deal of bullying, assaults of every kind, being rejected and abused by family or significant others, being sold to settle debts, questionable age gaps, and sexual content, again, in nearly every. single. series. I watched one story where an older man used his position of power to take advantage of young boys and there was a graphic moment, so unbelievably unexpected that I actually recoiled, and there had been no warning, and yet in a vampire story I watched, they occasionally blurred out a drop of blood, and in another, halfway through the series they’ve started to obnoxiously blur out a woman’s cleavage. They’re using a square white brick to blot out just the tops of her breasts. Her dress is not in any way inappropriate.

I have only had to verify that I’m an “adult” twice so far, and not on the graphic one, and I didn’t even have to put in my date of birth, just pressed a button.

If you’ve heard about this kind of format, you’ve probably already heard about the obnoxious length of video to advert ratio. It’s bad, and the ads are glitchy making it even less accessible. These apps are asking for anywhere from $15 – $20 a week to go ad-free and gain access to subscriber only content. The annual subscription is a much better value at $150, but as I mentioned, because of the quality of the work, paying just to get out of the ads is not worth it. Not yet anyway.

So besides the worst of the worst listed above, here are the other major flaws that churning out such content has created:

The heavy reliance on AI. Not only are they using it for the story, because there are many that are nearly identical with different characters (dragon king vs pirate king, for example), but the actual characters are AI generated (I’ve only seen two series with real people), as are their voices. How do I know? Because in nearly every series I’ve watched, Henry Cavill as the Witcher, Geralt is present either physically or vocally. In one series I watched, two characters were Geralt, white hair and all. Are there no other fantasy or sci-fi characters to use as a reference? Where’s Lee Pace? Where’s Alexander Skarsgaard? Where’s Michael B. Jordan?
On that note, there are very few people of color represented, which is a whole other problem.
The glaring errors. Not only do characters’ appearances change from one chapter to the next, but I’ve encountered appearances changing within the same scene. There are voice over errors with mispronunciation of names, subtitle problems, and characters’ voices changing from American to British often.
The terrible titles. I think some of this may be due to translation, but goodness there are so many strange ones. Just an example, because it’s ludicrous – The New CEO Turns Out to Be My Gynecologist. Yeah. I did not watch this, FYI.
The repetition. Across these stories, it almost seems like they have a handful of names at their disposal. Every single series shows hands clenching, arms being pinned above heads, and there’s always at least one dramatic moment in the rain. Then there’s the ridiculous attractiveness of the love interests, and their abs for days. Not that I’m complaining, because I don’t want to admit how it perpetuates unrealistic expectations, a side effect of the romantasy (I hate this word, by the by) genre. The LIs also are also usually from extreme wealth or from old, noble families or bloodlines, which harkens back to the romance novels I was reading in the 90s.
The love interest is idolized by showing them being overly noble, going against their nature (like a vampire not feeding), and showing up to save the day.
The use of aggression, jealousy, revenge, and betrayal, in addition to the overt acceptance of bullying, even among adults, and the aggressive nature of not only the antagonist, but sometimes the love interest too. There is so much yelling, and forceful grabbing, or pushing into walls or tables towering with glassware, drinks being thrown onto the protagonist, the threat or follow through of a slap, gun violence, and knives and swords with self harm or threatening action.
The over the top antagonist. The villain is always a cliche portrayal of jealousy and lack of subtlety. It’s their whole personality. They continue to harass the protagonist to the point that you’re thinking, “Why you so obsessed with me?” They are given too many chances to continue to be a thorn, and then relish in their short lived victory, because they immediately confess their ploy in the hopes they’ll win the affection of the main character’s love interest. They are poorly created, annoying characters. They are so unlikable and so obviously the villain and they quickly grow tiresome.
They almost all use the idea of “fated mates” and finish with the fairytale/happily ever after ending. Actually, one I watched ended with a bit of tragedy, so that was interesting. Yes, they’re mostly fantasies and romances, but not every finale has to end so neatly, and that’s coming from me.

While this was an interesting experiment to discover whether writing this type of content was for me, as you’ve probably concluded, it’s not. I don’t write like this. I don’t want to write like this.

I would be open to editing their content though.

I have more to say, but this is long enough as it is. And this is apart from Hollywood’s new interest in the medium now that it’s grown into a multi-billion dollar business. That’s another post.

My final thought is this: This type of content shouldn’t be so readily available, not without some oversight and safeguards put in place. Archive of Our Own (AO3), the fan fiction site, uses content warnings and tags to protect readers. If there is subject matter you don’t want to be exposed to, you are given a forewarning, to the best of the author’s ability, in order to give you the option to opt out, and not proceed blindly to be surprised and potentially traumatized. Vertical Dramas should follow suit.

What are your thoughts?

12Dec2025

New Fanfiction – Walker: Independence

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

I enjoy Westerns. I like the genre. For some reason, I’m all about the drama that often unfolds when an uptight Easterner travels West and clashes with the wildness of the lawless land.

I also relish in the potential for a star-crossed lover moment – Last of the Mohicans is one of my favorites. So, this show, Walker: Independence kept popping up on my list of “recommendations” and out of curiosity, I decided to give the first episode a look-see. It’s not a great show, but it had potential, and some of the episodes and topics touched upon were good, but because of what I saw in those first few minutes…I was inspired to write a new fan fiction.

There is absolutely something going on between the two characters above, Abby and Calian, and despite the series only being one season of 13 episodes, there is plenty of subtly between them to examine and expand upon. Who knows what the show’s writers intended for these two, but if you watch their interactions, you’ll see what I saw.

So, yeah. Here we go again.

If you’re unfamiliar with the CW show now on HBOMax, Abigail Collins and her husband, Liam are on their way to the town of Independence, TX where Liam is to be the new sheriff. One night, when they stop to rest, an unseen shooter attacks them, killing Liam and leaving Abby for dead.

Abby is saved by Calian, and healed by his tribe, who give her the Apache name “Walks in Tall Grass”. Once she’s recovered, she travels to town to inform them about what’s happened, and runs into the new-new sheriff, Tom Davidson, who she is certain is the shooter. Abigail Collins, now Abby Walker (see what they did there?) along with Calian and an outlaw named Hoyt join forces to stop Tom and his family from enacting whatever plans they have for the town.

I’ve put myself on a strict self-imposed writing goal of one chapter per episode per week. I don’t want to linger and think too much. I just want to write. I’m currently writing chapter 5.

After watching the show and seeing Abby and Calian’s relationship not really go anywhere thanks to having only 13 episodes, I checked out Archive of Our Own to see if anyone else had written about them. They had not. Not only were there no fics about these two, there were only a handful of fics in total. Talk about a small fandom.

The fic is titled, Through Calian’s Eyes and it’s rated PG (for now). This was a CW show, so it’s pretty tame, but I’m having thoughts, so the rating may change in the last chapter which would be non-canonical. I’m sharing Chapter One, and eventually it will get its own section under the Scribbles heading here, but if you’re interested, you can follow along over on AO3.

I hope you enjoy!

Untitled Pilot aka And Then There Were Three

It was warm on the prairie. It was the kind of day where the heat rising from the plains could play tricks on the eyes, but Calian knew the difference between worlds, or so he thought. When his little sister appeared to him, leading him when needed, he knew it wasn’t her. It had been many years since she had gone missing, and the figure that showed itself to him was her young self, not the woman she would have become in the years since, and yet he followed her, every time.

This time, she ran amidst the swirls of light spiraling off the land, leading him further than she had before until she finally stood still and pointed to a blue-green blur a short distance away –

– a woman.

A white woman…teetering on the edge of death.

She had been shot. Left for dead. From the look of her, she had walked a good distance before collapsing under the desert sun. Her alabastor skin was made even more fair by the compliment of copper colored waves surrounding her. Her features were so unlike his own, and yet there was something about her Calian couldn’t name, a deep seeded desire to help her, and not only because his sister had brought him to find her. Calian contemplated the consequences of being discovered with her. The townspeople were quick with their vile thoughts, believing his people capable of every type of ill intent.

But he couldn’t leave her.

There was still life in her. Her golden green eyes fluttered just once, but that was all the encouragement Calian needed.

She was small in his hands, and a fierce emotion of protection flooded his entire being. It was a feeling unlike anything he had felt before. He didn’t know what it meant, and he could never guess at what it would mean for him in the future, but at that moment, he knew he needed to safeguard her.

He took her home.

To his people.

Days later, when her golden green eyes fluttered open again, Calian was sure to be the first face she saw. His friend, Augustus had told him once that he had a kind face, and he knew for a woman, such as her, the emotion he could evoke would most likely be of comfort to her when she discovered where she was.

He was still concerned for her overall well being, but he was also curious about her. How had she come to such state? Who wished to inflict such pain upon her? The placement of the shot in her shoulder had meant to wound her, not kill her, at least not right away, so was she still in danger? He held her gaze, and found her eyes entrancing, and noticed, she, too, found it difficult to look away.

Despite her circumstances, and her initial fear, being near him had brought her a sense of calm. He could feel it. “How are you feeling?” He tried to keep his voice steady.

“How…how long have I been here?” She looked around nervously. Realizing she was in her smallclothes, she made a little effort to bring the blanket closer upwards in a discreet move of modesty.

“Four days.” Her face registered her disbelief, but Calian continued. “We found you in the plains. The Elders healed you.”

Her first thought was of thanks, something he appreciated more than he should have, but he quickly realized it was, in part, because of the way she looked, and what treatment he had become accustomed to from those that looked like her. She was surrounded by strangers, those reviled by the settlers, but she didn’t have the same look in her eye that he was used to seeing. She didn’t shrink away from him. Maybe they thought differently in Boston.

She tried to rise, but she was still in pain.

“Where are you from?” He tried to distract her.

“Boston. It’s east, in…”

“Massachusetts.” He found it delightful that she was surprised by his knowledge. “I’ve read of Boston.”

“Where did you learn to speak..?”

“I used to scout for the US Cavalry.”

His people whispered behind them. They did not like how comfortable he and the woman seemed to be, but it amused Calian all the same.

Her ears perked up when she heard the same phrase uttered a few times.

Djon-deh-zee.

“What…what does that mean? Djon-deh-zee?” Tears continued to pool, but he could see the strength behind the sadness too.

“Walks in Tall Grass. What they call you.” He couldn’t keep the smile from his lips.

“My-my name is Abigail. Abigail Collins.”

“I’m Calian.”

And then her sorrow had reason. A husband. Past tense. “..supposed to be sheriff…” She asked if Calian knew where the town of Independence was, which, of course, he did.

She was hopeful, and he couldn’t deny her.

After she rested, now that she had finally awakened, Calian took Abigail to the hilltop that overlooked the valley where the new town was expanding. Calian stood a respectful distance from her.

“I need to tell them what happened.” Her voice held a certain resolve.

“Find Deputy Augustus. He’s a good man.” Calian turned back toward his horse, a strange knot in his chest. “He’ll help you.”

“You aren’t coming with me?” He saw the disappointment on her face, heard it in her voice.

“Some might not want to see an Apache with a white woman.” Saying what so many believed aloud was almost as painful as leaving her.

“Well, that should change.”

He knew she meant it, and that was a salve to his soul. “Maybe one day.” He smiled again as he mounted his horse.

“Thank you. I hope to see you again.”

He responded in Apache, hoping to leave an impression on her. And then they each turned, not willing to watch the other leave.

When evening fell, Calian felt compelled to return to the ridge that overlooked the town – to where he had said his farewell to the intriguing woman who had so quickly turned his head. He sat quietly alone, wrestling with the warring emotions within him. He wanted to go to town, he wanted to find Abigail, to see her again, but given who he was, he knew the town would be suspicous of him, even in spite of everything he had done for them.

And as if on cue, Gus rode up to greet him. “Little bank robbery earlier.”

“Been a while.”

“Yeah. Took a hostage. A woman. Folks at the bank said her name was Abby. Abby Walker.” Calian knew Gus was fishing, he just wasn’t sure why. He had told Abigail she could trust Augustus, and she would have mentioned Calian’s name, but Gus was looking for something more. He could still hear Gus talking, but the words stopped holding meaning as his mind wandered. Something struck him.

Walker. She had taken her Apache name.

Such knowledge brought him a great deal of joy.

Gus rounded his horse around Calian, and Calian took the moment to calm himself. “I’ll track her first daylight.” He knew, at least in some part, that was what Gus wanted from him, so he obliged.

It was also an opportunity to see her again.

“Yeah. Or…you can ride down with me.” They looked at one another, an unspoken conversation between old friends happened in a matter of moments until Calian acquiesced and obliged Gus again. Together they rode into town.

Calian was unaware of the celebration happening to honor the new sheriff when he arrived, so he kept to the shadows, to the outskirts of the townsfolk so he could observe the happenings without being noticed. There was singing and gun fire and dancing girls and then there was Abby…with a man.

They looked like they knew one another. They were speaking in hushed tones, their faces were twisted as if tight with anger or stress. She had made a fast friend, so it seemed, and a pang of jealousy struck Calian’s heart. Would he ever be as fortunate to find himself in her confidence? To stand close to her, in the view of any and everyone.

He turned away, frustrated.

What he had not seen, and what he would not know for some time was that Abby had tried to kill the new sheriff. She believed him responsible for her husband’s murder, and Hoyt had intervened and saved her. He would be grateful to the man later, but just then, he did not like how close the stranger was able to stand beside Abby.

The next morning, Calian tracked Abby to the site of her attack. He could hear her cry out as she found her husband’s body. He also heard the click of her “friend’s” gun.

He called out her Apache name first, so she would know it was him. He tried to keep the disdain out of his voice as he followed up with, “Tell your friend not to shoot.”

He heard her reassure her friend that she knew him, and while he approached her cautiously, he could see she was relieved to see him again. It caused yet another pang to his heart that he could not control.

“And then there were three.” Her friend, Hoyt said. Calian didn’t quite understand the reference yet, but he would.

Abby picked up a tossed aside rifle, as if it might bring her strength, and then she asked, “Will you help me bury him?”

They did.

He spoke reassuring words in Apache, “There is no death. Only a change in worlds.” He knew she couldn’t understand him, but he hoped his presence would bring her some comfort. “His soul goes to the air now.” It was what his people believed, and he tossed some of the dirt at the grave to the air symbolically. Abby, too, offered her own rite of passage, the placing of her ring upon the stones that marked the burial. Hoyt then spoke words of solace, something more appropriate for their people, and it all seemed to bring her closure.

As they left, Abby spoke of a conversation Calian had not been privy to, about revenge. But she had learned something about herself in a short time. She wanted justice for what had happened to her and her husband.

She had found a sense of belonging in Calian’s absence or maybe because of his presence. He found himself truly hoping it was, in part, the latter. In spite of everything he knew of this land, he had discovered a sliver of hope he never thought possible. He knew it was too soon to think such thoughts – they were from different worlds – they might never be accepted – she was in mourning – but he had been destined to find her, and he could not deny their connection. He had no idea what might be in store for them, but he was willing to risk a great deal to find out.

He couldn’t stay away from her. He didn’t want to. And he was willing to bear Hoyt’s presence to be by her side. “And then there were three.” Hoyt had said. Calian now understood.

~ * ~

Are you a fan fic writer? Are you working on something different from your usual? Wanna share so we can all support you? Drop a link in the comments.

Happy Writing!

23Jun2014

Open to Suggestion

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

Hi all!

I am calling on my fellow bloggers – Who or what blogs do you recommend? Offer up to me some of your favorite writing, screenwriting, geek culture, sci-fi/fantasy, history, something for an Anglophile, or anything that piques your interest blogs…I am open to suggestion.

Feel free to promote yourself! 😉

Thanks!
xx, Rach

5May2014

The Jane Austen Syndrome

Posted in Posts by Rachael C Marek

I was recently introduced to virtual strangers as a “great admirer” of Jane Austen, as if that were almost an excuse, an apology, or a warning…I’m not sure which. I do not deny my Jane Austen obsession. I am joined by legions of (mostly) women who refer to themselves as Janeites and celebrate the author and her work in any way they can. Why? You might ask. There are several reasons; likeable characters, restrained romantic encounters, great dialogue, lush landscapes, great houses, etc. but this is not to be some treatise on the literary constructs, but a few of the reasons why a girl from Sin City found refuge in a faraway land set hundreds of years ago, that started a chain of events that I will refer to as the Jane Austen Syndrome.

First off, when I was 19* I visited England for the first time. That was it for me. I was home. And I’ve been trying to get back there ever since, having achieved success only once more (so far). I always felt a little out of place in my hometown, and finding this sense of “home” was intriguing and compelling. So, upon my return home I started to devour all things English. It was later that year when Sense & Sensibility was released. (*Oh gracious, don’t do the math.) My literary education had never included Jane Austen. This was my first introduction, and the first domino.

Sense & Sensibility, where to start. I have a much younger sister, and for many years I had to maintain a certain Eleanor appearance in regards to keeping emotions in check. So that rang true for me personally. The men were dashing and handsome, but there was more to it than that. The lifestyle, the manners, the propriety, the rules…all of this was fairly new to me and I loved it all.

From there I discovered the BBC version of Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth (whom I still love to this day) and Jennifer Ehle, which is the basis for all boy meets girl romantic comedies. It was official. I now understood. I was a Janeite. At this point I started to watch any version of any Jane Austen film made to date, but had yet to pick up a novel. Once that happened, it was just another stepping stone in my love affair with England. It is on this topic I could write a treatise.

I discovered that through certain films, I was introduced to time periods that affected not only me but my writing greatly. Which, hopefully, you’ll see when my screenplays come to the big screen. *Fingers crossed. I dream(ed) of the Mr. Darcy and the gentlemanly ways of a time gone by. Today you’re lucky if a man will hold the door for you (this is a generalization, albeit a fairly accurate generalization. Sorry guys, but you should know that you will win more favor with a few kind acts, and that most women would love to be treated like a lady. And let me add a side note, women should act like they deserve to be treated as ladies, this is the Janeite in me.). There were manners and standards. And this is a side effect of “the syndrome”. Once immersed in a world we’d prefer still existed in some regard, most things pale in comparison. It was this introduction that has led to my Anglophile status – why I swoon at an English accent, love high tea, developed a passion for history, have dressed in Victorian garb on more than one occasion, will watch any English period piece, have a fondness for the Queen, want to join the Society of Creative Anachronism, and desire to settle in an adorable manor in the English countryside…Jane, what have you done to me?!

EnglishManor Now I shall go immerse myself in some history in my own script, so I suppose a “Thank you, Jane” is in order as well. 🙂

Have a great week everyone!

18Oct2013

Romantically Challenged

Posted in Images, Posts, Quotes by Rachael C Marek

Pride&Prejudice I know it’s a phase, but I’m in a rut. I’m in the middle of a major rewrite and I find myself lacking emotionally as I’ve had a lot of negative things weighing on me recently, my romantic sensibilities have been sapped. As I write love stories (in part), the lack of emotion is a bit of an impediment, so I’ve been looking pretty much everywhere in order to be inspired; music, movies, video games, pictures/artwork, and yes, quotes. I thought I’d share a few things and hopefully, in a few days, I’ll get the love back. Theberge-Romance

I’ve read so many times that as a writer you should write every day, and I agree, to an extent. Depending on what you’re working on, your emotional state could have either a positive or negative influence. In my current frame of mind I should be writing something angry, sarcastic, and dark. And I don’t write that kind of stuff. So, until this mood passes, I will continue the rewrite from a technical stand point, and continue to stare at these in an effort to lighten the mood — maybe I just need a hug…as writers we spend a lot of time alone, so maybe I just need to be around some people. I will test this theory and get back to you.

“I love it when I catch you looking at me, then you smile and look away.”

“Kiss me as if it were the last time.”

Mermaidw:Man

And a few of my favorite book quotes —

“Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan.” — Persuasion by Jane Austen

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.” — Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I can not live without my life! I can not live without my soul!” — Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

“I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you – especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land some broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I’ve a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly.” — Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

*First image is Romance by Claude Theberge. Second image is of Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen of Pride & Prejudice. The others I came across while searching the internet. I do not own these works.

17Oct2013

Escapism

Posted in Images, Posts, Websites by Rachael C Marek

Alistair&Lady(Disneyesque) Today is about escape. I need a little break from the recent bout of insanity that has made a home for itself in my life. As my blog is not only about writing, but fantasy and romance as well, I thought today would be a good day to just drift…

I have a minor obsession with a video game called Dragon Age. The first game in the series is brilliant, and I will hold myself back from commenting further as this is not meant to be a review. I Googled it and found myself on Deviant Art, a wonderful site, where artists take characters they love and create new and beautiful images (and other art, cosplay, fan fiction, etc.). I cannot draw, and that saddens me sometimes when I see images like these. Here are a few from DA that I wish I had on my wall: DAII-Fenris

As a writer, an image is sometimes a great way to visualize a character or place. If you visit my Facebook page, you’ll find albums of pictures I’ve discovered that help me with each story https://www.facebook.com/RachaelCMarek/photos_albums), and give you a little insight into the types of stories I’m working on. In each, I have one I refer to as a “touchstone”. One image that defines the story in my mind. Enjoy!

Artists displayed: rooster82.deviantart.com, smilika.deviantart.com, and rinacane.deviantart.com

Fenris Thank you to them for their beautiful work and for giving this fangirl something more for her obsession and imagination! I’m now inspired to escape by playing a little DA…Have a good day!